Thankful November Day 22-30

Thankful November Instagram Challenge 2014

I am thankful for......

[Day 22] being able to help others.
[Day 23] prayer.

[Day 24] good memories.

[Day 25] lazy sundays.

[Day 26] safe travels.

[Day 27] getting together with family!

[Day 28] old traditions....

[Day 29] new traditions....

[Day 30] Advent season....

Corn Chowder

source: Pinterest

 

For those chilly days ahead, here's a yummy recipe for Corn Chowder. This is actually a combination of two recipes that I tweaked a little.

Corn Chowder

4 slices bacon

6 potatoes- diced

1 onion- chopped

3 stalks celery-diced

1 carrot-diced
2 chicken bouillon cubes+ 4 cups water
salt & pepper to taste
6-7 ears fresh corn 
1-1/2 cups evaporated milk
3 T. butter
1 clove garlic-minced
1 bell pepper-diced
flour to thicken

Fry bacon, crumble and set aside. To pot (with bacon grease), add potatoes, onion, celery, carrot, bell pepper, garlic, salt & pepper. Add broth and cook until tender. Cut corn off cob and add to soup. Add milk and simmer until hot, thicken with flour if needed. 
*Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and shredded cheddar cheese when serving.

saturday 9: paint it black

Saturday 9: Paint It Black (1966)
Not familiar with this week's song? Hear it here.
1) This song was chosen because yesterday was Black Friday, the traditional day of sales. Have you begun your Christmas shopping? Bought my first two items on Amazon yesterday. I plan to be busy ordering on Cyber Monday though!

2) Are there any Thanksgiving leftovers in your refrigerator right now? There is one slice of pumpkin pie in there (that may or may not get eaten today!).

3) AAA says Thanksgiving is a big travel weekend. Did you venture far from home for your holiday dinner? Nope, we went just up the street for dinner at my parent's house again this year.

4) Keith Richards likes France but, alas, the French authorities haven't always been fond of him and his criminal record. Have you ever been to France? I dream of France!!

5) Mick Jagger jokes that, to be polite to fellow hotel guests, he always finishes trashing his room by 10:00 PM. What kind of hotel/motel guest are you? Are you rockstar rambunctious, or are you quiet? Are you neat? Have you stolen any towels, bathrobes, etc.? I am an awesome hotel guest. I (we) keep our room clean while staying and rarely even have to call front desk for anything. I've never taken anything from the hotel (except our first towel animal at Disney, and, of course, the pen & paper on the desk). I love a hotel pen! :o)

6) Mick Jagger got his financial savvy as a student at the London School of Economics. Are you good with money? I think I do pretty good managing money. Peter and I have different ideas on spending (slowly getting on the same page), and I have been called frugal (tight) many times our marriage. I don't think that is bad thing though. I'm always trying new ways to budget and recently saw this idea for saving $$ for Christmas shopping. I plan to do this next year!

7) In the early 1990s, a then little-known actress named Angelina Jolie appeared in a Rolling Stones video ("Anybody Seen My Baby?"). Name an Angelina Jolie movie. I am not the biggest Angelina fan, but I would like to see Maleficent.

8) In the early 1960s, the Stones nearly avoided tragedy when their tour bus skidded off a bridge. Tell us about a near miss you're thankful for. When Logan was a teen, he fell overboard between the dock and boat (that was running). Fortunately there were people nearby that immediately scooped him out of the water. I try not to think of this incident too often.

9) In 1966, when this week's song was popular, CBS telecast How the Grinch Stole Christmas for the first time. What's your favorite Dr. Seuss story? I love Dr. Suess books, but my new favorite is:





Oh The Places You'll Go! (blog post)

Thanksgiving 2014

Keeping up with Thanksgiving traditions, dinner was held at my parents house. Mom had knee replacement in September, so I suggested sister and I take over!
Sister informed me she doesn't cook, but turns out she has been pulling a fast one all these years! That pumpkin pie was the bomb!!

We've always topped our pies with cool whip or redi-whip, but this year I made the good stuff...whipped cream from scratch. I won't be buying that stuff in a can anymore! Oh my!

[Beat one container (2 cups) heavy whipping cream with 1/2 cup sugar (add 1 T. at a time). Add 1 t. vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Refrigerate.] 

How have I not been making this!?

Back up to yesterday.....

a nasty, windy, rainy day, and my family was traveling!

 Julie had to drive up from Chincoteague. Nathan was on the road too. He got off the boat, but had to van from Salisbury to Norfolk, switch over to his truck, turn around and drive back up the shore. Logan and Lindsey were also on the road. Logan had school from 11/17 - 11/26 so Lindsey went with him. After his test yesterday, they had to drive back home, Logan then had to pack and head to Philly for work. Nathan was able to stop by to see them though before he left. It was the first time they had seen each other since June 14. They were happy and sad at the same time. They really miss each other. Hopefully, their schedules will soon overlap again. 

I was relieved when everyone got to their destinations safely. 

We decided to get a jump start on dinner, so yesterday after Julie got here, we made the pies, the sweet potato fluff, and mixed up the corn pudding. Mom had already cooked a pot of string beans and made a cake. 

This morning, I went up early to get the turkeys in. 

Mom suggested getting two 10 lb. instead of a big 20-pounder. 

The next 9 hours went something like this.....

breakfast

cooking

it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without Mom's dressing!! Oh My!!

(notice we couldn't keep Mom out of the kitchen....she just won't mind me!!). :0)

......then a break here and there for the parade, a little internet time, football watching, picture taking, story telling, table setting, and there may have even been some napping (for a very tired pie baker maybe?).....LOL

our disposable plate tradition continued again this year :0)

(including aluminium baking pans)

dinner was delish!!!

A new tradition: Mom made a thankful tree this year!

We all wrote what we were thankful for, then they were read out after dinner. 

#thankful #grateful #blessed

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

blessing bag

While I donate to organizations like Union Mission, and put money in every Salvation Army bucket I pass by, I've struggled with how I can help those in need that I see on the streets. I wrote about this after visiting Charlotte last month and being approached several times by people asking for money. I didn't know if they were really down and out or not, but it is something that really bothers me. I want to help those in need. After handing out money several times, we realized that we really aren't able to just hand out unlimited cash, so I thought about what else we could do.

I decided to make blessing bags to keep in the car and instead of handing them money (or just driving by and feeling bad later), I will have these bags in the back seat ready to hand out. I searched Pinterest for ideas of what I should put in the bags.

*photo sources:Pinterest

Last week, while in Big Lots I picked up my supplies. Here's what I put in ours:

-toothbrush
-toothpaste
-deodorant
-shampoo
-facial wipes
-a bar of soap
-a comb
-a pr. of socks
-gloves
-peanut butter crackers
-granola bar
-bottle of water

These bags cost very little to put together, but hopefully, it will be things they need. I have never been cold or hungry in my life and this is something I am very guilty of taking for granted. While packing these bags, it made me stop and think about how ungrateful I am at times. Being cold or hungry or homeless is something that is very real to many people, and while I can't fix or change that, maybe these bags will help just a little. I fixed these bags with the intention of blessing others, but it turns out, I was blessed as well.

 

Table Re-Do Progress

Dad and Peter dismantled the trestle table.

 

 

Next, the legs were attached.

 

 

In the process, I have somehow fallen in love with my windsor chairs again!

 

We also added a board all the way around the table (under the top) to cover where the legs had been attached to give it a more finished look.

 

Next, Peter sanded the table top.

 

I wanted a dark stain, so I chose Rust-Oleum Wood Stain in KONA.

 

this is one coat......and pictures do not do it justice!

It wasn't quite the color I wanted, so I dug out my Briwax Clear Wax and rubbed that on.

 

This actually took off a little of the stain for a much better look. The wax also seals the wood and gives it a smooth finish. I am letting it dry overnight and will give it another coat of wax tomorrow. This is the color/shade I'm going for....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of coarse, mine will have painted legs which I now need to sand and paint. I think I've decided on a creamy white.

 

 

 

Chairs are another story!! Just when I thought I had decided on something, I changed my mind again. There was a reason why I was hesitant on ordering. When I feel like that, it means it isn't really what I want. I hate to hurry with a decision and buy something I end up not loving! After putting the windsor chairs around the table the other night, I kindof liked them. Then, Mom called the next morning and said she had been looking at pictures of chairs and thought I should consider keeping them too.

But then I had another dilemma.... (WHAT COLOR TO PAINT THEM)??

Here are my options:

 

{A} Grey

 

{B} White

 

{C} Dark Brown

 

I kept going back though, to my favorite look....wicker (seagrass, rattan) parsons chairs....

 

 

 

and finally, after much indecision, I've decided on painting two of my windsor chairs

(Behr Espresso Bean)

and buy two new wicker parsons chairs.

 

This is the finished look I'm going for.....

 

Can't wait to finish my table re-do project!

More pictures coming up.....

 

*photo sources: Pinterest