Happy Thanksgiving...November 23, 2010.

A Thanksgiving Remembrance.....


We will be going to Schenectady, New York for the Thanksgiving holiday this year. I was born and raised there. My mom, daughter, brother, sister in law, a niece, two nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends etc. all live there. My husband and I moved away about 10 years ago.


This is Proctors Theatre.....I watched cartoons, my daughter graduate, plays, and Broadway musicals here.

For me...it is home. I understand my home is where I live but in my head Schenectady is MY HOME. I have good childhood memories there. Maybe a few bad ones too! It was the beginning of me. Over the years I have changed alot. I am not the same person who lived there ten years ago. My being has changed......transformed really.

As a child, Thanksgiving seemed to kick off the holiday season. My mom cooked for days... making a feast for the pilgrims at her table. The tablecloth got washed and pressed. The china, silver and crystal was cleaned and polished. We spend hours cleaning house and making pies. It was not fun! It was work!!!!!

As time moved on and I had a child I understood the meaning of why my mom did it. Traditions! So now, as I am making food to bring to Schenectady I think back, fondly, of our past Thanksgivings.
I love that I get to spend time with my family. I look forward to Black Friday shopping with my daughter and her boyfriend, to seeing my nephew who is attending John Hopkins, having coffee with my brother and sister in law, visiting with my youngest nephew and his sister. It is not a chore cooking...I am enjoying every minute of it.

This is our favorite Italian eatery!

This was taken last year...

In the picture is my Dad (he passed 4/18/2010), my mom, nephew Michael, and my husband.

Not too far is this Indian statue in the Stockade part of Schenectady.

This is a picture of the Union College Library. Union is well known for Civil Engineers.

Officially chartered in 1795, Union can trace its beginnings to 1779.

Union has produced many graduates who had (and continue to have) distinguished careers in government and public service. John C. Spencer (1806), Secretary of War and Secretary of the Treasury; William H. Seward (1820), Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln, Governor of New York, and architect of the Alaska Purchase from Russia; Chester A. Arthur (1848), 21st President of the United States; and Neil Abercrombie (1959), United States Representative from Hawaii, are some of the alumni in this sphere.

Another Historical person in Schenectady!

Anyway...

I do call Schenectady home! My Home Sweet Home! I didn't show you everything about Schenectady but here is a cute song I found about my hometown.

A Song about Schenectady!

Where is home for you? I'd love to hear about your hometown!

I Hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving with family and friends. My Our Lord abundantly Bless each and every one of you. May He wrap His arms around your lives and fill it only as He can. May He bring Peace and Love into your homes during this holiday season. May He keep pursuing you until you are His.  I ask this in His Holy Name! AMEN!


Blessings My Friends,

Houston will never be the same......

Hi Everyone,

 We bought a new home in Houston! I  do have a picture and I am dying to share it with you. I am super excited! We will be moving after the closing on the 17 or 18th of December. You have to understand, we will be driving with 3 dogs, a bird and a race car! I have always joked about owning a "zoo" and we will be a traveling one at that!We hope to arrive in Houston on the 22nd. I hope to take pictures as we make our way there and blog later. I am terrible about taking pictures but I will beg my husband to remind me.

The week went extremely fast. I looked at 45 houses with a fabulous Zip Realty agent named Susan Collins. She did an excellent job(more about that in another blog). We are glad to be back in Buffalo after a very fast paced week.

Anyway here is our home!

I am amazed at the flowers and trees in bloom. The weather was fantastic but then again remember we come from Buffalo, New York. In fairness to Buffalo, the weather has been warm here too!

Our backyard!

I am excited about this.....I can see tablescapes in my head already!
My brain has been working overtime.....ll!

We have never owned a pool.

I am going to leave the rest a secret, until we get all moved in. So keep coming back to check and see what I have posted. I am disappointed that we won't be decorating for Christmas but there will be next year! I can't wait.....

I feel truly blessed at what God has done for us...even though things are difficult, I know everything will work out.

Welcome to Tablescape Thursday.....

I would like to thank Susan at Between Naps On The Porch for hosting this weekly event!

My tablescape is not my own but a restaurant we went to in Houston that was wonderful!

Perry's Restaurant Steakhouse & Grille.
 

The glasses were cobalt blue and stunning with the white dishes and brown napkins!

I thought the lighting fixtures were pretty too!

The back wall is all different old wine bottles.

This is the room we ate in. The glass decanters and vases glistened in the light and were so beautiful.

Just a little peek at our visit to Houston.

Hopefully I can show you more as I discover Houston's attractions.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

I am grateful for your comments and encouraging words.

Remember we owe it all to the one who created us!

In His name I pray for each of you,

Blessings my friends,

Tablescape Thursday

Hi Everyone!
I have been so busy getting ready for our move and our Halloween dinner that I forgot to post! I probably will be sporadic in the next few weeks. We sold our house and are going to Houston on Sunday to buy a house! I am excited but a little nervous too. After all we are moving across country.....I expect a whole different culture.
We have gone online and picked out houses to look at in Sugar land, Pear land, Houston, Humble and Katy. They all have pools!
 I have visited Houston a few times, and have stayed at the Hilton downtown. It was very nice. We know that God has something wonderful for us. Please pray for our safe travel. In my next few posts, I will keep you posted on our journey to Texas.


Now let's get to the good stuff!!!!!!
Tablescape Thursday........Thank you to our host, Susan at BNOTP!
Please be sure to visit as many tablescapes as you can and leave a comment so we know you have visited. I even visit when I don't post! I just love to look at what everyone is up too!


I started a tradition many years ago and when we moved Buffalo I just continued it. I host a dinner on Halloween night for my neighbors! They can come and go and do not have to worry about making dinner. Everyone one loves it! They can eat and leave to go trick or treating. Some years it's elaborate other years it's very simple!
This year we had an over abundance of food, but no one complained!
                                                                            
                                      The Menu
 
Spinach & artichoke dip with bread rounds
Guacamole dip with tortilla chips
Cheese & crackers
Buffalo Chicken Wings - the first wings were made here!


Chili & corn bread
Pecan & cranberry green salad
Beef on weck - a biggie here too!

I didn't take any pictures of the food or guests! I forgot! Shame on me...I just can't remember to take pictures to share with you. Sorry.

                                  We are in the kitchen.

I didn't have enough blue chargers so I used red ones on the heads of the table. They also have different placemats.

                            Which one do you like better????

                  The glass blue chargers came from Goodwill.

The white plates came from Goodwill. I bought 8 dinner and 8 dessert. I love the pleated pattern.

                  The bowls are Yorktowne. My everyday set.

               The blue salad bowls my mom gave me years ago.

                     Here is the red charger from Hobby Lobby.

You have seen this centerpeice before. Since we were eating dinner I used a low centerpeice.

               
                  Halloween candle holder is from Goodwill. I bought 2.
                  I bought pumkin spice candles from Walmart....

The glasses are simple, my everyday set.

This is the centerpeice on my island. My brother and sister in law gave me this cake plate for Christmas one year.

Same peice without the dome top so you could see the plate. My brother sold Avon when in college and gave me this plate. I love it!

The wreath came from The Christmas Tree Store....I will miss it dearly! My neighbor Mel, gave me the apple years ago.

Well...This is my tablescape for this week! Thank you so much for visiting! Please come again......


BLESSINGS my friends,