Memorial Day

Today I could write about how we had a fabulous, fabulous time at the little's first birthday party this weekend.  I could tell you about the tasty food my family (and Costco) helped me prepare, like the Black Bean, Corn, and Rice salad (with help from this recipe here) or the Pasta Salad with the fabulous Newman's Own dressing or the loaves and loaves of bread my friend brought for make-your-own sandwiches, or the awesome awesome guacamole my mom made, or the crowning jewel, the apple carrot "cupcakes" (muffins) I made peanut, dairy, and oil free with the recipe from Bob's Red Mill...

I could tell you about the new bikes, bike helmets, and beautiful beautiful quilt my mom made for Dallas' first birthday.  But instead, I'd like to remind all of you (who in all likelihood need no reminding) that today is Memorial Day.  There's a reason people are pushing to have the day moved to the middle of the week, so it's not just a day about bbqs and homemade ice cream and the first day at the beach (for the brave ones on either coast).  It's to remember. To be grateful.  Grateful to our veterans, the families of the veterans, the wounded, the weary, the deceased, the active, and the families of all these who sacrifice day in and day out.  Many of you understand in an intimate way these sacrifices as some of the sacrifices are similar to those in the LEO life.  But we will never truly know until we walk in those shoes, which truly can never happen.

Instead we can be grateful.  Grateful that we can speak badly about politicians and those in office, doing their best (or not) to lead us.  Grateful that we can read the Bible or the Qu'ran or the Book of Mormon or attend "The Church of the Inner Spring" (as in bedspring) on a Sunday morning.  We have so much choice, and so much freedom, and it was bought and paid for with a price.  At times, a very, very high price.

Let's remember.

Can I still talk about Thanksgiving?

I know I'm a little slow to get with the program, but what did YOU do for Thanksgiving? I'm always interested to hear from the families of first responders how they celebrate holidays -- and WHEN! :)

My husband had to work on Thursday, so we had Thanksgiving at the police station! I kid you not. I tried to get my man to have Thanksgiving "lunch" but he was not interested. hmpf. All the other officers on his shift that day did, but I guess with DH old habits die hard, i.e. Thanksgiving Dinner must be eaten for DINNER!?!? Well whatever. Anyhow... We had dressing, garlic mashed potatoes, gravy, prime rib, and roasted butternut squash. Oh my! We got the prime rib already seasoned from Costco and just stuck it in the oven with a thermometer in it and Man-oh-Man was it tasty! (There was a little bit more discussion than that, we had to agree on how to cook it which was a perfect storm for a marital spat of course.) I also made Paula Dean's Pumpkin Gooey Cake, which was of course DELISH and a wonderful replacement for Pumpkin Pie -- if you are like me and love the idea of the Pumpkin Pie but can't really stand to eat it! lol.

I sent the cake and all the necessary paper products ahead with the husband. I packed up the food in a bunch of plastic containers, packed up the kids, and we drove over to the station -- the kids insisting on their "fancy shoes" for Thanksgiving Dinner, of course!-- and had dinner with DH. It was very short but sweet. A few other officers and a dispatcher came and had a few samples.... mostly of the cake, though, since they had all eaten before shift.

What did you do and how did you -- or DID you? -- celebrate?