i want to know

how was your thanksgiving?

i hope everyone had a blessed thanksgiving.
our holiday was wonderful and full of blessings; getting to visit all of our family is always such a joy.
i got to cook lots and eat good food. it was lovely.
my visit was cut short to my family as i unfortunately had to work, but i did get to spend several hours with them. on Sunday, we had a beautiful Evergreen Service at church introducing the Christmas season.
i left so full of the Lord and excited to get out my decorations.
i hope your holiday was perfect.

one more tiny thing; i have made more changes to this blog in the past six months than ever. i have had this blog for going on three years and until recent, only blogged for family and close friends. i have been searching for the perfect name and style - and have played around with several ideas. so, i apologize for the random changes. hang with me; i'll get it perfect.

how was your thanksgiving?

friend making monday: survey

i enjoy friend makin' mondays.

 to participate, please visit this site to join in.

1. Favorite website?
It's impossible to narrow down to one favorite. I visit Facebook, Fox News, Craigslist, Blogger, YouTube, Amazon; frequently.

2. Favorite color?
My favorite color's are shades of turquoise, brown, yellow & gray.

3. Facebook?
If you would like to connect, send me a message.

4. Favorite Christmas Song?
I love them all and enjoy listening to different versions - such as country, classic, R & B, rock, musical. So many people bring their own special touch to beautiful classic songs.

5. Christmas tree: real of fake?
I love real Christmas trees. In fact, our goal this year is to visit a local tree farm and cut our own.

6. Hottest celebrity?
Matthew McConaughey will always be my top answer. There is just isn't one answer for this question but too keep brief, I'll go with my current crush Bradley Cooper and you can see him here, here, here & here.

7. Favorite Restaurant?
StirFry Cafe and (sorry) O'Charley's. 


8. Favorite Magazine?
I will go with Glamor Magazine (pssst, over here: AND PEOPLE MAGAZINE)


9. Favorite thing to drink around the holidays?
As always, anything Starbucks.


10. Favorite Christmas movie?
Good grief, I like them all. Seriously, them all - both old and new.

crafty in the kitchen, well kind of

every holiday-eve, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, i spend hours with my mother in law, helping her prepare for their big day. their family is larger than mine and over the years, my help evolved into a requirement since i have a passion for cooking. i love these days spent cooking with such a wonderful person i adore. we have so much fun. and prepare so much food.

i make the desserts. & this year i made a beautiful lattice crust apple pie. now, i had never made a lattice crust before, so this may not be as exciting to most, but to me...a beautiful accomplishment. i also got to use yummy canned apples from their apple orchard this past summer. can't wait to enjoy!

1. Thaw Pie Crust. 2. Roll out, smoothing any wrinkles. 3. Slice one crust in strips. 4. Mix cinnamon, nutmeg & sugar, to taste - to fresh, canned or apple filling. 5. Smooth second crust in pie pan, rounding edges. 6. Add butter to apples. 7. Add first layer of crust strips. 8. Weave second layer in an alternating "over/under" pattern. 9. Pretty. 10. Bake in oven, 375 until crust starts to turn brown then remove & brush with egg whites on top of crust, replace back in over for additional 10 minutes until golden. 11. Love it!

my craft is a secret no more

this was going to be a secret. but i decided that since it's my first attempt at craftiness in a very long time, support from precious bloggers would be fantastic.

on may 22 of last year, my parents lost their house to a fire. we recovered only a few pictures. in the house was a quilt i had made in 1994 while in a home economics class my freshmen year of high school. it was a child size quilt. absolutely beautiful. my mom loved it and it was something so special to me, as lots of time was put into the making of the quilt. i was so proud to give it to my parents.

so, i am making them a new quilt. my goal, to have it completed - the week of Christmas.

here are some snapshots of where i am so far.

finally, perfection.

after months of contemplation, the new name is perfect and holds so much special meaning to myself and the husband. im working on putting its beautiful explanation in words. it's also what we've been seeking and is in anticipation for several lovely future endeavors.

enjoy the new look.

be sure to g-i-v-e some of you

continuing my busting-at-the-seams giddiness for the Christmas season, I wanted to share this wonderful event that we have locally. i am from Roane County, Tennessee, Kingston to be exact. a small, quaint town - set among Watts Bar Lake. small and beautiful; i love the place i call home. each Christmas, the town hosts a wonderful event for the less fortunate, called Operation R.E.A.C.H; (Roane Enriches Another Child's Holiday). leading up to December, road blocks and fundraisers are held throughout the county, to raise money for this event. needy children at schools throughout the county are signed up to participate. the first weekend in December, the local Wal-Mart opens their door to this event. Bus loads of children are shuttled in. they are paired with a volunteer, someone like me, and for 2 hours, shop for the things on their list, with an alloted $200 per child. we shop for things on their list, in which they have listed their "wish list" for immediate family members.  these children pick socks and shoes over toys, even lotions and soap over socks. they buy candles or a screwdriver for their parents, which is what "they have always wanted". this is such a humbling experience. after shopping, we all shuttle back to a local school gym, where we get to help wrap all the items purchased, followed by lunch. not only have you helped someone make a special Christmas, it's often the case that you have given them their first real Christmas. and most touching, you make new, little friends. you bond with these special little Children. the first year I went, I got a little girl, age 6. the second year, randomly, I got matched with her sister, age 9.

it always puts life in perspective that it can change, at any time. some of the precious children, had families who had just lost a job or lost their house to a fire. if your county does something like this, or similar - please don't pass up this opportunity. if not, participate in an Angel Tree. these are the greatest holiday blessings.

friend making monday: thanksgiving

i am glad to be able to participate in this weeks friend makin' monday. please visit this site to join in.

1. Turkey or Ham?
I have to have both, or it just isn't a holiday dinner. Both of my grandparents, my parents and most recent (well since 2001), my in-laws, have always had turkey and ham. yummy.

2. Favorite side dish.
Probably mashed potatoes with slaw on top. Greenbeans are always a must have as well. O, deviled eggs :)

3. Favorite dessert.
Pumpkin pie. *im getting so hungry.

4. Black Friday: Are you going or not?
I have in years past and I may this year. The husband is off so we may.

5. If so, what's on the top of your list?
Check out my recent blog to see my Christmas list; here and here.

6. Going out of town or staying close to home?
My family lives about an hour away. My in-laws live ten minutes away. We always swap, so whoever gets us longer for Thanksgiving will get us shorter for Christmas, and vise-versa.

7. Hosting or helping?
I always help and I love it. I actually blogged about this today. Check it out here.

8. Name one family tradition at Thanksgiving.
We always go to our grandparents. It just isn't a holiday without getting everyone together and going to our grandparent's house and then going back to our parents afterwards.

9. What do you do after dinner?
nap, football, play with the kids and enjoy the company of my family.

10. What are you most thankful for this year?
my health. my family. and although not the happiest with my schedule or current position, my job. were blessed in so many ways, even with non-physical things. our thanks we owe all to God.