The Essential Guide to a Stress free Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is here! Well American thanksgiving is. I live in canada, so technically my thanksgiving is in october. I didnt grow up celebrating it, so when i met curtis, i didnt care that he wanted to celebrate it in November. For those of you who dont know, curtis was born in raised in America.

We have been together for 5 years. So i thought i would give all of you a breakdown of the day along with tips and tricks. And you can definetly apply these to any big dinner party or holiday.

I will start off with football. This is curtis's favorite thing about thanksgiving. He loves football, especially because the Dallas cowboys are playing. He sits in front of the TV with his beer and watches. This year we are having 2 guests over, which is perfect for us, since our table only sits 4.

I had my menu planned in October. I had appetizers, main and deasert planned. I also bought my turkey in october since i knew i would get a good deal on it.

On the menu this year is:

Appetizers

Antipasto platter

Bread

Dipping sauce for bread

Mini cheeseburger bites

Cherry tomatoes stuffed with goat cheese

Main

Turkey

Macaroni and cheese

Cornbread stuffing

Cornbread

Gravy

Collard greens

Dessert

Banana pudding

Cookies

Ice cream

Coffee

Over the past few weeks i have slowly gathered the ingredients and extra supplies i needed to make thanksgiving complete.

Since we are inviting curtis's bosses, we will be eating later. One boss took the day off and the other has to work. Since he will be getting off around 6ish dinner will most likely be at 7:30. I want an hour in between courses, because there is nothing that drives me up the wall more then eating food back to back with no gap.

I plan on putting the turkey in around 4pm (with curtis's help). Then during the last 30 minutes i will put the dressing around the bird. A little tip, i bought a cooking bag that you can get from any grocery store. This is fullproof, it cooks fast and keeps the turkey juicy. While the turkey is cooking i am going to make collard greens. When the turkey is done i will put the mac n cheese and cornbread in the oven.

I plan to do prep work before any of our guests come over so i can spend even less time in the kitchen. I want to cut up the vegetables for the cornbread stuffing, cook the pasta noodles and grate the cheese.

I know you all are wondering why? Why is she so crazy about this? Well first of all this is a major holiday in the states, even bigger then christmas dinner. And last year i didnt get to enjoy it. I spent the whole time in the kitchen, our guests ate dinner, then had to leave before dessert. Essentially i didnt get to sit down or interact with them. I felt left out. Who wants to put in all that work and not be able to enjoy themselves?

I bought a black tablecloth, which i think will be a lifesaver. I will use it for all 3 courses (as long as it doesn't get dirty). I am hoping at the end of the night i won't have to clean off the table mulitple times, and i can throw it in the wash. Easy cleanup. I am also going to use the dishes i already own. We have square black plates (i bought an extra one) so its going to be a black theme. I have small pumpkins i am going to use as decorations as well. Even though in canada everyone is in the mood for Christmas, i am going to try to keep it as fall-ish as i can.

My tip: if your dollar stores are anything like mine, you can find amazing buys. I found some serving platters, that are the same quality as any big box store, for a third of the price. I also picked up some napkins for appetizers and a basket for the bread. My greatest find, were the cutest straws. They have cute little sayings.

For appetizers and dessert i am making some if the items. The key is to mix it up. It allows you to relax a little bit, and the guests get a mixture of homemade and premade. I know some people like to do everything, but you need to cut yourself some slack.

Heres a glance at my thanksgiving week:

Sunday

I am going to take out my turkey from the freezer and put it in the fridge. My turkey is 15 pounds, so this gives it plenty of time to thaw out.

Wednesday

I was going to make pies, but our guests request was banana pudding, that is all they wanted. I personally dont mind, since it means less work for me. But if i was baking, i would make all my pies wednesday night.

Christmas tree will also go up today! As i said in canada, after mid october we have no holidays. Since November people have been slowly putting up their decorations. This also gives me a chance to see if i need anything else for my tree.

I will also be picking up any items that i didn't have time to buy, or items that i need fresh. As well as any alcohol.

Thursday

I am going to put the turkey in the oven about 3-4 hours before i want it done.

I will also be doing my prep work 2 hours before my guests come. Cutting up vegetables and boiling my pasta.

1 hour before i will start to get ready and take the dog out.

When they are on their way over i will plate my appetizers.

I hope my tips will be able to help you on this special day, or any future dinner.

4 companies that will send you free stuff/money

I know I am not the only one who loves freebies. There is nothing better then receiving full size products, and reviewing them. There are lots of companies who claim to do this, but I have found a few companies who actually hold up their end of the bargain.

BzzAgent

This company is available to residents in North America and the UK. They are one of the easiest companies to use. You create a login and they give you quizes to do. These quizzes allow them to get to know you. They ask you about your household and your lifestyle. You will frequently have to repeat these surveys, but it allows them to keep up to date with you.

Campaigns are hard to come by, but when you get them, it will make up for the time you didn't. So far, this year I have had 2 campaigns, one for Walmart and another for Febreeze.

Bzz Agent will send you an email (if you qualify) with all the details, and if you are interested, then you accept.

In between campaigns, they have fun twitter, instagram and pinterest activities for you to do as well.

You receive a score out if 10, which is determined based on your activity level. The more up to date with the surveys you are, and the more social media activities you participate in, the higher your score will be. Once you get a campaign, they rate your reviews, which can also increase your score. Your score determines how quickly you will get campaign invites.

E-Rewards

This website allows you to express your opinions through surveys. They claim to be the largest global invitation only, survey company. Every survey is a different length of time, and they pay you according to the time it takes. The longer the survey, the higher the payout is.

The only downside is you don't get a paycheck. You use the "money" to redeem giftcards. There are many categories to choose from, but I have only redeemed it for a food gift card. There are plenty of other options to choose from such as, clothing stores, air miles, movies etc.

I find if you look out for the emails, and out effort into it, it is easy to rack up money to redeem.

SurveyLion

I recently joined this website, and I will start by saying all the reviews online are true.

I get invites to surveys weekly, but there have been many that I didn't qualify for. It is hard to get chosen, but when you do the payoff is amazing. I have gitten paid about $4 per survey on average and they pay you via cheque. They available to canadian residents 16+

Samplesource

This company is my favorite. They send out sample boxes quarterly, and you get a variety of items. They send you an email a few weeks before samples go live. They ask you questions based on the samples they have to offer. Then they give you a list of samples for you to choose from based on your answers. You can pick the ones you want to try. They send you another email when your box ships. They say you should receive it within 4-6 weeks, but i always get it within the week.

The reason samplesource is my favorite, is based on a few reasons. They usually send you full size items along with a lot of coupons. Regardless of what your interests are, they have something for you. Every once in awhile i get a surprise in my mailbix from them. They send some samples complimentary.

All samplesource asks from you, is to fill out a survey about the samples they have sent you. You will get an email 4-6 weeks after you have received your box.

Samplesource is available to Canadian and American reaidents.

I hope you all check out some of thess sites. I will say, once i started putting in more effort towards my survey invites, i really started to see a payoff. The great thing about all of these companies, is they want YOUR opinion. To be able to help shape products for free is amazing. 

Kayden's first activity - Hit or Miss?

Hey guys,

In september we enrolled Kayden into his first activity. I know what you are thinking.... But he is 3 years old? Yes i know. Timing is everything.

Kayden has always been shy but over the past 6 months he has really started to come out of his shell and was interacting with other children more. I always see parents complaining about spending money and their kid didnt participate. I didnt want that to happen. I wanted kayden to figure out what he enjoyed before enrolling him.

The activity we enrolled Kayden in, is for 2-4 year olds. Every class they get free play and circle time. Circle time is done twice, at the beginning and at the end. They sing a hello song, a goodbye song and always do an activity as a group.

We have been to 5 classes so far, and I have mixed thoughts on it. Kayden loves the activity, and looks forward to it every week. I thought there would be more kids thst he could bounce off of. Kids that could learn from him and vice versa. Most of the kids dont interact, which makes it hard for kids to work on their social skills. The gym is big so it isn't often that there is more then one kid at an activity. When it does happen, it is only for a minute or two. Social interraction isn't promoted.

Kayden has learned a lot about sharing, since he cant just take a toy he likes, and has followed tasks through the first time.  It is nice to get some insight as to how he would do in school. He follows instructions great and follows the crowd. He has even warmed up to singing the songs, and his favorite thing is the 'sleeping bunnies' song and the parachute games.

Curtis and i thought about pulling him out if the class. It is a 1 hour class and atleast 45 minutes is free play, not much structure. We decided not to because i believed this was a good introductory class for him. It got him use to playing with a big group of kids, and having to listen/follow directions from another adult.

The best part.... It tires him out. It is such a great morning activity that he almost falls asleep in the car on the way home. With fall here, we do not spend a lot of time outside, so burning off Kayden's extra energy has been a challenge.

Going forward we going to put Kayden in more structured activites.

Liebster Award Nomination

Hey Guys!

I am slowly going through all my nominations, and this is my last one. I was nominated by @Courtvansbooks aka Courtney Van Saders. Her blog is paperbackbeaches.com make sure you check her blog out!

What was the worst book you ever read or stopped reading?

Any book from my american literature class from university. I was an english major, and i loved it. But this one class drove me up the wall. The books were the worst, they were boring and i didnt understand what was going on. My marks definetly reflected that since i passed with 50%.

What kids movie were you scared of as a child but like now?

Cant think of any. But the one show that stands out for me is 'Are you afraid of the dark?'. We had one tv in the house at the time (very common) and my brother wanted to watch it. I would always pretend i wasn't scared but i always had nightmares.

What quote inspires you?

God doesnt put anything in front of you that you cant handle.

Im not going to lie, Curtis and I have been through some tough times. This is one thing i constantly say to myself during hard times and it always puts things back into perspective. It makes me optimistic that we will get through this (and we always do).

What is your least and favorite blogging post and why?

I dont know about least blogging post. My favorite to post has to be a review. I love trying new products, makeup, hair products, food etc.  Whenever i can write a review and give my honest opinion i love it. I even miss it when i havent done it for awhile. I always try to include pros and cons to give the reader a good overall idea about the product.

How do you promote your blog?

Twitter, instagram and pinterest are the main platforms. If i am not tweeting out about my posts i am finding ways to get my links out there. Follow trains are amazing because you get introduced to new blogs and people.

Instagram has been a challenge because of the algorithm, which makes hashtagging more important. I love following other bloggers and commenting on pictures. It is a great way to get noticed and build friendships.

Where is your favorite place to read?

I love reading in the living room, on the couch near my big Windows. My couch is super comfy and i always find a blanket to wrap myself in. Daytime is the best because the building is quiet and kayden is sleeping. It is like i am all alone and i get to escape for awhile.

What are some of the things you havent seen or read but know everything about because of pop culture?

No idea.

How would someone describe your blogging style?

Laid back. Its not formal but there is a level professionalism. I want to people to feel as though they are sitting with me and having a conversation.

What do you find the most challenging about blogging about your topic?

There is a fine line between revealing to much and not enough. I find the most succesful mom bloggers reveal everything and document every aspect of their life. I like a certain level of privacy. It is also hard to put in hours of hard work into a post to get no recognition. By recognition i mean more followers, free products or money. There are so many mom bloggers out there, who are starting out like me, and it is hard to compete. It is easy to beat yourself up, if you don't have what seems to be as glamorous of a life.

What is the most ridiculous fact you know?

Cotton candy was invented by a dentist

In 40 years what do you think people will be nostalgic for?

Meaningful relationships. We live in a time where divorces are common, friendships fall out and we are plugged into devices. Social media is how we get famous and people dont have a lot of ambition because of that. We often forget what its like to put our phone down and hear what the other person is saying, and know basic life and communication skills. The phone and technology has become an escape from reality, something we turn to when we dont want to deal with a situation or life.

The Mummy Tag

Hey Guys,

Becca tagged me in 'The Mummy Tag'. Of course I couldn't resist any post to talk about my son and my journey as a mother!

Make sure you check out her blog

https://myselfandjake.wordpress.com

And her twitter @RebeccaWbu_94

1. Are you a stay at home mom or a working mom?
Stay at home mom. And contrary to what people believe, it is tough work!

2. Do you co sleep?
Nope. I never have. I was always scared of crushing kayden. He does pop into our bed from time to time then always makes his way back to his room.

3. Would you have it any other way?
Nope

4. What is your one must have item for your child?
It has changed over the years, but right now its anything to do with cars. He loves them and always tries to bring them when we leave the house. They keep him occupied and its way better then me playing something on the phone for him.

5. How many kids do you plan on having?
One. More to come on another post that will be very personal and revealing.

6. Date night? How many nights/ days do you go out?
Kayden is 3 and we have been out by ourself once. It is crazy to think that, and i will admit i do get a little jealous when i see others able to have date night.

7. Your child's favorite show?
Super why

8. Name one thing you bought before you had your child and never used it

It would have to be his Johnson&Johnson baby lotion. We discovered early on that Kayden has sensitive skin. For awhile we (and a nurse) thought he had eczema, we had to switch over his lotions to a more sensitive one. Thabk goodness had some mamas to be at his previous job and i gave away about 3-4 bottles of baby lotion.

9. Your child's favorite food?
He loves burgers! Kayden's versions of a burger isnt that great though. To be honest i should say burger patties.

10. How many cars does your family have?
1

11. Dream holiday with your child?
LA. Not only is the weather amazing but we have family there.

12. How has your life changed since your child was born?

To be honest it really humbled me. It wasnt about materialistic things anymore. Since hes been born i dont go out and spend $100 on useless things. He has really taught me what is important in life. I have also become more of a homebody. I am no longer out late with friends, and sleeping in till 10am. Kayden has helped make me more calm, helped me slow down my life and made me more creative. Holidays have a new meaning, and family traditions have become more important.

I nominate Maya Dupre to answer the same questions.

Her twitter handle is @allthingspinkuk

Her website is allthingspinkuk.com

Her blog is amazing and is all things mummy related. It is a good read and you all should add her to your reading list.

Liebster Award

Hey Guys,

I know I say this everytime, but I have been nominated for a Liebster Award.

Being a blogger is tough. Lets admit it, there are millions of bloggers out there, and it is tough to make it. The fact that I (as well as many others) have been noticed for our hard-work means the world to me. You never who who is reading your blogs, or where you have made a difference so this award is a good reminder that we are on the right track.

I was nominated by Zenobia and couldn't feel more honored.

Her twitter handle is @this_is_zenobia

And hed website is thepurpleorchidblog.wordpress.com

1. What is your favorite go to comfort food?

I love pasta. I cant get enough of it and I can eat it everyday. To be honest i just ate it for 3 days straight! I recently discovered lemon pasta and it is my favorite thing.

2. If you had one day to do anything, other then what you are doing right now, what would it be?

This probably sounds lame, but i would want to go to LA. I have never met my boyfriends family in person and i would love to finally meet them. Curtis always talks about the 'hot spots' and places he loves, so i would love to see it.

3. What food have you never eaten but would love to try?

I am not the biggest seafood person, so i would want to try mussels. I always see people going crazy for them and want to know what the big deal is ,without having to waste my money.

4. What is the best fashion trend that you will hope remains in trend forever?

Dark jeans. I was never a jean person until after I had kayden. I always thought jeans were way to casual. I love dark jeans and i cant get enough of them. You can dress them up or down, which is an added bonus!

5. If you were to travel anywhere in the world but only carry one bag what would you pack?

This is so hard. I would carry some maxi dresses, since you can dress them up but also have them be casual. Jeans. And some flowy tops. I would also pack my nude  heels, flats and flip flops. Now for makeup i would keep and simple and pack my foundation, concealed, maybelline eyeshadow pallet, and 1 lipstick.

6.  What was the last song you listened to?

The weekend- i can't feel my face

(Is that even the title?)

7. Are you bilingual? What languages do you wish you spoke?

I know Hindi. I wish i knew french, and that i took it more seriously in school. There are so many bilingual jobs that are available that will pay 10k more. Living in canada speaking french will always come in handy.

8. What was your favorite subject in school?

English! I wish i could say gym( does that even count as a subject?) English class always came easy to me, since i was obsessed with reading. I loved English so much, that ended up being my major in university.

9. What's the most recent show youve been watched?

Gilmore girls! I recently started watching it and im obsessed.

10. What's the funniest thing you've seen a kid do?

I am going to be biased and say everything my son does! Kayden is so animated and is always making funny faces. I love seeing him imitate people and all his reactions to situations.

11. Do you like things to be carefully planned or do you go with the flow?

I need things to be planned. I cant stand people who don't get back to me with plans, and people that are late! I need things planned so i can plan my day. Plus its become more important after having kayden.

Kayden's 3 year old update

Hey Guys,

On September 16th Kayden turned 3. I honestly believe the past year flew by, (which is what every parent says). I decided to give all of you an update on him.

I am still a stay at home mom, but i am a big believer in Kayden learning while at home. I looked up a preschool curriculum, and researched what they need to learn and know by the time he enters kindergarten. In Canada preschool costs $372-$1100 a month which is pricey. Because we are on one income that would eat a big portion of it up.

Everyday Kayden and I do one activity which promotes vocabulary/letter recognition/number recognition etc. And on top of that we also do the weather everyday. I picked up two activity books which focuses on reading and writing. I know to some this may not seem like a lot but I do a good job of keeping him busy throughout the day. Kayden continues to go outside for 2 hours a day (since we still have summer weather), and an organized activity once a week as well as free play. Kayden's attention lasts 20 minutes ( average is 10 minutes).

In the past few months Kayden has done a lot better with his shyness. He has really opened himself up with playing with other children and interacting a lot more with adults. I was extremely shy as a child so i can sympathize with him. Because he has opened up more, we have officially enrolled Kayden into his first activity. Plus, with the colder weather coming, it will be a great way to exert his extra energy. The activity is an introduction to sports while building his gross and fine motor skills.

Kayden loves sports and playing outside. He is always asking to go "bye bye", and this summer we took advantage of that. He used the kiddie pool almost everyday and he rode his bike for at least 2 hours a day! Kayden enjoys painting, reading and anything that has to do with cars/trucks.

As any parent we are struggling with some things, sleeping (at night) and his speech. Kayden does talk, but it is not clear. He understands everything that

is said to him, but lately i have been getting concerned. I don't want kayden to go to school and feel lost or out of place. He is excited to join so I don't want him to feel discouraged. Curtis and I have decided to visit a doctor and see what a professional thinks.

As far as Kayden sleep goes, i don't even know what to say. It started off with nightmares. He would wake up around midnight crying, so he would crawl into bed with us. We didn't mind at first, but now its getting earlier and earlier. Just the other day it took 4 hours to put him down. I asked kayden what was wrong and he said he doesn't like when i say goodnight and leave. Im guessing its a separation issue. We are slowly wanting to wean kayden off his daytime nap, in hopes that it helps with his sleep at night. Kayden id awake for 5.5 hours at a time (currently) and lately that has exhausted him. That extra 30 minutes has really made a difference.

I have always heard that boys are a bottomless pit, but i didn't understand till this past year. Kayden is constantly eating, especially in the morning and after dinner. I have noticed his portion sizes growing, as well as our grocery bill. Our costco membership has come in handy. I do find that we buy in bulk more often, and we don't even come close to the expiry date.

Kayden is potty trained in the daytime. Nighttime is back and forth. If kayden is awake he does ask to use the bathroom, but once he is asleep he does wet himself.

I am so excited for the year ahead and cant wait to see kayden grow! Everyday he is becoming more independent and his interests are expanding!