Hot or Cold?

Do you sleep hot or cold? Do you prefer getting into a warm bed or a cool bed? I guess it depends on the season, but generally I like getting into a cool bed and then staying partly cool and mostly warm. Sarah is the opposite. Make sense? Let me illustrate:

First of all, here is Sarah (seriously, she is in there). She likes it warm when she gets in. Please note that my side of the bed is open to the air, and is cool. Also, note that the foot-end of the bed is un-tucked. This is very important for the following reason:

I can't fall asleep if my feet are constricted and hot. I also can't sleep if my mid-section is cool. Like I said, partially cool and mostly warm. In the winter the covers are right up to my neck. In the summer they only cover from knees to mid-chest.

Also note, that once I have fallen asleep all these rules go out the window, and I just like to be warm...but not hot.

By the way, these photos also illustrate the new bedding that Tracy procured for us. (Thanks Tracy!) Becuase of that bedding we re-decorated the room (Thanks again, Tracy!):

PIE!

This year Thanksgiving was about a lot of things, but it was nice to focus some activities on the proper activity of...eating pie.

I have not always been a fan of pie. As a youngin' I didn't like pie at all. I could not fathom how anyone could like pie, in fact. The salty, dry, bland crust did not appeal to me, and the only pies I really ate were those that had sufficient moisture and flavor to overcome that terribly necessary crust. Pumpkin pie was out of the question. For a long while, pecan was out too. Lemon maringue was my choice, but a deep cream pie would do. Apple...well, I'm still not fond of it, but with enough ice cream it's edible.

I can't say when it happened, but I've come to enjoy GOOD pie. I suppose the criticisms I placed on it as a youth have helped me respect pie. And since most people love pie, particularly around this holiday, I figured we would make the most of it. I found myself completely out of my league!

You see, in the above picture are 8 pies. Exactly 2 of these pies were baked and partially eaten in my house. One of the pies was bought and partially eaten in my house. The remaining 5 pies were made by the people with whom we shared our Thanksgiving Feast. Each of those people make GREAT pies. They come from families who love pies, and who have always loved pies.

Did I mention that there was only one other family at our Thanksgiving Feast? That's right, the pie selection pictured above was prepared for 4 adults and 5 children (under the age of 4). You are looking at Dutch Apple, Pecan, Chilled Pumkin, Lemon Maringue, Banana Cream, Pumpkin, Toll House (a chocolate chip cookie pie that was the Grand Champion, as decided be me...and the kids), and Apple. Uhhmmm...we didn't quite finish them off...

Fingernails

"Dad, can I paint my fingernails with fingernail polish?" Caitin asked this evening.
I stammered, "Uhmmm, ask your mother."
"Mom, can I paint my fingernails with fingernail polish?"
Without hesitation, Sarah said, "Yes, at the kitchen table."
I could hardly believe my ears. Sarah is more careful than anyone I know about keeping things clean, and here she is giving our 4-year-old free reign with a bottle of red fingernail polish. WOW! She won't even let ME use the fingernail polish. Hmmmm...

She actually did a pretty good job. I mean, one time Sarah did let me use the polish to paint Caitin's nails and they didn't turn out this good. So I let her do her toes too. And of course, anything Caitin does... Jamie does too.

Nice color choice, don't you think?