Swimming in BBQ and 1st grade-isms

Hola blog world! Thought I'd fill you in one the happenings of the Page household...for one thing, our garbage (up until yesterday) and kitchen (still...) smell of the approximately 65 POUNDS of barbeque pork Brian and I cooked up  last week. Yes, 65 pounds. Let's just say my crockpot and one that I borrowed from a friend were running non-stop from Monday night to Thursday afternoon...

A little background: I serve as a co-leader for our FRG (Family Readiness Group) for Brian's company. We decided to have a predeployment picnic and wanted to step it up a notch from the normal hotdog menu...If you need a reason to dislike hotdogs, go volunteer to unwrap 150 of them and grill them...but anyways, we decided to change the menu to a BBQ, complete with pulled pork and all the sides. Thankfully, we had a lot of wives and soldiers bring sides, chips, and desserts, which meant my leader and I were responsible for all the meat, drinks, and servingware. Well, we were preparing for around 100; there are about 150 guys in Brian's company, but we figured not all would come...until we got word (on Tuesday, before the cookout THURSDAY) that it was now a "mandatory" event for all soldiers...hence the need to up the ante on the meat! I seriously love BBQ pork, but if I don't eat it again for a solid 2 months or so, I will not cry. I have never in my life made so much food! (on top of that I made a ridiculous amount of pasta salad...) The picnic though was a great success and I think fun was had by all. Much thanks probably to the 2 kegs and whatever the guys brought in, but whatev. I was happy with the turnout :) And they ate my food. But they didn't eat enough, because I still have 1 1/2 crockpots full...hello, freezer.

I always get so nervous before things like this because I'm paranoid that I will run out of food and then people will make fun of me. No seriously, they would...that's how these guys are! :) I know they mean it in jest, but I would feel terrible about it for days...so I just opt to have too much :)

Needless to say, I was glad for last Thursday to come and go! This past weekend, one of my friends (who dates a guy in Brian's battalion) decided to host "Thanksgiving" for our group of friends before they left since they won't get to have a real Thanksgiving overseas. It was so much fun! We cooked a 25 pound turkey (see, she too worries about not having enough!), 4 pumpkin pies, apple crisp, 6-8 quarts of mashed potatoes, gravy for days, mac'n'cheese, grilled butternut squash, and homemade whipped cream for the pies! Can you say 10 extra pounds?...But it was SO.GOOD. And so much fun! Love making good memories before they leave!

Finally, I leave you with some of the most hilarious things that 1st graders say:

"Mrs. Page, one time, I was dancing around by myself, and I was swinging my arms and I accidentally punched myself in the face." (he just randomly told me this one day, which makes it that much better)

(after I had read a book about fish and they were telling me what kind of fish they'd like to be) "Oh yeah, I'd be an ALIEN FISH! Did you know that alien fish are more powerful and dangerous than any other fish? They can kill any other fish that swims in the sea...they're that powerful." (and on, and on, and on about alien fish)

The same kid said these things. He is so funny, and he doesn't even mean to be. What's even better is that he gets so excited that he talks super fast and when he runs out of air he takes a gasping breath and continues. Seriously, Katie and I love this kid. Even if he does talk to himself and distract the class all day long...