November 2023

The printed calendar (featured in the center of the 1 Second Everyday Monthly Video) didn't look that busy for November. Writing in retrospect ... I'm sure it still felt busy (and I looked over my personal journal and added a few things that hadn't made it onto the calendar. I didn't rescan it though). 

There were a couple of birthdays ... I was given a cake at Zumba, I'd grabbed the family favorite oreo ice cream cake, and Gray grabbed an ice cream cake too, as well as flowers and a big balloon. We got all the boys over. We did a family Tepanyaki dinner to celebrate the birthdays over the weekend, then it was Gray's birthday with wacky cake and family blackjack (Cal was late for cake but there for cards).  

We hosted Thanksgiving ... that will get it's own post (better for blog searches on the subject). 

Basketball ... Cal's Men's League finished up their Fall season. Once high school ball is started, Colton can't play outside of that league, so we were glad he could squeeze in these final games and help the team to another set of championship t-shirts (Cal's Men's League/2023). Then it was basketball tryouts and the start of Colton's Senior Season.  They had an "intro to the team" game and then started play.

... Jen had her bookclubs and Zumba (in charge of the key at Mon/Wed class, some MZL drama for the Friday class), still making sourdough. Pickleball with the relief society ladies on Thursdays, and got in a couple sessions with Cooper at the park while the weather was still cooperating.  There were a few movies. Leg Lighting at Uncle Clay's. Grayson had a few game nights (one ending it stitches), Fisher House, a work birthday dinner, then a weekend trip to Moab. Kept up with his running and rucking.

I think that's a wrap for November.

Here's a live look - One Second Every Day.

https://youtu.be/oBzrK-baIlI?si=O8yaOiLV5zpipryE

A Pinched Pumpkin

I've always liked growing pumpkins. When I was young, I'd plant them several places in the yard, then set up a little stand by the side of the road to sell them in October. Now I just grow for fun, and to give a few away. I had regular pumpkins and the "Jack be Little" ones growing this year.

For the past few years, I've planted a pumpkin right in the front flower bed in front of the house. Often it gets a little out of control and spreads around the side of the house. This year especially, it went crazy! In the pictures above, that was ONE plant! It produced several decent sized pumpkins, and probably would have grown a super large one had I trimmed off the others. As it was, I noticed when the first pumpkin was hanging into the window well. I lifted it out ... but another one ended up there again. Behind all the bushiness, I finally noticed another pumpkin wedged between the house and the gas meter. It was STUCK in there! I cut the stem to prevent any further growth (didn't want it to possibly dislodge anything on the meter) ... and the pumpkin still turned orange in October a couple of months later. Finally, after Thanksgiving, Landon cut it apart to finally get it out of there.

We had quite a few pumpkins ... gave away a few regular size ones, and lots of littles. Others were decor for Halloween, Fall and Thanksgiving. I'd planted a plethora of the mini-pumpkins on the side of the garage and a few other places in the yard and had a big yield. I saved seeds to try planting again next year. 

2023 will be most memorable because of the stuck and squashed pumpkin. I remember back in 2018, the vines had snuck around the house and got squashed by the garbage can. I had gone out to shift the garbage can to the street for pickup, when I looked down and saw what I thought was a smooshed frog. I didn't know how a frog had gotten under there ... when I realized it wasn't actually a frog. 

Who knew pumpkins could cause such chaos?

Thanksgiving at the Blackhams (2023)

 

I think one of the times I miss Maga the most is at Thanksgiving. While Grayson is more than capable to take over the cooking ... Maga always had such cute decor, and pulled the family together. Clay and Courtney do every other year with Courtney's side of the family, so we've been doing Thanksgiving here for several years since Pammy passed away. Gray had invited Olivia, Ana and the boys, and then we invited my folks to join us too. 

Grayson had two turkey breasts ... one in the smoker, one in the oven. He made his yummy mashed potatoes too, we even made gravy, as we had guests (it's not normally part of a Blackham family meal).  I had prepped the day before, making roll dough, jello cubes, cookies and "pie in a pan" dessert. I finalized the rolls in the morning and got them raising ... orange rolls and dinner rolls. We also had Brazilian Cheese Rolls, gluten-free for my dad, although they are enjoyed by many. Basil carrots (another Pammy memory). Cooper had made a cheese ball. Stove top stuffing. Whipped butter. Olivia brought some little pies to add to the desserts.  Did we have a Honey Baked Ham? I think so ... writing in retrospect, I can't remember for sure. 

We got the kitchen table cleared off, and brought a long table and square card table in for extra seating. There was another table set-up in the front room, but it wasn't needed.  Gray pulled out some tablecloths, and there was some minor decor, attempt at festivity.  There was a near miss as we pulled the heavy water dispenser down from it's place on the high kitchen shelf (lucky there wasn't anything broken). We used some nice, but disposable, plates and glasses. That saved on cleanup! Kate ended up staying home with Vera (the doggie). 

It was a laid back Thanksgiving. 

A little before ... and after. 

There were leftovers to send home with the guests, and still have some here too. 

That's pretty integral to Thanksgiving, right?

Time for a nap.