5 Question Friday....a day late!

1. What is your favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal?
All of it! :) Ok, if I had to narrow my choices I would say stuffing and mashed potatoes.

2. Were you a host or a guest for Thanksgiving this year?
A guest (thanks Adam and Jill for having us!)

3. When you think of one Thanksgiving tradition, what comes to mind?
Football and board games/card games

4. You have two pieces of pie in front of you and you have to eat one....do you choose pumpkin or pecan?
Pumpkin.. because I just don't like pecans at all.

5. Are you a Black Friday shopper?
Heck NOOOOO!

Five Months

I thought I would update you all on how the pregnancy has been going lately.

I had my 17 wk check-up (start of month five - yay!) last Thursday. Everything went well and the heartbeat sounded so strong, I just love that sound!

I talked to my doctor about how big I am already and she noted that my uterus is a lot bigger than it was last month, but the heartbeat is still low. She said we'd find out more next month at the ultrasound, but she thinks it could just be the third baby.

On a side note, I have spoken to a couple of other pregnant moms and they have all commented how big they all are so early, so that made me feel better.

In other news, I have been feeling a TON better than I was a month ago. It's so wonderful to crave food again and keep it down. The only other thing I have experienced is heartburn. Twice. Oh man, I hate that. I had it pretty bad with Brody, but not with Jenna. Maybe we're having a boy?! Hmmmm...guess we'll find out in April. :)

5QF

1. What Christmas song do you loathe?

Maybe the "12 Days of Christmas." It's the first one that pops into my head just because it goes on and on and on....

2. Do you and your significant other cuddle at night or sleep on opposite sides of the bed?

Yes and no. With me having to do the side sleeping with the pregnancy I'm always switching in the middle of the night, so sometimes we do and sometimes we don't.

3. Have you ever had surgery?

Just tonsils.

4. When do you typically have your holiday shopping done?

Um...a few days before Christmas or *ahem* Christmas Eve day for any last minute gifts. I'm terrible, I know! I'm hoping with Aaron not coaching basketball this year we'll be able to get things done sooner.

5. If money were not an issue (and you HAD to pick something), what would your ultimate luxury item be?

Entertainment. I would love to be able to go to as many professional and college sporting events as we wanted. Or concerts. Or plays. I sooooo want to go to "Mary Poppins" right now in Des Moines! Yep, I'm kind of a dork like that. :)

Apple Crisp

Last Easter we had the sad job of cleaning out my Grandma Beadle's closet. Not surprisingly, one of the things we found in there was a stack of cookbooks. That was the one thing that I wanted from her, a cookbook. It was just so "her."

I'd been looking through it lately trying decide what I should make. One of the things my grandma did was mark in her cookbooks if she tried recipes and make little notes by them.

I found this recipe for apple crisp with her beautiful-script by it and knew this was the winner. I made it last weekend and it didn't last long at all, it was delicious!

Someday....

My precious blond-haired, blue-eyed baby boy is going to make some girl very happy because he will be able to cook.


And someday....she'll thank his mom for that! :)

Jenna's Conference

This morning, Aaron and I had Jenna's preschool conference. I don't know why, but I always get a little nervous wondering what the teacher will say.

No worries! Mrs. Randall said Jenna is a great listener (where is this at home?), well-liked (always a good thing) and is excelling academically (music to our ears!). Whew! A good report.

I know I say this frequently, but I really am amazed at all the things that they learn at preschool in the span of just 3 hours a day. From shapes to colors to numbers to cutting with scissors to learning about animals/holidays/the weather, etc., etc., etc.

I'm not going to get political, but I will say that it scares me to think about what might happen to the preschool programs in our state. Now that I'm a mom and have seen first-hand what preschool does, it's nothing short of amazing for these kids to jump start them into kindergarten. I hope the cuts the future governor talked about during the election don't happen, because I think that would be very detrimental to our education system in Iowa.

Anyway, we will go again for conferences in April, right before (sniff) kindergarten round-up. Hard to believe that will be here before we know it!

The way I see it...

A continuation...

After my crazy rant last week about how much I dislike all the Christmas stuff prior to Thanksgiving I thought I’d share a funny story with you.

Sunday I was chatting with my mom on the phone (as I do every Sunday), catching up and I was asking her about the snow they had gotten in Cherokee, blah, blah, blah.

Then, I asked, “What did you do this weekend?”

You know what she said? My very own mother! “I put up my Christmas tree.”

Me: “You what? Mother! You are the one who instilled in me that you should really appreciate the holiday of Thanksgiving. Everything Christmas needs to wait until the day after Thanksgiving.”

My mom: “Well, it was snowing out and I was bored, and it felt sort of Christmasy, so I just decided to put it up.”

Me: “Unbelievable.”

I did have a couple of people say that they agreed with me on last week’s column and for that I’m grateful. I’m really not the only one who is off her rocker in wanting to wait until after Thanksgiving to start Christmas shopping and getting Christmas decorations up.

Ever since that column though, I have felt like Christmas is two steps behind me. All the commercials on television, blogs I have been reading online giving out gift ideas, Christmas music on 104.1 (are you kidding me?!?) and friends and family talking about Christmas shopping they already have done have all got me a little crazy.

I feel like I’m in school again and I’m trying not to give in to peer pressure. It’s a matter of principal to me I guess and even though my mom (still in shock about it) gave in after all these years, I really truly hope to stand my ground on this.

You can keep a secret right? Good. Well, just between us, I can tell you that I may have looked through a Target Christmas toy catalog (where the sales end the day before Thanksgiving by the way) and may have looked for ideas for the kids. I just did a quick looksie. That’s it. Just to see if there was anything that really stuck out at me.

And, I may have started to brainstorm in this little head of mine some ideas for the kids and the rest of my family. Just maybe.

I will look and think, but no buying or anything else of the Christmas sort until Black Friday, November 26th. I’m not giving in though, so you don’t have to worry. I watched the Food Network on Saturday morning and got all excited watching the different turkey recipes, so bring on Turkey Day, but that’s just the way I see it.

5QF

1. What is the most physically painful thing that has ever happened to you?

Child birth with no drugs!

2. How much sleep do you get at night?

A lot! Especially now with the pregnancy. Usually at least 8 hours, but last nite I got 10! It was wonderful. :) I have to thank my hubby for making me go to bed at 8:15.

3. How long did you believe in Santa Claus? How did you find out that he does not exist?

I can't remember, but I tried to believe for awhile for the sake of my brother and sister. Kind of obvious when "Santa" had the same writing as my mom!

4. What was the last movie you saw in a theater?

Date Night

5. What do you wear to bed?

Comfy clothes! Anything flannel and super warm.

The way I see it...

Adjusting

Please tell me that I am not alone when I make this statement: I hate the time change! Like really, really dislike it. I feel like it has thrown me for a loop more than any time change I can remember in the past.

My kids have actually adjusted surprisingly well. Those of you that have littles ones can relate that it can totally throw a wrench into your kids’ sleep and nap schedules.

Sunday night I just felt so off. The clock said 6:30 PM. It felt like it was at least 9:30 PM and I went in took a shower and put on my pajamas. Yes, all before 7 PM, just because it felt like the thing to do.

Monday morning I woke up and it was 5:15 AM, which for me and my stress-filled brain on a Monday morning isn’t that big of a deal. However, when 7:15 rolled around, I really felt like I was late for work and needed to hurry up.

I guess the hardest part for me is how early it gets dark. I don’t like it. It makes me kind of sad and grouchy when I come home from work and it’s almost dark or is dark and I can’t play outside with the kids or go for a walk. I’d rather have it be darker later in the morning. I’m not going to do anything before I go to work, but like to do things after.

Anyway, enough about that. Has anyone else noticed that there seems to be a ridiculous amount of Christmas commercials already on t.v.? Maybe I have selective memory (entirely possible), but I never remember this many this far before Thanksgiving. And, some people I know have already started Christmas shopping. We just got done with Halloween!

I love Thanksgiving. I think it’s a great holiday where you can reflect on what you’re really thankful for in your life. “Society” doesn’t allow us to do that though. They make a big whoop-de-do about Halloween and then skip right on over to Christmas, the biggest holiday of the year.

I know for retailers it’s all about the money, but it would just be nice if they could hold off on the Christmas trees in stores and advertisements on t.v. until at least a couple of weeks after Halloween. Now that is something I would really be thankful for, but that’s just the way I see it.

Lazy Weekend

We had a great weekend. By great, I mean we were pretty lazy, at least on Saturday. We hung out in our basement, played with toys and watched football. That's it. It was WONDERFUL. Aaron and I were trying to remember the last weekend we were at home, together for an entire weekend. We decided it has been at least two months.

Sunday we did a little more. We got up early, went to church, watched the Vikings, I went in and worked in the afternoon and we finally managed time to rake up some of the leaves in our yard. It's amazing that we have no trees, but have quite a lot of leaves.

The kids had been begging us for awhile for a pile to jump in. They had fun!

5 Question Friday

Despite having tumbling on Monday night, along with a play-off football game to cover, Aaron had a Booster Club meeting Wednesday and it was back to tumbling on Thursday, this just feels like the longest week EVER. So happy it's Friday! For the first time in a long time we have absolutely nothing to do this weekend. YAY! Ok, onto the questions....

1. If you could have any talent and turn it into an occupation, what would it be?
I think it would definitely have to be something with pictures. I've found a love for making collages for people at the photography business and love to see that look on people's faces when they see it for the first time.

2. Would you rather have a house at the beach or a cabin in the woods?
Cabin in the woods. (Although I would really love a cabin in the woods by a LAKE).
3. Is there any meaning or reasoning for the names you chose for your child/children?
Since we didn't know what we were having Aaron picked out Jenna and I picked out Brody. Ever since I heard the Hawkeye basketball player Brody Boyd's name, I knew I would name my son Brody.
We are big believers that middle names should be after someone in your family. Jenna Jo is after my mom, Jolleen. Brody's story is kind of interesting. We named him Brody George after Aaron's Grandpa, but then found out it was also the name of his great-grandpa and is my grandpa Hunecke's middle name as well. Three-for-one deal!
4. What is your guilty pleasure?
Sweets! At the current moment, the Halloween candy bowl.
5. Do you live in a house that is deep cleaned or straightened?
Sorta straightened. :)

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween 2010 from the Burdorfs! We had a great Halloween at our house.

Sunday was our night to trick-or-treat in State Center and the kids did great! By far, the best year yet. They went up to the doors pretty much by themselves, said trick-or-treat and most of the time remembered to say thank you (I'm a stickler like that!).

Plus, the weather was SO NICE! The kids were able to wear just their costumes almost the entire time, except for the last 15 minutes, when Jenna wanted to put her coat on.

We had a cat and a pirate at our house this year. Jenna thought the best part, by far, was getting to have her face done-up with make-up. Brody wouldn't keep the eye-patch on that we got (not that I'm surprised, I tried it on and found it uncomfortable to wear), so I made one with make-up, plus put on a couple of "cuts" to make him look extra tough.

Here are the little goblins!