BUSY December!

I always find it hard to keep up with posting during November and December. I always fall behind. WE have so many functions and birthdays during these last two months of the year.

We had a wonderful but different Christmas this year. With my husband in Mexico and my baby brother in West Virginia, things felt a little "off" or "strange" this year. Nonetheless, we had a warm, cozy time of breaking bread with loved ones here and opening lovingly wrapped packages. Then of course there was plenty of laughter! You can't have my son Josh, his cousin Josh, and my youngest son Shane in a room together without loads of antics and laughter. That was all on Christmas Eve.

Christmas day was spent with my parents in their home. Nora, a friend from church joined us for another delicious meal which started off with my father reading an account of the birth of Christ from the gospel of Matthew. Then we watched family videos starting back in November from my birthday, Thanksgiving, Shane's birthday, mine and Agustin's anniversary. November and December sure are busy months at our house. It seems we have so many things to celebrate! But culminating our year by celebrating the birth of our Saviour is top of the list!
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Here are some photos from Shane's 13th birthday on Dec. 5th. I'll post Christmas photos soon.

Happy Thirteenth Shane!

Opening Birthday Gifts!

Oh what after dinner fun! Watching videos on You Tube which gross you out. I recall this one showing a woman popping/draining a boil on her husband's back! Now who would think to video and upload something like that? Now WHO would think it's fun watching something like that? You're looking at the three of them!

Grandma & Shane eyeing her homemade chicken and dumplings he requested fir his

birthday meal.

Shane also requested corn on the cob!

Grandma made the cake Shane requested for his birthday. Weight Watcher's orange diet soda cake topped with mandarin oranges!

In Children's Church

The embarrassing "Mom kisses son in front of people" kiss.

"Now look here woman!"

We do share lots of laughter when together. I love this kid.

In church

What Delilah does for several minutes each time Shane or Agustin leave home. So cute.

Agustin's gift to Shane-a trip to the shooting range!

There's nothing quite like a boy and his dog! Shane telling Delilah goodbye before heading off to shoot stuff.

A Glimpse Into Our Thanksgiving 2010

We were honored that Nora, a single mom from our church, and her teen daughter and a friend accepted our invitation to join us for Thanksgiving. We were also pleasantly surprised by my brother, who drove down from West Virginia. In this video you'll see him catching a little nap on our Shane's bed! It was a wonderful day with many laughs but most importantly, we all enjoyed a time of reflection on God's goodness to us this past year.

PSALM 100:1 "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye lands, serve the Lord with gladness,come before HIS presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord,He is God. It is He that hath made us and not we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. ENTER INTO HIS GATES WITH THANKSGIVING AND INTO HIS COURTS WITH PRAISE! Be thankful unto Him and bless His name. For the Lord is good, His mercy is everlasting and His truth endureth to all generations."

A Peek at Our Thanksgiving

My lemon, rosemary turkey was delicious!

Vickie, a new friend from church stopped by!



My nephew Josh, his wife Naomy, and my son Shane
looking at the sales in prep for "Black Friday"!!!


Our dining table before the meal.




I hope your Thanksgiving was as wonderful as mine!

WISH YOU COULD HAVE BEEN WITH US

The fall swag would have welcomed you at our front door.

"Mr. Tom Turkey" (whom I made and painted about six years ago!)
would have gobbled a greeting to you.

I laid out the "post-it" note labels and serving utensils so mom would know exactly where to place her side dishes when she arrived.

I like to place "post-it" notes on my serving table, affording me confidence that I have plenty of serving trays and dishes, and that all dishes and platters will fit.

This platter held our Honey-Baked Ham! YUMMO!

If you could have been with us, I would have allowed you to choose any seat at the table-- from which we all waddled away like STUFFED TURKEYS!

The star of the show! My Rosemary & Lemon stuffed turkey!

HINT: Any fruit placed in the bird's cavity will help keep the meat moist! You can use apples, but citrus fruit is best, i.e. grapefruit, oranges, lemons, lime, or grapes.

Speaking of stuffed turkeys! Oops, nope, it's dad, myself, and mom!

More turkeys. Oops again, it's a Josh and a Tiffany.

More turkeys! WHAT?!? Pardon moi! It's Paloma and I.

Once again, MORE TURKEYS! Oops, sorry, wrong again. It's the crew Playing a great game - "IMAGINE IF". I suggest you buy this one! What fun! If you had been here, I'm sure we would have learned lots about you during this game!


Three gentlemen turkeys, uh, I mean MEN, doing what men do best on Thanksgiving - WATCHING FOOTBALL!

Alrighty, no more turkeys! Naomy brought over a scrumptious Pumpkin Log with a cream cheese filling, her first ever to make! She proudly shows it off here!
(I ate the last piece today!)

DON'T ASK! (the faces) Oh and the pink socks Paloma wore are mine. Her feet were freezing! I also lent a purple pair to Georgiann, a khaki pair to Tiffany, a .... Maybe I should have turned my A.C. up!!! It was really chilly outside, but due to the oven and all the lights on and so many bodies in the house, but I - the lady with hot flashes - needed that A.C. on!!! Guess what? If you had been here with us, I would have gladly lent you a colorful pair of socks to keep your tootsies warm too!

What Your Thanksgiving Meal Says About You

When it comes to the holidays, you follow and love the big traditions. You look forward to them every year. You see the holidays as a time to think about what's important to you. It's a good time to reflect and regroup. You like the aspects of the holiday that remind you of your childhood - opening presents, treats, and old favorite foods. During the holidays, you are likely to feel comforted. At your worst, you feel a bit over-indulgent. You consider yourself to be a bit of a purist, and you're proud of it. You tend to spend your holidays sharing and pitching in. You'll do whatever needs to be done.

What Does Your Thanksgiving Meal Say About You?

FOR ALL MY BLOGGY FRIENDS!

Hoping y'all have a wonderful and blessed day with loved ones and friends.
It's now 12:45 a.m. and I'm as ready as I can be for the guests tomorrow. Agustin, Shane, and I will be welcoming into our home the following:
*Our eldest son & his girlfriend
*My parents
*My bachelor brother
*Our Nephew and his new wife
*A single mom and her 10 year old daughter
*A single young lady
I'm looking forward to a cozy time, good food, loving conversations, GAMES!

Thank you Lord, for the friends I've made through blogging. Bless them each and everyone on this special day. In Jesus Name, Amen

It's Right Around the Corner!

Thanksgiving is right around the corner! The holiday arrives a little earlier than usual due to the calendar - are you prepared? Be sure to follow these safety tips and guidelines to ensure a happy, healthy holiday meal.


Remember it is important to mix in a little activity with your turkey and pie. Consider having a family football game or scavenger hunt to get everyone moving. Even a group walk after dinner is a great way for everyone to get some physical activity - on Thanksgiving and every day! We live near a gorgeous county park with basketball and tennis courts, along with soccer fields galore and football fields. My favorite part of the park is the one and one half mile track around the perimeter. Most everyday, I walk three miles (2 laps). I hope to be able to get visiting family members motivated to join me at the park after the big meal! However, I've already told myself not to be terribly disappointed if my idea is met with growls of dismissal! LOL With this in mind, I'm going to rent THIS wonderful movie.

"Facing the Giants" is an inspirational movie of faith which I know my parents and brother will just love!



I've inlcuded some links below with turkey tips and coloring/activity sheets - a fun way to keep your young ones occupied during meal preparation. Shane and I have been having fun with many of these pages this week. Enjoy!


- Cooking Turkey is a Family Affair... with the Right Safety Tools
- Tips for a Safer Turkey
- Thanksgiving Activities (worksheets, games, crafts & more!)
- Thanksgiving Coloring Sheets
- Turkey Trivia

Thanksgiving Riddles

Scroll down for answers!

#1.What kind of key has legs, but can't open doors?

#2.Why didn't the turkey finish his dessert?

#3.Why did the turkey cross the road?

#4.Why did the pilgrim cross the road?

#5.If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?

#1.TurKEYS

#2.He was stuffed

#3.It was the chicken's day off

#4.He was chasing the turkey

#5.Pilgrims

Weren't those fun!??

Take Time To Be Positive

Take time today to notice six great things that helped you stay positive. I promise you will find yourself smiling at the end of the day for the little things in life.

Today I:

1...saw: my son play soccer!

2...ate: pancakes which were lovingly prepared by my hubby!

3...recieved: no bills in the mail!

4...did for me: walked 3 miles in our beautiful park!

5...did for someone else: typed a business letter for my husband.

6...found funny: watching King Juan Carlos of Spain telling the ever cocky Hugo Chavez, dictator of Venezuela, to shut up during a summit meeting in South America. I keep watching the video clip both in English and Spanish!

(Hat Tip to Ginger of Just A thought for this idea!

TURKEY TRIVIA

I have some "turkey trivia" for you to share with your guests at this year's Thanksgiving meal......

Until 1863, Thanksgiving Day had not been celebrated annually since the first feast in 1621. This changed in 1863 when Sarah Josepha Hale (the author of Mary Had a Little Lamb) encouraged Abraham Lincoln to set aside the last Thursday in November "as a day for national thanksgiving and prayer."

About 300 million turkeys are produced each year. About 45 million (15%, or about 675 million pounds) are consumed at Thanksgiving. Ninety percent of American homes eat turkey on Thanksgiving Day. Fifty percent eat turkey on Christmas.

According to a survey commissioned by the National Turkey Federation the top five ways consumers eat leftover turkey are: (1) Sandwich (67%); (2) Soup or stew (20%); (3) Salad (14%); (4) Casserole (12%); and (5) Stir-fry (6%).

The average American ate between 18 and 19 pounds of turkey in 1996. Sandwiches are the most popular form of turkey consumption.

Californians are the biggest turkey eaters in the country. They eat three pounds more turkey than the average American consumer.

The Israelis eat more than 22 pounds of turkey each year, largely because red-meat production in Israel is limited and it is expensive.

Domestic turkeys are raised in just about every state. North Carolina produces the most turkeys, while Minnesota and Arkansas are number two and three.

How did the turkey get its name? No one seems to know for sure, but we are certain how the turkey got it's nickname, gobbler. It comes from the loud "gobble, gobble, gobble" that the turkey makes. Only the male turkeys (called toms) gobble, while the females (called hens) make a clicking noise.

Domestic turkeys cannot fly. Wild turkeys can fly for short distances up to 55 miles per hour and can run 25 miles an hour.

A fully grown turkey has over 3,500 feathers.

Wild turkeys spend the night in trees. They fly to their roosts around sunset.

A wild turkey has excellent vision and hearing. Their field of vision is about 270 degrees. This is one reason why they easily elude some hunters.

The fleshy growth from the base of the beak, which is very long on male turkeys and hangs down over the beak, is called the snood.

Out of this world meal. When US astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin sat down to eat their first meal on the moon in their historic 1969 voyage, their foil food packets contained roasted turkey and all the trimmings.

Benjamin Franklin tried to switch our national symbol from the Eagle to the Turkey.

Visit http://www.kidsgrowth.com/ for more educational information.

Blessings & Precious Moments!

BLESSINGS & PRECIOUS MOMENTS!

#1:A hubby who works hard to care for us. (He is in the black chef's coat withthe sexy hair net on! Woo-Hoo!)#2: Two handsome sons who love one another.


Its hard to believe all that preparation and planning has come to an end! My last "customer" left about half hour ago. It is 1 a.m. now! We ate around 3 pm and everything was delicious and presented well. I was so proud of Agustin & myself. We have never cooked an entire Thanksgiving Day meal before. Having said that---I see why Pat commented earlier that she wouldn't dream of standing at the stove frying anything on Thanksgiving Day. My sister also left a comment saying she would be a "bundle" of nerves if she tried bundling beans on a day like today. They both are veterans you see! I was an overzealous perfectionist who wanted to wow my guests!!! I will never have so many things on my menu again unless its a Potluck! I didn't get the Onion Tartlets done, but plan on doing them soon since they sound so good to me and I have all the ingredients. Please don't be disappointed in me when I tell you, I didn't get the green bean salad or the green bean bundles done either. Not a good thing, as there was NOTHING green on our buffet! But there were brown things, and white things, and orange things, and yellow things and pinkish things. I think we did ok! But I learned from experience. Remember, I can order a mean pizza, but I rarely cook big meals, even though I tested out as Paula Deen. I do have a goal to do better in this area. I cook, but its mundane and not exciting, but for the past few months I have been changing. I guess because I have been watching Food network more.

I had a precious moment here tonight'; well several of them really, but one I savor above all the others. Please allow me to share! Everyone had left except for my Josh. My brother took Shane home with him for the night. They left around 10:30 p.m. Josh Daniel and Paloma also left at that time. My Josh was conked out on the sofa in the family room. Agustin was watching a Mexican soccer match. I was still cleaning up! I had done little bits all day. Paloma had helped but when I would have to stop and rest a while I would make her do the same. We watched a funny movie and I received some beloved phone calls during this time. One was from my sis in Venezuela and then my niece Jackie Jo from Paraguay. Another blessing during the night was a phone call from my husband's baby sister in Mexico. Even though they don't celebrate Thanksgiving there, they knew we were planning a big shin-dig here and just wanted to know how it went. I also spoke to my mom on the phone at some point during the evening. She has been suffering from a bad back and wasn't able to come over today for the meal. She sounded well on the phone though and seemed to be experiencing some relief from previous days. But my precious moment was when I realized that for the first time in I don't know how long, Josh was here with just Agustin and I. Last year, when he came home from college for both Thankgiving &; Christmas, he always had a friend with him, (tongue in cheek here! Some of you know who it was don't you?). Since Josh lives with his grandparents in Tampa, he never sleeps here anymore. At least last year, he would so enjoy any chance of not having to go back to the dorm, that he would sleep here in his old bed on all vacations or go home week-ends. But tonight for a short period of time, maybe 2 hours or so, I felt like we had gone back in time. He was so soundly sleeping on the sofa, looking very innocent and tired. The only thing different was that now in his hand he clutched his cell phone!!! (He is never far from that thing!) It brought memories flooding back to my mind of his childhood days when he would always go to sleep with some little action figure or truck, etc. in his little hands! Then wake up in the morning looking for it before uttering a word or getting out of bed. And he never went anywhere with out some small toys in his pockets. I remember when we went out to eat with Rita and her family once, Rita observed that Josh acted very much as an only child, which he was in those days. Her reasoning for that statement was due to the fact that since he didn't have siblings to help entertain him, he always went places prepared! He simply took along his own entertainment in the form of small pocket toys. Well tonight, emotion swept over me like only you mom's can understand! Where has the time gone? But as he slept there, I really got to study him without making him feel self conscience. It was wonderful! I told Agustin we switched one baby out for the other. Shane had left, and we had Josh. It was great while it lasted, having my big, strapping 19 year old son home alone with us for a little while. Agustin brought out a blanket and covered him up. That awoke him. They watched soccer together a little bit. I went to the living room to contemplate on today's visits. It blessed me to hear them interacting one on one. How I miss that! Of course it was about Sports! Finally he got up and readied himself to depart. I was secretly hoping he would spend the night, but all of his things are at Grandma's (phone charger, ...) I know he likes order and loves the security of things all being in one place. One day soon maybe he will spend the night and we can have a leisurely breakfast together. I can always hope! Thanks for listening.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYBODY!

Well, the bird has been in the oven since 6 a.m. It should be ready around 9. Then I'll have room in there to cook my dressing for about 45 minute. Its prepared and in the pan waiting to be popped in that oven and boy does it look good! Shane had fun tearing up the pieces of toasted bread for me. Agustin did a swell job cleaning, drying, oiling the turkey and then stuffing it with onions, lemon halves and rosemary sprigs. Meantime I was using the food processor to blend the salt, chopped up fresh rosemary and 2 tablespoons of lemon zest! We then rubbed and patted ole Tom the Turkey down with that mixture and drizzled more olive oil on him. Then my hubby thought it a good idea to add some rosemary sprigs under the skin above the cavity opening of old Tom. So in went the sprigs and some more lemon wedges! This bird is going to taste awesome! Agustin and Shane went to bed around 2a.m. I stayed up and did something (can't remember right now) and cleaned dishes and counter top. I think I went to bed at 4a.m. then up at quarter of 6! So---after getting old Tom in the oven this morning, I went ahead and made my dressing and giblet gravy. They both look great and I think so far I have done well. Oh also, last night Shane and I stuffed the dates with peanut butter and rolled them around in sugar. He loved it! Of course he thought the dates looked like big ol' cock roaches! Very appetizing!

Before we started preparing the food last night, we rearranged the living room. Put together 2 new lamps, hung an old rustic clock on the wall, ironed tablecloths, set the table, decorated the buffet table, laid out all serving dishes and serving utensils. Oh and before all that - we had been to the mall, Walmart, and Publix! You can tell, I work better under pressure! I got so tickled at Agustin at one point. He was really in touch with his "feminine side" last night during all of this. He had my cloth tape measure strung around his neck because he had used it to measure something. With that around his neck, he was at the dining table trying to invent a formal, attractive way for us to fold and display the cloth napkins. It was hilarious! I wish I had taken a photo of him. Plus, he was "playing the part" big time! You know, the wave of the weak wristed hand and the head cocked to one side! We are both very excited about today. I am so looking forward to my Joshy being here!!!

When I crawled into bed, I was so overtired and was hurting so bad, that I shook with fever for about 10 minutes. I felt like I was going into convulsions. Its as though all my muscles are having spasms. Maybe Pat can explain it to me anew. My Dr. has told me why this happens and I'm sure I've read about it in all my research of RA, but right now I can't remember why. This is common when I have overdone it, as I had Wednesday. Agustin woke up and threw his arms and legs over me trying to warm me. He also rubbed my forehead. Very soothing!!!I'm not sure but I think because of the inflammation, the blood and oxygen aren't flowing through my body correctly. My fingernails and toenails turn purple and I get as cold as ice. But after my dear hubby's warmth, all became calm and I drifted off to sleep to get up 1 hour & 45 minutes later. Well, I am setting a timer and heading back to bed. I ate some saltines and took some anti-inflammatory medication so hopefully I can get up and do a few more things before 2pm when we are scheduled to eat. Agustin is going to do the potatoes for me. But you know what--If we don't eat at 2pm, its ok. I am relaxed and love those who are coming over and I think they love me as well, so our day will be wonderful. Hope yours is as well.

More later I am sure. I can't wait to hear about EVERY BODY'S day! Good Eatings!

My Thanksgiving Menu

This is what I will be serving on Thursday.

Thanksgiving Menu

Appetizers
Sweet Onion Tartlets
Stuffed Dates
Hot Cranberry Cider

Main Course
Citrus Rosemary Turkey
Good Old Country Stuffing
Giblet Gravy
Green Bean Salad
Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Fried Green Bean Bundles
Buttery Corn
Cranberry Relish
Crescent Rolls

Desserts
Pumpkin Pie with Cool Whip Topping
Gourmet Pecan Sweet Potato Pie
Sugar Free Apple Pie
Pam's Banana Pudding
Jackie's Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Dream Pie

Beverages
Cranberry Cider
Coffee
Tea
Water

Sleepless in Wesley Chapel & A Prayer Request

My parents with Josh, Christmas 2004.


Well its 3:50 a.m. and no sleep in sight! I've tossed and turned and have kept dear hubby awake, so I had to leave the room! Pain, pain everywhere! I thought I would punch some photos through the celebrity look alike web-site. What a hoot when my blond nephew showed up as resembling basketball legend Charles Barkley and my dad came up as Jesse Jackson and Kafi Annan from the United Nations!!! Oh but later my dad came up as David Hasselhoff, now you tell me??? (giggle,giggle)My son Josh seems to keep appearing as Donny Osmond and John Ritter. Shane has been Rick Shroeder and Keira Knightly from Pirates of the Caribbean! His favorite was when 'THE ROCK" showed up on his match! But I think the funniest of all was when my dark husband matched as Jodie Foster!!!


I'm thinking about my Thanksgiving Day meal. I think it will be the first time I've cooked the entire meal and entertained. I have had a few Thanksgiving meals at home with just my intimate family, but I didn't cook it. I ordered it from Publix! Of course, that was back when I worked full time. Usually we go to mom's and I bring some dishes and of course my famous banana pudding -YUM! It will be fun this year, as Agustin wants to try some new things with a turkey!! Too much Food Network for him lately! Oh by the way, he came out as Bobby Flay on the chef quiz and Shane is Rachel Ray!!Its the warm gigglies they have in common I think.

My mom was going to have us over, but due to being put on bed rest for two weeks to try and relieve the inflammation in her back, she won't be able to shop or cook. It appears she has two herniated discs, possibly ruptured. We will know more soon. Please remember her in your prayers and my dad as well. He has been going to therapy for a pinched nerve in his neck all the while trying to keep on top of things at home while mom is down. He is 70 years old now; hard for me to believe. I still think of him as that daddy I had back in the 1970"s!!! Mom is 63, and not used to being down. She is very energetic and a hard worker. Dad said that the hardest part for my mother is having to lie in bed. I know they will appreciate your prayers.

Well my wrists are on fire and my back is finished for awhile. Must go. Love to all my friends in blogger world. Oh speaking of blogs!!! You must go read my brother in law's post from last night. You will have a good belly laugh as he shares his views about this blogging craze!! Go to www.yekwanaman.blogspot.com

Goodnight now, or should I say Good morning as most of you will be getting up soon! Romans 8:28 "And we know, that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."