It's that time of year..

When I was 17 I ran away from home. I got a plane, for the first time EVER and went to Canada. I thought I knew exactly what I was doing. I lived in North Bay, Ontario for a year. During the time that I was there Thanksgiving rolled around, and I figured I've helped my mom enough for years making dinner so I obviously could make my own up in that cold, cold place! I tried to make dressing. It was hard as a rock. I tried to make a turkey. It was dry as a bone. I tried to make pecan pie.. well.. it was just an ooey gooey mess. I remember that day like it was yesterday. It's hard to believe it's been TEN years. Needless to say, my thanksgiving dinner has improved TREMENDOUSLY. I would venture to say that I'm a pretty (awesome) good cook!
So, I thought I would share my thanksgiving menu
Turkey (obviously)
Cornbread Dressing (which I have mastered!)
Sweet Potato Souffle
Squash Casserole
Deviled Eggs with spicy brown mustard(!!)
Green Bean Casserole
AND Pineapple upside-down cake

In my family, Thanksgiving is not right unless you have a pineapple upside-down cake. My pawpaw used to make it every year. I'm sure my sister has stuff to add to this list, but that's JUST what I'M making. And since it's Thanksgiving time, I'm gonna add a list of things I am thankful for. I hope everyone has a great holiday season!

I am thankful for:
My boyfriend, Roy. We may not always see eye to eye on everything, but there isn't a moment that I ever truly doubt his love for me. And loving has got to be hard sometimes!

My sweet little man, Declan. Seeing such an amazing little boy every morning when I wake up, and knowing that he is mine.. I can never be thankful enough. In a lot of ways he saved my life.

My family: Mom, Dad, Sarah(sister), JJ(brother) and the rest of the bunch! You guys have always been there. Good, bad, and downright ugly. I know when the going gets tough I have my family to back me up, and keep me going.

My best friend, S. She and i have truly been to hell and back together. We have had times where we didn't talk for an extended amount of time, but I've ALWAYS known she is just a phone call away. I hope she knows the same it true for me. We share so much together. My hetero life partner.

I am also thankful to have a job still. I know how lucky I am. I am thankful for so many more things.. writing the whole list would take me hours!

Happy Holidays. Cling tight to the ones you love, and be thankful for what you have! It's not always about what we don't have.

Abbie

Day at the park,,

I work graveyard (that is about to change) so I am tired 90% of the time. Yesterday I decided to take my son to the park, because the weather was so nice. I took him to a section of the park that looks like a pirate ship. He played there for about 45 minutes with two other kids, until the crowd came in. When I say crowd I mean, school must have been over and it was time for the older kids to take over. Plus, I was tired of the girl he was playing with telling her brother to "chase that little girl" His hair isn't even that long!!!! He was wearing a shirt that said "Ladies Man"... another subject.. another time. We walked past the dog park area, stopped and watched the dogs for a bit and made it over to our normal play area. It's a small fenced in area, that is OBVIOUSLY meant for toddlers. There were three guys hanging out there. As we got closer I could smell weed. Then I noticed that one of them was lying inside the tube slide tagging it up. Look, I don't care if you smoke weed. Hell, some people need to... but really?! You have to do it at the section that is obviously meant for small children. What pissed me off more than the weed was the fact that they were painting INSIDE the slide. I mean, if they had left and we arrived not long after them my son would have gone down the slide and been covered by paint. Not cool.

A few years before I had my son I was involved in an accident (I'll tell that story another time, as well!) and the police officer could smell weed on me. He bluntly told me, "I don't care if you smoke weed.. just do it in your apartment.." That's the way I feel about it. If you're gonna do it.. do it on your time, and place.. not whats meant for kids. Also, it's not cool to wreck things meant for small children. I get the whole tagging as art thing, and I'm cool with that. Putting tags inside a slide is not art. It's a crime. Buzz off.