Ten Days Till Turkey

It's beginning to look a lot like Thanksgiving around here! 

Refreshment table food labels from a recent party

Updated welcome sign on our front porch

My newest Thanksgiving decoration, a solar-powered turkey!

Pumpkins, pine cones, and pilgrim squirrels

Happy Turkey Day!

May your stuffing be tasty.

May your turkey be plump.

May your potatoes and gravy

Have never a lump.

May your yams be delicious

And your pies take the prize,

And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off of your thighs!

One More Week!

Home Stretch!

Even though I haven't been posting the Thanksgiving countdown regularly with fun holiday projects and photos like I did last year, the countdown has been happening since 50 days out on my office door.  I can't believe this is only my third Turkey Day post this year!  I blame it on the whirlwind month of October (due mostly to work...)  But we've made it to the home stretch--only 10 days till turkey feasting and a much-needed break from work!

Being Thankful

It's almost Thanksgiving time again!  The decorations went up at home this past weekend, and I've been counting down since October...

My Top 10 Reasons to be Thankful

1. My wonderful husband who loves me and supports me unconditionally (even when my logic doesn't make sense to him)
2. The strong faith Dave and I share and our wonderful church community
3. Our parents who are great models for us with their combined 70+ years of marriage
4. The proximity of our siblings and their families so we can get together regularly
5. Two best friends who would do anything for me and who have helped me through life's up and downs
6. Jobs that allow us to live relatively debt free and to save for our future
7. A home of our own with a brand new roof to keep us warm and dry (even though the HOA sometimes drives me crazy)
8. Plenty of food in the pantry and clothes in our closet
9. Sweet Skeeter who can make everything better by curling up in my lap and purring
10. All of the small things that make me smile: the yarn aisle at the hobby store, cheesecake, Sharpies and Post-its, a hot cup of tea, adorable baby animals, ice cream, etc.

I am truly blessed!

The Countdown Returns

A Pumpkin and a Plan: Part II

The ingredients were ready to make Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies (aka "test run cookies" before I attempted the recipe for Pumpkin White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies).

The batter was a little gooier than expected (but so was the homemade pumpkin puree), so I added some corn starch and a little more flour...and then *after* I had baked the first batch, I realized that I had forgotten to add the oatmeal. Since there wasn't much of a pumpkin taste to the first cookies, I also added 1/4 tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice to the second batch.

The last tray of "test run cookies" from the second batch (with oatmeal and Pumpkin Pie Spice) died a horrible death when the wax paper I used as a cookie sheet liner started smoking so badly that I'm surprised the smoke detector didn't go off.  I thought I'd read somewhere that wax paper was okay in the oven--guess it's not!  Dejected at what seemed like such an epic cookie fail, I turned off the oven and rifled through my recipes till I found a cookie recipe I had most of the ingredients to bake.

After a grocery run (and dinner), I made Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.  They actually look like the picture on the recipe, so yay!  Next time, I'll prep the recipe in half because it had trouble staying in the mixer (just the opposite of too-gooey cookie batter).

I *will* attempt Pumpkin White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies again, but this time I think I'll stick to canned pumpkin...

A Pumpkin and a Plan: Part I

Thanksgiving week, Monday evening: The pumpkin is baked and mashed in preparation for baking 

Oven roasted pumpkin, ready to be scooped

After scooping, mash the pumpkin into a puree

Thanksgiving week, Wednesday afternoon: The pumpkin is prepped for an evening of baking 

Only had to work a half day, and all the co-workers knew I was going home to bake

Used the blender to puree the pumpkin "applesauce" into pumpkin "baby food"

Holiday Week

A shout out to everyone else who has to work this week--I hope you are able to get away in three days for thankfulness and turkey-feasting among family and friends!

Friday Funny

It's been a while since I've posted a Friday Funny, so how about a Thanksgiving-themed funny?

 

Only 6 more days till turkey feasting!  And hopefully everyone will be healthy--no sudden-onset 24-hour bugs (me this past week...) or pilgrim-shared small pox!

Too Cute

Today's turkey art is brought to you by my BFF's daughter.

Auntie Karen loves you, Miss Faith!

Only one more week until Thanksgiving!

Happy Turkey

When I first saw the adorable ribbon turkey on She's {kinda} Crafty, I immediately emailed him to my mother with a request that she please make him for me for Thanksgiving.

Stacy's Ribbon {Gobbler}

Mom didn't have cute ribbon to work with, so she made her own version with scrapbook paper. He came to work with me today and is now leader of the countdown turkeys on my door.  He's got a Post-It in his beak informing everyone how many days are left till Thanksgiving.  FYI, just 10 more days!

More Decor

Two adorable mini-posters from Pinterest printed by Snapfish: $2.75

Eat Pie

Gobble On

Two simple acrylic 5x7 frames from the Dollar General: $2.00

More Turkey Day adorableness on my mantle: PRICELESS

Only a dozen more days until Thanksgiving!

Green Bean Casserole

Only two weeks till Thanksgiving! Dave and I have a Thanksgiving potluck dinner with friends this weekend, and the dish I always bring is green bean casserole. It's a very basic recipe given to me by my mother (who probably got it from the back of a can of cream of mushroom soup or something).

Yeah, my casserole doesn't look that pretty when it's done...

Mom's Green Bean Casserole

3/4 cup of milk

1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 - 14.5 oz cans of French cut green beans (drained)

2/3 cup French fried onions for mixing into the casserole

2/3 cup French fried onions to serve on top of the cooked casserole

• Mix the first four ingredients together in an 8x8 dish
• Cook at 350° for 30 minutes
• Garnish cooked casserole with the remaining French fried onions

I've seen some recipes with 1/8 tsp pepper and/or 1 tsp of soy sauce added to the mix as well!

This year's special ingredient: Cheddar French Fried Onions!

Leafy Blessings

Yet again, I found inspiration on Pinterest. If you follow the "Thankful Leaves" pin back to its origin, you'll find that you can purchase the kit online. Instead, I found a free leaf template (thank you, Google search) and got crafty!  Oh, and does anyone else find it amusing that chocolate and Diet Coke rank right up there with Jesus?  LOL!

Only 16 days until Thanksgiving, so what are you thankful for?

Intruder Alert

I received my first Christmas card over the weekend. Granted it was from my sponsor child in Ecuador and the postal service is less reliable internationally so I can understand mailing it early... but still...

17 days until Thanksgiving!

Turkeys on Parade

I've been counting down the weeks/days till Turkey Day at work as well as on the blog. Each time we reach a significant mark (according to me), I add a new turkey post-it to my office door. I hope to have an entire flock by November 24th!

P.S. Three weeks till Thanksgiving!

Lucky Number

Only 25 days (my favorite number) till Turkey Day!  Here's some healthy inspiration for the holiday... do you prefer fruit or veggie turkey?  And thank you to Pinterest for the inspiration...

One Month!

Thanksgiving is only a month away!
 

I have a tube of sugar cookie batter in the freezer and a bag of candy corn on the kitchen counter, but I'm doubting whether or not I have the patience to sit down with a tube of frosting and put them together to make these adorable cookies...

Countdown to T-Day

Poor Thanksgiving always gets neglected between Halloween and Christmas in retail-land, so this year I'll be doing a countdown on my blog to everyone's favorite turkey-eating holiday. Only five weeks till that wonderful meal that leads to a food-induced coma!