Happy Thanksgiving, Black Friday Madness, and Flasback Friday, all rolled into one......

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We always celebrate Thanksgiving at Dan's Aunt and Uncle's house. Dan and his cousins always play a football game in the morning with their friends. This year was the 20th Annual Turkey Bowl. I used to go and watch the game when Dan and I first started dating but now I stay home and cook a few things for Aunt Dolores and Uncle Ed's house.

While Dan went off to play his game, Katie and I stayed home and cooked. She was happy to help me in the kitchen. We made mac and cheese (I use Patti LaBelle's "Over the Rainbow" mac and cheese recipe with a few added bonuses of my own), Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Bananas and Honey (recipe I got off of Lisa's blog), and an Apple Pie. The apple pie was a recipe I got from my old co-worker Mary. I love this crumb top deep dish apple pie recipe.

The mac and cheese is a favorite with Dan's family, especially Walter. It was Walter's 20th Birthday yesterday so I really wanted to make the mac and cheese for him. The dish is so bad(it has 5 different cheeses, half and half, butter, and eggs in it) for you that I only make it once or twice a year.

The sweet potatoes came out GREAT! I will make these again. Thanks for posting this recipe Lisa!

While Katie and I were making the apple pie, I decided to try to use my apple/corer/peeler/slicer from pampered chef. I never use it and always peel my apples by hand. I know this nifty gadget is supposed to be easy to use but I never can get the hang of it. Well I finally got it set up after a phone call to my friend Carmela(who is a pampered chef consultant) and it WAS so easy to use. I got my apples cored/peeled/sliced in no time. Katie had fun helping me turn the handle. During the coring/peeling/slicing process, juice and peels where flying off the apples. Katie said "Mommy, you got juice in my eye!! Now, I am going to need glasses." She is so funny. The things she comes up with.

The apple pie came out great. I should of taken a picture of all my hard work but I was in such a rush to get out the door that I forgot.

We had a wonderful meal with our family and we have many things to be thankful for.



After the football game. The boys go back to the bar for "lunch".

Dan, Walter, Bill, Uncle Ed, and Eddie.



I ventured out this morning for Black Friday. Last year I actually went out by 10:30pm on Thanksgiving night because the outlets opened at Midnight. I got some awesome deals at the Disney Store outlet. This year I skipped the outlets. But, I did get up at 4am to go to Toy R Us. I was at Toys R Us by 4:45am. The line was wrapped around the store. When the line started moving it was amazing to watch all the people rushing into the store. I knew exactly what I was there for and went right for it. I got my shopping cart and thought to myself....GAME ON PEOPLE!!! I was in and out of there by 5:25am. I got everything I went in there for. Then I headed to Joann Fabric and was the 3rd person in line for there "doorbuster deals". While I was in line, I met up with my 70 something year old friend Betty who invited me into her sewing circle last Black Friday. Unfortunately Betty and her friends meet during the day while I am at work. So I was never able to join them. I felt like a bit of a loser waiting in line at Joann Fabric at 5:45am since most people were at places like Walmart and Best Buy. But, I got some great deals for my sewing hobby and I was quite pleased with myself when I left. I then hit AC Moore. I wanted to get fake pine swags for under the windows in the front of my house. I hit the jackpot because the 32 in pine swag were $5.99 each with a manager's special markdown of 80% making them $1.19 each and then I had a 30% off your entire purchase coupn. So, I got the swags for $7.52 and they would have been $53.91 for 9 of them at full price. I was back home by 8:30 am and very happy with myself. Dan said Katie woke up and wanted to know where Mommy was. Dan told her "shopping" and Katie said "Without me??". The girl loves to shop already. I assured her when I got home that I did not go to Target. Target is her favorite.

I also wanted to post a picture of Katie first Thanksgiving. This is her in 2006 at Thanksgiving dinner.



Katie ready for dinner with her plate she made at school.



Katie and her Thanksgiving Feast!