Shameless promotion

An article appeared in the Missoulian today about a local guy who is one of four finalists in the Bud Light tailgate approved contest. I'm not a huge tailgater but I do love his idea (would work great for picnics, etc.) and I do love beer. So if you want to help make a Missoulian famous (it'll take me a few more years to earn that status), go here to vote for the Tummy Table. If you want to read the local article about him, you can read it here. Thanks for helping put Missoula on the map!

Grateful

Thanksgiving morning greeted us with frost-crusted grass, fog covered hills, and patches of blue sky. Well worth the work: heart attack potatoes

She loves pie.

Getting some fresh air before dinner.

Thanksgiving was a quiet affair in the Cline household yesterday. I spent most of the day cooking while Justin and the kids played. Madeleine enjoyed three Thanksgiving traditions that I always remember: the Macy's Day Parade, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and pumpkin chiffon pie! She loved watching the balloons (especially Snoopy) and kept asking when Snoopy would be back on during commercials! And while she enjoyed the pumpkin part of the pie, she kept saying, "I need more [whipped] cream!"

Parker loved tasting all of the new food and didn't seem to suffer any side effects from the dairy in it so we may be crossing that hurdle. We'll try again today and see how he does tonight.

I ventured out at 5:45am to mingle with the other crazys in Walmart. There's really only one thing I wanted to get the kids for Christmas and W had it cheaper than I've found used ones on Craigslist so I forced myself out of bed to buy it. The helpers at W loaded the last one into my car so it was a successful trip (you'll have to wait until Christmas to find out what I got).

We moved into our house exactly one year ago this weekend. To reflect and see that we've been blessed with this lovely home, ridiculously cute and entertaining kids, a stable job, a great town, good friends, and supportive family, I don't think we can imagine life getting any better. We are richly blessed and hope that next year we can share this day of thanks with some of you!

Proof

Jen and me
Tom, the dj, telling me to hold the microphone closer while singing. Silly Tom...he thought I wanted people to hear me! Beth and Jen weren't rocking out as hard as I was. I'm hardcore :)

Surrender

The album with this song on it by Cheap Trick came out a year before I was born and yet somehow I still managed to rock out and almost go hoarse singing along with our friend Stefan as he performed it on Friday night. It was also the song stuck in my head when I woke up Saturday morning! Holy cow did I have fun!!! The pictures are still on Stefan's camera as I forgot to put the battery in our camera before leaving the house so you'll have to wait to see me singing my Boston/Scrubs tribute of "More than a feeling" and enjoying a beer (or two or three). I was really touched when the whole group got up and sang "Happy Birthday" Beatles style. So to thank them appropriately, I danced solo in the middle of the dance floor with all eyes on me. Rumor has it that I didn't make a fool out of myself but I don't really care if I had...it was worth it :) I was apparently dancing well enough to get asked to dance by some middle-aged bearded man who kept telling me to "relax" and "let me lead." It would have been rude to say no to him but it was almost too awkward having Justin taking pictures of me dancing with another guy! Again, that picture will be posted as soon as I get it. I want to thank Jen, Stefan, Beth and Cody, Walt, and of course Justin for making that such a special night. Wednesday (my actual birthday) will be much easier to celebrate knowing that if all else fails I can still feel 21 at 30 by going karaokeing at Harold's!

Festivities

While my actual birthday isn't until next week, tonight is our official night to celebrate. Justin and I are going out to eat while Jen watches the kiddos and then we'll come home and put them to bed. Our realtor will then be coming over to housesit/babysit for us (he gave us a free night of babysitting along with a gift certificate for dinner as our housewarming present and we're just getting around to using it) so Jen, Justin and I can meet up with 10-15 other friends who will be tearing it up karaokeing at Harold's Club. It should be a raucous time full of singing and dancing! No one gave me any song suggestions so I'll have to stick with the tried and true Bon Jovi's "Living on a prayer" and maybe Boston's "More than a feeling." I'll hopefully have some pictures or maybe even a short video to prove that we welcomed this decade of my life in with style.

Clubfoot

Maggie's still not better yet so I set up another appointment with the vet this past Tuesday. We have been wrapping and taping her leg to prevent her from licking some spots raw but she was somehow still getting to them so here is our vet's version. This also gives her some additional support that may help the healing process. If she leaves this alone, we'll go back in 10 days and get a splint and have it wrapped again. Of course we have to treat it like a cast and not let it get wet which works really well when it's been raining/snowing for the last few days. All of those snack bags are finally being put to use because they fit perfectly over her club. We're hoping this at least starts to move us in the right direction.

The return

Justin came home yesterday defeated. He didn't see or hear anything and was too exhausted to go out today. We're hoping the snow we got today and will continue to get will make his chances better for this weekend.