So, here's a picture I snapped at ETWS.
That is a store that has a section kind of like Spencers.
I thought it was a Christmas display, but I'm not really sure.
I think it's totally CREEPY. The head in the reindeer ski mask freaks me out!
Comments?

We had a great Thanksgiving and day after.
The only thing that would have made it better, besides being with family, would have been for an Aggie miracle. It just wasn't meant to be this year! We spent Turkey day at the Antedomenico's with them, the Sukenik's, the Robert's and the Cook's. The next day, we went to the Sukenik's at 9:45 to watch the Aggie game and meet up with the Bats and the Cocks for the Turkey trot and the Annual Turkey bowl game. This year, the Fighting Cocks one so that was nice. There was a "victory party" at the Sukenik's afterwards and some of the guys played poker.
We slept in today (Saturday) and then, after we woke up and had crepe's for breakfast/brunch (Joey's new favorite), we realized we had to go get our tree from the BX. We got there around 2 and there were about 50 left. I don't usually get my tree this early but we don't have a choice so, tonight we're going to put it up and have hot chocolate and jiffy pop popcorn. Sarah and William are very excited.

Busy day....
For dinner tonight I'm making
Carmelized Pecans to go on top of the salad
Garlic Roast
Mashed potatoes
Green Beans
Bread (just heating it up)
If I have time, cranberry spread for crackers for an appetizer.
If not, I'm pulling the cheese log out of the fridge.

Today, I'm making - for tomorrow
Rosana's famous Stuffing
Broccoli Cheese Casserole
Pecan Pie
Apple Pie
TOM Turkey Cupcakes for the kiddos

Oh - and I'm running a vacuum around my house!
Gotta go....

Today I took a pecan pie and a corn casserole to Joey's office lunch.
Both were a hit. Tomorrow we're having the Bibeaux's over for dinner and I'm going to try to make this cheesecake for dessert. I figure, we'll get our fill of pies on Thanksgiving and, something that is as fattening as a cheesecake is probably hard to mess up, taste-wise anyway.Apparently making a cheesecake "look pretty" is the hard part, not baking it but, since I've never done it, I'm not sure. I'll let you know.
Any pointers would be appreciated.

We're having Thanksgiving at Marcy & Lucky's. It supposed to rain, which is not good since there will be 10 adults and 10 kids. We're hoping to utilize outdoor space. Keep your fingers crossed!

Today we went to S's 1st grade Thanksgiving program. It was very cute.
One of the curses of being tall is always being in the back row.
It never fails, we can never see her cute little face. We got a couple glimpses but not a good picture.
Hubby pointed out that she's the kid who watches the teacher's every move and always has to see the "director" so she can see the hand signals and do what is expected of her at the appropriate time.
1st born.
After the Thanksgiving Feast, I ran some errands and was pleasantly surprised when my Nordstrom's package arrived at the post office. I ordered a pair of shoes and 2 dresses (1 for the Christmas Party and 1 for the New Year's Party)
They both fit (which is rare) and I think I'm keeping them. Marcy and Brenda both approve.
Jamie M's water broke this morning so she's in labor... how exciting!
I hope she has a girl

Last night I took the kids to see High School Musical 3 at the base theater.
I don't think William blinked once during the entire movie.
He just loves it. I think he wants to be Troy Bolton when he grows up.

Today, after I dropped off the boys at preschool, Marcy and I went to theNavy Gift Shop on Lester for their Christmas shipment opening. I picked up a few things but nothing major. Then we went to the Foster BX to check out their electronics because they tend to have a better selection. I picked up a Wii fit for me and Joey for Christmas and the Wii Diego Game for William for his Birthday. I'm going to get Sarah the Littlest Pet Shop PC game I saw at our BX so she will have a computer game and he'll have the Wii game and there will be no fighting! Yeah, right.

We also found out that our friends Rosie & Pappa Cioppa are coming to Okinawa in January so that will be fun!
S has her Thanksgiving program on Friday and then all the work Turkey Day festivities start next week.

I'm determined to send out ALL my Christmas cards this year.
Last year I did not get them out to people who have moved in the past 2 years and the year before that I only sent to family because we were "en route" to Japan. So, today we borrowed the best camera lens we have access too (thanks to Holly) and met the Sukenik's at the Kadena Marina for a little photo shoot.
Since I'm no pro, there are shadow issues which I'm trying to overcome.
I downloaded the pics and messed around with a few...
let me know which one you like best for the Christmas card
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTOS

Today, W and I will go to the commissary to purchase everything I will need to make the stuff I'm supposed to bring to Thanksgiving Day dinner at the Antedom's and the stuff for a few Thanksgiving celebration lunches before actual Turkey Day. Let's hope they have not run out of pillsbury pie crusts yet.
I found mint M&M's yesterday so I stocked up on those but will not put them out until after Thanksgiving - out of principle.
I am very bothered by something.
We all know how important a calendar/planner is in our busy lives.
We all know how hard it is to find just the right one - right layout, right amount of space, right size, etc.
Everyone's requirements are different.
Every year I get the Mary Engelbreit Wall Calendar and the "Breit Days" pocket/purse calendar. The smaller calendar is very cute and the PERFECT size for a small purse. It shows you a week at a time and has just the right amount of space to list a few things for each day. I have bought this calendar for at least the past 3 years, maybe more. It's a staple in my life. Well, I saw the calendar display last week at the BX so I picked up my wall calendar but they didn't have any of my smaller calendar. I was a little worried but figured I'd find it somewhere else. A few days later, I saw the calendar display at the other BX - same thing. I started to get panicky. I came home and looked it up on-line and now I'm freaking out. Apparently, there is no "Breit Days 2009" calendar. It's been replaced by aMONTHLY planner. THIS JUST WILL NOT DO. First of all, the paper is glossy so pens smear if they are not dry, AND it's a little bigger AND there is simply not enough space to write anything down on each day. I'm so frustrated. I had the perfect calendar.... NOW what am I supposed to do?

A few random things...
I found a new massage therapist so I'm very excited about that because I've been in a lot of pain lately. The new massuse is also a Physical Therapist AND a trainer so I'm hoping that she can give me a really good "overall care plan". Something my military doctors have not been able to provide. So, I'll be paying $100 a month for massages that I need to function. I think this should be covered under my medical plan. If the PT's here were any good, I could go to them but, that's not the case. When I was going to Physical Therapy here they would set me up to do my exercises while they were on the computer checking their e-mail.
I wonder, will I have the opportunity to choose my healthcare under Obama?

We're STILL paying $4.06 a gallon for gas... and they are lowering our Cost of Living Allowance (COLA).
Nice.....

We're joining the "gaming world" with a Wii for Christmas. I know nothing about it so any advice on games is welcomed.

Well, William is sick AGAIN! He was saying yesterday that his "mouth hurt" but other than that he was fine... until about 3:00 when he had a temp of 100.3. This morning he slept in until almost 9:30, which is way out of the ordinary for him. I'm taking him to the Dr. at 1:55. He wouldn't swallow anything this morning and was spitting out slobber (I know gross!) by the mouthfuls into the trash can. The only thing I could get him to eat/drink was chocolate milk. After he drank some he perked up and said, "Mom, chocolate milk sure does make my mouth feel better!"

Joey got home on Sunday night and he's fighting the jet lag. He has to go to Misawa around the 17th for a week so he may take off a few days next week so we can all "do something fun" together.

Yesterday I met Leslie B. and Marcy for coffee at the NEW Starbucks on 23 after I dropped off the preschoolers. It was a very nice, relaxing morning. Sometimes I forget to stop and breathe. I spend all my "free" time running around like a chicken with my head cut off - gym, commissary, dry cleaners, BX, errands, volunteering, etc. It was nice to just "be still" and visit. Even though we all spend a lot of time together, we don't have many opportunities to really talk. Sounds funny, I know...