Ride the wave.

Having wrapped up our West Texas journey, we returned home Thursday night for some rest and a brief moment of relaxation before our next holiday wave come in. Friday afternoon Nonny, Aunt Lesa, and Drew came to stay with us until the new year, Kirstie and Colton would arrive Saturday night, Poppa and Graham were coming for Sunday lunch and Christmas with Teensy and the boys.

Our boys love it when Nonny and Aunt Lesa come because they get to play until their hearts are worn out, then go some more. The first order of business was a trip to the grocery store for food. Now when I say food, I'm talking snacks, drinks, party food, regular food, pantry staples, then the special foods that I wanted prepare. One of the great and fun things about shopping with my family is that we are immediately sucked in to new stuff. Sis and I have this from Nonny, it's a hoot. Following our trips down the aisles the bill was over $700! Can you believe that? Needless to say we were set for our weekend.

We needed to get some dinner and most every place in town was slammed busy because it was the dinner rush. Billy Sim's barbecue was right by Wal-Mart so we jumped in there. I normally don't recommend going to Establishments named after someone who became famous for something else. Apparently he's a football player of some renown. In addition to recommending you not go to establishments named after someone who is famous for something else, I tend to avoid places in which you smell like the food you just ate upon leaving. I knew the minute I walked through the door I'd smell like a smoked pig for weeks! There is another place in our town called Ron's Hamburger stand where you smell like grilled onions for the rest of your life. I just don't think you should smell like food!

I need to back up and say, that not even an hour into our fun, Chubbers had an encounter. Two of his most cherished people in the world are his Nonny and his Aunt Lesa. He goes into a hysterical, screaming, joy filled, gleeful sprint around out house just venting the joy he feels knowing they in his house to see him. Well, he was spinning around our kitchen performing for them when he tripped and broke his fall with his head...on our wall. He was millimeters away from the corner which would have opened his head up big time. We all saw it happening in slow motion unable to prevent it or stop it, paralyzed to the certainty of pain. His head was swelling up and turning black. It was horrible. We called a good friend of our who is an ER doctor and he said that there is an artery running along the bridge of your eye brow that is often busted, which causes swelling and blackens the eye. No wonder you get a black eye when punched! He wasn't interested in having anyone deal with him and certainly didn't want to have his picture taken. This is the picture of him protesting my attempt at taking his picture. "No take me head pitchure DA DA!" Chubbers is one tuff nut, and didn't slow down. There is a dent in our wall by the way.

One of Drew's favorite things in the world is French Toast. We make Hawaiian bread in our bread machine then use that sweet bread to make French Toast--he loves it! I'm not sure anyone who loves French toast wouldn't love it made with home made Hawaiian sweet bread. I don't have any pictures of the recipes I made, I wanted to take photos but didn't have a camera handy. I'll post my top three favorite recipes from the weekend next. You'll want to try these great dishes, they are super.