*Dead Days of Summer by Carolyn Hart*

This was one of the first mystery series I read. This book is part of the Death on Demand series. Annie Darling runs a mystery bookstore on a quaint SC sea island named Broward's Rock.

Dead Days of Summer brings back memorable characters: Annie and Max Darling, Emma, Henny, Ingrid, Laurel....this time they must solve the mystery of who set Max up for murder.

There are several things I enjoy about this series. I enjoy the relationship between Annie and Max. I always like a book that shows a married couple working together and enjoying one another's presence. I am also a book addict and love the little asides on various mysteries and authors that Carolyn Hart includes.

This specific book kept me guessing a bit longer than most. I enjoyed that.

I've tried to read Ms. Hart's Henrie O series and haven't been able to get into it - but maybe I'll pick it up again one of these days - soon. {G}

The Day AFTER....

I'm baking a couple of turkeys. It may be a late night as I need to get them deboned and bagged so I can take them to the base tomorrow a.m. We're doing a Praise Band Concert, turkey sandwhiches/football thing for students.

Josiah had to work...ugh.

The rest of us brought decorations down from the attic. We brought in all the fall decorations and get them stowed away. I thought we'd do the lights but Jamin flat out wasn't going to do them without Josiah and Dad around. He had some valid points...so we focused on the inside.

Last year the tree went where my birthday hutch now resides. We moved furniture around and around and things simply weren't going to fit this year. The younger ones really wanted the tree up. Have you ever noticed that a room that is FULL can often fit "one more thing"? The 7.8 foot OR pine is now in my bedroom. The recliner and table that were in the corner are now blocking Mike's dresser....LOL The crib was moved from the foot of the bed to block my side of the bed. BUT - it all fits.

Boxes and boxes of decorations

Stacia offers support as Jamin puts the tree together

We used to hang all stockings from the mantle...but they don't fit any more. Several years ago we began to use wreath hangers to hang the stockings on bedroom doors. I still put the "believe" up because it always reminds me of that wonderful word study. {G} BreAnne and Krista's stockings hang at the mantle waiting for their return. The sled on the right is mine from childhood.

We moved the recliner and set up our "main nativity" here...the crate holds all our Christmas books

The hutch with winter finery....former home of ye ole Christmas Pine

We took everything but the sound system & aquarium out of the entertainment center. I filled it with nativities and a few snowmen. Jamin put the Christmas Village along the top.

This year we decorated only with the picture ornaments we've given the kids each year....and the new ornaments that Mom sent for this year

Piano has ornaments with the children's picture hanging from it & snowmen

When Cy got home from work, we finally opened the 11 boxes Mom and Dad had sent last week (several were shoe box size). Each year Mom gives everyone an ornament so we hung those on the tree. There were some birthday gifts and some Christmas gifts that we put under the tree.

My Mom's packages are notorious for being well-taped.

Stacia claimed the pink tea cups and saucers....

THANKSGIVING PHOTOS FROM THE DAY

There are not "dinner" photos to share on the blog because Jamin was wearing last year's football jersey and it has our last name on it. ::snort::

HERE I am deboning and preparing to make a big pot of Turkey Stock....(8 cups in the freezer). Zander ran in and said, "Hey MOM - you made a CLAW". He is really loving "Peter Pan".

Later in the day we had a couple of families over. The older boys played 3 games of Risk...you'd look bleary eyed too....

The younger children played Monopoly.
The boys tired of Risk and moved to Slap....and then other card games.
Marty and Mandy brought a big box of Fisher Price blocks. Wow. I've never seen anything like these. She'd read on the blog that Stacia has discovered blocks. THESE have different textures, animals etc...and there is a train and a truck that make noise, and move...very cool. I'll have to get some pictures in the next few days. We had a good time visiting.

Marty fixed my towel rack, and the flickering fluorescent light in our bathroom. I hadn't realized that things were breaking and I wasn't keeping up with fixing. LOL Debbie laughed with me about how we spouses tend to fix all those things the week before husbands are due home. LOL It's NICE to have the bulb working. I'd planned to figure it out tomorrow - because Charly had told me that those flickering bulbs are a big deal to those with Sensory Integration "issues". It's been out for 3 weeks...that may be one factor in what we've been experiencing around here. We shall see. I'm sure it isn't the only factor.

Debbie and the boys (from summer swim days....) came over too. The boys all had a great time together. It was so fun to listen to the young men cutting up, laughing and having a blast. Debbie and I discovered we enjoy the same mystery authors and she suggested a new one that is funny for me to try. She discovered the author while her dh was deployed. {G}

Stacia gives Mikey a "bear hug" - she loves his fro

Yes, I have much to be thankful for. Yes, it was a great day. Really good day. I'm NOT depressed. I'm choosing joy. I DO miss Mike and the girls, and that is to be expected, I think. When you've got a wonderful father and husband - you are sure to miss him. I must say that most of all I'm very happy to have the first Holiday apart gone.....now to do Christmas, Birthdays and Anniversaries and then he'll be home!

Meal is over.....it's fun to pull something like that together. I laughed as we had prayed, dished up and Jamin's alarm went off. He LIVES by the alarm...I asked what would have happened if I didn't have a plate in front of him by noon. LOL

Stock is going.....making a cake and resting for a bit before friends show up for games and dessert.

Turkey's stuffed and baking, extra pan of stuffing is good to go, potatoes are sliced and ready to boil, green salad and fruit salad are made. Rolls and Gooey Cake to go. More pies than we'll ever eat. Cookies made. Conspicuously absent....colored jello and pudding (non- FG). LOL

Since it's "only family" by children decree this year, they chose the menu....also missing are Sweet Potatoes of any sort, cranberries, geen bean salad, veggie plates, appetizers, CELERY STICKS, or garlic potatoes (Krista LOVES those). ::snort:: It was funny to see just how simple a Thanksgiving meal can be.

Oh yes....still need to pull out the fancy dishes and such....fancy as in "matched". LOL

WEDNESDAY

1. We assembled our lap books.

2. I baked apple pies while the children worked on this.

3. I went out to lunch with Debbie...I love this monthly treat. She is so good to remember when it is "time". She'll say "it's about time"...and she is always SO right!

4. When I got back from lunch, Arielle and I baked Chocolate Pecan Pies and Chocolate Chip Cookies.

5. Adrienne dropped by to drop of Coconut oil and talk produce.

6. We rushed to the chapel for an ecumenical Thanksgiving service/pie social.

7. I left my purse at home...Jamin ran around the block, retrieved it, and was in the front yard by the time I drove around the block.

8. Zander thought it was a fate worse than death to have to go to chapel....he INSISTED that "God is not THERE"...but did well through service.

9. Stacia did not do well; we ended up in the cry room anyway. LOL

10. Pie Social was amazing....way TOO MUCH PIE! I have no idea how we'll get rid of all our pies.

11. Operation Warmheart gave us a box because Mike is gone. I appreciated the thought.....the kids are wondering, however, why they would think our income went down when Mike deployed. I think it was the THOUGHT and explained that to them. It is nice to see base support in a tangible way.

12. Came home and picked up some things while Jamin made ice cream.

13. Going to bed....

HAPPY THANKSGIVING HON, WE WISH YOU WERE HERE. YOU REMAIN ONE OF THE BIGGEST BLESSINGS IN MY LIFE. WE'RE MISSING YOU AND GIRLS WE'RE MISSING YOU TOO!

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OK - Cindy - anyone else...that cursor thing is getting BIGGER in the title. I have it added as a page element in the side bar...it's there. I put it at the end of the html code and it still stays there.....any suggestions????