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!

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~!

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?

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.

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.

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.