Hiatus but Im back

 Its been so long since I have posted much about anything let alone about organization. I was putting my efforts into cleaning and cooking and taking care of my family. I am so excited to start my journey again with blogging and to touch bases with so many people in this great world we live in. I personally wouldnt know what to do without reading some of my favorite blogs. Today is a milestone and a new chapter in my life and I am thrilled to share it.

                                             Have a joyful day 
                                    Amy                                  

Thanksgiving Organized!!

1st Week of November:

Issue Invites: If you haven’t already done so, it’s time to make those phone calls. People feel more welcomed and comfortable if plans are made ahead. No one wants to feel like a last minute guest.

Make your menu: Pull out your cookbooks and recipe files. Create your menu. If you are having guests bring a dish, you might want to do this before you call them. That way, when they ask what to bring, you will be prepared.

Think ahead: Note on your menu which dishes can be prepared ahead and frozen. These often include casseroles, the stuffing, and cakes without the frosting or other desserts. Pull out your calendar and divide those make-ahead dishes up among the next three weeks.

Go Gobble: If you traditionally call ahead to order a turkey, pie or other food item, pick up the phone and do it now.

2nd Week of November:

Count heads and seats: You should now have a head count. Figure out where everyone will sit. Decide if you need to arrange to borrow or rent chairs or tables.

Check Linens: Do you need to wash or press tablecloths or napkins? Once pressed, fold the table cloth horizontally to fit on a hanger and store it hanging until you set the table.

Shine Silver: You might not have had out that silver all summer. Check now to see what items need polishing. If you have dishes stored away, like that turkey platter, take the time to get them out now and make sure they are clean.

Plan the Centerpiece: Decide now what you will put on the middle of the table(s). If you intend to order from a florist, do so. If you plan to pick up flowers, fruit, pumpkins or gourds and make your own, choose your containers. Add a note to your menu so that you will remember to shop for those items.

3rd Week of November:

Grocery List: Take your menu and create a grocery list. Don’t forget to add beverages to your list. If you are having company at your house for the holiday, take time to make a menu for those other meals and add those items to the list.

Cooking List: Take your menu and create a food-time cooking list. On your paper, list each dish, the temperature it needs to bake, and the length of time it needs to cook. Decide what time you want to serve dinner. Based on that, you can now list on the paper what time of day each dish should go into the oven or on to the stove.

Thanksgiving Week:

Saturday through Monday:

Grocery Shop

Pick up turkey or ordered items that are ready.

Pick up tables and chairs

Clean house

If the turkey is frozen, look at the weight and label instructions so that you can note when it needs to begin to thaw.

Tuesday:

Set tables, if possible. If not gather together everything you do need.

Get out food serving or buffet dishes. Use a sticky-note to label each dish. This will make it easier to get the food out and to make sure you have everything you need.

Do any food preparation that can be done ahead, such as chopping celery or onions.

Wednesday:

Work on dishes or prep work that you can do ahead.

Pick up last minute food items, such as that ordered pie.

This is a great day for dinner to be a big pot of soup in the Crock-Pot!

Finish setting tables for tomorrow. Add centerpieces.

Tidy up and do last minute chores.

Review your food-time list for tomorrow.

Thanksgiving Day

Give Thanks.

&

have partnered up to help children read efficiently before they finish the third grade!!






AND...

Guess what??





You can help to....All you have to do is take the pledge!!





This is the actual pledge:

I pledge to make time for reading with the children in my life—whether it's the morning paper, a bedtime story or as a volunteer—because reading puts kids on the path to graduation.

Now that's not so hard is it??

https://reading.target.com/pledge/



So now I'm going to wait right here for a couple of minutes while you go take 'the pledge'

I don't want you to forget the link or anything like that.

And we all know how procrastination works...yeah, yeah, I'll get to that later....

and then...well let's face it, sometimes we never get around to it !!

And I think that this is just to IMPORTANT to put off !!

Go ahead...I'll still be here :)



Ok, so now that we've all taken 'the pledge' let's talk about what we should do next...



If you don't have your own children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, friends' children, etc...

you could always volunteer to read to children that you might now know.

And volunteering (well there's another thing that just really makes you feel good!!)

is not only rewarding to you, but there are so many kids who would benefit from it.



If you can't think of anywhere to volunteer on your own,

you can always check out

VolunteerMatch.org









I sure hope that everyone reads this post and is encouraged not only to

take 'the pledge' but also to pass the word on to others.

I hope that if you have a blog, you will blog about this !!

I hope that you will post about this on facebook, and twitter, and every other

social networking site that you belong to.

I hope that you will tell all of your friends about this !!

I hope that you will share this with EVERYONE you know !!

My Mommy!!

My little puppy JOJO. and all his puppies.

Went to see the Sesame street play program, it was nice for the kids!

tHIS IS THE DECK PICS,that i have been promising! We are almost done with it.

(before)
Zack and Cole got a haircut on Sunday




(after)

(after)

Katie MACK

This is Katie she really wanted to take pics with her dolls she is so funny she set up all the dolls and pretended to have her own photo studio.....maybe Ill get her, her own camera!

Lake Michigan & Chicago

See Venessa I was sitting on top of the ninth floor of the casino and behind the crain (u have to look closely) is Chicagos landscape I LOVE IT!!

Good morning today is Friday YEAH!!!! Yesterday was crazy I felt like I was in a dream and couldnt escape ill update later I gotta get my room clean before trouble makers wake up! Oh and Venessa I got pics of Elmo! LOL!!

IF U HAVE A SON....

I received this a while ago....and boy is it true...





>>
>>
>>
>>
>>For those of you who have sons & those of you who are happy that you
>> >don't.
>> >
>> > And you also find out interesting things when you have sons, like
>> >
>> >1.) A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft.
>> >house 4 inches deep.
>>
>> >2.) If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with
>> >roller blades, they can ignite.
>>
>> >3.) A 3-year old Boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded
>> >restaurant.
>>
>> >4.) If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong
>> >enough to rotate a 42 pound Boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman
>> >cape. It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to spread
>> >paint on all four walls of a 20x20 ft. room.
>>
>> >5.) You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on. When
>> >using a ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times
>> >before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.
>>
>> >6.) The glass in windows (even double-pane) doesn't stop a
>> >baseball hit by a ceiling fan.
>>
>> >7.) When you hear the toilet flush and the words "uh oh", it's
>> >already too late.
>>
>> >8.) Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.
>>
>> >9.) A six-year old Boy can start a fire with a flint rock even
>> >though a 36-year old Man says they can only do it in the movies.
>>
>> >10.) Certain Lego's will pass through the digestive tract of a 4-
>> >year old Boy.
>>
>> >11.) Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same
>> >sentence.
>>
>> >12.) Super glue is forever.
>>
>> >13.) No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you
>> >still can't walk on water.
>>
>> >14.) Pool filters do not like Jell-O.
>>
>> >15.) VCR's do not eject "PB & J" sandwiches even though TV
>> >commercials show they do.
>>
>> >16.) Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.
>>
>> >17.) Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.
>>
>> >18.) You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is.
>>
>> >19.) Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys
>> >do not like ovens.
>>
>> >20.) The fire department in Austin , TX has a 5-minute response
>> >time.
>>
>> >21.) The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make
>> >earthworms dizzy.
>>
>> >22.) It will, however, make cats dizzy.
>>
>> >23.) Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.
>>
>> >24.) 80% of Women will pass this on to almost all of their
>> >friends, with or without kids.
>>
>> >25.) 80% of Men who read this will try mixing the Clorox and brake
>> >fluid.