Pink Fluff

My mom came to spend Turkey Day with us. Two days before the big day, we took in another family from Erik's office who had their Thanksgiving plans foiled by the storm (I literally had to send Erik out to buy another turkey!) So we had a great group, with extra kids for G to torment play with. I love spending holidays with friends as well as family. Sometimes, we don't put out our best for holiday meals when it's just family (or is that just me?) so I like to have friends around so I feel compelled to make things extra special (and not cheesy when I do so). Plus, something about the Army lifestyle makes me feel like holidays aren't compete without friends around to share it with.

 

Before my mom came I got lots of work done, including making pie crust 3 times because it just wasn't coming together right. I have an observation on that front, by the way: organic flour in your pie crust is useless when the recipe calls for 1/2 C Crisco. Food for thought.

 

 But I digress. I got as much prep work done as I could the day before, but I saved Pink Fluff for my mom to make with G. He's a bit of a pro already and my moms Fluff always tastes better than my own (turns out it's because she drains her pineapple tidbits better than I do).

 

 

 

Pink Fluff is a holiday table staple for me (and now for Erik, I think - he was disappointed when we were already out on Friday) and I think G has picked up the torch as well. And seriously, what are we going to do without that pull out cutting board for G to work at when we move?

The Snow Came Back

A few (two, maybe?) days before Thanksgiving, 6 inches of snow came our way.

 

Erik came home early from work and went out to shovel the driveway. I woke G up from his nap and asked him if he wanted to go help. He looked at me, held up his hands and said "I lost my mitt-tens!" Haha!

So we found them.

 

And he said "My mitt-tens! I love my mitt-tens!"

 

And then he got to work!

 

 

Thankful

I'm pretty far behind.

My mom was here last week, and I've said before that it's hard to get time on the actual computer when Erik is doing his coursework. I just can't stand to try to type more than a paragraph on my tablet.

So anyway, a few weeks before Thanksgiving, we sat down in the entry way of our house (where we do all projects that need to be done while Piper is sleeping - like pumpkin decorating) and wrote out the things that we're thankful for.

There were the obvious ones: A warm house, a good job, Mom, Dad, Pipes, Grant, Grandparents; but there were also some unexpected ones: clouds, these leaves (in reference to the leaves I had cut out of construction paper that we were using to write our gratitude on) and ambulances.

We then hung the leaves on a ribbon and hung it up in the dining room to remind us of everything we have to be so thankful for. I think G was a little too small to really pick up on the activity but it was a good exercise for Erik and myself if nothing else. We have so much to be grateful for, all year 'round.

3 Months

Late again, of course...

Giving Tuesday

As you know, I'm a huge proponent of Black Friday (I stayed up until 1AM to save $10 on a diaper sprayer), Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. I cheap-out all year until this weekend, where I put the pedal to the medal on things I've been wanting to buy but couldn't justify spending our money on. You may not know this about me, but I RARELY pay full price for things besides groceries (and that's just because I can't fully get the knack for couponing - but I try!). I'd rather spend my money on experiences than things. So I cyber-shop all weekend and I love when the packages start rolling in. I'm a real instant gratification type girl, so waiting for my half price (or greater) goodies is hard. I get excited, even when I know the packages aren't for me (and they often aren't...)

Everyone picks on Black Friday shoppers for "trampling" people for bargains on new things when just the day prior (Thanksgiving), everyone was going around the table giving thanks for the things they already have. It's not like that for me. I don't go trampling people for a cheap TV. We have one. it's not great, but we have it, it's paid for, and it's going to stay on our TV stand until it dies. Again. Because we had it fixed the first time. (This is the same reason we have - literally - a fifteen year old washer and dryer set - but not pair, because they don't match).

BUT at the end of my cyber-shopping-spree comes GIVING TUESDAY, and I LOVE Giving Tuesday. I love that I married someone who loves giving to charity as much as I do - especially since he's the sole breadwinner right now. I love helping!

The first year we were married, Erik and I picked 3 kids off an Angel Tree and bought them toys. We painstakingly chose for each little one, refusing to buy things we thought weren't positive (like Bratz dolls - what the collective heck was up with those?!). We really had fun together and felt good about having spent the money. So we made it a tradition that I have carried on, even during the holidays which he is away. It's amazing what a couple bucks and few minutes can do for your soul.

So, if you're feeling gifty here are a few charities that I'm thinking about this year (and they're legit):

www.AZBrainfood.org - Brain Food discreetly provides underprivileged kids a backpack full of food to eat on the weekends when they don't have access to a school cafeteria.

http://santascause.net/About_Us.html - Delivering Christmas gifts to needy kids in Oklahoma City, OK

http://www.saltwaterchallenge.org/ - Send one of our Wounded Warriors on an all expenses paid trip to Martha's Vineyard to participate in a fishing tournament!

Don't have any extra this year? Not to worry! Go on over to http://www.volunteermatch.org/ and find somewhere you can give a few hours of your time! You get more than you give!

Or, if nothing else fits with your lifestyle, just pack up some stuff you don't need anymore and lug it over to the Salvation Army or Goodwill. All some kids get at Christmas is new-to-them toys. Help give their parents a good selection!

I LOVE Giving Tuesday!