I know, I'm a couple days late. Well, my holiday started Wednesday night. I got home, and hubby had purchased a digital camera! A Prosumer level Canon Rebel. I LOVE it. He's getting himself a different type of Canon - we'll be able to share lenses. We wanted a hobby to do together, and photography is perfect. When we go up to Cambria for our birthdays celebration, we'll have cameras!!! Woo!

Turkey day itself was a blast. I handled it in the most laid-back way ever, I think - surprises abounded. My nephew and family, plus my dad, arrived almost two hours before I thought they would, having made that trip up from San Diego before - on Thanksgiving, it can take up to 6 hours.

My brother arrived an hour or so later, and everything just kind of went like clock work. There was much laughing, much teasing. Dad had me run to the store for flowers for the table. My brother and I looked for ice cream for the pie (vanilla, of course!). We finally found some, but it took quite awhile - all the big brands were sold out.

Food was fabulous, then we all went for a walk (okay, us older folks did but the kids, and Grandpa, stayed behind). It's tradition now to walk before pie can be eaten! We did the "big" block walk. I was still stuffed, but managed a tiny slice of to-die-for cherry pie. Fabulous!

The big family picture went well, too. I had purchased six santa hats, and so we all wore santa hats. Plus everyone got to keep theirs...the great-nieces were happy with that.

The boys' computers are now gone from the dining room - banished to the trash (well, almost) since they are too old to do much. One of them doesn't even go on the internet anymore.

Yesterday I had to go to work, which was a bummer. But I got a lot done, so that was good. And hubby came up and took me out to lunch. Yesterday morning, he bought a flat screen TV to replace our old Toshiba. That Toshiba has been a great TV, though - it's 21 years old and we've never had a problem with it. I'll either donate it, or give it away (does anyone need an old TV?).

The flat screen means a new piece of furniture to put it on, however. So hubby and I went to Ikea last night to look at TV consoles. After much looking (along with the rest of the hordes who had bought new flat screens yesterday), we did find something we both liked. Not too modern, but with clean lines and a great height. We're actually getting three stand-alone pieces that are in the same family. The console, the 34" x 72" bookshelf, and the other 19" x 72" bookshelf. I have my eye on another one in the set with glass doors and a drawer at the bottom, but that will be for another day.

In the meantime, I've got a ton of clean-up work to do before hubby and younger son come back today after picking up the three pieces! Plus I've got a book to rewrite...

Eldest son's girlfriend has been a wonderful guest all week, for the most part. She seems more like family than a guest, and other than the part where she sleeps in the front room, I'll miss her when she returns to her own family tomorrow.

But that's a worry for another day.