Okay, so last year right before Thanksgiving I wrote this.  And nothing much has changed.  Maybe I should be thankful for that too in that world events in the interim have been nothing if not challenging.

Tonight I began working on my now famous ice cream sundae dessert.  MIL requested it once again this Thanksgiving (we’re celebrating with Adventure Guy’s family on Sunday).  The challenge, of course, is that this is not a quick fix sort of thing.  I’ll have it ready to go prior to our leaving town on Wednesday so that all I have to do is grab it and go for Sunday’s lunch.

That leaves pecan pie making and packing as my only un-done items on the Thanksgiving to do list.  Progress!

P. S. If you’d like a more substantive entry I suggest you read either yesterday’s entry or the one from the day before, which, if I may be so bold to point out, have not received any comments (I’m just saying).

“Why do we keep doing this?”

That was the question one of my friends asked just as the last strains of the overwrought music ebbed away at the close of New Moon.  I have a feeling that we laughed a little more than the director intended during the somewhat overlong sequel to Twilight.

If you’re looking for teenage angst (and don’t happen to have it living conveniently right in your own home), New Moon is the film for you.  Bella Swan mopes for months (albeit quickly in a revolving sequence of shots that demonstrate the passage of time) after Edward leaves her “for her own good.”

She’s so distraught that she first misses and then ignores the completely hot (um, literally as well as figuratively) Jacob who would be happy to step into Edward’s shoes.  I’ll admit that I leaned toward “Team Jacob” even in the book and certainly do in the movie.

Yes, I read all the Twilight books.  I couldn’t put them down once I picked up the first one to find out just what all the girls were talking about.  DD1 and I raced through the series as the subsequent books came out.  And, while they are nowhere close to great literature, I’ll admit I loved the experience of discovering a secret world deep in the forests of Washington. 

But for me, the magic doesn’t translate to the silver screen.  Curled up in the comfort of my own bed, I could ignore the sappiness and immerse myself in a world of sparkly vampires fighting to protect those they loved.  But in the dark of the theater, the makeup, the special effects seemed to distract rather than add to the allure of the characters.

Stephenie Myer has been vague regarding whether or not there will be a fifth installment to the Twilight saga.  I don’t need Alice Cullen’s skill of seeing the future to know that if one is published I’ll be reading it (and likely buying at midnight on the night of the release), though I draw the line at wearing either a Team Edward or Team Jacob shirt while doing so.  But I’m not so sure I’ll be seeing future installments at the theater.  Because it just doesn’t live up to what I saw the first time around in my very own mind.

When the most recent of my library notifications arrived, letting me know Philippa Gregory’s The White Queen waited patiently for me on the reserve shelf, I unknowingly added to my recent War of the Roses reading theme.

I’ve read many of Gregory’s books and particularly enjoyed her series on the Tudor dynasty.  The White Queen is the first installment in a planned series that predates that famous royal family. The White Queen referenced in the title is Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward IV who was Henry VIII’s grandfather. 

The action begins when Elizabeth meets Edward and marries him secretly and continues until right before the fall of Richard III, Edward’s brother who usurps the throne from his nephews (and possibly had them killed in the Tower of London). Gregory treats Elizabeth, who sometimes gets a bad rap in history, kindly and shows her as a loving wife and an uncommonly engaged mother for the time. 

And there’s also an old family legend, some witchcraft, and even a synopsis of the story via Twitter thrown in for good measure. All that said, though, I never really felt gripped by the plot line as I have in some of Gregory’s earlier novels and gave this book a two-start rating on Goodreads.

As I entered my less-than-stellar rating, I couldn’t help but notice that I’d rated another recent read much higher, giving four stars to Figures in Silk.  I read this one last month but never quite got around to posting about it here.

Figures in Silk takes a look at the same time period from completely different eyes, those of a guildswoman who trades silk and becomes the mistress of the Duke of York, the same duke who goes on to become Richard III.  A few characters cross over between the two novels, including Elizabeth Shore who was a mistress of Edward IV, William Hastings, the kings’ best friend, and even the ill-fated princes.  But the main action focuses on Isabel Lambert, the silk merchant, and her attempts to solidify her place in the world both financially and romantically. 

Both books remind me that women, though only recently bestowed with formal offices of power, have always sought molded their worlds to achieve their goals.  Whether those efforts will lead to happiness or not in the end remains one of life’s biggest questions in both the past and the present.

1. Got a shout out from the presenter in this morning’s “Web 2.0 tools in the classroom” session for tweeting something I learned during the session (and demonstrating the right way to attribute it to him!)
2. Tried out the new sweet potato fries at Fudruckers (yum!)
3. Finished my latest library book, Philippa Gregory’s The White Queen (good, not great)
4. Purchased Razzles in the airport (are they a gum, or a candy?)
5. Arrived home after flight delay in time to make it to the high school football game with Soccer Boy (who really wanted to go)
6. Remembered to blog (and use lots and lots of parentheses)

Why, yes, it is Day 19 of NaBloPoMo.  I’ve got some post ideas swirling around in my brain, but nothing coherent is making it all the way to my fingertips.

So, I’ll keep thinking.  There’s been lots of that to go around today at the convention I’m attending.  Sessions lasted from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., and I managed to pick up some good ideas along the way.

I also managed to pick up a very strong chocolate martini at dinner tonight, which has made me very, very sleepy even though I only drank about 3/4 of it!

So, that’s all for tonight folks, and here’s hoping tomorrow brings an entry that’s a bit more profound!

So today I’ve

• Gotten up early and jetted off to Washington, D.C. for the National Association for the Education of Young Children conference.
• Not only heard Secretary of Education Arne Duncan speak but also heard him reference my state and more specifically a program at All-American Public Schools as models of early childhood education.
• Considered whether or not I might actually starve to death before eating dinner after skipping that little detail of lunch during all the travel.
• Learned that I would not starve, but that the waitress was serious when she mentioned “small plates” at the lovely restaurant we ate at tonight.
• Had dessert back at the hotel to round out my meal.  Threw in an extra glass of wine as well for good measure
• Laughed with my colleagues over said wine and dessert while planning our packed conference schedule for tomorrow.
• Paid $12.95 to ensure I would not fail in the NaBloPoMo challenge due to my inability to master blogging via iPhone and having to resort to in-room Internet instead.

Not bad, not bad at all!

As those of you who follow me on F@cebook may recall, DD1 recently pointed out that she’s not normally embarrassed to be seen with me.  And, yes, I did take that as the compliment she evidently intended it to be.

Not content to leave well enough alone, I also had to ask exactly what action or lack there of led to her willingness to acknowledge my presence in public from time to time. And, I’ll admit I liked her answer.

“Well, you don’t try to dress like you’re still my age and look stupid, but you also don’t dress frumpy and wear mom jeans and stuff.”

My work here is done.

Except that it isn’t because I struggle to maintain that balance.  On the work front, I don’t find it challenging at all to dress appropriately.  I’ve developed a nice mix of clothes that serve my needs from suits to more casual pants and sweater sets.  Thanks to my days as a high school principal, I even have work-appropriate formal wear–hey, never let it be said that I spent eight years in my thirties going to prom and homecoming for nothing.

It’s the casual wear that presents more of a challenge. What’s the line between looking fashionable and looking as if you’re trying to relive your youth? Between looking frumpy and showing too much in the way of cleavage–and worry about that comes from both ends these days thanks to current shirt and jean styles. 

I find myself looking to my daughters more and more to help me make those calls.  The look on DD2’s face the other day when I tried on DD1’s Ugg boots was priceless.  Let’s just say I opted for a different shoe choice.

I’ve also found the TLC show What Not To Wear informative and helpful. Though I’m not likely to qualify for a makeover or the handy $5,000 shopping spree that goes along with it any time soon, I have picked up lots of fit tips as well as ideas for looking fashionable and age appropriate from the show.   My goal–achieve that famous “mom on the go” look for my weekends.  Lately, the key to that for me has been layering with t-shirts, camis, and casual jackets or wraps.  Somehow that extra step makes all the difference in creating a pulled together look.

And, as long as DDs 1 and 2 are willing to hang out with me, I figure I’m on the right track.

What are your fashion challenges?  How has your look changed over the years?  Any items you’d refuse to relinquish in a total closet clean out?

We pride ourselves, here in Suburbia, with the high level of dinner table discourse we achieve. 

For example, tonight’s conversation included the following erudite humor.

Two muffins are baking in the oven.  One says, “Wow, it’s getting hot in here!”  And the other one says, “Oh my goodness!  A talking muffin!”

Or try these to liven up your Thanksgiving meal.

What side of a turkey has the most feathers?

 The outside.

and

Why did the turkey cross the road?

Because the chicken had the day off.

Soccer Boy noted that he thought that joke was funnier when he heard it with the elephant crossing the road, but that wouldn’t be quite so applicable now, would it?

All that Thanksgiving talk inspired me to get to work on some of the preparations for next week.  Our plans include traveling to see my family, so I’ll have less cooking to do this year than last.  I’m taking along streuseled sweet potatoes and a couple of pecan pies, and Adventure Guy will be frying up a turkey once we arrive. 

Obviously, the pecan pies will have to wait until next week, but the sweet potatoes freeze well. I tackled those tonight, and it’s nice to know that part of the meal is ready and waiting. If you’re interested in the ins and outs of deep fried turkey, those instructions can be found along with the sweet potato recipe at the link above.

A front moved through town yesterday afternoon taking away the remarkably spring-like weather and leaving drizzly cold in its wake.  I can’t complain, seeing how it is November.

But it really makes me want to do nothing but this…

Nap Time!

Unfortunately, I have this

The Sunday Tradition

And this…

The Family Insists On Eating

to deal with instead.

So, I’m off to the grocery store as soon as I fold the load that just finished drying.  Have a happy Sunday, and stay warm!

After passing on NaBloPoMo last year, this year’s challenge not only has me blogging regularly again but also provides the inspiration to check out some new blogs from the blogroll.  Most evenings, I’ve dropped by a new blog or two. 

Check out these blogs I”ve just stumbled on recently.

Becoming Kristin

I’m Not THAT Pregnant

emzeegee and the hungry three

Or visit some favorites I’ve read for a while now.

Spynotes

The Queen of Shake-Shake

These Little Moments

Plus I’m really excited about some of my fellow moms from our August 1996 birth list who’ve taken up the NaBloPoMo challenge.

Old Blue Socks

I Love April, I Love You

Tales From The Testosterone Zone

Are We There Yet?

One Feather Tail

Happy reading!