Snow!

Yesterday we had nowhere to be, Sean was working from home and the boss didn't want to see me (like most days, I'm sure). Anyway the wind was slightly blowing from the west...

(yes that IS the screen over the window, I'm not going outside)

Nowhere to go, but yet here is my insane husband shoveling the walk at 7:45 AM...just in case we need to go somewhere!

The next thing I know, there are two of them!

Personally, I think he should have been doing something productive, like helping his wife make peanut butter fudge or taking down the screens and putting the glass on the window. . .

I hope your thanksgiving was THIS good...

My thanksgiving was a pretty relaxed affair at my parents' house...but there was a wild Indian there...so that made things a LITTLE exciting...

My smart little indian...

I sing because I'm happy....I sing because I am free

I can forward the email about Michelle Obama's staff, or I can choose to research it to see if it is true or false.

I can talk with my husband about when to baptize Scouten, cause we can baptize her when and where we choose.

I can write this blog post or write anything I feel the need to write.

I can choose to go to a Veteran's Day Parade or memorial.

I could own a gun.

I don't have to give up my notes on any court trial, even if they are subpoenaed (and I've been there).

I can make plans for the weekend, because I have the choice to go somewhere or stay home.

I can rock Scouten Baker to sleep in peace and quiet, read her a book or listen to a lullaby.

I can listen to Lauryn Hill and Tanya Blount sing one of my favorite songs.

Why do I have all these choices? Because of those who have served my country, who have
made sacrifices, who have asked their families to make sacrifices and
"who more than self their country loved."

Not your average Friday night....

My father-in-law was honored by his tribe on Friday. It was an amazing experience to say the least. Not only did I learn that Scouten could sleep through anything, I also learned more about my husband's heritage. Like I said, AMAZING experience....

Here's my father-in-law dancing with Abby, who wasn't sure what to do, but knew she was having fun. Scouten slept through the drumming and singing, I still have no idea how. I realize the drumming and singing is rhythmic, which put her to sleep, but it was LOUD and it sure didn't bother her one bit.

This little boy had obviously been dancing since he could walk, he has better rhythm then I do!

This gentleman was the head gourd dancer, and full-blooded Lakota and Sioux. Sean and I pretty much stared at him the whole night, talking about how cool he was.

Since I don't know what the word "stranger" means, I learned more about the dresses. A woman with a buckskin dress covered in the "jingles" explained to me that these dresses are prayer dresses. Native Americans consider tobacco to be sacred, so they make offerings and pray every day for a year, and then the dress has 366 jingles on it (365 for each day of the year and an extra one for the wearer), made from tobacco can lids. Her dress - keep in mind it was buckskin - weighed 60 pounds. Of course I asked the internet more about it when I got home, and there are several versions of why Native Americans make the dresses.