Thanksgiving Tablescape ~

I am thankful for my husband who is my best friend. I am thankful for all the humor he brings me each and every day. He is the most honest,wisest,and rational man I know. I never have to worry about decisions he makes because I know they are well-thought-out. I am thankful for all his loving ways the smallest things he'll do show how much he truly cares! I am thankful for my parents who are always there for us. I am thankful for their health and thankful that they taught us the value of hard work I am grateful that they instilled in me good morals and values that will be with me for a life time. I am thankful for my sister's who I speak to every morning I am grateful that they keep me grounded and set me straight when I need that extra love. I am thankful for my In laws who are always there for us. I am thankful for their many prayers, kindness and hospitality. I am thankful for the time I spent with all my nieces and nephews and even more grateful when they go back home :) I am thankful for all my aunts,uncles cousins, and extended family on both sides. I am grateful when I get a chance to spend some time with them. I am thankful for my close friends, I always feel instant happiness when I get to talk or be around them. whenever something happens there always there for me. I feel so very blessed to have close friends like them. I am thankful for my home and the opportunity I have to be here and take care of it. I am thankful I can spend Fall mornings working on my yard planting, pruning and watering. I am so very grateful when I see my flowers blooming especially my bird of paradise. I am thankful for the smallest things that we sometimes take for granted like smelling fresh air, taking long walks, snuggling with my favorite blanket, eating left over turkey, washing the car barefoot, taking long summer naps, warm winters where we don't have to shovel snow, and the sound of chicharras in the summer. Have a wonderful & blessed Thanksgiving!!

Chargers from Target 2 for a dollar

White plates are my everyday set

Turkey decorative plates from Wal-Mart $2.99

Place mats from Bed Bath & Beyond $1.99

Napkin's from Big Lots 2 for $1.00

Napkin rings from Pier One $3.99 for each (gift card)

Wine goblets 2010 Christmas gift from my sister in law Ashley

Glass decorative vase (already had)

Mini pumpkins from Michaels $3.99 a bag

Center picks from Hobby lobby 40% off (last year's purchase)

Candle holders from Marshalls purchased 2 yrs ago

Ivory candle sticks from Dollar Tree $4.00 (already had 3)

Large center candle (already had)

12 Votive candles ( a surprise in my attic from previous home owner)

Fall Pasta ~

The other day while shopping at Ross this caught my eye! Loved all the fun Fall shapes of pumpkins and leaves! Brought it home and with very few ingredients I created this! This little $99.cent package I had in my pantry made it all come together.
This is how... COOK pasta as directed on package, omitting salt. 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces. 1 red pepper, cut into thin strips and 1/2 cup thinly sliced zucchini. ( I used squash) 2 cups baby spinach leaves. Heat olive oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 to 7 min. or until done. Add next 3 ingredients; cook and stir 4 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and spinach is wilted. DRAIN pasta. Add to ingredients in skillet with Parmesan blend; mix lightly. It was very yummy! Do you see the pumpkin & leaf shaped pasta? I sprinkled some shredded Mozzarella cheese on top! so delicious! Here is a link to the web sight that was on the package... in case you don't find any at Ross. click here

I've been told...

that little Nathan (my nephew) has a special friend Mr.Chico the Dino~ who he LOVES and CARES for very much!
I've been told.... he plays, sleeps, and reads to Mr. Chico everyday!
I've been told....Mr.Chico goes EVERYWHERE with Nathan....Church,Grandmas,HEB and the park.. and yes even SCHOOL!!!

Breakfast is served~

Lately, I have been playing with my blender experimenting with different types of fruit and juices mixing and blending for a quick, healthy, pick me up fast breakfast! I have found so many different concoctions! I found a really simple one with very few ingredients in this book... Purple Monstrosity~

2 frozen bananas chunked

1/2 frozen cup blueberry's

1 cup orange juice

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

1 tbs honey (optional) I use two splendas
Place all ingredients in blender and puree use more or less liquid depending on thickness. ( I also sometimes add frozen strawberry's to the mix) why not? Makes half a pitcher... This stuff is SO GOOD!! and keeps you full till way past lunch time.

Attic ~ Fall bin ~ DUST.

Three weeks ago I noticed my neighbors across the street had pulled out pumpkins, ghosts, and a flying witch. I thought it was a little too soon, but then again what do I know? I always wait for the first cold front to start getting into the groove of things to me, it just feels like fall when the weather changes! This morning I woke up thinking... I need to make a few changes maybe bring down the flag I was flying in honor of the 10Th anniversary of 911, and go into the scorching attic to bring down my Fall bin. Where did Summer go? As I was going up the attic ladder... I thought why don't we have an attic exhaust fan?... Sure let me just add that to the loooooooooooong list of projects we need around here.... Why not? Okay first off who is the owner of these chairs Mom, Mel, Bey, Ashley, St Paul's? And how in the world did they end up here? Look at all the DUST!! And of course the Fall bin has to be at the very back! It is about 125 degrees in here, I am now moving, organizing and rearranging stuff and, I am full of DUST... One thing leads to another.. went down to get wet rags with soap and a broom.. About half hour later....as I am bringing this bin down it gets stuck on the ladder! It weighs a ton, and it won't budge!! about now a little voice inside me starts to speak. " You should of waited for Romeo like he told you too" After pushing ,shoving, and groaning while squeezing the bin gives!!! and comes right down, but now I'm exhausted and think I will let this bin sit here for a day or two. There is always tomorrow!

Clayton's week of giving

This summer my nephew Clayton, has dedicated a whole week of giving back! Clayton is member of "The Catholic Youth Renovation Project" of St Paul's Catholic Church in Mission. Their goal is to help the poorest of the poor live a better quality life, by improving their everyday living conditions. Some of their tasks include room additions, roofing repairs, sheetrock installation, insulating walls, leveling, installing siding and painting. Not only, are they learning carpentry skills, they are learning real life lessons of compassion, caring, and humility. Here is the shed he helped build for the water heater.. Most of these families suffer in harsh living conditions sometimes without basic water and sewer services. Many of these homes, are small one room shacks that have broken windows or sometimes no windows at all.. Kids run around shoeless in unpaved roads covered in caliche. In this picture, an addition is being build to cover their small mobile home. Here is the humble family that will live in this home.. Its awesome seeing clay having a great time working, and enjoying helping this family! I feel all teens need to understand what it means to be without. Too many teens feel entitled to material things and demand it, If every teen had the opportunity to have a glimpse inside the lives of these humble people they would appreciate their blessings more.
Great job Clay so proud of you!

Isaiah 58:10-11 if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Pizza Pot Pie

Want an easy recipe that takes no time in the kitchen?..Here is one that you will LOVE! The best part of this recipe is that you can make it in different ways.. Here's what you will need... Pizza dough, Olive oil, Mozzarella cheese, a jar of Ragu sauce (I used the H.E.B brand since I already had it) Broccoli florets,(already had ) Parmesan cheese, shredded chicken (I used store bought rotisserie chicken leg quarters) Who wants to wait for a chicken to boil when you have a starving husband? and ramekins. (I used 4) Dump everything, but the olive oil and Parmesan cheese.. (You can add more or less of sauce and florets depending on your like)... and mix Fill in each ramekin. Do you see where I am going with this? Roll out the pizza dough, and cut circles with a pairing knife that are about 1-inch wider than the ramekins. Place the circles of dough over the ramekins and press down to seal, make sure to pull the dough over the edge of the ramekin. Brush the top of the pizza dough with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cut a small slit in the top of the pizza dough with a pairing knife. Bake until the pizza crust is golden, about 25 minutes... I paired it off with this Broccoli slaw drizzled in Italian dressing. There you go easy as pie!...So,what's cooking in your kitchen?