Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  Things worked out pretty well this year.  Nick's maternal grandmother has been in the hospital for the past few days, but after a few stints being put in and a pacemaker, she's doing pretty good.  The in-laws decided at the last minute, after the doctor told them she was going to be fine, to go up to WI to be with the other half of the family.  So even though the surprise is spoiled, the rest of it isn't.  I had waited until they decided what they were going to do to decide what I was going to do.  If they stayed, the kids and I would go to the in-laws for the holiday.  If they left, I was going to get food and cook here.

Since they left, I went shopping for a mini-meal for the kids and I.  I went to the town 20min away, even though I live about 1/2 a mile from a grocery store because the Wal-Mart over there never has anyone and I figured it'd be less crowded than the HEB behind the house.  And I was right.  It was so uncrowded, I got a spot right up front and managed to buy everything I needed in less than 30 min.  I got a bagged turkey breast (the preseasoned kind that takes only two hours to cook), sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and all the things to make sweet potato casserole.  I could have spent all day shopping, making the meal bigger and bigger, but I decided to make it the things I couldn't live without.

I didn't have to start cooking until 11, my meal only took 2 1/2 hours to cook.  Unfortunately, it was a lot of peeling and prepwork, but the food turned out awesome.  Also, neither of the kids wanted anything.  Zuri has a head cold and wasn't hungry and Aaron's meds are keeping him from wanting to eat.  Oh well.  I stuffed myself silly and then passed out on the couch for 3 hours.  Have to keep up with tradition.

At this moment, we're working on potty training.  Zuri keeps saying she has to go potty, so she goes to the toilet, sits on it for 2-3min, then gets off and claps.  Nothing comes out.  But she's proud of herself anyway.  I figure I'll let her keep doing it and maybe eventually she'll go.  No pressure.

That's all.  Have a Happy Day!

All sorts of screwed up

This summer, while Nick was deployed, Nick's parents let us know they'd be going up to WI to surprise Nick's grandparents for Thanksgiving.  Family was coming in from all over the country and Nick's parents told the grandparents they couldn't show, just to surprise them.  After Nick returned, he and his cousin started talking about how cool it would be if he could come up there.  He asked me if it was okay if he went up and surprised both the grandparents and his parents.  I was okay with this, I was planning on taking the kids to LA to spend time with Andrea.

Well, about a month ago, Andrea lets me know her and her husband are getting a divorce.  No big deal though, they were splitting the time with the house and the kids and I'd still be able to bring the kids.  It would be her week for the house and he wouldn't have a say in what went on while she was there.

Last week, I get an IM from Andrea, telling me the week is off, her husband is being a jerk and has decided that he's not leaving this week and he doesn't want her to have company.  I asked her if she'd come here and she said she'd have to see what was going on.

Saturday, Nick left for his grandparents.  He met his cousin, aunt and uncle at the airport in Chicago and drove to WI from there.  He surprised his grandmother and grandfather, nearly making his grandmother cry.  He managed to trick his grandmother into not calling his parents, to keep him from blowing his cover that he was up there already.  Back here, we've been working under the excuse that Nick has to work for an inspection that's coming up at and has to stay really late.  So my in-laws don't call at all.

Today, I get an IM from Andrea telling me that she's got a job up in TN, where she's moving to, and that she can't come this week.  Which totally blows.  I'm working on plans for the kids and I for thanksgiving because none of our family will be in town.  

And now, Nick's aunt gets a call from his mother.  Nick's other grandmother is in the hospital with chest pains.  Nick's parents blow their surprise to the rest of the family.  Then Nick gets on the phone and blows his part of the surprise to his parents.  

So, all the money that's been spent to get family together that hasn't seen each other in 6 years might go to waste and Nick's grandmother is in the hospital.  Everyone is stressed out and worried and people might not get to spend the holiday together.

I think this is my shitty luck.  Me being in the family has somehow screwed up their luck.  I'm hoping that his grandmother is doing well enough by Wednesday so that the in-laws can go up to WI and they can all get together like they planned.