Getting the most out of my Thanksgiving Dinner

Ok so I'm getting strategic this year in my eating plans in order to fully take in as much as possible. Here's some things I'm trying:

Strategy #1: Eat a big meal tonight (Thanksgiving Eve) to stretch out my stomach.

Strategy #2: Snack a lot to keep it stretched out.

Strategy #3: Move around as little as possible (not difficult anymore with this desk job of mine)

Strategy #4: Carefully arrange the food on my plate in an effort to stack "up" and not along the rim (we don't want any stuffing to fall off the plate- such waste is sacriligious).

Strategy #5: Go against my better instincts and NOT eat dessert for breakfast on Thanksgiving Day. That will make me feel guilty and I might try to "eat healthy" during the Feast. We can't have that.

Cake Balls and Truth or Dare!

These are Cake Balls. Turkey Cake Balls really.

I first heard about the wonders of Cake Balls from our friend Rossie which then led me to the wonders of Bakerella. Cake Balls are a combination of cake and icing rolled together into balls, and then you can decorate them however you want! Amazing!

Katie and I decided to experiment with the Cake Balls this weekend and ours sadly did not turn out so cute. Were they tasty and delish? Yes. Did they look more like pancakes in the end than balls? Yes. Will we try them again? May...bee......

I'll try to get a pic of our Cake Ball Pancakes on here soon. I keep forgetting to take my camera places! Another fun thing this weekend that I also didn't take the camera to is our friend Elizabeth's Apartment-Warming Party. We had a grand time of lasagna, chocolate chip poundcake and Truth or Dare. In case you're wondering, Truth or Dare freaks me out, but that's ok because I have the perfect strategy: Always pick Truth and then just make something up. I mean.... heller.... who is going to know? I also discovered that I am excellent at thinking up fun Dares. One I came up with was licking Caleb's sock. I know, gross.

So one last thing, and a big Brag Alert on this one. I have an article that's going to be published in an Education Journal! After much revision with several editors, my thesis paper on helping students with frequent absences manage the work load is going to be in Kappa Delta Pi's The Record. I'm trying to get Caleb to refer to me not as "Tricia" this week but as "Published Author" but he keeps forgetting. What is a diva to do?

Things I do NOT want to hear while eating my morning Bran Flakes:

#1: "So I need to inspect my stool to make sure the supplement is working?"

Yes, I don't want to hear this. While flipping from Good Morning America to the Today Show, I caught just enough of another show to hear this sentence. This is like automatic upchuck into my Bran Flakes. However, as some of you may know, I don't really get bothered by "stool." So I had to pause on the show because now I'm wondering, "during inspection, what am I looking for exactly?" Well.... that leads to phrase #2.

#2: "During colon cleansing, tape worms are often found in your stool. That is how you will know the supplement is working."

WWWWHHHHHHHYYYYYYY did they have to say that? P.S.- I looked at pictures this morning on Google Images and I am absolutely scarred for life. If I have a tapeworm, which the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that I do, I do NOT want to find evidence of it. Okay?

I was going to post a third item about bedbugs that I also overheard while eating my Bran Flakes earlier this week, but I realized just how horrible this post has become and decided I just couldn't do it. Does anyone else have any anti-Bran Flakes phrases you would like to share? Please do- I'm glad I've gotten it off my chest.

Eek!

That is a two-faced cat.

I just read an article about it on foxnews.com and it really freaked me out. It meows at the same time from both mouths! Also in the news today is a woman who was experiencing head pains and vision loss. The doctors were bumfuzzled because there was no tumor to be found, until.... dum-da-da! They found a WORM in her brain. Probably from eating undercooked pork or not washing her hands after using a public restroom. This story has particularly effected me because I NEVER wash my hands. Ever. Well, I run water over them, but public restroom liquid soap disgusts me. But now I have to weigh the options..... Disgusting liquid handsoap or brain worm? Ugh!

Notes de la Weekend

My parents (and Molly the Stow-away) came to visit us this weekend!!!!

Here is a general outline of the fun that was had:
I. Friday
A. Arrival- awesome. I miss them!
B. Dinner- The Original Oyster House. awesome. I had stuffed shrimp with red potatoes and cheese grits. Oh my gosh, I could eat some more RIGHT NOW and it's 9 in the a-m.
C. Ice cream- Blue Bell white chocolate almond. It's been a while since I've had that kind and I was immediately sad that it had been so long. It is goodness in a half gallon bucket.
II. Saturday
A. Breakfast- good conversation and Krispy Kreme
B. Cadavers- Caleb took Dad to the cadaver lab to meet Estelle, the other woman in his life.
C. Lunch- across the Bay in Daphne, we ate at a local dive called Manci's Antique House. They had huge burgers and various antiques for decor. very neat!
D. Farewell- sad! They dropped me off at David's Bridal and then they headed back to Starkville. It was a quick, but much needed visit! And wow, we ate a lot, as it appears on this outline.

Other notes:
1. I sold some bridal gowns this weekend! Look out, commission!
2. Caleb and I (as if we hadn't eaten out enough this weekend) found a Mexian restaurant to call our own here in Mobile. It is cheap and delicious and has tacky decor on the wall. All three are mandatory criteria in choosing your local Mexican eatery.
3. I am back at work now, and it's going to be a busy week, but Thanksgiving Holidays are right around the corner! I am thankful for Thanksgiving.

Whoa.

This isn't really my story to tell, but we have laughed so hard over it, I thought I would share:

So last night Caleb has a flag football game at 9:30 pm. Katie and Gib took their dog Rosie to the intramural fields for her walk even though dogs aren't really allowed at the fields. We're all sitting on the bleachers and guys from both teams are warming up when an Intramurals Field Staffer comes zipping along on a Gator and pulls right up to us on the bleachers. We knew we were busted, but it was too late to try to hide Rosie, who is a big dog.

The Staffer in a very authoritative voice says to Katie, "Excuse me, ma'am. There are NO DOGS allowed on the fields. Please remove the animal from the premises."

From the field, Gib says, "She's Blind!" just to be funny, implying that Rosie was a seeing-eye dog.

Well the Staffer BELIEVED HIM.

She got so embarrassed and started reversing the gator and apologizing profusely and zipped off the field as fast as she could. Meanwhile, every single one of us is frozen in place in disbelief, jaws dropped that this Staffer Lady believed him. I mean, Katie wears GLASSES, for crying out loud.

Welcome to the Blogging World Penningtons!!!

Another Convert!!!

Please welcome Katie and Gib Pennington to your blog roll, ladies and gentleman!!

Land of the free: donut, coffee, and MAYBE chik-fil-a sandwhich

Something happened yesterday that I hope only gets bigger and better for each presidential election day:
FREE ELECTION DAY TREATS

We googled it at work all day just to make sure we weren't missing anything but all the ads we saw for free stuff for voters excluded franchises in Mobile. Except for Starbucks.

When I got home, Caleb said we should try for it all anyway, so we hopped in the car and went to Chik-fil-a first in hopes of a free sandwhich. It was a "no."

Next: Starbucks. That one was easy. We both got a free coffee, even though I hate coffee. It was free though, so you can't pass it up.

Finally: Krispy Kreme! God Bless America. AND Krispy Kreme who gave away those little sugary treasures to anyone who voted. We got there at 8:15 pm and at first the fiesty lady behind the counter acted like we were too late, but we wore her down. I got a free sour cream cake donut and snarfed it down even though I had already flossed and brushed for the night.

While we were at KK, some people wanted their Free Voter's Donut but they went through the Drive-thru. The fiesty lady goes: "The polls closed at seven and it now 8:15! They had plenty a time to get up in here for a donut. It too late NOW! If they don't like THAT, they 'cn call 1-800-4-KRISPY!" (insert a ferocious hand snap). Hearing that makes me wonder what all I can get by calling 1-800-4-KRISPY. I will probably call at work today and see if there is a way to get more free donuts.

He can come out of hiding for today.... and today only.

I know everybody (or at least Claire and LT) abhors Lee Greenwood, but is anyone else craving his crooning today?

I told Caleb I thought all voting places should have DJ's playing patriotic tunes while we stand in line to vote. That's something I would do if I were President. It probably wouldn't take that much tax money either if some people would just bring their iPods and stereos. Here is a sample playlist I, as POTUS, would command:

1. Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an America" obviously.
2. "Star Spangled Banner"
3. "America the Beautiful"
4. "Climb Every Mountain" from the Sound of Music. It's very motivating.
5. "This Land is Your Land" -very catchy tune.

Also as POTUS, I would:
-fund seeding for gerber daisies to be planted on all Highway Medians (Beautification of America)
-make sure all classrooms have updated textbooks, or just at least have textbooks (Teacher Frustration Prevention)
-outlaw this one song that I HATE from ever being played again on the radio. I don't know the title, but it goes something like this,
"How bizarre, how bizarre....
ooooh baby (echo),
you're making me crazy (echo),
every time I look around (I look around),
you're in my face!"
-give cruise vouchers because every human should have the opportunity to go on at least one.

That's all for now. But until then, enjoy the musical stylings of Lee. He only gets these shining moments every four years: