Peony Place

Thanksgiving Menu and plans for it

Here is my Thanksgiving menu and the list of plans that will help keep me on track.

Roasted Turkey

Cornbread Dressing

Green Bean Casserole

Rice Dressing

Peas

Sweet Potato Casserole

Cranberry Compote

Rolls

Coconut Cake

Watergate Salad

Pecan Pie

There is something for everyone here. Some like this, some like that, so everyone should be able to find something that they can fill up on.

Now here is the list of plans that will help keep me on the right path to that perfect meal. ha ha

Sunday

~Make menu and grocery list. Done

~ Pray that I get through the week and nothing burns. Done, and will do again.

Monday

~Go through freezer and pantry to make sure I have everything I need.

~Check off what I do have and make list for what I don't.

Tuesday

~Head to the grocery store for items needed.

~Move turkey from freezer to the ice box to start the defrosting process.

Wednesday

~Make sure I know how many people are coming for Thanksgiving meal.  I want to always have enough.

~Do any baking the cake, cornbread, and  pecan pie. Also make watergate salad.

~Boil and de-bone chicken for cornbread dressing.

~Chop all seasonings needed for each dish and refrigerate.

~Take out ground beef for rice dressing and let defrost.

~Put turkey in a cold salt water bath to finish the defrosting.

~Check one last time for last minute items needed and make a mad dash to the grocery store if need be.

Thanksgiving Day

~Cook!

~Eat!

~Clean!

~Rest!

Friday

~Eat leftovers.

~Help dh cook spaghetti and meatballs for some "man" thing that he has this afternoon.

Saturday

~Go eat out!

Week 2 reflections

Monday and tuesday I was off to a good start but soon I found that my baby had a fever so prioites shifted and then the letter came. My sons vice princepal is filing against us for my sons many day of absences. My son has 3 chronic illnesses one can not expect my son to be in school the same amount of days as a child with no illnesses. You can read more about that on http://www.homesteadblogger.com/Charity/

Anyway this will be taking much of my time. I am gathering all the documents I can. Seeking all the help I can. I am looking back on all absences I have them all written down some where so I can pretty much tell why he miss each and every day that he missed. I had to go up to the school and ask why a couple were unexcused. One he left early because he had to go to a funeral. They said they needed proof so I brought them proof. Another was he was late because his tubing came out and had to do a site change. He is diabetic and using a pump. I sent him a letter the day he was late. I ask the princepal why was this unexcused and explained it to him. Can you believe it he still says it unexcused! Anyway I have a lot of work on my hands and am going to fight for my sons right with all my heart and with my heavenly Father by my side!!!!!!!!

So where does that leave this house and my road to healthier living? Well I am still on the road just have some obstacles in the middle of it and some added work I better take plenty of water and some extra food  

Hope your days are running smoothier!!

Thankful

Just one of the MANY blessings I have to be thankful for...
My brand new little nephew.
Have a wonderful Sunday!
My Cup Runneth Over..

Preparations and Planning

When all the leaves are off the boughs,
And nuts and apples gathered in,
And cornstalks waiting for the cows,
And pumpkins safe in barn and bin,
Then Mother says, "My children dear,
The fields are brown, and autumn flies;
Thanksgiving Day is very near,
And we must make thanksgiving pies!"

It's almost that time, isn't it? Time to make the pies. I can't believe that yet another Thanksgiving is just days away. I have been thinking about my Gram's stories of her childhood and Thanksgiving with her grandparents. She recalled the buggy ride through snow to their log home, the menu, and her cousins. I also think of the beautiful Thanksgiving dinners she prepared for us all of those years. I sure miss her!

We've been finalizing the plans for our Thanksgiving day feast. There have been some changes, though. My sister is hosting the gathering, but she is also still recovering from having a c-section as well, so I had planned to do the cooking. As it turns out, my surgery (biopsy) is scheduled for early Tuesday morning. I won't be able to bear weight on that leg for two days! I didn't realize that it would be this way or else I would have waited until after Thanksgiving to have it. Perhaps it won't be as bad after all. We'll see. I am still planning to cook, even if it's done from a chair. I will have to wait a week for the results, as they have to be sent to another city to be tested. I'm sure I will have plenty to keep my mind busy this week so that I am not thinking about it.

I would also like to share this time saving Thanksgiving tip with you. I mash my potatoes ahead of time and put them into a crock pot until we are ready to serve them. I always have perfectly seasoned, hot mashed potatoes with no last minute mashing and mess! You might consider it this year. :-)

The Lost Art Of Saying Thank You

Going through some previous posts that I had written, I came across this one and decided to re-post. 

I remember reading an article from  ”The Daily Telegraph” newspaper a few months ago that prompted me to write today’s posting.

This article was about a mother who was standing over her children watching them painstakingly writing “thank you” letters and complaining that they had to do and the fact they had missed their television programme. Does this ring any bells!

I remember from a very early age having to write “thank you” letters from presents received at Birthdays, Easter and Christmas and getting so stroppy as I had to write these letters.  I was not allowed to do anything else until these were done and trust me if my handwriting wasn’t perfect then my parents made me do them all over again - boy how I hated doing this and resented this every time.  Now I am so pleased that my parents made me do this “resentful” task.

Now it is much easier, as there is the telephone, internet cards and packs of “thank you” cards that you can buy in the stores.  I do still think though that writing your own “thank you” cards/notes adds a much more personal touch………though I have to say that I am guilty of not doing this nearly as often as I should and I tend to pick up the phone as it is so much easier nowadays to do this but I do intend in getting back to the art of saying thank you properly.

I have also noticed that children especially growing up in today’s world do not have the same values installed in them that our parents installed in us - and it is such a shame.  This is particularly relevant in today’s secular world.

We (myself included here) need to get back to the art of saying “Thank You” properly and installing this lost art back into our children’s lives too.

CONGRATULATIONS

Congratulations to my beautiful sister and her wonderful family on the birth of their new little one... Greyson!
He is adorable and healthy and my sister is AMAZING!! :)

Also,
Congratulations to my winner!

#36 CHALLICE!!!!!!!!
I will contact you about your prize!!! :)
Have a wonderful weekend my friends!
My Cup Runneth Over...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Oh my goodness. I woke this morning to find SNOW SNOW SNOW all over the place. I am just gathering the harvest for Thanksgiving and already we have snow. Geesh!

It is beautiful though, to look out at and see all the horse hoof prints and doggie prints all over. I bet if I looked close enough I would even find prints from lil mousies.  

I hated to have to go out in it but I did. I had groceries to get, things to take to the postoffice, and meds to pick up at the pharmacy. I am so proud of my grocery shopping today as I actually looked at the sales paper and with the help of coupons, a $25 gift certificate and a little planning, I was able to get $134.00 worth of groceries for $62.00. Now for some of you that may not be a big deal but for ME, the quick spender, it really is a mile stone. I am trying so hard to focus more and keep our grocery bill down to the minimun. Today, I DID GOOD!

I am home again and nice and warm, viewing the snow from my favorite place.... INSIDE!  I pray you are all warm too. Have a blessed day and drop a comment or two. heheee

It's giveaway time again! A Christmas Package

 I posted once before about all the "free" stuff I receive in the mail from many organizations and charities that I sometimes donate to. Well once again I have an abundance of items that I will not be using. This times it's Christmas cards and gift labels. I am not the type of person that throws ANYTHING away. I always try to find another use for it or another home for things.

So I thought with times being the way they are and just yesterday on the blog someone mentioned that they can not afford to buy or mail cards this year, I thought I would offer a package that may be helpful to someone.

I have a package that I have put together that includes the following items.

• 72 gift tags
• 35 or so Christmas cards with envelopes from different organizations or groups, all too cute.
• a 2009 wall calendar
• a smaller one page 2009 calendar with a conversion chart on the reverse side, great for the kids.
• a Christmas CD with 29 great Christmas songs on it from the Disabled Vets
• I will also include a book of 20 Christmas theme, (if I can get Christmas ones) stamps to help with the mailing of the cards.
• And maybe an extra added surprise or two for good measure, lol. 

Sorry I don't have a picture, my camera is still not working, I'm so lost without it too. So if anyone is interested in these items just leave a comment here on my blog. If I should get more than one comment I will draw a winner from the bunch. I will let this ride over the weekend and pull on Monday morning. Hope this is helpful to someone.

Prize 3 in the giveaway

here today gone tomorrow

Dear Friends,

I have missed being here, so I am returning once again to say hello, sit awhile sipping hot cocoa with each of you..

I have been on a long spirital journey since I last wrote but the Lord has seen me through alot and still working with me on some...You know when the Lord is teaching and leading you to places you never thought in a life time you would need directions in, it is lonely, scary, and alot of tear sheding takes place..But thank God that the Lord also comforts in these times..

I'll go into some of that in future post, but for now, I just want to sit back with a cup of cocoa and read what has been going on in your neck of the woods as we say here in Louisiana..

PS  WHERE HAS ALL THE "OLD BLOGGERS" GONE?  GUESS LIKE ME..TAKING A COFFEE BREAK...WHAT DISAPPOINMENT..GUESS I WILL VISIT NEW BLOGS...SEE YOU THERE.

Thanks for stopping in.....Have a blessed day.