Quick & Cute Snowman Place Setting

We had chili tonight.  While it was warming up (gotta love a freezer meal) and the Tostitos bag was opening, it hit me that it was the perfect meal to try this out:

Maybe it's because I just came off of the Thanksgiving brain-break, but I went for it.  It took about 5 minutes longer than usual to set the table and the boys were surprised and excited when they saw the snowman place setting. 

I rummaged through our leftover "special" napkins and thankfully, there were two that coordinated.  I guess they wouldn't have cared too much if the hat was orange and the scarf was made with a napkin left from a farm birthday party; but for the matter of this blog... I look much better with this version. ;)

No, my kids don't use a knife or a fork with their chili- but two napkins were pretty helpful. 

Does anyone else have kids that think the napkin is for their drink to sit on?  Drives me crazy.

I'm linked up with Alderberry Hill, Be Colorful, Between Naps on the Porch, Home Stories A2Z, Nap Time Creations, You're Talking Too Much, and Today's Creative Blog!

9 Things You Forgot This Thanksgiving Season

All over Facebook I see posts about what my friends are thankful for each day- friends, family, the nineties… Okay, maybe not the nineties, but they should be thankful for that decade.  Hammer Pants, poofy bangs, great sitcoms…  Where would we be this time of year without a reminder about Festivus and the Airing of Grievances?!  

Occasionally, we get a reminder that life is about the little things, right?   Of course, I’m incredibly thankful that I don’t have to look far at all to find a thousand  big things that are truly blessings in my life, but I bet you’ve taken some great little things for granted.  Consider these:

-Kiwi-  A fruit that IS its own bowl?!  Just cut, and scoop.  C’mon.  That’s awesome.

-sweatpants, yoga pants and all elastic waistbands- My pregnancies (and, well, every day) made me gain quite an appreciation for these.

-Ketchup-  I fit in great at the kids’ table.  I’ll declare my love for it in any five-star restaurant without reservation.  (Yeah, I’m thankful for puns… even bad ones.)

-One-Hit-Wonders   You know you like to jam out to these… and it makes your day, too!  Don’t deny it.  I’ve seen you …

-miniature chocolate candy-  I’d rather eat ten miniature Heath bars than one regular sized one.  I don’t know why, but I’m thankful for them.

-words that are fun to say- “Indubitably”  and “anomaly” are two good ones.

-cheap wine that still comes with a cork-  I just feel a bit classier without a screw top when I offer it to friends. 

-Nice pens- My appreciation for a good pen is a bit ridiculous.  It’s the combination of smooth writing, a good weight, no-smear ink, etc.  It just makes for a good day of work.

-Reruns- Reba, The Cosby Show, Friends, Golden Girls, Seinfeld, Fresh Prince--- See why people should appreciate the 90’s more?

Happy Thanksgiving!      


I'm linked up with Alderberry Hill, Be Colorful, Between Naps on the Porch, Home Stories A2Z, Nap Time Creations, You're Talking Too Much, and Today's Creative Blog!

Hurricane Necessity: DIY Pumpkin Spice Coffee

Do you know what's good on a rainy day?
-Coffee

Do you know what's good on a rainy fall day?
-Pumpkin Spice coffee

Do you know what's good on a rainy fall day when you're waiting out a hurricane?
-Staying safely at home (yay for days off!) and still enjoying a Pumpkin Spice coffee

Yep, some people are running out for water and batteries, I'm home enjoying a great cup of coffee.  Don't worry, Mom, I already stocked up and we're hunkered down- generator's ready and so are we... we hope!  Hurricane Sandy is kind of like a friend in that she bought me a day off of work, but she's also an enemy because she may or may not be trying to destroy my home in the process.

Take your mind off that frienemy, Sandy.  Enjoy a pumpkin spice coffee with me. :)  I'm not sure how Starbucks can charge so much for such an easy cup of coffee. All you need is your regular coffee maker and pumpkin pie spice. Well, you need coffee, too, of course.

Not too long ago, I posted about these muffins:
                                                    Do you have Pumpkin Pie Spice? 

Just tap a dash of the pumpkin pie spice into your coffee filter with the coffee.  Do it before or after adding the coffee- it doesn't matter.  Then, make your coffee however you usually do!  Finally, fill your bathtub up with water and get ready for game-day with the kids...

Stay safe!  Tell me what your favorite hurricane-ready staple is? Or, how you survive frienemies?!   

I'm linked up with Alderberry Hill, Be Colorful, Between Naps on the Porch, Home Stories A2Z, Nap Time Creations, You're Talking Too Much, and Today's Creative Blog!