This is Some Seriously Good Stuff!

(This is not my photo)

I picked this up at Trader Joe's last week and it is so good!
I am kind of sad because it is all gone now, might have to make a Trader Joe's run!

The Count Down Begins

Thanksgiving was really nice.
Nice that we didn't have to go anywhere, it was just the four of us!

I made this Sausage Breakfast Casserole on Thanksgiving morning:
1 can refrigerator crescent rolls (I used the low-fat ones)
1 lb. pork sausage ( used turkey sausage)
1 cup shredded cheddar
1 cup shredded mozzarella
6 eggs, lightly beaten (I used egg whites and used 8 plus 2 whole eggs)
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 375º.
Place crescent rolls in bottom of a lightly greased 13x9 pan, pressing together at perforations to form a crust. Bake for six minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. reduce oven temp. to 350º.
Brown sausage in a large skillet. Drain and spoon over baked crust, then sprinkle with cheeses.
Combine eggs, milk and salt and pour over the sausage and cheese. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until set.
Serves: 8

It was really good and we ate it with some fresh fruit and muffins.
I really pared down our Thanksgiving dinner and only cooked things that I knew everyone loved. Even at that, I cooked all day and then we were done eating in 15 minutes!
Would you believe not one photo was taken!

I went in search of the homeless man and never crossed paths with him again before Thanksgiving day. I did notice that there was a bag of food sitting where he normally hangs out. Wonder if someone left it for him? I did purchase a few gift cards to some fast food places nearby and figure I may give them to him the next time I see him. At least he could go in and get coffee or something to eat and get out of the weather.

I had to volunteer at Middleton Place on the morning after thanksgiving. It was so busy! I had at least 13 on every house tour! They said that on Thanksgiving day every tour was almost full!

I was just looking at my calendar and I have something scheduled for almost every day between now and Christmas! It almost makes me have an anxiety attack!

Did a little Christmas shopping while husbands car was being worked on this morning. But, I noticed I still have a lot to get, and I am normally done by this time!

Are you ready for the Holidays?

I Never Do This!

I never put up a Christmas tree before Thanksgiving, but we were at the lake this weekend and daughter was bored, so I let her and her friend go ahead and put up the tree! I figured we won't be back until the holidays are underway and it would be nice to come back to a house already decorated......
The tile guys came back this morning to finish the grout in two bathrooms. We are almost back to normal here! I have learned a family with two teens cannot function well with one bathroom! How did people ever do it? I take so much for granted sometimes!
Now, time to get ready for Thanksgiving! It will just be the four of us this year, so I am probably going to scale back and not cook for an army! Though I did go, this morning,
in search of a homeless man that I see a good bit around town to see if I could meet him somewhere on Thursday to bring him a plate and anyone else who might need one. I saw him sitting outside the library and by the time I came out he was gone. I may try again tomorrow. If you have been reading for any length of time, you know I have a soft spot for the homeless!

I am Having Major Anxiety

The guys came to lay the new tile in the bathrooms and laundry room yesterday.
I like everything neat and in it's place.
My house is not like that right now!
I am leaving the house most of the day today so I don't have to look at the mess.
But, it is going to look great when they are done!

The Weekend

We had a busy weekend!
Headed to our hometown on Friday afternoon to stay at my parent's house. We grew up just down the road from Clemson! Teen daughter didn't make the trip. She had a big babysitting job on Saturday, so she stayed with a friend.
We made teen son go with us and he wasn't too happy, until he got to the game!

Our seats weren't too bad! We were in the sun for the first quarter and before the end of the second, it was total shade!

Even the trees were decked out in Clemson colors!

We met my sister in Greenville for dinner on Friday night. Her husband wasn't feeling well so he stayed home to rest.
We met up with that sister and her husband and my other sister and her husband and rode to the game together, even though we didn't have seats together. We had a great time, even though it was a nail biter of a game! But, we did win in the end!
It would have been a perfect weekend, except for my big mouth! My parents have become very narrow minded and intolerant in their old age. This is so hard for me, because growing up they were so different! So, my dad asked me a question and one thing led to another and before you know it voices were raised and blood pressures (mine) were raising! Later, husband asked how I could have taken their bait, and I said I just couldn't help myself! Eventually they may realize that the reason they don't see me very much anymore is because of the way they act. I was really trying to ignore their outlandish views, and I even invited them to come spend Christmas with us. Oh, I am so not looking forward to that!
On to something more exciting.... we are replacing the tile in our master bath, the upstairs baths, and the laundry room. We decided that it was time and it would only make the house better for prospective buyers! I gave the go ahead to the tile people today and they should be able to start on Thursday! I am excited!

An Oh So Good Cake!

I got this recipe from my friend, Landlocked Mermaid, and man is it good!

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Heath bar crumbles
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
15-ounce can pumpkin
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup toffee bits, 1/2 for cake batter + 1/2 for topping (optional)
1/2 recipe cream cheese frosting (I just used my go to recipe for this)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare 9×13 baking pan with non-stick baking spray or butter and flour.
Whisk eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat until creamy in color.
Add pumpkin and combine.
Add remaining ingredients and beat until well-combined.
Pour into a prepared 13×9 cake pan and bake for 25 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely and spread cream cheese frosting over the top.
Sprinkle toffee bits over the top. (optional)
Keep refrigerated.
YUMMY!!!!

I stocked up on canned pumpkin last year and now need to use it up! I have made something with pumpkin in it at least once a week. My family is loving me!
We are heading to SIL's house tomorrow for their family Thanksgiving. We are driving 3 hours just to eat and then coming home! What we do to keep the peace!
Have a great weekend!

The Fair 2011

We headed to the dreaded Fair last night!
For a Wednesday night there was a pretty big crowd.

I love onion rings and eat them only once a year, at the fair!

I do like to walk around the agriculture buildings and look at all the animals!
When we move back to the country, I am definitely getting some chickens.

Love the rabbits! I might get some of these too!

Teenage son's photo:

Teenage daughter's photo(it looked so much better in color, but her teacher had her submit it in black and white):

And, the whole reason I even bothered to go: to hear Crystal Bowersox (from american idol a couple years ago) sing. She was very good.

Traffic was a mess getting out of the parking lot! It took us 30 minutes to go 1/8 of a mile!

Halloween 2011

I am not big on Halloween. I don't know why, it just doesn't appeal to me.
But, we did go to a Halloween gathering on the next street over to eat and socialize, sans costumes! This is the 6th year this particular cul-de-sac has done this and we always get an invite, except for last year when the host family didn't know there were a few invites that were supposed to go to the next street over too! We all bring our candy and it's like one stop shopping for the trick-or-treaters!
Daughter and her friend dressed up to give out candy. Daughter was a lady bug and her friend was a bumble bee. I thought they looked pretty cute!

I gave my qualifying tour at Middleton Place yesterday, so now I am an official house guide!
My first volunteer day is next week. I am really looking forward to it.

Tomorrow night we are headed to the Coastal Carolina Fair. My favorite thing to do! NOT! But, Crystal Bowersox, who was on American Idol a few years ago is performing and I would like to see her! Plus, both teens have photographs that were entered through their photography class at school and we need to go check them out.

I made a fantastic pumpkin cake today. I will have to share the recipe, it is really good and so easy!