Thankful of Course!

by Patricia Cates

For all of you today who are currently elbow deep in a bird or knee high in potato peels, thank you! Thank you for being a great mom, dad, cook, teacher, friend, grandparent or leader. Thank you for serving on a holiday; and being patient, and cleaning and watching out for loved ones, and being a creator and contributor of all things homey. You are what this day is all about...tradition and history and love.

I'd like to invite everyone who follows this wonderful Mormon Mommy Writer's & Friends group to share what they are thankful for. As it snows outside and the temperature begins to drop to a low of seven tonight, I am undoubtedly thankful for a full belly, a roof over my head, the special spirits dwelling under it with me, indoor plumbing and a hot water heater that works. It might sound frivolous but right now I'm sure that there are folks in our city that are mighty cold, lonely or worse. What are YOU grateful for? 

Thanksgiving Traditions

 

Thanksgiving is in a few days and I don’t have to do much, I have been assigned a few things to bring. I am making some delicious fattening Yams with apples, drinks and rolls. I decided to try a new thing on Pinterest (click here) where you ask everyone that is attending dinner what they are thankful for. You then put each paper in a crescent roll. At dinner everyone has to open their roll and read aloud the paper and you guess who wrote it. It sounds fun, and I’m excited to try it, but I am nervous for a few things. What if we can’t find a paper, or one of the kids swallowed it? I am still going to try it. This year will be a trial year for this tradition.

 

We don’t have a lot of Thanksgiving traditions aside from making a different decoration that we plaster our list of what we are thankful for on. It is always fun to see what the kids add. My favorites this year include, turkeys, jumping, hamburgers, horsies, sleep, hot weather, fries, and trophies.

 

I decided that we needed a new tradition for this holiday that really is so important. I was thinking about it and I knew that I wanted it to somehow be in memory of my sweet Grandpa who just passed away. I saw something that someone posted on Facebook and I knew that was it. I decided that we were going to write cards, draw pictures and donate some items for soldiers who are away from their families. My grandpa was away from his family and friends for four years missing three Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. It’s a great way to teach the kids that we can be grateful that we have each other this holiday and also help others. I am really excited about this and hope that others can participate as well. If you are interested in doing the same you can check out the web site (here) and donate different things that are listed on the page. We are so excited to appreciate this holiday just a little more. What are your favorite Thanksgiving Traditions? Is there anything new that you are doing this year?

 

Skinny Cow and Electrical Tape - These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

by Mare Ball

It's getting chilly here in Florida, and I'm enjoying making apple dumplings and wearing my snowman sweater now and then.  (I'm normally in flip-flops and shorts.)  Facebook is full of gratitude posts, and I'm thinking of trying a new cranberry salad recipe for Thanksgiving.

I love autumn.  It's my favorite season.  I was married in October solely because that's when trees show off their colors.  I love the cool breezes in November and the fact that Christmas is peeking around the corner.

I won't be posting again until Black Friday, so I wanted to share a few things I'm grateful for this year - outside of family and relative health, which I recognize every year.  These are just simple things that make me smile.

1.  My gym, where membership is only ten bucks a month.  I don't make it there every day, so I appreciate the fact that I'm wasting only thirty-three cents on the days I'm not checking in.

2.  My PT Cruiser.  It fits my behind.   

3.  CVS weekly sales.  Nothing beats .99 Puffs or Dawn dish washing liquid. 

4.  Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches.  We've gotten away from fat ice cream completely and don't even miss it.

5.  Fresh salmon all year round.  With maple syrup and a bit of lemon. I only wish it was thirty-three cents a day like the gym.

6.  That Mom, who's fairly reserved, can still make me chuckle.  Like the fact that she calls her pantiliners "ipads." 

7.  Coconut oil.  It's a great moisturizer and, mixed with baking soda, a wonderful, natural toothpaste. 

8.  Dental hygienists and proctologists.  No, really.  What if no one wanted those jobs?  Just imagine. Whatever they're paid, it's not enough.

9.  Pocket calculators.  I haven't had to do math in my head for a decade.  And I wasn't very good at it then.

10.  Can openers that take off the lid from the side, so there are no sharp edges.  This enables me to use the lids and cans for all kinds of things.

11.  Electrical tape.  I've just discovered it's a super craft tape, and it comes in all kinds of colors.  It enables me to make stuff like this.
                                                           
                                       

(Notice the tin can with no sharp edges.)

12.  My clothesline.  I hang clothes out all year long.  I feel like I'm pulling one over on the electric company.  I'm sure it doesn't care, but it makes me feel like I'm smarter than the average bear.

13.  IKEA.  I love roaming around in that store.  The plastic bag holder and the washcloths with loops on them make me so happy.

14.  Flannel sheets.  We use them all the time, even in the summer.  Cotton sheets are crinkly and loud.

15.  Cream of Mushroom soup.  You just can't replicate that stuff.  I've tried, and I've failed.  I bought two cans today.  Green Bean Casserole, I'm ready.

16.  Those Liberty Mutual commercials where the tree drops on the car, or the car door gets snapped off by another car whizzing past - they crack me up every time.  Humans.   

17.  Cookie cutters.  I've collected all kinds over the years, and they bring such creativity and fun to sugar cookie dough.  If I had to carve swans or reindeer by hand, we'd just have circle cookies cut out with a glass.

18.  That God's graces are new every day.  Because, everyday, I need a do-over.
   

Black? Friday

It's the day after Thanksgiving, and nobody is going to read this because you are shopping, right? So, truthfully, I could type up pretty much anything I want. ;)

I'm not a Black Friday shopper. Tried it once, but I have serious crowd issues. I'm the person who will shop at 1am during the holidays just to avoid the people. I actually have a love/hate relationship with holiday shopping--I love finding deals and prefer to hold the purchase in my hand rather than shopping online, but I really, really don't like dealing with all the people.

Instead, I think I'll do some writing. Maybe a little editing. And worry about shopping later.

What are your Friday-after-Thanskgiving plans?

My Gratitude . . .

I am grateful for snowflakes dancing in the air so soft,

the leaves whirling and flitting and twirling.

I am grateful for round fuzzy kittens, so warm and sweet,

the puppies nibbling and playful and fun.

I am grateful for writing and its worlds so magic'ly real,

for the power of thought and wit to share.

I am grateful for friendships unjudging, open and so true,

the love, the secrets, the times most pleasant.

I am grateful my children so lovingly carefree to be,

their heartfelt warmth and the kisses and hugs.

I am grateful for life pleasant yet harsh, choices left to me,

the sadness and joys and trials, I grow.

Thank you, dear Lord, for all things weak and strong--

for everything granted, for wisdom, my guide . . . the great beyond.

by Elizabeth Mueller

photos found at Photobucket.com