A Mom's Year

Creating a comfortable life one moment at a time

Thanksgiving Blessings Mix

Today was Lily’s Special Day at school so she got to bring treats. This time of year, our go-to snack is the Thanksgiving Blessings mix. We first came across it when Andrew was in preschool with Mrs. King—at the same school his great-grandmother attended years before. I loved Mrs. King because she told me that she, too, often felt like backing quietly out of the room during “free-play” time. As a new mother, it made me feel better to know that even those who have chosen to spend their lives with toddlers sometimes want to avoid them.

Lily also had to write a few sentences about what she was thankful for to share with the class. Her list had all the classic elements: family, friends, food, toys, and water. She didn’t specifically name Pillow Pets and nachos, but I know those are what she’s most thankful for.

I doubled the recipe and had more than enough 1/2-cup servings to fill 20 snack-sized baggies. You could use much nicer bags and ribbons if you wanted to (brown paper or cellophane), but this simple version works fine, too.

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Bite-Sized Pumpkin Pies

{ image by Sara Westbrook }

Aren’t these tiny pumpkin tartlets a brilliant idea? The ladies at One Charming Party created them with kids in mind, but I think they’d be perfect for those of us who must have pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, but don’t pace ourselves very well during dinner.

We’re always in charge of bringing two pumpkin pies to Thanksgiving dinner, so I think what I’ll do is make one pie and then fill up as many tart shells as I can with what’s left. I’m assuming that I’ll be able to find shells like the ones pictured here, but I might have to improvise. What would you use?

Thanksgiving Tradition: Homemade Butter

We’ve been making homemade butter for Thanksgiving since Andrew was a wee lad. It’s super easy—all you need is a pint of heavy whipping cream, a dash of salt, a mason jar (or any container that has a very tight seal), and three marbles. Pour the whipping cream into the mason jar, add the marbles and a dash of salt, put the lid on tightly, and start shaking. Shake until your arms get tired, then pass the jar on to the next person. Imagine yourself as a pioneer and enjoy the feeling of rugged self-sufficiency. Watch as the cream gets frothy, then sort of thick and liquid-y, and then finally forms into a firm chunk.

Open the jar, scoop out the butter, and spoon it into a ramekin or small bowl. Smooth out the top and place the butter in the refrigerator to firm up a little more. Serve with warm rolls for Thanksgiving dinner.

On Veterans Day

{ at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.}

Today Lexie will read an essay she wrote about being a good citizen at the Veterans Day assembly at school. I’m proud of Lexie, of course, but more than anything I find myself feeling grateful to her. My father’s experiences during the Vietnam War cast a long shadow over my family and he rarely talks about his experiences there. But today my daughter will stand in front of a crowd of soldiers, past and present, and speak her words and my father will stand and say when and where he served. And once again I will be amazed by moments of grace such as these that can turn darkness into light.

Setting the Tone for the Holidays

Christmas can be nuts. As my husband points out, I try to do a year’s worth of activity in four weeks. But what could I cut out? I love the traditions, the gift-making, the shopping, the baking, the parties, the concerts. So my only hope for as little stress as possible is to have a good plan in place and start chipping away at my to-do list before things get too crazy.

Before we do anything else, let’s take a moment to do a little mental exercise to set the tone for the holidays. Sit down (preferably with a cup of coffee or tea) and imagine what your ideal Christmas would be like. (Ideal meaning pleasant, not perfect, of course.) Think of words that describe the mood you’d like to set. Here’s what popped into my head: joyful, holy, meaningful, fun, peaceful, cozy. How about you?

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