Family * Travel * Food

Thanksgiving photos

We had a really lovely Thanksgiving this year. As always we had tons of great food and I wanted to share a few photos.

Here is the pasta and cheese experience. Okay fine, it was mac & cheese but a lot went into it!


Here is all the good stuff on one plate (paper that is). We had turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, candied yams, black eyed peas, turnip greens, mac & cheese and cranberry sauce.


Here is the most amazing and perfect turkey I have ever cooked. I can't believe how juicy and delicious it was. It was a Beer and Rosemary roasted turkey and if you want the recipe just email me. I will be making this same one every year. I have been doing it wrong all along it seems.


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500th post & Tide® Coldwater Giveaway

**Contest Closed**
The winners are Darrin and Hondoray6. Thanks to all for participating!

We can't believe that we are celebrating 500 posts here at Momfiles! 500 posts?? Wow, we are really loved! Thanks for all your support, friendship and comments over the past few years. We have made some great connections along the way and value our readers.

We wanted to do something fun so our friends at Tide® decided to help us out. They sent us what I call a 'mom's dream', a full year's supply of Tide® Coldwater! How amazing is that?? In days of a weak economy everyone is cutting back where they can. One great way is to do laundry in cold water. Most people would think there is no way you can get clean clothes in cold water. You would be amazed how well this product works! My daughters use it especially when they do a load of denim since they don't want their jeans to fade. They even hang them out to dry saving even more energy! In fact, you can save up to $10 on energy by washing in cold water with 100 oz. bottle of Tide® Coldwater. Go here and click on the "info" tab to see how the product works. I always check for Tide® Coldwater on sale and stock up when I do! Y'all know Dwayne is loving the fact that we are saving him money :)

Now I did mention the word FUN right? Well, the amazing folks at Tide® offered Two lucky Momfiles readers the chance to win a year's supply of Tide® Coldwater! The prize is in coupon form and I know you would LOVE to win this! Here are the details on how to enter:

Mandatory- Visit the Tide® Coldwater site and tell us what you have learned about the product or leave a comment telling us what you love about Momfiles. Comments that say "thank you" or "count me in" will be deleted. Want an additional entry? (You must complete the above method to qualify for extra entries)

--You can Twitter this giveaway (one per day) and leave me a link to your Tweet.
Example: Win a Year's Supply of Tide® Coldwater @momfiles http://bit.ly/7eTEgV ... #giveaway

-- Facebook this giveaway, and please leave a separate comment/link for each entry to count. (one per day)

--Follow me on Twitter or "friend me" on Facebook (leave a comment with a link) If you already follow let me know.

--You can also place our button on your blog or follow us (please leave a blog link in your comment or specify if you are a new or current follower).

*Be sure to have a visible email address in your comment if you do not have a Blogger profile. Giveaway is open to US residents only. Deadline to enter is December 16, 2009 at 11:59 pm EST. Good luck!

Thank you to Tide® for providing Momfiles with a year's supply of product coupons as well as sponsoring two winners one year's supply of coupons as well.
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Black Friday anyone??

I am going to ask for your forgiveness if I commit any major grammar mistakes. I just got up from my after-shopping power nap. I went out there in the cold at 4 am. Dwayne came along too. We hit several stores and it was awesome! We got such great deals and "saved" over $500. I think because we stuck with necessities and not fun things we were able to maneuver around the stores and make our way out very easily. We had so much fun. The girls stayed home with the baby monitor so we had some freedom. We made it home by 6:40. I'm tired still but happy with my purchases. Just a heads up...look out for our upcoming 500th post. We've got something good going on. Stay tuned...
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Gobble Gobble!

To all of our friends in the blog world, we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

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Things we love to hate


- I really don't like heights at all. Even a 3 step ladder makes me nervous. Yet I will gladly ride a roller coaster.
- I don't like coffee flavored anything but I love coffee.
- I don't care for bananas but love banana bread and banana splits.
- I'm not a fan of comedy yet I married Dwayne. Enough said on that one.
- I love craziness yet don't like chaos.
- I love sunshine but don't like being hot.
- I don't like peanuts but can tear up a peanut butter cup!
- The smell of maple syrup is not pleasing to me but I enjoy it on my waffles.
- I love make-up yet don't care to be too made-up.
- I love having my family around but don't like how much I eat when they are around.
- Dwayne does not like Lil Wayne yet he loves to recite every one of his songs. The songs get stuck in your head.
- Dwayne is a fool but does not stand for foolishness.

So what things do you love to hate??
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Who needs real toys anyway?

Our William is still not a big toy fan. He'd much prefer a book or Milo's dog toys! Thankfully Will does not put things in his mouth so there is no harm. Silly boy!

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Traditional or Different?

Well it is that time of year, Thanksgiving. Time for family, friends and feasts. I am a big planner so I have been compiling menu ideas for a few weeks now. I was all set to do some different dishes this year (a little more gourmet). I decided to get some input from the husband and kids and everything they came up with is what we have year after year. They got all worked up because they felt I was going against tradition. They said I did not need to mess up a good thing that is always perfect each year. So there went my fancy gourmet ideas...

Something else I have done for many years is to use actual real dishes and eating utensils. Most of my friends and family would laugh at me and ask if I loved washing dishes. So this has lead me to become a fan of good quality paper plates and flatware. I never thought I would do it but hell, once you eat who really wants to wash a million dishes? I guess I have changed a lot with a growing family and I try to make things a little easier on myself when I can. Having a toddler running around this year really makes me want to go the easy route!

What about you... what are your plans for the holiday? Are you traditional or do you dare to be different? Do you use real dishes or paper plates? Sorry for being so nosey!
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Flashback Friday

Aww just look at my girls when they were little! They were 4 and 6 when these shots were taken. They were doing a coloring activity together. Everything was always so organized and clean. Of course Hurricane Willie has changed that now!

Look at those cute faces. They are now 13 and 15 and even though they are best friends still, you won't ever see them hug like that anymore~!

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What happened to the Eggos??

If you are not a perfect mom like me then it is not unusual to peruse the frozen breakfast aisle of the grocery store to grab a box or two of waffles or pancakes. I have noticed that for many weeks I have not been able to find any Eggo Waffles. What in the world?? I finally found out why here. I was lucky to snag one box of the Cinnamon Toast variety for a higher price today. I only got one box because they were way too expensive. I can't wait for the factory to be back at 100% because this mom needs some school week easy breakfast options for the kids! Homemade waffles are weekend only waffles, ya feel me?
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Allergy shots

Our daughter Briahnna has been suffering from headaches for years now and has gone through many doctor visits (including 3 Cat scans) to finally come to the conclusion that it is all sinus allergy related. It was recommended by our ENT Specialist that she gets a weekly allergy shot. As a mom I was not sure if that was what we wanted to do. I insisted that we try her on a different round of allergy meds and see how she did with it for 90 days. It worked very well for about 2 weeks and then the headaches were back. There is nothing worse than seeing your kid in pain and no matter what you give her she is not improving. We finally broke down and agreed to the shot. The alternative would be surgery and the doc says he really does not want to go that route. We started the first shot last week and we are not sure if it is really happening or just in her mind but it seems to have calmed the headaches down a little bit. The doc says that it generally takes 3-6 months to see improvement (they have to give you a longer time frame) and some people have been known to see a major difference within 30 days. I am really hoping we are one of those lucky ones. The great thing about the shot is even though it seems a pain to get it once a week, the office is close to home and it take a few minutes and you are in and out of the office with no wait or appointment. I will keep you all posted on her progress.

If anyone has had the allergy shot please feel free to share anything you think we might need to know. So far we have only heard positive things.
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Vent Day Wednesday

Hey everyone! Welcome to this week's edition of Vent Day Wednesday. We hope you enjoy it and please be sure to leave a comment telling us your vents.

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Build-A-Bear Workshop Giveaway

**Contest closed**
Winner is geek by marriage

Look at the cute puppy I received from the generous folks at Build-A-Bear Workshop! He's a Portuguese Water Dog and boy oh boy is he a cutie in person! The minute William caught a glimpse of him he immediately hugged him and gave him kisses. Needless to say I guess we all know who this pup's new owner is!
This sweet pup makes a great gift for any dog lover! It has shaggy black and white fur and floppy ears. You can personalize this cutie with clothes and accessories to make the perfect unique gift. Build-A-Bear Workshop donates $1 from the sale of this Bearemy's Kennel Pals® friend to the Build-A-Bear Workshop Bear Hugs Foundation to support local animal shelters, stray pet rescues, rehabilitation organizations, educational programs for animal welfare and administrative expenses related to these programs.

With the holiday season nearing Build-A-Bear Workshop is offering shoppers the gift generator process that helps to identify the perfect gift based on an individual’s character traits. And, there’s always the one click shopping option that lets you choose a fully attired furry friend, click on it and you’re set to go!

The prices are more affordable giving more options to fit every budget. I have had so much fun playing around on the website checking out all the cute animal and outfits! The holiday themed items are so adorable :) Now here's the fun part... Build-A-Bear Workshop offered the same Portuguese Water Dog they sent me for one lucky Momfiles reader to win! Here's how to enter:

Mandatory- *Go to the Build-A-Bear Workshop site and let us know what item you loved the most or if you win the prize who will you give it to? Comments that say "thank you" or "count me in" will be deleted. Want an additional entry? (You must complete the above method to qualify for extra entries)

--You can Twitter this giveaway (one per day) and leave me a link to your Tweet.
Example: Win a Build-A-Bear Workshop Portuguese Water Dog @momfiles http://bit.ly/3cRfsS #giveaway

-- Facebook this giveaway, and please leave a separate comment/link for each entry to count. (one per day)

--Follow me on Twitter or "friend me" on Facebook (leave a comment with a link) If you already follow let me know.

--You can also place our button on your blog or follow us (please leave a blog link in your comment or specify if you are a new or current follower).

*Be sure to have a visible email address in your comment if you do not have a Blogger profile. Giveaway is open to US residents only. Deadline to enter is December 3, 2009 at 11:59 pm EST. Good luck!

Thank you Build-A-Bear Workshop for providing a product as compensation for this post.
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Father & Son time

The boys headed out in the backyard to check on what was left of our garden.

There's farmer Dwayne and his sidekick little farmer Willie tilling up the soil (not sure why)
Willie loved it!

Look at that cute face!


Here is what they harvested. Some banana peppers and green onions.
Every night after his bath, William has to run into his daddy's office to say good night.


Dwayne put the pen down for a second and of course those curious and fast fingers had to try writing with a pen too!
Even though William scribbled all over Dwayne's paper he thought it was cute and says he will save that page forever to remember the first time his boy wrote with a pen.

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Vent Day Wednesday

Welcome to this week's edition of Vent Day Wednesday. Be sure to leave your vents in the comments. Enjoy!

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Sleepy

Something happened last night that NEVER happens to me. I had not even a wink of sleep. None. Nada. Zilch. I don't know why that happened, I just could not sleep at all. Today's forecast calls for rain all day (100% chance). Great sleeping weather right? Not when you have a Hurricane Willie! Naps are rarely an option as long as he is awake. I hope I can make it through the day without losing it. I have Briahnna home today as well because she has a cold. Looks like it will be one long day.
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Testing the Ice-Children's Book Giveaway

I was recently contacted to review the book Testing the Ice by Sharon Robinson (the daughter of baseball legend Jackie Robinson) and Illustrated by Kadie Nelson. I along with my two teenage daughters read this book individually and shared our thoughts and opinions about it. We all came to the same conclusion that the book was well written and the illustration was beautiful and unique. I really think this book is about bravery and unconditional love of a father. I won't lie, I had tears in the end. This book would be a great asset on any bookshelf and because it is an easy read, it would be great in the elementary school classrooms. It is a big book so you can really see the details in the pictures. Testing the Ice also makes a great gift especially with Holidays coming up.

Here is your chance to win your very own copy. Our sponsor has offered one grand prize winner the opportunity to win a copy of the book along with a cute scarf, hat and mittens (no specific color) gift pack. 4 additional readers will win 1 copy of Testing the Ice.



Here's how to enter:
Mandatory- *Simply leave a comment relative to the post. Comments that say "thank you" or "count me in" will be deleted. Want an additional entry? (You must complete the above method to qualify for extra entries)

--You can Twitter this giveaway (one per day) and leave me a link to your Tweet.
Example: Win a Testing the Ice gift pack from @momfiles http://bit.ly/o4d4m #giveaway

-- Facebook this giveaway, and please leave a separate comment/link for each entry to count. (one per day)

--Follow me on Twitter or friend me on Facebook (leave a comment with a link) If you already follow let me know.

--You can also place our button on your blog or follow us (please leave a blog link in your comment or specify if you are a new or current follower).

*Be sure to have a visible email address in your comment if you do not have a Blogger profile. Giveaway is open to US residents only. Deadline to enter is November 28, 2009 at 11:59 pm EST. Good luck!

Special thanks to Scholastic for sponsoring this giveaway and providing Momfiles with a copy of the book.
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Shelly's 36th Birthday

I had such a fun birthday week! Here are a few photos...
William doesn't have that baby look anymore. He looks like a little man!


Here is a video Dwayne took. You know how he loves his videos!



My sister and bro-in-law came by and she brought over a home baked cake and pasta salad!

Dwayne took me out to my favorite restaurant and we had some amazing drinks at the bar. I got some nice little goodies and had a great day of relaxation!

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I'm famous!

I am sure most of you who read Momfiles regularly know I am a dedicated Kroger shopper. I shop there at least 5 times per week (sometimes a couple trips per day). I was asked to say something I like about Kroger and had my photo taken. I was surprised to see it posted when I walked into the store today. This is a camera phone shot so it's not that clear. I just had to share :)


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Need vegetarian meal ideas

Not to confuse anyone but we are NOT vegetarians in our house. I just wanted to change things up a bit and try some healthier meal options that don't include meat. I wanted to know if anyone has some good ideas as long as there are no soybeans or tofu involved. I was thinking about 2-3 times per week we would incorporate meatless meals. So please please please share your ideas!
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