Turkey Day, 2009

I was planning to take the week from posting like my friend Vanessa but my Wordless Wednesday pic begged to be posted and then Evonne, who had also vowed to take the week off (the proof is here), broke her vow and posted today (three posts to be exact). So I had no other choice but to also give thanks if only to remember what is truly important when your Thanksgiving Day was, I hate to say it, as lame as ours.

Here's what I 'm grateful for this Thanksgiving...sometimes it's the small and simple things that count:

• Homemade rolls because when all else fails, including the turkey pot pie and mashed potatoes, homemade rolls make it all better
• Rosy cheeks and pink noses because that means the kids are having a ball playing in the snow
• A new cinnamon roll recipe because even though the first attempt didn't turn out, I know they're going to be fabulous on Christmas morning (as long as I put them in two pans and bake them thoroughly)
• Organic frozen corn from Costco because it's easy and yummy, two important things for a holiday meal
• A home theater because even G.I. Joe looks great on the big screen and in the comfort of your own home (popcorn optional but often included)
• Pumpkin Pie from Marie Callender's because I don't make or eat pumpkin pie
• A sister who loves to get up at 3am to hit the Black Friday sales because then I can email her a list the night before and let her do the shopping (thank you, Megan!)
• Text messages from friends letting me know they're grateful for me (hard to believe but it's true)
• Enough wonderful, loving, lovable, kind, caring good friends to make texting them all an Olympic event
• A family who loves me even when Thanksgiving Day is boring and the dinner sucks

Next year we will definitely be spending Thanksgiving with more than just our own family, not that my little family isn't wonderful but there's something to be said for spending time--and turkey--with in-laws, cousins, grandparents, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles...you get my drift.

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm off to start putting up Christmas decorations while singing a few Christmas tunes. Then it's pizza and breadsticks for dinner, brownies and ice cream for dessert and maybe even some quality time with the kids. Today is shaping up to be better than yesterday...I'm becoming queen of the do-over holidays. --Emily

Image by food_in_mouth, shared via Flickr.

we love you, Bondville!

Sometimes it's a small, small world! A friend introduced me to Bandelle, which we posted about back in August (Bandelle -- jewelry that's all about you). Well, Bandelle's blog said "Thank you" to a few blogs that had recently featured the site and along with freshly baked, Bandelle mentioned Steph Bond from the blog Bondville. It all came full circle when this same friend sent us an email:

how did two bloggers that i know end up being promoted on another blog at the same time???

http://www.bandelle.com/blog/2008/08/15/thank-you

stephbond.com meet freshlybaked

:)

Yes, it's a small world with more than enough thank-you's to go around, as we now would like to send one to Stephanie Bond for loving our tees and then blogging about it on Bondville (Hip products: georgie tees). Though we don't currently ship to Australia we're willing to make an exception if any Australians fall in love with our shirts after reading Stephanie's post. ;) Thank you! --Emily

the secret life of a soccer mom

This week I am thankful for a new show on TLC called "The Secret Life of a Soccer Mom." Hosted by Tracey Gold (yes, the straight-A sister of oh-so-cute Kirk Cameron on "Growing Pains") the show gives a stay-at-home mom the chance to secretly live the life she gave up to raise her family. Can any of you relate?

Though I don't have one specific dream job or dream career I gave up, I fight the daily battle between business and family. I love my children to pieces but I love trying to grow a business. I often wish I had 8 straight hours a day to work (my husband's heard this song before) but it's just not possible with two under the age of three at home and two more in elementary school. And of course they're only young once! Other days I wish I had 8 straight hours to play without the worry of out-of-stock inventory, surprise bills, and trying to grow a business on a very small budget. How many of us have secret lives, secret wishes, secret dreams?

If you missed Monday's show it was fabulous. (Warning: spoiler ahead so if you plan to watch the show skip to the next paragraph!) Katie, who in a previous life was an award-winning chef, had the opportunity of working as a chef in Chocolat Restaurant & Bar in Los Angeles. After many ups and a few downs she got rave reviews from the food critics (ever so hard to please) and in the end was offered a full-time position. What really hit home were the tears she shed as she turned down the offer so she could raise her two preschoolers and continue to mold them into the men she knows they can be (almost a direct quote). My heart broke for her as she again put her dream on hold and yet I cheered because she chose family first.

"The Secret Life of a Soccer Mom" airs every Monday at 10/9c on TLC and is a must-watch in my book. And I say three cheers to all you soccer moms out there who have given up a dream or two to mold your own little ones into the wonderful people they are destined to become. --Emily

sew for sanity

''The most dangerous of our impulses reign in ourselves against ourselves. To dissolve them is a creative act."
~ Hugo von Hofmannsthal

One of the best things that helps me get straightened out after I've been bent out of whack is to sew. When I get behind my sewing machine it's like having a session with a therapist--not that I know what that's like, I'm saving that for when my kids move-out. I am always so thankful when I can find the time to create something. When I can focus my thoughts and energies into a project it helps me unwind.

And so it is with all of us when we are able to use our creative energy. Whether you like to garden or paint or write poetry, or whatever it is we probably don't tap into that creative side nearly enough. Challenge yourself to set aside time to create something that you love to do. Put together that scrap book or photo album, paint a wall in your home. Do something special for yourself, because you can't take care of other's unless you are taking care of yourself. --LeShan

girl power!

I wasn't always a big fan of female singers. In high school my musical world consisted of bands like The Cure, REM, Erasure, Midnight Oil, INXS, Jesus Jones, Jane's Addiction, and countless one-hit wonders. The only female voice I can remember listening to was Siouxsie and the Banshees.

Over the past few years I've seen my taste in female singers grow (or is that mature?) and now my collection consists of some wonderfully talented voices with songs that help center me after a very long day. For thankful thursday I wanted to share with you those female artists for whom I'm most thankful!

• Sara McLachlan--I don't think there's a CD I don't like by her!
• Dido--Love her last two CDs and it looks like a new CD is coming out soon--yay! One of my fave songs is "Sand in My Shoes."
• Natalie Merchant--good ol' 10,000 Maniacs; love "These Are the Days."
• Norah Jones--Though her first CD is my favorite ("Come Away With Me" is one of my all-time favorite songs) her second one is pretty darn good too.
• Sara Bereilles--They might overplay "Love Song" but the rest of the CD is worth a listen. My other favorite is "Fairytale."
• Colbie Caillet--I'm sure you've heard "Bubbly" and "Realize" on the radio. I still don't get tired of these songs and Coco is a great CD.

Though my current CD collection is still male dominated (REM's coming out with a new CD in April!), it's a woman's voice that reminds me I too am a wonderful and talented woman. But aren't we all? --Emily

get in the groove!

Who doesn't love music?! It's for everyone, young and old. There is music to suit anyone's taste or preference. This thankful thursday is all about the music we love and why we love it. Music can lift or create a mood, it can make us fall in love, create atmosphere, or make us want to get our groove on (interpret as you wish). Just this morning as I put in a CD to bring the chaos from my kids down a notch, they got a little frustrated when one of them asked, "Where's the loud? It's not getting loud." Give thanks for music by putting in one of your favorite artists and let the music move you!

Here's what's in my CD player:

Mellow:

Paul Potts- My daughter listens to this every night.

Loreena McKennitt- All of her albums are great.

Jammin':

Madonna- Confessions on the Dance Floor, great dancing music.

The Killers- All of the albums are "killer" but my favorite is Sawdust.

Oldies but Goodies:

Abba

Beatles

Musicals:

Wicked

Hairspray

...and since it's still the month of LOVE, enjoy this from the Beatles. All we truly need is love!--LeShan

the light:night that just keeps shining

My two-year-old recently started requesting his door left open and the hall light on. When we turn the hall light off, if he's not totally and completely asleep he immediately says, "Stop turn de light!" (His version of "Don't turn off the light!") He then bursts into tears. For some strange reason I didn't cave when my two older girls requested a night light, but I seem to have a soft spot for my only boy. Sigh...he is pretty dang cute.

So back to the night light. I do try to conserve energy and am big into turning off unnecessary lights, but without something stronger than those turquoise-glowing LEDs we've got scattered around the house, that hall light remained on. But thanks to a product I reviewed a while back on Boutique Cafe the hall light is off and my boy is sleeping soundly. It's called the light:night from emphasis products and either the red or green one (depends on which one is charged) is a shining star in my son's existence.

To read why this little light is important enough for a thankful thursday post you can read the full light:night Daily Dish review. If you have a child who doesn't do dark at bedtime and a product that sheds a little light on the problem, you'd be thankful too! --Emily

i scream, u scream!

This thankful thursday is about ice cream, what's not to like about it?! It's the way it looks, tastes, feels, smells, it's all scrumptious. I know chocolate is the usual drug of choice when dealing with a hectic day, but having some chocolate dipped in sugar and cream is like doubling the dose. I know I'm not the only who feels the same way, considering all the many different products out there that have to do with the creamy, cold stuff! Here are some of my most favorite ice cream products. If this doesn't leave you craving your own scoop, or two, or maybe the entire carton, well you're probably lactose intolerant.

This delicious Ice Cream Lip Balm comes in it's own cute carry case with a pack of four, or can be bought individually. But if you want to purchase some of these "calorie-free" Ice Cream Lip balms you will have to locate your nearest Billionaire Boys Club or Ice Cream store.

Trying to be earth friendly? Try out Organic Ben and Jerry's. Good for the earth, good for your body!

And of course, my personal favorite ice cream product. This adorable georgie tees "i scream" onesie set, describes all little girls who are sugar and spice...it's a girl thing.--LeShan

chocolate to soothe the savage beast

Today was a crappy, crappy day. How did I get through it? With fistfuls of M&M's, a bite-size Kit Kat or two (or three or four) and a freshly baked batch of chocolate chip cookies. When I'm having a bad day, chocolate is what gets me through. Here are my top five chocolate-related indulgences I am most thankful for this week.

• sweetriot peaces--sweetriot covers small 'peaces' of the cacao bean in yummy dark chocolate. sweetriot's cacao nibs are all-natural, antioxidant-packed straight chocolate and only 140 calories a serving. Plus by eating sweetriot peaces I'm supporting a company whose mission is "to create a more just and celebrated multicultural world for our next generation."
• green M&M's--M&M's "The New Color of Love" green candies bring back memories of high school dances and how quickly those green M&M's disappeared. Rumor had it they made you horny...like high school students need any help in that department!
• Stephen's Candycane Cocoa--This is my favorite holiday flavor from Stephen's. Their Candycane Cocoa has tiny bits of crushed candy cane in the mix making for a smooth, creamy, chocolaty, minty late-night treat. Don't forget the marshmallows!
• chocolate chip cookies--Hot from the oven, of course! One of my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes (besides the legendary Nieman Marcus one) is from AllRecipes. Make your own batch of Award Winning Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies (make sure you try it with a box of chocolate fudge pudding mix if it's a really bad day).
• Cocoa Puffs--Whether it's a late-night snack or a treat after my healthy bowl of Total, Cocoa Puffs have been one of my favorite cereals since I can remember. There's nothing like finishing off that yummy chocolate milk once the cereal's gone!

What are your favorite chocolate indulgences? I'm always looking for more to add to my list. Chocolate is the best medicine for a bad mood, and for me it's 100% effective! --Emily

powerful plastic

For today's thankful thursday I am thankful for those little rectangular pieces of plastic that seem to multiply in my wallet, and I'm not talking exclusively of credit cards. Here are my faves:

• GAP Silver (the perfect multitasker)--Use it at GAP, Old Navy, and Banana Republic; earn those fun little (sometimes big if I just shopped the Friends & Family discount) rewards certificates; hide those extra clothing purchases from DH
• Citibank credit card--0% interest for 12 months...need I say more? (I'm a pro at the 0% interest card; we have yet to ever pay interest on a credit card balance.)
• Costco membership card--6-lb bags of Foster Farms frozen chicken, a month's supply of Dino Nuggets, and $1 churros
• AAA membership card--Not as flashy as my GAP or Citibank but it sure comes in handy when DH's Audi dies on the side of the road (can you get new transmissions at Costco?)
• Frequent diner/buyer/whatever cards--You've gotta love those "buy ten get one free" cards. We've picked up free pizzas, haircuts, bakery bread, gourmet caramel apples, and meals from Bajio and Cafe Rio. Now if I could just get one for those $1 churros at Costco...
  

What are your favorite pieces of plastic in your wallet? Any that get you into trouble? (Yep, that would be my GAP Silver...gets me into trouble all the time!) --Emily

personal pharmacy

After dealing with sick kids for over a week today's thankful thursday is all about my favorite cold-related products. Whether I'm trying to bring my five-month-old's fever down from 103 or calming my two-year-old's coughing fits, I couldn't do it without a little help from what I like to call our "bucket of drugs" in the hall closet.

• Children's Motrin (aka ibuprofen): For some reason Tylenol (aka acetaminophen) just doesn't work for us; never has, probably never will. If I get a fever or serious headache while pregnant, I'm sunk!
• Be Kool: This little gel pad easily adheres to a child's forehead and is totally painless to remove. No band-aid-like screams of pain when you remove it and the gel cools fevered brows for up to 8 hours!
• Triaminic Thin Strips: No more messy liquid and they taste great! No, I haven't personally tasted them but my picky two-year-old doesn't turn up his nose when they're offered. Not sure cough suppressants really work but if you want to give it a go, this is a great way to do it.
  
• Cool-mist humidifier: Okay, this doesn't fit in my "bucket of drugs" but it's still important. No danger of hot water or steam burning my ever curious children. And the fan lulls Mom to sleep!
• Vick's VapoRub: I absolutely love this stuff as do my children. It really does seem to soothe coughs and aid in breathing with even the stuffiest of noses. Plus Vick's even makes a version for babies called BabyRub. (My kids love this stuff so much I swear half the stuffy noses are false claims!)
  
• Diet Coke: What?! Yes, I said Diet Coke. This is Mom's drug of choice when she's operating on less than 6 hours of sleep a night and wiping snotty noses for the other 18+ hours. Also not found in the "bucket of drugs" but easily found in the fridge.

What are your favorite tips, tricks, or products when it comes to helping your children get over a nasty cold? --Emily

which came first, the parents or the kids?

Have any of you seen the show Super Nanny? I'm a huge fan because the "nanny" Jo, is always spot on with her advice. Last night was the season premier and if you happened to miss it, let me give you a quick run down of the second family featured. They had 2 teenage daughters that were 17 and 14, then 3 boys under the age of 4. Both parents worked full time jobs and left the 2 girls to watch and care for the young boys while homeschooling themselves, along with doing all the cleaning and cooking! Just to watch the two teenagers try their best to manage a household while trying to school themselves and care for their younger siblings, left the Nanny (and myself) in tears and speechless.

For thankful thursday I want to express my gratitude for competent and loving parents around the world. There are so many great parents doing it all for their kids and my applause goes out to them! I am also grateful for all the people who have positive influence on children such as teachers, friends, neighbors, etc... the impact it has lives on forever. I know that we cannot always put our children first because that would mean putting ourselves last, and that's not healthy either. It's about being able to find a healthy balance and letting our kids know that when it really matters they do come first.--LeShan

mom's time-out

Though LeShan and I are taking the week off from our blog I wanted to do a quick post today, for it's thankful thursday and I have much for which I am thankful!

• A slim-downed Christmas. This year we decided Santa would bring one big gift and we would supplement with only a handful of smaller gifts. Though the gifts under the tree were a bit more sparse the kids didn't seem to notice. I think we can do even better next year!"
• "The 12 Acts of Servemas". My parents have asked that we do an act of service each Christmas and write about it instead of buying them a gift. Though we went overboard this year (12 Acts of Servemas about killed us) we're already looking forward to figuring out what we'll do next year. We're thinking an experience serving at the soup kitchen will make for a great memory for everyone.
• Mom's time-out from writing for Boutique Cafe and posting on freshly baked. I've really enjoyed spending more time with my family. We've gone to the movies, done non-grocery shopping shopping, and stayed up late playing games. I've even been able to read the fun magazines Santa left in my stocking while sitting on the couch rather than in the bathroom!
• Game night. My family loves to play games and we've been staying up late to do so. It's interesting the kinds of conversations you have at 11pm at night when everyone's hyped up on sugar and suffering from lack of sleep. It's quality bonding at its best. Our favorite games? Sequence, Phase 10, Apples to Apples, and Whoonu.
• New Year's resolutions. They allow me to eat See's candy by the pound, Costco's All-American Chocolate cake by the slice-ful, and any other chocolate confection by the handful and not feel guilty about it. I might make a New Year's resolution to exercise along with that one to diet, but then again, maybe I'll save that one for 2009! --Emily
  

a hot cup of cocoa

Today's thankful thursday is inspired by a song from my daughter's second-grade class Christmas all about a steamin' hot cup of cocoa "with a marshmallow or two." I am a HUGE fan of hot chocolate and am extremely grateful for its various side effects. It can warm you from the inside out, make a long night of Christmas gift wrapping less painful, and bring two friends together for a much needed therapy session. Here are five cocoa-related things I am grateful for this season:

• Godiva's dark chocolate hot cocoa mix. Check out their holiday assortment for a great gift idea!
• Endangered Species Chocolate's All-Natural Peppermint hot cocoa mix. Do your soul and the world a favor by supporting a worthy cause. 10% of ESC's net profits are donated to help support species, habitat and humanity.
  
• Stephen's Candycane Cocoa. You can buy this flavor in single-serving packets, which when combined with a cute mug makes for another great fit idea!
  
• Back to Basics' Cocoa~Latte machine. This is so much fun for the whole family and makes the frothiest, yummiest cup of hot cocoa. Just add the milk, cocoa mix, and flip the switch!
• 7-Eleven's hot chocolate. Yep, I love this stuff. With a rich hot chocolate flavor and a variety of flavored syrups 7-Eleven lets you create your own hot chocolate confection. Tastes better than Starbuck's (though the atmosphere is a bit lacking).

What is your favorite hot chocolate mix? How do you like to enjoy your steaming cup of cocoa? Share with us your secret cocoa indulgence! --Emily

need an adjustment?

After watching a program last Sunday on the Travel Channel about a tribe in New Guinea, I was inspired for today's Thankful Thursday. We women complain about everything sagging, I don't think we really know what sagging is until we have to go without the help from modern day fashion, i.e. bras and spandex! BTW the men sag too, and it's not pretty!

So for 1. I am grateful for clothing. I'm grateful that I am able to clothe my family, and that my kids can put on a jacket when they head out to school so they don't freeze. Well, if you live in below freezing climates that still might not help, you could move to Florida (Emily). 2. I'm grateful that my kids can go to school...yes, I need it as much as they do! 3. I can put food on the table every night if I so choose, or the drive-thru works too. At least I don't have to go dig it out of the ground, and eat it even though it tastes like dirt 4. Running water, and that I don't have to walk 5 miles each way, only to carry it back on my head and risk being eaten by a wild animal 5. Cars, and gas to put in the car, so I can getaway when I need to. Even if it's to the grocery store a few miles down the road.

This time of year, it's easy for me to think about all the things I need to do and get, and if only I had more time and more money. But it's really all about the attitude adjustment and having the attitude of gratitude.--LeShan

girls weekend

This was one of those weeks where I had to think really hard about what to be thankful for this thankful thursday. Since my post last week we've dealt with the flu, the first real snowfall, and even more than the usual lack of sleep. But in that same week I was able to spend a few days with my best friend and business partner, and for that I am truly grateful. Here are the five moments I am most thankful to have spent with her:

• Seeing LeShan at the passenger pick-up area and jumping out to give her a great, big hug. I could hardly let go as it's been a year since I saw her last.
• Testing out my new Cuisinart Griddler and thoroughly enjoying the yummy tomato, mozzarella, and basil panini we ate that night--and having someone else in the kitchen not only slicing and dicing but helping prepare the separate dinner my kids ate (no way were we going to share our panini!).
• Enjoying a Jamba Juice even when it was 30 degrees outside and the kids were nuts in the car. Good thing the Chocolate Moo'd (sans boost) is a hit with the little ones!
  
• Shopping at Anthropologie and each of us finding a great deal (less than $20!) on something really, really cute--and we didn't even buy the same thing!
• Getting a manicure, eating yummy roasted tomato soup at Paradise Bakery, and shopping at the Tanger Outlets in Park City late at night. The ride home was a bonding moment as well but that's another story...one which we will never tell.

How do you bond with your girlfriends? And what about them are you most thankful for? We'd love for you to share! --Emily

air travel and anthropologie

For today's thankful thursday I've got five things with one thing in common: They all start with the letter A. Not sure how that happened but it just did. Maybe I've heard the LeapFrog's Fridge Phonics Alphabet set one too many times!

• Airplanes: They bring best friends and business partners from Orlando, Florida to Sandy, Utah for a much-needed business meeting and girls' weekend.
• Anthropologie: What's not to love about Anthropologie? It's the one catalog I receive that makes my husband wish he were a woman (yes, he actually said that!).
• Art class: This is a great outlet for my daughter and one thing at which she can excel while her big sister excels at swim team.
• Amazon.com: I love Amazon.com's free shipping and great deals. Just bought a great KitchenAid food processor at $50 off plus another $10 with rebate. And you can't beat the great reviews--wouldn't make a purchase without reading them!
• AirCrib: BTVco's lightweight, ultra portable AirCrib made packing up the kids and traveling to southern Utah for Thanksgiving so much easier! (You can read my full review on Boutique Cafe.)
  

laughter is the best medicine

It's that time of year when we gather together with our families and discuss the things we are thankful for. So this thankful thursday is good practice to get ready for the big turkey day! Lately the thing I am most greatful for is medicine. After dealing with the ongoing cold/flu for the past 3 weeks, that has worked its way through every member of the family, I wonder what I would do without medicine. Thank goodness for all the brilliant inventors of NyQuil, Children's Tylenol, and Excedrin. And, because I believe that laughter truly is the best medicine, I am grateful for my favorite comic shows, The Office and Seinfeld reruns. Hint: They're even better when you're going on 4 hours of sleep for the 4th consecutive day in a row. --LeShan

it's magic!

Well, it's not really magic but more a miracle how moms manage to do all they do on a daily basis. From homework to housework our to-do list is full, and if you're me, it keeps growing as more to-do's are added and less are crossed off! When it comes to the weekly cleaning (sometimes bi-weekly when life happens faster than I can keep up with) I am thankful for products that help the miracle that is my clean house happen. Today I'm paying homage to the little things that make cleaning a little easier.

• My new Swiffer Wet Jet mop--Works really well and is easy enough for the kids to use. I love hearing it hum as it squirts out the cleaning solution (it's the simple things in life that make me happy).
• Lysol wipes (or Clorox depending on what's on sale)--The perfect way to wipe up underneath a high chair after a lunch of applesauce and macaroni & cheese. Note: Hurry and wipe up the applesauce; it turns to cement in record time!
• The Magic Eraser--Great for getting crayon, scuff marks, and mystery marks off walls, floors, and counters. Just don't scrub too hard on the wall or you may remove the paint while you're at it!
• Microfiber cloths--Wonderful for wiping down surfaces in a hurry. These are truly magical as they're awesome at cleaning even without added chemicals.
• Rubbing alcohol--Our latest miracle worker. Removes red Sharpie (i.e. permanent marker) from walls, toddler bed frames, diaper pails, and closet doors. Note: Does not remove from pajamas, curtains, board books or feet.

Yes, sometimes it's the simple yet magical things that make us happy! --Emily

bite-size candy and sugar highs

Though it's officially November today's thankful thursday is still candy coated due to Halloween's sugar high. So sit back, grab a handful of candy corn, and count your own October blessings this November 1st. Here are mine.

• a child's imagination, something which children tap into everyday; you see it in all its glory on October 31st (perhaps we adults could exercise our imagination a bit more often)
• bite-size treats, the sweetest portion control out there (though I just use it as an excuse to eat a variety of candy in huge quantities...bite-size means calorie and sugar free, right?)
• BuyCostumes.com, a site with a huge enough selection of Halloween costumes so that I was able to find and therefore purchase a "cute" gothic costume for my had-to-go-gothic 10-year-old (hoping it's strictly a Halloween thing)
  
• Gymboree.com, a site with a puppy costume warm enough and cozy enough so my 2-year-old didn't have to wear a heavy coat while trick or treating (dang that Utah weather!)
  
• 62 days until the New Year, because that means the holiday eating has just begun and I have 61 days before making those New Year's resolutions

Though the sugar high is over and the sugar hangover has set in, we'd love to hear what you're thankful for this Halloween. And yes, you can name those bite-size candy bars individually... --Emily