Bah Humbug!

Shopping for Christmas gifts on a budget can be pretty stressful on it's own, but going to the mall to shop during this time of year is downright inhumane.

The extremely narrow aisles are filled with rude desperate shoppers who glare at you while your trying to maneuver your cart with your daughter in it while THEIR cart is in the way. You want to yell what are you looking at, move your cart?!
I'm trying to shop just like you are! To keep the peace and to prevent yourself from tramatizing your child you focus on the task at hand. Shopping.

People will literally snatch things out of your hand! The shelves were nearly bare so shoppers were desperate! Thank goodness what was left wasn't half bad.

When you finally reach the register you are actually happy to pay and get the HELL outta there.

Are Family shows under attack?

I was recently informed one of my FAVORITE shows is now cancelled. This show happened to be on ABC. It was a wonderfully imaginative fantasy filled show. It is a show you can watch with the WHOLE family. I'm literally heartbroken over it because it was a quality show. Not only for this reason but because it was my father who turned me onto this show while he was in the hospital last year. It was one of the few shows that cheered him up. The show was Pushing Daises. How many of you have watched this show?

I have found it increasingly harder to find shows in which you DON'T have to change the channel or cover your child's eyes multiple times because of inappropriate content.
My solution: No more prime time television with the children.

I have watched the family channel, The Disney channel, Nickelodeon etc... and yet I still find inappropriate content and behavior. Sometimes I am downright appalled!
What is going on? Who deems this junk appropriate for my children?

I would love to know what shows you deem safe for your children to watch?
And for those of you who are step-parents, how do your children adjust to NOT being able to watch all the shows they get to watch when they are at the other parents home?

Would love some feedback.

Pre-Birthday Party Preparations

This week is my step-daughter's birthday. She hates when I say "step". So I always introduce her as my daughter. She does sometimes alternate from Mom to my first name. I think it confuses people but what the heck! It makes her feel good and that is all I care about.

This will be her first birthday party at our new home. I hope everyone shows up.
My princess spent the majority of the weekend circling what she wanted out of the Toys R Us and Walmart catalogues. Boy! were there A LOT of circles. I get a kick out of kids. They think BIG you know?

My husband and I had already shopped for her gifts last week but I still wanted her to feel like she had a hand in it. And she did get a few of the items she circled. She made her guest list out two weeks ago and kept asking me who else? Who else? Birthday gifts on her mind.

I'm still trying to mentally prepare myself for this party. All the guests to cater to. I'm not so sure I'm up to it but it's much too late for second thoughts and I would do anything for my little girl.

I'm going to attempt to make a three tiered cake with my new cake pans purchased at Walmart.

Wish me luck!

Thanksgiving 2008

Hello All,

I'm new to the blogging world. I've read many other blogs enjoying some daily. I have finally decided it's time to blog about my family after cooking my very first Thanksgiving dinner.

It was a difficult experience because it is a day I've always spent with my entire family. Unfortunately, I have a father who is currently hospitalized battling cancer. It has been a difficult 3 years for my family.

My husband was counting on us being invited somewhere but that invite unusually never came this year (we usually have our pick).
We shopped 3 days before Thanksgiving for our Holiday Feast. I lost A store coupon SOMEWHERE by the register (which caused an embarrasing exchange of words between my husband and I). My husband had so dutifully clipped the coupon from the circular at home (he never does that). It somehow vanished! I'm still upset over it.

We purchased a 13lb turkey which I let defrost in the refrigerator until Thanksgiving morning where I then set the turkey on the counter. To my dismay I found the inside of the turkey was still A little icy. I didn't panic I figured it need an extra hour or two to finish thawing. Remember it was my first time preparing a turkey. I was a Turkey virgin!

I made two pie's the night before. A pumpkin and a lemon meringue pie (first time as well). I bake cookies, cakes and cupcakes but I'm not much of a pie maker. My husband was the "taste tester" although he was partial to the lemon meringue pie. He liked them both.

Though I was excited to try something new, it was bittersweet. I couldn't help but dwell on the fact that my father AND my mother were stuck at the hospital and were most likely not going to have Thanksgiving dinner. The thought tore me to pieces. All I could remember were all the thanksgiving dinners my mother slaved over for us. I couldn't get anyone to take the the food to my parents. My poor father was restricted to a broth diet anyway. He wouldn't have been able to eat regardless.

The Turkey took an hour longer than expected but the final results weren't half bad. Actually it was a hit! I was happy to hear my stepchildren say how good the food tasted.

When my sisters called the next day I was asked how it went and If I would do it again. I said it was A LOT of work but the satisfaction came when I saw my loved ones enjoying the fruits of my labor. Would I do it again? Not. So. Sure. If I do, I will definitely go with a well recommended freezer to oven turkey. That sucker was a pain in the you know what!

All in all we had a very nice Thanksgiving dinner as a family. That's what it's all about. I set the timer on our camera and took a family portrait at the dinner table.

Smile! Click.