Thankful for all you Hodgepodgers-Vol 54

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge. I'm thankful you joined the party today and every Wednesday...you all help make blogging fun. Here are my answers to this week's questions-

1. Let's start with something controversial...dressing or stuffing? What's it called in your house and what's included in your recipe? cornbread? oysters? sausage? chestnuts?

In our house we use both terms but I guess if we're getting technical it's dressing. My mom used to 'stuff' some in the turkey and make a tray to go beside but I've never 'stuffed' a turkey. I make a cornbread dressing and if I were to tweak it even a little bit my family would rise up in revolt. It is my favorite part of the meal.

2. Who do you sometimes compare yourself to?

I try really hard not to compare. This has gotten easier with age although sometimes I have serious Martha Stewart envy. Not the person so much as the talent. She definitely has some serious skill. And a staff. Hmmm...maybe that's the part I really envy.

3. When was the last time you were in an airport?

Ha-if you read here regularly (and I'm sure you all do, ahem) then you know I kinda live at the airport. I was there last Sunday on a returning flight from my daughter's collegetown. I was back there again last night collecting daughter2 followed by a trip to the train station to collect daughter1 and her boyfriend. For all its many hassles transportation is still my friend.

4. What is the one dish that must absolutely be included in a turkey dinner?

See #1. That being said, if I make a turkey for a meal other than a holiday (which is pretty rare) then I might skip the dressing. In that case mashed potatoes would be my must have side with a roast turkey dinner.

5. What Christmas song do you dread hearing?

Santa Baby by Madonna or anyone else really...not a fan.

6. If someone approaches you and asks for money do you give it to them? Do you drop money in a 'tin cup' that belongs to a person on the street? Do you have a specific charity you support at the holidays and/or year round?

Yes. Just the other night a man asked me for money at the airport. We were on the tram together, headed to the parking lot, and there were five of us in the carraige. He was neatly dressed and politely explained that he needed $11 for a bus ticket to get to his daughter's home. She was supposed to pick him up at the airport but had vehicle issues. The woman beside me was nervous-her first time to the big city. The two gentlemen in the carraige with us remained frozen. I forked over $8 which was all I had. Was this a scam? Perhaps. Did he want the money to buy something besides a bus ticket? Perhaps. But I don't need to know that. I feel like I'm only responsible for how I give, not for what he does with it.

If I have it to drop in a hat/tin can I usually do. I don't pull out my wallet in a situation that feels like my personal safety might be at risk and hey, most of the time I don't carry cash so this particular gentleman was lucky I had a piddly $8.

We support World Vision, Samaritans Purse and Young Life on a regular basis...these organizations all work to bring hope to a hurting world.

7. Share a favorite Thanksgiving memory.

They're all favorites. The menu doesn't change much and we typically have some assortment of family members round the table so what's not to love? Some that stand out in particular are the Thanksgivings spent in England. As you know the Brits don't celebrate this holiday-ha-but one year I made Thanksgiving dinner for hubs whole office and that was alot of fun. They were most interested in the pumpkin pie and my sweet potato casserole. One dish was more savory than expected and one more sweet. This was discussed in great detail and with much enthusiasm.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Question #2 brought this song to mind-

'You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His'....don't forget it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pin.ter.vention

If you're looking for the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge you'll find them here.

A couple of bloggers are hosting a pin.ter.vention today. The idea behind the party is to post some of the things you've seen on Pinterest that you've actually made.

Some folks on Pinterest are what you might call serial pinners. That is, they pin for the sake of pinning, pretty much eveything they see. And that's okay but my pinning philosophy is a little bit different. I use Pinterest as a bulletin board/file cabinet for things I definitely want to try or that provide inspiration. You can follow me there by clicking here.

I've actually made quite a few things courtesy of Pinterest. I'm adding photos here but you'll need to visit my Pinerest site to get the actual links. That's one of the things I love most about Pinterest. You add the photo and the original website link just magically appears...no more wracking my brain to remember where I'd seen a decorating idea or recipe. Here are a few of my favorites-

This adorable cake I made for Daughter2's 21st birthday in September...I wrote about it here.

Super cute shark cupcakes, also for Daughter2's birthday celebration since she is a bit of shark expert.

My birthday is just a week after hers and my Daughter1 very cleverly looked at my style board on Pinterest and bought me a sweater and scarf I'd pinned there. She even included the picture from my board so I'd know where she got the idea. It was at that moment I decided I needed to start pinning great purses and jewelry in case hubs needs shopping inspiration.

I have three food boards-one for appetizers (Let's Get This Party Started), one for mains and sides (Cook's Corner) and one for sweet treats (My Sweet Tooth). I won't post pictures of everything I've made but here's a sampling-

Oven baked ham and cheese sliders for a book club party-definitely a keeper!

Banana cupcakes with peanut butter icing and butterfinger sprinkles-yes please.

A wonderful autumn-y apple cake with apples we'd picked from a local orchard-

Two appetizers for two different tailgates-both were well received-

Pretty champagne cupcakes with champagne icing for a sorority reunion weekend...our colors just happen to be pink and white and these were so light and delicious

I've also made homemade granola, a honey mustard dip, a coconut chicken main with apricot sauce, fabulous buttercream icing, and the veggie pinwheels. All were recipes I'd make again.

I especially loved these apple tea lights I used as part of a fall gathering and I've tweaked some of the centerpieces and front porch decorating ideas I've seen to fit my home and style. All this to say I think Pinterest is one of the more useful things on the internet. I find inspiration and motivation to try new things in so many areas of my life plus a way to organize a lot of what just floats around inside my head.

If you're not there yet and need an invite please don't hesitate to email me. I'm happy to share the pinning love.

Thankfully there are still questions for the Wednesday Hodgepodge-Vol 54

It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without the Hodgepodge now, would it? Here are this week's questions...in between the supermarket run and the turkey prep be sure to hop back over here tomorrow to share answers.

1. Let's start with something controversial...dressing or stuffing? What's it called at your house and what's included in your recipe...cornbread? oysters? sausage? chestnuts?

2. Who do you sometimes compare yourself to?

3. When were you last inside an airport?

4. What is one side dish that absolutely must be included in a turkey dinner?

5. What Christmas song do you dread hearing?

6. If someone approaches you and asks for money do you give it to them? Do you drop money 'in a tin cup' that belongs to a person on the street? Do you have a specific charity you support during the holiday season and/or year round?

7. Share a favorite Thanksgiving memory. If you live in a country that doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving share a favorite memory associated with food.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

To-do list? What to-do list?

Anybody else need to be doing something other than blogging this morning? I thought not. Go ahead and enjoy that cup of coffee before you take a deep breath and dive into your to-do's that should have been done. I'm not the only one am I?

I need to clean out my frig to make room for the various and hundred sides we prepare for our Thanksgiving meal.

I need to clean out my pantry to make room for the many ingredients needed to prepare those same sides.

I need to clean. Period. Or 'full stop' as they say in England. Sigh...they even make punctuation sound like something special.

I need to catch up on laundry that has accumulated due to our travels. What travels you ask? Well, I think I mentioned that my hubs was in China last week. He arrived home late Friday night to an empty house since I'd flown to South Carolina on Wednesday. Daughter2 had some minor surgery scheduled for Thursday and needed her mama close by. Or her mama needed to be close by...whatever. When daughters need me I scrap my to-do list and go, even if it is exactly seven days before a holiday that requires at least three days of cooking.

Her surgery went well and she is recovering nicely. We spent the weekend in R and R at my sister's house since she conveniently lives in collegetown. So thankful for my sister...she has a heart of gold.

I got home late last night. Okay, it was 9 pm but my kids can attest to the fact that 9 pm is late for me.

We seem to be on the go around here all.the.time. Full stop.

Today will be shopping and cleaning and a little bit of cooking in preparation for daughters arriving home tomorrow night, one with a boyfriend in tow. I am looking forward to the weekend which I'm gonna say officially begins around here tomorrow since hubs is taking the day and rest of the week off and my girls will be here.

Just writing that last sentence makes my heart happy.

Off to clean, cook, and count my blessings now...wishing you a week full of love and gratitude!

...they are precious in His sight...

Ever thought about participating in Operation Christmas Child sponsored by Samaritan's Purse? You'll find details on their website but essentially it involves filling a shoebox full of little goodies to be sent to a child in need somewhere in the world. They ask for a $7 donation with your box to cover the cost of shipping and if you pay this online you'll get a bar code to print and attach to your box. This way you can track it and see where in the world it ends up. There are collection sites all around the world and you can find the one nearest you by visiting the Samaritan's Purse website.

I finished my box up last week so I could drop it off at church on Tuesday morning. You're able to choose the sex and age category you'd like to buy for and I chose a girl, aged 10-14. My box included a pink toothbrush and toothpaste, a pink soap dish and a bar of soap, a purple washcloth, candy, stickers, an inexpensive pink watch, a package of colored pencils and a sharpener, a fun little notebook, a mini etch a sketch, and six pair of cute socks. You are limited by what will fit inside a shoebox. I also added a photo of our family with a note which is optional.

I have thought and prayed often about the recipient of that little shoebox jammed full of 'stuff'. I think about my own daughters too. I think about what makes them smile and how much love is showered on them all year round but especially during the holidays. So many friends and relatives who show genuine interest in their lives and plans, their hopes and dreams...dreams that can easily become reality with some hard work and perseverance. Can the same be said of the little girl who gets this box? I think about the fact that we get a free toothbrush every six months at the dentist and how I toss them in a drawer for guests without giving it a second thought. I think about a purple washcloth bringing a smile to a young girl's face.

I love the season of Thanksgiving...it is my favorite holiday of the year. I like the time we spend focusing on all that we have as opposed to all that we want. While the shoeboxes are intended to be a Christmas project we fill them during this season of gratitude. Adding toothpaste to a Christmas box certainly helps put things in perspective for me at what is now the most 'commercial' time of year.

It's not too late to fill a box...collections run through Nov. 21st and even if you can't participate this year maybe you'll keep it in mind for 2012. Somewhere in this world a child will smile.

Happy New Year in the Wednesday Hodgepodge-Vol 53

I figure it's technically a new year around here since we're into week 53 of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Everyone is welcome to join the party...if you're new you'll find the rules of play on my sidebar. Here are my answers to this week's questions-

1. What song reminds you of a specific time in your life and what is it about this song that makes you remember?

This question is almost impossible to answer because practically every song I know and love is associated with some specific time period in my life. I could write a whole post on this one but I'll refrain and will share just two. The first is Little Darlin' by Poco. Takes me right back to the labor room with Daughter1. This was the song we played over and over and over and over as I inched (centimetered?) my way to motherhood. Why isn't this video on youtube? I hear this song and I think of hubs and I so young and hopeful and the exquisite joy that poured down on me that day.

The second is Life is a Highway by Tom Cochrane. I know Rascall Flatts did a remake of this song but fyi-they weren't around in 1992. At less than two years of age our precious and precocious Daughter2 developed an affinity for this song. Whenever I hear it playing I can see her sassy little blonde headed self strapped into her car seat- sunglasses on, head bopping, feet tapping, lungs going full blast as she sang along. Picture this little munchkin-

rockin' out to this song at age 2-

I'd like to be back in that car for just one day.

2. What's something you've given up on?

Washington D.C.

Not the city itself which I love, but rather those who 'Occupy D.C.'

3. What's something you'll never give up on?

God's promises and His faithfulness to keep them.

4. If you had to cook something from scratch in the next hour what would it be?

Well I do have a whole bag of toffee chips and a jar of peanut butter so it might be Heath Bits Peanut Butter cookies. You'll find the recipe here.

5. Have you started Christmas shopping? Decorating? Listening to Christmas music?

Oh you people putting up your trees already!! I think its ka-razy! Have people always done this and we just didn't know about it pre-internet? I think not.

I start my shopping with list making. The aunts, uncles, and grandparents all want some ideas for what to buy the girls so I dole their suggestions around which is kinda like me helping them with their shopping, right? I've picked up a few little stocking stuffers here and there but haven't purchased any of the larger gifts. I am not decorating for Christmas until after Thanksgiving. I know people want to get a jump on it but why? It just feels waaaay too early for me. I'm not listening to Christmas music yet either. I love the fall and the season of Thanksgiving and want to celebrate that for a little bit first.

6. What do you know about your parent's wedding?

-It was simple...a small ceremony in my mom's big church in Albuquerque, her home town.

-My grandfather (dad's dad) was a Colorado farmer and because they married in July he couldn't leave the farm to attend the wedding.

-My dad had his mom there and a brother stood up for him.

-My mom had her sister as her only attendant.

-They had a quiet reception at the home of my dad's cousin who had introduced them.

-My dad wore sloppy striped socks under his suit.

-He was handsome....she was beautiful.

-Between them they didn't have two nickels to rub together.

-They were married over 40 years before my dad passed away at the too young age of 66.

7. I can't believe I___________________

'haven't finished off the left over Halloween candy while hubs was out of town.' Just keepin' it real people...believe me, I thought about it.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

We've had the prettiest sunrises this week...

You should know you miss a whole lot of amazing if you sleep in every day.

Questions for the Wednesday Hodgepodge-Vol 53

So apparently last week was Volume 52 but until someone mentioned it in their post it didn't occur to me that we were at the one year mark in the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Happy belated birthday to us!

Here are the questions for this week's Hodgepodge...answer them on your own blog or facebook page and then hop back here tomorrow to add your link and share answers with the rest of the world.

1. What song reminds you of a specific time in your life and what is it about that song that makes you remember?

2. What's something you've given up on?

3. What's something you'll never give up on?

4. If you had to cook something from scratch in the next hour what would it be?

5. Have you started Christmas shopping? Decorating? Listening to Christmas music?

6. What do you know about your parent's wedding?

7. I can't believe I ___________________.

8. Insert your own random thought here.