~~~ Happy Thanksgiving ~~~

Ooops!

After jumping ahead to the "12 Days of Christmas" . . .

I have the perfect thing to bring the focus back to Thanksgiving . . .

~~ I'm thankful for a warm home, a loving husband, each of my children, fantastic son & daughters who married into our family, my blackberry!! (otherwise I'd be wandering aimlessly), to have the gospel in my life, the opportunities to serve, that the sun shines most the time, the many things I've learned this past year, electricity (otherwise I'd just be continually in the dark), a job I love, a black perpetual puppy (otherwise I'd have no one to play with . . . .), friends and neighbors who surround me, a warm bath, a good book, and the opportunity to be a grandmommy soon :)

Mostly I'm just  . . . . thankful . . .

WHAT are YOU thankful FOR?

(It's 4:49 minutes that will change your day!)

and finally -

I wish I was this creative!

Click on the Turkey and watch - hee!

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12 Days of Christmas

THIS . . .

just made my day :)

(hope it does something for you too!






BTW - lots of SNOW here in Utah today!

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It all Starts and ends with Family . . .

“Other things may change us, but we start and
end with family.”
–Anthony Brandt

One of my favorite quotes!

So it's not surprising that I was ecstatic to be invited to Dustin and Cami's home
in Raleigh NC for a long weekend!

Not only was it  w.o.n.d.e.r.f.u.l
to visit with them

But the Fall colors were just coming on in Raleigh!

You'll get a glimpse in these photos I managed to capture







Dustin & Cami(after lunch at a cute little Mexican food restaurantin Wake Forest) 


Love this photo!Gonna be my new notecards for this season :) 
This one too!  Can I just take these gorgeous trees back to Utahwith me?? 

I didn't run into any wild animals in the forest,but I did spy this little thing keeping a close eye on me.



Oh wait . . .Do squirrels count as 'wild creatures'?I'm sure people think I'm nuts taking a million photos of all the squirrels . . . 
 Please . . . please . . .pretty please . . . Come back to Utah with me! I promise to feed and take care of you!!  

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Attitude of Gratitude

"Our realization of what is most important in life goes hand in hand with gratitude for our blessings"-- Thomas S. Monson Nov '08

It's in the air . . .

I'm feeling itan "Attitude of Gratitude"

I open my eyes and look around each day and I'm grateful.

For the patter of rain, pouring off the roof and overflowing the gutters
for sunny crisp gold of autumn leaves I see outside each window
for answered prayers
for the warmth of hearth and home
for children with testimonies
a husband who leads
parents who taught
neighbors who care
for a whole month to focus on just being grateful
 . . . and I am . . .


Last year I shared many of our family Thanksgiving favorites.  Check it out to see how our favorites compare to yours.  I always love to discover YOUR tried and true Thanksgiving dishes! I always look forward to the years we host the annual Thanksgiving Feast because I get to plan the menu and love to include all my families favorites.  Since I've been in the Thanksgiving mood this week I couldn't wait until Turkey Day to try out our homemade Orange/Lemon Cranberry Sauce.  My leftover chicken in the fridge was just crying out for it. 

It's easy - you'll love it  . . . Give it a try :)

(and besides - it is gorgeous!)



Lemon - Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:
1 bag of fresh cranberries
1 lemon - zest and juice
1/2 C. sugar
1/4 t salt
1/2 C. water

Grate zest from lemon, add zest and juice of lemon to a medium pot with the sugar and water.  Heat over medium heat until sugar is disolved.  Add the cranberries, bring to a boil then simmer 30 min or until cranberries split, begin to soften and sauce begins to thicken.

Can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge.
(You can use either a lemon or and orange - I like either one)

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My Take on the Election . . .

I appreciate the political comments of many of the posts shared my lots of my readers.  I've found them informative, helpful and even very humorous at times.

Still it's unlike me to make a political comment . . .

But I couldn't resist this one :)

"President Barack Obama said yesterday’s midterm congressional elections, in which Republicans won a majority in the U.S. House, was more evidence that the American people are “deeply frustrated” by the pace of the economic recovery."

  YA THINK?

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