For my North American readers, we hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and spent it with the people you love. We spent our day with friends and family and had a wonderful time.
Since the weather has turned cold we've been enjoying many cups of warm tea. I've been enjoying Peppermint Chocolate, Tumeric/Ginger, and Hazelnut Cookie.
Bailey has been enjoying Echinacea and Throat Coat. She is still on the mend after having strep throat and is on her second round of antibiotics.
We've also been enjoying some homemade hot chocolate.
Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
dash of salt
1/3 cup hot water
4 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
In a saucepan combine sugar, cocoa, and salt.
Add water, bring to a boil.
Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
Stir in milk and heat to serving temperature.
Do not boil.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Enjoy!
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This week I brought down the blankets that I keep in the living room to cover up when we're cold. I shook them out and then washed them. I'm careful to shake blankets out after summer storage to get rid of any spiders. Once my girlfriend was bitten by a brown recluse spider after not shaking her blankets out.
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We stocked up on pasta this week. Publix had it on sale for buy one get one free and we had coupons, so we paid 57¢ per box. We still had some from the last time we stocked up at Kroger, so I did not buy as much, but we did buy 30 boxes.
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Our electric bill this month was only $137, which is a huge savings for us. We've not been running the heat or the a/c and it showed up on the bill. We can check our usage daily online and that helps me to know what appliances are using more electric. For example, when we wash bed clothes, I can see more usage than on days where we don't wash multiple loads.
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This week I was able to cash in my earnings from Inbox Dollars. I have a check coming to me for over $30.00, which I will used towards Christmas. It's easy enough to earn money from Inbox Dollars and you can sign up here and start earning money too.
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Today is Black Friday and we have no plans to leave the house today. I would much rather be at home than out in the crowds, so we're staying home today and working and enjoying our home.
Happy Thanksgiving! Poor Bailey. :( I hope she feels better soon. Oooh Peppermint Chocolate Tea sounds divine. I have been drinking a lot of Lavender/Chamomile.
Great tip on blankets.
DH & I went out on Thursday. No worries about staying home on Black Friday, lol. You have the right idea. There is nothing to buy, lol. I live in a poorer area of my town. Our Wal-Mart the BF shoppers are very careful, keeps to budget and have lists. Everyone was complaining about the prices & most people had empty carts or were not shopping at all. It was more like everyone got together to see each other. That was very sweet. People were kind and lovely. It was a nice get together atmosphere. DH bought an Xbox Live card that was a great deal. I got a mermaid pillow for thrift store price. Big spenders, lol.
I went to Michael's. That store was dead, expensive and not worth it. Everyone was walking out empty handed or had one or two items. They made their sale where the deals were so low it was retail price. I am not joking. The ribbon you buy at Dollar Tree it was $5 for a roll and 70% off at Michael's. Do they think we are dumb? I bought a tiny sequin punch. That was it. This was on the richer side of town. I noticed the WalMart on that side of town was not getting any traffic either. Target's parking lot was so full people were parking across the street. I did not go into Target. DH & I were out for a bit of fresh air. We didn't want to go shop at petri dish, lol.
Thank you, Safyne Anais. I bought Bailey a mermaid pillow last Christmas she really likes it. It's supposed to be good for anxiety too.
I watched a video of the BF shopping today and it looked like a madhouse. Sounds like your Thursday shopping was pleasant, which is how I like to shop. Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?
I am actually done Christmas shopping. I finish around the first of November. I am still buying for charity drives. DH & I plan that on purpose so we can buy things while we are at the stores and can drop them off at the same time.
I agree Mermaid pillows are wonderful for anxiety.
Hi, Belinda, So glad ya'll had a great Thanksgiving. I hope this round of antibiotics will do the trick for Bailey. Strep can be nasty and is nothing to take lightly. I love hot tea when the weather turns cold. My favorite is Constant Comment by Bigelow. It has sweet spices and a hint of orange in it. The teabags smell so good when you take them out of the package. I don't do Black Friday either. What many people don't realize is that a lot of those so-called deals aren't deals at all. We no longer exchange gifts in my family and the few "happies" I buy for friends can be bought at any time so no need to face the traffic and crowds. Thank you for your blog. I have followed it for quite a while and really enjoy the reading. Just consider me your Mississippi friend.
Oh, you are so sweet Frances. I love your comment, Thank you. I'll have to try the Constant Comment by Bigelow as it sounds like something right up our alley. We picked up some Bengal Spice this week too as it is another one of our favorites. I love the smell of the bags too when I open a container of them.
Thank you for being my Missippli friend. I love the camaraderie that comes from being friends here. :)
I hope Bailey comes out of this strep soon...no fun that. 8-(
The only BF I'll do is Rite-Aid and Weis(PMITA)Markets. Ok, another grocery store South of here has Porterhouse steaks for $3.95 this week so I might be tempted to hit them up too on Saturday. lolz
My mom always made this hot chocolate for us. I made it for my kids when they were little. (38 & 40 now) Thanks for the reminder. I will make some and sit back and enjoy.
I was bit by a brown recluse spider on the leg while sleeping years ago. Got the high fever and my leg was so swollen and turning black in the middle where the bite was. Luckily I worked at a hospital and one of the nurses sent me to ER. 2 antibiotics later and they sent me home for a week with orders to come back if it got worse or I didn't start feeling better within 48 hours. My brother had a bad spider bite in Oregon a few years ago and they said he might lose his leg it was so bad. They are nothing to play around with! Enjoy your blog. Take care.
You're welcome, Crystal. We love hot chocolate here. We don't drink coffee, so hot chocolate it is.
I'm so glad you enjoy my blog.
You're right about those spiders. They are nothing to fool around with. I was bitten by one once and had fever and chills. The dr. also put me on an antibiotic. Glad you and your brother were OK after yours. Scary stuff.
Could Bailey eat Thanksgiving dinner? If not, I hope your freezer space saved her Thanksgiving for later.
No heat on until November 4 or 6 left gave us an $81 combined gas and electric bill. No attempt not to use utilities more than usual, but stars were shining on us :)
Black Friday does not attract me, but I enjoy reading about groups who work together (3, 4, or more) with a plan that saves thousands.
George Washington called for a day of Thanksgiving and FDR in 1942 decreed the day a national USA day.
Yes, Bailey was able to eat T day dinner, so she was happy and is doing much better now. Excellent combined electric and gas bill for you all, that's great! I remember the days when we lived in Pikeville and our bill was $60 a month, I miss those days. Saving thousands on Black Friday would be good fun reading. :)
Happy Thanksgiving! Poor Bailey. :( I hope she feels better soon. Oooh Peppermint Chocolate Tea sounds divine. I have been drinking a lot of Lavender/Chamomile.
ReplyDeleteGreat tip on blankets.
DH & I went out on Thursday. No worries about staying home on Black Friday, lol. You have the right idea. There is nothing to buy, lol. I live in a poorer area of my town. Our Wal-Mart the BF shoppers are very careful, keeps to budget and have lists. Everyone was complaining about the prices & most people had empty carts or were not shopping at all. It was more like everyone got together to see each other. That was very sweet. People were kind and lovely. It was a nice get together atmosphere. DH bought an Xbox Live card that was a great deal. I got a mermaid pillow for thrift store price. Big spenders, lol.
I went to Michael's. That store was dead, expensive and not worth it. Everyone was walking out empty handed or had one or two items. They made their sale where the deals were so low it was retail price. I am not joking. The ribbon you buy at Dollar Tree it was $5 for a roll and 70% off at Michael's. Do they think we are dumb? I bought a tiny sequin punch. That was it. This was on the richer side of town. I noticed the WalMart on that side of town was not getting any traffic either. Target's parking lot was so full people were parking across the street. I did not go into Target. DH & I were out for a bit of fresh air. We didn't want to go shop at petri dish, lol.
That's great that you're one shopping. I still have several items I need to pick up, but I'll get there hopefully soon. :)
DeleteThank you, Safyne Anais. I bought Bailey a mermaid pillow last Christmas she really likes it. It's supposed to be good for anxiety too.
ReplyDeleteI watched a video of the BF shopping today and it looked like a madhouse. Sounds like your Thursday shopping was pleasant, which is how I like to shop. Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?
I am actually done Christmas shopping. I finish around the first of November. I am still buying for charity drives. DH & I plan that on purpose so we can buy things while we are at the stores and can drop them off at the same time.
DeleteI agree Mermaid pillows are wonderful for anxiety.
Hi, Belinda,
ReplyDeleteSo glad ya'll had a great Thanksgiving. I hope this round of antibiotics will do the trick for Bailey. Strep can be nasty and is nothing to take lightly.
I love hot tea when the weather turns cold. My favorite is Constant Comment by Bigelow. It has sweet spices and a hint of orange in it. The teabags smell so good when you take them out of the package.
I don't do Black Friday either. What many people don't realize is that a lot of those so-called deals aren't deals at all. We no longer exchange gifts in my family and the few "happies" I buy for friends can be bought at any time so no need to face the traffic and crowds.
Thank you for your blog. I have followed it for quite a while and really enjoy the reading. Just consider me your Mississippi friend.
Oh, you are so sweet Frances. I love your comment, Thank you. I'll have to try the Constant Comment by Bigelow as it sounds like something right up our alley. We picked up some Bengal Spice this week too as it is another one of our favorites. I love the smell of the bags too when I open a container of them.
DeleteThank you for being my Missippli friend. I love the camaraderie that comes from being friends here. :)
I hope Bailey comes out of this strep soon...no fun that. 8-(
ReplyDeleteThe only BF I'll do is Rite-Aid and Weis(PMITA)Markets. Ok, another grocery store South of here has Porterhouse steaks for $3.95 this week so I might be tempted to hit them up too on Saturday. lolz
Thank you, Sluggy. Wow, that is a GREAT price for steak! I would definitely hit them up. LOL
DeleteMy mom always made this hot chocolate for us. I made it for my kids when they were little. (38 & 40 now) Thanks for the reminder. I will make some and sit back and enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI was bit by a brown recluse spider on the leg while sleeping years ago. Got the high fever and my leg was so swollen and turning black in the middle where the bite was. Luckily I worked at a hospital and one of the nurses sent me to ER. 2 antibiotics later and they sent me home for a week with orders to come back if it got worse or I didn't start feeling better within 48 hours. My brother had a bad spider bite in Oregon a few years ago and they said he might lose his leg it was so bad. They are nothing to play around with!
Enjoy your blog. Take care.
You're welcome, Crystal. We love hot chocolate here. We don't drink coffee, so hot chocolate it is.
DeleteI'm so glad you enjoy my blog.
You're right about those spiders. They are nothing to fool around with. I was bitten by one once and had fever and chills. The dr. also put me on an antibiotic. Glad you and your brother were OK after yours. Scary stuff.
Sounds like some great deals and a great way to spend the day.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend.
Thank you, Cheryl. I hope you have a great weekend too.
DeleteCould Bailey eat Thanksgiving dinner? If not, I hope your freezer space saved her Thanksgiving for later.
ReplyDeleteNo heat on until November 4 or 6 left gave us an $81 combined gas and electric bill. No attempt not to use utilities more than usual, but stars were shining on us :)
Black Friday does not attract me, but I enjoy reading about groups who work together (3, 4, or more) with a plan that saves thousands.
George Washington called for a day of Thanksgiving and FDR in 1942 decreed the day a national USA day.
Yes, Bailey was able to eat T day dinner, so she was happy and is doing much better now. Excellent combined electric and gas bill for you all, that's great! I remember the days when we lived in Pikeville and our bill was $60 a month, I miss those days. Saving thousands on Black Friday would be good fun reading. :)
DeleteHope Bailey feels better soon, Belinda.
ReplyDeleteI too stayed home on Black Friday. I dislike shopping anyway, so I had no plans to fight the crowds. 😊
Thank you, Nil. She is feeling much better. Mark another one down for not fighting the crowds! :)
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Joni. Happy Thanksgiving to you too.
Delete