Happy Thanksgiving!

Winter Wonder Walk

Last night we kicked off our holidays with a walk through Winter Wonderland. It was drizzly but not cold. The boys and adults loved it. Unfortunately, due to rain and darkness, I don't have any pictures.

The walk was a nice break for my daughter and the boys because this weekend and upcoming week are all about packing and moving. They're closing on the new house this Tuesday and movers are scheduled for Wednesday. They'll be waking up in their new home on Thanksgiving Day.

Gratefully, the old house sold last weekend to a cash buyer and closing is scheduled for December 4. There have been several inspections resulting in some minor fixes, all of which are keeping hubby and son-in-law extra busy.

While the rest of the family is focused on the move, I've been preparing for Thanksgiving dinner. I did all the shopping last week, and cooking and cleaning will begin tomorrow.

Let the holidays begin!

First Snowfall

The view today from my spot
in the family room.

The snow started falling late last night. It's now mid-afternoon and there's a little over an inch on the ground and trees. It's all beautiful but way too early in the season for white fluffy stuff and frigid temperatures in St. Louis. It's predicted to be 18 degrees tonight with a RealFeel of zero.

It looks like it's going to be a long winter. And I'm not sure hubby and I can make it through the season without an escape to a warmer climate. So now the challenge is to find somewhere to go while not spending a lot of money. Same old same old.

Field Trip!

Hubby had today off because Veterans Day is a holiday for St. Louis County employees. As luck would have it, today was also a Grandma Day, so we decided to take Jonah on a field trip.

Just last week we realized Jonah was the only family member who had never been up the Gateway Arch. That's now no longer true. Jonah absolutely loved the ride and view at the top!

After going up the Arch and walking through the Gateway Arch museum the fun continued with lunch at Crown Candy Kitchen. Although CCK is "A St. Louis Tradition Since 1913," and we've lived here all of our lives, it was our first visit.

We arrived at 11:30 A.M. and waited in line for nearly 30 minutes, which is rough with a 4-year-old. CCK is known for lines down the street and hours long, however, so we felt it was the best we would ever get.

Sadly, by the time we finished our meal, hubby and I agreed it wasn't worth the wait and we wouldn't be returning. But at least we could now say we'd been there.

Then the Crown Sundae arrived. . .

OMG!

The Crown Sundae is by far the best sundae we have ever eaten. Every part is exceptional from the homemade vanilla ice cream and whipped cream to the caramel and hot fudge sauces to the, best of all, buttered roasted pecans. We might have to return just for this heavenly treat. Maybe once a year. What an indulgence!

Except for the fact Jonah fought his nap after complaining all the way home about being tired, today was a fun special Grandma Day.

Back Among the Living

I was down nearly 10 days with a virus that "kicked my butt." It turned out not to be strep throat, although the throat pain was tremendous. I still have a bit of congestion, and my energy level is far from normal, but I'm finally able to do necessary chores.

While I was down, I watched several Showtime series. First Masters of Sex; and then Homeland. I found Masters of Sex fascinating, especially since it takes place in my hometown, St. Louis, MO. I previously had no idea that research occurred in my backyard. Of course, I was very young at the time.

I'm now nearly finished with Season Three of Homeland. Maybe I'm experiencing a bit of overdose, but it's starting to get a little ridiculous. I mean, how many times can a person come back from a brutal beating with no physical handicap?

Nevertheless, I see why the series has won so many awards. It's the most complicated show I've ever watched. I'll definitely stick with it. Currently there are four seasons and all available on Showtime Anytime.

I've also been doing a lot of cross-stitching, mostly making gift tags and ornaments with punched paper. I found the patterns in an amazing stitchery shop in Pigeon Forge, TN. The shopkeeper warned me I might get hooked on punched-paper cross-stitching. She was right. Yesterday I ordered more paper and patterns online.

I plan to skip my gym class, again, tomorrow and give myself more time to completely heal. But, God willing, I'll be back to normal on Monday. I sure hope so because Thanksgiving is just three weeks away!