Count Down to Christmas!

Oh my, Christmas is just around the corner!

Click here http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/ to get your own countdown to keep track!

The date changes EVERYDAY!

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Thank You Karen!

I hope that all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Maybe some of you might be enjoying family still! We had a splendid and blessed Thanksgiving Day at daughter Heidi's home!

Oh, were all those (6) pies yummy! Pumpkin, Pecan, Chocolate Cream and Apple Crunch!

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Now let's get into the Christmas Spirit...1, 2, 3 GO!

The real meaning of Christmas is giving of LOVE everyday!

Counting My Blessings...

This time of the year always pulls at my heart-strings! I am so grateful for all the blessings Heavenly Father has blessed me with. Each day I count my blessings and give thanks.

Family and friends are a true blessing from above!

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Wishing you all a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving Day!

You can name your blessings here one by one if you would like!

xox

Dinner in a Pumpkin!

This has been a family favorite and a tradition since our children were small! I make it every October and November each year and it always brings back memories! I have extra pumpkins this year to cook more dinners in the winter months. It is truly a comfort food! It has a hearty, nutty flavor and the brown sugar gives it the right taste for a yummy meal! The meat of the pumpkin makes for a delicious vegetable. The longer you cook the pumpkin the juices flow and becomes tender...oh my! I just made myself crave a plateful! I use turkey most of the time and diced frozen onions.

The preparation is fast & easy!

I forgot to take a picture of browning the turkey,etc...
Line a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan.
The pumpkin color gets darker and shiny. Yum!

You have to give it a try just to say you had
DINNER IN A PUMPKIN!
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Dinner in a Pumpkin

A Family Favorite!

1 small to medium pumpkin
1 onion, chopped
1 ½ to 2 lbs. lean hamburger
2 T soy sauce
2 T brown sugar (Mom uses more! I like a sweeter taste!)
1 – 4 oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 – 10 oz. cream of mushroom soup
1 ½ cup cooked white rice
1 – 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, washed & drained

Cut off the top of the pumpkin and thoroughly clean outs seeds and pulp. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet brown meat and onions. Drain drippings from skillet. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, mushrooms and soup. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cooked rice and water chestnuts. Spoon mixture into the cleaned out pumpkin shell. Replace top and place entire pumpkin, with filling, on a baking sheet. Bake approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes or until inside of the pumpkin is tender. It could take 1 ½ hours or more. Put pumpkin on a plate. Remove pumpkin lid and serve meat.
For vegetables, scoop out cooked pumpkin and serve.

Serve with apple cider!
*Mom cooks it much longer because she likes the pumpkin meat inside tender…to eat! Enjoy!

And the Winners Are...

Lou Cinda

and

Lisa

Thank you all for taking a part in my Christmas giveaway! It means so much that you did! I loved reading about all the Christmas traditions you do and would love to add them to mine! As I read each one, it echoed loud and clear that the love of family makes the holidays so dear. I am grateful to Heavenly Father for blessing us all with family! Sometimes neighbors & friends become a part of our families to!

May you have a wonderful holiday Season Sweeties!
P.S.

Lisa & Lou Cinda, please email me your address!

Packages are ready to be mailed!

A CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY!

I thought I would get into the holiday spirit by having a GIVEAWAY!

So with that, I made 2 Christmas garlands with a matching tag set of 8.

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To enter, share a comment about your favorite Christmas tradition(s).

I will add your name to the drawing!

I will draw 2 names on Monday Nov. 16 at 12pm Western Time!

Can't wait to read about your favorite traditions! I may use some!

Set #1

Set #2

Thanks for visiting!

Christmas Treat ~ Paint Can Idea!

It may seem a bit early to post about CHRISTMAS but it is just around the corner!

Last year I made lots of these and filled them with WHITE CHOCOLATE POPCORN to put inside! (Line the paint can with wax paper). The recipe is soooo easy and your family & friends will think it is gourmet popcorn! Recipe below.

I bought new, unused paint cans at Lowe's, assorted Christmas ribbon, red craft paint, retro graphics, and scrapbooking adhesive. Make some yourself!

Here is the graphic you can use!

Easy as pie and it will be a big gift receiving favorite! Add a cute tag and hugs & kisses!
Candy Cane ribbon for a sweet touch.

White Chocolate Popcorn

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6 ounces of Nestle WHITE chocolate chips
2 (3 ½ ounce bags of microwave popcorn

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. (Watch closely if you use the microwave).
Microwave 2 bags of popcorn or pop about 7 ounces of popcorn.
In a large tub (or 2 large bowls) drizzle melted white chocolate over popcorn. Mix and fluff as you go. You’re looking for a light coat of chocolate on the popcorn-too much will make the popcorn soggy and spongy.
Let the popcorn cool in the refrigerator until chocolate hardens.

Yes! It is easy and yummy! I promise! Enjoy! xox

Grandchildren...

Having some fun with 2 (out of 11 1/2) of our grandsons MARK and ERIC!

Cool, crisp weather and snow in the forecast!

Photos taken by daughter Tiffani.

Check out her wonderful photography website:

Tiff Photography