Penny's Passion: November 2019

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Friday Favorites Linky Party - November 29, 2019

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Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Turkey Day!


Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday!  Today I'm thinking about how very thankful I am to all of you who pop in my little corning of the internet.  Writing this blog and reading your comments brings me much joy and I am truly thankful for you.

Today I'm thinking out loud about an opportunity I had earlier in the week to volunteer for Foodbank and hand out 1,000 Thanksgiving dinners to families in need.  I've been so fortunate in my life and need to remember that others struggle to meet the basic necessity of feeding their families.  



As we gather with family and friends this holiday to give thanks, let's remember those less fortunate and make a small gesture to assist those who need help.  I received the below email from Foodbank and would like to share it with you ~

In a few days, I will gather with friends and family to sit around a table, give thanks, and enjoy a wonderful meal. Isn’t that what Thanksgiving’s all about?

Meals are often the heart of holiday memories. But for the thousands of families facing hunger in Missouri and Illinois, the tables might be empty.

Please consider donating to the St. Louis Area Foodbank to help fill the tables for our neighbors in need. Just a $25 donation will provide 100 Thanksgiving meals to local families. [stlfoodbank.us7.list-manage.com] If you have already made your gift this Thanksgiving season, I am grateful for your kind and generous support.
No matter how you choose to make a difference, know you are helping give what matters this holiday season: a meal on every table.
I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Feel free to link up and share what's on your mind today.  I love hearing from you!


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Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - November 27, 2019

Welcome!

Welcome to the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop where we enjoy linking up posts about recipes, crafts, DIY, everyday life and more.  The party starts every Tuesday at 7:00 pm EST.  Come and join!! #wwbloghop


Our hosts just want to say THANK YOU to all those who contributed to last week's party and WELCOME to all the new bloggers who have joined our weekly blog hop. Please invite your blog friends and social network to join us.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

All the co-hosts would love to wish everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving. Eat what you want, enjoy all the family time and if you are heading out for Black Friday sales, be safe!!

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Editors Choice



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Thanks to our co-hosts who share our party on their blogs every week ♥ Please follow them and share our party, too?
Welcome to the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop where we enjoy linking up posts about recipes, crafts, DIY, everyday life and more. The party starts every Tuesday at 7:00 pm EST. Come and join!! #wwbloghop

  • Please TWEET our party
  • Add as many of your family-friendly posts as you would like to. No Etsy shops, adult sites or blog parties, please.
  • Visit others. Let them know you stopped by!
  • If you are NEW to Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop, let us know in the comments so that we can follow you back. ♥ Help us find your posts – tell us the title.
  • NOTE: party entries appear in REVERSE. i.e. the most recent entry goes to the top! That way all of our guests will have a really good chance to be seen no matter when they arrive.
  • Thanks! ♥
So, now, let’s get this party started!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter

Monday, November 25, 2019

Weekending - November 22, 2019

Dear Monday - you are here way too fast!  Is everyone ready for this Thanksgiving week?  Wish I could say I was a bit more ready than I am, but the truth is I spent the weekend doing some really fun things and I wouldn't trade the time I spent with my husband and my friends for anything.  Here's how the weekend went down ~

Friday night Eric and I had a date night - a very late date night.  We wanted to see A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood and there were only tickets left for the 10:00 pm show.  Soooooo, we hung out at the house and did some chores before heading to the theater.


We both loved the movie and despite seeing it in the middle of the night late, we were thoroughly entertained and stayed awake through the whole thing.  The movie was based around writer Lloyd Vogel's Esquire article on Fred Rogers.  It takes about 5 minutes to realize that Tom Hanks is really the supporting actor to Matthew Rhys, playing the disgruntled journalist, who leads in this drama.  If you haven't seen it, put it on your list!

Saturday morning bright and early I ventured to Jefferson City to spend the day with a few of my sorority sisters.  Girlfriend time is the best!  Soon after I arrived, we loaded up and hit some specialty shops around town.  The Schaefer House is the cutest place!  See all that stuff in my hands in the picture - you'll be seeing that stuff up close after it's on our Christmas tree.  Good thing this store isn't any closer to me because I'd have to sign my paycheck straight over to them every week!

  
We had a pit stop at Central Dairy Ice Cream for an afternoon snack.  Best snack ever!


In the evening, a few other friends joined us and we had a jewelry class led by my friend Gina.  She is so talented both at making jewelry and sharing her talent with us.  She brought all the tools and supplies we needed to each make a ring and a necklace.



I love the way mine turned out and it will be making it into my wardrobe pronto!  Actually, I love the way everyone's turned out.  If you're looking for a unique gift, check out Gina's creations you can purchase on her facebook page at HERE.


It was so much fun spending the evening with these ladies and getting to know a couple of them for the first time. 


I made the trip back home late on Saturday because we got a new bed that I really hadn't been able to spend much time in.  Sunday morning I woke up and thoroughly enjoyed lounging in our new addition.  Our old bed had a headboard you really couldn't lean up against.  Not anymore!  We bought the below bed from Pier 1.  I have no idea what took us so long!

                    

The rest of the day was spent watching Hallmark movies and trying to organize my coming few months.  The day flew by and now Monday is here way too soon!  

I'm feeling a tad bit frazzled and a whole bunch excited for this to be Thanksgiving week.  I'm so looking forward to seeing some of my family and enjoying Thanksgiving day at our son's house.  It seems after Thanksgiving the Christmas season is here and I want to lean in and enjoy the heck out of it this year.  We're planning a few fun things I can't wait to share with you guys!  But in the meantime, enjoy the week Thanksgiving!

Friday, November 22, 2019

Five on Friday - November 22, 2019

Happy Friday!  I'm just back from an epic trip to Vegas to see Aerosmith for my birthday.  Can't wait to share the trip details with you, but today it's Five on Friday ~

1.  A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
If you're not planning to see Frozen II this weekend, you might want to catch A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.  I can't wait to see Tom Hanks in this one!  Here's what Rotten Tomatoes says ~
Tom Hanks portrays Mister Rogers in A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, a timely story of kindness triumphing over cynicism, based on the true story of a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Tom Junod. After a jaded magazine writer (Emmy winner Matthew Rhys) is assigned a profile of Fred Rogers, he overcomes his skepticism, learning about empathy, kindness, and decency from America's most beloved neighbor.

2.  Advent Calendars
It's time to get those advent calendars ready.  Have you noticed that the selection has exploded.  I wish they would have had all the Lego options when my son was little.  We had an advent calendar that you hung an ornament on a tree every day and the last day was the star on top.  It was such a fun ritual!  He would have freaked over the Lego Harry Potter advent calendar.  


Get ready to kick up your leftover turkey sandwiches with this Hot Pepper Cranberry Jelly!  Have some nice, soft rolls ready to load up with turkey, brie cheese and top off with a spread of hot pepper cranberry jelly.  It's the best leftover sandwich you'll ever have!  

Stonewall Kitchen Hot Pepper Cranberry Jelly, 12.75 oz.

4.  Haley's Corker
Speaking of leftovers, do you ever have that little bit of wine left over and you really don't want to throw it away?  Use the Haley's Corker to seal it up!  You can even store your bottle on it's side and it won't leak.  How great is that!?!  It can also be used in your olive oils, syrups and vinegars.  I recently started using these and they are great!  You are going to want a few of these around your house!





5.  How old am I????

Image may contain: text

Okay guys - have a great weekend.  I'm catching up on laundry and unpacking my suitcase tonight.  Then tomorrow I'm repacking for a trip to see friends in Jefferson City.  Fun times ahead!  Pop in next week to read all about it.

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Thursday, November 21, 2019

Friday Favorites Linky Party - November 22, 2019

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:
Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst
If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!
You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!
And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Thinking Out Loud Thursday - November 21, 2019

Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday!  Today I'm letting my mind drift to the Christmas holiday and am coming up with a little bucket list of things I hope to do.  Join me!  


With all the holiday frenzy, it's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle and forget to slow down and truly enjoy the season.  Hopefully by making a list and checking it twice our household will be able to capture the spirit of the season.

Write a letter to Santa
That's right, write a letter to Santa is on my Christmas bucket list.  I'm a firm believer that to live intentionally you need to figure out what you want.  So, this Christmas I'm going to spend some time thinking through my wish list for the coming year.  Some of the things on the list will include material things, but others will include things like host more dinner parties and find some new podcasts.

If you have little ones around, writing a letter to Santa and getting a response can add to the enjoyment of the season.  Here's a blurb from the USPS website on just how to do it~

How to get a letter postmarked from the North Pole:

  1. Have the child write a letter to Santa and place it in an envelope addressed to: Santa Claus, North Pole.
  2. Write a personalized response to the child's letter and sign it "From Santa."
  3. Insert both letters into an envelope, and address it to the child.
  4. Add the return address: SANTA, NORTH POLE, to the envelope.
  5. Ensure a First-Class Mail stamp is affixed to the envelope.
  6. Place the complete envelope into a larger envelope, with appropriate postage, and address it to:

    NORTH POLE POSTMARK
    POSTMASTER
    4141 POSTMARK DR
    ANCHORAGE AK 99530-9998
We recommend sending your letters by December 7 so that they can be received by the Anchorage, AK, Postmaster no later than December 14. Santa’s helpers in Anchorage, AK, will take care of the rest!
Volunteer for a Good Cause
For me, there's nothing like the feeling of doing something good for someone else.  This time of year opportunities to help others are everywhere!  Most churches have wish list trees and many area businesses and libraries support a canned food drive.  What's your favorite thing to do for others?  I have a project that's happening in late November I'm excited to be a part of.  I'll share more about it later.

String Popcorn for the Tree
When Ian was little, we would string popcorn, Cheerios and cranberries for the garland on our tree.  And then our dog would usually eat it off the tree and I would spend every evening restringing popcorn, Cheerios and cranberries!  We are pet free now and I'd like to get back into making this garland.  I'm imagining it will bring back so many happy memories of when we had a small child in the house and that happy, happy feeling of Christmas.

See a Christmas Light Display
Looking at Christmas lights is truly one of my favorite things.  I want to load up in the car and head out to see the twinkling lights.  A few years ago I actually rented a big van and mapped out several places to take my family to see the lights.  While we won't be doing that again this year, Eric and I will be cruising around with hot chocolate and Christmas music playing enjoying as many lights as our eyes can see!

Attend a Christmas Festival
A town very close to me (Belleville, Illinois) each year hosts the most adorable Chistmastkindlmarkt.  I like to go for the unique shopping, but there's entertainment and activities for the kids.  There's even live reindeer!  Meandering through the booths with a cup of hot chocolate in my hand makes me feel like I'm in a Hallmark movie.  Do you have something like this close to where you live?

belleville christkindlmarkt logo 2.jpg

Have the Holiday Shopping Done by December 15]
You know, I say this every year and sometimes it happens and sometimes it just doesn't.  I do like to have my shopping done early so I don't feel the pressure of finding that special gift at the last minute or fretting about when the postman will be delivering it to my door.

Participate in a Secret Santa Activity
I'm signed up and have my person for the Secret Santa at work.  This is such a fun thing to do with coworkers.  We have a questionnaire you fill out on yourself and one person is in charge of gathering them.  Then at a designated place and time, we each draw to see who we will be surprising with a gift each week leading up to Christmas.  It's so fun!

Mail Christmas Cards
Because I'm typically such a procrastinator, I'm extremely proud of myself because I actually have our Christmas cards designed, purchased and in my hot little hands.  Now I just have to get those envelopes addressed, stamped and in the mail.  Can I do it - YES I CAN!

Have a Pajama Day
Somewhere in the chaos of the season, I'm dreaming of one day that I hang out in my jammies all day and do nothing but watch movies and read.  I'm picturing sitting by the fire, apple cider or hot chocolate in hand, wrapped up in my favorite blanket.  Ahhhh, doesn't that sound great!

Host a Party 
I love having people in the house during the holiday season.  It's fun to talk about what their plans for the holidays are and hear about their traditions.  Planning the party and preparing are things I love to do.  Hosting a party will be so fun!

Okay - there's my list.  Wish me luck!  I'm linking up with some other blog friends today who are also sharing their Christmas bucket lists.  What's on your list?  I bet if you check out some other bloggers lists you will get some fabulous ideas!

Thinking Out Loud Thursday Link Up
What are you thinking out loud about today?  Link up and share!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter

Christmas Bucket List Link Up
Do you have a Christmas Bucket List to share?  Link it up here!

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Click here to enter

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - November 20, 2019

Welcome!

Welcome to the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop where we enjoy linking up posts about recipes, crafts, DIY, everyday life and more.  The party starts every Tuesday at 7:00 pm EST.  Come and join!! #wwbloghop


Our hosts just want to say THANK YOU to all those who contributed to last week's party and WELCOME to all the new bloggers who have joined our weekly blog hop. Please invite your blog friends and social network to join us.

Whew! The holidays are coming up sooner than I want them too. But I love all the decorations in the stores and the holiday music in the background. Do you have your decorations up yet?

Top Viewed


Very Popular









Editors Choice



Christmas Extras








Thanks to our co-hosts who share our party on their blogs every week ♥ Please follow them and share our party, too?
Welcome to the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop where we enjoy linking up posts about recipes, crafts, DIY, everyday life and more. The party starts every Tuesday at 7:00 pm EST. Come and join!! #wwbloghop

  • Please TWEET our party
  • Add as many of your family-friendly posts as you would like to. No Etsy shops, adult sites or blog parties, please.
  • Visit others. Let them know you stopped by!
  • If you are NEW to Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop, let us know in the comments so that we can follow you back. ♥ Help us find your posts – tell us the title.
  • NOTE: party entries appear in REVERSE. i.e. the most recent entry goes to the top! That way all of our guests will have a really good chance to be seen no matter when they arrive.
  • Thanks! ♥
So, now, let’s get this party started!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter

...

Monday, November 18, 2019

Weekending - November 15, 2019

Happy Monday!  Rewinding the weekend on the blog today - and it was a fun one!  Let's start right at the beginning.  At 5:00 pm on Friday we (and by we I mean me, my friend Linda and Eric) converged at our house to get the weekend started.  It was my birthday weekend and Eric brought home the most beautiful, delicious cake!  We had to have a piece before we did anything else!


After a quick bite to eat and getting a sugar high from the cake, we headed to the theater to see Ford v Ferrari.  If you haven't seen it yet, put it on your list.  All three of us thoroughly enjoyed it.  I would not be surprised is Christian Bale got an Academy nod.  


Saturday morning Linda and I met my daughter-in-law Kayla for a cooking class at one of my favorite stores, Fezziwig's.  I've done cooking classes there before and always enjoy them immensely.  Saturday's class had an added bonus - Theodore Leaf was helping teach the class along side his Aunt Ellen.  His YouTube channel is definitely worth checking out!  You can find it HERE.


The theme of the class was Thanksgiving sides, but let me just say the recipes we cooked are going to be showing up at my house a lot more than just on Thanksgiving!  We watched as Ellen and Theodore whipped up mashed potatoes, gravy, Brussels sprouts, and a tossed salad.  They weaved in so many helpful tips and tricks, making the class even better than just sharing the recipes.   I've got to share the recipe for the Brussels Sprouts with you guys sometime.  They were devine!


Highly recommend checking out the classes at Fezziwig's (website found HERE).  They are informative and fun and leave you with a renewed pep in your step. 


After the class, Linda and I popped in a couple of my favorite stores so I could spend my birthday coupons.  Loft had gifted my $15, Ulta sent me a coupon for a free tube of MAC lipstick, White House Black Market gave me $10.  Chico's had a $25 off of a $25 purchase on their latest flyer and I had that with us also.  All said and done, I ended up with a tube of lipstick, an adorable black dress, fancy t-shirt and a pair of earrings for $13.  Happy birthday to me!

We picked up Eric and made a beeline to the outlet malls before dinner.  Of course we found a few more things that had to come home with us.


Dinner was next on the agenda.  We met up with Ian and Kayla at Piccadilly at Manhattan.  It was fun sitting in this corner neighborhood establishment enjoying each other's company.


They are known for their pot pie, so that's what each of us ordered.  It was the comfortable food needed after a busy day!


After dinner we ventured back to our house to enjoy a piece of cake.  Linda and I had to pack for our adventure on Sunday.  We were flying to Vegas!

Sunday morning we left as the sun was coming up.  I'll be sharing our adventures in Las Vegas later, but let me just say that the start of the trip was pretty epic!  Our goals while in Vegas are to see Aerosmith, have dinner at the Eiffel Tower restaurant and get a picture in front of every casino on the Strip.  Oh yeah, and maybe win a big jackpot!!


Have a wonderful week!  I'll be back to share more about my trip to Vegas soon.