Once data was rolling this fall, I let most things slide. I tried keeping up at home by coming home at a decent time, but would go back after the kids are in bed. Once advancements were done, there were winter nursery plots to put together, meetings in St. Louis, and reports to write. I kept telling myself that I would update my blog, practice my violin, and a list of other things as soon as it was done. Well, that part of the year ended with Thanksgiving, thank goodness, but my emergency work list is still quite long. I have to get ahead this week because Leila is going to Abu Dhabi next week and I will be home with the kids.
Quick summary of our month:
Kate still is the cuddliest kid, but talks up a storm, hangs on her dad, sucks her thumb-while twirling her hair, sits on the counter while we cook, and would gladly eat fist fulls of bread dough.
Aleah has been sick this month, more missed school, but is excelling anyways. She has lost teeth on the top and the bottom and turned 7 this month.
Tuesday, Bro. Hawkins came over and helped me install a 220 electrical hookup for the new electric oven-gas range. He is a retired electrician and with his help we were able to thread the electrical conduit between the walls of the basement to the breaker box and connect it to a 50 Amp breaker. Then on Thursday we spilled cranberry sauce along the top of the stove and it managed to drip inside the guts of the machine and short out the electrical controls to the gas range so that it continually clicked and tried to light itself. I stomped around and growled at anyone that came near me until I figured out how to take it apart and repaired it. We are back in business, but need to rig some gaskets around the electrical controls so that future spills won't do the same.
After a bit of a delay, we had a great Thanksgiving Feast with all the trimmings, but only five kinds of pie: Apple, mixed-berry tart, cherry, pumpkin, and chocolate. Next year with a working oven we will have to have everyone over for pie and there are a list of custards and puddings I would like to make also.
There were still enough pies for breakfast, lunch and dinner till Saturday. I love pie for breakfast.
My mom came to visit. The girls were giddy and tried to show their Grandma how much they loved her at all times. Looking at the pictures, you can sure see the family resemblance between Emily and my mom.
She brought each of the kids the perfect presents. Aleah and Emily got a paint by numbers kit. Aleah immediately sat down and had her's finished by the end of the day. She used her birthday money to buy an even more complicated one that is almost finished also. She has decided that she wants to be a painter when she grows up because it is so "awesome."
