My laptop is still in the repair shop. I am finally breaking down and using the family computer to write. Of course I am writing in between all facebook updates. I am very thankful this Thanksgiving week for many things, of course the usual.... My family, my new job, health (except Dave's calf muscle) wealth, (ha ha, just kidding on that one) and most especially, I am thankful that Erin and Shannon have not killed each other yet this holiday season. Shannon has spent a lot of time home this weekend after I looked up her C average grades online. I explained to her that I didn't feel that the ten thousand dollars I spend each year on her tuition warranted C's. I think I really got through to her, she did homework for about twenty minutes on Wednesday and has spent the rest of the week working on beating her seven year old sister on Mario for Wii. Erin was a little upset with Miss Shannon because she spent the weekend cleaning their room all by herself. We decided to go to 5:00 mass on Saturday. Erin had the fan on in their room because she was hot from cleaning. Shannon was standing in the closet to get away from the cold air, because Erin refused to turn the fan off. Shannon tried on one of Erin's new shirts to wear to mass and of course Erin said, "you can't wear that, it is mine." Erin felt bad as soon as she said it and changed her mind and said, "I'm sorry, you can wear it." Shannon decided she would rather die than wear something of Erin's so she threw it on the floor. That is about the same time that WWIII broke out. We all loaded in the van like the happy family to go to church. Dave had injured his calf muscle playing flag football on Friday night so we had to leave a few minutes early so he could hobble in to church on time. Erin and Shannon actually shook hands at the sign of peace but the argument resumed as soon as we got back in the van. Shannon was mad because her toothbrush disappeared last week from her bathroom sink. She claims that she moved her toothbrush out of my bathroom when I bought more toothpaste for their bathroom and it disappeared shortly thereafter. She said her toothbrush reappeared in her bathtub before she left for church. She wanted to know "Who would do that??" Erin responded with, "No one uses that bathtub because it is always full of your nasty red hair," I asked Dave to please drive faster so I could get out of the van and pretend that I didn't know these children.

The kids always draw names on Thanksgiving. Sam and Lauren weren't home this year so it was a little different. We drew names on Friday. Dave drew for Sam and Lauren. No one got themselves so we got it right the first go around. I think that may be a Murphy first. Ryan said, "guess who I got, I'll give you a hint. It's a girl!!" Maggie asks Dave at least three times a day, "Daddy are you going to put the tree up today?" Dave can't put weight on his right leg, so putting the tree up is not on the top of his list just yet. Dave is on Vacation this week. This is the week that I was supposed to go to Oklahoma but I was the only new hire in December so they are bringing the trainer to me for two weeks instead. I think Dave will spend the week in bed milking his calf injury. I may call him a few times from work to tell him to roll over. I don't want him to get bed sores!!