Thank You Thursday

via marta writes

Giving Thanks

free printable via
Classy Clutter

I really can't believe it is November.  
Like never before I feel excited to celebrate this month of "Thanksgiving".  

Last month I did THIS post

“EveryDay Thanksgiving”

… where I shared some of my favorite talks and quotes on gratitude.

I also mentioned this book that I had just finished reading.

You can find it  HERE.

This is the trailer:

We started a tradition  in our family with a

“Thankful Tree”.

During the month we write things we are thankful for on little leaves and then hang them on a wire tree.  It is so fun to watch the progression as the tree fills up with blessings! 
Even more rewarding is the realization of so many gifts from heaven.

I hope this month, so perfectly timed before celebrating the birth of our Savior,

we can all do something in our lives and in our homes that will encourage

Intentional Gratitude. 

Happy Month of 

Thanksgiving !

Cute Cupcake for the Kids!

Sweet T.O.M. Turkeys

via Family Fun 

almost too cute to eat

Just couldn't resist these adorable Thanksgiving Cupcakes from Family Fun Magazine!

Their candy corn plumage and shortbread wings guarantee that these irresistible Treat of the Month Turkeys (T.O.M.s for short) will be gobbled up as soon as they land on the dessert table.

                Ingredients:

• Cupcake
• Chocolate frosting
• 3 oval shortbread cookies (we used Keebler Sandies Right Bites Shortbread)
• 6 to 10 candy corn pieces

• White icing
• Black decorators' gel
• Red fruit leather (we used strawberry Fruit by the Foot)
  
  
  
  

  

                  Instructions:

  1. Frost the cupcake, then press in a cookie head and 2 cookie wings.
     
  2. Press in a row or two of candy corn tail feathers.
     
  3. To make an eye, add a small dot of white icing to the head, then add a dot of black decorators' gel for a pupil.
     
  4. For a beak, cut the white tip from a piece of candy corn and press it in place.
     
  5. To make the wattle, cut a 1-inch square of fruit leather. Roll it into a tube and stick it in place over the beak.
     

Cream-Filled Pumpkin Cupcakes Recipe

via Taste of Home—Ali Johnson, Petersburg, Pennsylvania

Here's a deliciously different use for pumpkin. Bursting with flavor and plenty of eye-catching appeal, these sweet and spicy filled cupcakes are bound to dazzle your family any time of the year.

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
3/4 cup canola oil
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
4 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

FILLING:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup milk
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands®, All Natural, No Corn Syrup Added, Pure Vanilla Extract, optional
Whole cloves, optional

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, oil, pumpkin and eggs. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder and cinnamon; gradually add to pumpkin mixture and beat until well mixed.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For filling, combine cornstarch and milk in a small saucepan until smooth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, cream the shortening, butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla if desired. Gradually add the cornstarch mixture, beating until smooth.
Using a sharp knife, cut a 1-in. circle 1 in. deep in the top of each cupcake. Carefully remove tops and set aside. Spoon or pipe filling into cupcakes. Replace tops. If desired, add a clove "pumpkin stem" to the tops. Yield: about 1-3/4 dozen.

Thanksgiving Inspiration

Talking Turkey

with

Emeril

(photo from Williams-Sonoma)

Celebrity chef, Emeril Lagasse, shares his expertise for the big day! Carve that turkey to perfection with these great tips:

First off, make sure you have a very sharp, long, slender knife, and a 2-pronged, long-handled fork to easily grip the turkey and keep it from sliding. Having the right tools will definitely help you remove the meat in attractive slices.

1. Place the turkey on a large platter or cutting board where it will not slide or shift while being carved. Cut the string and remove the contents of the carcass.
2. Remove the drumstick and thigh from the carcass by inserting the point of the knife into the leg joint and what looks like, and what commonly is called, the oyster. Cut the dark meat completely from the body by cutting along the carcass.
3. Cut through the joint between the drumstick and thigh. Lay a drumstick flat on the cutting surface and hold it steady with the fork, and slice parallel to the bone. Cut the thigh in a similar manner.
4. Cut through the wing joint and remove it from the breast as you removed the legs. Leave the wings whole and place on the serving platter.
5. Carve the breast by holding one side of the breast with the fork, and slicing full-length slices of meat by pulling the knife down through the meat, parallel to the breastbone.

Handmade Cornucopia (Martha Stewart Living)

A raffia cornucopia filled with fall produce looks bountiful when set on a sideboard or chest.  

Get the Step-by-Step Instructions

Harvest Wreath

Now is just the moment for a crisp-as-fall wreath made with artfully layered dried cornhusks.

Get the Step-by-Step Instructions

Give THANKS by GIVING! Blessed are those who can give without remembering, and take without forgetting.  
~Princess Elizabeth Asquith Bibesco 
We are rich only through what we give, and poor only through what we refuse.
~Anne-Sophie Swetchine

Thank You Thursday

Last Thursday on Thanksgiving, I decided every Thursday I would acknowledge things to be Thankful for.


Today I'm thankful that I live in Houston, Texas not very far from the Houston Temple. Mark and I are going this morning to join friends from our Ward. Today is the Nottingham Country Ward Fill the Temple Day! The Houston Temple is even more wonderful to me now because August 8th Kayley and Scott were sealed there for Time and Eternity. I'm so thankful for Eternal Families.

A Heart That's Full

When I woke up this morning and looked at my blog list, I watched this touching video from NieNie's husband. What a beautiful testimony of faith, love & gratitude.

My heart is full today. At 2:00 we had a funeral service for a dear friend, Lori Schmidt. In just a couple of weeks, December 20th, she would have turned 89 years old. I became close to her after we moved here and I was assigned to be her Visiting Teacher. When the routes were changed and I was assigned new sisters to visit I still kept visiting Lori. I found that our age difference had no barrier. We would joke all the time that our spirits were the same age. She led a fascinating life and overcame many obstacles. We went shopping, out to lunch, and visited in each other's homes. We are both avid animal lovers and enjoyed sharing our pet stories. We laughed and cried over the experiences and trials this earthly life brings. She has touched my heart and I feel blessed to have had her as a friend.

Revelations 21: 1-4
1) And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2) And I John saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3) And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Our Thanksgiving Day

We did something different, do I dare say... it is totally unheard of! We went out to eat for Thanksgiving Dinner! We went to the Black Eyed Pea. It was fun, delicious and relaxing (especially when we finished eating and left the restaurant). It certainly was enjoyable but I don't think I could do that every year. Here we are sitting outside the restaurant after our meal.

Marci and Mike took the girls home for their nap and we went to an afternoon flick. We saw Australia . It's based on a true story. I thought it was interesting and great entertainment.
Of course, in the evening we had to continue with our ritual of playing "Scum". We got together at Marci & Mike's place, ate pie, visited and then were all slaughtered by Scott at Scum. We've been playing it forever. Now they acutally have a geniune game of it! It looks similar to the one we play, but we just use regular cards.

Thank You Thursday

Happy Thanksgiving!






A challenge from Rhonda Byrne 
(that I happen to love)

Today is Thank You Thursday.

• Today and every Thursday is your day to say and feel "Thank you" in as many ways as you can.
• Write a list of all the people and events you want to give thanks for.
• Return thanks today to those who have done things for you.
• As you walk say "Thank you" in your mind with each step you take.
• As you drive, make each time you stop your cue to say "Thank you."
• At various times in the day, think and feel "Thank you" inside you seven times in a row.
• Look for every opportunity to say "Thank you" to other people, and say it with so much meaning that the person looks right at you.
• Thank your way through every Thursday, and make "Thank you" your predominant thought, feeling, and words of the day
• "Thank you" - two words, inconceivable potential power, and all they need is you to put the power into them by expressing them.

I'm thankful for this day that I get to spend with "part" of my family and I'm looking forward to having the whole gang together at Christmas! We're not having our traditional feast this year. Today I'm thankful that we are going somewhere to eat and I don't have to cook or clean!

What are you thankful for today?

The Benefits of Expressing Gratitude

"People who are grateful have higher levels of positive emotions like love, optimism, joy, enthusiasm,and happiness.

“The practice of gratitude as a discipline protects a person from the destructive impulses of envy, resentment, greed, and bitterness,” Emmons says ... Photo by Michael Whoolly

"that those who are grateful are able to cope better with stress, sleep better, have more energy, and even have more resilience toward illness and have greater physical health."

“Gratitude works because, as a way of perceiving and interpreting life, it recruits other positive emotions—like joy, contentment, and hope—that have direct physical benefits, most likely through the immune system or endocrine system,” Emmons says.

“We have also found that when people experience gratitude, they feel more loving, more forgiving, and closer to God.”

Emmons believes the power of a thank-you note is incredible,

and that there are three main benefits:

1. Expressing emotions magnifies the feeling, so expressing thanks makes our gratitude stronger.

2. Expressing thanks builds and strengthens relationships. He says gratitude is the relationship-building emotion, so not only do we benefit on an individual level, but we create better bonds with others.

3. It humbles us. The natural man has a self-serving bias and the tendency to take sole credit for everything positive.

Just something to think about this week of "Thanksgiving"

Blessing Mix

Blessing Mix

This recipe will make about 16 blessing mix gift bags of about one-third cup each.

Use cellophane goodie bags to package this treat.

Ingredients:
2 cups Bugles brand corn snacks
2 cups small pretzels
1 cup candy corn
1 cup dried fruit bits or raisins
1 cup peanuts or sunflower seeds
1 cup M&Ms brand chocolate candy
16 Hershey's brand chocolate kisses
Directions:
In a large bowl, gently mix all ingredients except Hershey's Kisses.

Place 1/3 to 1/2 cup Blessing Mix in small cellophane treat bags.

Add one Hershey's Kiss to each bag.
Makes 16 Blessing Mix gift bags

This fun treat is from
The Idea Door
Click Below to Print:

blessingsmix.PDF

Frogs, Owls and Blessings

Today is my Dad's Birthday! Happy Birthday Frog! ... Yes that's my dad's nick name. You can read about it here. My dad is an amazing guy. A career in the U.S. Navy meant that he was often gone for months at a time. Even so, I was "daddy's little girl" and I knew that always, if he was home or away. Being the only daughter in the middle of two boys could be frustrating to a girl, especially when we were voting for what TV show to watch! It could also be pretty wonderful and that it was most of the time.
When I was tiny my dad called me his "sweetie pie" and I repeated, "I'm daddy's Wheetie Pie". To this day, I still sign my notes and cards ~Love, Wheetie Pie.

My dad has many talents and attributes. I admire his strength, integrity and compassion just to name a few. He always made me feel safe when I was a child and he knew the answer to EVERYTHING. I'm still learning from him even today just by the life he leads.

Happy Birthday Wishes to you, Dad!

Now, on to the Owls. Remember the skirts I made recently for my little granddaughters? I had appliqued little t-shirts with birds and witches hats on them for Halloween.

I wanted to make the girls another top that would match their skirts. I love the black fabric
with the owls on it and I had enough left to cut out some of the pieces to applique.

Today I ironed the fabric appliques on the shirts and tomorrow I'm going to sew them on (part by machine and part by hand) and embellish them with beads and buttons ( my favorite part).

Addie's Shirt

Ella's Shirt

I have the neccessities now to make "Blessing Mix" a little goodie I share in November to friends and neighbors. Stay tuned, tomorrow (or the next day) I'll put it together and post the verse.

Eye Candy & Inspiration

One of my addictions while planning Kayley's Wedding was visiting the Blog:

I fell in LOVE with these Autumn collages!

Snippet & Ink

Thanksgiving Clip-Art Place Cards

To help you create decorative place cards for the Thanksgiving table,

Martha Stewart has free clip art. Download and print the place cards

(cream or neutral-colored card stock will work best),

cut along the dotted line, inscribe your guest's name,

and score down the middle with a bone folder.
You can also make a flat card with a border by using double-sided tape to affix the place-card design to a piece of card stock 1/4 inch larger than the place card. You can punch a hole in it and use twine to tie it to a napkin, or simply tuck it into the napkin.

The Midas Touches

from Martha Stewart November 2007

No need to go to excess this holiday season.

Small glints and gleams make the greatest impression.

Use the most precious metal, real and faux, to highlight and amplify natural beauty and your celebrations are sure to be filled with golden moments.
Horn of Plenty

Flocking Together

In Full Feather

Glimmer and Shine

Finding Joy in the Journey

"Our realization of what is most important in life goes hand in hand with gratitude for our blessings"

Thomas S. Monson

Click Here to see Thanksgiving Ideas