Annabelle turns ONE!

Happy Birthday Annabelle!

Someone pass the wine (aka: the night before)

The night before Thanksgiving we got together with some friends. We all crowded around my miniscule dining room table... with mismatched chairs and elbowing each other non-stop... and a high chair thrown into the mix. Somebody brought the wine. Somebody brought the pie. We had salad, tomato soup out of mugs, and spinach pizza. We drank three bottles of wine and laughed and talked and discussed the dreaded dealing with our families the next day. I couldn't think of a better way to kick off this crazy weekend. You friends are a fun bunch.

Thanksgiving.

The Menu

• Turkey
• Duck
• Sweet Potatoes (with and without nuts)
• Corn
• Peas
• Green Bean Cassarole
• Stuffing (regular & with roasted chestnuts)
• Cranberry Relish
• Mashed Potatoes
• Salad
• Rolls (three kinds!)
• Dessert (pumpkin pie, key lime pie, chocolate truffles, pumpkin roll, cookies, pecan tarts, & pumpkin tarts)

The Spread!

The Tables

We invested in off white table cloths a few years ago. If you start with a neutral color, you can add pops of whatever color you want in the accessories. This year I went with purples and oranges. We got four bunches of flowers from Costco and put a medium size and a short size arrangement on each table. I also used plum colored napkins and made plum and deep orange placecards on the computer using clip art and a fancy script.

My awesome friend let me borrow all kinds of clear plastic frames for the tables. I had about 40 pictures printed in 4x6 size of everyone in our family. I tried to find photos that had more than one person in them so that it would show the family aspect. I put pictures on the front and the back of the frame since both sides were visible. I also put one picture in between the gold charger and the clear glass plate at each setting. They were a big hit, everyone loved walking around to see which pictures were on the tables. Once dinner was finished, we put all of the photos on the table and everyone could take home the ones they loved.

I am THANKFUL

For my amazing husband.
For my beautiful son.
For my family.
For my friends!

I am thankful.

For pets that are loyal as can be.
For a warm bed to crawl into every night.
For food on the table.
For clean water.

I am thankful.

For a husband that facilitates me staying home.
For people who give to others who need.
For smiles from strangers.
For tolerance.

I am thankful.

For our new President and the HOPE he brings.
For our military men & women, doing an often thankless job.
For all of the LOVE filling my life.
For being able to see what is really important.
(And learning to forget the rest...)

I am thankful.

What are you thankful for?

Give.

Are you looking for a place to give this year?

Consider this:

Because sometimes it isn't about turkey and potatoes and stuffing and pie. Sometimes we all need a little reminder of the things we should be grateful for.

Ahem.

GO BUCKS!

Now get yourself in front of the TV and watch THE game!

Franny's Feet.

For those of you not in the know...





And for reference, Bobby is a butterfly.



What's your point Michelle?


My point is, every single episode (twice) Franny says, "Hi Bobby! Are YOU ready to see what's in my treasure box?" And I laugh. Hard. I am sick and wrong and have the humor of a 12 year old boy.


For more information on Franny, check out her site here. The show really is a good one for your kids to check out to teach them about different places in the world.

Google, you crack my shit up.

Gmail is infinitely more interesting in the NINJA theme. If you were one of the lucky gmail users to get the new themes, get thee to settings and check them all out. Do it. Do it now. The "tree" setting actually matches your weather outside to your gmail inbox.

Please add a share (or FIVE) of the Goog to my Christmas Wish List.

Santa Baby Part Deux...

Creme. Brulee. Almonds. Find them here. Oh, these must be mine. Alllllll miiiiiine!

This address embosser from Horchow is 25% off today with code THANKFUL!

Fairisle sweater in grey.

Santa Baby...

These hawt Necessary Objects pants from Macy's in black.

This super cute recipe box from Martha... bonus, it's on SALE right now!

I could really use this jewelery organizer since the hook on mine isn't holding up well.

I still have nightmares that I'm back in high school and can't remember my locker combination. Since I can't stand remembering those twirly lock things, this Wordlock (in gorgeous RED) would be an excellent stocking stuffer.

These toasty warm boots from Target in a size 9 please.

I would love one (or two or three) of these cute GroBal in sky. It may make my indoor basil last all winter! I could even have fresh rosemary or thyme if I had more than one. You can also order them from Target right here!

Forgive my blogging pause.

There are lots of things going on in our house as of late, so I've been a bit blah and I need a minute or two to recoup my senses.

Monday.

This kid isn't right in the head.

Cake explosions and other fun stuff.

Happy Birthday Oma!

Confession: I blew up the first cake... it totally cracked and went everywhere. It's currently taking up residence in our deep freeze just waiting for me to make a trifle out of its devil's food goodness. Luckily I still had the dark chocolate ganache and the white chocolate cream for the layers in between... and an awesome husband that ran out to get supplies for the second cake at 10 at night.

The second one turned out MUCH better than the first and it was so yummy and chocolatey, just as the birthday girl requested!

A hint of what is to come.

Ideas for this year's table...

Dear Readers of my little piece of the internet...

My very most favorite time of the year is fast approaching. Thanksgiving is the best, so wonderful, so marvelous holiday of the year. I have the illustrious task of handling all of the decor. We have usually somewhere in the neighborhood of dinner for twenty people in my mom's downtown loft. It is also the only time my family allows me to use place cards without (much) ridicule.

For now, I leave you with photos of 2005, my my mind is already clicking away with the possibilities that this year brings.

And then the Black Friday festivities begin!

Read this article.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/06/AR2008110603948.html

Then leave a comment and tell me what you thought. Thank you Sarah Jo for sending it to me, I loved his story.

Cookie Monster

This morning we made pumpkin cookies.

Pumpkin Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the dry ingrediants together in a bowl and set aside:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon each salt, nutmeg, cloves, & ginger

Cream 1/2 cup softened butter with 1 1/2 cups sugar.

Add the wet ingrediants to the creamed sugar/butter mixture:

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Once the mixture is creamy, add the dry ingrediants just until combined. Do not over beat.

Drop onto a cookie sheet by the tablespoon. Bake 15-20 minutes.

I frosted mine with a can of cream cheese frosting I picked up at the store. It was the easy way out, but it tasted great with the cookies.

I think they were a hit.

Baby Will

Thank you for the visit.

Beautiful day in the neighborhood.

Thank you to all of our fun friends for a wonderful & warm morning at the park. We hope the winter isn't long so we can do it again very soon. Mommies, I'll get you cds of all of the pictures soon.

Everyone should make like Sophie and get out and enjoy this gorgeous day with a giant smile!