I am thankful for leftovers.

Because with leftover turkey (or chicken), you can make this fabulous soup.

I think I might even like it better vegetarian-style, but that's just me.

I doubled this recipe for our crew, so you might not need so much.

White Bean Soup

Sautee: one chopped onion, one clove garlic

Add: 1/2 tsp cumin

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

cut-up left-over chicken or turkey

1 small can diced chiles (I use mild)

1 can great northern white beans

1 can shoepeg corn

1 TBSP lime juice

1/2 tsp lemon pepper

Heat and serve with shredded monterey jack cheese and chips

OR

hot cornbread

YUM.

A Thanksgiving Visitor

After being a Thanksgiving visitor, (which was a lovely experience--Thanksgiving in Thomas Jefferson's neck of the woods was great fun, and we participated in some great letterboxing expeditions) I wanted to tell you about reading this little gem.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I can finally say that I've read something by Truman Capote.  I'm looking forward to his Christmas memory, which I have ordered from the library.

By the way:

Thanks to randomDOTorg,

Cynthia is the winner of The Help!

I couldn't be more pleased.

Cynthia:  Help is on the way~

xo

Fridays.

They're my favorite day of the week.

And I won't be doing a bit if shopping.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We're in Virginia today.
And my mother-in-law is cooking the turkey.
I am a grateful guest. 
Happy Day of Thanks-giving!

Teeth

Come on over to Segullah, where I'm talking teeth today.

I'll be grateful.

(we're on the road... when I get to a computer, I'll post a winner!)

I'm thankful for seven days in the week

Because that's how long it's going to take before I stop feeling embarrassed about the meal I made for a family last night.  And I'm going to have to face them in church next Sunday.  I might be sick. 

Delicious roast beef, perfect gravy, finely chopped carrots and potatoes.  All mixed perfectly and put into a crust.  Meat pies.  Two for them, two for us.  They were even delivered HOT out of the oven.  The.crust.was.DISGUSTING. 

We picked ours off and I made Mr. Dub call the family to instruct them to do the same.  At least we had good dessert. 

Note to self:  When you work so hard to make everything so scrumptious, don't scrimp on the pie crust.  And guess what's for dinner tonight?  That's right... meat pie #2.  Waste not, want not!

A down day

I'm thankful for the day at home.
I'm thankful for a day of rest.
Even if it means cleaning up barf and changing sheets.

Thankful for A good book to read. (and a give-away!)

I loved this book.  I loved making time to read it.

The Help is set in 1960s Mississippi.  Kathryn Stockett explores the relationships between white women and their black maids.  The character development is delightful.  I cringed, laughed and clenched my fists in anger as the plot unfolded.  I do enjoy a book that engages a broad range of emotions. 

I felt a loyalty to the main characters.

I loved it so much that I want you to read it. 

I am excited to share my copy of The Help with you.

 

By leaving a comment under this post, I will enter your name into a random drawing to be held on Wednesday, November 25th.  Make sure I have your email address, so that I can notify you and get the book delivered to your door.  In the meantime, if there's more than one person commenting here, you should get to your library and reserve a copy to read!  It really was good.  Five Stars.

I'm thankful for people who are thankful

THIS made me smile.

day two ...for the beauty of the earth

A beautiful sunrise from our deck

meadows and wildlife

otters in the pool

Day ONE: I am grateful for the sunset

This trip was amazing.

The time together was perfect.

The waterfalls were breathtaking.

Some of the things we found were really cool.

Some were funny.

We watched the sunset over the mountains at Clingman's Dome on our first night. It was gorgeous.

The lighting on the mountains changed from minute to minute, allowing for some really beautiful views.

Home. Sweet Home.

Home, the spot of earth supremely blest,

A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest.

~Robert Montgomery

I-B-U-P-R-O-F-E-N

It was a GREAT three days in the Smoky Mountain National Park!
23 miles of hiking.
This morning we pushed to get in the last 8 miles.
I knew it would be hard...
It was SO worth it!
Four miles, STRAIGHT up.
Tomorrow, pictures.
This afternoon?
I told Mr. Dub if there were post-hike epidurals, to hook me up.

I'm thankful for sore legs

The Dub and I have hiked 15 miles through the Smoky Mountains in the past two days.

The rewards have been AMAZING!  This is the waterfall we hiked to yesterday just before calling it a day.

Can't wait to tell you about some of the other incredible things we saw and did.

My Parents

I'm thankful for good parents!

They're hiding out at OUR house,

holding down the fort so that Mr. Dub and I can play.

(thanks, mom and dad!)

I was born of goodly parents.

And I love them.

xo

The scriptures

I love them.  I am thankful for them.

I love to read the holy scriptures,

And, ev’ry time I do,
I feel the Spirit start to grow within my heart—
A testimony that they’re true.
Search, ponder, and pray
Are the things that I must do.
The Spirit will guide, and, deep inside,
I’ll know the scriptures are true.


So, prayerfully I’ll read the scriptures
Each day my whole life through.
I’ll come to understand. I’ll heed the Lord’s command
And live as he would have me do.
Search, ponder, and pray
Are the things that I must do.
The Spirit will guide, and, deep inside,
I’ll know the scriptures are true
-“Search, Ponder and Pray,” Children’s Songbook, l09.
 
"If we are excited about our scriptures, if we love to read them,

if we pray about them, the Spirit will help us know how to do this."
-Cheryl C. Lant, Primary General President

Dessert! (of course)

I am thankful for dessert.

It makes me happy.

These four delicious ginger chewies were my breakfast dessert yesterday.

I say breakfast dessert, because I actually had a substantial breakfast. 

A multigrain bagel with strawberry cream cheese, perfectly accompanied by a mug of fresh apple cider. 

Following breakfast, I got the urge for a little somethin' somethin' sweet.

These yummy cookies did nicely.

I am grateful that dessert can be mine.

At any time of the day.

Because I am the Mom.

I'm grateful for my TRAVELING PANTS!!

Actually, I'm grateful for THIS man, who has been wearing HIS traveling pants for TWO WEEKS! 

He's due home TODAY. 

I've missed him HUGE.He's used to traveling.  He comes and goes alot.  Last night he called and asked me if I had my traveling outfit ready.  I laughed (I'll admit).  But only because I was picturing myself trying to decide which pair of jeans I should wear on the plane. 

You see, less than 24 hours home, and

HE AND I

will be sporting our traveling pants,

and heading to the airport!! 

FIVE DAYS. 

(au revoir)

Just the two of us. 

And twenty years of reminiscing to do.

I am thankful for my leisure activities of choice.

If I have any free time (and even if I don't)
here are some of my favorites:

~reading
~watching movies
~napping
~snacking
~sudoku puzzles
~writing

Don't they raise your heart rate just looking at them?
I'm laughing at what an active person I appear to be.
Go fitness!
[should I worry a bit for my cardiovascular health?]

I am thankful for my marriage

20 Years side-by-side with Mr. Dub

~I love him so!~

I am also thankful for all veterans.

And to have two reasons to celebrate on November 11th.

I am always grateful to have the day off on our anniversary.

It's a great gift.

I am thankful: My Library.

I LOVE it there. I am a frequent flyer at my local library, and I'm grateful for kind, helpful and patient librarians. Libarians of the world, I salute you!I'm also grateful that we finally found the library book that's been checked out to us and renewed at least six times (because we have such kind and patient librarians) to save on the late fees!

I am thankful for my bed.

(good-night)

service

and these wanna-be anonymous leaf-rakers who performed an act of service yesterday for our own beloved and lovely shirlgirl. During His ministry on the earth, Jesus Christ spent His time serving and helping others. True disciples of Jesus Christ do likewise. The Savior said, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:35).

consequences!

when you touch something hot, you get burned.
when you shove your mom's face into her birthday cake, you get a VERY sticky KISS!

MMMMMmmmm.... it was tasty! (The cake was too)

Being a TWIN!

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y

T O M Y T W I N ! !

X O X O

I am thankful for: My Sense of SMELL

Mmmmmm.
It's a part of me that doesn't rank high on the appreciation meter, unless I'm walking into a kitchen with the smell of freshly baked bread wafting through the air.
And even then, the sense of taste steals the show, because the smell of the bread is only the prequel to the amazing experience of eating the bread. I knew last night, as strong as I can know things, that I needed to post my gratitude for this neglected and OH! so vital of the senses as one of my counted blessings.
I climbed into my bed and smiled. Not only because I was IN bed [at last--huzzah!], but also because the bedding had been flapping on the clothesline for the better part of the afternoon, and it had that amazing smell that only line-dried linens can have. I pulled the covers right up to my nose and breathed deeply.
I am grateful for the ability to smell. (And for my clothesline)

Work.

Today I am grateful for the good old-fashioned concept of work. We discussed [at Family Home Evening Monday night] that we don't really have a true understanding of what it means to have chores. Not compared to the chores of the generations that preceded us, anyway. Life is pretty convenient. And ease-driven. And pretty great, if you choose to see the great parts.
(Thanks, Yankee Girl)
When I talked to a friend yesterday about having the kids rake leaves, he said "Oh, no. This is 2009. My kids' job is to get good grades. They don't do that kind of stuff."
And as Part II to being grateful for work, I'm also grateful to be IN CHARGE. See that pointing finger? Don't think it doesn't waggle.
(photo courtesy of daughter who's favorite "job" is to man the camera)

My Morning Walk.

I love that the sun is UP

And making the trees GLOW at 6:30am.

I'm thankful for the beauty around me.

And for stopping to enjoy it.

And for those bright leaves that just keep hangin' on.

A month of THANKS-giving

November marks the final month in my favorite season. I'm grateful each year for a month in which we celebrate feeling thankful. A talented blogging friend of mine has issued a challenge I accept with enthusiasm: Post daily about something you're thankful for. So here we go! A chance to showcase the daily blessings in my life.
Today?

Three daughters!!! A lifetime of everything that girl-power brings to the table.

Drama! Shopping! Spa nights!

Knowing that daughters turn into friends.

Feliz Cumpleanos~

Here's a birthday shout-out to an amazing man.I love you Mr. Dub!

xo