UNEVENTFUL WEEKEND

We had a pretty uneventful weekend here.

(Does everyone one say "pretty" or is that just a southern thing?)

Art had shoulder surgery on Thursday and he has been at home

bothering me recovering. 

The surgery went well and he is in very little pain. He is just immobilized

for a month or so....

....except for the hand he talks with.

His company sent him flowers and I thought it was so 

ironic that Bubbles was infatuated with the cattails.  

We can't get him to leave them alone!

Barrett's  (#3) school has the entire week off for Thanksgiving so Friday 

when she got home she just wanted to sit and enjoy the feeling of having NOTHING to do.

We decided to take up knitting the other week and are finding it to be a fun thing to learn to do together.

It is amazing just what you can learn to do via YouTube.

She sat in front of the TV Friday night with her tiara on knitting.

She is a teacher's assistant for one period at her school for a first grade class and it was a little girl's birthday.  The mom brought in cupcakes and goodie bags with tiaras in them for the girls.

I miss the cupcake and goodie bag days! I am so thankful that #3 goes to a school where they still allow birthdays to be celebrated.

They also have  FCA lunch every week and I go and volunteer.

(Fellowship of Christian Athletes)

I love it!

(Thursday)

#2 had her sorority semi-formal Friday.

Those sorority girls are always looking for a reason to need a new dress!

She and BF2 looked great as well as her roommates.

Everyone was home on Sunday and as you can tell from the pictures,

it was a very casual occasion.

We cooked dinner.

Roasted chicken, garlic, potatoes, carrots, Italian sausage and grapes with fresh rosemary.

It is a great aroma to have in your house when it is cold and windy outside. 

A lot of time while we cook, we sit my laptop on the counter and watch an old movie.

We watched Bridget Jones's Diary.

Barrett had never seen it before and she was more interested in it than anything else.  

This picture makes me laugh.  

#1 is so dramatic and animated when she talks.

She was having a "normal" conversation in this picture with #2..... she threw her head back

this far saying "Ohhhhh".  

Somebody snuck a picture of me......

glad it was only the one!

Whew!!

We are getting our thoughts and things together for Thanksgiving week.

We will be decorating for Christmas, heading to the beach and having an oyster roast. 

Tis the season!

BRUNCH AND CRUNCH

So what is going on here?

I had brunch with some friends.

Remember my cute little convertible I got for my birthday in March?

 Well, I decided to back into #2's car in the driveway.

No damage to her car, but ......

a two thousand dollar CRUNCH on mine!

Lola and Charlie are very upset with me!! 

BRITT TURNS 23

Happy Birthday Brittany!

She turned 23 on Tuesday, Election Day.

Mondays and Tuesdays are her really long days at school.

She has twelve hour shifts each day.

On Monday's she is on the maternity floor at a hospital and then on Tuesday mornings

 she has to drive out of town to another hospital.

When her shift was over Tuesday she drove home to Raleigh so that we could celebrate her birthday. 

She was tired when she got here, but looked cute in her scrubs!

We went out to eat at a great little restaurant, 

Glenwood Grill .

I had the seafood and grits and it was delicious!

Both of the BFs were able to join us.

BF2 (left) drove from Chapel Hill and BF1 (right) lucked out because he lives just around the corner form the restaurant.

We all shared the birthday dessert...

pecan caramel pie with pumpkin gelato!

We hurried home to watch the election results and for even yet more dessert!

I made a Hummingbird Cake, a traditional southern recipe.

My grandmother used to make them when I was little. 

Her's were a lot prettier than mine though.

I am not sure what happened to my icing, maybe the weather, but it definitely was not 

"light and fluffy" as the recipe said it would be. 

Mine was thin and drippy!

It wouldn't be a birthday at the Odom house without a picture with 

our notebook paper sign!

 #3 did homework while gifts were open

Lola gave #1 a little birthday snuggle!  

We sat around and watched the election results afterwards.

I was glad that #1 did not have class on Wednesday and she was able to sleep in 

and spend some time at home. 

She headed back to school early this morning, 

older and hopefully rested! 

BIG DAY

It is a big day at our house!  

First of all it is election day of course.

Our family is very political. We discuss politics a lot

and are all involved in several organizations.

I have been volunteering at the county office and have spent a lot of time there the past month especially. 

I love being involved, but most importantly I love being very knowledgeable and being an informed voter. 

I am working at the polls in a few hours.

I will be observing  the process and making sure all the rules are being followed. 

My husband is there now and I will be relieving him. 

We do what we can.

It doesn't really bother me who anyone votes for, 

I am respectful of everyone's (informed) opinion

 and just ask the same in return.

BUT,

election day is not the only thing happening in our house today!!!

It is #1's birthday!

She is 23 today!

Actually, she will turn 23 at 5:04 PM this evening. 

We have dinner plans with the family, including the two BFs.

After that we will come home for cake and presents. 

I am so proud of my birthday girl!

Details of her birthday later this week!

HALLOWEEN 2012

This was the first Halloween that Art and I spent alone in twenty-two years.

We were not lonely,

it was very nice.

#1 was at her apartment in Chapel Hill studying for a test.

It is almost abnormal to not roam down Franklin Street on Halloween night.

Just maybe she is growing up?

#2 glued her fangs on and adventured down Hillsborough Street by State's campus. Her Bf came from Chapel Hill to hang out here in Raleigh.

#3 was/is in the mountains of North Carolina...

along with some snow.

The administration of her school chose her and a few others to attend a leadership conference.

Only two from each grade were chosen. 

She is there through the weekend.

It is a great honor and we are very proud of her.

(It was worthy of its own blog post.)

That left Art and I all alone for a few days.

It is a glimpse into our lives in a few years, after #3  goes to college. 

Strange. 

We usually do not get a many trick or treaters because we are at the end of a cul-de-sac...

and at the end of a neighborhood that is wooded and has big lots.

Not too many trick or treaters make it this far.  

That is fine with me.

As soon as Art got home, we turned

out the lights and went out to eat at one of

our favorite restaurants,

Paparazzi.

Northern Italian food.

YUM!

It was the best halloween night we've had in a very long time!! 

Ha Ha!

(the "real" broken arm went along with the nerd theme)

Thought I'd share some Halloween pictures throughout the post that I have stored on my lap top.

I wish I would have taken the time to go through the boxes of the older pictures that I have and scanned them.

I need to start posting ahead of time instead of posting from behind.  

Anyways....

some pictures from the past....

(the last time I had the all at home...plus a friend)

Lola as a banana split.

Charlie as a hotdog.

Watching for trick or treaters...

hotdog down....

So now that we have Halloween over with,

according to the malls, shopping centers and grocery stores,

it is time to throw out the pumpkins and drag out the Christmas stuff. 

Merry Thanksgiving?