Thursday, December 4, 2008

A Week in Review

Thanksgiving - The turkey was moist. The mashed potatoes were great. The gravy - oh my - the gravy was perfect. The yams were tender, in a caramelized brown sugar buttery sauce; Oh-so-good... like heaven. The pumpkin pie was divine. And the broccoli... well, it was broccoli. But it is my favorite veggie, so it was good. I ate just enough to be considered full, but didn't gorge myself to the point of having a food-baby. Oh - and we also had chocolate birthday cake for Big-D with blue icing made by his little nephew. It was really cute. The best part was I didn't have to cook! Yay!

Black Friday - After having an awesome lunch at Goodwood BBQ (whereI DID get a food-baby), Big-D and I set out to join what seemed like the rest of the world shopping. Most of the "Black-Friday" Shoppers were done, though the crowds were still plentiful. First stop: The Kingdom of all Manly Kingdoms, Cabella's. The list? Shotgun cleaner, Shotgun case, and I forget what else. Then Kohl's for pj's (where they still honored "Black Friday" prices simply because I asked!), Old Navy -where I found matching sweaters for the boys for $5 each, and Justice, Just for Girls -where everything was Buy One-Get One Free, so I got my daughter's Birthday gifts. By the time we got home, my calves were mooing and my dogs were barking, and I was ready for a nappy-poo. But, darn it, I forgot to replenish my cleaning supplies for my pre-holiday cleaning spree (see yesterday's post). So I picked up the kiddos from their dad's, dropped FunnyMan off at the Friend-Girl's for a par-tay, and dragged the other two with me to none-other-than Wal-Mart. I giggled shamelessly as I thought about the "Wal-Mart Bingo Card" my friend emailed me (so politically In-Correct. Nevertheless, click pic for larger view.) As we were checking out around 9:30pm, LittleDuckling tells me he is STARVING! "Didn't you eat dinner at your dad's?" I ask. "Yes," he replies. "But I missed breakfast, and I've been a meal behind all day!" Me, trying to stifle my laugh repeat, "So you're hungry, because you missed breakfast?" "Yes," states LittleDuckling. "Don't you know that Breakfast is the most important meal of the day?" So, with that, I agree to take them to Chili's (in the same parking lot as Wal-mart) but tell them we will share appetizers. The process didn't take long, but he acted like he was going to DIE while waiting for the food to arrive.

LittleDuckling, STARVING!


the food finally arrived!
LittleDuckling, filling his belly and "catching up" on his meals!

Game Day - Saturday was the day I could finally get my hands on a gun. It had been 20 years since I had shot a gun, so I was really looking forward to it. Big-D and his buddies and I went to the gun range. First they let me shoot the shot guns. But my arms were too short to feel comfortable. And the recoil hurt the inside of my shoulder...ouch! Then onto handguns. That was fun. I could do that for hours. They were all very kind and didn't seem to mind me tagging along on their traditional guys-shooting-day-out. They were patient in explaining and showing me how their guns worked so I could try. Here is me, with Big-D's Big-Bad Shotgun:

And here is me shooting off his friend's pistol:
After the gun range, I had some tickets for me and some clients to go to the Jazz/Nets game. I took Big-D too. The game was very intense. I know it's wrong, but I just wanted someone to bust up Yi Jianlin's kneecaps during half-time. And what was up with Okur? He played HORRIBLE! The only thing I can say in my sweet Jazz Team's defense is that they played their Butts off on Monday against the Bulls. It was neck & neck until the Bulls won by 1 pt at the buzzer! Then they won the next 2 games against the Grizzlies and the Kings, and by the time Saturday rolled around, they were tired, and stuffed from all that Turkey and left-over Turkey. Can you blame 'em? Anyway - by the end of the 3rd qtr, they were behind by about 20 and my headache was approaching migraine status so we left. Still a fun day all in all. Here is Big-D not impressed with the score. Though he did nab one of his ever-so-favorite-game-treats: a churro!My Birthday - Tuesday was my birthday, and I received lots of well-wishes. CatGirl from work made an eclair pie- De-Lish!!!! After work Big-D took me to my Fa-A-A-Vorite place to eat: Biaggi's! Then we went to "Savior of the World" Christmas production downtown. It was really good, and of course the singing was phenomenal. The angel chorus was so powerful that it brought me to tears. The guy in front of us was about 100 years old, and I get that when you're that old, you can't always control your bodily functions. Well, during scene 1 of Act 2, we hear it... Brmmmp! He tooted. I wasn't going to snicker like a child. I wasn't going to carry on with a wheezing silent laugh that would bring me to tears. I wasn't going to laugh so hard I'd almost pee my pants. But one look at Big-D and it was that smirk on his face that did it. I blame him completely. We both broke out into giggles. I had to put my head down several times. We were in the 5th row! I was sure the actors could see us. I was certain the Ushers were going to ask us to leave. Finally, we gained composure. We were in control. Then an actor steps out, wearing a pastel purple gunny-sack "Disciple-Type" costume, with a rainbow striped "shawl"-thingy. His facial expressions and voice tone were, how do you say, well - flamboyant. He was a great actor. A great singer. But I just couldn't "buy into" his character, as flamboyant as he was. Big-D and I shamefully broke out into giggles again. Luckily the show was almost over and the music, again so moving, brought me to tears.

(side note) When we got home, for some reason we got into a discussion about High School Graduation Open Houses. He said he had never heard of such a thing. Perhaps because here in Utah a majority of the people are LDS and their kids go off on missions before college and they do Farewell Open Houses instead. That is my theory anyway. Big-D argued that perhaps it's just a Mid-western thing, an Indiana-Thing. I beg to differ. So my bloggy-audience, I ask you, Did you/Do you have High School Graduation Open Houses where you're from???

So, there is my week in review. It was a great week and I had a lot of fun. I certainly created memories never to be forgotten. I am tired already and it isn't even Christmas! :)

22 comments:

Jennifer Rae said...

No open house in California...but that was 10+ years ago.

Amy said...

Sounds like a good week! I LOVE the walmart Bingo!!! That was soooo funny! BTW..HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I loved your pictures!

Tiffany @ Lattes And Life said...

Sounds like a great week!! I've never even heard of a High School Graduation Open House!!

jewelstreet said...

Sounds like you had an awesome week!

ann said...

glad you had a great week!!! glad you could spend so much time with big D.


Good job on the shooting! Jared is always trying to get me to go with him, after I saw this I should be a good wife and go....

I had a open house....but I'm from the same place you were. Does that count?

ann said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tamie said...

i went to a few here in CO...but i did not have one myself.
you have been a busy, busy girl...and i've got to say that you must go to temple square at least once for me this holiday season...one of the few things that i wish that i could head on over for to see the lights with my boys...its just so fun!

Rhonda said...

You. are. the. funniest. person. alive!

Ok the walmart bingo card had me laughing so hard!! I think they have an unwritten rule that at least one of their cashiers has to be toothless, braless, and have SUPER teased hair!

Little duckling....glad he got some good eats. My kids do the same thing. If we do a brunch type thing late Saturday morning they want to know which meal it counts for because heaven forbid it count for BOTH. Uh-uh...noway. must have three square meals a day with a snack or two as well. -rolling eyes-

You look great with a gun!

The play. hilarious! I'm always in the public bathrooms with the senior crowd and I try not to giggle in my stall when they let em rip next to me. I usually try not to inhale till I get out of the restroom.

I've never heard of or had a high school grad open house. It must be a local thing where you come from.

Glad you and Big D got to spend so much time together! Sounds so fuN!

Our Two Blessings From Above said...

Sounds like you had a fun week. Makes me feel like I live a boring life! I use to love going out shooting when I was in my 20's. The boys have asked for air soft guns for Christmas so I may get hooked again.

Ruthykins said...

i don't get why people wouldn't celebrate graduation. maybe they just do it in some other way than open houses or something. anyway, i had one, as you know. complete with the green punch.

The Willeyes said...

What a great week! No...no open houses in Phoenix. Love the pics. Here's hoping we get another exciting week in review post next week:)

Charlotte said...

Glad you liked your pie! No open house for me of course. Though, I think the party Alice threw for Bella in Twilight might count as one...

purplehaze said...

Sounds like you had a busy week for sure, at least you didn't have to cook that is always nice! I am not sure what you mean about open house after graduation, but I had a party after with all my friends.

Tiffany @ Lattes And Life said...

There's an award on my blog for you!!!!

Blog Stalker said...

Walmart Bingo Rocks! But sad that you may fill every square each and every visit!

There is an award for you at my blog..

Later yo(my attempt at being hip)

Tulsi said...

What a great week.

Chamberlain Neff and Steve were together in Afghanistan. They had a certificate and photo of them taken together to send to the main UHP office. The last time I saw his wife was at the Governor's mansion and she was expecting their baby, before they got home. I don't think I saw to many at their homecoming since I was only looking for Steve. We haven't been to any UHP bashes for a while.

Ashley said...

I have no idea what your talking about with the open house thing... the only school open houses we ever had were in elementary and then for your first year of junior and high school to become familiar with the school.

You have had a very eventful week! I'm so glad you had a great Thanksgiving and Birthday!!! I still don't understand the gun thing... but I'm glad you had a great time!

BTW, Big-D sounds like an awesome catch! ;)

Emily said...

Well I'm from the mid-west and I did have a open house. But here in Nevada they do not. infact I get VERY strange looks from some of the seniors when I mention if they are planning thiers. Maybe it is a mid-west thing.

Happy birthday by the way!

TravAndToni said...

Not only did I not have an open house to celebrate my graduation, I also did not even have a party. Come to think of it... I didn't even get a good gift! I got an encyclopedic dictionary, with the disclaimer from my mother that it was "an investment in your future, because you'll need it in college." I keep telling your son's friend that when HE graduates, I don't have to give him a great gift - I just have to top the dictionary.

I came across the BEST game this week, by the way, which I'm dying to bust out on your son's friend, you son, the friend girl and the rest of the gaggle of girls next time they all end up over here. It's called Curses, and it's the funnest game we've ever played. I'll take some video for you when the kids actually play it... it'll be priceless. :)

Susie said...

Great week review:-)

kanaboke said...

Oh My Goodness Gracious! I totally haven't even wished you a Happy Birthday yet...HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY GIRL!!!!! and I can't believe you got to watch the game where the Jazz lost to the Bulls by one stinkin point in the last second...I couldn't sleep that night...i was sooo stinkin annoyed!!

Catherine said...

Was just catching up on your blog and loved the Walmart thing. It's only funny because it's so true. We miss having a Walmart! We have to go to several places to find all those things.