Puthing the "thanks" back into Thanksgiving

For a fun activity this Thanksgiving see how many different languages can you say thank you in......Match as many countries with the correct thank you...


Country
1. South Africa
2. Syria
3. Ghana
4. Afghanistan
5. Greece
6. Israel
7. Iceland
8. Thailand
9. Madagascar
10. Vietnam
11. Zimbabwe
12. Philippines



Thank You
a. Cám ón
b. Mamnuun
c. Salamat
d. Ngeyabonga
e. Meda wo ase
f. Takk
g. Toda
h. Khawp khun
i. Dankie
j. Tashakkur
k. Sas efharisto
l. Misaotra

If you need help the answers are below... if you want to get the pronunciation correct here is a website that will help you... "Say Thank You"

I want to take this opportunity to say tasjakkur to everyone in my life, my friends, my family, my staff, my clients and their parents... Thank you to each and everyone who is a part of my life!!

Have young ones that need an activity... click on the turkey and it open the pictures large enough for a coloring page!!

Love You All!!
Meg




ANSWERS: 1.i, 2.b, 3.e, 4.j, 5.k, 6.g, 7.f, 8.h, 9.l, 10.a, 11.d, 12.c.

The Oprah Show!!

Yes!!! I ran away from home again. Before I had even left for Houston Beth had called me to tell me that she had acquired tickets to the Oprah Show for the middle of November. I was so excited to go... Who knows it could have been her "favorite things" show... Right!!!!???

The rough part for me was that on Friday, Nov. 14, the State of Missouri was scheduled to come in and inspect my group home. So the whole previous week and a half was spent cleaning and organizing the home and the mass of paperwork required to have for each resident. I had NO idea of what to expect, and that was nerve wracking. I wasn't sure how clean the house needed to be... I was knew the home needed some of the cleaning done that doesn't get done regularly like under the stove and fridge... Cleaning the cobwebs that magically appear when you aren't looking.. Then early on the Wednesday before I am to leave, Beth calls me to tell me that the Oprah Show had called her and they had to cancel taping on the day we were scheduled to go. After discussing the options with Beth, we decide that if I can cancel my flight and come in January I should do that. Later on in the day while was up to my elbows in deep cleaning, I see that my clients bed was literally falling apart... I quickly make a phone call to Gene and he comes right over and saves the day and the bed. In the middle of me helping Gene fix the bed Beth calls all in a panic about how the Oprah Show had called back to see if we want to go to the taping a day earlier and to see if I had called to change my ticket. I hadn't so all is good and we now are scheduled to see a taping of the Oprah Show!!!! Now I can get back to getting ready for State. After several long days of preparing and longer nights of worrying, Friday arrives along with the State inspector... He was here for 3 hours... checking documentation and finding errors that were not found during my medical audit done last month. I made a few minor corrections while he as here. So in the end I only had 3 minor infractions keeping me from getting my 2 year license. The three minor things were all taken care of by Monday. Jolene went ahead and made the copies and faxed everything to the inspector... My client went home for several days to spend some quality time with her family... so I was really able to relax and have fun in Chicago....


I was up and out the door to the airport by 6:30 AM, Sunday morning. I made it just the right time to the airport... enough time to get my shoes back on and reorganize my stuff after getting thru security... and relax for a few minutes before they started boarding...I love flying out of KC it is such an easy airport... The plane was full and I sat next to a really nice elderly man and his wife sat behind us... I told them I would move so his wife could sit next to him... but they said it was okay... His son is a pilot for Southwest so they fly for free and they fly a lot. Beth was there outside baggage claim when I arrived... we don't greet the plane anymore... it is much faster this way... We headed off to go SHOPPING...the sad part it that I love to go the food stores while I am in Chicago....I bought some pretzel bread and some brie cheese because I was hungry... yummy it was so good!! We also went to Cost Plus World Market... and Ikea. I found lots of fun things for Abby in Ikea... I always find all sorts of fun things for Abby where ever I go... Abby is very auditory... she loves things that make noise... so I got her a duck that goes, quack,quack, quack, quack, quack, quack, quack. I also got her one of those toys that make the mooooo sound when you turn it upside down then right side up.... I got her some bibs, 2 different eating sets.... now that she is on solids...

Beth's mother-in-law and her friend were driving in from Indiana, so we had to be back at Beth's house before they got there....we made it! So that night we ate dinner...visited and headed to bed because we had to be up and out the door by 5:00 am... we had to be at the Harpo Studios before 7:00 am... and Chicago traffic is much like S. CA... you NEVER know how long it is going to take you to where you want to go... We arrived at the studio at 6:15am... and we sat for a few minutes and then I got bored and we went to go check things out we found that we could get in... We all left out cell phones in the car, because you can't take ANY type of recording device into the taping... they even search your purse. Then they send you into a room to wait with the other 300 people. Right before they send in the main crowd... they will call people they pick... Beth and I think they just pick the pretty people to sit down close to the stage... I got stuck in the nose bleed section, behind a camera on an electric boom... so I could only see 1/2 the stage.I could see Oprah and she really is pretty... Her butt is really is HUGE. I was surprised on how big it really is... During the taping, I just about fell asleep a couple of times. The topic was spirituality... which HEY I get it! I don't need any help in that area... so I was not really happy with the topic... the show will be aired on 1/7/2009.... I want to go again because the next topic has got to be better. You are only suppose to go once a year... but Beth registered me as Meg and herself as Beth... we are going to register as Mary and Elizabeth.... who knows it may work!! After the taping we went across the street to the Oprah Store... Now I know how she made all her billions... it's by selling over priced things in her store... I did break down and I bought myself a long sleeve T-shirt for $24!! When we were done shopping we walked around the neighborhood and found a cute little Italian restaurant and had lunch... it was delicious... When we got back to Beth's her mother-in-law and her friend left to drive back home...right after they left it started snowing really hard...almost white out conditions..thankfully they made it home okay... I was so tired I had a hard time keeping my eyes open... I finally gave up and went to bed around 8pm. Tuesday I got up and Beth and I went and did some more shopping... we went to the Crate and Barrel outlet store.... the Tiger Direct outlet store... and my favorite Chicago store Caputto's... a very large grocery store that carries food from all over the world... I got my favorite bocaccini's little balls of fresh mozzarella cheese balls... I got some other yummy foods to bring home. I had bought a "green" bag from Trader Joe's and it was full of food stuff... fresh baked breads, my cheeses, and other things.... We went home packed bag and I headed to the airport... The plane was packed... and it was announced that every seat was full. So I decided the first open spot for my backpack in an overhead bin... I would take it. About the 4th row in I find a spot for my backpack... and this really nice looking man helps me and then asks me to sit next to him. He told me that since the plane was so full he wanted to pick who he sat next to.... He as very good looking and nice too. We talked the whole flight... and he was married with 4 kids... bummer!! Nice to know I still got it!!!

Few Words

I saw this on Nicole's blog and thought that it would be fun... Each question must be answered with only ONE word... for someone who like a lot of words... can I do it?

1. Where is your cell phone? upstairs
2. Where is your significant other? gone
3. Your hair? up
4. Your mother? missed
5. You father? missing
6. Your favorite thing? technology
7. Your dream last night? avocados

8. Your dream/goal? artist
9. The room you're in? family-room
10. Your hobby? creativity
11. Your fear? pain
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? relationship
13. Where were you last night? sleeping
14. What you're not? mean
15. One of your wish list items? sewing-machine
16. Where you grew up? california
17. The last fun thing you did? oprah
18. What you're wearing? jeans
19. Your TV? off
20. Your pet? home
21. Your computer? sleeping
22. What do you think of tags like this? interesting
23. Your mood? relaxed
24. Missing someone? family
25. Where would you rather be? here
26. Something you're not wearing right now? shoes
27. Favorite store? ikea
28. Your summer? busy
29. Love someone? looking
30. Favorite color? blue
31. The last time you laughed? lunch
32. Who will participate? family

This concludes my Few Words blog... it isn't as easy as it looks. Give it a try!

Meg

SER-EN-DIP-I-TY Saturday

ser·en·dip·i·ty (sěr'ən-dĭp'ĭ-tē) noun
Etymology: from its possession by the heroes of the Persian fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip Date: 1754
1. the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for ; also : an instance of this

The sky is overcast... the temperature outside is very COLD... in the 30's... Today is the perfect day get a load of laundry going and then sit on the couch and watch a romantic comedy... one of my favorites is Serendipity staring John Cusack and Kate Beckensale... The perfect romantic comedy. I have been wanting to watch it... land just last night as I was heading to bed I happened to click on the TV guide button and happen to see that is was coming on at midnight... so I clicked the record button and went to bed knowing that in the morning I would have a fun movie to watch!! Now that was serendipitous!!

Meg

Better Late Than NEVER

Happy Halloween!!

Here is Abby... our precious little lambkin....

I'm Home from HOUSTON!!!

I had a blast!! For ya’ll that don’t know why I went…. Last Christmas Frank, my bro-in-law, gave for Christmas Beth, my sister, airfare for us BOTH to attend this years International Quilt Festival in Houston!! The funny part is that I don’t quilt…I have tried and failed… I enjoy fabric and stitching so this it was tons of fun… We flew in on Wed, Oct 29th… and thru better luck than management Beth and I met up at the car rental terminal… Houston’s airport is HUGE… trains from terminal to terminal…. Beth flew in to Terminal A and I flew into Terminal B. So we were very luck to meet up quickly… Once we got on the road we checked into our hotel…dropped off our bags and made a b-line for the show….

Wednesday (Day 1) - For 5 hours we walked the isles and checked out the vendors….there were approximately 900 vendors…. The first day we got thru 2/3d’s of the vendors… As I was checking out the vendors and I found one that had TONS of Tammy DeYoung stuff... Hmmm could this be Tammy's booth.... could Tammy actually be here at the show.... I look over at the gal running the booth... could she be Tammy? OH my... my heart starts racing and my palms get sweaty.... I wait for the booth to empty... I ask the gal... Are you Tammy? She replies, "Yes I am", (add a cute Texas twang when reading)... I was so proud of my self I didn't jump and down and scream.... I did let her know that I am one of her biggest fans and have been for years....and I did ask her to take her pic with me... see below...I have been a fan of hers since I first started borrowing her patterns from my sis-in-law.... then I fell in love with her clipart at PCcrafter...
I have to say that Tammy is one of the nicest (previous) PCcrafter artists I have ever met...okay she is the only one I have met....But honestly she is so sweet... I think she may think I am a stalker because I did go and see her 3 times while I was at the Quilt Show.... each time she was extremely nice...and I didn't even buy anything.... opps I forgot too. We left the show ate dinner and came back. We both wanted good Mexican food… we found okay Mexican food at Ninfa's, at the Houston Center….a mall in the bottom 3 floors of a skyscraper. Yes I brought my camera and I have been taking pictures…. After we ate we went back to the convention center and continued shopping…. We closed the place down!!
Thursday (Day 2) – We first finished checking out the rest of the vendors then we headed over to the quilt show. WOW!! There are some amazing quilts… there are some pretty ugly ones too. When I could take pictures I took some pictures of the ones I liked…. I also took close-up shots of design elements that I could see as digital art…. For lunch/dinner we walked back over to the Houston Center and went to the Long Horn Café and had a GREAT hamburger. The soda cups were Texas size… like as big as ½ quart!! HUGE!!... Man was I full when we left… I was glad we went back to the show and walked some more… we finished the quilt show and then we went back to the vendors…. When we left the show we were diving back to the hotel and I see Rice’s Epicurean Market… (Gourmet market)! Beth and I have found that we both LOVE poking around gourmet markets… When we were done at Rice’s and headed back to the hotel…I noticed across there was another market… so we headed there…OH MY!! This market was fabulous…. It was called Central Market and we spent 1.5 hours going thru each section… the produce section alone was the largest I have EVER seen… it had every type of veggie or fruit you could think of…they even had miniature summer squash and zucchinis… When we came to the bakery we sampled so many types of freshly baked breads…the number of samples made Sam’s Club look cheap!! We decided to pick out a dessert from the dessert side of the bakery!! I picked Crème Brule…and Beth pick Chocolate Raspberry Truffle… I loved mine… Beth ate the whole thing, but won’t get it again…. When we were done…we fell into bed and crashed…

Friday (Day 3) – We headed back to the quilt show to poke around the venders again… Hey there is approx 900 vendors… we might have missed a few… and we did. We would ask each other do you remember this booth… I purchased a few more items. I went into Little Stitches and the owner, Debbie, reads my name tag and she asks, “Do you have any relatives in CA!” I smile big and reply…”Karen Abreu is my sister-in-law!”. I knew she would know Karen from all the time she spent at Calico Station in San Marcos. She asked me to share with Karen that she misses seeing you!! I also went into Bit’s and Pieces by Joan…love her stuff too!! I have decided the next quilt I attempt, the key word being…attempt, will be a woolie quilt. With the hand appliqué squares… I saw several that I really loved…. Today we actually left the show before it was closed… we headed back to Central Market to buy food for our dinner tonight and lunches for Saturday… We spent another 1.5 hours making decisions… We got some apples, and a loaf of sour dough bread, some REAL butter, some nice dry salami, some really delicious thinly sliced Montreal seasoned rare eye of round roast beef, some tomato boccachini & basil salad, some couscous with mint, spinach and goat cheese, brie cheese, peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies… that was for lunch. For dinner we got salads from the salad bar, I got some baked potato soup… a crusty Baggett to eat with my soup… and of course dessert again… This time I chose a lemon meringue cupcake… and Beth got a slice of Italian Cream Cake… both were yummy… We also found a $3 insulated bag to keep all our yummy food in….we rolled out full tummies into bed early…. We have a long day tomorrow

Saturday (Day 4) – We had to be up and out the door early this morning… Today is CLASS DAY! We are both signed up to take full day classes. I am taking the “Market Basket” class and Beth took the “Photos, Fabrics and Words”. The morning part of my basket class was very frustrating… at the beginning of the class the teacher says to relax that this class is not for those who are perfectionist… I sigh a big sigh of relief… because I am NOT a perfectionist… but as the class goes on I sure wish I was a tad bit more of a perfectionist… I am stringing the bottom of my basket and it is too loose… so I start to go back and tighten it… moving the looseness to the ends… then POP the round reed breaks… I have to take extra time and fix it…. Now I am behind and getting more and more frustrated…. The bottom of the basket has these cute little feet that are part if the design… and I am thinking my basket it NEVER going to turn out looking like the example… I continue to weave and created….My tablemate… Kaitlyn is from Houston and is a CPA and a very encouraging person… we hit is off right away… and we talk and talk and talk…. Early on I see that I forgot my towel… she tells me no problem she has an extra… Since she was so sweet I invite her to come and eat my gourmet lunch with me and Beth… I tell her it’s from Central Market and she doesn’t hesitate and says “Yes! Thank You!”. It’s finally noon and we break for lunch… We enjoy a nice lunch out in the open air patio… the weather here has been just beautiful. Beth brings another friend she has met up with to have lunch with us too… so we all just sit and chat…. After lunch Kaitlyn and I head back to our class and get back to work… I am feeling much more confident in my basket making… I can see my little basket legs starting to form… I am chatting and weaving… The day progresses fast… and it takes me an hour longer than the class to get my basket completed… We help the teacher clean up and decide where we want to eat dinner… Kaitlyn suggests a restaurant called Tortilla Lupe… and I invite her and her husband to join us… I ordered Cheekin Lupe … it was so good. Beth had Carne Asada and she wasn’t happy with it… I told the waitress it was Beth’s birthday and they came and put a sombrero on her head and sung Happy Birthday to her in Spanish… I don’t think she really enjoyed it!! She was good about it anyway!!

Sunday (Day 5) – No specific plans today! We get up slowly and decided that we want to head over to Galveston to see the beach and the devastation from Ike. We were very surprised that we were able to get over to the island. The devastation was amazing, there are still sailboats sitting next to the highway. The beaches are strewn with debris… We were able to walk along the shoreline. But you would see doors, and other items deposited there by the storm. We drove up and down the strand just looking in awe at what Ike did… By late afternoon we were ready to head back to Houston. But on the way back we saw a Ross Dress for Less. I had forgotten how much I love that store. I found a toy for Angel and 2 outfits for Abby. We also saw a Garden Ridge store and made a run thru it to see what it had… We quit shopping because we decided we were hungry… we hadn’t eaten so we found a Mexican restaurant, Poppasita’s and had dinner… I had fish tacos and Beth had fajitas… we were so full when we were done… we rolled back over to hotel and started getting ready for the crack of dawn departure…

Now I am home and right back into the everyday grind!!

DON'T FORGET TO...

I did...did you arememner to vote?