One wild holiday weekend!

Isn't it funny how Thanksgiving weekend is just not all about Thanksgiving? Although Thanksgiving has it's own day, it is always followed by Black Friday, which is the beginning of the Christmas season! Not much of a breather there!

Thanksgiving this year was at the Casa de Koehnke's. Andrea prepared the ham and turkey and I brought the sides, and it consisted of me, Bill, Andrea, Chad, Tony and Jake! There was more than enough food to feed an army, and I know Chad thought we had lost our minds!

But let me backtrack to my house. I woke up late as I had stayed up late to watch George Lopez Live. He's hilarious. But I was tired from a long week of birthday and a wild work week (short but oh so busy!). The night before I had decided to wait until the morning to cook everything...but starting so late and trying a new recipe for mac n' cheese...well, it was a recipe for disaster! Even though it was delicious and filled with 4 different kinds of cheeses, plus a bread crumb topping, it was more work than I thought! So then, Tony came over and was watching Green Bay (football) and I was trying to get everything done so we could hit the road at half time. Soooo....when I finally got the macaroni in the oven, ran to take a shower, and came back, it was almost halftime! I don't know why our Thanksgiving has to revolve around football, but it does! Ugh! So instead of preparing the Sweet potatoes and Green Bean Casserole at my house, I threw everything in a bag, and hurriedly tried to get everything in the car. I went to touch my head and my hair was still wet. In the meantime, I had decided there was not enough bread crumbs in the mac, so had added more and stuck it in the oven for a few more minutes. Hair dried, everything in bags and in the car, and we were off.

Bill, king of Lists, started listing. Camera? check. Phone? Check. Food? Brakes! I left the mac in the oven!!! hahaha...lol...yea, not funny. So I had to carry it out to the car with oven mitts and rethink my lists...oops...forgot the green beans in the freezer. Bill went back in mumbling all the way in. Hilariously enough (not so much) the more frantic I get, the slower Bill gets, as he strolls into the house to get the beans. He was like the turtle in The Hare and the turtle...haha. Anyhoo, I digress. We take off...listening to the game on the radio.

We get there finally, with minutes to spare on the game. Everything gets into the house and I start whipping everything together and Andrea asks..."Where's the pie?" Ahhhhhhhhh! In my fridge. Pie? No check! So we sent Bill out to the Fry's to buy one...good thing they don't close on Thanksgiving anymore! Sigh.

But we sat down to eat a little after delegated time...and we dug in after giving thanks to all the food, and family near and far.
It was a great day, full of family love and food, and football! We heart Thanksgiving!

The next day, Black Friday, the plan was to get up at 3 and go to the Wal-Mart with Pam. My BFF.
I had kind of decided to blow it off...there was no way I could get up at 3! But, at 3 a.m. Pam started texting me. This is her exact text. "Wakie...upie! Time to shop. I know you just said...I hate her! But you will love me when you have your videos of your grandson! I have your coffee!"

I read that (kind of) in the dark and thought....I'm going to kill her. I went back to sleep. Then, my alarm went off and right after that Pam's next text. She was already at the Walmart!!! Along with a hundred other people! She had mentioned there were only a limited number of the camcorders that I wanted, so I was awake, and figured she would continue to text me (which she did), and kind of didn't want to leave her alone in the middle of the night at Walmart, so up I got. I threw on some clothes, some makeup (and later noticed, not too well) and went off into the night, with no coffee!

As it turns out, there was lines for the different things, so I barely saw Pam. She was in the laptop for $198 line, and I was in the camcorder line at the pharmacy where there were only TEN camcorders! I was second in line. I got there at 4, so really I lucked out. I got a nice Samsung camcorder for $149....whatta deal!

At five though, when all the wrapping came off the deals...it was a free for all! I was scared as I stood there in line waiting for my thing! OMG! I tried to get my video on my phone to work, but couldn't figure it out at that time with no coffee. But there was even a fight between two women over the battery operated cars...and screaming and Wow! Usually, by the time Andrea and I get there it's a lot calmer than that! Anyway, I had my eye on some other deals, so as I waited for Pam, I went and picked up some stuff (without a cart, because they were all gone at 4 a.m. when I got there) and got some great deals! Pam, who got there at 3 a.m was 43rd in line and there was 47 laptops. She was very happy with her purchase! We went to IHOP to celebrate!

After a quick little nap, I was off to Peoria again to babysit for the kids while they went out to Jeff Dunham, the comedian. It was nice to see them dressed up, and looking forward to a good time. I enjoyed my time with Jake, and love my time with him, even though I was soooo tired! But it was worth it!

Saturday, it was a day with the hubs and we did some shopping, some eating and went to see the Christmas Carol. It was a great version of the classic, and we both enjoyed it. We put a good dent in our Christmas list, so that was nice! We spent the evening watching Christmas movies, and just relaxing!

Today we were sooo happy to hear that Meghann's baby shower went well and she got almost everything she needed for the baby. The shower was a big success! The doctor told her last week that she will probably deliver the baby early, so we might have a new grand baby within two weeks!! Another grand baby! Woot!

Well, that's my weekend...I wish you all a happy, Merry Christmas season. Don't stress out! Remember, Christmas is about Jesus, everything else is just the icing on top!

The moment has arrived! I'm a Gramma!

Here he is...Jacob Scott Todd Koehnke. My first grandchild, and oh man, is he a cutie! From the minute I laid eyes on him, here only minutes old, I was done. My life as I knew it, was going to change forever. I am a Gramma!

People ask me what it's like. Having a grandson. They ask me what it's like to have your kid, your baby, with their own child. I have to say, that for once...I have no words to describe it. It is surreal. Ok, that's the word, but it hard to explain. Andrea had to have a C-section, so I was there in the room when they brought her son to her for the first time and put him in her arms. She was so sweet! She said, "So you are the one who's been kicking me all this time..." and as she checked him over and told him how beautiful he was...she turned to me and said, "I don't think newborns are supposed to be this cute..." Anyway, watching Andrea with her baby, and just how much she loves him is just awesome. I can see the love, the tenderness she has towards him. I can see how she is visibly devoting the rest of her life to him, how in her heart, that's where he now lays. I can see this woman, my little girl, being transformed into a...mother.



Chad, also has thrown his hat into the father ring. He's so cute with that baby! He has fallen totally in love with his son, and he's all into it! Even the dirty, icky, smelly, disgusting diapers! Okay, he's happy when Gramma's there to change one, but otherwise, he's up for all the challenges that Jake is going to bring his way...and there are many! It started when he first came out, and he sat with him during his first feeding...he was a natural.



I can't say enough about my little grandbaby. He's adorable, and sweet. He has the perfect little fingers, and adorable little toes. He has his daddy's eyes and chin, and his mommy's nose and mouth. He has an adorable set of hair and a very loud cry! He smiles when he's content and sleeps soundly when they wrap him up like a burrito, as Chad likes to call it.



I could just sit and stare at him for hours...and love kissing his cute little head.



Even Uncle Tony is smitten!

As grandparents go, we couldn't be happier. We look forward to babysitting, to being a part of his life, to being there for him always, and oh, don't forget...spoiling. Okay, maybe I don't know what grandparenting has in store for us, but I know, it's going to be a fun ride watching Chad and Andrea raising him, and watching my little Jacob grow up. We have a lot of fun times ahead, and are really looking forward to them, but are just going to enjoy him day by day, as much as we can! I promise to love on that baby as often as possible, as I continue to love, support and encourage Andrea, as much as I always have, if not more! I didn't think I could love her anymore than I did, but seeing her in this new role...it gives me a whole new prospective. I've always been proud of you, Andrea Magdalene, but now, I see you in this new role, and my heart swells. I know you are going to be a terrific mother, and am proud of you and your little family.

Welcome to our world, Jake! Get ready to be showered by love, by everyone you meet I love you!!



I have to add that this picture of Jake and his grampa...is the sweetest thing I've ever seen!