Crazy Week & Silhouette contest

So this week started off not great for me, as my mom called me Sunday evening to tell me that they rushed my dad to the hospital in the early hours of the morning.  She didn't call earlier because she knew that we were going to the circus, typical of my mom.  She said that my dad's heart was racing and wouldn't slow down so he told her to call the paramedics that he thought he should go to the hospital (thank goodness my dad is not afraid to do that sort of thing).  Now some background info on my dad, he is 70 years old and has had 2 open heart surgeries.  One 30 years ago when I was a toddler and one 5 years ago.  Luckily he's been fine.  The other thing that is always scary for me is the fact that he is the first one in his immediate family to make it to 70.  His parents and 2 of his siblings did not.  So like I said, yay for Dad not being afraid to go to the doctor/hospital.  My mom said that once they got to the hospital they tried to give him some medicine to slow it down, but it didn't work so they had to shock his heart.  The first shock didn't work, so they shocked him again and then he was fine after that.  All of this happened at like 3AM.  She said not to worry because he was fine and they'd just been sitting around all day at the hospital.  He was scheduled to get a defibrillator put in the next day so if that happened again, it would shock his heart without needing to go to the hospital.  Then she asked me to call all of my siblings (I have 4 of them) to tell them.  Yay me.  lol  So I conference called them because I didn't want to make that call 4 times.  Thank goodness for my family.  I'm very lucky to have them and that we are close to each other and don't live far away from each other.  The surgery was supposed to be very minor and would be in the afternoon.  So I went to work and got through the day (happy to have the distraction) and left immediately after school to rush to the hospital.  My eldest sister had texted me when he went into surgery and I was getting a little nervous that I hadn't gotten a text saying he was out yet because it had been 2 hours.  I met my older sister in the parking lot and she showed me where everyone was waiting (my eldest sister, my younger sister, and my mom).  I was there maybe 10 minutes and then the doctor came out saying the surgery was done, it went well, and that my dad was cracking jokes though half of it (he's sedated, but awake), so my dad.  My sisters were teasing me that I came at the tail end when they had been there for hours.  So then they wheeled my dad back to his room and he was still cracking jokes.  The doctor said that as far as he could tell on his end, everything was fine, and he'd be discharged the following day.  Relief, let me tell you.  So Tuesday I call my mom during lunch to ask when they were letting him go and she said they weren't.  His kidney levels weren't where they really wanted them to be.  They assumed it was because of the dye they had to put in during the surgery and that they just need to put another i.v. in to flush his system of it and then he'd be able to go home the following day.  So again after school I headed to the hospital to give my parents some company (my dad was starting to get stir crazy and was taking it out on my mom) and a break from the sameness.  Wednesday I called again and this time he was signed off by all of his doctors that he was good to go and went home.  Now I always go to my parents house on Wednesdays for dinner.  It started out 5 years ago after his open heart surgery.  It happened during the summer and I was pretty much with my dad from morning until my mom got home so he wouldn't be alone.  My mom worked 2 jobs so I didn't like him by himself all of that time.  My siblings would come at times too so I could get a break and do things in my classroom.  When school started I was going there everyday after school to hang out with him until my mom got home.  Then finally last October my mom quit her 2nd job.  My parents didn't want me to just stop coming though, so I cut it down to Wed. and Sat. evenings.  So anyway, my dad looked good, just tired, and we're all happy he is home.  He is sore, but good.  So thank Heaven for that.  Luckily my class was pretty good for me (I had told them my dad was in the hospital).  It was a very long week though.
Now onto more fun things (thank you for letting me get the above off my chest).
All week I have also been getting everything ready for our Thanksgiving Feast for Monday.  Every year the 2nd grade, as part of our social studies unit, has a real Thanksgiving Feast.  Us teachers cook and provide the turkey and the classroom families sign up to donate the rest.  We ask for mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, corn, green beans, biscuits, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, juice, plates, napkins, and silverware.  Of course everyone signs up to bring juice boxes, plates, and napkins.  lol  I bought my turkey on Tuesday night so it would be thawed out for me to cook this weekend, a nice 16.5 lb bird.  Wednesday enough of my class brought back things to have everything on the list covered.  Thank goodness for those fantastic families that say, "whatever you need."  For Art of the Week the students weaved paper placemats for the feast and made either a Pilgrim hat or Native American headband to wear for the feast.  It's a very cute affair and so good because it's amazing to me how many students haven't ever tried a lot of those foods.  They are more willing to try it here because their friends are eating it or brought it.  Then they find out they like it!  So it should be fun and my house will smell great tomorrow.  :)
Last night I went out with friends and saw Breaking Dawn part 2.  I think my heart was beating a mile a minute near the end of that movie, but wow.  That's all I will say it.
Today I plan on baking Shirley Temple cupcakes that I found on pinterest for a princess party that my younger sister, niece, and I are having for the premiere of the new Disney princess movie that is coming out tomorrow, Sofia the First.  We are having a princess themed premiere party so that should be fun.  :)
I'm going to leave you with a contest that Silhouette America is having for people to win a new Silhouette Cameo.  Just go to www.silhouetteamerica.com/santa and you can do your own letter to Santa asking for one.  Below is my letter.  I hope I'm one of the three winners!!!  :)