Thanksgiving

I know I'm a little late with this post;) I meant to post on Thanksgiving eve, but the whole busyness of cooking overtook me. Add to that the fact that I promised the kids they could each choose and make a dish, which somewhat prolonged the job... but it was lots of fun all around:)

The Professor made the mashed potatoes (and learned that there are lots of different things you can stick in there) the Artist made deviled eggs (reminding me of a summer picnic, but it was his choice) and the Princess made turkey cookies... she always seems to sneak cookies in somehow:)

We enjoyed stuffing ourselves after the obligatory picture was taken. The boys had each written a little essay on what they were thankful for (have to sneak those essays in where you can) and we enjoyed hearing them.

On to the games. This board game is all the craze at our house right now. It's called stratego and reminds me of another version of chess, but using numbers along with the strategy. The Princess will play this game non-stop (provided she can find willing partners) and I have noticed it is sharpening her maths skills a bit. Like I said, gotta sneak it in where you can.

All in all, it was a wonderful, relaxing day.

Black Friday (I'm doubling up on posts here:). Hubby did the rush-out-to-get-the amazing-deal on this day. He was back about 30 minutes later with the items in hand (no kidding). Around 8 AM I left to pick up the usual socks and pajamas at 1/2 price, along with the boy's matching Christmas sweaters. They were Oshkosh (the sweaters) and regularly priced $32. each; I paid $13 for them! Anyway, that was pretty much the extent of my shopping, other than a few little odds and ends.

So that brings us to the present day. I plan to reorganize my bathroom today, and pull out all the Christmas decorating stuff. Hopefully we'll have our tree up by the end of the day. I didn't want to change my colors on my blog though til I had wrapped up Thanksgiving:)

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving as well. See you on Monday!

Thanksgiving Shopping

I don't usually do what-I-bought-out-shopping posts. But yesterday I was able to take advantage of some get-you-in-the-door Thanksgiving sales that were quite good. Of course, good prices are relative depending on your location. I remember 11 years ago when I moved from Indiana to Oregon. That was a shock. I actually thought Washington apples would be cheaper once I lived next door to Washington State... apparently not.

However, I've adjusted somewhat. And being on a gleaner's program has been a big help. Anyway, here's a few of the deals I was able to take advantage of:

3 dozen eggs @ $1.15 each
4 Tillamook 1lb butter @ $1.77 each (regular local price $3.75 each)
3 boxes of chex cereal (variety) @ $1.38 per box
6 Jimmy Dean Sausage @ $1.99 each (regular local price $3.49 each)
3 lb bag Sunkist tangerines @ $1.99 bag
10 lbs Garnet yams @38 cents per lb
2 bags Ocean Spray cranberries @$1.99 each
3 Sarah Lee 100% honey whole wheat bread @ .99 cents each
2 can (20oz) gift-pack of Planters nuts Jumbo cashews/Mixed nuts @ $2.99 (half-price)
2 boxes Ritz whole wheat crackers @ $2.28 per box
2 Large heads of cauliflower @ $1.28 per head
14 lb Norbest TURKEY @ 22 cents per lb = $2.78
14 lb Butterball TURKEY @ 58 cents per lb = $7.77

I bought more than this of course. But these were the items that were especially good deals for around here. Which makes a huge difference in our food budget. I have to admit that I go a little turkey crazy this time of year; when else can you get meat for under 60 cents a lb? So I stock up each year. My family loves Turkey, so we should have no problem eating the 4 I have in the freezer right now...;)

Well, I'm back to my very long to-do list for this week. With hubby being home (and no homeschool), I should be able to get a lot accomplished this week. At least that's what I'm telling myself:)

Recipe Fun Friday- Peanut Butter Bears

This week has flown by so quickly. I didn't get the chance to try a new recipe, so I pulled down one of my Kid's Cookbooks this morning, and picked out something I thought they would enjoy making. So here is this weeks recipe:

Peanut Butter Bears
1 cup shortening (I used butter)
1 cup Peanut Butter
1.5 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1.5 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat shortening and peanut butter on medium speed. Add sugars and baking soda, mixing well. Beat in eggs and vanilla til the mixture is smooth. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time. Beat in any remaining flour (in the bowl) with a wooden spoon.

Bear instructions Shape dough into following sizes: Large ball(1 inch) for body. 3/4 inch for head. 1/2 inch balls (6) for hands, feet, and ears. 1/4 inch ball for nose. Or do them any size you want:)

Bake for 10-12 minutes until light brown. Add mini chocolate chips for eyes and belly button (yes, that's what that is). If you're cheap like me, you'll use regular chips because it's what you have on hand;) Although the giant belly buttons do look rather odd, lol.

To join in Recipe fun Friday, stop by Nikki's Notes and link up.

Have a wonderful weekend~

The Thanksgiving Tree

Today I decided to take a little time off of our school projects we've been working on to make this thanksgiving tree with the kids. Here are the instructions if anyone is interested: I used a 20 oz metal can for the base. We made plaster of paris from a mixture of flour (2 cups) and water (1.3 cups), with about 2 Tbsp of glue mixed in. It filled the can up halfway. Then we added rocks on top of the plaster to give it more stability. The kids filled out the leaves and then we taped them to the branch/tree.

It was fairly easy, and my kids really enjoyed it. It was interesting to see what they chose to put on each of their individual leaves. The Professor was thankful for school and books. The artist for his legos and family. The Princess for Ginger, the puppies, and Jesus. They also chose Bible verses with a thankful theme to add to some of the leaves.

As for myself, I'm thankful this week is going by so quickly. Friday starts our Thankgiving vacation school-wise, and I am so looking forward to having a week off. My husband will also have the week off from work, so the kids will get to spend extra time with Dad.

And so ends another exciting post;) Have a great week!

A few awards

I was pleasantly surprised to find that over the weekend I was given an award(s) by two of my favorite fellow bloggers.

Kristy at Homemakers Cottage has graciously given me the Marie Antoinette Real Person Award. I've enjoyed reading about Kristy (a Pastor's wife) and her families day to day activities over the last year or so. But I also go to her blog because of the many posts she has written (and will hopefully continue to write) on issues that I think are important for Christian women to consider. So many times she writes exactly what I want to write on an important topic, but so much better than I possibly could. I know she has helped many of us to be better wives and mothers. So thank you Kristy for this award, I definitely consider it a compliment coming from you.

Frasypoo of This and That has also given me the Let them eat cake (keeping it real) Award. I think these are possibly the same award (being that it was Marie Antoinette who made that memorable remark), but in case I'm wrong I wanted to list it both ways. Frasypoo is "a Southern Peach by way of India" to put it in her own words. She writes colorful posts on a variety of topics, including politics. I appreciate her passion for life, and for the Republican party;) Thank you so much for giving me this award Frazy. It's good to see your friendly "face" in the blog world once again.

I'm passing this award on to two fellow bloggers. The first one, Marva, has been a blogging friend for a while now. She has gone through some truly trying times this past year. In spite of it all, she continues to have a sweet, positive spirit. Sometimes she blogs about the nitty gritty, or not so enjoyable times in life, but she rarely fails to point out that God is still good in spite of the circumstances. So I wanted to pass this award on to you friend, and also let you know that you and your family are in my prayers.

The next person I'm passing this award to is Gwendolyn. My limited blogging time the last few months has meant that I've mostly stayed within my little circle of blogging friends. However, I make a habit of always visiting the blogs of those who comment on my own blog, and that's how I found her. I don't know her very well, but I have to say that she has a talent for taking mundane things and making them quite humorous in a tongue-in-cheek way. Who else could find comfort in the fact that Barack Obama hates beets? :) So Gwendolyn, I'm passing this award to you for making me laugh while keeping it real.

I'm off to two Dental appointments this morning. I really dread going to the Dentist, regardless of who actually goes into the room to be worked over;) I make a habit of reminding myself that we are fortunate to have Dental coverage at all, and that helps to keep the panic down to a workable level (or so I tell myself).

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Is it Friday already?

This week has gone by so quickly. Between puppies (taking up much too much of my time) and homeschooling projects, it's seems as if it's just been one looong day.

It doesn't help that I have a ovarian cyst that chose to act up this week as well. I get so frustrated when I'm feeling fine one moment, only to be down on the floor rolled up into a ball the next moment. It honestly feels like being in labor all over again. Fortunately, I had some vicoden to combat the pain. Unfortunately, it tends to more and more give me migraines and nausea as a side effect. All in all, it's completely exhausting. But when you have kids to care for, you just have to push through it. So I'm pretty worn out from pushing this week;)

But I'm not sure any of that can be blamed for my lack of posting. My mind has just been overwhelmed with thoughts this week. We're contemplating making some possible big changes for our family, and going over the pro's and con's has been quite consuming. Before we had children it was so much easier to make these decisions. Now, we have to look at the far-reaching effects, and that's not always easy to figure out. I really don't mean to be all cloak and dagger about it, but I just can't say more at this point.

I'm afraid I don't have a recipe to post this week. At least not yet. Sometimes I manage to try something new for our Friday family fun night, so maybe I'll add that later.

We are supposed to have unusually nice weather here, so we're planning to take advantage of it by visiting one of the state parks. My children (and hubby) love hiking, so I might just settle under a big tree with a good book, and let them hit the trails.

Have a wonderful weekend~

Old-fashioned Romance

I am not a chick-flick movie person. Give me a mystery, or someone chasing a criminal (which is kind of the same thing) instead any time. I admit it's an awkward admission when I find myself with a group of women discussing their favorite new romantic movie. Is it just me, or are all of them pretty much the same story with different faces? Sometimes not even different faces...

Well, in spite of the fact that our home is TV-free (no, I'm not gonna get on a soapbox about that), I do still manage to drag out a movie now and then and attempt to fit in with the rest of the world;)

So to distract myself from the stomach cramps that made walking quite difficult (I won't bore you with that explanation either), I put on an old movie I dug out of a box: Jane Eyre.

This was a quite old version (it had that odd and creepy 60's music), I'm not sure if they've made a modern remake of this one or not. It had George C. Scott in it, and some lady I didn't recognize. Of course, most of you probably don't recognize his name anyways,lol.

I must say, it's been a long time since I read the book. And it's a somewhat depressing story in many ways, but it was SO romantic!

Which is really hard to figure out, because they all stayed thoroughly clothed the whole time, and not one word that they spoke would I be embarrassed to say in front of my own father. No cigarettes, no wild parties. They did hug at one point, but no record-setting lip-locking going on...ewww.

And I'm thinking that's why it was romantic. There was a mystery and mystique about it that was completely enchanting. I found myself wishing they would show Jane and Edward years down the road, still in love with each other for all the right reasons. And maybe throw in a few ankle-biters for good measure.

Am I hopelessly old-fashioned? I suppose so.

Oh well, fitting in is highly over-rated anyway;) But if you like old chick-flicks, this is one I highly recommend.

Veterans Day

With the recent elections, I've already done my share of patriotic posts for this month. So I thought I would share this link to an article titled "The true meaning of Veterans Day largely forgotten in America."

We have the day off of school today, which is definitely a treat, and we'll be going to a friend's new house for lunch and a play-date. But we will also take some time out to talk about what this day means to us, and the importance of observing it.

So thank you to each Veteran who has faithfully served our Country. Your sacrifice and willingness to serve are greatly appreciated. You are the reason why our Flag still waves proudly.

Mom's Time Out

This morning I'm leaving for a Ladies Conference with 20 other women from my church (including Mrs.Darling). I admit I always dread leaving my family, even if only for a few days. I have a tooth that is giving me a bit of trouble, so I'm taking a strong pair of pliers... don't think I haven't thought about it;)

It should be a lot of fun. I'm not always as keen on the shopping,shopping,shopping... So I'm planning on taking a good book along with me for some of those times. It's hard to stay on a budget when temptation calls like that.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend~

Drowning in Puppies

Our puppies are cute, really they are. And I do feel a great deal of affection towards them.

But... I'm tired of cleaning up their messes. And why do all eight of them have to time their business 5 minutes apart from each other. By the time I finish cleaning up from the last one, the first one has started the cycle all over again. *sigh*

For a few blissful days last week they were outside. But with the colder, rainy weather they are back inside. They are now where my large kitchen table used to be (in an enclosed pet yard) and we are using the card table when we eat meals.

No, we do not have a garage. So, yes, they must be inside. Or down at my landlord's shop. He thinks it would work perfectly down there. Sure, in one hours time they would be covered in their own... well, it just wouldn't work. He's thinking I'm home anyway, so I could just trot down there all through the day and care for them.

And if you say we should have thought of this before we had puppies, I will most likely growl at you. You may not hear it, but I'll be doing it just the same. I thought tying my dog up during that special time in her life would prevent this. Now I know it doesn't if the other dog is let off it's leash.

My landlord (whose dog is the father) has already mentioned doing this again next year. He says you can make so much money breeding and selling.

Must be nice if you don't have to do all the clean-up;) After all, if I wanted to clean up refuse (animal or otherwise) I'd wear a hazmat suit and go for bigger bucks.

Okay. I admit that after I clean up their messes, and they trot up to me and stare at me with their soulful little eyes, I soften just a little bit. And it is comforting to hold them and have them snuggle up close (when they're not knawing on me with their sharp little teeth).

But right now I'm cranky. I don't handle dealing with waste products before breakfast very well.

And I'm running low on my supply of Yankee candles;)

EDIT: Okay, I'm fessing up here. While I do have morning duty (and late night), all of my children have been enlisted into the "potty patrol." If I had to do it myself all the time, I'd boot the cute little things right out the door! Well, maybe;)

Are you proud to be an American?

I was reading an online newspaper and happened upon this statement from an Obama supporter: "If Obama wins the election, I will then be proud to be an American."

This statement amazed me. You see, I've never considered that my pride in being a citizen of this Country had anything to do with who sat in the Oval office. If that were true, I would very possibly be proud only every four to eight years.

The good, or bad, that Mr.Obama will do is yet to be seen. It could take years to see if he will actually follow through on what he has said he will do.

But our Ancestors have already stood the test. They courageously took a trip across treacherous seas to come to a new land. A land that promised freedoms that they hoped and dreamed of. Freedoms that cost many hardships and loss of lives.

And what of the many, many soldiers who have given their lives in so many battles throughout history? I would say that they have certainly stood the test.

How could I attach to one man my feeling towards my Country, when many men and women have bravely paved the way for the life that I am allowed to live here?

Does everything about America made me feel proud? No, certainly not.

When I see a picture of our American flag lying on the ground engulfed in flames as an expression of free speech... my heart is saddened.

When I hear of kindergarten children being asked to fill out cards provided by their school teacher in support of freedom of sexual choice... I am deeply disturbed.

And when I think of that most innocent of creatures, an unborn human being, being sucked into a sink, because of someones desire to selfishly be "free" of the responsibility... I wonder if some of those among us can even have a conscience.

But I still believe America is the greatest country in the world.

And for those whose pride is tied to one man or ideal: I hope that you will one day understand what true pride in being an American is and should be.

Because until you do, you will never truly be able to appreciate or be grateful to those who have given you that privilege.

Election Day

On this momentous day I wanted to share a story I came across last night. The thought that so many of us Americans will take time out of our everyday, busy schedules to have a voice and say in what goes on in our country is exciting to me. No doubt roughly half the country will not be happy with the outcome, but we'll have done our duty, and what is also a privilege.

This link has nothing to do with election day. Rather, it's the story of a man who served his country well, and has now passed away. So while many claim to be heroes, please take time to read about one who earned that right. Here's the link: John Ripley, who led 600 in battle against 20,000 Vietemese, dies at 69.

Happy Birthday Hubby

So my husband is officially over the hill today. The Big 4-0. I can't believe I'm married to someone that old, lol;)

Since our birthdays are so close together, we decided to go out to eat sometime between the two to celebrate them. Plus, he received a bonus gift card (something his company likes to do) to Olive Garden, and it's a huge treat to go there. Still trying to work that into the schedule.

The #1 word I would use to describe my hubby: Unselfish. He truly is the most unselfish person I know. I don't recall in years his taking time off to go hang out with the boys or do something else on his own. Not that there would be anything wrong with that (in moderation). I've actually encouraged it. But I'm not complaining that he'd rather spend time with me and the kids;) Until 2 years ago, he worked 2 jobs so I could stay home to have my babies and, eventually, homeschool them. Not to mention his nursing me through pregnancies that required him hooking up home IV's and giving me shots (it's a long story). He spoils me much more than he should, another thing I'm not complaining about;) He loves God, me, and our kids. It doesn't get much better than that.

So Happy 40th Sweetheart.


*For anyone interested, I have posted a new post on my Proverbial Straw. But I warn that it's slightly political;)

Harvest Festival Pics

Our whole family dressed in a theme this year for our church Harvest Festival. I had considered this option for a few months, but nearly tossed it aside because of the money end of things. Then my Alaskan girlfriend called to say that she had just shipped out a dress she had made for my daughter, and a scarecrow outfit to boot! It definitely wouldn't have happened otherwise. In the end, we only had to buy one outfit... the tin man (via Ebay). I really did try to figure out a way around that. Guess I'm just not creative enough. So thank you MK.

Here are the pics (Nikki and Kaye:)

Dorothy

The Scarecrow

The Tin Man

The whole crew (I'm the one with my eyes closed;). Complete with a live Toto. Which most people thought was fake at first because it slept most of the time. But when it would occasionally stir in it's sleep, it really startled people,lol. That was fun:)

The kids had fun playing games and eating candy. And no, we're not going to make a habit of doing a theme each year, but it was fun this time. And exhausting.