The Week In Review

Thanksgiving week is one of the busiest weeks of the year in my house. Not only are we preparing a big feast, but Christmas decorating begins immediately after. This year was slightly different than most, and I'm sure the year 2020 will go down in history as the year when nothing was as it should be.

Ever since my kids were little, I decorated for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. To even insinuate that we could start decorating earlier was received with all manner of disapproval. Thanksgiving deserves our respect! Besides, we hosted Thanksgiving at our house, which meant putting out additional tables and chairs for the larger than usual group. Typically there were 25 of us, sometimes more. To put out  Christmas decorations in addition to everything else would create a cramped and uninviting space, which no hostess ever wants.

Fast forward to 2011. J and I had separated, and for the first time Thanksgiving was just the four of us: myself and my three kids. And it was so special. We ate, we played games, we watched movies. We told stories and laughed and had the best time, and we promised to keep Thanksgiving simple from then on. 

That's how we've done it since. In 2017 my (then) daughter's boyfriend C joined us. And this year we have the privilege of adding my new daughter-in-law AB to the family and to the Thanksgiving celebration. Yet even adding two new members to our family has kept our Thanksgiving small and intimate. This year is no exception - as a matter of fact, just about everyone kept Thanksgiving down to 10 people or less per CDC guidelines. I'm not upset about it either. For the first time in decades many families focused on thankfulness instead of shopping or football. 

There was one change to our yearly tradition, one that I felt was unavoidable. I put up the Christmas tree the Monday before Thanksgiving. The reason for this is simple: my daughter and son-in-law planned a trip to Georgia for the Thanksgiving weekend, and she asked me to sit my grand-dog Kuzco. He's an absolute cutie, and a good, quiet dog, so I said yes. The only problem is, he follows me around everywhere. I knew putting up the tree while he was underfoot would be next to impossible, and I didn't want to wait till they got back to do it. So instead, I broke with tradition and put it up early. 

Step one was to move one of the bookcases over to a different wall so the tree could go in front of the sliding glass doors in the living room.

 Right between the kitchen and master bedroom entryway is the perfect spot. 

Step two, put the tree together. We have an artificial tree thanks to our allergies. 

I've had this tree since 2004; it originally was pre-lit but the lights went out years ago. I was going to replace the tree several years ago but oh my word, trees are expensive!! I got this tree on a Black Friday sale for just $114. It's a 7.5 foot tree, very full and beautiful. My daughter and youngest son did me the enormous favor of removing the old lights so I could keep the tree, and here it is 16 years later. 

It was my intention to take pictures as I decorated the tree, but I ran into a slight snag. I would buy the regular clear lights every year from Walmart or Target, and every year I had to replace a few strands because the lights would go out. The box of lights is only about $3 but if you have to replace some of them every year they really aren't such a good deal. I bought the Costco LED lights this year because they have a 5 year warranty. I got four boxes, figuring I'd add these to my existing lights and replace as those went out. I started with the LED lights to see how they look, and oh my! This picture doesn't do them justice. They are pure white, the brightest lights I've ever had on a Christmas tree. They're gorgeous! I put up all the LED lights but as this is a 7.5 foot tree and I had only 400 lights it wasn't enough. So I got the clear lights from my stash. There were four strands, one of which only half the lights worked. I grabbed one of the strands and started putting it on the tree. To my horror, I realized these older clear lights looked yellow next to the pure white LED lights. It was absolutely awful! I had to drop everything and run to Costco where thankfully they still had boxes of lights and I picked up a couple more. It was worth it, though. My candy cane tree makes me smile all day long.

The next few days were Thanksgiving focused. I brined and roasted the turkey, made the dressing the night before, got up early Thursday morning to make the chocolate pudding pie and put the turkey in the oven, then made mashed potatoes and crescent rolls. My daughter made sweet potato casserole and a pumpkin pecan bread, and my oldest son and daughter-in-law brought cornbread and cookies. There was lots of food (and leftovers!). We had a great time together visiting. 

While they were all here, my oldest son gave me my birthday gift. My birthday isn't till next month, but since he won't be here he decided to give it to me early. Not to be undone by their older sibling, my other kids also gave me their presents. 

My youngest son E gave me a gift off of my Amazon wishlist:

I saw one of my favorite YouTubers, Mandy in the Making, using one of these rotating graters. I immediately added it to my wishlist! I'm not the biggest fan of pre-shredded cheese, but shredding by hand is no fun either. This takes the hard work out of shredding cheeses and vegetables. I'm so excited to use it!

My daughter knows my love of Disney so she indulged me with this:

Isn't it sweet?! I'll show off better when I post my Christmas home decor tour. 

My oldest son surprised me with something I've wanted for awhile. 

I was floored! My doorbell stopped working for I don't know what reason, and I wanted to get one of these video doorbells so I don't have to run downstairs whenever someone is at the door to see who it is. I haven't set it up yet because I have a four-legged shadow that goes nuts the minute I go near the front door, but I'm super excited to have this up and running!

The rest of the week was spent in decorating for Christmas and a small grocery shopping trip on Friday after my son R and his wife left for Central Florida where they live. I'll do a separate post on all the Christmas decorating because, as per usual, it's a lot! Have a blessed week y'all.

Recipe Time: Chocolate Pudding Pie

Happy Thanksgiving y'all! It's the big day, and everyone is feeling thankful despite 2020 and all its mishaps. Many are having smaller than usual Thanksgiving Day festivities and keeping it simple. I'm glad; hopefully we'll stop focusing on football and Black Friday and start focusing on thankfulness and family. 

I want to share a quick and easy crowd pleasing dessert: Chocolate Pudding Pie. I can't take credit for this one; it's off the book Quick Fixes From Brand Name Mixes. It's also a recipe that's probably all over Pinterest. Some call it pudding pie; this book calls it Creamy Chocolate Pie. Regardless of the name, it takes just a few minutes to put together and stick in the fridge, and on a day like today where there's so much going on, simple is often the best way to go.

To make this pie you will need:

1 3/4 cups cold milk (I use Lactaid 2% but any milk will do)

2 pkgs. chocolate or chocolate fudge pudding mix, the 4 serving size

1 tub Cool Whip (or in my case, Great Value whipped topping. It's all the same)

1 pie crust - graham cracker or chocolate flavored, your choice

That's all you need. You might even have these things in your cupboard, but if you don't they're easy to find in your grocery store. Let's put it together.

Step 1: Pour your milk into a large mixing bowl.

Add your pudding mixes and beat with a wire whisk. You can use your mixer if you prefer, but I didn't want to dirty more than I had to.

Get it as smooth as you can, but keep in mind it's gonna be thick.

Fold in the whole tub of Cool Whip or whatever whipped topping you're using. If you have the time you can make some homemade, but this is supposed to be quick and easy.

It'll look kind of like a chocolate mousse whenever you're done. Avoid the temptation to eat it straight out of the bowl.

Instead, as a special treat (and because it's Thanksgiving) get yourself an Oreo pie crust. I found this one at Walmart for just $2.00. Again, you can make your own, but why?

Spoon the filling into the pie crust and smooth it out. I like to put a dollop of the filling right in the middle as a decoration, but you can line the top with Oreo pieces, chocolate chips, Reese's Pieces, anything you like. Once again, keeping it simple here. Once you're done, put it in the fridge to set.

Keep in mind that this pie needs to be refrigerated for at least 4 hours to properly set. Overnight is best. It took me all of 10 minutes to grab all the ingredients, make the filling, put it all together, and clean up. And what did it cost? Like I said, the pie crust was $2.00. The Jello pudding boxes were $.98 each, and the whipped topping was $.82. I already had the milk on hand, so I spent a grand total of $4.78 to make the boys in my family very happy. And they are worth every penny and then some. Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

The Week In Review

I'm so far behind on my week in review post! I think I'll blame Thanksgiving and all the preparation for the upcoming holidays. So many distractions!

On Monday I went to TJ Maxx to see about some bottlebrush trees for my Christmas village. I'd seen some at Hobby Lobby but I wanted to see if I could find them cheaper anywhere else. I'd already confirmed that Amazon had them but for more than double the price. No bottlebrush trees, but I did find this:

I have been wanting a floor lamp for ages, but they are pretty expensive. I'd found one on Amazon for $86 but it was out of my budget for that month. I waited till the next month, when the price rose to $130! No thanks. I waited again to see if the price would drop, but it never did. I saw another one at Target that I liked, but it was $119, still more than I wanted to spend. As I went around TJ Maxx, I spotted this lamp all by itself, with no price tag anywhere. When I inquired, I was told it was $69.99. I knew that price was way better than anything I'd seen anywhere else, but there was a bonus: Mondays are Senior days at TJ Maxx, and I could get an additional 10% off my purchase. So this lovely came home with me for $62.99! It is a perfect addition to my office.

I spent the week cleaning and preparing for Thanksgiving, while at the same time placing orders for Christmas presents. As soon as they come in, they get wrapped and hidden. I've got a neat little stash, but there's still more to go.

Another thing I've been doing is applying to jobs. I haven't worked since we moved to the new house. My old job was part-time, and since I live about 45 minutes from my old digs, it didn't make sense to keep working there. It was my intention to start looking for work once we were settled in this house. Then a pandemic hit. I've put off looking for work but I really can't anymore. Of course there isn't a whole lot out there, and there's a lot of people looking for work. I'm leaving this in God's hands; He has always come through for me, and I know He will come through again.

Friday was grocery shopping day, and time to get everything I needed for Thanksgiving. I took my weekly trip to Walmart with shopping list in hand.

I'm making the Pioneer Woman's Green Beans which are my favorite, so I bought a big bag of fresh green beans. The chocolate pudding, Oreo pie shell and Cool Whip are for a chocolate cream pie, the boys' favorite. I also got potatoes for mashed potatoes, fresh herbs for the dressing, and yes, a jar of turkey gravy. I'm perfectly capable of making gravy, but with so much food to make, I'll take a shortcut here and there. This is one of them.

There were regular groceries to get as well. Most of it was salad fixings and fruit. As I run out of stuff I like to pick up whatever else I need.

I didn't buy the turkey till Sunday. I don't have a lot of freezer space and I didn't want to try and stuff a big turkey in there (pun intended). I always get my turkey from Publix, and I was so glad to see them at $.49/lb. I got a nice 15+ pounder for under $8. While I was there, I also picked up some sweet tea because Publix sweet tea is the closest to homemade I've ever had. And yes, I'm perfectly capable of making sweet tea too. Shortcuts people, shortcuts. Besides, it was BOGO - can't pass that up!

Oh, and I went to get my hair cut on Saturday. I should have taken a selfie but I didn't think about it. Us older folks forget about those things because we didn't grow up with a phone attached to our hand. My hair was getting really long - it was all the way down to my shoulder blades. It's just on my shoulders now and I'm enjoying having it shorter. It grows like a weed so it won't be short for long.

And that was my week. I've started decorating for Christmas - can't wait to share that! Stay tuned!

The Week In Review

 You know the holidays are approaching when I keep thinking I want to get a post up on my blog but it doesn't happen. I like the busyness of the season but it can distract me and stress me out.

And this week has been stressful. After Tropical Storm Eta literally blew in from the Gulf, my allergies went into overdrive. It always happens after a big storm, especially one as windy as this one was. All the dust and tree debris gets blown everywhere, and even though we got massive amounts of rain, it wasn't enough to totally clean all the allergens out of the air. Hence I've been dealing with itchy eyes, stuffy nose, and worst of all, asthma. I'm feeling better today but the dry cough persists. Which is annoying whenever I go anywhere because anyone coughing gets people's attention. I want to scream out, "Y'all, it's not coronavirus okay?!"

On Tuesday I put up the shelves I'd bought the week before from Ross. The guest bathroom went from this:

To this:

And finally to this:

I haven't really decorated it because in a couple of weeks I'll begin decorating for Christmas so I wasn't too concerned about getting it perfect. 

By the way, I'm so excited to begin decorating for Christmas! Now that my oldest son is married I needed a stocking for my new daughter-in-law. I checked Amazon first but I didn't find anything I liked that didn't cost over $20 or came in a set of 4+ stockings. So instead I went to Hobby Lobby. They have such a good selection of all different styles, and right now everything is 50% off which is right up my alley. This is the stocking I settled on.

The stocking I have for my son R has a reindeer on it. I wanted something similar but this was the closest I could find. It's super cute, and was only $5. I thought about getting all matching stockings for the whole family but that would be an unnecessary expense in my opinion. I'd rather spend that money on gifts.

Since I was already at Hobby Lobby I looked around and found this very pretty poinsettia arrangement for $6.99.

It's kind of hard to see against the granite but it's white and gold, which I think will look beautiful in my bedroom.

I wanted to get a few more small picks for the Christmas tree. I like using them as fillers and to make the tree look a bit more realistic since our allergies don't allow for a real tree. These were just $.99 so I got 5 of them.

They're small pinecones and greenery that's flocked. My tree isn't flocked but I like adding some little accents like this.

Finally, I found the cutest little pillow:

I got a red and black buffalo check throw for the sofa last year, and I think this will look adorable with it. I wanted to see how it looked with my new Costco pillow as well:

I love it! Then I remembered: the big pillow in the back is reversible! So I tried that out too.

Now I'm really itching to start decorating! I'll have to see how the three pillows look against the red and black throw but this is just so stinkin' cute! 

I was looking at some tutorials for Christmas villages on YouTube. I'm wanting to up my village game this year. Miriam's Manner gave me some really good ideas for adding more snow to my village and how to put it on so it looks full and realistic, and I knew that's what I wanted to do. So I took a trip to my local Super Walmart because the artificial snow on Amazon was ridiculously expensive. I'm not paying $25 - $30 for fake snow. 

This value size bag of Buffalo Snow was $5. I've used it before and it lasts. I also got some snow flurries to sprinkle around for more effect. While I was there I did my grocery shopping and picked up a few more items for Thanksgiving dinner.

Yes, I can make pie crusts. I've done it before. It's not rocket science. But when you've got a turkey to roast, plus mashed potatoes, dressing, green beans, salad, crescent rolls...y'all, I will take shortcuts wherever I can! Boxed pie crusts it is, LOL! I'm thinking of making a pecan pie and maybe an apple pie. My boys will all want a chocolate pudding pie I'm sure. And the day after Thanksgiving I like making turkey pot pie. It's pie season y'all!

I also went ahead and bought the Stove Top stuffing mix. I'd gotten a couple of boxes of the Aldi's brand but even though it's pretty good, it doesn't compare to Stove Top. This twin pack box was $2.97, and the other boxes of stuffing will get eaten, trust me. We love us some dressing with our fried chicken.

Ladies bible study was on Friday. We studied the parable of the Great Banquet found in Matthew 22:1-14. It was an impactful study. This coming Friday is our last session, and I'm going to miss having this study time with my group.

Then Saturday our new church has a Friendsgiving day brunch for all the children's ministry volunteers. E and I had such a sweet time of fellowship! We both sat by ourselves because with our allergies we didn't want anyone to feel uncomfortable if we sat near them and started coughing or sneezing. Well, a couple of ladies came and sat with us and we had some uplifting conversations with them. It was like God was showing us that this is where He wants us right now, and I'm thankful for the confirmation.

That was my week! I hope y'all had a blessed week as well. This coming week is Thanksgiving prep. I'm so excited!

The Week In Review

And just like that, it's November. I know we always say that the year has gone by quickly, but somehow this year seems like it's not only flown by, I haven't accomplished near as much as I thought I would have by now. That's what pandemics do.

I meant to post yesterday, then I just forgot. I have no other excuse. I wasn't too busy, I was home all day, I just plain forgot. I'll try to make up for it today.

Monday started off on the wrong foot. I was awaken at 5:57 am to the news. No, I didn't turn on the tv in my bedroom. I don't have a tv in my bedroom. My neighbor does, however, and it was so loud I could hear it like it was in my house. He'd been punching walls and playing music off and on all weekend, and I tried to ignore it, but now I'd had enough. I called the police again. He didn't turn the tv off till he left for work, but he's been more cautious now. If he turns on the tv he keeps it low so I don't hear it. We'll see how long that lasts.

I've begun doing my Christmas shopping. This is actually late for me; I used to start Christmas shopping in September. My kids are grown now, and I don't buy them a lot of little toys and games anymore.  I try to get them things they need, or things they really want and will use. So rather than having a bunch of stuff in my closet, I have a few large items that I know they will appreciate, and I don't have to start shopping near as early. I was also waiting to see if my income tax return would get approved. And finally, it did. On October 30. When they told me they'd get my tax return approved in October, it didn't occur to me it wouldn't be till the very end of the month. I should receive my refund this week. Yay.

My youngest son E needs to have his wisdom teeth taken out. I'd taken him to the dentist two years ago, and was doing everything possible to get this taken care of, but his father's dental insurance was giving me a hard time. I went back and forth repeatedly with the oral surgeon's office and the insurance and couldn't get them to agree on what was covered and what wasn't. Ultimately J cancelled his dental insurance and nothing got done. Now the wisdom teeth are bothering him again, but thankfully he has some insurance now. He tried to schedule an appointment with the dentist that was assigned to him. They no longer take his insurance. I went online and found another dentist close by, made an appointment, and when we got there we found out they wouldn't take the insurance if he was over 18. They referred us to another dentist, who also said they no longer take that insurance. So he called the insurance company and explained the situation. They gave us three more dental offices to call. I tried the first one, and was happy to hear they actually do accept his insurance. There's just one catch: it expires on his 21st birthday, which is less than two months away. We knew we needed to move fast. He's scheduled for his first appointment on November 9. They will do the initial exam, then refer us to an oral surgeon. Hopefully this can all get done in time. 

This past week was my big grocery shopping week. November is a tricky month; it's shorter than October or December, but it's got Thanksgiving, meaning a lot of food for just one day. I'm super excited because my oldest son and my new daughter-in-law will be coming down to spend the holiday with us. I did get a few things that I'll be needing, though most of the items on the menu will be purchased later in the month so it doesn't sit around the pantry or fridge for a month. 

I buy the Kirkland brand chicken stock from Costco because 1 - it's a great price considering it's organic (the box brings 6 - 1 quart containers for $9.99, or $1.67 per container), and 2 - it's the best tasting and best quality on the market in my opinion. I use it to brine my turkey and also for soups. Crescent rolls are a must have on the Thanksgiving table, and Costco had the box of 5 on sale for $4.49 so I couldn't pass that up.

I'm gonna do a separate post on the monthly grocery shopping trip. Right now, laundry is calling me. Be back with more soon!

Monthly Menu Plan

 It's a special month for menu planning, thanks to Thanksgiving. Holiday time is my favorite time of the year; hurricane season ends, cooler weather begins (though in South Florida that means going from 90+ degree temps all the way down to the 80's), decorating is in full swing, and of course all the yummy food that's part of the season. I add our Thanksgiving dinner to the menu plan and to the budget. This means I have to be diligent with the rest of the month's meals so that I stay within budget. Here's what November's meal plan looks like:

Some of the meals are monthly staples, like baked mac and cheese and sausage gravy with biscuits (our favorite breakfast for dinner). Some are on regular rotation, sometimes once a month, other times every other month. Bourbon chicken, spaghetti carbonara, and burgers with fries fall into this category. I like trying new recipes every so often, but on a month like November where we have a large costly dinner I try to shop my pantry to keep my spending in check. I have all the ingredients to make lentil soup and teriyaki chicken, plus most of the ingredients to make slow cooker cubed steaks, beef stew and bourbon chicken. Adding these items to the menu plan means I don't have to buy as much and we can still eat healthy, tasty meals everyday. 

Menu planning is essential to me. I no longer throw out tons of food because I over-bought, nor do I stand in front of the fridge wondering what I'm going to make because I'm missing all sorts of ingredients. It saves me money, time, and anxiety. I have recommended it time and time again, and everyone I know who has tried it agrees: it is the best and smartest way to prepare and stock the kitchen. Happy planning!

First Weekend of December

"It's the weekend.  Finally."  I wonder why people say that.  It gives the impression that weekends are relaxing.  That may be true for some people, but not for moms.  Moms are busy 24/7/365.

Today was grocery shopping day.  I'm starting a new system of grocery shopping every 2 weeks instead of weekly.  It involves plenty of planning so I don't have to run to the store every couple of days because Oops!  I forgot something.  It means menus for two weeks, careful examination of what's already in our pantry, and a precise list.  I did it two weeks ago, and not only did I save money, I didn't make any trips to the grocery store; the one time I realized I'd run out of green peppers, I improvised and used half of a red pepper I had in the fridge.  It worked.  I avoided the stores all Thanksgiving week and especially on the dreaded Black Friday.

I'd been to Winn-Dixie on Thursday to find specials, and left disappointed.  I managed to get a few things, $20 worth.  My goal is to spend no more than $300 for the two weeks; a hefty goal for a family of four, but I've found it's attainable.  Since I'd already spent $20, I wanted to stay under $270.  That way there would be $10 left in the budget for emergencies.  I hit Walmart first - I not only needed food, there were a few cleaning items like floor cleaner and furniture polish I had to pick up, toothpaste, hair dye, that sort of stuff.  I spent a total of $125, but since my cousin had paid me $20 for taking her kids to karate last month (she didn't need to; I love taking the kids for her.  She insisted.  I relented) I spent $105 from my food budget money.

Then I went to Costco.  I needed to return a meat thermometer - oh, I have to tell this story!  About a month before Thanksgiving, I found a meat thermometer with a small timer at Costco for $20.  I'd seen Alton Brown use a similar one in one of his Thanksgiving Good Eats episodes, and I thought the price was great.  Those things go for $50 and up at other stores.  So I picked one up and looked forward to roasting my turkey with the meat thermometer telling me the internal temperature every moment.  I brined my turkey the night before (again, thanks to Alton Brown), and started the turkey, with the thermometer in place, at 450 degrees for the first 30 minutes.  That seals the juices in the meat and gets that beautiful color we all want on the skin.  At the end of the 30 minutes I lowered the temperature to 350 degrees and went to check on my turkey.  The meat thermometer had melted!  I was shocked and appalled!  How could this happen?!  My daughter asked me, "Are you sure it was oven safe?" to which I answered, "It was supposed to be!  What kind of meat thermometer isn't oven safe?!"  Well, apparently this one wasn't.  Upon reading the instructions, it stated that the thermometer was to be used to test the meat by poking it to see what the temperature was.  Except that's ridiculous.  Anyone who cooks knows you don't poke meat while it's in the oven or when it's just been taken out; the juices will flow right out and the meat will be dry.  The turkey turned out fine, but as far as I was concerned, the thermometer was useless.  I returned it to Costco and they quickly gave me my money back.  I then did my shopping there (meats, toilet paper, coffee, etc) and spent $154.  I used the $20 to pay part of it so I only used $134 from this month's food budget.  All in all I spent $259, leaving me $41 for any extras I might need for the next two weeks.  Not bad, huh?  I must admit I was very pleased.

Yesterday my son got home from work and immediately went out with his friends, so he didn't eat at home.  My daughter had her church office Christmas party so she didn't eat anything either.  That means we are having leftovers today.  Which is fine with me: less cooking on a Saturday, yes!

My oldest worked all day today, and the two younger ones went Christmas shopping together.  Mom was told to stay home; wonder why? ;-)  That's cool, because Mama had the house all to herself.  And what does Mama do when she has the house all to herself?  Pamper herself, of course!

It was time to color my hair again anyway.  My natural hair color has become black with white highlights.  Not to my taste :P.  For the past year or so I'd been coloring my hair light auburn, or as my hairdresser calls it, 6R.  I do my own hair coloring; I'm sure my hairdresser would do a fabulous job, but not for under $10 which is what a box of hair color costs.  I told her what I wanted and she made her recommendation.  I've been sticking with it and it's a nice color. Today while I was at Walmart I went to pick up my usual box of L'Oreal Excellence Creme when I spotted a Clairol product from their Expert Collection called Age Defy.  When this girl saw those words...let's just say it caught my attention.  The product promises hair that looks 10 years younger.  I was prepared to color my entire body if that worked ;-).  I decided it was worth trying, and I looked for my color, 6R.  There wasn't any, just one box of 5R left.  5R is medium auburn.  I figured the stuff had to be pretty good if this was the last box left. I also figured, "How different can light to medium auburn be?"  I'd done both medium and dark auburn years ago.  It would be fine.  I bought the box, the house was empty, the timing was perfect.  I got to work.

The first step with this hair color is a pre-treatment, to get the hair ready for the hair color.  I went ahead and put that on, then started mixing up the color.  If you've ever colored your own hair, you know the drill:  tear the tab off the plastic bottle, open it up, open the tube of colorant and pour it into the plastic bottle.  Then shake and apply.  So that's what I did.  I did a double take when I opened up the colorant, though.  Y'all, it was orange.  Like jack-o-lantern orange.  Now, I've been coloring my hair for 20 years, and I'm fully aware that the color that comes out of that tube is not the color my hair will be.  But I had never seen this bright orange color coming out of a tube of colorant before.  My colorants had always been on the purple side for auburn, and trust me, this was not purple.  I checked the box again, just to make sure I had the right color.  Yep, medium auburn.  I was already prepped and ready to go, and I wasn't going to stop.  I began applying the color.

It was much more runny than I was used to.  I'd been using a creme hair color; this one was liquid-y and messy.  I worked a little more slowly pouring the orange fluid on my head, till my roots were covered.  Then I set my timer for 40 minutes.  My hairdresser told me I need to keep the color on my hair for about an hour, otherwise the auburn looks more like pink on my grays, uh, I mean, white highlights.  I figured I'd leave it on my roots for 40 minutes, then on the rest of my hair for 15.  In the meantime I watched videos of other girls styling their hair, waiting to see what mine would turn out like.  If the color was good, I'd be thrilled.  If it wasn't, I'd be watching TV preachers till I could get it fixed.

By the time the first 40 minutes were up I could see the color had mellowed into a reddish brown, and I breathed a sigh of relief.  I finished coloring the rest of my hair, washed it, and when I looked at it I thought, "Wow.  That is way darker than I expected."  It's not what I would call medium auburn.  The color reminds me of cherry wood, or maybe mahogany.  Can I just say, I LOVE IT!!!  Oh my gosh, it is the perfect color for fall!  I'm so glad I got the wrong color, and didn't doubt the orange!!

My beauty regimen continued with exfoliating.  A few weeks ago Target had a sale on Neutrogena products, and I was able to get their Microdermabrasion System for $14.99.  Best investment I've made.  As I've mentioned before, my skin has been changing, and I've had to change along with it.  I'm dealing with redness for the first time in my life, and my pores had become enlarged which is not attractive.  The system promises younger looking skin from the first use, and like I said, that gets my attention.  Besides, the price was better than even Walmart, so I jumped on it.  From the very first time I used it I noticed how different my skin looked.  I've used it for a month now and I'm not joking, my pores have gotten smaller, my skin feels smoother, it looks healthier, and I only use it once a week.  It's like I spoil myself for a few minutes, and get phenomenal results.  What woman doesn't like that?

I finished up by giving myself a manicure and pedicure.  Since it's the Christmas season I thought something sparkly was in order.  I painted by toe nails and most of my fingernails with a glittery gold tone nail polish, then did my ring fingers on both hands a deep dark burgundy.  I love how festive it looks!

It is just so cool to look in the mirror and like the way I look.  I think this hair color is a keeper.  Now it's time to get back to my regular routine:  wash the dishes, then pop in a Christmas movie before bed.  Feel beautiful!

Oops, I did it again...

I know, I said I was going to be more consistent with my blogging, and that ended after, what, a couple of posts?  I have thought over and over about things I want to share on my blog, but then I get so busy doing, well, life, and before I know it I'm heading off to bed thinking, "Tomorrow is another day."  So I decided that this month, December, I would do a daily journal to get my blog caught up on everything that's been happening and what my days look like.  This should be interesting.

I should mention now, before I go any further, that this year I began homeschooling my youngest son E.  It has been an enormous blessing to be able to spend this time with him and watch him learn and prosper.  His grades have improved tremendously; he currently has a B+ in Algebra and straight A's in all his other classes.  We are doing Florida Virtual School which is free for Florida residents.  The curriculum is better than what he was learning in class in my opinion, and he can go as fast or as slow as he wants.  He has a schedule of course, but the teachers are much more flexible which is great when dealing with a kid who has mild to moderate dyslexia.  It means more work for me, obviously, but it is so worth it to see him become more confident in himself and actually enjoy learning for a change.

So, my day began like most Mondays.  E was off all last week; it was a catch-up week for virtual school, so if your assignments were up-to-date (which his were), it was a full vacation week (which we both loved).  School started up again this morning, and I got up early to make breakfast and see what his schedule looked like.  I knew he had one online class to attend which was algebra, but I hadn't looked at anything else all week.  We were busy with Thanksgiving, then decorating for Christmas, so school landed on the back burner.  I'd put some sausages to fry on the stove, and biscuits and a hash brown in the toaster oven.  It was 8:30, and my oldest son R had just left for work.  I was tidying up in the living room, when I heard a loud crashing sound.  It sounded like someone's garage door slamming onto the ground.  I looked out the window but saw nothing; then I walked into the kitchen and noticed the stove and microwave were turned off.  So were the Christmas tree lights.  That's when it hit me:  the sound I heard was a transformer.  I immediately called the power company to report it.  They said they'd call back, and they did.  Said it was a transformer (ha! I was right) and that a repair crew was being dispatched to repair it.  We should have power back by 12:30.  Great.  School for us typically starts at 9 am.  That wasn't happening.  But it wasn't too bad; he would just start school a little later.  We could handle that.

I was a bit bummed, though, because I knew today was Beauty Rush day.  I've begun wearing Bare Minerals makeup because as I've gotten older I've noticed changes in my skin, such as more redness and oily/dry spots.  My daughter also has skin issues (roseacea and such), so I wanted makeup that is as natural as possible.  We both fell in love with Bare Minerals and have been using it for the past month or so.  Beauty Rush is Bare Escentuals big online sale that lasts 12 hours (for those who don't know, Bare Escentuals is the company that makes Bare Minerals).  It was starting at noon, which meant I'd be late getting to the sale, but only by a half hour.  I should be good, right?

At about 10:30 we heard truck sounds outside, and sure enough it was the power company.  Awesome!  They were already at work and we would be up and running before the 12:30 deadline we'd been given.  About a half hour later we heard the trucks drive away, but we had no power.  Then I got a call from the power company; it was going to take longer than we'd originally been told.  We'd have power back on around 1:45 pm.  Okay, I figured, a little later than anticipated but hey, we'd already waited this long.  I texted my daughter at work and asked her to bring home some pizzas, as it looked like I wouldn't be making lunch anytime soon.

It was 1:15 pm and we were still in the dark.  Praise God it was a nice day, low 70's and breezy, otherwise we would have baked in the heat.  I called the power company again.  This time I was told the damage was more severe than they'd thought, and a special crew needed to be sent out to make the repairs.  Now we were looking at 5 pm before power would come back.  I was so frustrated!  At 2:30 I watched out the window as the power company came with a crane to remove the burned out transformer and install the new one.  It took 3 hours to get all the work done, so basically we were without power for 9 hours.  Let me just say, I have a new appreciation for electricity.  We had no way to cook; we couldn't open the fridge very often because we didn't want all the cold air to escape; no electricity meant no router and no internet; no television, radio, DVD's, video games... yeah, we depend on electricity a lot.

As soon as the power came back on, I jumped on my phone to see if there was anything good left on the Beauty Rush sale.  Of course, there wasn't.  All the good stuff got snatched up.  I guess God didn't want me spending money on more makeup this month.  I was kind of bummed, but not overly upset.  Which is a big improvement for me.

E got to do a couple of hours of schoolwork once the power came back on.  He completed his music and PE class and, because his live lessons are recorded, was able to watch his algebra class.  Tomorrow will be a busy day of catching up for him.

So that was my Monday.  What started out as a regular day turned into somewhat of an adventure.  God does that to us sometimes.  He changes things around to teach us valuable lessons.  Today's lesson was on patience, and being thankful for the blessing of electricity.  Wonder what He plans to teach me tomorrow?  Can't wait to find out!

Happy Thanksgiving

To all my family and friends, may the Lord fill your homes with blessings this Thanksgiving Day and always.

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

Now that I've got my baking done and my turkey in the brine, I think I'll relax with a cup of tea and some chats on Patrice's farmhouse porch.  Please join us at Everyday Ruralty.


1. What's the last thing you baked?
That would be the apple crumb pie that came out of the oven a few hours ago.  The kitchen smells heavenly when there's an apple pie baking!

2. What's your favorite condiment?
Mrs. Dash.  I like that it gives good flavor without a ton of sodium.

3. Do you have a smart phone, dumb phone, or no phone(we're talking about cell phones)?
I have a Blackberry that's 3 or 4 years old, meaning it was smart when it first came out but isn't anywhere near as smart as the phones that are available now.

4. Do you have a favorite card game?
Does Uno count?  As far as card games with regular decks of cards, I'd pick gin rummy.

5. Tell me ten things you're thankful for - please:)

1 - Salvation through Jesus Christ.
2 - My two sons
3 - My beautiful daughter
4 - My siblings
5 - My mom who is still with us after having heart surgery last year
6 - My home, which I get to share with my family
7 - My church family
8 - The beautiful state of Florida where I get to live
9 - Creation
10 - Electricity (you don't know how much you need it till you don't have it)

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today, November 21, 2012, Thanksgiving Eve...

Outside my window...is one of the most beautiful days yet!  The sun is shining, the sky is blue, the breezes are blowing, and it is simply lovely out.

I am thinking...of all the things I have to be thankful for.  It's a very long list!

I am thankful for...God's goodness and grace.  His blessings which are innumerable.  And the fact that we can have a day dedicated to thanking Him for all these things.

I am going...to brine my turkey today.

I am wearing...a blue long sleeved top, black capris, and flip-flops.  It's 73 degrees out, the kind of weather I like best.

I am noticing...all the little things I can be thankful for.  Those seemingly insignificant things, or the ones I take for granted.  Like a comfortable bed to sleep on.  A pantry filled with food.  A smile.  A wave.  All these things bring a little more sunshine into my everyday.

In the kitchen...there's tilapia, fried plantains, rice medley, and salad.  I'm keeping it light and simple today, because tomorrow will be a heavy eating day!

I am creating...the brine for my turkey.

I am reading...Unglued, and I probably will be for a few weeks more.

I am hoping...my son is having fun today.  There's no class, just football the entire day.  He's been looking forward to it!

I am looking forward to...four days of family fun, giving thanks and decorating for Christmas.

I am hearing...tilapia sizzling in the pan.  Lunch is almost ready.

Around the house...there's not much left to do other than finish the two loads of laundry in the washer and dryer.  I've been getting the house ready since Monday.

A favorite quote of the day..."Strength, rest, guidance, grace, help, sympathy, love - all from God to us!! What a list of blessings!" - E. Stenbock.

One of my favorite things...homemade apple pie.  I'll be making one today.

A few plans for the rest of the week...my Christmas shopping is pretty much done, so I won't be going out into the madness called Black Friday.  Instead, I will enjoy a quiet Thanksgiving at home, then spend the next 3 days decorating the house for Christmas.  This is my favorite weekend of the year.

Wanna join in the fun?  Visit Peggy at the Simple Woman's Daybook.  God bless.

Monday Quiz About Me

Welcome to my Monday Quiz post, courtesy of Heather at Acting Balanced.  Heather provides 4 questions, and I get to ask one question for my guests to answer on my blog.  Are you ready?  Here we go:


1. What are you thankful for this year?
That my two older kids don't have to work on Thanksgiving and we can all be together.

2. What was your special dish that your parents made for you while growing up?
My mother's lasagna was something we looked forward to.  She had to be in the mood, though.  She'd make her own sauce and shred her own mozzarella, and for a family of 6 it meant a lot of work.

3. How long are you willing to wait for someone before you give up?
For someone to what?  To show up when they are expected?  A half hour.  To call?  Maybe a little longer.

4. What is your favorite quote, poem, song lyric or prayer?
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6.

And my question:

5. New recipes for Thanksgiving, or tried and true ones?
I'm sticking with the tried and true menu that my family loves.  Turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn on the cob, salad, and crescent rolls.  You can never go wrong with the family favorites.

Move It Mondays

Happy Monday before Thanksgiving!  It's a week of thankfulness - what are you thankful for?  Today I'm thankful that both my older children will be off from work on Thanksgiving Day, so they can spend it relaxing at home with food and fun!  There are no 3 people in the world I'd rather spend my Thanksgiving Day with.

So for today, I've started getting the house ready.  I cleaned both bathrooms, vacuumed but haven't mopped yet because I paused to give Molly a bath.  She'd been digging in the backyard and had gotten quite filthy, but now she's as pretty as a peach.  Her bedding is in the washer, too.  I washed towels today, and tomorrow I'll be washing the people bedding ;).

In the kitchen I've got a pot roast in the crock pot and rice in the rice cooker.  The pot roast is ready; I put it in last night and it was done this morning.  I made it the easy way - potatoes, carrots, and Lipton Beefy Onion soup mix.  No muss and no fuss.  It allows me to get more things done around the house if I don't have to worry about cooking.  I moved the turkey from the freezer to the fridge to start the defrosting process.  I brine our turkey a la Alton Brown, and that will happen Wednesday night, so the turkey needs to start defrosting already.

I organized the presents in my closet last night.  Honestly, I just look for stuff in the stores, and when I find a good bargain or something I know my kids will particularly love, I go ahead and buy it, bring it home and wrap it right away.  Then I stash it all in the closet where I forget at least half of what I've bought, LOL!  There are 6 presents for my son R, 6 for my daughter A, and now 11 for my youngest son E (my daughter got him his present last night and she wrapped it up & put it with the others).  I've also got some books ordered for him from Amazon.  I think I've done pretty well this year.  I've purchased all the gifts without using the credit card so I won't have any balances to cry about for months on end.  There's a nice amount of presents and they're all paid for - yay me!  I made a promise to the Lord that I would do all my shopping without getting into debt, and I intend to keep my word.

It's noon, which means it's lunch time, which is a good thing because I'm starved!  Have a wonderful and thankful Monday.

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

Thanks once again to Patrice and Wendell for entertaining us on their porch!  It's a lovely day, so I think I'll join up with them at Everyday Ruralty.


1. What's your favorite Thanksgiving side dish? For anyone not in the US, what's your favorite fall side dish?
Hands down, my family will say it's the stuffing.  And yes, it's stuffing.  As in, in the bird (though I make enough to fill a dish and bake it alongside the turkey).  Here's the thing:  I take Stove Top stuffing and add additional onions and celery, fresh sage and thyme, and raisins.  Then, instead of making it with water and margarine, I use chicken stock and butter.  Oh my, I can't wait!

2. What's the first thing you do when you have a headache?
Depends on the type of headache.  If it's a sinus headache I typically turn to my allergy medicine or sinus medicine.  If it's a migraine, I take 2 Tylenol and go to bed - do not disturb me under any circumstances.

3. Do you like to "people watch"? (Observe people in public while waiting for something or relaxing)
Not really.  I guess since I don't like to be watched I feel uncomfortable watching.  I try to bring some reading material if I have to sit around so I don't have to watch anyone.

4. Where's your family most likely to eat for a day to day meal? (Read= not holiday)
The dining room or the kitchen counter.  My youngest son likes eating in the family room or dining room, and my daughter will occasionally eat in her bedroom, as will her brother.

5. Tell me about your plans for Thanksgiving Day. Or tell me something special you will do soon.
Thanksgiving Day will be spent here at home.  I'll be brining the turkey again, so that will start the night before.  We'll watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in the morning, prepare the meal in the afternoon, watch Miracle on 34th Street, play some board games, and relax as we enjoy each other's company.  There'll be no Black Friday shopping for us, so we can nap if we want to or stay awake, whichever is to our inclination.  I'm really looking forward to it!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today, November 13, 2012...

Outside my window...the sky is overcast which helps keep us cool.  The breezes are blowing and it's a nice fall day.

I am thinking...about Thanksgiving.  It's only 9 days away!

I am thankful...for more than I can relate.  My family, good friends, a home, a pantry filled with food.  Most of all, I'm thankful for Jesus.

I am going...to find out where my oldest son is.  He was here just a few minutes ago.

I am wearing...a yellow jacket with a yellow camisole underneath, jean skirt and sandals.  It's 79 degrees out.

I am noticing...Christmas lights already.  I'm anxious to decorate too, but could we at least get passed Thanksgiving?!

In the kitchen...I made chicken fajitas.  I made them because I'm trying to use up some of what's in the pantry, and because bell peppers were on sale at Winn-Dixie.  The thing is, I wanted to use up a bottle of marinade my son had bought as well.  It's Balsamic Herb.  They were the sweetest fajitas we've ever eaten, but honestly, they were delicious!

I am creating...a mental picture of how I'm going to decorate this Christmas.

I am reading...yeah, still reading Unglued.  I'm on chapter 5.  I took the assessment test for the book, and it turns out I'm a Stuffer Who Builds Barriers.  That means I hold things in, like anger and disappointment, then keep people out so they can't hurt me anymore.

I am hoping...my son gets his turkey coupon from the store.  Last year's turkey cost him under $3 and it was so juicy and delicous!  It was a 14 pounder too, not a scrawny little thing.

I am looking forward to...spending Thanksgiving with my family, and decorating for Christmas!

I am hearing...our dog Molly growling at something outside.  I didn't see anything so I don't know what's upsetting her.

Around the house...I need to clean up some areas where Molly drooled after her morning walk. :P

A favorite quote of the day..."I may not always understand
The way that You may lead,
But, Lord, in faith I’ll clasp Your hand
And trust You for each need. —Dean

One of my favorite things...the smells in the kitchen when I'm baking.

A few plans for the rest of the week...Awana tomorrow, grocery shopping on Friday to finish up what's needed for Thanksgiving and the rest of the week, and church on Sunday.

Wanna join in the fun?  Visit Peggy at the Simple Woman's Daybook.  God bless.

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

Patrice's porch has dried off enough for us to get together for an after the storm chat.  Please join us at Everyday Ruralty.


1.  How are you when there is a storm?
I've lived in South Florida for 26 years.  We are storm professionals.  You tell us a storm's a'coming, and we can hunker down faster than you can say Hurricane Andrew.

2.  Are you doing anything special in November?
November is a favorite month for me.  First off, Thanksgiving!!  I love Thanksgiving.  I love the preparation, the food, the games (board games, not football), the naps, and everything else that comes with this special holiday.  I love the shows on Food Network on how to roast or fry a turkey and all the yummy side dishes.  And I love love love decorating the house for Christmas the next day!  I'm looking forward to putting up our tree and fixing the house up!

3.  Do you wear glasses or contacts?
I wear glasses.  I wore contacts for years, but about 10 years ago I stopped.  I suffer from dry eyes, which makes contacts very uncomfortable.

4.  Salty snacks or sweets?
Both!  It just depends on my mood.

5.  Who would you bring to the farm with you for a chat, a tour, or perhaps a visit with Wendell?
For a chat, I'd bring my sister.  She would like relaxing with some unsweetened iced tea and casual conversation.  For a visit with Wendell it would have to be my son, and the girls from my Awana class.  Wendell would love them, they are as sweet as sugar!

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

It's a cloudy morning in my neck of the woods.  Good thing Patrice's porch is covered!  Pull up a chair, your favorite coffee, and let's have a chat on the porch at Everyday Ruralty.


1. Please tell me a fond autumn memory. Or tell me something interesting you're doing now that fall is here.
My fond autumn memories are all centered around Thanksgiving.  I used to have my husband's family over for Thanksgiving, and it would take me a couple of weeks to get the house and meal ready.  Last Thanksgiving I went to Orlando and spent Thanksgiving there with my children and no one else.  My daughter and I cooked the meal, we enjoyed eating and watching movies, and my youngest son dressed up in his older brother's costumes, which made us roar with laughter.  That's the happiest and best Thanksgiving on record.

2. What's your favorite kind of cheese?
Ah, cheese.  I like cheese.  Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, cream cheese...unfortunately, cheese doesn't like me.  I'm lactose intolerant.  The pain isn't worth the pleasure :(

3. Have you ever been in a wedding, other than your own (if applicable)?
Yes, years ago I was a bridesmaid in a wedding.  I was 16 years old.  Then I was maid of honor at my younger sister's wedding in 2002.  Her 10th anniversary is coming up :)

4. Did you ever do anything as a child to earn money? (Lemon aid stand, crafts, mother's helper, chores, etc.)
My uncle was the super for our building, and he'd buy used stoves and refrigerators to replace broken ones in the apartments.  He'd pay me $5 each to scrub them clean.

5. Do you wear a watch?
Only when I get dressed up, like for church.  I don't wear much jewelry on a regular basis.  As a matter of fact, I own 3 watches but 2 of them need new batteries and I haven't bothered to replace them.

Thursday Thoughts (On Friday)

This is a post I usually do on Thursdays, but I was busy preparing our Thanksgiving day feast so I decided I'd leave my random thoughts for today.

*Yesterday was one of the best Thanksgivings ever!  Certainly the most relaxed one I can remember.  It was just me and my 3 children.  We had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, salad, lots of gravy, and crescent rolls.  It may seem like a lot, but it was probably about half the amount of food I usually make.

*Since my son works in a grocery store, our turkey was really cheap.  All the employees got a $5.00 off coupon, so our 12 lb. turkey only cost $2.61.  Too bad it isn't that cheap all year long!

*I brined our turkey as in other years, but for some reason it was juicier and tastier than ever.

*Thanksgiving is usually a very hectic time for me.  We have about 20 people over, and I do most of the cooking.  I also have to get the house ready, move furniture, set up additional tables and seating, clean every nook and cranny...it takes days to get ready for, and by the time I sit down to eat I'm exhausted.

*This year it was just the four of us.  The only thing I did ahead of time was brine the turkey and bake a cake.  Everything else was prepared at a leisurely pace, and we sat down to eat at about 3:00pm.  The house was clean but not perfectly neat, yet that was okay.  We got up for seconds (or in the case of my son R, thirds) and talked and laughed and watched Lemonade Mouth on TV.  Then we crashed on the sofa.  It was awesome.

*We took our dog Molly for a walk around the pond behind my kid's apartment building.  The grounds here are really beautiful and well kept.  E and I were thrilled to see big fish in the pond, then we saw a family of turtles!  Big ones too, at least a couple of them were about 2 feet long.  They came up to the edge and swam around.  It was so neat!  There were cranes too, and we enjoyed seeing God's creation up close.

*My youngest son E found his older brother's costume bin.  R gets dressed up for Halloween since he works at the store.  He's been Batman, Robin, and Dr. Wylie (from the Megaman video game).  E started dressing up in his brother's costumes and had us rolling on the floor with his antics!  He is such a funny little kid. He had a blast too, watching our reactions.

*Today's plans are simple.  We're gonna go see the new Muppet Movie at a local theater at about noon, since R has to go in to work at 3:00.  After that we're gonna hang out at the apartment.

*Tomorrow's plans are even better.  We have tickets to go to Disney's Magic Kingdom to enjoy the Christmas decorations there!  My two youngest kids and myself will be having an early birthday celebration since our birthdays are all in December.  I am so excited!  I love Disney, and I love Christmas.  The two together is like having cake and pie on the same plate!!

So much to continue being thankful for.  Thank You Jesus, for the life You've given me.  It's not perfect; there are trials and turmoil and disappointments along the way, but there is also joy in the knowledge that You are with me and have blessed me beyond measure.  God is good, all the time!

Five Question Friday

Happy day after Thanksgiving!  I hope everyone's Thanksgiving day was filled with gratitude for our many blessings.  We live in a free country, where there is abundance.  We often don't realize it, but we have countries very close by to us that are in extreme poverty.  Americans can have a day of thanks with a table filled to the brim with enough food to feed several families.  More food than some Haitian families will see in a month.  Think about it.  Be thankful.

Our Five Question Friday this week is about Thanksgiving (how appropriate).  If you want to join in, visit Mama M. at My Little Life and have some fun!

1. Is there a special dish you prepare that you are famous for?
My kids will tell you it's my stuffing.  I take regular Stove Top stuffing (I personally like the Savory Herbs one) and jazz it up.  I'll add some onion, celery, sage, rosemary, thyme, raisins, and either sausage or ground beef.  I kept it simpler this year and left out the raisins and meat, but it was still killer.  My husband's family says their favorite part of the menu is the ham, and the desserts.

2. Are you (did you) go Black Friday shopping ?
No Black Friday shopping for me!  I boycott the stores the day after Thanksgiving.  I especially will not go to a store that begins their sales on Thanksgiving evening.  Don't they get it?  Thanksgiving is a time of being with family and showing gratitude for what we have, not a time to be drooling over things we don't have and can't afford but we'll charge up the credit cards anyway.  If it were up to me, I'd eliminate Black Friday altogether.

 3. What are your strangest holiday traditions?
Strange, hmm.  Some of my decorating seems over the top to some people.  I decorate A LOT.  But I wouldn't call that strange.  I can't think of anything, probably because the stuff we do doesn't seem strange to us.

 4. Pecan or pumpkin pie? (She actually asked "Apple or pumpkin?" I just T-giving'ed it!)
This is a big debate with us.  I love all kinds of pies.  I think pumpkin pie should be a staple at any Thanksgiving meal.  We don't have it at ours, though, because no one else likes it.  My daughter is all about pecan pie, I am an apple pie lover (warm with a scoop of ice cream, yum!), and my son E is all about chocolate.  So we had pecan pie and chocolate cake yesterday, and there's chocolate cream pie and apple pie in the fridge for today.  I guess we can't ever have enough pie!  Thankfully my oldest son will pretty much eat anything.  I don't know where we'd put another dessert.

 5. When will you put up your Christmas tree?
Traditionally our Christmas tree goes up the day after Thanksgiving.  This year, however, we aren't home, so the tree will go up this coming week, Monday or Tuesday.  I love having the tree out as long as possible, and since it's a fake tree we don't have a problem with it drying out.  Looking forward to decorating it!

What I'm Thankful For

A sweet friend of mine from church has been doing a daily post on Facebook on what she's thankful for using every letter of the alphabet.  I thought it was a great idea, but she got started at the beginning of the month and I was away.  I've entered a few thankful thoughts on her Facebook page but I thought I'd do something similar here.  Ya'll can do it as well if you have time, or just meditate on what you're thankful for today.  I feel like thankfulness makes our day much more pleasant.


A = my sweet daughter A.Y.
B = the BEAUTY of creation
C = CHRIST
D = His DEATH on the cross
E = the gift of ETERNAL life, and my son E.N.
F = God's FAITHFULNESS
G = GRACE
H = HEAVEN - worth looking forward to!
I = He is the great I AM
J = JESUS
K = KINDNESS He shows me everyday
L = LOVE - that's what it's all about
M = the MIRACLES He's performed in my life
N = NATIVITY - the true meaning of Christmas
O = my God who is OMNISCIENT, OMNIPOTENT and OMNI-PRESENT
P = the PEACE that surpasses all understanding
Q = the QUIET, still voice of God
R = my oldest son R.A.
S = His STRENGTH is made perfect in my weakness
T = THANKSGIVING, and TURKEYS
U = the UNITED States of America, and UNCONDITIONAL love
V = VACATION time in Central Florida!
W = WHERE would I be without Jesus?!
X = the eXtraordinary women He's put in my life 
Y = the YUMMY food we get to eat all year, not just on Thanksgiving day
Z = ZION, where I will one day be with the Lord


May your Thanksgiving Day be filled with gratitude for all the blessings in your lives.