thank God it's FRIDAY, FRIDAY...

 ...that used to be a song, ha.  But what a day it was!  Looking back on the day from my chair in the evening, how it seemed to fly.  I was getting ready for my visitors, my dear son Samuel, and Grace, and little Grant and new lil Ruth, they'll be here soon!  

Abigail called me and invited me to go along with her to get an oil change, and stop at the thrift store.  I laughed my head off, because I had a date with three daughters this afternoon after school to do exactly the same thing!  Camille was still doing school work, so I went off with Abigail.  She is starting a new business, to do bookkeeping for small companies...

She dropped me off, then I went off with Sonja, Charlotte Claire, and Camille...the oil change took forever and a day.  

This exact same van was there when I was there with Abigail, then back in line when I came back in the truck with the girls, now why two times in one day in the same vehicle?  I really wanted to know, but not quite curious enough to actually rap on his window and ask.

We didn't find much at the thrift store, but we did have too much fun...

Sonja just tried this on right over her clothes....oh dear.

Camille has been wanting a teapot.  She has a little cup and saucer, from the thrift store, and today she found a tea pot.  I tried to diss it, $4.99, for a little silver pot...well.  Well.  Turns out it's a nice little tea pot, not worth a fortune or anything, but a nice one, Sheffield by Community, real silver plating.  It's actually quite pretty...she says the sugar bowl was there too, so guess where we're going in the morning?

Maybe not though.  It's Elise's birthday party tomorrow...I've got her gift all bagged up and ready to go...a little play dough set with a stove that makes it like a dough cake is rising, with a decorating set to make cute little cakes, a dress, and leggings.  The whole fam is invited over here for spaghetti and meatballs tomorrow night, I have five pounds of ground beef in the fridge, and all the fixings for the meal...I should make some brownies or something, too.

Sunday is a Halloween party, focusing on the activity club kids, but we're all going, and maybe dressing up.....I usually can't resist, but get it together ahead of time, ha.

Last night's pot pie was pretty darn good, if I don't say so myself.  How could it NOT be, five pounds of boneless chicken breast, in two pies?  I cubed it all up, doused it in pepper and rosemary, then put it in the 'fridge for a while.  I chopped potatoes, celery, carrots...

The chicken:  dredged in flour, browned in olive oil, then add chicken broth...simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally, then add the veggies.  I did thicken it up with flour, cornstarch, and cold water.  I let it cool for a bit before pouring into the crusts, last time it was so boiling hot it was hard to put at top crust on.

Before going into the oven...

MMMM!

All that crust is not healthy, nope.  But, butter pie crust, so flaky and mmmm....(if I ever wonder, lament, or complain about how I can't seem to lose weight, remind me of the pie....)

Tonight, we had dinner after our little outing, my TWO outings.  I hadn't had anything all day except for two cups of coffee, so I was roaring hungry.  I had picked up two pizza doughs when I was with Abigail, at Walmart, so the girls made a few pizzas.  I cut up some leftover pork chops from Wednesday night's dinner, browned them in olive oil, added some cauliflower rice that I had steamed in the microwave, and some honey, butter, cayenne pepper, and ginger, stirred it all up, andmmm, not too bad for a mostly low carb dinner, which was brekky, lunch and dinner altogether.  I did follow it with some chocolate, and some chocolate covered cashews...if you see these in Aldi, do not buy them.  The combination of salty cashews with chocolate is just irresistible, and again, when I start lamenting, well, there you have it.  My body has adjusted to one meal a day, and anything beyond that, or some carbs, and boom, more fat on my poor hips.  

It's quiet in here as we all wait for Sam and Grace to arrive.  Sonja is so busy these days in nursing school that it's not even funny.  Jonathan is out in Oregon visiting Kathryn, I had to get up at four in the morning on Wednesday to drive him to the airport, and yes, I did climb back into bed at 5:30, yes I did.  

Ah well, it's been a good day.  Wulf and Tennyson visited last evening, so there were toys all over this morning.  Why put them all away when Grant is coming?  I don't mind...I like toys. :)