Thanksgiving 2011

Ahh turkey, ham, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, yams, cranberry sauce, deviled eggs... need I go on? My favorite food holiday ever. :) Happy Thanksgiving from the Swicks.

Table full of food and family

Bryan and Chris smiling because I threatened them with no pie if they didn't

Steve is sad because we are taking pictures

A stray cat that was left behind after her owners moved. We gave her a bath and are contemplating keeping her if she gets along with Hopkins. Naming won't happen until we decide to keep her or not.

A Table Story

This is a story of a table, a sad and quite lonely table that had been through many moves and hard times. This table had four chairs, and as time went by, one by one the chairs left because of broken legs and broken backs.

When there were only two chairs left and Alison was forced to sit at her own table with a dilapidated computer chair to eat, Alison and Eric made an executive decision to put the ole table out to pasture. (That just means it moved into the kitchen and became counter space.)

Out with the old, in with the new.

This is the new, not so lonely or dilapidated table. The table that fits 6 comfortably. The table that won't make Alison cry when she looks at it every night sitting in her computer chair.

But, Alison won't be sitting in her computer chair anymore... This is her NEW chair.

Sometimes you just have to...

I had an urge, a large urge, one that could not be quelled unless I did something, something drastic...

I just HAD to make homemade donuts!

So I made the dough last night, rolled them this morning and fried and glazed them for an early Saturday morning treat for my family. :) I haven't heard any complaints yet from them.

I had to make them square because I currently own no cookie cutters

Glazed and cinnamon sugar coated. MMMMmmm

Finished product, the one round one was formed by hand. They're rustic looking but very scrumptious.

Happy Birthday Chris

Today Christopher is 14! We had our usual family party with Italian food and chocolate cake for dessert. We had a good time as a family. :) Happy birthday Chris!

Homemade chocolate cake :)

Sooo many blinding candles

Playing rockem' sockem' robots rings.

A new watch!

Happy Howler Ween

On Saturday, we went to the pumpkin patch in town. Each kid picked out a pumpkin then we came home and did some carving. The results were a lot of fun. :)

I realize that they have the greatest expressions, but I woke them up very early for this trip... and had to bribe them with Starbucks.

This year we didn't do the trick-or-treating, I didn't make costumes, and frankly, I'm not answering my door tomorrow night when it rings.
We did, however, have an awesome family Halloween party and movie night. Each of the kids got a pumpkin filled with candy, we had more junk food than has EVER been in this house, and I didn't even make real dinner. I figure, let 'em get sick one night a year on pure candy. :)

Happy Big 1-0!

Bryan turns 10 on the 17th, but we did the party today. The neighborhood kids came over for hot dogs, chips, cupcakes and general mayhem. I'm glad we had it, and I'm glad it's over. :)

A dinosaur party, with fun cupcakes.

The double digit birthday boy (doesn't it look like the dinosaur on the shirt is eating the cupcake?)

Please be a gun, please be a gun (that is what all the kids were chanting)

Eric's fabulous magic tricks for the kiddos.

Not saying this is every day or anything...

This is my update on my star chart. It went very bad for two weeks (only 4 stars in two weeks), but!!! And, that "but" is what we have all been waiting for.... TODAY BRYAN GOT 4 STARS! Four stars in ONE day. That, I was pretty sure, was near impossible. He had, what his teacher called, a perfect day at school. Ah, I know there will still be ups and downs, but it is SO nice to hear that he was "perfect" today. Gives me a warm fuzzy feeling like something is going right. :)

This is what a perfect day looks like. :)