Time To Count Blessings

Thanksgiving is a time when people can be cynical and say it's all about food and football, and that could be true if you just look at the surface of things.  I love this time of year, I love the colors, the holiday with it's food, (ok, I tolerate the football) but my favorite part is the meal, not just the food but also the people sitting around the table. I'm a lucky parent in that my kids have turned into people I like and am blessed that they feel the same.  So they'll all haul home for Thanksgiving again this year, the boys and the Steph(f)anies from PA and Sara, Brian and Nathan from here in town.

Thanksgiving at my house is rarely a dignified affair, shirts and shoes at the table is a rule for any meal, but a little more dressy is appreciated, no ties or dresses required, no linen tablecloth and just the usual cloth napkins.  I tried using the good china one year but the middle one told his girlfriend I'd kill anyone who broke a piece & everyone was so nervous about breaking something, a huge sigh of relief went up when it was all washed and safely put away.  Now we look at it sparkling in the china closet instead and are more relaxed during the meal.

Dignified isn't a word anyone would use to describe any meal at my house.  My children do have table manners but teasing your siblings, parents, in-laws, grandparents, anyone who happens to be at said table is a given.  We have the poke someone before the poke you mentality and "loving" insults fly. And no one, absolutely no one, can give you a loving poke more than a sibling.  Now that they don't live together, my children must store them up.  Nope, not dignified at all.  It was a bit of a culture shock for the three my children brought home but they've all managed to slide right in and get their own pokes in.  You know they've slipped right in to the family when they are comfortable enough to poke Jim and I!  (There is one unbreakable rule to this "loving exchange".  No meanness allowed - ever.  And if you think your poke is hilarious but the pokee does not, an apology is in order.)

Being so far away from our families, I tried to instill our own traditions in our children so they would have wonderful memories of holidays like Jim and I had.  I now realize how seriously they took these traditions every time I try to suggest doing something different.  My ears are still ringing from the protests that greeted my suggesting we have ham for Thanksgiving dinner instead of the usual turkey (my children really don't even like turkey!).  I was informed that not having turkey on Thanksgiving would be "unAmerican".  So, be careful of what you instill in your children, it stays instilled!

We'll be doing a few things at the shop during this time to share our blessings and we hope you'll take part.

From now until the 28th of the month we are collecting supplies to send to NJ soldiers serving overseas.  We'll bring all donations to the drop off point for www.supportarms.org in Toms River on Monday the 29th. This group will make up care packages and ship them overseas.  Please see their website or the posters in the shop for their wish list of supplies.  Any help you can give, will be appreciated!

And starting next Tues the 23rd and going through the 28th, we'll be having a panty raid!  For every package of women's or children's undies that you bring in, you'll get a free fat quarter!  We'll be bringing all the donations to Dottie's House, www.dottieshouse.org also on Monday.  Dottie's House mission is "empowering women to become self-sufficient and free from violence."




Count your blessings and share them if you can.  Our Thanksgiving wish is for you to be surrounded by your blessings this holiday season.

Till next time.