Thanksgiving pictures

We hosted my husband's side of the family this year for Thanksgiving and it was so much fun! We prepared the house and food all week and it turned out great. Here are some of the pictures my lousy camera phone too, plus some good ones from Matt's iPhone.

Getting the Big Green Egg ready for Tom, the turkey

George got cold!

The table & buffet

mid-morning, we found George's hiding spot!

halfway there!

Pumpkin dessert that Matt & my father-in-law loved!!

Right before Tom came off the grill!

I didn't get any pictures after everyone arrived, 1.5 hours early, but we had an absolutely fabulous day and LOTS of leftovers filled up both our fridges. We're already talking about next year's menu!

Ask and ye shall receive...

If you can't tell I had help and figured out the blog bug. Thank goodness!!

I took this whole week off work in hopes that I'd clean from top to bottom, entertain for Thanksgiving, then decorate for Christmas, but I've had the world's worst cold (I know, that makes me sound like a wimp) the last few days and things aren't going according to plan. Yes, I hear God laughing right now too :c)

I've been cleaning here and there, but I have no motivation for an all out clean as I has hoped for so I've called in reinforcements. Thankfully, I have a great mother-in-law who's always willing to help, one sister-in-law who is just like me (neat and tiddy) and another sister-in-law who likes my company. My, how times have changed! Two years ago when it was a Guido/Exton Thanksgiving I didn't listen to anyone except my mom and aunt when it came to food and was completely convinced that no one could clean like Jim Guido. I'm so looking forward to setting the table, watching Matt cook the turkey on the Big Green Egg as I bake my little heart out, and sharing an excellent day with my in-laws.

Hopefully, I'll remember to take pictures of the table because I have put a lot of work into the decorations. Remember, cooking is SO not in my blood but I can host an affair to remember.

There is the buzzer for the pumpkin cake. I'll leave you with our dinner / events calendar for the week:
Monday: pizza & Young Marrieds
Tuesday: leftovers (pizza, chicken pot pit [that I made FROM SCRATCH last week], etc.)
Wednesday: lasagna; take the car in (again); clean, clean, clean & set up the dining room table
Thursday: TURKEY DAY!!
Friday: lights at the zoo with family & Bob Evans for dinner (an Exton tradition)
Saturday: Breaking Dawn with Rachel, Katie & Mary; OSU v UofM game; leftovers from the 19 lb bird we bought at Costco at $0.99 a lb!!

Happy Thanksgiving all!!

FRUSTRATED

I have tried to change the design of my blog SO MANY TIMES because I keep seeing a "Upgrade to Pro Today" icon blocking elements on my page. UGH... why does this frustrate me so much? Why can't I fix it? And, why can't I find a "help me" button to contact blogger?? Seriously, I would like an 800 number to call so that someone can help me get rid of it.

So, all of this frustration has made me stay away from posting. And, since I'm not particularly found of change and I don't like the way my blog looks, I also haven't been reading my regular blog role.

I need to figure this out...

What I've Learned Wednesday

• Homemade is much better than store bought, even when you mess something up. I’ve learned how to make some of the essentials like pizza dough, pie crust, bread, spaghetti sauce, and pizza sauce. Now, I’m working on perfecting them and making different varieties. Although it’s work, it’s SO much more gratifying then opening the can/pkg I paid too much for at the store.

• LOVE THE ONE YOUR WITH with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul and all your strength! I know this is that way we should love God, but think about it. If we follow this for our relationship with our heavenly father, why not with the number 2 man on our list? That way, Satan will have no opportunity to find cracks in your relationship.

• By definition, insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.

• Matt doesn’t like Grandma’s pumpkin chocolate chip cookies; however he’ll eat two or three with a glass of milk before he’s done reminding you of that!

• The EAS is testing nationwide today for 30 seconds. This has never been done before. Do you think they know something is about to happen??

Fix it and forget it!

Last week I painted my nails a blueish purple. Actually, it is OPI blue Suzi Says Feng Shui mixed with Mary Kay Chocolate Spice (yes, that last bottle is an OLD one!) When I bought the blue, I thought that I would like it but it's TOO blue so I needed to fix it before wearing it.

As I was painting my nails, I thought about how I do this a lot; "fixing" things.

In middle school and high school I used to take out the hem because they were 'too short' and cut the bottoms open because they were 'too tight' and didn't fit over my shoes. In college I would make shorts and capris out of pants I'd grown weary of, long sleeves short, cut off turtle necks and sew on patches.

Within the last few years I've started 'fixing' with more than just scissors. I've been using my sewing machine, acquiring all sorts of fabrics and coordinating threads, and actually have more than one pair of good scissors. And yes, this DIY soul has actually taken in a few tutorials, not relying on just my own expertise any longer.

After repurposing a few clothes and making my own bag, I've learned that using the right tools with the right knowledge seems to make my 'fixes' easier, better, and more reliable.

It's sort of that with life too, isn't it?

Dinner Plans for this week:
Monday: cheesy buffalo chicken & veggies *Matt had seconds, and thirds! I won't dare call this a casserole E-V-E-R. that will be the end of his liking it.
Tuesday: lasagna roll-ups (but I'll be using lean ground beef and homemade sauce)
Wednesday: pizza (homemade dough)
Thursday: pumpkin crusted chicken, sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts
Friday: TBD / leftovers??
Saturday: out for a surprise birthday party!!

*It may still be too blue, by the way. The verdict's not in yet*