Flaming Pumpkin!

Teamwork divides the task and multiplies the success.
 ~Author Unknown

Hooray!!  Woohoo!!  It's time to celebrate!  Happy dance, happy dance!  We finally finished putting everything away!  I can't believe it's all done.  Teamwork does make the difference.  After a totally exhausting week it's nice to see a job come to completion.  Thank goodness for my DH or I would still be working on putting stuff away come Thanksgiving day.

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PHOTO OF THE DAY

Flaming Bush in my backyard

The Burning Bush, Euonymus alatus 'Compactus', is most outstanding for its brilliant fiery red leaves in the fall. The Dwarf Burning Bush is so spectacular that the shrub looks like a "bush on fire." Also famous for its unique lush green foliage in the summer, and bright red berries in the fall.  The plant's primary common name, "burning bush" derives from the shrub's brilliant fall foliage, but may also contain an allusion to Moses' "burning bush" in the bible.  Finally a little fall color in my yard.

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I have not had time to do any sewing for the last three days.  As a result, I'm going to do something a little different today.......................

My Day Journal

For Today ~ November 22, 2010

Outside my window.....it's a partly cloudy, cool and breezy morning

I am thinking.....of Thanksgiving and looking forward to my DH and SIL's arrival

From the kitchen.....left over slow cooker pork chops from Friday - easy and good

I am wearing.....my normal uniform of jeans, long sleeve t-shirt and hoodie

I am creating.....a sew along block

I am remembering.....days spent with my grandsons - so much fun

I am reading.....The Interruption of Everything by Terry McMillan

I am hoping.....to have a stress free holiday season

I am hearing.....Weasley snoring

Around the house.....birds are coming in for their morning feedings of seeds and peanuts

I am going.....to remember to be thankful for everything in my life, no matter how small

One of my favorite things.....is sharing my life with my blogland friends.

I want to thank Happy Cottage Quilter for graciously letting me borrow and use her idea from one of her blogs last month!

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How would you like a recipe?  Another very simple and absolutely delicious dessert recipe!  You just can't get any easier than this......

Easy Pumpkin Cake Squares

Ingredients:

1 box spice cake mix

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2.  Sift the cake mix into a mixing bowl to avoid dry lumps in your batter.

3.  Beat in the pumpkin.  It will be thick.

4.  Smooth into a greased 9" X 13" pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until it tests done with a clean toothpick.

5.  Cool before cutting into squares to serve.

Personal Notes:

1. I haven't owned a sifter in years. I used a whisk to reduce any lumps in the cake mix.

2. Extremely moist!

3. Thanks to my DH, I slightly warmed each serving in the microwave for 20 seconds at 70% power.  This really brings out the flavors.

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Saturday brought me a happy package in the mail.  Just over a week ago I was one of two winners of a giveaway hosted by Becky of Quilting Book Lady.  She was giving away two great piles of scraps and I am now the proud owner of some very wonderful scraps to add to my stash. 

I can see hexie flowers being created.  Perhaps some great additions to a future scrappy quilt.  Thanks Becky for the super selection of scraps!!

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GIVEAWAYS

Faithful Quilter is having a Thanksgiving giveaway.  The drawing will be held on Thanksgiving day.

Pink Fig Design is having a giveaway of a quilt.  Entries will be accepted until Dec. 1 at midnight.

Here's another tease from me.  The giveaway I'm starting on Friday includes months.  Any ideas what that might be.  Make sure to check in for my Friday posting to find out the answer!

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FINAL THOUGHT

It's such a relief to finally be done with the job (moving things in and out of rooms) I have been dreading for a very long time - over 3 years really.  I am sure that is one of the reasons we delayed in even selecting carpet.  And it really was as big a nightmare as I imagined.  It just reminds me once again why I never hope to move - well, at least not without a whole lot of help.  Since this is Thanksgiving week, I am concentrating on everything that I am thankful for.  For today (and always), I am thankful for my family! 

The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together.
~Erma Bombeck


So long for Monday! I'll be back again tomorrow!!