Don't miss these Thanksgiving Deals!

(Disclaimer: This post contains my affiliate links. This simply means that if you choose to purchase through my links, there is NO additional cost to you, and I make a small commission. Thank you!)

Don't miss these fantastic ThanksgivingDeals from Amazon! You'll be able to get everything you need from planning your special Thanksgiving holiday to setting the table to relaxing with coffee and pie after the feast.

Here are just a sampling of what you'll find . . .

This one is on my Wish List! 
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays - 45% off!

Prepara IPrep Tablet Stand and Stylus, Black - only $19.60.

Spode Woodland Turkey Octagonal Platter - 23% off and includes Prime!

Ginsu 07113 Chikara Series 2 Piece Carving Set - 24% off

AmazonBasics Premium 8-Piece Steak Knife Set - $22.99 and Prime-eligible!

Entertaining with Caspari 10970SP Linen Leaves Square Salad/Dessert Plates, Orange, (Pack of 8) - only $4.75 with Prime!

Pyrex Easy Grab 9.5" Glass Pie Plate, 6 Pack

What a fun item to have in the kitchen!

Nespresso Pixie Espresso Maker With Aeroccino Plus Milk Frother, Electric Titan 

Happy planning and may your Thanksgiving celebration be the most special one to date!

Blessings and love. xo

Weekly Menu Plan {30 December}

(I am excited about taking photos in and around our new home. This is a shot of part of the backyard.)

Well, hello, friends, and a late Merry Christmas to you! I skipped all blogging last week. I didn't even post a menu plan, although I assure you we did eat. Four wonderful friends made supper for us while we were sick, so we had quite a few leftovers, as well as leftovers from the Chinese meal I made on Christmas Day. We saved our Mexican meal, normally enjoyed on Christmas Eve for later in the week, which was fun because friends had come to see our new house, so they were able to enjoy our Mexican feast with us. 

Thankfully, the horrible virus we have all (except Bob) had is mostly over. There are still a couple of coughs here and there, but we were all able to go to church yesterday for the first time in a few weeks. We are so thankful and back to unpacking boxes and making this house our home. 

Here is what I am thinking for this week:

Monday - still enjoying the leftovers

Tuesday - Creamy Tomato Soup, Parmesan Crisps

Wednesday - Black-eyed peas, cornbread (traditional, of course) and maybe some appetizers, like Spinach Artichoke Dip with pita chips and a veggie tray

Thursday - Thai Chicken Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Friday - Pizza (possibly homemade, but possibly from a pizza place in our new town)

Saturday - Leftovers

Sunday - Snack-y supper

Happy last two days of this year! xo

I'm linking up with Laura at Org Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

Saying Goodbye

To 2012, that is.

I've been reading back through the journals that we keep during our prayer and worship times. WOW. I am blown away at the memories of what the Father has done in our lives in 2012. It's probably been one of the hardest years of my life. Missing Canada has been hard. Starting a new life here has been very challenging. It's also been a year that has brought incredible change and growth in me and in our family, along with the pain and tears.

I am going to be reading more of the journals tomorrow and may have more thoughts to share or thanksgiving to offer for what we've experienced. We'll see. I did notice some interesting themes in our dreams, visions, prophetic words and prayers.

One thing I am thankful for is this beautiful home and the fact that the Father sent us TWENTY overnight guests (not to mention friends who just came for an hour or two or eight). What an honour it was to have each and every friend, old and new, or family member in our home. We have some beautiful memories with you guys. And we are looking forward to finding out who He will bring to us in this next year!

Tonight, as I wait on my oldest to get off work, I have been working on my brand new 2013 calendar!

{If you missed it back in October, I posted a review of the Polestar Family Calendar. You can read it HERE.} 

I so love having all these clean, white blocks that are just waiting for new, colourful ink to adorn them. I am praying through our few extracurricular commitments and asking for wisdom to know when to say "yes" and when to say "no" this year. I am praying for all of the yet-unknown names of individuals and families that we will have the honour of inviting for dinners or coffees or play dates. I am praying over the trips that we will take. The schoolwork we will accomplish. The birthdays we will celebrate. The time we will spend in worship and prayer. The overnight guests we will host. The moments we will take reading God's Word, being refreshed and strengthen and enlightened by it. The milestones we will mark. The games we will play. The books we will devour. The movies we will enjoy. The laughter. The tears. The joy. The adventure. 

There's a new day and a new year dawning. Happy 2013! May the Father bless you immensely and be your Hope! 

 May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.

Romans 15:13

Our December Plans

(Wrapping our Christmas books to be chosen, unwrapped and read starting tomorrow!)

This year I am getting back to something I started seven years ago but stopped along the way. I learned from one of my Five In A Row sisters that she took the entire month of December off from regular homeschool work to just enjoy the month of Advent. She baked with her children, read delightful books, enjoyed crafts and movies and hot chocolate. That same precious mom was then pregnant with her fifth child. She passed away in childbirth a few months later. When she passed away, I was pregnant with Maya, my fifth child. That dear lady's death had a profound impact on me, even though I had never met her in person. That she felt so led by God to take the entire month of December off to make beautiful, cozy memories with her children is something I will never forget, and I'm sure those children must treasure each and every memory they have of her. Now, not to worry, I do not believe I am going to die any time soon. But really, time is flying by and these children will only be under my care on a daily basis for a very short time. I want to make the most of every minute and season we have together. 

I have done something similar by taking off from our regular school work during the holidays, but it was several years ago. When I told the children that I have something different planned for this December, they all perked up and wanted to know what my idea was. I told them how we had done this in years past and that I wanted to do so again, and as you can imagine, they were eager and enthusiastic.

So I am having fun planning what books, crafts, movies, baking, etc. we will be doing. Along with the Christmas and advent activities, we will also be working through a unit study by Amanda Bennett called Expedition Israel. Click here to view more details. We started it Tuesday and I am so excited about what we are learning and discovering. It is a blessing to have all five of my loves sitting at the table with me, instead of being spread out in their separate spaces all over the house.

Expedition Israel is on sale for $5 right now through December 21. Click here to view more details.

Click here to visit Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett.

Happy Holidays and may you also make merry memories with your loved ones this December!

{Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post.  Thank you very much for supporting The Scarlett Thread.}

Celebrating Benjamin

Here is Ben on his first birthday...

And today we celebrated his first decade! Boom! Double digits, already!

We enjoyed a family day at Cracker Barrel for lunch...

And then we went to a local apple farm to continue a long-standing family tradition we began in Canada...

And he just like in that top photo, the boy still loves cake...this year he chose Gingerbread Cake and hot apple cider for his birthday treats!

We had a great day celebrating you, big guy! We are so thankful the Lord gave you to us and want you to know that our lives are so much richer with you in them. We look forward to seeing how you continue to grow and what opportunities God gives you in this next ten years. Love you!!!

Just reminiscing here

I'm walking down memory lane a little bit tonight. So much has happened in this past year. Here are some sweet shots of what was going on in our lives last May and early June.

Packing and goodbyes....

This is just a glimpse into our lives a year ago.

We have been given so many beautiful gifts of friendship. We love all of you (and those of you not pictured, especially our neighbours Kelly, MC and Pip) and we cherish the time we had with you. What richness and beauty you have bestowed on our lives. We have been strengthened and challenged by you and we loved doing life with you in Canada. You are in our hearts forever.

We are so very thankful!

Seven Layer Bars

We are having rain and more rain in Virginia right now, but thankfully, no flooding in our area. I am praying for all those in the flood areas and am continuing to pray for those in the drought areas, as well.

I am making this recipe for Seven Layer Bars for small group tonight. It is a family favourite and it makes me think of my sweet friend and Canadian neighbour, Pip, who loves them as much as we do. Fond memories!

I have photos to share from our recent family time in Gettysburg, as well as a really great music video of a song that has ministered to me so much lately.

Back soon!
Blessings on your day!

He is Faithful!

There is so much on my mind today.

One of the main things is that my wonderful dad died on this day 21 years ago. What a gift he was! And I am thinking of my loving Heavenly Father and how much He loves me and what a gift it is to love Him and know Him and live for Him. There is no greater gift!

I have been singing this song over and over the past few days...




May you know the blessings and love of the Father today! He is faithful!

Lucia and Jack

Well, the fond farewells have begun.

We had the joy of seeing our friend Lucia and her son Jack today. Lucia was one of the first people we met when we came to Hamilton. She was in the MBA program at McMaster and Jack was only nine years old. They had moved here from China. We have had the privilege of seeing Lucia work hard and graduate with her master's degree and make her way to a fabulous job in a nearby city. Jack has grown up and is graduating from high school soon {how can that be possible???}. We saw Lucia go from not really knowing if there is a God to asking many crucial questions to giving her life to Him. And Bob had the honour of baptizing both Lucia and Jack five or six years ago. They are very special to us!






We love you, Lucia and Jack, and we look forward to seeing you when you visit the States!

Blessings in Jesus!