Favorite Friday: Thanksgiving Traditions

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is next week already? I sure can't! It seems like this year has flown by! In honor of Thanksgiving, I chose it as the topic for this favorite Friday.

Thanksgiving hasn't typically been a big deal in my family, so we don't have many traditions. Because of that, I think the traditions we do have mean even more to me.

1. Our longest-standing Thanksgiving tradition would definitely be the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. For as long as I can remember, my sister and I would sit on the couch and watch it. Dad would often watch it with us. Even now that I'm an adult and have my own place, I still plan on watching it this Thanksgiving. It just wouldn't be the same if I didn't.

2. Christmas at Thanksgiving was a tradition in my family for many years. We would have my dad's side of the family over and celebrate Christmas with them on Thanksgiving Day. It was easier to get them all together at Thanksgiving than during the busy month of December. My Granny and PawPaw would come over early in the day, bringing with them presents for all the grand kids under the age of 18 along with lots of food. Throughout the day my aunts and uncles and their families would arrive, each bringing some food to contribute to the meal. We usually ended up with enough food to feed a small army!
While we waited for everyone to arrive, the men and kids would go down to the basement rec room and play pool, ping pong, and foosball while the women stayed upstairs and got everything ready to eat. Once everything was ready, we'd all gather in the dining room where all the food was laid out buffet style on the table. Dad would pray for the food, then everyone dug in.
Once everyone had finished eating, it was tine to open the presents. Granny would hand out the presents, starting with the youngest and ending with the oldest. We always got an ornament and at least one other thing from her and PawPaw. After all the gifts had been handed out and opened and thank you's had been said, everyone scattered to basement, family room, or living room to play and talk.
Sadly, now all of us "first-generation" grandkids (For the longest time it was just nine cousins and my sister and I, but when I was 8 the "second-generation" started coming along, which is made up of my four younger cousins) are over 18 and everyone's scattered across the country, it's no longer possible to get everyone together, so this tradition has come to an end. It will always hold the most special Thanksgiving memories for me.

3. Last year, with my sister and brother-in-law unable to make it home due to work schedules and my mom having to work, my parents and I started a new tradition of going out to eat for Thanksgiving. Last year we went to Tee Jaye's Country Place and this year we're going to Stacey's Hometyle Buffet. It's nice to not have to worry about making (and cleaning up after) a huge dinner, but still enjoy good food.

4. Another tradition that I started last year is Black Friday shopping. I know technically it's an after-Thanksgiving tradition, but close enough. Last year was the first year I'd ever gone, and I loved it. I was able to get all most of my Christmas shopping done in that one day and I got some really good deals. I plan on going again this year, and I can't wait!

5. The final Thanksgiving tradition is another old one. Sometime during the weekend of Thanksgiving, we always watch Miracle on 34th Street (the 1994 version). It was always the movie that we used to officially kick off the Christmas Season. This is a tradition I hope to continue, even once I get my own family.

Well, that's all of my Thanksgiving traditions. What are some of yours? I'd love to hear about them!

Favorite Friday - 5 Favorite Websites

It's Friday again already...where did this week go?! It seems like it just flew by! Of course, that is by no means a bad thing. I like it when my weeks fly by, especially when the work week flies by!

This week for Favorite Friday I want to share five of my favorite websites with y'all. These five websites are ones that I use all the times and don't know how I ever lived without them.

At the top of the list is Swagbucks. Swagbucks is an awesome website where you can earn points for searching the web. You can then redeem those points for gift cards, movies, music, electronics, and a whole bunch of other stuff. I usually redeem my points for Amazon.com gift cards. You sign up for an account (there's no fees, credit car required, or phone number or address requested), and then use their website's search engine to search the web. You'll be rewarded with 30 swagbucks just for signing up! You can earn an average of 10-20 swagbucks a day by searching the web. It's that simple. The best part is that if you tell friends about it, and they sign up through your referral link, you'll earn swagbucks from them too!

Swagbucks.com Homepage

Next on the list is Pinterest. Pinterest is a virtual pinboard that allows you to "pin" images from your computer, the web, or on the pinterest website itself and store and organize them on your boards. You can find everything from quotes, fashion ideas, and hairstyles to crafts, decorating ideas, and recipes. Say you find a recipe that you want to pin, like the Chocolate Strawberry Trifle that I posted on here the other day. You would go up to your toolbar, where the "pin it" button is installed, and click on the button. It will then allow you to pin it to a specific board. Pinterest allows you to have an unlimited number of pins (as far as I can tell) and organize them unto an unlimited number of boards. You can also "follow" other people's boards so that you can see whenever they pin a new item. It's a wonderful site for getting new ideas. It become addicting after awhile, though, so be prepared to spend lots of time on there! For some reason, Pinterest is by invitation only, at least for now. If you're interested and you want an invitation, use the Contact Me form (you can find the tab at the top of the page, right next to about me) to send me a message, and I will send you an invite.

Example of a Pinterest profile

Another website that I use frequently is Wishpot. It's a gift registry/wish list that allows you to add anything you want to your registry. You can install their button in your toolbar and add items from any retail website on the web or you can manually enter items that you want. You can then share your list or registry with your family and friends. It's an easy way to share your Christmas list with your whole family without having to send out a bunch of emails.

The fourth website on my favorites list is Dropbox. This website allows you to backup and sync your files between multiple computers. You download it your computer, and it automatically creates a folder for you to save your files to. It then automatically syncs it with your other devices that you have installed it on. I use it a lot at work as I use a shared computer. After a couple of bad experiences of other people deleting my documents (not just any documents, but spreadsheets that took several hours of work), I decided to save them to Dropbox. This way, no matter which computer I use, or who uses my computer, I'll always have a copy of what I need and I won't have to spend hours re-figuring formulas. I also use it a lot at home to back up my files and also to sync some files between my computer and my iPod. When you first sign up for an account, you get 2GB of space. You can earn 250MB of more space for each friend that you invite who signs up, with a limit of 8GB.

Last, but not least, on my list of favorite websites is Mint. It's a free personal finance and budget software. You don't even have to download anything to your computer. It's all online, and it's all secure. It's from the makers of Quicken, so you know that it's good. It allows you to set budget limits in various areas such as entertainment, shopping, food, etc. It automatically pulls your spending information from your bank accounts, so you don't have to worry about entering any data or keeping track of all those receipts  There's also an app for your Ipod/Iphone or Android, so you can keep track of your spending even when your away from the computer. And remember, it's all FREE. You don't have to purchase any expensive software, which you then have to update every year.

Well, there you have it. These are my top 5 favorite websites. What are some of your favorite websites? Have you ever used any of these websites? If so, what do you think of them? Leave a comment and let me know!!

Disclaimer: I was not paid or perked in any way for posting about these. However, if you click on my Swagbucks link it will take you to my referral link and I will receive Swagbucks if you sign up through it. Also, if you sign up using my link to dropbox, I'll receive 250MB of free space.

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Favorite Fridays: Chick Flicks!!

Well, it's looking like my work schedule is only going to allow me to post once or twice a week. I frequently work overtime, so unless I have extra time on the days that I work, I usually only have time to post on my days off. Because of this, I will try to do a couple of posts on the days that I am able to post something. I'm still trying to figure out if there's someway that I can write a post ahead of time and then schedule it to post at a certain time. Do any of you know how to do this?


Because I have so many favorite movies, I've decided to divide them into genres for Favorite Fridays. My family owns a lot of movies, mainly because for a few years we didn't have satellite or cable, and also to ensure that there would always be something good for us to watch so we don't end up watching something that we shouldn't simply because we have nothing else to watch.

One of my favorite genres of movies is chick flicks! You know, the girl-meets-guy, girl-and-guy-fall-in-love type? Yes, I will admit, I'm very much a romantic at heart. I enjoy a good love story, whether in a book or a movie, so here's a few of my favorites:

1. First Daughter-I love this movie!! It's cute, hilarious, and oh-so-good!!! "Once Upon A Time there lived a lovely girl named Samantha. She had everything she could possibly wish for, and lived in a beautiful white house. The White House. First Daughter Samantha Mackenzie is a sheltered young woman who just wants a normal school experience, away from the influence of her parents. Only trouble is, her dad is the President of the United States! But nothing will stop Samantha, so, under Secret Service surveillance and a nonstop media glare, she meets-and falls hard for-a handsome student who has a secret existence of his own."
Note: this movie does have a couple of scenes that you may want to fast forward-a pool party scene (girls in bikinis, guys with no shirts on, and guys dancing suggestively around a girl) and a bar scene which involves Samantha wearing a very short pair of shorts, and a tight top.


2. Hitch-this movie is hilarious!! If you want a romance that will make you laugh, then watch Hitch. "Smooth and sexy Alex "Hitch" Hitchens (Will Smith) is the master of seduction in this charming romantic comedy. His specialty? Helping clueless clients make a great first impression so they not only get to the second date, but make someone fall for them. When a gossip reporter (Eva Mendes) starts nosing around his business, however, Hitch finds himself out of moves as he forgets all his lessons and has to figure out a whole new strategy to love."
Note: This movie is rated PG-13 for a reason. While there are no necessarily "bad" scenes, I would not recommend watching it with kids around.

3. The Last Song-This is near the top of my all-time favorite movies list. As are most movies based on Nicholas Spark's novels, it is a tearjerker, so have a box of tissues nearby!! "17-year-old Ronnie Miller is a rebellious former piano prodigy who doesn't hide her hostility after being sent off to spend the summer in Georgia with her estranged father. Rebuffing her dad's attempts to reconnect, the aloof Ronnie begins to thaw when she meets beach volleyballer Will Blakelee." Kinda a poor summary, I know, but it's the best one I could find. Watch it for yourself, and you'll find that you'll want to watch it again and again!!!
Note: This movie is very clean, and I would have no problems watching it with pre-teens or teens.

4. A Walk to Remember-Also based on a Nicholas Spark's novel, this is another one of my all-time favorites. Don't forget to grab another box of tissues before watching it! "When bad boy Landon is cast opposite the campus bookworm in a school play, no one expects romance to bloom. Despite peer pressure and strict parents, the newly minted lovebirds forge a heartfelt bond ... until tragedy tears them apart."
Note: This movie is also very clean, and has a bit of a religious theme to it.

5. Sweet Home Alabama-this movie starts one of my favorite actresses, Reese Witherspoon, so of course, it is near the top of my list of my favorites. Funny, cute, and touching, I find myself wanting to watch it again and again. "Abandoning her rural Alabama background and high school-sweetheart husband in favor of Manhattan's glamorous social circles, Melanie Smooter-Perry adopts a chicer surname to go with her new life. As career woman Melanie Carmichael, she attracts a handsome Park Avenue boyfriend…but then he pops the question, forcing Melanie to go down South and finally get her divorce papers signed."
Note: This movie is rated PG-13 for a reason, and I wouldn't recommend watching it with kids or young teens.

6. Father of the Bride (1991)-a very cute movie that is great for the whole family! If you've ever been the father-, mother-, brother-, or sister-of-the-bride, you will definitely find this movie hilarious!! "In this hilarious update of the much-loved Hollywood classic, George Banks is the befuddled father who has a hard time letting go of his daughter when she unexpectedly announces her plans to wed."
Note: This movie is great for the while family to watch, and very clean.

7. Runaway Bride-This movie is hilarious!!! Go ahead, watch it; if you like chick flicks, I promise you will love this movie! "Commitment-phobic bride-to-be Maggie Carpenter has already left three men at the altar when sexist newspaper columnist Ike Graham writes an offensive, inaccurate story about her -- and will get fired unless he talks to her in person. But as the "Runaway Bride" prepares for her fourth wedding attempt, Graham discovers what her beaus see in her -- and risks becoming the next groom."
Note: Another very clean movie that the whole family can watch and enjoy.

8. 50 First Dates-Another romantic comedy, I enjoy watching this when I need a good laugh! "Henry is a player skilled at seducing women. But when this veterinarian meets Lucy, a girl with a quirky problem when it comes to total recall, he realizes it's possible to fall in love all over again … and again, and again. That's because the delightful Lucy has no short-term memory, so Henry must woo her day after day until he finally sweeps her off her feet.
Note: I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone under the age of 16. Some of the dialogue is rather suggestive.

9. My Best Friend's Wedding-Another great chic flick, but without the usual ending. "Food writer Julianne Potter panics when she receives word that her longtime platonic pal, Michael, is finally getting hitched, to a debutante named Kimberly. Realizing her true feelings for Michael, Julianne enlists assistance from her gay companion and sets out to sabotage the wedding, making a last-minute play for her man -- to the rhythm of Burt Bacharach tunes."
Note: The movie is pretty clean, but I wouldn't recommend watching it with anyone younger than 13.

10. The Wedding Planner-A very cute movie, with just the right of comedy mixed in to keep it entertaining. " Mary Fiore, San Francisco's premiere wedding planner, is rescued from an accident by the man of her dreams, pediatrician Steve Edison, only to find he is the fiancé of her latest client, wealthy Fran Donnolly. As Mary continues making the wedding arrangements, she and Steve are put into a string of uncomfortable situations that force them to face their mutual attraction."
Note: Once again, it's pretty clean, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone younger than 13.

Favorite Fridays: Christian Fiction Authors

I have been rather absent lately...life got in the way! We worked overtime at work last week, and that throws my whole week off. Hopefully we are done with overtime for a little while, anyways, so I will be able to be more regular with blog posting.

I love books. I would read all the time if I could, but work and real life sometimes get in the way!! Today I want to share with you some of my all-time favorite Christin fiction authors.

1. Terri Blackstock-AMAZING AUTHOR. That sums Terri up in two words. She has written my all-time favorite series, The Restoration Series, as well as The Newpointe 911 series, another of my favorites. If you had to pick just one series to read, written by any author, I would tell you to read the Restoration Series. It revolves around one family who is forced to re-evaluate their lifestyle when the entire twenty-first century, high-tech planet is swept back to the age before electricity. Each books presents new trials and new learning experiences for them. It alos makes you really think about just how much we depend on all our high-tech devices, such as cell phones, television, computers, video games, cars, etc. After picking up and reading just the first few chapters of the first book in the series, Last Light, I guarantee that you will not want to put it down, and when it's over, you'll want to read the three other books in the series as well.
2. Dee Henderson-I absolutely ADORE Dee Henderson's books. I love mysteries, suspense & romance, and she combines these to make some really good books. She has written two series, The O'Malley Series, which is about a "family" (they adopted each other) of 7, all of whom have different jobs in various areas of law enforcement, ranging from negotiator to forensic to paramedic. The series includes 7 books, 6 of them about the O'Malley's, and a 7th a prequel that ties into the series. Her other series is Uncommon Hereos. There are four (well, technically 3, one book that used to be in the series was retitled and no longer included in the series listing) books in this series about men and women in our Armed Forces. Excellent books, and I really encourage you to read these, as well as her four independent novels.
3. Karen Kingsbury-Karen has written several books that I have read over and over again. She's written 6 multi-book series, 4 two-book series, and numerous independent novels. Her favorite series of mine is the 9/11 series, which is about several people who were directly affected by the September 11 tragedies. Several of her books have been, or are being, made into movies, such as Like Dandelion Dust, Missy's Murder, A Thousand Tomorrow's, and Gideon's Gifts. Her books are always very encouraging and uplifting.
4.  Angela Hunt-Angela has authored numerous books, including one of my favorites, The Note, which has also been made into a movie. Her novels are all very thought-provoking and deal with many touchy subjects that usually aren't covered by Christian authors. My favorite book of hers is titled The Justice. It is about a woman Vice President of the United States who quickly finds herself as the first woman President when the President dies unexpectedly. Added to the mix is her former lover, a brilliant lawyer whom she nominates as a Supreme Court Justice. All of this makes for one very interesting book!
5. Beverly Lewis-(note: this is a link to her page on the Christian Book Distributors website. As far as I can tell, she doesn't have a website of her own.) Beverly has authored numerous novels about the Amish, all of which are excellent books. She has written 6 (not totally positve on that number) different series, as well as several children's books. If you're looking for an easy, relaxing book to read, I encourage you to choose one of hers. I also highly recommend her children's books, some of which I read when I was younger. They're excellent books, your children will love them, and best of all, you don't have to worry about the content of them!
6. Janette Oke-Janette has written many historical novels, most of them set during the pioneer era in America. One of her series, the Love Comes Softly series, probably the first Christian Fiction series I ever read, has been made into a series of movies. Even if you watched the movies and didn't like them, I encourage you to  read the books. The movies and books are very different, and, in my opinion, the books are much, much better.

Well, that includes this Favorite Friday post. I know, I know, 6 is an odd number to end on, but for sake of time and space, I'm going to end it there. Between the six of these authors, you'll have enough choices in books to keep you busy for quite awhile!

Favorite Fridays

"Raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens. Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, Brown paper packages tied up with string; these are a few of my favorite things..."

Okay, okay, I'll spare your ears now!! Anyways welcome to "Favorite Fridays." Each Friday, I'm going to do a post featuring some of my favorite things, such as favorite books, movies, recipes, etc.

This week, I want to share with you some of my favorite blogs. I know that I have these listed over in the sidebar of my blog, but this way you get to learn a little bit more about them.

One of my favorite blogs to read is From: The Little Pink House. Gretchen Acheson, the writer of this blog, lives in a little house (that was once pink, hence, the name) on a farm with her husband and her two adorable little girls, with another baby on the way. She posts about farm life, her girls, her farmer, and life in general.

Another of my favorites, which is where I first found Gretchen several years ago, before she was married, is Young Ladies Christian Fellowship. This is a website that was originally created as a place for single women, and most of the articles were about singleness, waiting, and other applicable things for single young ladies. However, as the team members grew older and got married, that has changed. Now there are articles both for single women and for those who are married. I find that I miss the days where it was all about singleness, as I am single, but it's still a great website with great articles written by many different Christian young ladies.

One of my favorite blogs to go to for recipes, photography tips, and a good laugh is The Pioneer Woman. Ree Drumond, the writer of this wonderful blog, lives on a ranch with her Malboro Man,  her four children, and their bassett hound, Charlie. She has written the story of how she and Malboro Man met, entitled From Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. It is published online on her blog and, as of February 2011, is also available in book form which includes some extra material. I encourage you to go on over there, read some of her hilarious posts (she believes in keeping it real, and it shows in her posts!), browse through her absolutely  amazing recipes, and don't forget to check out the Charlie archives!!! Disclaimer: She is not a Christian, and does not claim to be one, so you may want to use discretion when reading her posts! Also, there are some, ah, rather delicate, scenes in From Back Heels to Tractor Wheels that you'll want to skip over...

The last one, my absolute favorite, is relatively new, but features, among others, the writers from two of my other favorite blogs, Ashleigh Baker from Heart & Home, Elizabeth Esther from ElizabethEsther.com. This blog is called A Deeper Story. They discuss many things over there, most of them subjects that Christians usually stray away from talking about, such as homosexuals, anorexia, alcoholism, and other such topics. Go take a look, and I"m sure you'll find that you enjoy the writings of these wonderful ladies. I find, as I'm sure you will, that so much of what they discuss challenges and convicts me. Disclaimer: I do not necessarily agree with all the views of these ladies. Also, if you're under the age of 18, you may want to use discretion in what posts you read, as some rather delicate subjects are discussed.

Well, this concludes the first Favorite Friday...and yes, I know it's now Saturday, but it was Friday when I started!!!