Advent Calendar, Shopping Treasures!, and Thanksgiving

DAY ONE - this is going to be so fun!

So this is what my Advent Calendar looks like underneath the large felt tree.  It's a shoe bag and 23 slots are stuffed with presents.  It's very obvious my cousin put a lot of time in this!
 See last post.

 I've decided I'm going to share the Advent Calendar with you first every day, then go on to other stuff going on.  (Peeps it's hard to post every day!)

Day number One I got the Shoe Bag! 

 But I also got a very sweet card, and a story.  I choked up a bit when I opened it this morning.  And my Shug and my Mom both called asking what I got!  

Thing is.....my iced tea glass sweated a bit and the story got wet and blurred some words.  She's going to print me a new page.

So that's day one of Advent.

YESTERDAY

 After I took my nieces home, which I will blog about later....I decided to treat myself to a bit of shopping.  Some alone time! 

I went to TJ Maxx, Starbucks, and Goodwill.  

And I saw this at Goodwill.  This probably means nothing to most people, but this is a JC Penneys globe.  And my Sister and I would get one every year after Thanksgiving on Black Friday.  We collected them.  And last year when I went to get mine out, they were busted.  You see, it gets freezing cold in the rest of our house, where everything is stored.  I never thought about my globages breaking!  I was so upset about it last year, that I closed the storage box, and I haven't looked in it all year.   I'll be going through it this week.  But I have already decided I will be creative with the busted ones, and work on replacing them with "new" ones.  It will take years of garage sales and Goodwill shopping I'm sure!

I also got this at the Goodwill.  I have one already but it's plain.  I like this one better.  I have no idea it's original use, but I keep coffee filters in it.  I like that it has a lid. 

And cha-ching!  I got a bag of these trees for 2.99!

  

Yesterday, Sunday, was a glorious 60 degree day and my poor little Dixie Doodle got stung by a yellow jacket.  Seriously....my life.  He's doing much better today, with lots of spoiling and snuggling.

THANKSGIVING

This is the second time in two months that our entire family, and then some, has been able to get together.

I got my Sister this bag because well....it's just funny and

 Dad was a bit concerned about her, because he saw some special on tv about soccer mom's drinking too much wine.....something like that. (Nice photo bomb Taylor)

 We told him not to worry!  Look who's drinking here!

 Now it seems to have become tradition that we have duck for appetizer and Trent does a wonderful job of grilling it. 

But this was hilarious!  I guess he wanted to prove how fresh the duck actually was!  I think it was Adrienne that bit down on this "shot" (I called it a bullet but apparently it's called shot) I'm glad she didn't break a tooth!

  The next few photos are just of us all mingling, playing on phones, waiting for dinner.

 (Vinh, Teng, Chee, Dave)

 Ty is showing off his two new teeth!  This would be our parent's Great Grandson.  My brother's grandchild.

 (Joey, Duke, Dad, Mom, Lorri)

 (Vinh, Adrienne, Dave)

 (Taylor, Sarah, Joey,Ty on floor)

 (Molly)

 (Vinh, Teng)

 (Trent, Lorri, Theresa)

 Ok the turkey is ready, friends and family are gathered to say grace,

(Mom, Chee, Stacey)

and someone's cell phone is ringing!  It's our brothers!  WHAT?  He never has his cell phone, and when he does, it's never on!!!!  Everyone started laughing.

And this would be a good place to end this post, since it's becoming so long....

Cindy Bee