Tuesday, November 26, 2013

What's On YOUR Thanksgiving Table This Year?

 
With Thanksgiving knocking on my door, I have been going through tried and true recipes for appetizers, sides and desserts.  Here are the delectable dishes that will be gracing my family's table this Thanksgiving Day.  (Why is the turkey missing?  My mother-in-law has the task of turkey and ham this year.)

Feel free to leave some of your favorite recipe links in the comments below. (I love a good recipe)

Wishing you and your family a wonderful and memorable Thanksgiving Holiday!

APPETIZERS

Prosciutto & Cheese Rosettes ~ The Chatty Mom

 
Bacon Wraps ~ Garlic Herb ~ The Chatty Mom ~ Addictive bites



SIDES

Homemade Cranberry Sauce ~ The Chatty Mom ~ So easy, SO good...You'll never go back to the can!


Photo Source: Ree Drummond ~ ThePioneerWoman.com
Whiskey Glazed Carrots ~ The Pioneer Woman's recipe.  Ahhh-MAzing!

Photo Source: AvocadoPesto.com
Green Beans with Shallots and Pine Nuts ~ Avocado Pesto's recipe - Great alternative to the traditional green bean casserole


 
Sweet Potato Banana Crumble Casserole ~ The Chatty Mom ~ Great as a side OR a dessert.  I top it with vanilla frozen yogurt and serve as dessert! (my oldest daughter's favorite dish)


DESSERTS

Photo Source: PickyPalate.com
Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Vanilla Sheet Cake ~ Picky Palate ~ A new recipe that I can't wait to have!)
 
Photo Source: Foodnetwork.com
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies ~ Food Network ~ My family LOVES these...without the chocolate chips.  Soft & chewy and SO good!
 
 

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Giveaway Link-Up ~ Beginning or Ending In November

I am busy searching for great giveaways & sweepstakes that I find every month...although this month I am a bit behind. And I am definitely blaming it on my pregnancy. I promise you though, you are not going to want to miss out on these great finds!
There's not time like the present to enter. Here We GO!


Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

Do you LOVE entering giveaways? We have a nice little assortment for you to enjoy below! AND there is no limit to the number of giveaways you can access & enter!

OR

Do you have a giveaway beginning or ending in the month of November? 
Leave a comment with a link to your giveaway and I will add it to our ever growing list!
SO, why not link-up and share information for readers to find your great giveaways?! 

Giveaways in gray have ended, but the links remain active.
1. Choose Your Gadget Giveaway ~ The Chatty Mom (Ends 11/21)
2. It's Christmas Giveaway Event ~ The Chatty Mom (Ends 12/02)
3. K'NEX Super Mario Bros. 3D Building Set ~ Just Short Of Crazy (Ends 12/10)
4. It's Christmas Bakers Edition KitchenAid Mixer Giveaway ~ Growing Up Bilingual (Ends 12/02)
5. Buick & GMC's National Sweepstakes! 2014 Vehicle of Your Choice!~ Ends 12/31/13
6. Google Chromecast ~ 20 Winners! ~ WomanFreebies (Ends 11/26)
7. Coach Tablet Case Giveaway ~ Stokes Contests (Ends 10/29) 
8.$5 Starbucks GC ~ 3 Winners! ~ Crunchy Beach Mama (Ends 11/21)
9. 9th and Elm Gift Certificates! ~ 3 Winners! (1st - $200; 2nd & 3rd - $100) ~ Still Blonde After All These Years (Ends 11/31)
10. $100 PayPal Cash & Colonic with Bodywrap ($270 total value) ~ Bargain Hound (Ends 12/11)
11. Obol Giveaway  ~ Bargain Hound (Ends 12/07) 
12. $1,000 Amazon Gift Card! ~ Growing Up Bilingual (Ends 11/29)
13. $1,000 Daily Prize ~ RewardIt.com
14. $10,000 Cover Look Sweepstakes (Furnishings!) ~ House Beautiful (Ends 3/1/14)
15. Xbox One Giveaway ~ Mom To Bed By 8 (Ends 12/02)

18 Weeks Down, 22 To Go!


This week I entered into 18 weeks of my pregnancy!  AND felt my little darling move for the first time!!  Let's just say that my heart was overflowing with joy.  I had forgotten how amazing those first few kicks can be. (it has been over 7 years since my last "first kicks")
 
Funny thing about this whole pregnancy is that it has been completely different in the realm of how I'm carrying the baby, cravings and energy. This little one has basically been off center and leaning to my right...which I am hoping quickly self-corrects so that I don't end up totally lop-sided.  A wonderful change is that I am showing just a little this time around, which means that I am still comfortably in my regular clothes! (well, a little more filled out in them but still in them) It also means that I've stayed in the range of only a 5 pound weight gain so far!  WOOHOO!!  With my first daughter I was definitely showing at 3 months and had already gained 10 pounds...my body totally freaked out.  The second was a little less dramatic in the weight gain category, but at 3 months I was again showing.
 
Cravings...well, I'm not craving the salads and fruit that I did during my prior pregnancies either.  Something totally contrary to my even non-preggy norm has entered in...a craving for protein like no other.  I am a 90% chicken, 8% pork and 2% beef kinda lady.  Not with this pregnancy.  I find myself dreaming of ginger teriyaki glazed brisket or flank steak...in fact now I can't get it out of my head. Guess I need to pull down my crockpot and get some beef going.
 
And then there's the craving for sweets, which I really did not have with the other two.  So, to keep myself in check I have stayed with 60% or more dark chocolate chips with pecans or melted down with coconut oil which I then dip frozen banana slices into.  SO GOOD!  This helps me stay away from the urge to bake tons of brownies and muffins...and cookies and scones...and gallons of ice cream.
 
If any of you have insight of how to battle against what feels like extreme exhaustion, PLEASE share!  This little one has completely zapped me...every day.  I can be in the middle of something and sit down for literally 2 minutes...and wake up 1-3 hours later when my alarm goes off letting me know of commitments I need to attend to.  It's ridiculous really...my girls laugh about it but are also wanting their "fun mom" back.  Apparently when you are tired every afternoon you become the boring mom.
 
Aside from those little issues, everything is going well.  My blood pressure seems to be keeping under control with the meds I'm taking, breathing exercises, celery juicing, stretching and pregnancy Pilates I'm doing.  And trust me, this is a huge thing since I went through it with both of my girls and I'm also in a much higher altitude.  I hate blood pressure issues, so anything to keep it down is welcomed.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Christmas Giveaway Event ~ Ends 12/02



It’s Christmas Giveaway Event






My household is always so excited for Christmas to come.  Especially my darling Grace since she is the Christmas Eve Baby.  Every year she is so proud of her birthdate because it is the day before we celebrate the birth of her Savior.  It makes me so proud when I hear her talking to tellers, clerks and really anyone that will give her a moment because she just bubbles over about how cool it is to share  her birthday with the Christmas celebration.  I love it!  And we always make sure to keep Christmas Eve Day about her...and then we start our Christmas celebration that evening.  It's really such a special time for us to share with her.