Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!

Here is a snapshot of our Thanksgiving this year!

That is 53 people. 28 kids. 24 of those kids are 7 and under.

We are a serious group.

Thanks Mom for hosting all of us again. We love to see all of our cousins and their families. Jake and Amy came from Kansas with 3 kids. Andy and Amy came from Georgia with 4 kids--including one 2 1/2 week old baby girl!

On a different note, I actually went out on Black Friday to shop a little. I don't think I have ever done that before! I didn't go at 3 am or anything. But I got a chunk of shopping for Christmas done in a short amount of time.

However, the most interesting part of the morning was at Old Navy. The lady standing next to me in line said she didn't feel well and that she might faint. Well, she did. She fainted and fell backwards and I caught her.

My first thoughts were, "I am so glad I caught her before she hit the cement ground." and "I am so glad that this is a small woman so that I was able to catch her before she hit the cement ground."

Evidently, she is pregnant and hadn't eaten enough before she went shopping. She is fine now. No thanks to any of the teenage employees at Old Navy. They didn't see the urgency in the lady laying on the store floor that I saw. But she is fine now.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Sweet Lainey

I just took some pics of the kids the other day. They grow so fast. But I was especially struck by how old Lainey looks now. She is 7 years old now. In second grade.

We have real conversations. She has hard questions. She is growing up.

She loves Hank so much. She loves all babies. She wishes he didn't weigh so much!

But Lainey is still a normal kid with normal moments of whining, fit throwing and selfishness. We had an interesting trip to the mall the other day. I took all 4 kids on a beautiful Sunday afternoon--assuming everyone would be outside. Evidently it was the last day of Partners Card--everyone was at the mall.

And on the short drive to the mall, I think all the kids had some sort of meltdown. Except for the actual baby of the family. He was fine. Lainey's meltdown came when all three boys were out of the van, the baby in the stroller and ready to go in. She sat on the floor of the (newly cleaned) van and said with tears in her eyes, " I want to go home."

I asked her who she was thinking about right then. (right answer--herself) She said, "But mom, I brought paper and colors for all of us! (meaning--she was thinking about others). I affirmed her and thanked her. Paused for a minute. Then asked again. "But who are you thinking about right now?"

She paused with a tear still running down her face and said, "I don't get me!"

So true Lainey. I don't get me either sometimes. Or you for that matter. But I really love you.

Here is little Lainey. She was two years old. It goes too fast!

I'm No Politician

Evidently, there is a big election today.

Guess how I know that? The Today Show. Matt Lauer said there was a big election. So it must be true.

I need to admit that I am possibly the least politically interested person I know. I am not proud of it. It's just how I feel. But I do vote. I will tomorrow--unless the lines are too long. But I do plan to vote.

I just can't stand all the political fighting.

One side blames the other for the mess our country is in. The other side returns the blame for not being able to get us out of the mess we are in. And back and forth. The mudslinging, the name-calling, the arrogance--I just can't get into it.

And it seems to me that people vote candidates in and out of office--not unlike they handle their shampoo choice. (I know--it sounds deep, doesn't it?)

You know when your hair starts to get limp and lifeless? Unmanageable? Or just plain boring? So you start looking around for a fix. A new product. A new shampoo. It promises root-lifting volume, long lasting shine and improved hair texture. So you switch.

It works! Gee, your hair sure looks terrific!

And then months, maybe even years later, your hair starts to slump back into it's volume-less mess. You start to complain about your once beloved shampoo. And start itching to find something new. Something with more promises. Something different.

It seems that voters think about politicians like shampoo. Ready to switch with any perception of failure. Always looking for a promise of hair success.

I know--your brain is swimming right now in the deep ocean of this political analysis.