Talkin' Turkey

L to R: Daddy to the little ones, Em,  Granty and the Birthday Boy (Grandpa)

Once upon a November evening, a family gathered together to celebrate the Grandpa's birthday.  There was a meal of comfort food, the family gathered around the table, passing bowls and butter and hogging the mashed potatoes.  This family will, unfortunately, not all be together on Thanksgiving this year, so the birthday celebration was a sort of Thanksgiving celebration, too.  As is the tradition of this family, chocolate turkeys were at the places of the three youngest family members present (there are younger family members who, alas, were not present for this dinner).  Chocolate turkeys are the best part of any Thanksgiving celebration, in the opinion of the children at the table (and may well be an opinion held by some who are not, um, exactly young anymore....but I digress).

Emma is demonstrating how you can make a much grander tail for the foil-wraplped turkey by the addition of a sandal wood fan to said turkey's posterior

The most amazing thing about this particular family tradition is that, as the chocolate turkeys are unwrapped and then eaten by the children, the chocolate turkey speaks!  It says things like, "Noooo, don't take off my lovely foil feathers!  It's cold!"  and "Why are  you licking me??!?" in a high, squeaky voice.

This year for the first time, the Twins really participated in the turkey torture.  They loved the talking turkey.  They, pardon the pun, ate it up.

"Not my feet!  No, don't eat my feet!"

"No!  NO! No, don't eat my head!  I can't gobble if you eat my head!"

"Nooooo!  Not you, too!  Not my beautiful feathered tail!"

Sometimes it is difficult to understand that the turkey really is complaining so bitterly, especially if you are only three....

"It's really dark down here!  Where am I!  It sort of feels like I'm inside a tummy!!!"

....but it becomes funnier and funnier as the chocolate turkeys are devoured and the talking turkey makes more and more outrageous (and outraged) squawks.

The turkey continues to complain, and the girls continue to gnaw off pieces of their chocolate, with relish.

Em has loved the talking turkey for many (well at least four) years now.  She loves to torture the poor bird.  She looks forward to Thanksgiving each year so she can slowly dismantle the chocolate turkey and ignore it's pleas.

Ah, the young can be cruel to a poor chocolate turkey.

And this year we managed to get a picture of the crabby turkey, the turkey who complains and whines and begs not to be eaten.  Remarkably, it bears a striking resemblance to Granty Nonie.  Who knew?

Winter Getaway

Nonie and I are off tomorrow for a little winter break. We are heading to Port Townsend for a week to recover from Christmas, walk the beach at Fort Warden, shop a little, walk a lot, read, make some art and relax. We have rented a little cottage at the marina at the north end of downtown. It looks cozy, it's in a great location and the price was right! Besides, it has a fireplace and that's just what you want when escaping in January.

While we are away there are to very important family birthdays. My adorable mother-in-law, GG, is turning 86 and my amazingly cute grandson, Mr. Pants, is turning one. I wish them both a most happy birthday and a year of happiness and adventure.

GG Meets Her New Grandbabies

My mother-in-law, henceforth to be known as GG, finally got to meet her first great grandson, Ian. Six months old now and she'd never had an opportunity to see him in person nor hold him. I am happy to report that void has been filled. Last Sunday we ventured over to Don & Kellie's to visit them all, but especially so that GG could meet (and hold) The Twins. I know that GG enjoyed herself and so did I.
I am a very lucky woman as I won the Mother-in-Law stakes. I know that many women have troubled relationships with their husband's mothers, but that has never been true for me. I have adored my mother-in-law from the very first time I met her. She has treated me with nothing but love and kindness from the very start, way back in 1967. I love her with all my heart.

Beautiful but tired Kellie. (Can you imagine how exhausting it must be to handle all those middle of the night feedings---for twins? Makes me tired just thinking of it.)

And since I am now a mother-in-law I would like to state that I have also been exceedingly lucky with the choices my children have made for spouses. Chris is wonderful and Kellie is divine. I couldn't be happier with the wonderful people my children have brought into our family. I know, I know, all this sweetness is unlike me....but sometimes you just have to say it out loud for the world to hear! When you're as lucky as I have been, you better be grateful. And I am, I am.

And here is Chris, he of the kind heart, "gigantic cranium" and wacky humor. He's not too hard on the eyes, either!