Category: HOLIDAYS

THANKSGIVING MEME

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Thanks Joy at Joy of Desserts for tagging me for this Thanksgiving Meme.

While you’re right that here in the States we are all busy preparing for the big feast and for family and friends to gather, a fun tag IS the answer for both blog authors and readers alike to learn a bit more about us.

Now because it is almost Thanksgiving and everyone is sooooooooooooooooo busy this time of year I invite all my readers that want to participate to consider themselves tagged! Be sure and leave me a message so I can come read your answers!

There are only two easy rules:
1. Post these rules when you participate in this meme.
2. Link to the people you tag as well as the person who tagged you.

Now on to the FUN!!

1. Which do you like better: hosting Thanksgiving at your home, or going elsewhere?

Years ago I somehow ended up hosting for my family and that became tradition. I think I prefer it, but we have had many wonderful Thanksgivings elsewhere. Last year was at my sis-in-laws and 2 years before that at her DIL’s and while were both wonderful, they were much different from having had it here.

2. Do you buy a fresh or frozen turkey? Organic? Free-range?

Depends on what is available in the small town neck of the woods. I don’t care whether it is frozen or fresh per se, but do want a free range one.

3. Do you make stuffing or dressing? What kind?
Absolutely make it from scratch! It’s an Oatnut Sourdough Herb Stuffing.

4. Sweet potato pie or Pumpkin pie?
Neither, it’s Pumpkin Cheesecake here.

5. Are leftovers a blessing or a curse?
Definitely a blessing. We love the leftovers for easy meals the following week and MUST HAVE turkey sandwiches.

6. What side dishes are a must-have in your family?
Oatnut Sourdough Herb Stuffing, Apricot Carrot Casserole and Baked Pineapple.

7. What do you wish you had that might make Thanksgiving easier?
A double wall oven would be easier on my back.

8. If/when you go to someone else’s house for the holiday, do you usually bring a dish? If so, what is it? My Apricot Carrot Casserole because it is so different and blends well with whatever their menu is.

9. What do you wish one of your guests would bring to your house?
Smiles, appetites and positive attitudes.

10. What do you wish one of your guests would NOT bring to your house?
Bad attitudes coupled with deep seated arguments over politics and/or religion.

11. Do you stick with a particular menu from year to year, or do you mix it up?

While I do try to mix-it up now and then, a lynch mob quickly forms if I don’t keep it pretty close to what it has always been. For Christmas I have been able to mix it up better as it is also our youngest son’s birthday. He gets to pick the basic meat and then everyone else gets to pick a favorite to go with it and that has become our tradition since.

12. Is Thanksgiving a religious or secular holiday in your home?

It is a beautiful melding of both. We celebrate the pilgrimage with the influence God has always had on it.

13. Share one Thanksgiving tradition.
The Thanksgiving traditions in my family seemed to dwindle as the kids grew older and then the extended families and alternate get togethers grew. We do have a traditional meal with the same traditional recipes we have always used though.

14. Share one Thanksgiving memory.

As for disaster, it seems that in my parent’s house it always happened on Thanksgiving and usually involved the garbage disposal backing up and creating a HUGE mess. One year in particular it was really bad! So bad we couldn’t even have people over. My grandparents only lived a few blocks away. Long story short, grandpa brought their red Chevy station wagon over to our house with and old quilt spread out in the back and the adults loaded all the food there. My uncle and I rode in the back to keep all the bowls and pans from tilting over. While grandpa had been at our house, grandma had set the table at their house. All the food was unloaded from the station wagon and the preparation continued in grandma’s kitchen. It was one of the more memorable Thanksgivings I can remember.

15. Name five things you’re thankful for.

  1. My Faith and love of God
  2. The love of family and friends
  3. A roof over our heads
  4. Food on the table and Dirty Dishes
  5. Babies & Puppies

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Giving Thanks and Tips on Tuesday (way early)

Giving Thanks is hosted by Kelli at There is No Place Like Home

Tips on Tuesday is hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

I know I’m really early for Tips on Tuesday, but I felt this was a good one to do way early and combine with giving thanks. Thanksgiving is only 6 days away!! For many people holiday cooking can be soooooooo stressful that they never enjoy the day with their family or the wonderful food they spent all day preparing!

Having been in the restaurant business most of my life has taught me a great many things, not the least of which is being prepared. Now being prepared sounds generic, but there is being prepared with a menu, being prepared with a grocery list, being prepared with sale ads and coupons to stay on budget with that list, being prepared with table arrangement, being prepared with decorations, being prepared for disaster… being prepared to change anything and everything at the last minute.

As a child I observed all the hubbub with anticipation and excitement. My parents always argued while preparing for the family and holiday meal which created that much more stress and began my impending dread of holiday/family get togethers.

As for disaster, it seems that in my parent’s house it always happened on Thanksgiving and usually involved the garbage disposal backing up and creating a HUGE mess. One year in particular it was really bad! So bad we couldn’t even have people over. My grandparents only lived a few blocks away. Long story short, grandpa brought their red Chevy station wagon over to our house with and old quilt spread out in the back and the adults loaded all the food there. My uncle and I rode in the back to keep all the bowls and pans from tilting over. While grandpa had been at our house, grandma had set the table at their house. All the food was unloaded from the station wagon and the preparation continued in grandma’s kitchen. It was one of the more memorable Thanksgivings I can remember.

Years later when I began making the Thanksgiving meal I too began to stress over it and then I decided to change it! I remembered that story and decided being prepared and flexible was the key as I too wanted to enjoy the day.

This is where the restaurant and cooking experience came in handy. I had learned along the way that most foods taste better after the flavors have the opportunity to meld. That being said, why wait until Thursday to make everything? I start on Monday. Many of us use the same recipes year after year for these holidays which should make things easier! Here are many of the things I do in advance and a few my dad used to do that are all helpful for a stress free day.

  • A few weeks before the big holiday sit down with your recipes and take stock of your pantry as you make a menu and shopping list. Compare your list to the local sales ads and the coupons you have on hand. I try to shop on a Tuesday or Wednesday when I have the time to browse and compare if necessary. I won’t say I have never run to the store for a last minute item, but I can guarantee you I always have few enough items to use the express line. I always shake my head at those people with FULL baskets on Thanksgiving morning with the turkey proudly plopped on top of the boxed dressing.
  • Now that your menu and list is complete, plan your table and decorations. I keep it harvest and autumn themed, you know warm and cozy. For me that requires ironing the table cloth & napkins and retrieving decorations from the basement so I do this the week before. On the Tuesday before I do my dusting and arrange my decorations. Everyone is different so my biggest suggestion is pretty and comfortable so everyone has a good time. (Too formal and the whole day becomes stiff.). Then on Wednesday night after dinner and the kitchen is cleaned up I iron my tablecloth and leave it draped over the table with the napkins already in their silver rings
  • On Monday I make a BIG double batch of cranberry sauce and freeze half for Christmas. I’m already working at making my Christmas preparation stress free. LOL.
  • Usually on Tuesday I scrub and peel my potatoes and boil them. I always add salt, pepper and teaspoon of vinegar to the water. Then I drain them, place them in the mixing bowl, add the butter and cover them for the refrigerator. On Thursday all I have to do is pop them into the microwave long enough to heat them and melt the butter, add the buttermilk and seasonings and mash. This way the dirty pan has long since been washed and I don’t risk garbage disposal issues.
  • I also make my stuffing on Tuesday so the flavors can meld. I actually bake it as if it were being eaten that night. Then on Thursday I only need to heat it through instead of taking up precious oven space for a longer period of time. I often make this a double batch and freeze half for Christmas.
  • The traditional green bean casserole and glazed carrots or apricot carrot casserole are made on Tuesday too as well as any dips and appetizers.
  • I reserve Wednesday for the sweets like Pumpkin Cheesecake and Rum Raisin Carrot Cake or Bread Pudding so there are fresh, but flavorful. All the pots, pans, etc… from Tuesday and Wednesday have been washed and put away helping to alleviate A LOT of the stress.
  • Dad used to prepare the turkey on Wednesday evening. This way you can boil the carcass for a great tasting gravy and have the entire mess cleaned up before the first person arrives. He would layer the white meat on one side and the dark on the other side of the oven proof platter, but ALWAYS would spray a light mist of water between the layers. He would then seal it in a tight layer of heavy duty foil. Now it is ready to be heated in the oven the next day.

Now on Thursday all I have to do is pop the turkey in the oven, set the rest of the table, make the gravy and pour myself a glass of wine while I wait stress free!

On Sunday visit Heidi at Foxgloves, Fabric and Folly where she will list the ideas and recipes that everyone has been sending her for the holidays.

♥

Be sure and THANK a Veteran Today

Thank a VETERAN today for your freedom.
Learn more about Veterans Day here.

The Sack Lunches
I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. ‘I’m glad I have a good book to read. Perhaps I will get a short nap,’ I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation. ‘Where are you headed?’ I asked the soldier seated nearest to me. ‘Chicago – to Great Lakes Base. We’ll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we’re being deployed to Iraq ‘

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached Chicago, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time. As I reached for my wallet, I overheard soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. ‘No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn’t be worth five bucks. I’ll wait till we get to Chicago ‘ His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. ‘Take a lunch to all those soldiers.’ She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. ‘My son was a soldier in Iraq; it’s almost like you are doing it for him.’

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated.. She stopped at my seat and asked, ‘Which do you like best – beef or chicken?’ ‘Chicken,’ I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. ‘This is your thanks.’

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. ‘I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.’ He handed me twenty-five dollars. Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, an said, ‘I want to shake your hand.’ Quickly unfastening my seat belt I stood and took the Captain’s hand. With a booming voice he said, ‘I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.’ I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm. When we landed in Chicago I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. ‘It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You.’ Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals.

It seemed so little…

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life wrote a blank check Made payable to ‘The United States of America ‘ for an amount of ‘up to and including my life.’ That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.’

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Thursday 13 on Tuesday in honor of Veterans Day

I received this as an email just before Veterans Day and while I believe there is a non-violent way to get your point across, I’m also a military wife and daily astounded by the ignorance of those around me, adults and children, of their understanding of how this country was founded and still works. Here’s the email:

Dear Civilians,

‘We know that the current state of affairs in our great nation has many civilians up in arms and excited to join the military. For those of you who can’t join, you can still lend a hand. Here are a few of the areas where we would like your assistance:

  1. The next time you see any adults talking (or wearing a hat) during the playing of the National Anthem – kick their ass. (It is these adults who should be setting the example for the children of the next generation in regards to paying respect.)
  2. When you witness, firsthand, someone burning the American Flag in protest – kick their ass.
  3. Regardless of the rank they held while they served, pay the highest amount of respect to all veterans. If you see anyone doing otherwise, quietly pull them aside and explain how these veterans fought for the very freedom they bask in every second. Enlighten them on the many sacrifices these veterans made to make this Nation great. Then hold them down while a disabled veteran kicks their ass.
  4. (GUYS) If you were never in the military, DO NOT pretend that you were. Wearing battle dress uniforms (BDUs) or Jungle Fatigues, telling others that you used to be ‘Special Forces,’ and collecting GI Joe memorabilia, might have been okay when you were seven years old. Now, it will only make you look stupid and get your ass kicked.
  5. Next time you come across an Air Force member, do not ask them, ‘Do you fly a jet?’ Not everyone in the Air Force is a pilot. Such ignorance deserves an ass-kicking (children are exempt).
  6. If you witness someone calling the US Coast Guard ‘non-military’, inform them of their mistake – and kick their ass.
  7. Next time Old Glory (the US flag) prances by during a parade, get on your damn feet and pay homage to her by placing your hand over your heart. Quietly thank the military member or veteran lucky enough to be carrying her – of course, failure to do either of those could earn you a severe ass-kicking.
  8. Don’t try to discuss politics with a military member or a veteran. We are Americans, and we all bleed the same, regardless of our party affiliation. Our Chain of Command is to include our Commander-In-Chief (CinC). The President (for those who didn’t know) is our CinC regardless of political party. We have no inside track on what happens inside those big important buildings where all those representatives meet; all we know is that when those civilian representatives screw up the situation, they call upon the military to go straighten it out… If you keep asking us the same stupid questions repeatedly, you will get your ass kicked!
  9. ‘Your mama wears combat boots.’ never made sense to me – stop saying It! If she did, she would most likely be a vet and therefore could kick your ass!
  10. Bin Laden and the Taliban are not Communists, so stop saying ‘Let’s go kill those Commies!’ And stop asking us where he is! Crystal balls are not standard issue in the military. That reminds me – if you see anyone calling those damn psychic phone numbers, let me know, so I can go kick their ass!
  11. ‘Flyboy’ (Air Force), ‘Jarhead’ (Marines), ‘Doggie’ (Army), ‘Squid’ (Navy), ‘Puddle Jumpers’ (Coast Guard), etc…, are terms of endearment we use describing each other. Unless you are a service member or vet, you have not earned the right to use them. Using them could get your ass kicked.
  12. If you ever see anyone either standing for or singing the national anthem in Spanish – KICK THEIR ASS.
  13. If you got this email and didn’t pass it on – guess what – you deserve to get your ass kicked!
  14. Last, but not least, whether or not you become a member of the military, support our troops and their families. Every Thanksgiving and religious holiday that you enjoy with family and friends, please remember that there are literally thousands of soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen far from home wishing they could be with their families. Thank God for our military and the sacrifices they make every day. Without them, our country would get it’s ‘ass kicked.’
‘It’s the Veteran, not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of the press.

‘It’s the Veteran, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech.’

‘It’s the Veteran, not the campus organizer, who gives us the freedom to demonstrate.’

‘It’s the Military who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag.’

If you were offended by any of this and are not a veteran then you have an overinflated sense of entitlement and should reevaluate your beliefs and values.

For me??


My girl friend around the corner called this morning and asked if I could come over for a minute and maybe have some coffee. This is what she presented me with. Isn’t it adorable???????????

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Photo Hunt ~ Scary

At night this guy looks pretty awesome.
During the day he just scares the mail lady!
You can’t see him behind the post as you walk up
the steps until you are almost upon him.

Share Your Front Door Decor & Porches on Parade

My friend Barbara at Candy Hearts & Paper Flowers is hosting Share your front door Decor on Monday the 20th. Be sure and pop in and check it out. Over at the Inspired Room you can also find Porches on Parade.

My front door is NOT yet painted like we had hoped (we hate these colors, but there have just been so many other pressing projects – SIGH! – next year), but there is always next year. This looks especially creepy at night with the black lights on, but is hard to photograph then so we’ll have to settle for these. The fall decor behind doesn’t show well between the glass in the photo either so I took one from inside to show you. Click on a picture to enlarge for detail. This is what it looks like plain.



A few more happenings this weekend that I found over at the Inspired Room are:

Halloween festivity at Living Locurto! This is another great event that promises to be loads of fun! The party starts on Saturday. Click on her invitation!

And don’t miss the annual Halloween Party at A Fanciful Twist! Vanessa is a fabulous hostess, you will not be disappointed! Click on her invitation above to join in the fun beginning on Saturday!

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Very Vintage Halloween Swap

Thanks to Heidi over at Foxgloves, Fabric & Folly for being the perfect hostess!

My partner was Heidi over at Swirls of Creativity.

This is the package I sent to Heidi. I found this great burlap pumpkin scarecrow, Halloween treat bag with a ghost cookie recipe and cookie cutter, a sparkly ceramic ghost I made, a fall scented tower candle, hand made Halloween shaker box, and for her little ones a spring up pumpkin full of peeps, candy corn and peanut butter kisses which are all mandatory Halloween candies in this house – LOL.


Heidi sent me this adorable box with the cutest mugs for apple cider, pixie sticks, lots of adorable labels and tags, an altered journal and some super vintage fabric and bindings.

I also won this over at Mississippi Songbird. Stephanie had a Halloween Lantern giveaway. She added the cutest towel and some great candy too.

♥
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