Thanksgiving

What I love most…

/ Jodi / 9 Comments

Growing up – I lived in many different homes – for various reasons…

Parents divorced – Live with Grandma – Mom remarried – Bigger house – Smaller house…..

For as many reasons as moves, I never really had the opportunity to grow “attached” to a house.

home share jill

Now don’t get me wrong – I’m not knocking those that had the good fortune of growing up in the same house with the same family their entire life.

In fact, I feel a bit of envy!  But my life circumstances didn’t provide this, so for that reason I have never grown “attached” to bricks and mortar.

What I do love about my “home” is who I share it with.

It could be a hut, a tent, an igloo, a teepee, a boat, a trailer, a shack, a mansion.  It really doesn’t matter.

As long as I get to share it with the people I love….

My family…

My friends that are like family…

That is what makes a “house” a “home.”

As we approach Thanksgiving, and I look forward to sharing my home with some of the people I love best, it reminds me of one of the best gifts I’ve ever received from my bestie Jill.  Jill hand-painted the sign above in red knowing me so well that she just knew when she saw this saying it was me to a tee.

I love it!!!!

In fact…..  I love it so much, Jill had not realized I had recently purchased a similar plaque with the exact same saying just a month prior, as you can see below.  🙂

home share

So how lucky am I?!?  I have two signs that express my deepest feelings of home hanging in my home.

Feeling so blessed…  Feeling so loved… Feeling so thankful…

On this day before Thanksgiving, I wish for you a home shared with the people you love – whether they be family or friends that are “chosen” family.  We really all are one family – right?

Cheers & Thankful Hugs,

Jodi

Acceptance without Exception

/ Jodi / 28 Comments

accept

I started out 2014 gangbusters with the One Little Word Challenge by Ali Edwards.

I participated in the Facebook Group Page commenting and sharing and encouraging others.

I began a journal and completed TWO WHOLE PAGES…

But I didn’t keep up with the monthly assignments…

I quit participating in the group…

I just didn’t find make time…

Yet I still feel good about my “one little word,” and I still feel like I have grown a great deal this year in Acceptance.

My biggest challenge was accepting ME for who I am.

How can it take 51 years to be OK with who you are?!??

Why did it take me so long?

Why am I not completely there yet?

Whatever the case, I have come a long way, and I am proud that I am coming to “accept” who I am, where I came from, why I am the way I am….

Accepting that I will never be skinny…

Accepting that I will never be beautiful by the world’s beauty standards…

Accepting that I come from a dysfunctional family…

Accepting that I can love people, but not have relationships with them…

Accepting that I can’t be everything to everyone…

Accepting that I am ok, because I am ME.

Accepting others for who they are – no matter their beliefs, religion, race, sexual orientation, political views, personal opinions, age, gender, place in the world….

Accepting life’s circumstances…

Accepting the life I am given, and making the best of it every single day.

On this Thanksgiving Eve Eve, I am so thankful for a wonderful year full of acceptance….

Acceptance that I have received…

Acceptance I have given…

Acceptance without Exception.  That is what it is all about.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

PS  Have you ever participated in the One Little Word Challenge?  Do you have a life motto?  A Word of the Day, Month, Year?  It’s a great way to make a little difference.  I would love to hear about yours.

 

 

Thanksgiving Crack Snack Mix

/ Jodi / 7 Comments

Are you looking for a simple little way to give a little Thanksgiving gift to a co-worker or neighbor, as a hostess gift, something for your friendly delivery person or grocery clerk or……  (whoever you are looking to give a little gesture of Thanksgiving to)?

thanksgiving crack snack mixI came up with a quick Thanksgiving Crack Snack Mix.    Easy Peasy Stuff Here!

Just grab a bag of Mini Pretzels, Bugels, Cheez It Crackers, Peanuts, Candy Corn, and Reese’s Pieces.  Mix it all together in a huge bowl (and if you want to get fancier 🙂 – drizzle some white or milk chocolate or dark chocolate over it – I did not this time).

thanksgiving crack snack mix bowlYou can then package it up in cute jars or bags, dress it up with a cute tag and a bow, and a sweet little treat is created.

thanksgiving crack snack mix 2

Easy, thoughtful, homemade, and yummy!

Hope your Thanksgiving is STUFFED with HAPPINESS!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

 

Soon will be Thanksgiving Day….

/ Jodi / 25 Comments

fall candle fireI thought I’d share a a bit of Thanksgiving/Fall decor around the house before things get Christmas’d up around here soon.

thanksgiving fall decor 1For the dining room table, I used the box Matt made for centerpieces for his and Jackie’s wedding this summer, and I filled it with squashes and pumpkin gourds.

thanksgiving fall decor 2To accent, I used pint-sized wide mouth mason jars (purchased for Colleen’s shower) and filled them with fresh cranberries and popping corn and then added a votive candle, a rafia bow and some tiny hemlock pine cones Tracy helped me pick on our walk Saturday morning.

thanksgiving fall decor 3You see – you don’t have to spend a lot of money to decorate, and it’s even more fun when the things you use have special memories or are acquired during special times with friends.

thanksgiving fall decor 4This “Bountiful harvest” sign sits in the antique jelly cupboard our friends Jim and Mary GAVE US 🙂 that Jim found in the trash that someone was throwing away.  He started fixing it up, Marty finished it, and he “loaned” it to us until he decides they have a place for it (fingers crossed that never happens – as it is our ongoing joke!)

thanksgiving fall decor 5A few craft store finds sit around on the sofa table behind the couch.

thanksgiving fall decor 6I love this little muslin pumpkin.

thanksgiving fall decor 7My friend, Rose, gave me this wooden pumpkin candle holder at least 15 years ago, and I bring it out every Fall.  Thanks Rose!

thanksgiving fall decor 8When Pap died a couple years ago, my sweet cousins, Dawn and Jen, along with Aunt Gwen and Uncle Frank sent this beautiful Fall silk arrangement, so it goes on the kitchen table for the Fall.

thanksgiving fall decor 11I found this little coffee table centerpiece while shopping with Dawn on a vacation in Myrtle beach.

thanksgiving fall decor 10I’m pretty sure I got this wreath for the front door at the same shop in Myrtle Beach.

joAnd a couple of signs hang at the back door entrance, where most of our family and friends enter.  🙂

thanksgiving fall decor 12

I am enjoying the beauty and heart of Thanksgiving this week and so looking forward to sharing it with family and friends.  We’re going to have a houseful – just the way I love it!

But then again……….  a little touch of Christmas couldn’t hurt – right?! 🙂

I couldn’t wait to put out this little gem I got on our Shaker Woods trip this Fall (and Colleen bought one too!   I wonder if hers is out yet??)

jodj

…Gobble Gobble Gobble!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Acorn Cookies

/ Jodi / 15 Comments

I couldn’t resist trying this cute idea for a fun little Thanksgiving treat.

chocolate peanut butter acorns 2Aren’t they so stinking cute?!

chocolate peanut butter acorns 3

So easy to make…

chocolate peanut butter acornsand even more sweet to eat!

chocolate peanut butter acorns 1

I simply used chocolate icing in a tube to “glue” Nutter Butter Bites to Hershey’s Kisses and topped with a Nestle Mini Morsel Chocolate Chip.

(I’ve also seen these done with mini Nilla Wafers if you’re not a big peanut butter fan, but I think these are way yummier! 🙂 )

Voila! A fun, easy, and sweet treat!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Thanks & Giving

/ Jodi / 11 Comments

Neat and Tangled Thanks and Giving

‘Nuff Said….

(This card was created for The Paper Players Clean & Simple Thank You Challenge #PP222)

Cheers & Thankful Hugs,

Jodi

Un-Thanksgiving

/ Jodi / 14 Comments

un 7We had the pleasure of spending an unforgettable Un-Thanksgiving with some of our undeniable favorites this past Saturday.

Now before you get all, “What the heck?  Aren’t you thankful?  Are you anti-Thanksgiving?” on me…un 6I LOVE Thanksgiving, and I am unbelievably thankful for so many un-deserved blessings in my life.un 3It’s just that it is impossible to be with everyone you want to be with on that one certain day for that one certain meal at that one certain time.  Right?un 1So my unparalleled cousins, Nikole and Michael, undertook the task of preparing an unforgettable Un-Thanksgiving feast and family celebration.un 2Unlike your traditional Thanksgiving meal, we had the most unequivocally sumptuous pork roast with an unbearably amazing vinaigrette, roasted potatoes, the most unfathomably incredible roasted brussels sprouts with chorizo and chopped almonds, roasted fresh carrots, and fresh baked bread with oil for dipping.un 4We uncorked unlimited bottles of vino (apparently too many as I certainly did not have my camera focused for this timer-set group shot!)…un 9We laughed unstoppably….un 8We even unleashed our inner Broadway talents while singing and dancing to “Frozen” after unsparingly stuffing our tummys and snuggling on the couch.

The unlimited love unraveled that day was unmistakable.un 5So think about doing something untimely and unexpected like an Un-Thanksgiving or Un-Christmas or Un-Whatever…… You might just unravel some unexpectedly untouchable moments and memories.

Now do you understand?  🙂

Until next time…
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Thanksgiving Turkey Oreo Cookie Balls

/ Jodi / 10 Comments

I had some googly candy eyes left from making Peanut Butter & Chocolate Spider Cookies for Halloween, so I thought I would make these cute little Thanksgiving Turkey Oreo Cookie Balls.

thanksgiving turkey oreo ballWith just a few simple ingredients, you can create these little critters for your Thanksgiving turkeys.

thanksgiving turkey oreo balls

I had some fun little “turkeys” to share mine with.  Like this one….

Mason Turkeyand this one. Who each gave them a big thumbs UP!  🙂

ella turkey

Here is the recipe, which I tweaked slightly from the original found on Pink When:

Thanksgiving Turkey Oreo Cookie Balls

1 Package Oreo cookies, finely crushed (about 36 cookies)
1 package (8oz.) cream cheese (softened)
1 Bag Nestle’s Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips, Melted
1 Bag Candy Corn
Candy eyes

Crush OREO cookies to a fine crumbly mixture (I placed in a Ziploc Freezer bag and rolled a marble rolling pin over them).  Mix in the softened cream cheese.

Roll into one inch cookie balls, and freeze for 10 minutes.

Dip cookie balls into melted chocolate and place on a prepared cookie sheet covered with wax paper.

Place into the refrigerator for 15 minutes to an hour before decorating.

Add 5 candy corn to the back of the ball as tail feathers by gently poking into the cookie ball.

Use additional melted chocolate as glue to attach the candy eyes, nose and feet.  (For each turkey, cut a piece of candy corn – using the white tip as the nose, and the orange part (cut in half) as feet.)

Gobble Gobble!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi