Category — Holidays

Thanksgiving is ONE WEEK from TODAY!  Somehow that just doesn’t seem possible!  I mean, where did August go?  Not to mention September, October and half of November!  Wow, but this year seems to be screaming past.

But I digress… as usual.

Thanksgiving… it is a wholly American holiday (although the Canadians have their version too) and one that seems to be the “kick-off” for the holiday season of parties and get-together’s.  The beginning of that “Most Wonderful Time of the Year” – or something like that.

This year we will be spending Thanksgiving with some extended family that we haven’t seen in a while, and I am so looking forward to it!  I was reading through my email and came across a contest where Target is asking about Thanksgiving Traditions, and it got me thinking about some of ours.  If you want to take part in the bloggy goodness, head over to TwitterMoms and read up on it.

We all have those traditions that were passed down to us or that we have begun in our own family – those little things that we do or foods that we eat every year that almost seem required.  It’s just not Thanksgiving without Grandma’s stuffing or that homemade pumpkin pie.  Well, our family is no different when it comes to having those traditions that have been handed to us, and that we are passing along to the next generation.

And football has no part in it!

One of the traditions that was begun by my family when I was around 10 was going to see a Christmas movie on Thanksgiving night.  We started doing it when the theaters first opened up their doors for the occasion.  I remember going to the theater and NOT having to stand in a hugely long line to get tickets – or getting them in advance!  Now that seems to be a tradition for a lot of families – the line stretches around the outside of the theater!  We make sure it’s always a Christmas movie – whichever one is out early enough to see on Thanksgiving.  This year I think it’s going to be A Christmas Carol – but not in 3D since 3D really freaks one of my kids out.

Another of our traditions has been passed down through the generations.  Whether you call it dressing or stuffing, it’s the savory bread pudding-ish dish that is a Thanksgiving must-have.  My grandma started the recipe (as far as I know!), and both my mom and I have tweaked the recipe to fit into our family and place our own signature on it.  But to have a Thanksgiving meal without it?  That just won’t be happening!  I’ve even passed it along to my in-law’s!  Which reminds me… I need to send the recipe over to D today so she can get a jump on it.  I am hopeful that the girls will take the basic recipe that has been handed down and place their own stamp on it and continue the tradition.

One food tradition that I personally can do without though?  The onion green bean casserole thing.  No thanks!  Green beans, absolutely!  Cooked quickly with a little bit of bacon and perhaps some oyster sauce, salt and pepper, but that’s it!

The tradition that Eric & I have started, however, revolves around the pumpkin pie.  He gets a good sugar pumpkin and we all gather around the counter and work at scraping out the seeds and pulp.  He roasts it while the girls & I separate the seeds from the “gunk” inside and we dry out the seeds or roast them while the pumpkin browns in the oven.  Then the girls help him scrape, mix and bake a fabulous pumpkin pie totally from scratch.  And wow, is it good!

The only other requirement for Thanksgiving around here?  Make sure it is filled with family and friends!  After all, relationships are one of those things that I am most thankful for!

What are some of your traditions?

It is Passion Week, or Holy Week for the Western Church, which means that many of us are focusing on the build-up to Easter.

With that in mind, I came across something today that I wanted to share with those of you that use facebook… it’s the last week of Jesus life according to Facebook… take a look and let me know what you think!

(click on the picture above to download the PDF – it’s worth it!)

Thanks to Pastor Bob Hyatt for sharing this!

Mother’s Day is upon us, but it’s not too late to find an amazing gift! We have looked through the web and brought together a mini-gift-guide to help you find a fabulous gift for that special Lady.

Click on the pictures to take a look at some of the ideas below…

Send a gourmet cake to Mom for Mother’s Day – and if you’re lucky she just might share it with you too!

Not the cake type? How about cookies? David’s Cookies are absolutely delicious – we have tried them on many occasions, and can vouch for them. My favorites are the frozen dough – just pop in the amount you need and bake!

What mom doesn’t like jewelry? Blue Nile has gifts for every style – from sterling silver lockets to pearl or diamond earrings, you are sure to find a piece of jewelry that Mom would love!

Are you looking for something a little more personal? Julie over at Jules Jewelry makes the most beautiful family jewelry! We ordered in a Mama Love necklace for my Mom-in-law a couple of years ago, and it is wonderful! We included all of the kids and grandkids birthstones on the hearts. This year she has added the necklace above – and it is beautiful! Take a look!

With the special that they are running over at 1-800-Flowers, you can get your wife a dozen roses too – she will never know that they were the free bonus! Or use this great deal to get your Mom and her mom a dozen roses each! Personally, I vote to give the roses to your wife… being a wife and mom!

Flowers are always a hit, but cut flowers will fade and die. Send your Mom a flower that will continue to grow year after year and remind her of your love and thoughtfulness!

Is your Mom a gourmet? iGourmet has a variety of fabulous foods from chocolates to cheeses to wines.

Is Mom more of a coffee girl? Head over to Joffrey’s to find a wide selection of coffees and teas that she is sure to love.

These are just a few ideas to help you – every Mom is different, but we know that you will find the perfect gift just for her!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Here is a daily list of October Holidays

Monthly Holidays
Cleiac Sprue Awareness Month
Children’s Magazine Month
Church Safety & Security Month
Diversity Awareness Month
Domestic Violence Month
Eat Better, Eat Together Month
German-American Heritage Month
Health Literacy Month
Lupus Awareness Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Click here to fund free mammograms – it’s free!
National Chili Month
National Cookie Month
National Reading Group Month
National Seafood Month
Pastor/Clergy Appreciation Month
Right Brainer’s Rule! Month
Self-Promotion Month
Spinach Lover’s Month
Vegetarian Month
Women’s Small Business Month

wow… October is a popular month!
Here are some daily holidays…

1 – Child Health Day
- World Vegetarian Day
2 – National Custodial Workers Day
3 – Ballons Around The World Day

LAST QUARTER MOON

4 – Natioanl Depression Screening Day
5 – National Storytelling Day
6 – Chowder Day
7 – World Communion Day
8 – COLUMBUS DAY
9 – Leif Erickson Day
10 – Emergency Nurses Day

11 – NEW MOON

12 – World Egg Day
13 – International Skeptics Day – really, it is!
14 – Be Bald & Be Free Day
15 – White Cane Safety Day
16 – National Boss’s Day
- World Food Day
17 – World Menopause Day
18 – Get To Know your Customers Day
- Get Smart About Credit Day
19 – Mommography Day

FIRST QUARTER MOON

20 – Sweetest Day
21 – Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day
22 – National Color Day
23 – National Mole Day
24 – Lung Health Day

26 – FULL MOON

27 – Cranky Co-Workers Day
28 – Mother-In-Law Day
- National Chocolates Day
29 – Internet Day
30 – National Candy Corn Day
31 – National Knock-Knock Jokes Day
- National UNICEF Day
- Books For Treats Day
- Samhain

These and other wacky holidays can be found at Brownielocks

Here is a list of some of the holidays coming up in Septeber – some you’ve heard of, others you may not have…

September
- Library Card Sign-Up Month
- National Campus Safety Month
- National 5-A-Day Month
- National Piano Month
- National Preparedness Month
- United Planet Month
- Update Your Resume Month

3 – Labor Day
4 – Newspaper Carrier Day
5 – Be Late For Something Day
- I should tell my mom – this is also my birthday!
7 – Salami Day
8 – International Literacy Day
9 – Grandparent’s Day
10 – Swap Ideas Day
11 – Partiot Day, Rememberance Day

NEW MOON
- partial eclipse visible in S. America & Antartica

12 – Rosh Hashana
13 – Int’l Chocolate Day
15 – America’s Day For Kids
- Wife Appreciation Day
16 – Women’s Friendship Day
17 – Citizenship Day
- Pledge Across America Day
18 – Air Force Birthday
19 – Talke Like A Pirate Day

FIRST QUARTER MOON

21 – Yom Kippur
22 – National White Chocolate Day
- READ In America Day
23 – Autumn Begins
24 – Family Day
25 – World Maritime Day
26 – National Women’s Health & Fitness Day

FULL MOON – HARVEST MOON

27 – Ancestor Appreciation Day
28 – Love Note Day
29 – VFW Day
30 – Gold Star Mother’s Day

These and other wacky holidays can be found at Brownielocks

If you are looking for a great gift for a family on your list – or your own kids – you need to take a look at a new book by Sara Ann Denson called Christmas Turtles. This great story is about Sara’s own grandmother, and the wonderful turtle candies that she used to make every year when Sara was growing up – even though her grandmother couldn’t eat them herself!

This is a wonderful and heartwarming story that may bring back fond memories for you Moms, Dad’s and Grandparents, and it includes a recipe for turtles and a wooden mixing spoon to help you create new memories of your own!

Christmas Turtles is available from Purple Sky Publishing, and if you use the coupon code “cottagegiftspecial” you can save 15% on your total purchase. Hurry over to check it out – there may still be a few autographed copies left to order!

Christmas Turtles is also available at Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com and borders.com, however the 15% off coupon is good only at purpleskypublishing.com

Do you want more info about the author & illustrator?

Sara Ann Denson has been a nationally published author since the age of 18. In 1995, she received the first place One-Act Play Award at the annual Alabama Writer’ Conclave and she went on to publish three books of scripts and play along with various magazine credits. She currently lives in Jefferson City, Missouri with her husband, Boyd, and their two sons, Samuel and Gideon. She is a member of the MOMpack.

Tara McMillen as always had a special love for art. Tara is a painter who has done numerous murals in the Kansas City area. Her attention to detail and her intuitive nature makes her the perfect illustrator for children’s books. Tara has been married for seventeen years and has two wonderful children, Ericka and Kyle, who have also been blessed with their mother’s artistic ability.

For additional information regarding the author and illustrator, as well as other authors and illustrators employed by Purple Sky Publishing LLC, please visit purpleskypublishing.com