Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope you all had a wonderful day today...wherever you are, whatever you have to celebrate.

I have so very much to be thankful for this year...this life.  

Since I have a sweet little girl with me for the evening who is needing to go to bed, I will just quickly post some photos of feast prep.  I only did a turkey, the dressing and gravy, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Butternut Squash.  Kasey and Beau did all the rest of the food and hosting duties.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash

recipe posted at What's Cookin' 4 Miles North of Nowhere?

 celery and onions for the dressing...which I forgot to take a photo of finished

The star of the show...turkey

Not a pretty presentation, but shows the excess of feasting we enjoyed.  As delicious as everything was, the best part was not what was on the table, but being able to share the day with those seated around it.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

I'm not very far into it yet, so I'm reserving judgment, but so far so good.

Making it Monday...

I have not done a stellar job at keeping up with my goal of sending 52 letters in 52 weeks this year.  But I did make a few cards today, and they are now in the mailbox awaiting the mailman.

With this week being Thanksgiving, I used somewhat of an Autumn color scheme, even though they weren't really Autumn cards.  I made two with a simple bunting (inspired by this one I saw on Pinterest).

Another two were made using teal and brick-colored cork sheets and copper-colored brads.

A letter was written in each, and they now are in the mailbox awaiting the postman.  Also in the mailbox is a letter that Chloe wrote to her great-grandmother last night while she was spending the night here.  The letters the girls write to her are always answered promptly in kind, which they love.  

Later this afternoon a friend is coming over to get some help crafting table decorations for her Thanksgiving gathering, so now I need to put away the card-making gear and clean off the table. 

A beautiful pumpkin pie...

photo credit:  Bing images

If you recall, I announced to my family at the beginning of the month that our Sunday family dinner desserts throughout the month of November would all be pumpkin based.  The first two weeks were great, third week was okay but no one's favorite.  Every week Diego suggested just plain ol' pumpkin pie (his favorite) for the next week.

The boys are going to be with their other parents for Thanksgiving.  That means that our feast will have three fewer chairs around the table.  So I thought I would make Diego his pumpkin pie as the Sunday dessert today.

I had all the ingredients in the pantry, and it went together quickly.  Really quickly.  In fact, once it went in the oven, I thought, "Well, that was easier than I remember." 

It turned out beautifully.  I let it cool, and transported it to Kasey's.  After dinner, Diego was the first to cut himself a slice.  When I got around to getting a piece, the first bite made me laugh at myself.  I hadn't put any sugar in it!  It was so...blah.  I felt so bad for Diego!  He hadn't said a word.  Ah, well, I'm sure he will get some in a few days.  If not I'll make him another...with all the ingredients next time.  :)

Making it Monday...

I'm late getting a card off for my sister's birthday, but it will go out today.  Our gray and dreary weather makes me yearn for someplace that has beautiful Autumn colors.  I edited the photograph to appear more as a watercolor, and printed it on watercolor paper.  I mounted it on a brick-red layer of cork and a kraft card base.

A friend called me this morning and asked me to make a gift-enclosure card for her to tuck into a gift basket of Fall-garden bounty, I made it easy on myself by using the same photograph.  

It's one I took a few years ago when Carey and I went to Kentucky for my birthday.  Sigh...that was such a fun trip.

I have no words...

Quick post...

I'm going to see if I can't squeeze in a quick post before midnight.  :)

The past couple of days I have had a nasty headache.  I'm not supposed to take the only pain med that seems to help because of the interaction it might have with a prescription I take.

Today I had quite a few chores to get done, and I got most of them done or at least started.  Then my sweet son came by and finished them all up for me...seasoned and cooked up lots of ground beef so that I can get it in freezer for future recipe starters, drying linens, putting them back on the bed, getting his dad's supper and keeping it warm.  I fell asleep, and was surprised to find him still here when I woke up.  He must have been worried, as he stayed till his dad got home.  :)  I'm really sorry to have worried him, but it's nice to feel the love and concern.

I finally gave up and took some pain reliever, and am feeling much better.  I work tomorrow, so I had to do something about it.  Now I've also managed to scratch 'pay bills' off the list, and sent a little love to a sweet friend who is having a hard time right now.

Looking forward to tomorrow at work.  Monday was my first day at this branch, and it was an optimum balance of quiet time to catch up on computer system updates since I last worked and challenging tasks that keep my noggin working.  

I just noticed that tomorrow is Friday the 13th...but the 13th has always been blessed days for me, both my kiddos born on the 13th of separate months/years, so I'll go forward without worry.  :)

G'night!