**Happy Holidays**

It's been awhile since my last posting! I hope everyone enjoyed thier Thanksgiving!! I know that I did, and probably gained a few pounds (as most of us did), lol. I am curious to know what are some of your rituals for Thanksgiving? Does your family have traditions where you cook the same thing every year? Who cooks what?

As per our family, we tend to cook the same thing every year. We do a turkey, candid yams, corn caserole, string bean caserole, mashed potatoes, 2 kinds of stuffings, mac n cheese, and rice and beans...trying to think of anything else I left out?!? I think that;s the majority of it. This year was the very FIRST year that I made the candid yams all by myself :) Proud of that dish, lol! My sister is the cook of the house, so for me...this was a accomplishment!!

My Mom decided to add a ham this year, which we have never done before. It was soooo YUMMY!!

It's now December, I can hardly believe it. Time has flown by. Still NO snow yet...but I will never complain about that! I HATE the snow and being cold. So I usually dread this time of year, but as of yet...the ONLY thing that has fallen from the sky is rain, which I like :)

I just wanted to do a quick update and WISH everyone a very very blessed HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Also, this is a time where you should try and reach out to someone less than fortunate than yourself. If you have a home or a aprtment to go to, or running water, clothes and shoes...then consider yourself VERY lucky. There are many many homeless people out there on the streets, some with young children. There are men, women, and children fighting the battle of thier life, cancer. Let us not forget about them. If you have time in your day to vlunteer and help with charities, go out and look for one that interests you. I know growing up, my parents had my sister and I partake in many charities, such as Toys for Tots where we brought in and gift wrapped each present for children. We also rang the bells in the freezing cold for the Salvation Army. I am blessed that my parents had my sister and I do these things because of that, I am now able to pass these things onto my kids. My son who is 6 years old was given $3, he saw a man ringing the bell for Salvation Army and gave $1 to the man. This made me feel proud that my son was willing to give up $1 (to him that was a BIG deal, because he does not know the value of money clearly yet, and those 3 bucks were somethign BIG to him). So little things like that, helps. If you cant find the time to donate your time to, then donate 1 DOLLAR to the Salvation Army, or buy a gift (does not have to be big), and drop if off at a Toys for Tots location in your area. I stress this, because we should not only do these sorts of thigns during the holidays, but again...the holidays are supposed to be filled with lots of love and family. Why not make a person's life brighter. I know how I feel when I give back what I can, you will feel good as well. Promise!! :)

So as we go out and shop around for presents this year, or as we stand in line at the grocery store, let us NOT forget about those who are less fortunate and try to give back what each of us can! This is our world we live in, we are all one.

Again, HAPPY HOLIDAYS and make someone's life a little brighter!! Xoxo

Courtney