Check Your Butt and Turn the Page!!!

Those are two of the tips Shelby has gotten from our numerous phone calls today! I have to tell you that it hasn't been as bad as I thought it was going to be.....talking her through her cooking has helped tremendously.....it's kept me smiling, which I especially needed today.

Sooo....I happened to be prepping MY turkey when I remembered to tell her to check the other end of the turkey.....some turkey people put stuff in both ends. Thank goodness I remembered that....cuz hers had stuff in it!

Then we were talking through her stuffing and I was reeling off what I put in mine and she said, "Mom, your recipe called for two eggs, but the directions never said to put them in, so I didn't!"........she didn't turn the page! Once again, we caught it in time!

So both of our turkeys are in the oven and it's time for us both to sit back and "take a load off"! I have the cell phone on the charger though....and I'm smiling. I love you, Shelby.......I miss you, but I'm so happy you are having a great time cooking your first Thanksgiving!!!

And the Marathon Begins..........Call #1

I've been instructed to carry my phone with me at ALL times! She's only called twice so far, but then again, she's only been home from work less than an hour. She's making her brine and has just set off to the grocery store for what I hope will be the only trip she has to make..........for sugar! I guess I didn't think to tell her that you just can't make an entire Thanksgiving dinner with only Splenda in the house! Yuck....it might be "healthier", but I can't stand the stuff....I'll do without something sweet if I have to, but I can't use the fake stuff!

I hope she remembers that she still needs a meat thermometer. I sent to her the one that belonged to her grandmother (I've been saving it for years!), but I didn't think about the fact that it has mercury in it....and she's marrying a doctor. Sooooo....she needs a new thermometer. OK....her goes MY Call #1!!! This is going to be the most interesting Thanksgiving I've ever had!

Let's Try This Again!!!

I happened to be looking at this morning's video and realized that you could barely tell that snow was coming down....I admit it was light, but it was there! Then Dennis yelled for me to look out the window......this was our lunchtime snowbreak!!!

Look What We Got This Morning!!!

My First Snowflake of the Year

I didn't see many.....it only lasted a couple of minutes, but I saw them! I have to say it was quite odd watching leaves AND snow fall at the same time. I'm not giving up that we'll get another flurry or tow...I'll keep you posted (pun!).

Still Snow Hoping.......but not much...

There isn't a flake in sight! I'll keep you posted!!

I'm Dreaming..........

.......of a White Thanksgiving?? I wasn't really, but I'd love to if I thought it might just be possible! As it turns out, there is a possibility of snow tonight and tomorrow morning. Well, ok........maybe not snow.....how about flurries??? Click here if you don't believe me! Of course, when was the last time they called for flurries and we actually got them?? Now I can remember a time or two when they didn't call for snow and we got it......so, Jon Cash, Jeff Lawson, Evan Stewart and the rest of you local meteorologists........sh-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-!!!! I happen to like snow! I'll keep you posted on this wonderous possibility!!!

Double the Pleasure....Double the Fun!!!

Congratulations, Dan and Lisa!!!
Looks like we may have some future Wrigley's stars!!!

NOTE added 11/13/2008 - I couldn't resist changing the pic from two egg yolks to two limes after seeing Lisa's post on her blog!!!

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like.........

FALL!!! This is my favorite time of the year....Shelby's, too! I love using natural elements in my home so that if I'm stuck indoors, I can still enjoy the outside inside. All throughout the spring my house is filled with the flowers I have planted around my home....the forsythia is the first to bloom and is one of my favorite displays! I also love my tulips, lilies and hydrangeas (gave up on roses a couple of years ago....couldn't fight the diseases and bugs!). Once summer gets really hot the flowers tend to dwindle, but I bring in leaves from my ferns, hosta and elephant ears and just put them in clear glass containers....they look awesome!

But then there's fall......I'm not real big into decorating the whole house for any other holiday than Christmas, but I do like a few touches. Here are a few things I've put around the house to remind me that it's autumn:

I cannot resist the little pumpkins in the grocery stores.....I thought this was a cute way to display them around the house. Simple, but cute!

When we went to Graves Mountain a few weeks ago, we went up on the Skyline Drive and found these huge acorns. I gathered as many as I could (some for Shelby and some for me!) and brought them home. Melinda advised that I put them in the microwave for a minute, just to make sure there weren't any little varmints inside, and them I rubbed them with Old English Oil (the dark colored one). They look awesome! Then I put them in a container with a candle in the middle....this sits in the middle of our table.

While we were up at Baby Graves last weekend, I scoured the mountainside for bittersweet.....I just love it in the foyer...the colors are so autumnal. I did find it, but unfortunately I left it outside and it rained overnight and ruined it! But fortunately, while I was looking for the bittersweet, I found these......I think they look great in these metal vases I have! I have them in the foyer and in the sunroom!

Of course, I can hardly wait to get back up in the mountains.....I found some great pines and firs to make Christmas wreaths with. I'm not so sure that Shelby will be able to get a live Chrismas wreath in Texas, unless it's made with chili peppers, I plan to make one for her and mail it.....I'll post pics of them when they're done!

Happy Fall!!!

How's the Weather???

Well, it's been raining and blowing around this part of the country! Not that I'm complaining......I happen to love inclement weather. What better excuse could you have to make a pot of soup (recipe to follow on Aprons Required). Since I've finally figured out how I happened to make that video at Graves Mountain of the guy making the apple butter, I decided to give you a little preview of what it's been like here. This one is for Shelby....I thought she might like to see the fall colors and to know that I was thinking about her while I was out and about today running errands!

I miss you, Shelby!

Mom XOXOXO