nothing new . . .

Which means, unfortunately for me, that the internet is still out, which means NO PHOTOS! Bummer! I so have a whole slew of them I'd like to share! Patiently I'll wait.

I've been dealing with a lot of pain and aggravated swelling of my foot this past week. I'm not sure what's happened. When I first switched from the Mobic to the Celebrex and started wearing the compression stockings, the swelling got so much better. Now it seems to be almost as bad as it was, and the pain has gotten worse. Not just when I walk, either. Sometimes I'm in bed awake for hours waiting for the pain to subside enough for me to sleep. *sigh* Tuesday I pick up my custom orthodic inserts. Perhaps that will make a difference.

Enough of THAT!

I spent today doing this and that in the sewing room. More of that later, when I can show pictures!

I also spent today doing one of my favorite things: watching The Walton's -- all the Thanksgiving movies and the original movie, The Walton's Homecoming. It gets me into the holiday spirit!! Yay!

Last, since I can't share photos, I thought I'd share one last holiday tradition that we start over the Thanksgiving weekend, and make through the New Year. Eggnog!! It's not homemade, but it's not completely store bought, either. Consider it a 'semi-homemade' recipe. It's not as thick or cloyingly sweet as the stuff you buy in the store -- my family loves it!

Semi-Homemade Eggnog
(makes one gallon)

1/2 gallon of store bought eggnog (I use Publix brand)
1 quart whole milk
1 quart half and half
1 Tbls vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup granulated splenda
1-1/2 tsp nutmeg

Mix in a one gallon container. Shake well before serving.

Note: This is definitely *not* a low-fat, low-calorie drink! But boy-howdy it is GOOD!

I'm putting this Thanksgiving weekend to bed.

Be a blessing; be blessed!

:)

tables on parade . . .

Since we can't all be together on Thanksgiving day, photos fly fast and furious before, during and after the feasting! One tradition I mentioned earlier, in my holiday traditions part 1 post was setting a festive table! I got my flair from my mom; she's always been able to set a gorgeous table for every occasion! This Thanksgiving was no different . . .

Very elegant and pretty, non?

I love this handsome fellow on her sideboard, too!

My youngest sister, Laura, also hosted their Thanksgiving meal in Texas. She's evidently picked up the creative table setting flair, too!

I thought her center was very sophisticated and elegant! I love the little touch of the birds in the silvery branches!

What fun it would have been to sit at her table!

Ah, but there's one more table in our family's table parade . . .

My Jocey set a beautiful Thanksgiving table yesterday -- and it was the first time she's ever hosted a family Thanksgiving! She had fun pulling out her pretty china, as well as some of the pretty serving dishes she inherited when we moved to the RV. One of my favorites is the turkey cranberry dish, top right in the photo above.

Joc made the most darling, personalized name cards, too!

I got the acorn!

And here is the main course, Mr. Tom Turkey himself!

He cooked just as fine in Joc's oven as he ever has in mine. In fact, Todd commented that it was one of the best turkeys he'd tasted!

Of course the thing that our little branch of the family had, that no other family got to enjoy was this little dumpling . . .

My darling Sawyer enjoyed his first Thanksgiving -- especially the green beans and the mashed potatoes!

Especially the mashed potatoes.

And more mashed potatoes.

"Grandma, I can't believe I ate the whole thing!"

That's okay, he cleans up quickly. And all ready for pumpkin pie!

We are blessed!

:)

happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Delights

On Thanksgiving Day we’re thankful for
Our blessings all year through,
For family we dearly love,
For good friends, old and new.

For sun to light and warm our days,
For stars that glow at night,
For trees of green and skies of blue,
And puffy clouds of white.

We’re grateful for our eyes that see
The beauty all around,
For arms to hug, and legs to walk,
And ears to hear each sound.

The list of all we’re grateful for
Would fill a great big book;
Our thankful hearts find new delights
Everywhere we look!

By Joanna Fuchs
I have so very much to be thankful for this year.
I will eagerly spend this day counting my blessings
and giving thanks with a grateful heart!

And in everything, big and small, good and bad,
I count it all joy.

Happy Thanksgiving, dear family & friends!

:)

tidbits . . .

Really, there's nothing quilt-y going on this week, at least until after tomorrow. Thanksgiving is occupying my thoughts and actions -- and rightly so!

I can report that the fabric my daughter and I ordered for the nursery, arrived yesterday! It's *so* cute!! It's way cuter in my hands, than it was from the pictures (and it was cute, there)! I'm excited to get to working on it -- over the Christmas holiday, I'm thinking!

I also got another fun little surprise in yesterday's mail. I enter lots and lots of BH&G's online contests and never think another thing about it. Evidently I actually was a winner in one of them! We got a DVD of Robin Hood in yesterday's mail, compliments of Better Homes & Gardens. Whoohoo!! Would that it were that $20,000 prize I was gunning for, but hey, I'm pretty happy with the DVD! :)

Work today, pie-baking tonight, stuffing in the morning and then a trip to my daughter's house to help her stuff & prep the big bird. Back home to finish up pies and yeast rolls, shower, and back to Joc's house for our Thanksgiving celebration. Whew!

In the hustle and bustle over the next twenty-four hours or so, be sure to take time out to consider all the things there are to be thankful for.

Gobble, gobble!

:)

Batik Table Runner Made Without Wax

A Beautiful Table runner is made by Prairie Mother

Using an old seed corn sack, stencils, glue and acrylic paint

She made a beautiful piece of artwork to enjoy this Thanksgiving holiday! 

Visit her site for a fun and easy tutorial here

.

holiday traditions part 1 . . .

Over at Charming Chatter, the home of the Charming Girls' Quilt Club, the theme for the next two months is:

(Click on the button to see the post, and check out
others' holiday traditions!)

A lot of folks are sharing their combined holiday traditions, or just their Christmas traditions, but I wanted to break my traditions down to two separate posts, one for Thanksgiving and one for Christmas. I *love* Thanksgiving and as a genuine Mayflower descendant, I rightfully wanted it to have it's own limelight!

Since I was a little girl, the table setting has always been important.

Between pretty serving dishes and full place settings . . . there's never an inch of free space on our Thanksgiving table!

I love arranging flowers, so I make sure we have fun and pretty table center!

Grandpa's fudge has been a must at every Thanksgiving I can remember! In my thirties, the job of making the official Thanksgiving fudge was passed on to me. I've faithfully made it each year, until two years ago, when my daughter decided she wanted to be the official maker-of-the-fudge. This is the best homemade fudge I've ever had -- an old BH&G recipe, tweaked by my grandpa!

Rarely does a piece of fudge make it past Thanksgiving day!

Growing up there were always at least two tables, and invariably one was a kid's table. I always wanted to sit at the adult's table -- I thought the kids' table was unfair! Then when I was finally able to sit at the adult's table, I missed the hilarity of the kids' table! I resolved when I was younger that I'd do my best to work tables so that everyone sat together!

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade is a must. It will always be a must, just like football is a must for a lot of the men in my family. I've always pulled dinner together to the happy sounds of the parade!

As my sisters and I got older, we watched The Sound of Music on Thanksgiving evening. I've not ever been able to quite get my family to jump on that particular bandwagon, but we always do watch something! The last few years it's been The Santa Clause, which is another of my favorites and seems like an appropriate way to ease into the Christmas season.

When Todd and I first married and the kids and I moved to Alabama (1996), it was the first time I'd been responsible for Thanksgiving dinner (and the turkey) on my own! In fact, there had only been three other times I'd missed Thanksgiving dinner with my folks and family! One thing that quickly became a tradition for our new family Thanksgiving dinners was that everyone got their favorite pie! Joc's was blueberry glace, James wanted apple, Todd always asked for pecan, and I made a pumpkin for myself and Todd's dad. The desserts were nearly as important as the turkey!

Another family tradition was the playing of spoons . . . this actually happens pretty much whenever members of my expanded family get together! We've been playing for years and years, and the game has made it into the next generation! It's fun because it's a game easily played by folks of *all* ages!

I think spoons were being grabbed up in this photo!

Last year was the last time for us to have Thanksgiving in our home; this year new traditions begin and our darling daughter will host the family Thanksgiving gathering! If I were going to give her tips on making it less stressful, I'd share the following things:

Write a list of the things you need to do and to cook. Stuff is less likely to be forgotten in the hustle/bustle of the day if you've got a list to go by!

Set the table the day before and put a sheet over it (to keep out dust and cats).

Put your serving dishes out and label them so you remember what goes where!

Don't feel bad asking for help; both in getting your home ready and in food preparation.

Don't sweat the small stuff!

Don't feel compelled to rush to the kitchen to clean up after dinner! Spend time with your guests, allow your food to settle, and enjoy the day!

Know how you're going to handle leftovers!

My last tradition regarding Thanksgiving? I keep up my fall/harvest decorations up until the first Saturday past November 30th. Then I switch out to Christmas!

Gobble, gobble!

:)

pumpkins and post four hundred . . .

I was so surprised to see that this is my 400th post! Granted, it's been since 2003, but *still*! Makes me think I should give something away or something . . . I may do a Thanksgiving giveaway, in appreciation for my seven blogging years and 400+ posts. Yeah!

So many pull out the pumpkins for October, and kick 'em to the curb when November rolls around. Not me . . . I'm just getting good and comfy with my pumpkins! Allow me to share . . .

My sweet daughter brought me back some yummy Pumpkin Pie Tea from her trip to Seattle. I had some this morning. It was the perfect compliment to a chilly November morning!

And it smelled oh-so-good as it steeped! A little sugar and cream -- it was like having warm pumpkin pie in a cup! YUM!

A cute little quilted pumpkin mat is a perfect counter adornment.

And then my favorite turkey . . .

Isn't he grand? I had a plain, brown one I'd gotten a long time ago, but I'd had it in my car when I had the wreck, and not all the pieces survived. I was determined to get another.

Imagine my delight to find this handsome fellow, and at 50% off, too! But then I realized I needed a pumpkin, and I hadn't purchased one this year. Rut roh. Last night on may way home and on a whim, I stopped in at a local nursery, and asked them how much for a pumpkin. The fellow behind the counter, who I believe may have been the owner, looked at me funny and asked, "What in the world do you want a pumpkin for? October's over! Just take one; we'll be tossing them soon anyway." Score!

Pumpkin goodness. Ah, yes!

Happy Friday, folks -- we have lots of campers in this weekend, so I'm sure we'll be busy!

:)

Kids Thanksgiving Arts and Crafts

Visit Craft Kaboose for the complete tutorials 

http://crafts.kaboose.com/holidays/thanksgiving/index.html