After Thanksgiving Linky Love

Cody Art - Hand

Hopefully everyone had a delightful enjoyable Thanksgiving.  Here are just some link love for you all. The one below is for Mrs Epi.



The video below was a submission from my sister. She finds it hilarious
.

So Thankful

Photo by the Legendary Mrs Epi - Sunset Hovander

I am so thankful for friends that laugh at my made up band names and walk me to death

I am thankful for my spouse that indulges all my many projects and takes care of me

I am thankful for my family who laughs at me and with me.

I thankful for my smart loving kids

I thankful for all my blog readers

I hope everyone has a wonderful restful thankful THANKSGIVING!

Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker - Every Town has One

Front of the house viewed through dirty windshield - Nov 2015

Side of House- Nov 2015

Dear Diary
Everyone asks me about this one building/house in my town. I think every town has one building that people say "What is up with that?" 

The owner calls it the Clock Tower.  Other people might have some different names for it.  I myself call it the mystery house. It recently made the local news again.  The builder may have missed the deadline to finish the outside of the house. I know shockingly work was stopped because various building codes weren't being followed.  I have to say once the owner got the go ahead he has diligently been working on the outside. 

Post from 2011

2011

                2014  

2014

               2014 again with video

Pre Turkey Linky Love

On Friday, I saw people out buying ingredients for their Thanksgiving dinner.  People had SERIOUS lists going.  I have never seen so many people shopping with lists.  I decided to do a pre thanksgiving linky.  Surely people need a break from all the Thanksgiving planning.

27 Ways to Win Thanksgiving
Just a few hints to make it through the holiday

Treating PTSD with ...Tetris?
This is an intriguing idea.

The Neurotypical Mom: What has become of Motherhood?
Lots of food for thought.  As an introvert I hate having my kids involved in a bunch of activities. But I find myself running around too. There are some really good observations.

Cinnamon Roll Turkey's
This is something of a tradition at my house.  My boys are older so don't know if we will do but I hope we will.

What I Read November

So many good books, so little time.  Either I have too little to read or too much.  That is what keeps my library fines high. I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit. Check out what everyone is reading.

I read The Pearl that Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi.  I enjoyed learning about the seldom talked about tradition of  Bacha Posh in Afghanistan where a young girl assumes the identity of a boy. The girl is treated as a son and given all the privileges that entails until they reach puberty.  This is told through two women one in the more present and one in the past.  I enjoyed the story but the ending left me somewhat wanting. I am struck once again about the differences in culture on how women are seen and treated. 

*** Very a la Modern Mrs Darcy aka some Book Parings that would go along well with this book

Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez

Finding Nouf  by Zoe Ferraris (part of a 3 book detective series so far) my review

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen is a young adult author who I really enjoy.  She really hooks you into the story.The story is about Sydney and how her brother is imprisoned for drunk driving and how her mother stops really seeing her. Everything in her family life becomes about her imprisoned brother.  Sydney feels acceptance for the first time after changing high schools and meeting the Chatham family. I love the quote from the book below.

This and That Linky Love

One of my Favorite Big Bang Quotes

Long Line at the Library? It's Story time again - I loved taking my kids to story time.  For the longest time, this was a well kept secret.

LEGO Stocking Stuffers

Most Affordable Places to Travel Next Year According to Lonely Planet

Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker- Casserole Trap

Dear Diary
They said, "Try them you will like them."  Casseroles are the workhorse of the eat dinner at home crowd.   It is quick.  It is easy.  We don't do many casseroles at my house. Well, I evidently picked the wrong casserole for this foray into the casserole world.  I made Cheesy Chicken and Wild Rice.  It was DELISH but it drove me to drink.  Yes, I had a glass of wine. I didn't know I would need to learn how to make a cheese sauce. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the the creation it was hit with the adults at least. However, you can admire my ginormous bag of wild rice.  

I might have over bought from the bulk bin at Winco. A little wild rice goes a LONG way.

Happy Veteran's Day

My Dad  - US Air Force

Thank you to all that are serving and all those who served!

T-Shirts with a Message #5

One of my odd hobbies is checking out the T-shirt selection at our local Value Village and finding interesting T-shirts to share with my readers  This is a small round up of my recent finds.

I would of totally of bought this t-shirt except it had a stain on the lower half. I can think of several adolescent boys this would fit.

 I think this shirt could be taken several different ways depending on who wears it.  (ha, ha)

Wanderlust Linky Love

Mountain by Charlie

It seems like when it gets dark here in the Pacific Northwest I develop a serious case of Wanderlust
check out this link You Can Travel Across the Entire US for less than $500 by Train

Along the same lines - How to Travel the World When You are Broke

My Pinterest Travel Bucket List Board  - It is an eclectic list Crater Laker, Glacier Park, Scotland, Iceland, Hiawatha Trail.

Top 11 Christmas Travel Gifts for Kids - I don't think vegemite would make my kids list - interesting

Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker - Not feeling the Skillet Love

Dear Diary
I just wanted to be healthier and you know better.  I bought a ceramic skillet hoping it would reform my broken ways.  It worked perfectly at first.  The darn thing was super slippery.  The eggs practically flipped themselves.  BUT then something went horribly wrong. 

Isn't that WRONG!  Bacon should not stick to your skillet. So I consulted Amazon and we are trying a professional T-Fal skillet.

Anyone have a positive experience with a Ceramic Skillet?

Need more Diary of Mediocre Homemaker love check out these posts
Famous Last Words
Ice Cream Bread

Did Ya VOTE?

At least my neighbor has a sense of humor

I live next to candidate for mayor in our little town.  I even wrote a letter to the editor. See my letter here. I voted!  Participate in local government - VOTE!!!

Halloween Recap 2015

Things went down a little differently this year.  We weren't out trick or treating.  THAT felt weird. We still had some interesting experiences.

Cat Lady

There really should be a people of Value Village website.  The interesting factor was really amped up there a few days before Halloween.  We saw the cat lady in Value Village. I think a fake cat would of been fine the whole cat lady costume. By the way, this was a customer.  Her very live cat wasn't that happy. Mrs Epi made me do it!

We carved some pumpkins. Charlie's was a owl/hawk and Cody's was a cat.

Advisory Class Door for Red Ribbon Week - Don't Get Caught in the Web of Drugs

This is the door that Charlie's advisory class did for Red Ribbon week.  I liked it.

Identity Thief

Charlie dressed up as an Identify Thief for a youth group Harvest Party. He put names of his youth group on the name tags as well as some interesting others.

November Linky Love

Need Some Post Halloween Reads?  Here is something to read in your extra hour of free time.

Brene Brown's biggest life hack for lasting relationships

How to Support Introverted Children

Parenting is Hard, Especially When you are Doing It Right  Amen to that!!!

Along the same lines - as the link above - Let's Stop Making Parenting Harder than it needs to be

Overthinking Worriers are Creative Geniuses