Thanksgiving day on the "Rock"...Okinawan Style...Thanks be to GOD! ;-)

Prepping for the BIG Turkey Extravaganza...a lot of time and work goes into the holidays...and da G' unit were pecking around gettin' ready for the festivities...

We were going over to the Scherden's for our Thanksgiving meal...I was in charge of two desserts...one was a Heath cheesecake and a pumpkin layer pie...both turned out pretty decent...despite me totally NOT a baker...he he he....and Kent was in charge of a finger' lickin' potato casserole...it involved...frozen Julian potatoes...sour cream...cream of ck soup...cheddar cheese...and corn flakes and butter for a crispy topping...it SCREAMS...."EAT ME!" and I do every time...doesn't take much to twist my arm..;-)

I also threw together a Cider at the Scherdens...and believe it or not it turned out delicious...even with the fact that I omitted by accident a key ingredient...1 cup o' sugar....so next time I prolly need to bring the recipe with me..instead of working from memory...;-)

The night before the big bird celebration...Kent wanted to do a treat with the kids...which in my opinion is so wonderful for him to actually research an activity and implement it before bedtime...it turned out SMASHING-ly...the kids took turns...and I was proud of all three of them...just being silly in the kitchen...

We put the kids to bed...popped open a bottle of wine...made one of my pies...Kent prepped his potatoes...and we were chill....we were in one of those moods...were we were watching a movie...and we would pause it and chat about our day...watch...pause...chat...you know..just hangin' to-geva!

Onward..before I keep babblin'

How to make Pilgrim hats

I told Kent that his mama would be proud!

(1 cookie + 1 marshmallow+ 1 toothpick +melted chocolate = a chocolate-y treat the kids are proud of )

Laying down the foundation...the bill of the hat..

toothpick inserted into the marshmallow getting slathered by chocolate...

Precision....Sophia's precisely lines up the 'mellow on the cookie....

Daddy added the buckles...(the icing we got was a bit difficult to work with...in daddy's defense ;-)

The following pics were from Thanksgiving day....starting at 9:00

The Turkey bowl...the boys have been playing for at least 6 years....

How fun....one day I would love to join in...but I rather enjoy a Starbucks and play some tennis with the girls....

Kent and his "hotness"...;-)

In action...Kent-0..Arren...Dustin.....Cody and a couple of udder's

Kent...Arren...Cody...Kenny...and..hmmm dunno him...

Good buddies.....both love to play anything that involves a ball or a frisbee....

Tom's daddy...Kent-o...Tom in all black...and someone...

Onward to Tennis..Turkey-don (Turkey Tennis + Wimbledon = Turkey-don)

Aden with a handsome haircut...and Kai in the background...

Lil' Phi-Phi

Good buddies..

Lo' and her Ella (in belly)...sMarti..with Cakes..Laura...sMarti's sister-in-law...Christa..with her Emma Rose...

sMarti...being a multi-tasker...lovin' on her babies...her nephew..and lil' Jacy cakes!
They both are crying...b/c they both want sMarti-kins!

I see bunny teef!

"Ant" Tritia gave him this shirt...he he he

My lil' Sophia Lou Lou...and Mason looking on...

Aden and Kai...again...how did this sneak in here...hehehehe

Proof we actually did play tennis...he he he

Group picture....Laura Fisk taking the picture...we are missing Emily the hostess of Thanksgiving dinner...Liz and Willow...Lo/Ella the bump...and the Jones' who PCS'd last spring...

I love the fact that we can gather...play like children...chat like women...and watch the kids play their hearts out!


On to "The Meal"

This BEAUTIFUL massive bird fed a whole lot o' peoples...

Jason brine'd the bird just so...that it was the most tender and juicy turkey Kent and I have ever tasted...we have talked about this bird for about 4 days now....

Heavenly!

Em...Jen..JoOoOlie...Lo..and lil' ol' me!

Kai taking the pic...such a good solider...;-)

JoOoOlie and Lo...being a lil' BIG silly!

Em and Jason had two tables set up...very trendy and sweetly decorated!

Kai collected these fall colored leaves from his school and from tennis...and he was VERY adamant about decorating when we got to Emily's house...and he said Emily was gonna be so proud of him...and sure enough...Emily praised this boy on making the table a lil' bit more special...Thanks Em for making him feel SUPER special!!

He was taping the leaves along the edge of the table...for decoration!

He packed his own tape and grabbed his leaves and threw them in a bag..and off we went...and how dedicated to his task he was...lil' bug!

Diligently working...

Sophia keeping baby Grace busy..playing with her doll baby...

The boys gathered downstairs...chatting it up..

Shawn...Kenny...Kent-o...Tom..his Daddy Pete..and Perry

The boys

I thought this was a cool pic of Tom and his dad...(I know a lil' artistic..not for everyone)...but I liked the edge to it!

Shawn "Ta-dow" Green...T-dawg...and K-dawg...
Cheesing out!

There was a reason the kids ate outside...;-)



This is one of the reasons Jason is cool: In teacher mode...

Jason has a compost pile just like Kai and Sophia's...Mimi and Papa...
Jason saved this opportunity for Kai...and if you know Kai.....Kai is the guy who is gonna be the "Green-est" guy you know when he grows up....not counting how GREEN he is now.;-)...he loves the idea of recycling...he cannot stand when people litter...he dreams of being a farmer....he is a caregiver...he is a caretaker...and he loves nature...knowing this...Jason saved this lil' project for Kai..and of course lil' sister Soph...Jackson...and Mason...was intrigued as well!

Jason..digging down uncovering...wiggly worms...

Jason has an audience....a cute lil' audience if you ask me!

Kai pouring in the goods in the compost....;-)

Jackson holding on to a creepy crawler...*blah*...heebie jeebies....ewww...but hey the kids love em'

Mason and his lil' friend...Mr. Wormy

Kai choppin' up the disgarded food...chop chop chop...and yes every child got a turn! Fair is fair!

Emma the doggie...Kai and his slimy posse'

Awwww yeah...girls can chop with the best of them...

I caught Kent laying on the futon downstairs...pre-sneeze...post turkey...pre-nap....

Lovely face bebe'! ;-)

We had a HUGE chuckle over the picture...and sure enough...he jumped and twitched his way through a nap...and came up for dessert....he knows how the Thanksgiving game works...eat...nap...and eat again...years of practice..bebe'


What a wonderful day...we missed Liz and Willow...lil' Willow was sick and wasn't able to join in all the reindeer games...sort of speak...and Liz stayed with her baby girl...we missed you girls!

Thank you so much Em and Jason for hosting this year...everything was WONDERFUL...and as always...we had a AWESOME time eating...drinkning (non-alcholic cider/coffee) and being merry!

LoVe and More LoVe!

We then went over to the Andrew's for a quick pick up of a Turkey that Allen won in a golf tourney...MaryAllen was hosting the in-laws...who are super cool...and they love our kids...and the say the sweetest things about them...which make us happy!

And when we were there...they were playing the wii...Kai and Sophia were naturals on playing Wii tennis...for reals tho! Thanks MaryAllen for the Turkey...and we'll have you over for a cream cheese Turkey pot pie next week...;-)

The day after...I went with the girls to Cocok's (pronounced Coco's) and we all got a pedicure...

I usually really never get a Christmas theme on my toes...but the end product was Christmas-y

I couldn't believe I picked it but was VERY pleased...I thought it would be nice to have them done...to compliment the Holiday season....and while I was being pampered...Kent and buddy John worked on making "wooden" Gingerbread houses...for da Grubbs' annual Gingerbread decorating PaRtY.....You'll see more details on next week's blog...we are having our first group...yep I said our first group...we usually host two groups..because of the size of the groups to the ratio of how big our house is...he he he...So this weekend and next weekend we will be slathering icing over the houses...decorating...and eating HUGE amounts of Chili!

I'm ramblin'....geez

Here is the selection of paints to choose from...

The view out my window...it's like we are basically on the water...as JoOoOlie said...

I usually don't get a pedicure...just toe art...it is cheaper...but this holiday season I splurged and actually indulged in a pedicure...and it was delightful....Amanda and JoOoOlie sitting opposite..chatting it up!

This lady was AMAZING and detailed...

I really liked the detail of her art work! (these feet ran 8 miles on Sunday...thank goodness the paint didn't smudge!)

Group photo...Amanda...Me..JoOoOlie...Liz...and E-train (Em)

We were missing Lo....where are you Lo?! ;-)

Hosting the in-laws...

Pretty feet...guess which one is mine...yep the "mocha" one...(Kent's choice of words)...of course...he he he !

I'm his "Mocha Latte" hottie...he he he he

Thank you everyone...EVERYONE...for making the holiday a special one!

It is hard being so far from family during the holiday's....believe me I get a twinge in my heart...and a lil' more mellow than usual when the holidays roll around....wishin' I could be with my mom...sister...niece's/nephew's....Mimi...Papa...my daddy...Chief...and extended family...being in DODDS has its drawbacks...but it also gives us some advantages that leave us VERY...VERY...THANKFUL....

I hope each and everyone of you had a specail dinner with people who are special to your heart's!

Embrace what you have...because you live only once...and hey..."We" are still in this game together...so lean on me and I'll lean on you....

TtodaThankfulforyouandyouandyou..andevenyouG

xoxoxoxoxoxox's