So in an effort to get children to be more accepting of going on errands, do the following steps:

1. Layout the expectation that anything could happen on an errand. This may incline some of the more trusting kids to go along right away.

2. On a random weekend, say we have to do an errand and then go someplace totally unexpected and fun. Remind the kids how fun ‘errands’ can be.

3. The next time you have run some errands, remind the kids of time you did step #2. If that doesn’t work, reinforce step #1.

4. In the event that doesn’t work, proceed on your errand alone and text back pictures like these to your spouse. Then have your spouse show them to our kids.

5. When you get home, remind them that anything can happen when you run errands.

6. Repeat.

BTW, step #4 drove Sam and Evan nuts today.

While turkey normally gets top billing as the main course for a Thanksgiving day dinner, it’s the stuffing that is the real winner. For as long as I can remember, stuffing was the Thanksgiving day dish I looked forward to the most. It would beat out turkey, salads, deserts or pie. Grandma Verly’s was always the best. It had just the right amount of salt, pepper and sage. The breadcrumbs were always mashed – never understood why you’d want lumpy stuffing. You just knew the gizzards added that right umphh to the taste. And of course it was made with enough butter to make you cry (cry for joy for how good it tasted).

So the tradition lives on. I spent the evening getting the turkey ready, crying over the chopped onions, cooking up the gizzards, mushing the breadcrumbs and spicing the whole thing until it’s just right. And like every year I make the stuffing, I use nearly every bowl, spatula, and pan in the house. I think Holly is beginning to wonder if that part of the tradition could be altered a little bit next year.  Then again she’s hinted at using fewer dishes for the last 8 years and nothing has really changed, so I doubt I’m going to start now.  Sorry honey. So here’s to the holiday season and all the traditions they bring – both the good and the bad!

Happy Thanksgiving to all our family and friends!

It’s all about the bigger picture in my book.

Sam: Can I have some fruity snacks too?
Me: Sure. You know where they are.
Sam: Thanks.

A few minutes go by.

Sam: (mumbling) I put them all in my mouth so we can go see Grandma and Papa right now.

That’s my boy. I think. Maybe that’s more from Holly’s side.

Our attempt at a world record… not even close.

An attempt to break the World's Record with 3000 bottles of pop and Mentos

Sam and Evan think it’s cool they helped set a ‘record’. Holly was hoping for something a little more constructive, like longest streak of no one peeing on the floor or saying the word ‘poop’ or ‘fart’.

Maybe we’ll work on one of those next time.

Can you guess who was who?

Yeah… I’m not doing that anymore. Why? Because it’s -5°F outside and I’m driving to the mall to get ice cream.

Who taught who a lesson here?