Thanksgiving (Part 4) Random Detroit

So for more random Detroit....

This is the GM Towers, where most of their corporate office are located.

 We got to stop by Uncle John's shop to see where he worked.  This is a robot that he has worked on used to put roofs on SUV's.

I always like to visit pro sports arena when we have the chance...  Here is Joe Louis Arena, home of the Detroit Red Wings.

 Here is a picture of Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions.  Just happens that the pregame show was going on as we drove by during this picture.  The game had started before we left the downtown area on Thursday.

ANOTHER sweet hook up...  Jonny took us to an Ontario Hockey League game.  It was the Plymouth Whalers hosting the Kingston Frontenacs. He was working, watching a few of the players closely.  Isaac got a copy of the scouting report, all the player stats, etc.  AND, Jonny had written who was already drafted by the NHL and by which team.  There were about 15 or so players that night that have been drafted and are working toward NHL ice time.  We had a blast.  Thanks Jonny B...!!

 There was triple baby shower on Saturday.  Lexy was invited... She was super excited to go.  Picked out some nice little presents, dressed up, and even let me do her hair how I wanted to.  So, french twisted sides into a messy bun with the sparkly net running vertical.  I for one think it's quite cute.

 There's Lexy and Natasha at the party, and Aunt Jean who threw the party working away...

 8 Mile road is kind of a famous area of Detroit, so it was fun to see the signs all the time.

On that same token... How often do you see an Alexis Road... :D

We drove over with Jim and Josh to a REAL hockey store...  We found a Perani's Hockey World store not too far from Aunt Jean's house.  It was like heaven on earth for Isaac.  There must have been 1,000 sticks in that place.  Super cool...

Thanksgiving (Part 3)

Of course we travel with skates.  Can't go without them.

Luck for us there was an outdoor ice ring in downtown Detroit at Campus Martius Park.  We saw it during the parade (Down Woodward Ave.) on Thursday morning and drove back down there on Friday to skate.  Boy it was a whole different climate on Friday.

Here's Isaac...

 ...and Lexy.  Notice the ad placement over her shoulder.

 I walked across the street to get them some hot coco... Kind of a cool picture in the city.

 Did I mention that it was cold... and rainy... and hailing....?

 It was super fun to have Uncle John at the rink...

Thanksgiving (Part 2)

Here's the dinner table.  After the parade in the morning it was pretty late by the time we ate.  But it was so much fun to visit with everyone while we waited.

 Dig in....  21 for dinner...

I wish that I would have cooked more.  Ya'll know me.  Love to cook.  And eat for that matter.

Thanksgiving (Part 1)

We got a fantastic invitation to Detroit for Thanksgiving.  So we went....

Isaac spent a bunch of time in the car watching videos on how to play certain songs, and learning to pick along with them.  What a fantastic activity in the car on a long drive.  In this picture he is working on 'Another Brick in the Wall, Part II'.

 I wish that I had more pictures of this.  Graffiti Art in Detroit.

Here is a besties picture of Natasha and Lexy, waiting for the Thanksgiving Day Parade in downtown Detroit.  We got the most amazing hook up of breakfast buffet, bleacher seats, parade pins, etc.  Thanks Andrea...!!

Isaac always likes the city.  This is just a picture of him in the city setting before the parade.

 Lexy enjoying the parade.

 This is a Burkart family shot after the parade as everyone was gathering up to leave.  Seveal backs of heads, etc.  I wish we could have gathered them up in time for an 'all the family photo', but it didn't happen.

Thanksgiving Pies

You most all know that I like to cook... and like to make pies...  Well, here's some shots of the Thanksgiving pile of pies that we made this year.

There are two pumpkin in the oven, Lexy mixed them up.  She sure had fun making pies.

The baby Chocolate Cheese Pies...  There is always so much when you get ready to fill the pies, so, I have been getting the baby gram cracker crusts for give aways. 

 

Here's a shot of most of the pies we made.  Two pickle, two pumpkin, pecan, shredded apple, and chocolate cheese.  It was a pretty tasty haul.

This is the other kind of pie we ate over the Thanksgiving break.  

Mmmmm... Donatos...!!

Aaahhh... RedLegs...

Imagine if you will, a starry night in southwestern Oklahoma just after the Civil War. Nestled in the shadows of the Wichita Mountains is a battery of smoothbore cannon camped for the night. As the campfires dim and the flasks of rum and lemon are empty, the conversation turns to the life hereafer. A rugged, old chief of section is surprised to learn that all present have not heard of the special destiny of Redlegs and combat vets. As the young artillerists listen intently, he shares with them the Legend of Fiddler's Green

The chief of section explains that the souls of the departed eventually end up in heaven or hell. Heaven lies about six miles down the dusty road to eternity, and Redlegs get there by turning left at the first crossroad. From this same junction, hell is about eight or nine miles straight ahead. The road's easy to identify, it's the one paved with good intentions. A little way down the road to hell there's a sign pointing to a trail that runs off to the right of the main road. It reads "Fiddler's Green -- Artillerymen and Combat Vets Only"

Then the chief of section teaches them the following poem: 

Halfway down the trail to hell,

In a shady meadow green,

Are the souls of many departed Redlegs.

Camped near a good old-time canteen,

And this eternal place

Is known as Fiddler's Green.

Though others must go down the trail,

To seek a warmer scene,

No Redleg ever goes to hell,

Ere he's empties his canteen,

And so returns to drink again

With friends at Fiddler's Green.

The campfires die out, and the Redlegs doze off to sleep, knowing Fiddler's Green awaits them and all thier cannon-cocking brethern in the life hereafter.

Mountain State Synchro 2012

This is Lexy and her team in the warm up practice.

They ended up with 3rd place.
Good job girls...!!!

Trick or Treat Night

Between the little storm we had and West Virginia not having Trick or Treat on the actual 31st, we finally got Trick or Treating in last night.  Isaac, who for the last 5 years has claimed to be too old, was hot and cold about it.  He got dressed up and in the end decided to just man the door for other kids.  He wore this digi camo, with out green paint we did digital print lines on his face.

Lexy on the other hand has been planning her costume for months.  She and her BFF had it all worked out and got to Trick or Treat together.  Her BFF lives in a dense neighborhood so it all made sense to let Lexy go with them.  She had a blast...!!

Of course other obligations were still in order.  After Lexy Trick or Treated I picked her up and took her to the ice rink where Isaac was already practicing.  The first games of this season start this weekend...!!  We are SOOOOOOO excited...!!!

We also attended our church Trunk or Treat Party and Chili and/or Corn Bread Cook Off.  I hadn't planned on it until Mrs. P talked me into it at 5:15pm.  That gave me an hour to cook it and have it to the church.  So I enlisted Isaac to help open packages, season, and stir.  We made some traditional chili and some salmon and white been chili.  The later was quite interesting, but there was none left at the end of the party.  The traditional chili got a little sideways when Isaac said, "Add some of my hot sauce."  His hot sauce is Cholula. (He loves it on his meat and cheese burritos)  I didn't like the flavor once I added it, so we went for HOT... and added a bunch of chili pepper flakes.  I still wasn't happy with the flavor, but it was time to go.  As those flakes cooked into the chili the flavor got better.  It wasn't too hot, it had a nice flavor with a little heat.  Enough that it won the best hot chili at the contest.  That is the second year in a row that I won an award for making chili for this party and neither time was the chili more that an hour old.  Mrs. P was none too thrilled with, "... and he wasn't even planing on coming until 5 o'clock..." :D

Ships

We had sweet tip from Mike F. at the ice rink about some visitors that were hanging out in downtown Charleston near Haddad Riverfront Park.  The Nina and the Pinta...

Replicas of the Christopher Columbus ships.  Boy, was it cool to walk around on them and see how they worked.  The ships were pretty stinking small when you consider the trip across the Atlantic Ocean, a full crew, and the a hope of a destination. The kids had a blast.

Here they are upper deck of the Pinta.

  

They had giant braided rope bumpers.  How cute is Lexy though...?

Isaac hanging out on the bow of the Nina.  Look at the size of that anchor.

Here is the back of the Nina, with a little peak of Lexy's head.

And one of Isaac with both ships behind him.

Bonus points if you comment on that wonderful shirt that he is wearing... :)

Please do what you can to protect your family...