Happy Thanksgiving

 Today is Thanksgiving. I really do have much to be thankful for. I have a roof over my head, that we are making a home after loosing our home this past June. My children are all doing well in school and have some real good friends that they get to hang out with. My husband and I both have good jobs and 2 cars that run. We have family that lives nearby and good friends that live down the road.



Yesterday as I was coming home I went past a church that was having a funeral. It made me wonder about the families inside and how they were going to be thankful today, on Thanksgiving. I asked my friend, Sally, who goes to that church, if she knew who passed away. She did, and told me who it was. I knew her, and I know her family. She was a woman of 95 years, who loved God, and had a good life. I knew at that moment that she was now in a better place, with no more sorrow or pain.

So much to be thankful for. Even through the season of loss, it is reassuring to know that God is good, and He alone makes even the darkest times have light. I am praying for my friend, Angie, this week as she lost her Daddy a couple of weeks ago. She has a heavy heart, and is trying to make everything OK. I pray for the families that laid down their mother, sister, aunt and friends today at the church down the street. I pray for the widows and the ones with silent pain that I will never know about that are crying on the inside tomorrow during Thanksgiving.

So enjoy your turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie with family and friends tomorrow. Let them know how much you love them and appreciate them. Laugh with the ones you love and remember those who are no longer with you with a smile in your heart.

~Peace & Blessings~
Jen

Thankful Thursday

 I just wanted to reflect on all that is good in life. It is so easy to get caught up in what is going wrong, what we don't have, or all the injustice that happens to us.

Why do we find it so easy to dwell on the negative, the hurt, the pain? I ask myself that question more times than I care to admit. When I was getting ready this morning, I kept thinking of "defining moments" in life. I began to wonder why it is that we tend to draw on a bad experience to make a defining moment. Why can't a good experience become a defining moment?

 I realized that it's a lot like looking at film. For those of you that remember photography, when you take a picture the "negative" is what is first developed, but in order to see the beauty that you were trying to capture, you had to fully develop the film until the positive photo appeared on the photo paper.


I honestly believe that it is a choice. So today I am thanking God for the defining moments in my life that I once viewed as a bad memory (the negative), but I now see them as good (the developed picture)...

- I am thankful that I lived in many places growing up and met so many people along the way. (I'm a very social person and fit into most social situations)

-I am thankful for the trip to Walt Disney World with my family when I was a teenager. It was the last time I spent time with my Aunt Cindy. (I miss her, and I realize that time is precious)

-I am thankful for my loving friends that pulled me out of the darkness that surrounded me for so long and never giving up on me. (I could have let the depression swallow me and could have given up, because I felt that life would never get better.)

-I am thankful for having God fearing mother who never gave up on her husband or her children. (I remember when my Mom told me that she prays for me everyday. It meant more to me than she will ever realize)

-I am thankful for a husband who loves me for me. (Our courtship was brief, and I was "In Love", but I didn't think I deserve that kind of love. He truly loves me "warts & all")

-I am thankful for 3 beautiful children that are loving, caring, and giving. (After losing 2 children, I am amazed of God's grace. I could have let the lose overshadow the blessings of who I have in my life now)

So, what are you thankful for today? Can you go back into your memories and pinpoint those "defining moments" and find the good in them? Let go of the pain and Live in the knowledge that what happened to you is not who you are.



~Peace & Blessings~
Jen

Thanksgiving Countdown Continues..

with just 2 days left before Thanksgiving. Today's tip...go Shopping!

First off make sure that you have enough space in the fridge, freezer & pantry for anything left that you need to pick up. By now you should have already picked up most of what you need for Thanksgiving Day. Double check your recipes and make sure you have everything you need to make your meal a success, this includes spices, sugars, and . As you shop, don't forget extras you'll need, such as dish detergent, paper napkins and paper towels, and other staples. Once you are in the store, relax and enjoy your shopping experience. If you shop in haste, you may miss an item you need.

~Peace & Blessings~
Jen

A Thinner Thanksgiving

This is a great blog from Chuck Barney, Contra Costa Times. So if you are looking for a way to keep off gaining the weight this Thanksgiving, check out Chuck's Blog...

Five ways to lighten the Thanksgiving Day calories

By Chuck Barney
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 11/22/2010 01:00:00 AM PST

Ah, Thanksgiving -- the holiday that wages war on our waistlines. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) estimates that the average citizen inhales 4,500 calories and gains 3 to 7 pounds on Thanksgiving. But it really doesn't have to be that brutal. By making better choices you can still indulge without breaking the caloric bank. With that in mind, we invite you to check out these five strategic alternatives.

-- Chuck Barney

Turkey

That drumstick might look inviting, but dark meat is about twice as fatty as white meat. A four-ounce slice, with skin, carries 206 calories -- even more if it's cooked in loads of butter. Healthier option: Sticking with breast meat -- with a portion the size of your fist -- will save big on calories and fat.

Pie

At 450-500 calories per slice, pecan pie is a big, gloppy disaster just waiting to happen. Proceed at your own risk. Healthier option: Go for the pumpkin pie (330 calories) instead -- and don't be so quick to pile on the whipped cream.

Stuffing

Traditional stuffing is loaded with fat and sodium and the calories pile up even more if it's cooked inside the bird. Healthier option: If a green bean casserole (without the cream sauce) is on the table, it's your better choice at only 100 calories per cup.

Potatoes

Those
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candied sweet potatoes -- all covered in marshmallows -- are more sinful than sweet, packing up to 250 calories per half-cup. Healthier option: The mashed potatoes are your better bet -- especially if you don't slather your spuds in gravy (170 calories per serving).

Spirits

Mixed drinks tend to have a high amount of concentrated sugar and quickly add empty calories. Healthier option: Wine is typically the most diet-friendly choice. Each five-ounce glass carries about 100 calories with no cholesterol, sodium or fat. Or save the calories for dessert and drink water.

Sources: ACE, Men's Health, calorieking.com.

**If I may add...Drink at least 8oz of water prior to your meal and feel fuller faster! Have a Happy & Healthy Thanksgiving.
~Peace & Blessings~
Jen

Thanksgiving Countdown

9 Ways to Plan Ahead for Thanksgiving Dinner -By Jessica Harlan, About.com Guide

This is NOT mine, but I wanted to share with you so that you can have a less stressful Thanksgiving. If you want to read the whole blog, follow the link provided, but for today...here is Day #1...7 days away:

When Thanksgiving Day is still a week or two away, it's the perfect chance to plan ahead for an organized and successful Thanksgiving dinner. Use this list to prepare in advance for Thanksgiving dinner – when the day arrives, you'll be able to enjoy the holiday, knowing you're well prepared for the celebration.

1. Plan your menu and choose your recipes. Decide upon a recipe or preparation method for the turkey, then decide what side dishes you'll be serving and pick the recipes you want to use for each of them (A good place to start is this roundup of Eleven Great Thanksgiving Recipes). Write down the menu, and where each recipe is located so that you won't forget – this list can also serve as a reference for shopping and for remembering everything that needs to be done on Thanksgiving day. Mark the recipes in your recipe books, or, if they're found online, print them out and keep them in a folder for easy reference.

2. Read up on any unfamiliar cooking techniques. If you are unsure how to roast a turkey, make pumpkin puree or prepare a pie crust, now is the time to read up on the proper method. If you have time, you could also find videos showing various techniques (such as carving a turkey)or even do a trial run of certain recipes or cooking methods.

3. Check to make sure you have the proper cooking equipment. Read through your recipes and visualize the preparation of each dish to make sure you have the tools and appliances you need to prepare each one. This list of essential Thanksgiving cooking equipment can help determine what you might need. Be sure to consider whether you'll be making dishes that both will require the same tools or pans at the same; for instance, do you have enough pie pans for both the pumpkin pie and pecan pie recipes you want to make? Will you be using the same saucepan for the gravy as you will for making the mashed potatoes? You still have time to buy or borrow any equipment that you might need.

4. If your guests are bringing dishes or other contributions, discuss with them what they're bringing. This way you can make sure that there aren't duplicate dishes or, worse, an omission of an important element of the meal. Make sure everyone knows what they're bringing, if anything, and how many guests their dish needs to serve.

5. Think through how the meal will be served. Make sure you have the right serving pieces and enough placesettings for all the dishes you'll be serving and the number of guests attending. Looking at your menu, decide which serving piece you'll use for each dish. You can even put a sticky note on the underside of each serving piece now, as a reminder of what should go in each dish. Remember that oven-to-table cookware, such as pieces by Le Creuset or Emile Henry, can double as both cooking vessels and serving dishes (and that's one less dish to wash!). By planning this now, you will ensure that come Thanksgiving Day, you won't discover you are short on serving bowls for all of the side dishes. Be sure to have a few extras on hand for dishes that guests might bring, or ask them to bring their food right in the serving dishes.

6. Decide on decorations. Think about how you want your home and your table to be decorated for Thanskgiving, and buy or make anything that you can do in advance. The week or two before Thanksgiving is a great time for families with children to work on Thanksgiving crafts that can be used at the table, such as napkin rings, centerpieces or place cards.

~Peace & Blessings~
Jen