Friday, November 23, 2007

Eeeets A Rat!

So the day started out nicely, Michael and I got to sleep in (8:30) and the baby was cheerful when he woke up, the boys were up making their beds (???!?!) and the girls were emptying the dish washer. I think I'm basically ready to accept that my children aren't the best self motivators, probably because they were raised with someone who shouted orders whilst laying on the couch watching football. Now that we've got the chore cards that are totally a miracle, and TWO parents who like to watch movies/play games (guitar hero/halo3) and hang out with them, life runs more like...well...like yesterday! But I digress...as usual.

So we had big fat german pancakes with strawberries (and splenda!) and potatoes, onions and ham fried in tons of butta (because we used splenda! on the berries, remember?) and the day began. We started on the rolls, and then getting them out to rise. Next we tackled peeling all the potatoes. Mackenzie helped with that. Then we got out the ingredients for my favorite salad. Now most of you may hate this, but when you're eating that nasty frog eye salad with (sick!) frog eye sized slimy Acini De Pepe, I'll be over at my seat carefully pumping this stuff down my gullet. You know the stuff...crushed pineapple, lime jello powder, pistachio pudding mix, coconut, mini marshmallows, cool whip and cottage cheese. MMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmMMmmMmMmm ! Hello! So good. Anyway, our neighbors love it so we made triple my usual recipe and took it around to all of them. We even sprinkled extra marshmallows, coconut, pistachios and red sprinkles on it. Festive! I had the kids call Joe and his mom and dad, and then got them to help me with the rest. So green bean salad, and some dips for chips were next, and after getting us all showered, we headed over to Mike's mom and dad's house.

Amy, Mike's sister was there and his parents and his mom was literally pulling the turkey out of the oven when we got there, so after we all sat and stuffed ourselves on the regular thanksgiving things, PLUS eggrolls (mackenzie and mike's mom have a special bond because of these and they are connected at the hip), PLUS ham, PLUS a zillion chocolate desserts and pies, we all sat down together to watch Ratatouille. I totally expected it to be cute and all, but we loved that movie. We were totally sucked into it and a few other people came over to visit with Mike's family and all of us, but we were so into that movie. I loved it.

Anyway, there's a quote at the end of the movie and I wanted to share it with y'all. It made me tear up and Mike even did the whole "deep breath, blink blink" thing that means that he, as a big strong manly dude, liked it too.

It was at the end and spoke by the food critic Anton Ego:

"In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face is that, in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. Last night, I experienced something new, an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core. In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau's famous motto: Anyone can cook. But I realize that only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now cooking at Gusteau's, who is, in this critic's opinion, nothing less than the finest chef in France. I will be returning to Gusteau's soon, hungry for more."

The part that I loved was the words "Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere."

I think I'll tattoo this on my forearm. Just kidding dad.

Anyway, check out my new christmas music and while you're out shopping on Black Friday, I hope you don't die:

9 comments:

Kristen said...

Love that quote...we need to post it where we can see it...either by the phone or by our computers! (isn't that where we spend most of our time!)

Love the utube...I was out in that, but was smart enough to go after the crowds! Nothing is worth getting trampled over by a ton of crazy people!!!

Glad you had a good holiday...call me later!!!

shauna said...

Sounds like you guys had a great day. Ours was normal and you know...normal. It is good to have Derek, Dylan, Mandy, Taylor and Ashley here, but we missed all the rest of you guys. Kathy's house was crazy...my mom even finally had to escape the confusion. It was nice to get home and we all crashed from that "T" drug that is in Turkey.

Alli Easley said...

Kristen, call me today, I need to hear about your crazy Turkeyday!

Mom next year is the Oblad year, so we should start planning now so everyone can make it and/or have room wherever we go. We can do it here! I've got room!

Kristen said...

Sorry...just logged on...yes...it's after 10 p.m. and you probably wouldn't appreciate a call this late! Love the pics of Rylie! Went to the Christmas Tree Farm then airport and shopping for the rest of the day! We'll catch up tomorrow...PROMISE!!! Still good for Monday?

K. H. said...

some items..

1.) Ben loves that pineapple cottage cheese salad best also.

2.) i ate 3/4 of a banana cream pie over the weekend

3.) i rebelled against my upbringing and got my ear(lobes) pierced.

4.)we watched Meet The Robinsons. We liked it a lot.

5.) I played Esquivel for Ben and he loooved it to DEATH and thinks we should use it for reception music at the wedding

K. H. said...

oh also Ben was offended that I had waited these 10 months to play Esquivel in his presence. He said I robbed him.

-KJ said...

Who doesn't like Frog eye salad? Oh, it's you wierd "texture" people. Get over it I say! Lydi is famous for making it!
Glad to hear your Sanksgibing was good. Kathy's was crazy, but I like crazy. Sadly you missed out on GH and candy making the next day. It was aaawesome to watch Susan and Shauna play!!!
Finally, I protest the Thanksgiving next year. We have it with the Bailey's, so we need to do CHRISTMAS!!! Come on people, we can make it work.
Nice quote. I liked that movie better at home. Spencer hated it in the theater and loved it at home. Wha? HE was the reason I didn't like it in the theater!

Eliza said...

And YOU'RE WELCOME for the GH. I was gonna give it back to my boys for the Thanksgiving but Ash gave me the sob story of how Lydia's was broken and how she really wanted to play i blah bleh bleh bloge. "um...Eliza? Lydia wants to know if we can play GH?"

A BIG PSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHT!!!!!

Kristen said...

Love your description of us in "the list"!! You are too funny!!!