New paper stars

I went a little crazy at the Christkindlmarket and bought three new paper stars. This one is on the back porch and will hang over where we'll have drinks for the family Christmas party. Not sure why, but the small picture was takne at the Christkindlmarket when I was texting Andy what I liked and the design shows up better on that one than the picture I took on the back porch. I guess the lighting was different. Still pretty, though.

This one is three-dimensional and hangs in the living room, thanks to a Command hook. Not sure yet where to hang the third star.

Black Friday

Not sure how I missed this last night, but it was a nice surprise to wake up to a clean kitchen and my glasses and napkin rings all lined up on the dining room table. Allison even emptied my dishwasher! I took a little nap after dinner and voila, everything was cleaned for me.

L got up early to go Black Friday shopping with her friend, A. Andy, E and I went out a little later. The stores were busy but not crowded like they were years ago.

Thanksgiving

The table is set.

I used the turkey napkin rings L and I found at a garage sale this summer.

The appetizers are ready - meatballs, and cheese and crackers.

The drinks are chilling on the back porch.

Time for our traditional before-the-guests-arrive margarita!

Andy carves the turkey. I made stuffing, green beans and carrots (and cranberry sauce from a can but that doesn't count as cooking), Clare brought potatoes and Allison brought rolls, mashed potatoes, corn casserole and her Hawaiian salad. We had a lot of food!

Let's eat!

L and Allison each bought one of these turkey cookie kits yesterday when they were shopping at the Wilton warehouse sale. Allison's turkey was actually standing up so I'd say she won. L said hers looked like a Pinterest fail.

Thanksgiving cookies

Allison took L and E out shopping today so I could clean and prep for Thanksgiving. That was a godsend. So much easier to clean with them gone. When L came home she began decorating cookies for our youth pastor. She wanted two dozen and agreed to pay L $40 (!) for them. She did a great job.

Here's a pic our youth pastor sent of the cookies on display at her house. She said, "They were beautiful and tasted fantastic, as always. Lots of questions about where I got them and if the baker was a professional!" That's a great compliment!

Tuesday wrap-up

I knew I'd be busy today cleaning the house and prepping some food for Thanksgiving tomorrow so this is a recap of our Tuesday:

L baked sugar cookies Monday night for her Japanese class' lunch party Tuesday. Here she is decorating them under E's watchful eye. L convinced B to pick up two pizzas and deliver them to her class at lunchtime. Of course, he wanted to go see sensei.

She's making more cookies today for our youth pastor's Thanksgiving. L has to deliver them to her house on Thursday morning. Her cookies for Japanese class was a trial run that I think turned out pretty well.

We ended our Nursery School week Tuesday so I'm off today. We had all the kids bring in something for a sharing table - a preschool version of Thanksgiving. We had Goldfish crackers, popcorn, apple slices, more crackers, Veggie Sticks and we made cornbread muffins and made butter.

After school, I had a dentist appointment. I haven't had a cavity in years and this time I had two. Have to go back next month to get them filled. I came home and met E's boyfriend. They went shopping downtown today and he came home on the El with her and she drove him home. Then I made a pecan pie. Not sure where the big crack came from, or why, but it certainly looks homemade.

Founders Day

What a coincidence. I made a donation to the Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation's 50th anniversary campaign and this necklace arrived in the mail yesterday. Just in time for the sorority's Founders Day today!

That's just wrong

I'm not sure which kid knocked our ISU flag off the basement wall but they hung it back up backward! At least they hung it back up, but still. C'mon kids.

Different worship

We had a different kind of church service today. We met in the basement/Fellowship Hall for an "At the Table" service. According to the bulletin, it's "to honor the liturgical transition between Ordinary Time and Advent, and image Christ not as one dominating on a throne or high altar but rather resting and hosting us at a table." Andy and I went not knowing what to expect. It was different but OK.

The Search Committee got up and gave an update on our search for a new pastor. The chairwoman thanked every committee member individually.

Here's Andy giving her a hug.

Thankoffering Dinner

Tonight was the church's annual Thankoffering Dinner. The deacons provide the turkey and the congregation provides sides and desserts. I made a corn casserole and sweet potatoes.

L went to sleep after we got home from shopping and woke up at 5:15 p.m., saying she wanted to bake a big chocolate chip cookie in a pan she bought earlier at Joann's Fabric. It was a Thanksgiving miracle that it baked in time to get to the dinner that started at 6 p.m. and she even drizzled chocolate on top. We were a little late but the dinner didn't actually get under way until about 6:30. It was impressive and delicious.

Here's Cindy with the kids. Several people said how nice it was to see all three of the kids together. We don't see that very often these days.

My plate. I brought home two empty side dishes and was asked for the corn casserole recipe. L's cookie was still warm at dessert time and it went quickly too. Andy brought a box of Costco wine (equivalent to four bottles), set it on the counter, and that, too, was polished off. Pilgrims like to eat.

I showed the kids and Cindy the Triangle Nursery School room before we left the church.

And more shopping

Today E and B came home from college early. B napped most of the day but E went shopping with Cindy, L and me.

Our first stop was a local thrift store Cindy and I went to yesterday. They had science fiction books for free on a table in their entrance and Cindy picked up even more for Tyler. (She ended up with 49 (!) paperback science fiction books.) My find of the day was this set of pickle ornaments. I bought a new pickle ornament at the Christkindlmarket, but couldn't pass up a set of three for $3, and in that cute storage box!

Checking the price on Amazon, they're listed at $42! I checked eBay too where they were offered around $30. Either way, that's a deal for me.

Then we went to Joann's Fabrics to check out their Christmas items, and then to Oakbrook Center. Here's Cindy in the Coach store buying a new purse AND matching wallet.

Once we got home, Cindy brought in the paper star she bought at the Christkindlmarket and E helped her put the bulb in. It's definitely a two-person job.
And

More shopping

L went back to school today for a field trip to the Federal Reserve and Chicago Board of Trade while Cindy and I did some local shopping. We went to Home Depot to find LED bulbs for the paper stars we bought yesterday, Ross, Marshalls, Bath & Body Works and Costco. My find was a set of 12 of these napkin rings for $2 from a local thrift store. They're horribly tarnished but I took a $2 chance that they'd clean up well and they do. Cindy hit the jackpot at the store's "Free books" table and loaded up on science fiction books for Tyler.

After we picked L up from school we did a little shopping in downtown Oak Park. Here's L playing with little hand puppets at Pumpkin Moon. She even has smaller hands on the little hands.

There's no mistaking that Oak Park is a liberal town.

Christkindlmarket

Cindy, Allison, L and I took the el downtown today to do some shopping, see the Christmas decorations and visit the Christkindlmarket. Here were are enjoying our spiced wine in the warming building. Rain was in the forecast so I think a lot of people stayed away. It wasn't very crowded and it never really rained. We've been there when you can't even get up to the booths so this was a good day.

Looking at the pretty German wares.

Cheers!

L wanted the penguin cup but didn't get any hot chocolate.

Danger, danger. It's my favorite booth. Andy and I bought a star years and years ago that has been hanging on our porch year-around since. Today I bought three more. So pretty.

We came back home in the afternoon, tried to nap, then went to Lou Malnati's on Lake Street for deep-dish pizza.

Work Thanksgiving & school spirit

Andy was up bright and early this morning putting together his Gram's stuffing for his office Thanksgiving today. Last year he took mashed potatoes.

This is Gram's recipe, or I should say what there is of it. No baking instructions, temperature or time, no quantity listed for the milk or bread. We've been making it for years and winging it with the ingredients listed and it always turns out good.

Cindy drove up today for a shopping weekend. She stopped in Normal and bought this Christmas sweatshirt I gave to Andy. She even bought one for herself.

Then I tried on Cindy's. Trying to decide whether to keep it and have her buy herself another one on the way home.

Author reading

Allison and I went to the Nineteenth Club in town tonight for hometown author Elizabeth Berg's reading and release of her new book, "The Confession Club." It cost $10 to get in, but then I was able to apply that to the cost of the book so I bought the book even before the talk. It's the third book in a series. I've read the second book and she's already working on the fourth.

She read from the book and then took questions from the audience.

After the talk, we got cupcakes (!) and she was signing and inscribing books. When the guy asked my name so he could write it on a note for her, I said, "Cheri," and he said, "C-h-e-r-i?" I was shocked. I think that's the first time in my life someone spelled my name right without me spelling it for them. He said I looked like a "C" person. Hmmm. Not sure what that means, but OK. I asked her about the research she did a few years ago at the Nursery School when she sat in and observed some classes. She said she did, but she hasn't written about it yet. She said she loved the kids and would come back and read anytime. I'll keep that in mind.

Here she is signing my book. Allison took the pictures while I talked to Berg.

And I had to get a picture with her. Of all the authors I like, I'm pretty sure I've read more of her books than another other author.

My inscription from the author. Now it's time to get reading.