lust
I love shopping for gifts.
I love giving gifts.
This time of year makes me smile. Wrapping papers, ribbons, bows, lights, decorations, carols.
Even this Jewish girl feels the holiday spirit.
[I promise my background will be a post all in itself one day soon]
But just like you, I have a wish list too!
Here’s what I am lusting after right now:
This hat (even though I live in Texas and it is never this cold! ha)
The newest Jack Reacher novel by Lee Child
A Bichon dog (puh-lease Keith…..pleeeeease!)
And the holiday season begins! What are you lusting after this holiday season?
thanksgiving lessons
Driving 4 hours to your in-laws house is much more fun when the game, 20 questions, is involved.
I really like cranberry sauce.
Being an Aggie in a family of Longhorns isn’t fun.
Especially when you lose by 2 points and you take pictures with long horns placed behind your head.
Thanksgiving food really is the best.
The annual holiday gift exchange is fun especially when you walk home with a Magic Bullet!
Place your bets wisely. When playing squares on the Cowboys and A&M game you have a chance to win money.
Lest anyone forget what Thanksgiving really means in my family:
And lastly, Thanksgiving is really fun when the people you love are all around you.
How was your Thanksgiving?
I am a passionate reader and so I added a new tab above, Books, and it highlights my favorite book series as well as my top 10 favorite all time book list [as of right now] Enjoy!
moms really do know best
Keith’s sister is hosting Thanksgiving this year.
I love this because it means it is going to be a casual affair centered around family, food and most importantly (in my mind) football.
The annual (and final) A&M/UT game is on Thanksgiving Day. As the lone Aggie in the family I plan to represent.
And I plan to represent BIG.
I digress.
Back to Thanksgiving at Keith’s sister’s house.
We do a pot luck affair where everyone brings a dish. Keep in mind Keith has a huge family and there will be probably around 45-50 people at this shin dig.
That’s a lot of food.
I got stuck paired with cranberry sauce.
Huh.
I have never made cranberry sauce.
Come to think of it I am not sure I have even tasted cranberry sauce.
It just never looked like my thing. You know?
So knowing that I need to make said untried and untasted cranberry sauce where do I turn?
MOM
I am firm believer that when all else fails go to mom. They always know best.
And in my case I skipped the “when all else fails” part and just went there first.
Smart move, Kelly, smart move.
My mom gives me her tried and true cranberry sauce. Four ingredients. Ten minutes of work. What could do wrong?
Famous. Last. Words.
Let me set the scene for you.
[Kelly’s kitchen, take 1]
Kelly calls her mom: Uh mom…when you say simmer the cranberries until the sauce thickens? How thick is it supposed to get?
Mom: Well you know, honey, thick.
Kelly: Well mine is really soupy. Is this right?
Mom: Well what kind of soup?
Kelly: [frustrated and PMSing]: I don’t know mom. It’s liquid, okay, not thick. Give me some sort of visual reference here! I haven’t ever made cranberry sauce before so saying it should be thick isn’t helping!
Mom: Kelly calm down. It just needs be to thick like a stew.
Kelly: Forget it I am going to Luby’s to buy cranberry sauce for damn Thanksgiving.
Mom: [always level-headed]: Has it been 10 minutes?
Kelly: Yes.
Mom: Then, sweetheart, just take it off the heat and let is cool. It will thicken. Just calm down and take a deep breath.
Kelly: Nope! It’s ruined. I am going to Luby’s
[And scene]
I did go to Luby’s. I bought 2 pints of cranberry sauce.
Then I came home and found this waiting for me:
Moms really do know best.
My Mom’s Cranberry Sauce [that WILL thicken]
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
zest of one orange (enough for 1 tsp)
12 oz fresh cranberries
Mix the water and sugar together and bring to a boil.
Add cranberries and orange zest and return to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and let cool on stove top.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
What are you making for Thanksgiving this year?
crushing
I have always had famous TV boy crushes.
I probably would have plastered my walls with posters had my mom let me growing up.
I was the girl who would draw a big heart with my name next to his, no matter how famous and no matter how many other girls did it too.
The first crush I remember having was on Zach Morris!
Sorry Kelly Kapowski…but I was never torn between Zach and Slater.
Next came Pacey Witter.
Oh Joey…he was always so much cuter than Dawson. Always.
Then came Ben. Oh Ben.
Noel was always the best friend but Ben was always the one. Felicity got this one right.
Then of course there was McDreamy.
I mean wow. Meredith you did good girl.
And of course we have my main man, Peyton!
Tom Brady who??
Do you remember who you crushed on way back when?
What Kelly Said 