I Survived Thanksgiving 2011

Oh yes I did.  It actually was a very nice Thanksgiving.  But all week I felt like I was coming down with something.  That something would have to wait because I had too much work to do and no time for illness.  All week I practically OD'd on homeopathic meds.  I took a bunch of Zicam, Emergen-C, vitamin C, hot tea with lemon, chicken soup and anything else I could think of to kick this thing to the curb.  Tuesday night when I felt achy I even tried the power of prayer (Dear Lord, please don't let me get sick, just get me through Thanksgiving...).  It worked.  I made it through Thanksgiving and putting up the Christmas decorations on Friday.  But by Friday night, I gave out.  It got me.  I was in bed all day Saturday and Sunday trying to kick this thing so I could function on Monday.  Thanks to rest, Motrin, and Mucinex D I managed to get out of bed yesterday and get some things accomplished.  I'm still not 100% but I'm functioning so that's a bonus.

Wednesday was my cook day.  I prepped all the things I needed for Thanksgiving day and made the mashed sweet potatoes, and pies.  The pies were stinkers this year.  It took me 4 attempts at a gluten free dough before I got a usable pie crust.  I think the one I usually use would have worked but I believe I mistook "chicken breading" or "pastry flour mix".  Note to self "Label all containers in the future".  I finally ended up using Gluten Free Girl's recipe and it turned out to be the best one yet!!
Other than the threat of illness and the pie dough fiasco of 2011, Thanksgiving turned out pretty well and I hope my family enjoyed their meal (I think they did... at least they said they did).

The turkey before

The table

The turkey after

Some of us getting ready to eat

Pre tree

Post Tree

Now it's on to the next thing.  I need to finish shopping and start baking cookies.  And hopefully enjoy the Advent season a long the way.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am so blessed in my life that it would take me hours, maybe even days to list all my blessings here.

I am thankful for everything given to me (and I can even find blessings in my son's food allergies, believe it or not).

I hope all of you have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving.  As I say grace today and give thanks for all that I have, you will be on mind.

Father all-powerful,
your gifts of love are countless
and your goodness infinite.

On Thanksgiving Day
we come before you
with gratitude for your kindness:
open our hearts to concern
for our fellow men and women,
so that we may share your gifts
in loving service.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ,
your Son, who lives and reigns
with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

(from UCatholic.com)

We Have Turkey!

I knew I was getting a fresh, free range turkey from a farm, but I had NO idea it was that rural. I felt like I was driving into "Children Of The Corn". But it was all good. It was just COMPLETELY Amish and dirt road.

The best news of the day is that the turkey is indeed plucked and it appears to be gutted (I haven't actually checked).

So bring on the cooking fest (tomorrow) and the feast (Thursday).

And The Winner Is...

Yes, I'm a day late (and a dollar short, I'm sure...).

The winner of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook Software is....

Barbara H

I used Random.org to choose the winner

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:4
Thanks for entering!  I'll be contacting the winner in the next few days to let you know how to receive your free software.

Thomas Rides The Rails Once Again

I looked at the weather forecast today and they are calling for snow... lake effect snow.  This could mean we get a dusting or this could mean we get dumped on.  We usually don't put up Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving, but ....

(yes, the date on the camera is wrong..)
There is nothing more miserable than putting these things up in the snow and cold.  We won't blow him up yet, but we're ready!  Thomas is ready to ride the Christmas rails again.

We are already listening to Christmas music on Sirius XM Christmas Classics channel too.

Next up, the Christmas tree.  But that will have to wait until a day or two after Thanksgiving.

One thing at a time... :)

A Little Bit Of This, A Little Bit Of That

Oh yes, life's just been chugging along.  I promised myself I'd try and blog more, but somehow I dropped the ball again.  Maybe I need to add blogging into my daily schedule.  Of course that would mean that I add it to my iPhone Calendar.  I live and die by that calendar.  I especially like the reminders that it bings me with.  Thank goodness for that or I'd drop a lot more balls than just blogging...

1.  Soccer is over for the season.  But basketball has now started.  I feel like I live my life according to sports and not seasons.  Life with two boys means that the sporting events never end.

2.  The Little Man is still loving Tae Kwon Do and is testing for his orange belt this weekend.  Keep your fingers crossed for him :)

3.  We had snow last week.  Yes we did.

It's gone now, but you know it's only a matter of time before it comes back.  In full force.  I'm not ready...

4.  The farm around the corner from us rents fields two miles down the road.  It's the road I use to go everywhere.  Due to the amount of rain the fields have been beyond muddy.  The amount of mud they put all over the road is amazing.  My car looks like I've gone "mudding".  That means I must make weekly trips to the $5.00 car wash (which really isn't $5, but $12.  Go figure...).  I hope they're done harvesting the feed corn soon as I'm so done with all this mud.  But I will miss the colored soap portion of the car wash

Blue soap on the wind shield, pink on the sides and yellow on top.  The boys and I have decided that this is our favorite part.

4.  Thanksgiving is next week.  I bought our turkey from an Amish farm and I pick it up next week.  I'm now wishing that I would have asked if they clean out the insides and pluck it too.  Keep your fingers crossed for me.  I have no experience with gutting and plucking  (eeewww...).

5.  I'm going to try and finish all my Christmas shopping by the beginning of December.  I have a good chunk done so I need to make a list of what is left and knock it out.  I have my Christmas cards and I hope to have those addressed and sent by Thanksgiving.  I'm REALLY trying to be as organized as I can so that I can completely enjoy the season.

6.  I mentioned WEEKS ago that our powder room is under construction.  Sadly, it still is.  5.5 weeks and counting thanks to a damaged board that was delivered to us with the initial vanity delivery 3 weeks ago.  I had to email our "sales person" with a nasty gram yesterday.  I hate doing that but I REALLY need to get this bathroom finished.  This board better show up soon or I may have to pay him a visit in person. No one wants a cranky lady in their sales room... (pictures to follow if it ever gets completed).

Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead!

My Memories Digital Scrapbooking Suite: Contest Giveaway

I've always been a tried and true "paper" scrapbooker.  The problem is that I only do it 2-3 times a year.  We don't have a special place in our home for me to spread out all my stuff and leave it out.  When I scrap at home, I usually use the dining room table but then I have to pick up all my things and put them away or the house tends to look cluttered.  I've never tried digital scrap booking until the nice people at My Memories gave me a free trial of their product to try out and review. 

My Memories digital scrapbooking software is the Amazon best-seller and the #1 rated Scrapbook Software.

 First, it's easy.  It's really no different than uploading photos to your computer.  You pick the back ground you want.  Some are free and some need to be bought for a price (just like buying a paper pack for standard scrapbooking).  Then you upload your photos, add text and embellishments and you are ready to go.  In the end you compile your "pages" into a digital scrap book for printing.  You can also make calendars too (just in time for the holidays!).

The prices of the books depend on the size and type you choose.  The pricier books look stunning but I could only imagine buying one of these for a special occasion like a 50th anniversary celebration or a wedding album. 


I put together a 20 page book (printed front and back of pages) and the prices given to me were competitive or better than standard scrapbooking.

The price for the press printed books and the pure photo layflat books are more than reasonable.  If you add up the cost of the tools, embellishments, stickers, paper, pages, page covers, and time it takes to make a traditional scrap book, this type of scrap book is actually cheaper.  And it took me an hour to make my 20 page book and it takes me a couple of hours to make 5-10 pages depending on how much cutting I do.  I'm sure I'll get better the more I use The My Memories Suite and the time it takes me to the book together will be even less.

It really was an enjoyable process and there is nothing left for me to clean up.

And now for the GIVEAWAY:  To win a free download of My Memories Suite 

Digital Scrapbooking Software

1.  Go to the My Memories Digital Scrapbooking Digital Software and Scrap Book Kits 

2.  Check out the layouts and scrapbook kits
3.  Come back here and leave me a comment with the name of your favorite one
4.  Earn an extra chance if you Facebook or tweet this post or if you "like"
 My Memories Suite on Facebook or follow Follow My Memories Suite on twitter 

5.  Come back here and leave me a comment letting me how you earned your extra chances


Just for you, my readers My Memories is giving you a $10 discount
off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and 

a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store - $20 value!).  To get your discount, use coupon code: STMMMS84043 
Here are some examples of what I've done so far:

I'm getting the hang of this and it's fun!  I hope you enjoy the contest and the coupon.  The contest will be open until November 17, 2011 5 pm EST.

You don't need a blog to win.  Please leave your e-mail address so that I can contact the winner.
The software is a $40.00 value (and don't forget the two $10.00 coupons on the side - code STMMMS84043.  That's a $60.00 value).

                            

Halloween was uneventful

Having an uneventful Halloween is a good thing when you have a food allergic child.  He went out and got his treats, we sorted them when he got home and now we are going through them to see what we'll keep and what we'll donate for the troops.  I have pictures of them in there costumes, but they are still in my camera so I'll post those later.

I can't believe it's November 1 already.  As I took down the indoor Halloween decorations (hoping to do outdoor tomorrow) I felt like I had just put them up.  It hardly seems like I did it 30 days ago.  Which then got me to thinking about the next big holiday.  I sent out invitations for Thanksgiving dinner and the only thing left to do is to find a place that will sell me a fresh local turkey.  The place I had last year isn't doing it, so I have a week or so to hunt down a new one.  Thanksgiving is all about the cooking.  The 3 days before Thanksgiving will have my kitchen humming along with allergy friendly food prep.  I like to cook so that isn't an issue.  Now if I could just find some "helpers" to clean up all the kitchen mess I'd be in good shape.

It's hard to believe that in less than 30 days we'll be putting up our Christmas decorations.  I'm a little freaked out by the thought.  But the Husbands company Christmas party is at our home not long after Thanksgiving so once the turkey day left overs are bagged and in the fridge, out come the Christmas decorations.  Is it me, or does this time of year seem like a big blur sometimes?  I'd just like to enjoy one holiday before I have to think of another.

I have some Christmas shopping done but need to make time to make out a list for the rest.  Fall always has me nesting and I thought about buying a whole new bedding set (tight budget you say??) but I pulled out the "winter set" and fell in love with it again.  There's a couple hundred dollars saved (and the Husband breathes a sigh of relief).  We have a wedding to go to this weekend and I also have the aforementioned company Christmas party and I planned on going shopping for a couple of new outfits this week too (thanks to a few extra pounds).  Thanks to Spanx I think I can bag that shopping trip too (saving several hundred dollars since I found 2 dresses, a coat, some shirts and pants that I NEEDED on line... and the Husband breathes a BIG sigh of relief).  I have two different outfits that appear to work now (and the one for this weekend better work or I'll be wearing Under Armour shorts and T shirt to this wedding... not a good look).

Speaking of Christmas, I'm working on a review for some digital scrap booking software (Christmas calendars anyone?) so stay tuned for that.  I'm a tried and true "paper" scrap booker so it's taking me a while to figure out this software, but when I do, I'll let you know what I think and I have coupon codes too.

I'm babbling now, aren't I?  I started with Halloween and some how ended up at Christmas....

Well, I hope your Halloween was a happy, safe, and reaction free one!