My Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

This year, I am cooking for John's Mom's side of the family. His Mom, grandparents, and uncle & aunt will be here with us. It's a little intimidating, cooking for three seasoned cooks, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything will turn out OK.

**Turkey (of course)--my husband's boss has a turkey fry at his house every year on Wednesday night, so ours will be deep-fried. Yumm.
**Dressing--I am letting John's aunt fix this as I have never made it before! I'm sure it'll be good.
**Green bean casserole
**Sweet potato casserole
**Cornbread salad
**Mac 'n' cheese
**Rolls

**Fresh apple cake
**Fudge pie with cool whip

Tomorrow I will bake the cake and the pie and also make the cornbread salad. It's always better the next day anyway! Thankfully, my husband is pretty good in the kitchen, so he'll be helping with the other stuff on Thursday. As long as he doesn't try to take over, that is--it's still MY kitchen! :)

We'll probably have to be rolled away from the table! But I'm so thankful to have family to spend the holiday with.

Has The Flu Got You?

So far, we've been blessed to have no had the flu (swine or otherwise), although our home has been visited by some nasty coughing and snottiness of late. It's very important to me, as a Mom, to make a point to be PROactive about sickness. Sometimes there's just nothing you can do about it--it's going to happen. But here are a few things I do to try and keep the flu bug away:

1. Say NO to sugar.
Did you know that sugar practically eradicates the immune system? Just wipes it out. Rendering your precious children defenseless to all the bugs flying around, just looking for a place to land! Consequently, my kids just don't get much of it (much to Grandmothers' dismay). I avoid sweet tea, and any fruit juice I give them is done so only after careful investigation of its label. Don't be fooled by "100 % juice". I'd much rather feed my kids a fresh orange than give them a sugary juice version. They love oranges and eat about two a day--apiece. Good things they've been on sale for 10 cents EACH at Wal-Mart.

2. Keep them home as much as possible.
Since my kids do not go to daycare or preschool, and since I will be fortunate enough to homeschool my kids, they are spared the "germ swapping" that most kids are subject to on a daily basis. If there's any way possible, I even avoid taking them to Wal-Mart. We may be hermits, but hopefully we'll be healthy hermits. They do go to their Grandma's almost every weekend and also to church 3 times a week. So it's not like they are under house arrest! :)

3. Vitamins.
Vitamin C! Lots of it!

4. Hand washing!

5. Plenty of sleep.

6. NO vaccines!!

Here is a very informative article that I received in my email this week, from Above Rubies, about preventing the flu. It's got LOTS of good information, and some things I have NEVER heard of but am willing to try. Take a look-see and please do share if you have used some of these remedies before.

Listen to this (from article):

COLD AND FLU FIGHTER
½ cup chopped onion
A whole bulb of chopped garlic
2 TBS chopped fresh ginger root
1 chopped jalapeño

Put all ingredients in a quart jar, cover with raw vinegar and let sit 4 - 6 weeks. Strain out vegetables and use 2 TBS. or more each day. If you do get a cold or the flu, take every hour. Serene gives her children 1 TBS. each day as a preventative.

Doesn't that sound positively delicious? I can just see the neighbors pouring out of their houses when my kids run screaming from our house! :) But it's worth a try I guess!

Anyways, check out this article! We can use all the help we can get to keep our kids healthy, naturally.

http://www.aboverubies.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=859:health-beat-the-flu-this-winter&catid=39&Itemid=63

Unwrapping Contentment (Tuesdays Unwrapped)

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Philippians 4:13.

Contentment.

Sometimes the handle of contentment is greased with oil and slips out of my hands as I grasp, desperately, to hold onto it. My heart searches, daily, for contentment as I wash the same dishes, fold the same laundry, and sweep the same floors over and over. Most days it comes easy, and my heart is filled with gratitude and satisfaction as I fulfill the highest calling of my life--being a wife and a mother. But then out of nowhere discontentment will rear its ugly head and gnash its teeth at my heels. It's then that I pull out the big guns and fight back! Praise, worship, and thankfulness are my weapons and the slithering snake of discontentment retreats into a puff of smoke.

My heart is overwhelmed with all that I've been given:
A perfectly decorated, modern house? Nope.

The latest stylish SUV sitting in my driveway? Nope.

A closet full of fashionable, well-fitting clothes? Nope again.

Peace in my heart? Yes.

A song on my lips? Yes.

A husband who cherishes me and children who fill my days with joy? YES!!

And last but not least, my Savior who meets with me every morning, who died for my wretched soul, and whispers sweet peace in my ear all the day through.

I'm choosing to unwrap contentment today!!

To read more "Tuesdays Unwrapped", visit www.chattingatthesky.com

No Thank You, Black Friday!

Visualize a "Black Friday" sign, with a circle around it and a slash through it. If I could find a clip art of such a sign, I would post it front and center at the top of this blog. But since I can't, you'll just have to imagine its presence.

After doing a little research, I've decided that getting up at an ungodly hour on the day after Thanksgiving, standing in an ungodly long line, and fighting with an ungodly mob is not only ridiculous, but unnecessary.

See I know a little secret. Most "big chain" stores are offering their "Black Friday" prices....you're not going to believe this....NOW...as in TODAY...as in go to Target, Toys 'R' Us, or Sears and you'll probably find that they've already marked those big savings items down. They're just not advertising it!

So if you've got that big item in my mind, and you're willing to camp outside of Toys 'R' Us the night before to get it, well, you might want to check it out this weekend and save yourself the trouble.

You can thank me later.

Oh, and if you do in fact find THAT item at THAT price, drop me a comment and let me know!

Black Friday?

Up to this point, I've never been brave enough to go shopping on this notoriously, ridiculously crazy day. I mean, who wants to risk getting trampled by a ruthless mob, just for the chance at saving a few dollars? But this year, I've been considering...I have two gifts to buy for the kids, both at Toy 'R' Us, and they are both going to be significantly reduced on Black Friday. So tell me, is it worth it? Do I want to do this or will I swiftly regret it? Opinions, please!?!

Tour De Home (Part III)

Today will be the conclusion of my Home Tour.

I have lots of pictures waiting to be framed and hung down the hall (on the walls, of course). Waaiiting....:)

The bathroom: This bathroom is what made me want to buy this house! I thought if the rest of the house can look this good, then let's do it!



Next we have the girls' bedroom. I have plans for this room that have yet to be accomplished: Emma's name on the wall, a "sisters" saying in vinyl, and some drapes for the window that I have started but haven't finished.





The Master Bedroom: I have been desperately desiring to makeover my bedroom. I want to repaint, get a new bedspread, buy some wall decor, and make a headboard from a door, Nester style. It's just so blaaah as is. It's so much more fun to clean something when you know it looks good, kwim?


I can't believe I'm actually putting this picture on here!! The toddler bed is being stored in our room for now, and these big tubs is where I put the kids' clothes as they outgrow them.

Now for Elijah's room, aka The Cowboy Room:




Thanks for coming along with me for the tour! Come visit us! We love company!

Tour de Home (Part II)

Last week, I showed you a little bit of my palace. This is the fourth house I've lived in in 7 years of marriage, and it's pretty close to being my favorite. It's 2600 square feet, and when we moved in it was bare drywall(no-primer)with a seriously out-of-date kitchen (understatement of the year), and awful pet-stained carpet. The living room floor was just plywood. I am proud of all we have accomplished in a year and a half! We're still not finished by any means. Our master bathroom is completely un-usable at this point. Even so, it truly is a palace to me. Anything can be a palace; a mobile home, an apartment, even a camper. It's the contentment in one's heart that makes a dwelling a home. The decor aspect is a slow and on-going process, and definitely not what I want it to be, but I do love my home!

Today I will show you the den/library/computer repair shop, the living room, and the laundry room.

Den/library/computer repair shop:
Our new FREE couch and loveseat::


My husband's sermon books:


Isn't the cord coming out of the wall lovely?


The Living Room:






Laundry Room:
I love my laundry room! It has lots of storage. The wall to the left has a 3-unit storage cabinet, and then there are the cabinets over the washer/dryer.


I'm so thankful for my home and for all the wonderful friends who have helped us in the remodeling process. We've had some great help with every aspect. What a blessing! Come and visit anytime!

ndry