What THM CAN and CAN NOT do for you

Ah! Complications!... Wouldn't we want everything to just always go smoothly? I often see on the THM groups on FB things that sometimes sound a lot like my very own thoughts.... comments like:

When there are pictures of yummy recipes my (and it seems that I am not alone) thoughts are:

- I wish I had a chef
- I wish I had more money for different ingredients
- Could you come and cook for me?

(and many more)

Sometimes I just click on "Save Recipe" or "Follow post" or "share" with the hopes of "being able to make such yummy recipes" some day... But let me tell you something...

If you haven't started THM yet and if you're waiting until "everything is perfect" let me tell you... stop waiting and start NOW....  Will it be perfect? No! Will things go smoothly right from the beginning? NO! But you will start taking steps in the right direction... Yes, yes, sometimes you will take 1 step forward and then take 1 back ... yes... sometimes you will feel overwhelmed with lots of information that doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to you yet... BUT MY TIP TO YOU will be... Grab 1 thing... ONLY 1 thing and apply it... practice it, rehearse it... and it will soon become 2nd. nature... if you apply 1 thing and 1 thing only each day (or even each week) at some point you will get very, very good at this!

Now.. if you are already a "THM Veteran" like me... but still find yourself drooling over luscious looking pies with ingredients that you can't afford at this very moment... this post is for you (and for me too)

THM can give us the guidelines to a healthier lifestyle
THM can provide tools to motivate us
THM can (and does) provide with tons of women that want to encourage and motivate you
THM can give you ideas for yummy meals on plan

THM CAN'T make us rich
THM CAN'T cook the meals for us (yet... LOL! Maybe some day!)
THM CAN'T start for us!

So... while we might not be able to change some things like our financial situation... we can focus on the things that we can change... starting with our attitude!

1. Focus on the YES! Start thinking of all the things that you CAN afford and how you can combine them according to plan! Make them look pretty! Enjoy them and be thankful (1 leaf of parsley over your soup can go a long way when it comes to VISUAL!)

2. CELEBRATE your victories! I love the THM Beginners group for that! I see so many women celebrating that they didn't eat a biscuit with their chicken or that they said no to candy! You go!

3. STOP COMPARING! (OY! Tough one!) your journey is not like anyone else's ... each and every single person is different.... way different! rejoice for those that melt away the pounds like butter in the sun and if that's not your case... don't throw the towel! What will that do to you? Keep at it! You're on the very right path.

I am not a "weight loser" I am a "weight finder" ... I feel like I smell food and I gain weight! If you are like me... stick with me! Let's be friends! I'll cheer you up and you might do the same for me when I'm down... Stop by my Facebook page and stick around for recipes, tips and encouragement! 

Look at some simple things I ate yesterday... Yummy, inexpensive and PERFECTLY ON PLAN:

 

 



What's in the picture above?

• (bottom left) A zucchini frittata (basically zucchini, eggs and some butter/cream cheese) with coffee that was an "S" meal, 
• (top left) Chicken tenderloins seasoned with Mrs. Dash Savory Seasoning
  and a cabbage/mayo slaw (the expensive "special" thing there would be that bai5).
• (top right)  a yummy (E) steel cut cinnamon oatmeal topped with 1 tbsp. of chia seeds.
• Last but not least: My precious! Oikos Triple Zero! Lots of protein ... Zero Fat... no added sugar and by itself is an FP.
By the way... if you feel like it... and can splurge right now... check this out:

FOR A LIMITED TIME Amazon has a 20% off Coupon on Bai5 Beverages: HERE

See? Not hard at all! Not complicated! What ingredients do you have? If you let me know what your favorite ingredients are I might be able to provide you with ideas on how to use those! Just let me know!


© Paloma K.

Disclaimer: Some links in this post are affiliate links, this means that you pay the same price, but I also receive a very small compensation. I recommend products I have tried and love.

The heart of the problem!

This heart is OK

  "The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart" - J. John

I heard this quote today on my way home after my walk/talk with my bestie... (in our talks we fix the problems of the world, we laugh, we ... well.. I am not going to go into details but I can tell you that today we even heard an 80's country song) so... during our walk today I had a few moments of "self-discovery" ... I was left thinking about the things I do and say... (oh yes... we go deep!), as soon as I got in the car I heard this "heart" quote and I was so thankful, God always finds ways to let me know He is listening, He cares and He knows of my struggles or shortcomings... I liked the quote so much that I thought I had to share...  The human heart is deceitful indeed, that's what the Bible says... the core, the source of all issues lies within the human heart. Every problem can be traced back to it... Whether it is an addiction, our self-image, etc... when the focus is on self and not the Lord, when we follow the "listen to your heart" advice we fall into the biggest trap! It sounds good to "trust the heart" but the heart is not that cute thing we draw, the heart is not that beautiful Valentine cookie of the picture... the heart is  "...deceitful above all things..." Jer. 17:9 and how could we trust the very thing that gets us in the most trouble? How can we trust the very thing that has failed time after time, generation after geneartion!?

Society tells us to "follow our heart" or "do what we think is right" ... it even sounds like a "new thing", like a "wise thing" but humans have been following that very "modern" concept since the beginning! we find time after time in the Bible, generations that were completely destroyed for "doing what was right in their own eyes", strong men of God completely destroyed for "listening to their heart" and going after the wrong woman, kings leading the people of God after false gods, fathers hurting their children for letting them do as they wanted, battles lost for following "intuition" rather than God's voice....

And yet... we want to "re-write history" and we think this "follow your heart" thing is going to somehow "work for US"

I, like you, will continue to struggle with things... just like everybody else... But today my prayer is that I will listen to God... rather than my heart.  May God continue to transform me where my focus is more and more on Him and less and less on me... less and less on others. May I listen to His voice rather than my own. May I continue to grow as He continues to complete His work in me.



© Paloma K.

When going to a restaurant...

We can still make healthy choices when going to a restaurant... can't we? We just need to find them and try to not look too much at the rest of the Menu! LOL!

We had company over from Wisconsin, Auntie Sally and Uncle John stopped by our house and stayed for a couple of nights and one we spent one whole day together! I baked desserts but they took us out for dinner... I was a little worried and excited at the same time... would I be able to make a good choice? Thankfully yes!

Now... I am excited to start this week... hopefully it will be a great one!

Here's me at the Restaurant (we ate seafood overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.. it was neat!)

And here's my choice:

Char-grilled salmon on a bed of white rice and garnished with steamed vegetables

Not a bad weekend at all! How are you doing with your Year's Resolutions? My weight loss is not a "New Year's Resolution" but it's a resolution after all... Resolution implies being RESOLVED to do something... and I am totally committed to a healthy lifestyle! What are your goals? Don't let any bumps on the road stop you from doing what you have to do to reach your goals! :) You can do it!

Happy week everyone!


© Paloma K.

Last post of the year.... Thanks and MORE!

Hello everybody! December has been hectic with good activities here "en Mi casa" which is "Tu Casa" too! I've had visits from Mexico, friends and family! I also had lots of baking to do and cooking, I sold tons of Christmas Cookies and Chocoflan Cake so I got a new camera with part of the money I made from alll the baking (I was soooo needing it for better pictures) and I've also been enjoying hubby being home! He's been off of of work for about a week now, he'll go back to work on Wednesday (I wish I was rich to keep him always to ourselves! LOL!) So... it's been impossible to post more often or reply but once things go back to normal I am sure everything will be better here!

I just want to take the opportunity to thank you all for being with me in 2012! This year has been the "come back" of  "The Coffee Shop" and I've been very blessed to get to know more people through this blog! Thank you all for being here! For sharing, for commenting, for being so supportive! And for encouraging me with my projects! Thank you for trying my recipes!

I hope 2013 will be filled with new blessings that we can all share together!

Do you have any goals/resolutions for this year? Would you like to share? Whether they are personal or blogging goals... feel free to share

I lost 40 pounds in 2012 and I'm going for the rest this year! I hope I'll do a better job with homeschooling and finally have a serious calendar/schedule that I'll adhere too... and in the blogging area ... well... I hope our Coffee Friday Party just "takes off" !

By the way... join us this Friday ... we will have a featured blogger!

Pic: New Year's Eve 2007 ... I was the photographer -sigh-

... Anything else? Well... I just wish you all a Happy and successful 2013!


© Paloma K.

My Thanksgiving Tree

I finally got the chance to make this! I've been wanting to make it from the very beginning of November but my girls have been sick and I just couldn't gather the inspiration to make it! Last night I decided this couldn't wait any longer, once the girls went to bed and regardless of being tired, I made it. It was easy because I already had what I needed and hubby helped me put the branch in the pot while I traced, cut and "prepared" the leaves. The branch is in a pot and inside the pot there's cardboard to make it steady, the cardboard is cut round to have a tight fit inside the pot, with a hole in the middle for the branch to go through it... so... there's rocks, cardboard, rocks, cardboard and more rocks on top. Those rocks you can buy in the gardening section of any big store. I bought a bag of them last year in Home-Depot.

The leaves are made with brown and yellow cardstock, The shape of the leaves I got it from some artificial leaves I have, you can find great leaf shapes from clip-art or even looking for leaf images online.Once I traced and cut the leaves I just colored their edges with crayon to give them a more "real" look. (used brown crayon for the yellow leaves, dark orange crayon for the brown leaves).

Then I just wrote the things we are thankful for, used some yellow sewing thread to hang them (passed the thread throw the leaf stem with a needle) and hung all the leaves on my branch (you need a dry, "nice looking" branch) the size of it will depend on the size of your pot.

Voila! You have a cute, earthy looking, Thanksgiving Tree!
 
© Paloma K.

Between a bucket and paper towel

Hello everybody, that's how I've been living my life lately... between a bucket and some paper towel! My littlest one was sick a few days ago... and yesterday, when I had just started "celebrating" we were "out of that" my oldest (4 yrs. old) started throwing up... and here I am again, holding a bucket "when needed" and just taking care of her... I am exhausted, haven't been getting much sleep, but it's ok... I must say I am very blessed to be able to be a SAHM and I don't have to worry about a job or who will take care of her... I can do this day and night and know that I don't have to go anywhere... it gives me peace and I am sure, even when my girls don't know just yet how blessed they are by this, they are appreciative for everything I do... (even when I sometimes even get yelled at by a very demanding sick little girl) ... of course she is moody and even has headaches... but it's just a virus and I am thankful it's nothing more serious...

So... when little ones are sick... it's not always easy to see the good side of it... or to be able to count your blessings in the midst of it all.. But I've found great encouragement through prayer, His Word and a little, simple devotional for mommies...

So, I thought I'd share a portion of what I read last night... hoping someone else can benefit from it as well...

 The verse was: "And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them." Genesis 24:60

The devotional for the day mentioned how, it would be very weird if we people said something like that on the day of our wedding (or any time I think!) ... thousands of millions of children? I can't even deal with two!

Drawing obviously isn't one of my talents... but this is how I can picture it in my mind

 
But ... Children... are a blessing! and when Rebekah heard this, she knew they weren't joking ... of course they didn't think she would have thousands of millions but that was a way of saying "I hope you have a very blessed, fruitful life"

Then... and now I'll quote directly from the devo: "Children are God's blessing to you. Whether you have one child or many, you have a unique opportunity to influence the world..." (source: Whispers of Wisdom for Mothers of Preschoolers)


Last night... thinking about that... and thinking of what a blessing (or curse) my children can be for those around them... and the impact that their lives can have on others, some day, hopefully for God's glory... it made me feel that me holding a bucket isn't as irrelevant... this is serious work... I've always known being a mom is important... but sometimes I lose sight of it, when I get lost in the mundane, living day by day in a routine of washing dishes, doing endless laundry and feeding mouths that are always ready for more! ... I hope I can always remember this... I hope I can put things in perspective and do things more intentionally... redeeming the time I have with my little girls... a sleepless night seems endless when you're going through it... but the days of a children go way too fast... and I know I haven't been taking as much advantage of them as I could!

Ok... now I have to go... I need to go have a cup of coffee.. this night might be hard too... and speaking of coffee... would you join me on Friday? We'll have our last featured blogger of the year (don't worry... Our Coffee Fridays will continue) but I'll take a break due to the Holidays and I've already scheduled some bloggers for January... so... come on! Mention "coffee" somehow in any of your posts... even if you say "latte, Starbucks, Gevalia, Dunkin Donuts, coffee table, coffee cake" ... something that is about coffee... please link back and link up! I'll be very happy to see you here!



© Paloma K.

Tuned-In Tuesdays - About Peace!

Today... I thought about sharing some quotes on Peace! Since there's all this rush of the Holidays coming... I hope we focus on the things that really matter and stay calm! And stay peaceful! And enjoy it all! Even the mishaps :) ... SO ... enjoy the quotes.... (some serious, some humorous, all good!)

Thank you for Joining!

 “Peace begins with a smile..”  - Mother Teresa


"My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished 2 bags of M&M's and a chocolate cake. I feel better already.” - Dave Barry


"For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"There are many things that are essential to arriving at true peace of mind, and one of the most important is faith, which cannot be acquired without prayer." - John Wooden

"The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace." - Psalm 29:11

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you." - Isaiah 26:3

“Peace is the number one beautiful ornament you can wear, I really believe that. They say you should always wear a smile, but I don't believe that you should "always" wear a smile, seriously, you're going to look stupid! But peace, you should always carry peace within you, its the most beautifying thing you could ever have or do. Peace makes your heart beautiful and it makes you look beautiful, too. You want to have perfect physical posture when you stand, sit, and walk, and peace is the perfect posture of the soul, really. Try perfect posture outside as well as inside. Peace creates grace and grace gives peace.” - C. Joybell C.

Have a great and peaceful rest of the week!



© Paloma K.

Share your Holiday Disasters AND get unplugged!

Hi everyone! Today I am asking everyone to share about their "Holiday Disasters" on my Facebook Page. I hope I get good stories, things we can now all laugh about and also to be encouraged! As you know I've been sharing tips and ideas to make the Thanksgiving Dinner an enjoyable event, not only for the guests but for the host/hostess as well! This doesn't have to be something you just want to "get it over with" but a special time to show your loved ones how special they are... not through perfection, but through YOUR best (not a Magazine's Best), through your smile (not faked, but a relaxed, sincere one), through your ability to have fellowship with them.

 Another tip I am going to share... and ... forgive me if it seems "too much" but... let's make a deal... do not discard it immediately, bare with me...

ehem... Here I go

"Turn off the TV and... avoid the cell phone"

 And this I say with my deepest, sincerest love and respect... but... why do we have to stare at a screen all the time? You can watch that show (or football game) maybe online, maybe later (DVR), you can send that text some other time... But we never have the certainty we will all have another Thanksgiving together... And I don't mean this to be a gloomy post... but I just want to encourage, all of us, to treasure each moment when you get to spend time with the family and, if you have little ones, it's a great opportunity to teach them what's really valuable! We can turn our "screens" off for PEOPLE, people are important! Family is important! If the Turkey is dry, if the cookies are flat, if the Pumpkin pie is still jiggly and the pecans burnt... that doesn't matter... everything will end up in the toilet! (sorry about the expression) but it's true! Laugh about it! It's great to have a perfect meal! But life wouldn't be as enjoyable if everything was perfect! We wouldn't have funny stories to share if nothing went wrong once in a while! Take a picture of your burnt cookies, your mismatched napkins, your chipped gravy boat... and laugh about it! Turn it into a story to talk about after dinner!

My first time Baking Christmas Cookies... I didn't add peanut butter to Peanut butter cookies - LOL!

Don't let all the guys go watch football while all the girls talk at the table about what could've gone better ... it's a great opportunity for everyone to visit! Make a Thanksgiving Tree or just have everyone write in a piece of paper what they're thankful for this year so then you can all read about it later, turn it into a game by mixing the "thankful notes" and trying to guess who wrote what!

This is such a great opportunity to create more moments to be thankful for!

I got good hugs this Thanksgiving. I don't think those watching the football game have as many good memories as I do!

So... now... share... what are your biggest "Holiday Disasters" ... anything we can now laugh about?


© Paloma K.

Freedom isn't Free

Source: Pyzam

 Looking for images for Veterans Day I found many that said "Freedom isn't free" ... And it's true... Physical Freedom isn't free.... Someone had to pay for that.... It's great to have physical freedom and something many times we take for granted...... and... what about Spiritual Freedom? it isn't free either... Jesus had to pay for it... have you let Him Free you? Have you Thanked Him also?

Thanks to all those who have served to this country, thanks to all who still are far away from home, fighting for us to keep our freedom...

Linking up with: Fibro, Fit and Fab / Twenty two Days of Thanks

© Paloma K.

That was so much fun!

I just want to thank everybody who stopped by for my SITS day and made it extra special with encouraging comments!  I am still trying to catch up with all of you! So be patient if I haven't replied to you... I'll get to it!

Many thanks again!

Now... I just want to share a picture of my girls and my hubby... We went to a pumpkin patch and they had one of this "face in the hole" thingies for pictures... hubby got behind the "indian" structure... to have his picture taken but the girls decided to turn it into a kissing booth!

They sooo melt my heart! Today... is the 3 day of November... and I am thankful for... Family love!

What are you thankful for?


© Paloma K.

ThuRsday - Reminder, gReatfulness and Recipe!

Hello everybody! As I mentioned I've been pretty busy, there are some things I just need to nip in the bud here, so hang in there with me as I find the time to "juggle it all" and make time for my blogging! But here I am... trying to keep you updated and bring you something special each time!

So... I wanted to remind you of tomorrow's Coffee Friday! It's going to be gooooood! We do have a special featured blogger that's prepared a delicious treat for all of us! She is creative and ... well... I don't want to give it all away... but you won't want to miss it! I hope I see my "regulars" here and then some new faces too linking-up to our Party!

Also, I wanted to share with you a little quote I found that Oprah Winfrey said; although, if you know me you know I am not an "Oprah" fan... actually I don't even think I've ever watched any of her shows... but anyway... I thought this quote was a great one:

"Be thankful for what you have and you will end up having more. But if you concentrate on what you don't have, you'll never, ever have enough." - Oprah Winfrey

So true! I am just trying to get us in the mood for Thanksgiving and just keep that in mind when that day arrives, Thankfulness is an "on-going" attitude, something that can't just bloom if we never planted and watered it! It's something we must feed every day so it can finally display and reveal itself in the form of fruits that bless those around us! -woah! I guess I was more inspired than I thought-

And now... in the same Thanksgiving spirit... and going through my Thanksgiving Menu I will start to share those recipes with you so you can add to your own menu or just try them whenever you feel like it... Let's start from the beginning, shall we?

Deviled Eggs!

Yes... deviled eggs, are a tradition on hubby's Family Thanksgiving Dinner! Auntie Amy (hubby's auntie) lived in Texas for a long while, so there's always some "Southern Flair" in her kitchen, and Thanksgiving is no exception! so she incorporated "Deviled Eggs" to the Menu and so did I to continue with hubby's family tradition:

I've never really taken a good picture of them because as soon as they're out... they just disappear!

Auntie Amy's Deviled Eggs

9 hard boiled eggs
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup salsa (Auntie Amy and I use Newman's Own All Natural Chunky Salsa)
2 tbsp. finely chopped green onions
2 tbsp. sour cream
salt and black pepper to taste
Cayenne Pepper (to taste)

Directions: Remove the yellow of the hard boiled eggs, mash it and mix it with the rest of the ingredients (except for the cayenne pepper), fill the whites of the eggs with the mixture and sprinkle with cayenne pepper if desired.

Now... I am sure all of you know how to make "hard boiled eggs" but just in case, I am going to share with you my method to make them AND most importantly to avoid the "grayish" look around the yellow of the egg, it just doesn't look pretty when it's not a perfect bright yellow and there's this gray/greenish look around it... so... here it is:

Place the eggs in a  medium sauce pan with enough cold water to cover them perfectly (or a bigger pan if you have too many eggs), turn on the heat to medium, as soon as the water reaches the roll-boil point set the timer to 5 minutes, after those 5 minutes immediately remove your eggs and place them in icy cold water. Remove the shell right after they're cold enough to handle. (crack on both ends and then roll them with your hand open over a hard smooth surface putting some pressure to completely "crush" the shell, now you can easily remove the shell without "damaging" the egg). Enjoy!

Buy beautiful deviled egg platter in Amazon

 © Paloma K.

Disclaimer: This link contains affiliate links

Tuesday of Quotes - Entertaining vs Hospitality!

Hello dear friends! How are you doing? It's been busy here! I've been focusing a lot on my exercise/dieting and just trying to have my priorities in order... I often say God is first, my family is second... but... how does that reflect on my actions? Is it really showing? I think many times it isn't ... and I end up doing it all backwards! I'll continue to blog! I really love it! It's a great way for me to express myself and connect with others! In this time and day when communication seems to be at the reach of everyone and it's just impossible to not be in touch with the world... it seems we're actually losing really contact and face to face relationships... but I won't talk about that for now... I think that's a topic many have already discussed! I guess what I am saying is: Be patient if it takes me a bit to get back to you! You know me by now I hope and know that I love commenting on blogs and replying to your comments and posts! It'll just take me a bit longer, ok?

Now... to my topic of the day... On Tuesdays I usually post Famous or Interesting Quotes... Today won't be an exception... But since I've been talking about Thanksgiving and how to make it enjoyable even for the host/hostess I thought my quotes would be directed to hospitality! Remember... Being hospitable is not the same as being an "Entertainer" ... My friend, and pastor's wife, Gay shared once: "Entertaining! Just the word sounds intimidating! it's a big responsibility to think of keeping others entertained! And makes you feel stressed out" ... Very true! But being hospitable... is out of love, it's warm and caring! It's doing your best out of caring for those that come into your home, sharing what you have with others, in a peaceful environment and atmosphere! I aim for the second! So if you are looking for advice on how to be a good entertainer... you can find that on Martha Stewart's page! She is really great! isn't she? And I don't think there's anything wrong with it... But being Hospitable... now that's something I strive for! I hope others can say about me that they felt welcome in my home, that they felt comfortable and cared for!  I hope they feel like they can take their shoes off because it's like their own home and not because they'll fear ruining my carpet! If you've been reading my previous posts on my "Thanksgiving series" you'll see that I talk a lot about being thankful and attitude... hopefully this Thanksgiving you'll work towards being hospitable and not worry about being the best entertainer... It will take a burden off your shoulders and I am sure EVERYONE, including YOU, will enjoy the holidays that much more!

In Mexico we say "Where one eats, two can eat!"

With my Auntie Amy! Getting ready to start serving!

 

Great memories from Thanksgiving 2011

Receiving the New Year 2009 with family and friends in Mexico! Hospitality has no language barriers! Look at my gringo there!

So... let's see some quotes on the subject, shall we?

“Eating, and hospitality in general, is a communion, and any meal worth attending by yourself is improved by the multiples of those with whom it is shared.” - Jesse Browner

 “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling (1 Peter 4:8-9).”

 "Planning a dinner party in a way that you're actually capable of getting it done without panicking is important. It's bad hospitality for the host to be freaked out." -  Ted Allen

  

"It is meant to offer an experience of hospitality, just as I believe that God extends to human beings a divine and inexhaustible welcome: the door is always open, the table always set, the arms flung wide, outstretched. " - Jane Redmont in When in Doubt, Sing

 

 "Do not forget to entertain strangers,. for by so doing some people have. entertained angels without knowing it." Hebrews 13:2 

 

Any thoughts of your own that you'd like to share? Please do! Hopefully this post helps you if you've also fallen pray to the "standards of perfection" that we feel we must reach to be an "entertainer" ... relax and be hospitable! do your best, yes... but not Martha Stewart's or Pinterest best! Do everything with love and it'll be ok! 

 

 © Paloma K.

Thanksgiving Made Simple - Part II

Hello everybody! First of all let me tell you that I've been really busy, just with great stuff, with my girls, friends, Bible Study, etc... Yesterday we even went to a Pumpkin Patch/Farm ... it's Texas so it's more like a "Texan Ranch" ... I miss Wisconsin all the time but fall... well... fall makes me even more nostalgic! Yesterday we reached 90 degrees outside with over 90% humidity! So you can imagine it didn't have a "Fall" feel! but we still had lots of fun!

 So, that was that... Now... I want to remind you of our Coffee Friday Party tomorrow! We are in for a treat! Our featured blogger has prepared a great post and just a delicious cup of coffee to share with us! Make sure you mention coffee somewhere in your posts this week and also, remember to make sure your post links back to us, just add a link to "The Coffee Shop" or if you want to you can add the Coffee Friday Party Button that appears on my right sidebar! just grab the html code and paste it in your post.

Now... I will continue to share my "Thanksgiving Ideas and Tips" for an enjoyable Thanksgiving Dinner! You can host it! Trust me! It's all good! The host/hostess deserves to enjoy Thanksgiving too and not just be "Thankful" when "everything is over! If you missed the First Posts of this series click here and if you want to see my Thanksgiving "Menu Idea" click here

Grandma' Huebschen ... A "Thanksgiving Expert" ... Such a beautiful Lady!

 6. Be Thankful! - Ok... I know that was my first point in the previous "Thanksgiving Post" but I feel I can never say this enough (even for myself)! Focus on what you're thankful for and have the right attitude about it! Instead of worrying about the dishes to wash, thank God for having food that allows you to have those dirty dishes, Thank Him for the running water in your sink! Don't take it for granted! Thank God for the kitchen you have where you can prepare a meal instead of focusing on the "counters you'd love to replace" or stress over the "appliances you'd love to have" ... I find it very interesting that the more people have the more stressed and even depressed they seem to be... we're not "entitled" to all these blessings! God is Good... and yes, bad things happen, I don't know the exact situation and circumstances you're going through... but don't blame Him for the bad... we live in a corrupted world! He is not the source of evil, death and disease, but He is good and even in a bad world, we can enjoy all kinds of Blessings because of Him! ... when we go through something like a "party or holiday" it's weird that instead of enjoying it, it seems to cause us "pain"... just have fun with it! do your best.. and like Beth Moore would say (I got this from her Bible Study "on James") "Do only what Blesses and not what Burdens" ... so true! Don't try to live up to Martha Stewart's standards... just try to enjoy your family, enjoy food, enjoy the fellowship and His goodness.

7. Make Room! - Start getting things organized in your fridge/freezer ahead of time... I don't know about you but I have a crazy, weird refrigerator! LOL! ... I live in an apartment so I don't have an extra freezer or anything to store! So... I know I'll have to keep my fridge pretty empty and organized so I can have room to store leftovers and also for the things I am making ahead of time that will need to be refrigerated (pies, sauces, etc.) ... If that's your case, make sure you don't go "grocery shopping" right before Thanksgiving and then you find out you don't have room to store prepared meals, etc.

8. Don't reinvent the wheel - I'd recommend you to not try new recipes for your Dinner! ... If you have the time and there's a really great recipe you'd love to try (like the ones you can always find here at "The Coffee Shop") then I'd suggest you to try making them ahead of time to make sure they are what you expect and so you can check how long it takes *you* to make it. That way if it doesn't really 'work' for you then it isn't that big of a loss.

9. Only what you enjoy - If you don't like sweet potatoes (like me) or Pumpkin Pie even! Don't include them! Do only what you know everyone will enjoy and don't stress about it! I know they are like "must haves" but ... they really aren't... Maybe with the "time you save" from not making it you can focus on perfecting those dishes you know everyone loves!

10. Wear comfortable Shoes! - LOL! If you have never hosted Thanksgiving or if you've never enjoyed it before and you've decided to do it for the first time or to finally enjoy it too... Then ... Make sure you're wearing comfortable shoes! I know you want to look good but make sure you're comfortable... throw those high heels in the closet, at least while you're prepping and cooking it all... You can put them on when you join everybody too eat, etc.

11. Go to bed early the night before - When I know something is going to happen here at home (holiday/party/people over, etc.) I try to enjoy a relaxing time the night before and get a good night of sleep to be refreshed in the morning. I enjoy a piece of dessert, watch a funny (nothing stressful) movie or show and then just go to bed.

12. Let people help you! - I have very little ones... But if you have older kids, let them help you! I must
admit I am a very controlling person and I feel like "if I don't do it, it won't be right" but ... if your older kids and/or friends want to help, be specific and tell them what they can do! Prepare ahead of time a list of things that others could do! that are easy but time consuming.  On my first thanksgiving I had my SIL peel the hard eggs for the deviled eggs and my sister I think I had her watch my girls! I can't do it all! And I don't have to! I am sure I am not the only one!


There are many more tips coming... some great ones... trust me! But I have to stop for now... so you can actually (and hopefully) read it!

I hope you're taking note on these very simple things that will make sure YOU, THE HOST/HOSTESS, will enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving as well!

 © Paloma K.

Thanksgiving Made Simple - Tips to make it enjoyable for the hostess too!! - Part I

Hello friends! I haven't forgotten about you! It's just that I've been pretty busy! WIth my girls, with church, cooking and baking! I even participated in a small (but very funny) skit in our "Ladies Bible Study" in church... So I thought I would share a pic with you:

I am the one with the crazy hat!

As I said... I will be dedicating my posts to fall! this includes: Soups, Desserts and all fall recipes... But also Thanksgiving... That's an important part of fall... isn't it? I already shared with you my basic Thanksgiving Menu , some ideas for Fall Decorations and even talked to you about fall and shared some beautiful Fall Quotes that I hope have inspired you to embrace autumn, its colors, cooler temperatures and just festive feel to it!

Today I just want to let you know that YOU can do your own Thanksgiving Dinner! Honestly... It is not as hard as it might seem! The most important thing about it is not to aim for perfection but for a good time! have fun cooking! It's about being thankful and sharing with the family so... before I start sharing my recipes for that special Occasion I am going to share with you some of my very own tips for you to enjoy Thanksgiving and not just try to "get it all over with!"

1. Be Thankful! ... But truly thankful! A grateful heart really doesn't find much time to complain! I suggest you to start thinking about those things that you're really thankful for... If you can write 100 items in your list that would be awesome! Exercise thankfulness everyday! Start with it each morning! Honestly most people don't appreciate what they have, take it for granted or feel entitled to it! When actually every perfect gift comes from above! Directly from God.

2. Make a list/Start shopping - I shared my menu with you... You can do the same, plan your menu, create your grocery shopping list, and each week (from now) you can start adding "Thanksgiving Items" to your cart! This not only will help you have everything you need in hand with time, but it will also avoid you a "long time" in the store to buy the stuff for your Dinner, it will be very nice for your pocket too because you will not feel the "expense" all at once. There are things you can buy and store, especially pantry items!

3. Make things ahead! There are things that you can probably prepare ahead of time! Like cookies, which can most of the time be frozen and stay good for even a few weeks! Even pie crusts! You can make the dough, freeze it and then just thaw and roll it out to make the pies one day before "The Big Day"

4. From Scratch? Not necessarily! Yes, we all want to make it all from scratch! I do make my Turkey, Cookies and Pies mostly from Scratch... But... I buy Gravy from jars! Just buy a good quality gravy, according to Serious Eats (Taste Test) the best jarred Gravy is from Heinz and Campbell's was the runner up! You can also buy frozen pie crusts if you want! I mean... any "aid" is valid... you are still MAKING Dinner... you're not killing the turkey either, are you? So... it's ok to have some "help".

5. Create a schedule: Ok... you have done your shopping, you know what you'll bake, you even have some cookies in the freezer, now what? Make a schedule! What needs to go first to the oven? What needs to go later? How many hours is the turkey going to be in the oven? -this depends on the pounds of your turkey- Last time (My first time hosting Thanksgiving) was a total success, I had the ideas and tips from hubby's family and  I wasn't going to try to re-invent the wheel! Here is a chart that will show you the "Turkey Roasting Times" - per pound! (in a preheated oven at 325F)

Now... if you use an "Oven Bag" (which I highly recommend) the baking time will be reduced significantly! For example: A 20-24 pounds Un-stuffed Turkey will bake for 3 to 3 1/2 hours at 350 F. Remember that the internal temperature of a turkey should reach 180 F, when you use an oven bag you don't need to add water or keep basting the bird while baking! You just need to season and add 1 tbsp. of flour to the bag! I season the bird with paprika (this will add a beautiful color because when baking in an oven bag it doesn't get that brownish/reddish color on its own), salt and pepper and just add some fresh herbs in the cavity of the bird! You can rub it with dry thyme too!

Cooked to perfection! Juicy and delicious!

Last time when I baked my turkey I got it in the oven at 11 in the morning! You have to remember that you need to allow it to rest for about 45 minutes before carving so the liquids redistribute and the meat is not dry!

You will see! This all seems like a lot of work but I am trying to help you with it! Trust me! You got this! You can do it! It's not that hard! I will be sharing more tips in the following days! For now I will let you chew on all this! Making the Thanksgiving Dinner can not only be enjoyable but also can help you create tons of beautiful memories (and not bitter ones that you just want to forget!)

Don't forget our "Coffee Friday" this week! Hopefully you've mentioned coffee in any of your posts of the week so you can link up!

Let's make Thanksgiving TOGETHER! Bookmark it for easy access and share, pin or tweet it... especially if you know friends would benefit from it!

 © Paloma K.

Happy Monday, right? at least joyous!

Hello friends! Ready for another Happy Monday? I know life gives us lemons and we can't always make lemonade with them but at least let's not rub those lemons on our eyes! I read something like that in a book once and it's so true... Yes... many times we have bad moments in life... and it's not easy to be laughing all the time... but hey! do we have to keep pondering and dwelling over the bad things that happen? Sometimes we rub those lemons and squeeze their juice into our wounds! Trust me... it's not that easy for me to wish you a Happy Monday right now... I've been dealing with some sad thoughts lately (yes... me... the happy girl! LOL!) I heard the news (totally by mistake) the other day... and they said horrible stuff that left me pretty shaken... I am still sooo disturbed inside of me... but I know I need to either do something about it and move on or just keep those sad thought and stay passive to all this pain... what am I going to do? I still don't know... I know I need to share the Good News of Salvation even more... I haven't been doing that... I need to spend more time praying and reading the Word of God... and at the same time I need to take some action... where to start? With two little ones I feel like my time is pretty consumed... maybe blogging about stuff? hopefully reaching others somehow... I don't know! I am shaken... wondering! and thinking even about adoption.. but is all this pain ever going to end? I have nightmares and fears and I wish I could protect not only my girls more but all children in the world... even from their own parents... ok... I am ranting now... you can probably deduct the news I heard involved children... and abuse... and it sickens me... ok... not a very happy Monday post I guess... what can we do? What can you do? -sigh- Let's try to live better, raise our children better, to care for others, to love one another, to stand for what's right, to not look the other way... to live for God...

Ok ... I know we can't be happy/giggly all the time... we live in a sad world ... people suffering all around us and it would be dumb to just be laughing 24/7 like we don't care... but we can still have joy... in the midst of it... choose to teach our kids better and to enjoy the time we have with them and/or with those we love, choose to have joy because we trust in the One that doesn't change... no matter how crazy this world gets... anyway... sorry for ranting here...I probably didn't make much sense... Thank you for reading!

Psalm 33:20 
Our soul waits for the Lord;
    he is our help and our shield.
²¹ For our heart is glad in him,
    because we trust in his holy name.
²² Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
    even as we hope in you.

© Paloma K.

Tuesday of Quotes - ON Change!

Hello friends! It's been really busy here and at the same time not so much! Yesterday I (well... my two girls and I) took a very long (and very much needed) afternoon nap! It was very much "not planned" so I got behind on a lot of things! But I am very happy I could rest so peacefully!

I will come back and try to get more done around here... Plus tweeting more on your articles and sharing with the world about your blog posts! :)

BTW... I miss Tara from Nowhere to Go but Crazy anybody seen her? She hasn't stopped by the Coffee Shop lately... mmm... I think I'll have to go and comment on her blog too! It's not like I've been doing great with that!

So... anyway.. Today I'll take the girls to the Splash-Pad... I'll have to protect myself from the sun because it seems I've developed some over-sensitivity to the sun! I get this "allergic reaction" every time I am exposed to the sun... and IT BURNS! So... -sigh- I have to protect myself from that!

Now... some of my usual Tuesday quotes... This time they'll be about CHANGE! I hope you enjoy them!

 --------

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” - Leo Tolstoy


"The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” - Albert Einstein

“They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.” - Andy Warhol


“And that is how change happens. One gesture. One person. One moment at a time.” - Libba Bray, The Sweet Far Thing

 “We are taught you must blame your father, your sisters, your brothers, the school, the teachers - but never blame yourself. It's never your fault. But it's always your fault, because if you wanted to change you're the one who has got to change.” - Katharine Hepburn, Me: Stories of My Life 

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” ― Mother Teresa 

ouch!!! Right?

 
 Very insightful quotes (to say the least) ... I know I need to do some changes in MY LIFE... there is always something to improve! To get rid of! To modify!

Some of the things I need to change/improve:

- Consistency! I need to be consistent with my work here at home, my discipline for my kids and the homeschooling for my almost 4 yr. old

- Diet/Exercising: (More consistency issues) I have been lazy with that lately! It needs to change! No more excuses!

- Sleeping Habits: I need to go to bed earlier... to wake up earlier be able to get blogging things done and exercise first thing in the morning so I don't take time from the girls and my house responsibilities.

- My Bible reading/Prayer Time: So many times I try to do things on my very own... when I know I've been doing bad in my time with God... everything else falls apart too! Lord... help me do your will... Forgive me for not talking to you and reading your Word everyday... I need you!

Those are some that come to mind right now! I have to start... TODAY! :) Change is painful, hard to embrace... but very necessary! Is there something you need to change too Are you with me? would you like to share?
 
© Paloma K.

Happy Monday... it definitely is!

How can it be any other way? Yes... today is a Happy Monday... because just like the sun raises every morning... His mercies are new each day! :) Happy Monday! YES....

Look what I saw when I woke up:

♥

Yes... Happy Monday... I am beautiful and I am loved :) ... My hubby is awesome! ♥  I am so thankful!

Have a great start of the week! Thanks to those who joined coffee Friday... also! It made my day to see my friend Diana from A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa link up!!! YAY! She brought an amazing recipe! I am going to make these:

Mini, Sweet Cherry Cardamom Pies

 For the recipe click here

Hopefully more and more people will continue to join!  Remember you just need to "add coffee" to your post (just by mentioning the word coffee, even if it's not the main topic and linking back to us you can link up to our Coffee Party)

Happy Monday everyone!

© Paloma K.

Happy Monday and a Movie opinion

Good Monday everybody! How was your weekend? I enjoyed my mom and sister's visit from Mexico... they arrived on Wednesday night and left yesterday morning... The days passed tooooo fast! But I was very happy to enjoy them for those days!

I also went to a "Sip and See" party for my friend Sheri and her new baby Johanna! We had a lot of fun  welcoming Johanna and here's a picture of me, Johanna and her mommy, my friend Sheri.

Then... yesterday we were going to watch "Machine Gun Preacher" and even when the name already raised some red flags we heard it was a movie based on a true story and that it was supposed to be inspirational and convicting... so we rented it... but let me just say I highly discourage you to get it... My dad used to say "would you eat garbage and justify you ate it because there was 'something good' in the middle of it?" and that movie has a lot of garbage to probably get something good out of it... we couldn't watch past the 4th minute and I think watching 4 minutes is watching too much! It is not worth it.

To get a good message or be convicted of something we don't need to get our minds filled with obscenity and swearing! ... so... I suggest do not watch it!


Now... after the busy days we had things will go back to some normalcy... Although I am getting involved with more things at church... BUT I will try to do what I always do and comment back on your blogs if you comment here! :) Plus I'll try to visit some extra friends that might not comment as often but they are always on my mind too! :)

Remember to start your week with a positive, thankful attitude! Focus on your blessings, count them and Praise the Source of every good gift! ...

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." James 1:17

In this crazy hectic life it is good to know that there is SOMEONE that never changes! Everybody and everything can change... but He is the same... the One who Was, who Is and who will always BE!

So... ready to embrace your week? What are your projects for the next few days?

I have some calls to make and things to organize... Laundry to put away and stuff like that...

Let's see... I am getting random here... anything else? mmmm Well... have a good week! I'll get to visiting some blogs and paying some visits back! ... 
 

© Paloma K.

Tuesday of Quotes/Inspirational Thoughts - Change!

So... we all fear change if just a little bit... sometimes... the uncertain and unknown can make us feel anxious... even when the change is good and needed... Even if it's weight loss, marriage, anything... Reading other bloggers I've realized we are all (or many) going through changes so I thought it would be adequate to get some quotes about change... and our attitude towards it:

"A year from now you will wish you had started today.” -Karen Lamb

“You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.” -Wayne Gretzy

“Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.” -C.S. Lewis

 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6

So I hope these quotes inspire you to move forward, to let go or to start whatever you've been postponing :)

Is there anything you are going through you'd like to share? Anything that seems to hard? I am here... you know? I know I might not know you well or anything but I can listen (or read) you can share with us... or with me by e-mail... if there is anything you'd even like me to pray for I'd be happy to!

Tune in tomorrow... I have some great recipes I'll be sharing! ;)

© Paloma K.

Happy and encouraging Monday!

Found this on FB and I thought it would be perfect for a Monday (just like my friend whom I stole it from did!)

So... shall we??? Let's do it! Tons of things to do! And they are way better than sitting in front of a computer... let's go!

© Paloma K.