* MY COUNTDOWN TO THANKSGIVING - DAY 7 *

* Countdown to Thanksgiving *

 

 

THIS SAYS IT ALL, DOESN'T IT?

 

 

 

* MY COUNTDOWN TO THANKSGIVING - DAY 5 *

* Countdown to Thanksgiving *

 

 

Speaking of thankfulness, I was very thankful to have the day off today...and my sweet Vern allowed me to sleep realllllyyyyyy late! (after his one-quick-go-outside-come-back-in-trip at 6:00am)

 

Then I spent a mostly lazy afternoon and evening, watching some football on TV, did a couple of loads of laundry and folded towels that were still in a basket from ___ days ago! (How grateful I am to have those clothes and towels, and electricity to clean/dry them.)

 

 

I also got a few groceries (of which I'm so appreciative)... lunch type snacks to take to work, and a small pork roast, red potatoes, and frozen corn and peas. My supper will be all ready for me when I get home from work tomorrow...because it will cook in the crockpot most of the day. Yum! I can hardly wait to get back home tomorrow!  J

 

And speaking of food, combined with my countdown to Thanksgiving.....below is one of my newest sets of Salt & Pepper shakers which I purchased at a nearby Kirkland's.

 

A turkey in a roaster

Take the turkey out of the roaster,

 and voila' ...

the turkey is the Pepper

and the roaster is the Salt!

 

These are almost as small as they look. Each piece is about 2-1/2" wide. I think they're just so cute! (The least expensive items always bring me joy.)

 ~~~



Oh, I almost forgot to mention that one of my favorite "weather events" happened yesterday....snow flurries! It was so pretty coming down and obviously didn't stick since our weather has been fairly warm.

~~~

 

 

 



“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” — Cynthia Ozick



* Nostalgic Sunday *

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday

Tonight I'm borrowing a post I did last year on November 15th. It was a Tuesday, therefore it wasn't a Nostalgic Sunday post, but it fits perfectly here.  The only thing I've changed is the "Welcome to my newest follower" which obviously makes sense. AND I'm also adding another quote or two!

Such busy times, but I'm trying to remember to take deep breaths, relax, and stay focused on what needs to be done...today, the next day, etc.

Such wise words from a little girl!

(courtesy: google)

Have I mentioned we're having our family Thanksgiving THIS Saturday? Since we're a blended family...Yours, Mine & Ours...there's more than the "usual" parents and in-laws involved, so things can get really hectic. We began celebrating this way quite a few years ago and it works really well. I always say, "How many huge Thanksgiving meals can a person be expected to eat in one day?!"

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, with Christmas a very close second. It's all about family, friends, and food! No commercialism. Every time I think about roasting the turkey, I swear I can actually smell that aroma and it brings such memories.....

(courtesy: google)

 I love to bake pies the day before. This year I'm making my usual two pumpkin pies, plus two apple pies. Oh yeah, and some banana bread with cream cheese frosting. Mmm good!

I make this type of crumble top apple pie and it's so easy.

(courtesy: google)

Welcome to my newest follower, Susan at I Think; Therefore, I Yam.  I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see! Thank you! And BTW, Susan, I LOVE your blog title. It cracks me up....as all your blog posts do!

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude." -- Denis Waitley

"Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many--not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." -- Charles Dickens



Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel. ~Author Unknown

Wishing You a Blissful Thanksgiving

Although we had our family Thanksgiving last Saturday, I'll be roasting another turkey tomorrow! The past couple of years The Ronald and I have gone to our best friends' home on Thanksgiving Day, but this year, we're the hosts. I've been having fun setting the dining room table, actually using my china and good silverware.

I put the centerpiece together, just stuck the appropriate foliage in the basket.

Can you see the turkey candle stick holders?

There are tiny personal S&P shakers at the top left of each plate, too, which I think are so cute.

In November 2001, I bought this beautiful Norman Rockwell plate. It gave me such comfort to look at, since it was only two months after the horrible events of Sept. 11, 2001.

As the months went by, I bought the other three plates that are part of this collection called:

 The Four Freedoms

Freedom from Want.

Freedom of Speech.

Freedom of Worship.

Freedom from Fear.

FDR delivered his State of the Union Address on Januray 6, 1941,

 stating these four essential human rights.

This is the best picture I could get this evening.

This picture turned out pretty well, I think....but a little dark maybe?

"Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many--not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." -- Charles Dickens





* Nostalgic Sundays *

Since we had our family Thanksgiving yesterday, I've been trying to think back all those years to my childhood Thanksgivings. At first I found it rather odd that I couldn't seem to remember anything really specific about them. Years ago, though, I heard that the best memories children have aren't those extravagant birthday or Christmas gifts, nor those vacations to Disney World, but they're the ones about snuggling at bedtime and having a book read to them, or the impromptu singing and dancing that their parents did when they heard a certain song on the radio.

I'm fairly certain when I was really young, like four and five years old, my older sisters brought a friend home for Thanksgiving dinner. They were in college at that time and there were always a few students who couldn't go home for the holiday, so they were welcomed at our house.

The only other thing I remember at the moment is that us "kids," my brother Mike and me, were each given one of the turkey legs, the drumsticks. They seemed as big as my arm and I couldn't even finish eating mine.

We didn't live near any other family members, so we never spent Thanksgiving at a relative's home.  But I was perfectly happy with My family and My home, and never felt like I was missing anything.

(As I've mentioned before, these happy memories are from the years before my parents split up.Things changed after that.)

“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” –Cynthia Ozick





Thoughts of Thanksgiving

Such busy times, but I'm trying to remember to take deep breaths, relax, and stay focused on what needs to be done...today, the next day, etc.

Such wise words from a little girl.

(courtesy: google)

Have I mentioned we're having our family Thanksgiving THIS Saturday? Since we're a blended family...Yours, Mine & Ours...there's more than the "usual" parents and in-laws involved, so things can get really hectic. We began celebrating this way quite a few years ago and it works really well. I always say, "How many huge Thanksgiving meals can a person be expected to eat in one day?!"


Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, with Christmas a very close second. It's all about family, friends, and food! No commercialism. Every time I think about roasting the turkey, I swear I can actually smell that aroma and it brings such memories.....

(courtesy: google)

 I love to bake pies the day before. This year I'm making my usual two pumpkin pies, plus two apple pies. Oh yeah, and some banana bread with cream cheese frosting. Mmm good!

I make this type of crumble top apple pie and it's so easy.

(courtesy: google)

Welcome to my newest followers: "Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes" and "Deborah Pucci" and "I'm erin!" I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see! Thank you!

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude." -- Denis Waitley

* It's Turkey Day at Our House *

Today is Thanksgiving....at our house! Over the past few years, as our family grew, we began having holiday get-togethers on the Saturday before the actual holiday. It works out great and none of the sons & daughters-in-law are stressed out about trying to be in multiple places, all at the same time!

As I type this, I can smell the turkey roasting in the oven! Mmmm....have I mentioned that I just love Thanksgiving?! I was up until midnight last night baking 2 pumpkin pies, the green bean casserole, AND a turkey breast! The turkey that's in the oven right now is a 24 lb! We need LOTS of turkey with this bunch!

I stopped to have some coffee just moments ago!

This is my favorite coffee cup to drink from this time of year.

This is what it looks like on the other side.

And this is opposite the handle.

My dining room windows face the west, so there's never good light in it, until around sunset!

Gotta run.....need to check on things in the kitchen!

Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel. ~Author Unknown