Top 10 Tuesday at the RHOK

I'm writing over at the RHOK today and we're doing top 10's...come visit over there. www.TheRHOK.com

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Some Holiday Photo-ho-ho-ho's

Like Wordless Wedensday, but on Friday.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE!

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Christmas Home Tour with The Nester...

This season I am again participating in the Christmas home tour, but this year it being hosted by the one and the only,  the Nester.

{She is the one who taught me about this coffee filter wreath:}

Anyway, back to the home tour part. Welcome!

This year we are not quite prepared! Midway through the hanging of the greens, so to speak, the ol' hubs decided to get appendicitis! Needless to say I don't even have my stockings hung with care. But, the hubs is re-cooping nicely. He's much better thanks to the most expensive Christmas gift I have ever given him! Ha!

On our  front door is a combo of a jingle bell wreath and a random round ornamenty thing.  I like its quirkiness.

Right inside the house in the formal living is the tree.  I let the children have creative reign on the ornament hanging. Surprisingly, I made few adjustments! 

It's about 10ft tall and a skinny tree. Yes, it's fake. I'm allergic.

These are some of my favorites....

I have a HUGE nutcracker collection.  I just love them. Feel free to send me new ones. :-)

And finally, the snow globe. Of all the decorations,  it's my kid's favorite thing. Shaking the sparkle and winding up the music is just magical to them. A funny reminder, it's the little things.

Merry Christmas! Thanks for touring...

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Mcklinky Monday: holiday cookies & Christmas cards

You can find me playing Paula Deen today over at www.TheRHOK.com. So check me out over there....

And if you need Christmas Cards, check me put over here: www.withasouthernflair.com

Much Love,
Southern Mama

MM: Christmas Decor

Today at theRHOK, Mrs. Edwards wants to know about when you decorate for the Christmas season. While that may mean Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Frestivus to you, here it does mean Christmas.  And we don't start till the fat lady turkey has sung.  I mean, I am not the proud inventor of the Give Turkey's a Chance movement for nothin'.

As of now, my husband surprised me with his general enthusiasm and put the outside lights ahead of HIS schedule, but right on mine. Small Christmas miracles, they do still happen. We also have our big tree up.  That was no small feat people.  That required moving 5 large pieces of furniture, lots of vacuuming and the discovery of lots of crap underneath. Child labor was enthusiastic and ready to help, though. And....

Voila!

Now, we are no where near the House Tour of 2009, which is still one of my most viewed posts, all year long.  The house will almost look the same, so just pretend it's 2010, ok?

Make sure and link up at the RHOK! Grab a button over at the right.

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Thanksgiving Meals In Tulsa

Why would anyone dine out on Thanksgiving? I've thought that, before now.  But there are indeed many reasons. You may be like my family this year.  We experienced great loss, when my mom suddenly passed away 9 months ago. Thanksgiving was when she loved to make us my great grandmother's dressing and have everyone together.  As of now, we are unable to feel the same about such an event. We are going out. Others I know go out because they hate to cook, or because they don't have a lot of family around. Maybe you burned the turkey and are on plan B.  Perhaps your family is struggling, and you need a free meal.  Whatever the reason here's a list of places you can go in Tulsa. I compiled it because why? Because I couldn't find one when I looked!

Cracker Barrel (http://www.crackerbarrel.com)
A Homestyle Thanksgiving Meal
Enjoy our turkey breast with made-from-scratch cornbread dressing and topped with turkey gravy. Served with a sampling of baked sugar-cured ham, sweet potato casserole with caramel pecan topping, cranberry relish, your choice of a vegetable and fresh biscuits or corn muffins, plus a slice of our very own Pumpkin Pecan Streusel Pie with real whipped cream, and a beverage (excluding milkshakes).
$8.99 Adult • $4.49 Child
Served Thursday, November 25th
11a.m. to close.
31st & Yale & Owasso

Furr's Family Dining — The Farm (http://www.furrs.net)
6560 East 51st Street
Tulsa, OK 74145
918-663-4181
918-663-9350 (fax)
Open 10:30AM-6:00PM

Michael V's Annual Thanksgiving Buffet (http://www.michaelvsrestaurant.com)
Thursday November 25, 2011
11:00 AM - 2:30 PM
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED 918-369-0310
$24 Adults- $10 children under 10 years old

Hard Rock Casino Wild Potato Thanksgiving Buffet
(http://www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com/Documents/WPBThanksgiving.pdf)
$21.95, HUGE selection, 11am-10pm, 11/25

Marie Callender's
 41st Street between Harvard and Yale
Thanksgiving buffet for $19.99 per person, 11am-8pm.

Mimi’s Cafe
71st and Memorial
 $14.99 per person,  10am

The Chalkboard
 18th and Main
Reservations: (918) 582-1964
Thanksgiving buffet between 11am-3pm for $29.95, or full menu from 5-9pm.

Ti Amo
3rd and Cheyenne or  61st and Sheridan
Reservations: Downtown: (918) 592-5151; South: (918) 499-1919
11am-3pm

Delta Cafe
41st Street & 129th E. Ave.
$9.99, 10:30am-5pm.

The Green Onion
41st Street between Harvard and Yale
Reservations, (918) 481-3338
Thanksgiving buffet for $21.95 per person, 11am-5pm.


Warren Duck Club at Doubletree Hotel Warren Place
61st and Yale
Reservations only: (918) 495-1000
 Pricing is $49.95 for adults, $39.95 for seniors and $18.95 for kids 4-10

For those in need, or for those who want to pay by donation, the following are FREE on Thursday, Nov. 25th:

John 3:16 Mission
506 N. Cheyenne Ave.
6:00 pm

Salvation Army Center of Hope
102 N. Denver Ave.
11am-2pm

Tally's Cafe
1102 S. Yale Ave.
11am-2:30pm

Frank's Cafe
5451 S. Mingo
10:30am-2pm

Corner Cafe
1103 S. Peoria Ave.
11am-2pm

Batman's Good Food
1444 N. Mingo Rd.
11am-2pm

Tulsa Dream Center
200 W. 46th Street N.
11am-1pm

Tulsa County Social Services Emergency Shelter
2401 Charles Page Blvd.
5:30-6:00pm

(Update: Tasha Does Tulsa has a list up too, plus she has "for more to do in Tulsa on Turkey Day break" suggestions- so go visit her after this!)

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MckLinky Monday: Black Friday

I shop every year on Black Friday. Yip. Every year. It's a tradition with my friend. Sometimes I get what I want, sometimes I don't. But, most often I do. We have a plan. We have fun. We like the adrenaline rush. Most importantly, we are night owls. The trick is just not going to bed. And a long nap Thanksgiving afternoon.

I usually look forward to it. But, as you may know this year is very different. Also, my shopping friend just gave birth. Our shopping trip is in serious jeopardy. It may be Cyber Monday for us in 2010.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

In which I title another post "Neglected"

This blog is neglected. Just like my house. And really all things about me in general. Things really stink when they stink.

At some point I will be back on track. It might be in 5 years. But, hey, at least I am planning ahead, right? Just keepin' it real folks. I've also started substitute teaching. And, well, that's an intense time suck!

The holidays are going to be very tough. It's already worse than I could have imagined. Instead of my usual excitement over shopping and planning, it is like a big black cloud of dread. A big black cloud that's raining mud and rocks.

Until next time....

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You Capture: Serene

I've never yet participated in You Capture...but I just so happen to have the right photos today. Partly, by luck and partly by accident. But a good accident, none the less!

"Serene" as captured by the Riverparks here in Tulsa, OK.

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11-11

Today is 11-11, a big day. Veteran's Day. HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY to all that serve us. It's also sweet Madeline Spohr's birthday. The sweet baby pictured on the left in my side bar that left us too soon. And, it was also quite eventful 7 & 11 years ago which brings us to this post (yes, I post it every year. It's kind of like a birthday, so to speak).

Many of you know that my kids were due on the same day March 31st- but I had Gavin on March 24 and Grayce, March 26. Every event was about the same with both, just 4 years apart. Gavin's US at 20 weeks had been on Veteran's Day, I think because I worked at a bank then and it was closed, so it was a great day for the Dr. When it was time for Grayce's 20 week to find out her sex- the nurse just scheduled it at my previous appointment and handed me the card. AFTER we had Grayce's, it was only then I realized their ultrasounds had the same date on them, 4 years apart, within an hour of each other. And so, 11-11 is when we found out what both babies would be.

Happy 11-11, a very special day!

Here's to Veteran's, Maddie, babies!

MckLinky Monday: Pumpkin Cookies

(Yes, it's a re-post. Sue me. I've been knee deep in blog design upkeep.)
Today the MckLinky Monday at theRHOK.com is about Thanksgiving food. This is my favorite FALL food. Don't just utilize their goodness on Turkey Day. They are worthy of much more attention.

I make these Pumpkin Cookies, and told people so. Then some Tweet friends wanted the recipe. Then, one of them said they were the BEST cookies she ever, ever made. Therefore I am sharing the recipe here, because it's really, really hard to type a recipe over and over in 140 characters on Twitter. So, Im posting it here for people to reference instead! Enjoy!


First, put 2 cups of raisins on to boil. After they've boiled and plumped, drain them.
-While that's going on, preheat the oven to 350*and....

Cream together:
1C crisco
1C sugar
1C brown sugar
2tsp vanilla

Then stir in 1 can of pumpkin, mix well.

Add to that
4C flour
2tsp baking powder
2tsp baking soda
2tsp cinnnamon
Mix well

Then, add 1C chopped pecans if you wish and mix in the raisins

Drop by tablespoon on baking sheet and pat the lump down just a little.
Bake at 350* for 10min

While all that's a baking- then make the icing:

1 Box 8oz, Powdered Sugar
1 stick of magarine
1.5 t maple flavoring (I use pure maple syrup bc I can never find maple flavor)
2 tsp milk

Melt the stick of margarine, then stir in the powdered sugar and maple over low heat. Then add the bit of milk to make the icing creamy.

Ice the cookies while still warm!

If you try them, let me know. We love 'em here!

WW: Spooky Spectacular

The weekend review...

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