Thankful November [Day 22-30]

Day 22 

I am thankful for my blog. 

I say this often, but I love having things recorded by pictures and journaling. I was looking at my post from last Thanksgiving and had totally forgotten that Nathan and Logan finally got to see each other (for a few minutes) for the first time since June. Logan had been to school all week and was headed back to the boat and Nathan was on his way home. I enjoy looking back through my posts and pictures. I'll be starting my 6th year of blogging in January. :0) I can't imagine not having my blog...it's one of those "little things" for me! :O)

Day 23 

I am thankful for beach walks.

 

Day 24 

I am thankful for a comfy bed (and a good night's sleep).

Day 25 

I am thankful for pictures. I love taking them, and I love looking through pictures on Instagram and pictures my family shares. I try to save a few pictures from each month of the year in albums or on my blog.

Day 26 

I am thankful for my family!!!

Day 27

The Bears beat the Packers!!!!

I enjoy watching football (especially when the Packers lose!)


Day 28

I am thankful for online shopping.

Day 29

I am thankful that I can buy gifts for my family and friends, and also to share with those in need.

Day 30

I am thankful for Advent. The daily devotions are great way to prepare for the season. I also love the Jesse tree that Mom uses for Advent (like this one).

disney abc challenge [M]

-M-

 

 



 

Monorail - my favorite Disney transportation.

The Happiness Project: November 2015 (Part 4)

The Happiness Project

November 2015

Keep A Contented Heart

ATTITUDE
 

{Part Four}

 

FIND AN AREA OF REFUGE

 

For me, that place of refuge is:

 

Home.....I am most comfortable, safe, and content at home. I love being home, even just doing daily chores, or in the kitchen cooking dinner. I love sitting in the living room with Peter in the evening, just watching Friends reruns and getting caught up on our day. I love sitting around the dinner table (especially with the whole family). I love sitting at my computer....blogging! My comfort zone is definitely my home.



 

The Happiness Project: November 2015 (part 3)

The Happiness Project

November 2015

Keep A Contented Heart

ATTITUDE

{Part Three}

GIVE POSITIVE REVIEWS

Be more enthusiastic!

Stop being a critic.

Positive over negative.

Live in a Pollyanna world! :O)

In the1913 novel, Pollyanna, Pollyanna plays the "glad game": whatever happens to her, she finds a reason to be glad about it. I often say that I want to live in a Pollyanna world, where everything is good and happy. I know that is denial, but I'll choose positive over negative anyday.

The Happiness Project: November 2015 (Part 2)

The Happiness Project

November 2015

Keep A Contented Heart

ATTITUDE

{Part Two}

USE GOOD MANNERS

be kind...

be friendly....

be agreeable....

be thoughtful of others feelings...

Thankful November [Day 15-21]

2015

{day 15}

I had something very strange, yet wonderful happen last week while we were at the mall. It amazes me how God puts things in your life to bless you, and in the most unexpected ways. We rarely/never eat lunch in the mall, but last week, we ended up grabbing a burger at this new place (more on this later). Not only did we pick a new place to eat, but we sat somewhere we never sit in the food court, all the way to the front. As soon as I sat down, I noticed this old lady a few tables over working on a plastic canvas craft. I started eating, and when I looked again, she was looking at me, holding up what she was working on, and smiled. I got the strangest feeling...she looked just like Mom-Mom Annie. I didn't have my glasses on, so I thought I might just be thinking it by glancing at her, but when I told Peter to look at her, he turned with the same reaction and said "that looks just like your Mom-Mom"! I put my glasses on and looked again. It was the strangest feeling. I couldn't keep my eyes off of her. Her hair, her glasses, her face, even the sweatshirt she had on, were exactly Mom-Mom! I could hardly eat my lunch, I just sat and stared at her and cried. I'll be honest and say that I don't think about Mom-Mom every day. I have so many good memories of her and I miss her so much, but I hadn't even thought about her that day. Also, Mom-Mom has been gone almost 18 years, and even a few years before Mom-Mom died, she didn't know us anymore, so it had been a long time since I had seen Mom-Mom like this. I had to go over and talk to her, which I did. The closer I got to her she looked less like Mom-Mom, and she didn't talk like her at all. She told me all about her husband of 56 years who had passed years ago, and about her son, who takes her out and helps her with things

To her, I was just some random person who stopped by to chit-chat, to me, she was an angel in disguise. :O)

{day 16}

I am thankful for lazy days! Just relaxing...watching tv or surfing the internet! :O)

{day 17}

I'm thankful that we live on the Chesapeake Bay and get to enjoy the FRESH seafood of each season. This month, we had steamed crabs (twice) and steamed oysters! YUM!!

{day 18}

I am thankful for "fun" things...like going to the movies!

In the past month we saw: Bridge of Spies, Woodlawn, Burnt, and The 33.

{day 19}

I am thankful that I'm finally getting a little Christmas in my bones, because last week I wanted to kick this guy over when I walked in Walmart!!

{day 20}

I'm thankful for the Wounded Warriors: Gathering of Mountain Eagles celebration that our town hosted last week. A good evening of food, fellowship, sharing, and honoring.

I am very thankful for all who serve our country.

photo credit: CPM

{day 21}

I am thankful for our family's celebration of Thanksgiving!

(even if it was a few days early) :O) 



Thanksgiving 2015



 

11.21.15

We celebrated early this year, since Peter and Nathan will head back to work the day before Thanksgving. As is tradition, dinner was at Mom & Dad's house, with Mom, Julie, & I doing the cooking.

Sticking with our new tradition of disposable dinnerware :O)

(pretty paper...got it at Hobby Lobby)

 

{the food} 

and the star of the show......

.....the dressing! 

(and of course, Mom too!!) :O) :O)

 We tweaked things a little this year, but kept our menu traditional. I made the pretzel salad, corn pudding, and sweet potato fluff the day before. I used disposable pans that worked great for storing overnight and reheating the next day (right out of the fridge). I also made the pecan pie. Mom made the pumpkin pies and rolls. The day of: we cooked the turkey and the collards and made the dressing. Last minute: the gravy and mashed potatoes.


 

(about the turkey)

So, after a few years of turkey frustrations...we went back to using a cooking bag!

It was DELISH!!! and fall-off-the-bone tender (literally). :O) This is the way to go! Our 18+ lb. turkey cooked to perfection in just 3 hours. :O)

(about the gravy)

Since we cooked the turkey in a bag, no drippings for the gravy. Mom found a great recipe that can be made without it. It is no-fail and can be made ahead of time.

Similar recipe link HERE .

{dessert}

pecan pie

pumpkin pies

w/homemade whipped cream



RECIPE: 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.

 

 

{side note}

I LOVE this "new" view from their kitchen window. An old, vacant trailor (before that a large house) had always blocked this awesome view. The land was recently purchased by the electric company and they are clearing off the lot. We have never been able to see all the way out in the creek...we are loving this new view!! :O) #perspective

 

 

[here are a few pics taken during the tearing down process]

 

 

 

 

 

now back to Thanksgiving Dinner.....

{the guest list}

 

Bruce

Peggy

Julie

Derek

Peter

Susan

Nathan

Kayla

Liz

Mitch

+

(take-out for Lois)

 

Julie got more pictures than I did so I'm stealing a few of hers.

Nathan, Kayla, Liz, Derek, & Mitch

Liz & Mitch

the only pic of me & Peter :0(

[Wish we had gotten a better one together!]

We each wrote something we were thankful for and hung on the Thankful Tree (another new tradition). Derek reads them out after dinner. :O)

 

 

 

Since there was no football to watch, some of us played games after dinner.

Even though we had to celebrate on a different day, it still felt like Thanksgiving! As long as you have your family gathered around the table, enjoying good food and each other, any day can be a day to give thanks! :0)