Thanksgiving is done, now what?

Thanksgiving was a success.  We had a lot of food and great laughs. The baby was good but in pain from gums. But once he found a tin he was very entertained. But now it is over and now it is time for lights, egg nog, and a fellow in a red suit. Christmas is on it's way. And here below is my first twinkly lights that I took pics of.

We were on the way home last night and saw this

so pretty

I love this tree

What a great end to the day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Really? The forecasters failed to mention this. Ahem.

My little man woke me up at 3 again but he was not hungry.My baby was a popsickle. He was cold even with a blankie. So, we went to mama and dadda's bed. He fell back asleep, thank goodness. I get up at 6:30 to check the temp and looky there. Happy Thanksgiving. It is 36 out. 

Hello, I am a Food Network and Cooking channel aholic

Hi readers,
I have a slight confession, I am a cooking show fanatic. I don't care if it is a bake off or Barefoot Contessa, I will watch it. My husband doesn't understand how I can watch it so much. It is good TV, there is no fighting, no yelling,no swearing, and lots of promise. I learn a bunch from watching it. For instance I just learned how to make an easy inexpensive white truffle butter pasta. So, why not watch it. It is easy watching food shows. I don't have to think a whole lot when watching it. Right now I am watching someone make a Turduken. Which is a chicken stuffed into a duck which is stuffed inside a turkey. Have you ever had any? I have to say, I am not really interested in it. But, it seems interesting. I also have seen Paula Deen deep fry a turkey. The question is, do you fry your turkey, or do you do it the old fashioned way. Do you brine your turkey? Do you baste your turkey?

All this turkey talk makes me want it to be Thursday already!
Just a few days left!

A cup of coffee and a thought, oh my lights.

Helping mama with untangling lights

After a great(sarcasm) morning at the local WIC office, I came home and decided to get some laundry done as well as go into a slight Christmas mode. The week of Thanksgiving I go through my Christmas decor and lights to see what needs replacing and what needs new bulbs. I also go through my ornaments and check for casulties. Which one of my German ornaments bit the dust, I am not happy. But still it could have been worse. My lights are needing some replacing, I have 2 strands that don't work. I am hoping I have enough to go around the front of the house. If not, then I will replace them with multi-colored lights and use them somewhere else. I am not a light fanatic but, I do love decking the halls. OK, maybe I am a fanatic. The one thing I can not seem to find is my solar lights. I will have to go into the attic to get them, I think that is where they are. If not then I have no clue where they are. I tried to go into the attic while my baby is sleeping and um, I can not get the door open. I felt like a monkey hanging from the ceiling. It wouldn't budge. So, after I finish my Miso soup I am going to try again. Why? Because I wanna. I just hope I do not get stuck up there like Clark Griswald.

 This week is a week of firsts for my Little man, it is his 1st Thanksgiving and his first Christmas Tree decorating. And although he can not eat the food, I know everyone around him will be thankful that he is around. I know I am. And that is where I want to leave off with today. I am thankful for this week of firsts for my baby and for the people that will be sharing it with us.

Oh three AM wake up time and two pots of coffee later.......

Hello all,
I am writing a very tired blog today. I have been up since 3 Am, thought those days were over when little man started sleeping all night. Nope. I was in denial. He was up and that meant I needed to be up too. He was up and down all night so, I figured a bottle and he would go back to sleep. By 3:30 he was done and was snoozing away. I put little man back to bed and staggered my way back to mine. 1 hour later he was back up. And now he is back to sleep again. Poor little guy, I wish he would let me look and see if there is a new tooth in that mouth, but alas he wont let me. Oh the joys and happiness that is teething. It is tough being little and it is tough being the mama.
So, what did I do this time after getting him to sleep? Work on Chippey's Shoppe, my eBay store and watch "Extreme Christmas Trees" on Netflix. I had my Christmas cup full of coffee and was watching away. Then I figured I have the time and aloneness to list some stuff. So, here I am blogging away and going to list some things to my store. #joysofebay. I am also listening to Bing Crosby on Pandora. #dontjudge
Then it dawned on me, I have no clue where the rest of my holiday mugs are. Or where all my lights are for that matter. I love moving, because it is a treasure hunt to find things 8 months later when you are settled in. Ugh, so that means next week I am going to have to go into the attic and get them. If they are there. I like being prepared. I plan on starting a page of Christmas house decor. There are some homes around here in Fl ready for it. That or I may do Crazy Christmas trees. I am not sure what or how I will do it. But it will be cools.This is something I have been wanting to do since I started blogging and never did. So this year! If you have any you want posted let me know. #crazyforchristmas

A cup of coffee and a thought, cranberry sauce.

We all have cranberry sauce or sometimes chutney at Thanksgiving  Do you prefer homemade cranberry sauce or from a can? Do you like the jelly or the chunky sauce from the can?
I prefer homemade. I booze it up a bit with some wine. Most of the alcohol cooks out but leaves the flavor. If out of a can I like the jelly.

My cranberry sauce:

1 bag of fresh cranberries

1 cup of  sugar

1/2 cup of Reisling wine

 1/2 tsp orange zest

Bring cranberries, wine, sugar, and zest to a boil. then reduce heat to a simmer. You will hear cranberries pop as they cook. The liquid will reduce by half after 15-20 minutes. Can be frozen. Is Amazing on vanilla ice cream.

A cup of coffee and a thought, where has time gone?

Wow, can any of you believe that Thanksgiving is here next week. Then after that is Christmas and New Years. Where did the year go? It feels like just yesterday was the 4th of July. But no it was Halloween not that long ago. I find it interesting that as adults there are not enough hours in a day, but as kids the days drug on and on. Time entered a no passing zone. It seemed to take forever for Christmas to get here. I mean FOREVER. I would open each piece on the Advent calendar waiting and it just seemed to slowly creep up. Then Christmas eve and then no sleep.
People around here are already decking the halls. There are lights on their houses and I am sure stocking hung by their chimneys with care. I miss having a fire place, for that reason. I'll just tell my little boy when he is older that Santa has his own house key.
I have had many people ask me if we are going to do Elf on a Shelf when baby bear is older. I am not sure. It seems so complicated to me, and we never had it growing up. It would seem to be a lot of fun to do and there are plenty of ideas on Pinterest for it. How many of you do Elf on a Shelf? How do your kids react to each night of silliness? And parents, do you do it every day or is it just closer to Christmas?

When I was little the thing was Saint Nick's day. We celebrated that along with Christmas. Our stockings would have candies and a cheap toy in them. It was exciting and every time I would argue that I needed the day off for the holiday. Mom would just laugh at me. Hey, it was worth a shot right? Only if it were a snow day would that happen. Down here in Fl, we don't have that. So, little man wont be able to get it.  Not too many people know what I am talking about when I refer to Saint Nick's day here in Fl. I guess it is a mid-western thing.

Well, Thanksgiving will be here NEXT WEEK. BE sure to check out my coupon page for some Turkey day savings. It has helped me a bunch. I got diapers and formula for my boy for 22. That was for a big container and a pack of diapers. There are some great food coupons in there! I can not wait to get decorated for Christmas. Next week is decorate time!

True Happiness.

I am happy for a lot of things in my life. I am happy about having an amazing hubby and a adorable house that I can call MINE. I am happy for this coffee I am drinking, although I miss my Keurig. But, most of all I am happy for the happiest little boy in the world, my son. He just loves everything and all things make him smile. He, right now is playing with a sock and is excited about it. He just looks at me or my hubby and breaks out in the biggest cheesiest grin. Something we call "cheese face". He is the joy of my life, and I am truly thankful and blessed to have him. I want to just hug him all the time, and when he gives me that pure look of  "I love you mama." I melt. I truly melt into a thousand pieces, hubby giggles about that.

He is just an amazing little boy and he just keeps getting more and more amazing every day.

He is also a speed crawler, and already tries to walk. Lord help me. My boy is also a cheeky little man and knows when he is being naughty. He just looks at you and gives you a mischievous grin. I giggle at that, knowing darn well that I am encouraging it. But, when you are that cute, you get away with a lot. Little stinker. 

This Thanksgiving while we all give thanks to everything in our lives. I am thankful for this, my little man. I truly am and every day is precious with him. 

What makes you happiest? What are you truly thankful for?

Christmas is just around the corner, and I am freaking out! 

This is still a great deal to not pass up, I am getting a canvas of my little man. 

$25.99 free shipping gallery wrapped Canvas,Printerpix.

And speaking of great deals, I got 10 jars of  Beach Nut jar food for $3.00 after coupons! WHAT?! I guess I really need to get my butt in gear with couponing. What coupon tricks do you have?

A cup of coffee and a thought. gifts this year!

It is a nice cool day in FL. 

 Today I am loving my coffee and I love these cute modern cups from Ikea. Which is the greatest place on EARTH. Anyways, Christmas is around the corner and this year I am thinking instead of meaningless presents I go with a personalized gift.
Why not do canvases? I found a great Groupon deal for them! It is a great deal from Printerpix, $25.99 for a gallery styled wrapped canvas and free shipping! Why is this a great gift? Well, how about those relatives always bugging you for a picture of the baby, or the family? Send them this! Not only will a canvas be better looking than just a frame on the wall but, it will get them off your case. You can also make you own wall art! Have a picture for the living room wall and you know the print? You can bring it to life with this deal. I have gotten one from Printerpix before and was very happy!

I am always trying to figure out newer gift ideas, and I want to save money. Everyone makes it seem like Christmas has to be full of expensive gifts,because yeah Best Buy we can all afford to get our nieces iPads. Let me go to my Swiss bank account....buh. I sit here drinking my coffee amazed that there were already Christmas commercials on Youtube. IT IS NOT EVEN THANKSGIVING! If you want to show commercials that boast the coming season, do Black Friday previews. Really. It may do you better to do that.
I also have been seeing all over Facebook, the posts of I will not shop on Tday because if I do someone wont be with their families. Well, there are doctors,nurses,police,firemen,emts,and millitary that do not get to spend time with their families. Yet we do not act outraged for them. I agree, I wont be shopping, not because I do not think it is fair but because I just don't want to. Now that being said, what about Christmas Eve. Is it the same principle? I just feel conflicted about those posts. What are your thoughts? Comment below.
P.S
If you want to take a look at this great deal, check out the link below:
$25.99 Gallery Canvas and free shipping

A Thanksgiving day tidbit.

Oh, Thanksgiving how we love you. For so many it is about family, friends, and being thankful. For me, it is about FOOD. Have you wondered what their Thanksgiving was like? And can you believe there were no pies then, or mashed potatoes, or even cranberry sauce. Food historians believe there was deer, some sort of poultry, and sea foods. Pumpkin may have been there but not as a pie, it would have been more of a sweet mash.  

Here is some true or false. The pilgrims had exotic spices back then to cook with.

True or false.

Have fun. If you have any Thanksgiving trivia post in the comments! Lets have fun.

When was the first Macy's Thanksgiving day parade?

A cup of coffee and a thought.

I love my coffee, it is nice and cool this morning and so the windows are open and I am loving it. It feels like fall,finally.  My cup you may have noticed has a snowman on it. Well, yeah. This is my holly jolly cup. I drink it to feel more jolly, I'm sorry drink out of it. What is on my mind? I tell ya it is about the weather.
I just cool mornings and days like this. When it is usually hot beyond belief here the cool breezes and crisp air just makes me want to be outside and in the middle of it. This kind of thing is short lived and I am sure in a week it will be gone. Back to mid 80s and my cat ran into the glass door.....oie. Weather like this makes me want apple cider and pumpkin pie. The leaves do not change here and I would love to see it. Makes me miss the changing of the seasons, still. I can not wait for Thanksgiving and all the food, I am an eater. Mashed potatoes get in my belly!!!!

Don't judge the holly jolly mug. I needed it! :P

Letter to my baby.

Dear baby boy,
I am so thankful to have you. This month being premature birth awareness month, I decided to write you this letter. Not that you can read it yet, and if you can WOW! It made me aware about how lucky the three of us are and were. Your daddy, you, and me are all very lucky and owe the hospital a huge bit of gratitude. Not so many get the chance. 

You were almost born at 31 weeks and would have weighed around 5 lbs. I was told before admission that if you were born ; A. a c-section and B. the next 24 hours would be critical. Either of us could have died. Scary isn't it? But after what seemed like 800 shots to my behind later, the contractions slowed down. However, they were not gone. I was in pain until your birth boyo.  I am so thankful for Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies as well as Dr Odom at Physicians Associates.

Here you are 8 months later and already trying to walk. And not a day goes by where I do not think about what could have happened. But here you are being adorable and even now being cute as a button watching Peppa Pig. You should be nom nomed on and often. I give you tons of kisses and hugs and snuggles because I love you so much little man. So very very much. 

So baby boy, I love you. I love you when you laugh. I love you when you cry. I love you when you get a hold of things you shouldn't. I love you when you crawl after me. I love that you need me all the time.I love that you are already trying to walk on your own!I love that you amaze me everyday! I love that mischievous laugh of yours, which only comes out when you try to TINKLE on everything. Let me explain this. 

My son thinks it is funny to try and pee when you change him. Not like, "Oh, I waited too long to change you and now I am being punished for being diaper slow". This is a super evil grin, then BAM, and then the laugh. It is actually the funniest thing I have heard. It almost makes me forget that he just tinkled everywhere. Let me clear here, he doesn't do it all the time. But when he does, it is funny. I only wished he would do it for something else and not THAT. Like getting the Xbox, why can't he do that while turning on the Xbox?

Which he knows how to do. I one day didn't turn on the Xbox quickly enough for his Peppa Pig and he did it himself. He then sat down and stared at me, then looked at the tv. OH NO. 

Baby boy, I hope when you get older you understand why we wouldn't let you play certain video games. We are both gamers, your dad and I. We know which games are good and which are bad for you. So, you will never pull a "fast one" on us. Sorry, but we will not have an 8 year old son on Xbox live swearing like a sailor and being a brat to the 20 somethings on there. Let me tell you, the older crowd on Xbox live get embarrassed for you. Too often I hear the adults on Xbox live wondering if the parents TRULY understand what they are playing. And many do not! They wonder if they kiss their mommy with that potty mouth and end up kicking them from their lobbies with disgust at the language,even though their language is just as bad. Video gamers, son do not like hearing small kids swearing over Xbox.  But, for right now enjoy watching Daddy get his headshots in domination.

Little baby, know that I will be there and know that I will be there no matter what. Today is day 8 in the 30 days of Thanks and I little sir am thankful for the greatest present in he world,YOU! I am thankful for you and I do not need anything for Christmas this year. Why? Because I, little man got the greatest present ever. I got you. And I am the luckiest Mama in the world.

Little man 2013