Were getting ready

My soux chef and I spent the morning getting the pies ready for tomorrows big feast.

My girl just loves helping me.


She climbs up on the counter with her custom made apron from Grams and dives right in.

Measuring the flour.

Being really careful to not get any one the floor or counter. (as if)

Showing me how perfectly she uses both her left and right hands.


Cutting in the shortening.

Making as large of a mess as humanly possible.

Taking breaks to be as ridiculously cute as possible.

Patting the dough down to go in the fridge to set.

Working hard to roll out the dough herself.

Not letting her teeny tiny rolling pin slow her down.


There are no issues with child labor laws if the child is yours right?

So very thankful for my sweet little girl. Looking forward to enjoying the day and doing some more cooking with this beautiful face.

What are you all doing for the holiday?

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Poll time

While we wait for the arrival of BigDan and Kathy so we can devour our delicious Happy Joes taco pizza, I thought it was the perfect time to pose to you Scott's big question.

Before I go on, I'm sorry husband for not getting a picture of you earlier in the day. Working with the horrible light in our house is not helping this picture of you. Please forgive me.

Here's a picture of Scott taken just moments ago. Imagine it to be a good picture with sunshine and something more beautiful than a door jam behind his head.

Nice huh?

Now look at this picture of Scott taken on the 9th of November, a few short weeks ago.



Scott's big question for all of you is....
To beard or not to beard?

So give us your votes. Scruff, no scruff. This is important stuff kids.

So everyone reading this please vote. You can do it anonymously in the comments below, it will only take a moment and you won't have to fill out any information. Just simply say beard or no beard.

When you're done with that go here
and check out what I did yesterday.

The time has come for me to stuff my face. See you on the flip side kids.

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Where you been?

Mojo, where have you been? Why did you leave me?

Alone...

abandoned...

Swinging solo.

I've missed you terribly mojo. I'm so glad you have finally returned.

Us Witt girls, we don't let a little rain stop us. We run out and play in it.

Stomping in puddles,

and playing with the leaves.

No rain, tornado warnings, or common sense can stop us from going where we need to go.


My advice to all of you that might be searching for your mojo...

Stop and reflect on what's behind you. The storms you have weathered already, have prepared you for whatever may lay ahead.



Scott's big question will have to wait until tomorrow. He wanted a little more prep-time. Pretentious bitch.
Oh and tomorrow (Tuesday) around 6pm check out the other blog for the best photo from my mojo finding mission. It's sick.

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Tidbits

I'm gearing up to host turkey day festivities. I've been organizing my grocery list, recipes and getting things together so I can head out to the grocery tomorrow before all the crazies do.

Kate informed me that store bought cupcakes aren't good because they aren't made in the kitchen with love. Only the 'pupcakes' that are made in our kitchen are good because we make them with lots of love. The brownies at the grocery are fine though because apparently, the grocery adds frosting to their brownies and I do not.

The best thing you can possibly hear while your 3 year old is in the other room unsupervised is "Mom, I'm going to sweep the floor." Even better to see her get out the microfiber broom and go to town.

We had dinner at my parents house with the family. My cousin joined us along with his cousin Brian, that isn't related to me in any way. Kate and Brian have the exact same hair. I am from southern, small town, Iowa... just sayin.

BigDan and Kath are headed this way on Tuesday to give us some love and fill our freezer. Truth be told they could forget the food and it would still be a highlight of the week ahead. It will be nice to get Scott to stop crying. We have been without Kathy's homemade pesto for a couple weeks and I swear I hear Scott crying himself to sleep every night. It's sad really.

I took the picture for our Christmas card today... maybe. Stupid Chicago weather.

Scott has an important question to ask all of you tomorrow. Tune in.

To my wonderful neighbors that have brought my garbage and recycle bins up the drive for me, I love you, thank you and I'm sorry I'm such a horrible neighbor.

I'm thinking of my cousin Jeremy. He is on yet another Iraq tour of duty with the Army. I'm thankful for social media where he was able to share that Kuwait Starbucks is tasty and faster than here in the states. I know once he gets to his destination he won't have the freedoms he does in transit and I dread those moments for my aunt, uncle and his new wife.

Scott told me today that in a way he's glad he's in a wheelchair now. He no longer has to worry that he is going to fall. Always the optimist.

I really want a Happy Joes taco pizza.

For no apparent reason, I've really felt lately that I'm a pretty good mom. I've got a really good kid and while I'm not the only responsible for that, I've played a huge role. It's a really nice feeling to think that she'll be able to keep her therapy sessions to once a week when she grows up.
That has always been my goal. If she needs more than an hour a week with a shrink, then I have failed her.

Much to do this week, so much more to be thankful for. If anyone needs a home for the holiday our house is open to all of you. You're family.

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A Riddle

What happens when you unexpectedly bring Papa to a 3 year old Thanksgiving school party?

You play a game of Slap Hands.


Ok, so I'm not good with jokes. Sue me.

Dad and I went to Kate's school for a little Thanksgiving Feast today. What a blast.
The kids were so well behaved and the food was actually quite good. Had some great company chatting with a few of the other parents.

All the kids in K's class know that I come with camera in tow. Most of them like it.



A few of them tolerate it.


My kid.... well...not so much.


What a fun way to start the afternoon. Went home to a play date with Adam, Ryan and Auntie Alli. Those photo will be forth coming. And now Scott is hanging with his boys watching really bad, boy type movies.
The weekend is starting off right. Let's keep it rolling.

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The day where I took a picture

of a brick.... well, several brick scraps but, whatever.

I'm totally off my photo mojo. This weather is creating rather obnoxious conditions. Bring on the snow, bring on the sun, bring on anything but gray.

I've been staring at this basically blank screen for ten minutes with nothing but chaos in my head. Certainly nothing worth putting down "on paper" just yet. I'll get there.

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Returned

I went away to my happy place. I was gone for 24 short hours. It rained, was muddy, sloppy, I didn't take a single photo and it was AWESOME! My happy place, always makes me.. well, happy.
A little mental maintenance, goes a long way to getting me back to my sunshiny self. Stop laughing
I'm so grateful to everyone for making it happen for me. My parents, jumped right in and stayed overnight at our house even though they had been gone from their house for three days. They made sure I came home to a happy Scott and Kate, a vacuumed house, clean dishes and even a lunch or two in the fridge for Scott. Doesn't get much better than that.
Scott, always encourages me to go away and find some peace. Secretly I think it's because he likes being spoiled by my parents. Well, that and I get bitchy, really bitchy, when the pressure gets to be too much. My leaving is almost a mental health break for him too.
And Kate, well, she barely noticed I was gone. I got big hugs when I got her up from nap time but that was quickly followed up by a "Grammie, Papa here?".

I stepped away, took a big deep healing breath, soaking up the world around me in the most amazing place ever, the place where I feel my soul was born. I got wet, I got muddy and I found that piece of me that got buried. The piece of me that doesn't think about wound care, trach maintenance, light bulb replacement, bill payment, money management, playing dolly, or being a good hostess. The piece of me that is just for me.

Feels good to be home with a little more Brandi on board.

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