Rewind {Humor Me, I was traveling!!} + Cocktail Recipe

I want to share our Thanksgiving Day menu. Unfortunately, my photos are sparse and they Suck (pardon my french)!

Of course, my TG Day menu has to include a drink and a photo of said drink (Brandy Alexanders)....IN my Great-Grandmothers glasses. They are so beautiful, so "Anthro" from like a hundred years ago...

~Brandy Alexander~

1 1/2 oz. Brandy

1 oz. Dark Creme de Cacao

1 oz. Half & Half

1/4 tsp. Grated Nutmeg

Blend or shake with ice ~ delish!

Scalloped Oysters

My GG's china...again so beautiful that my pics don't do justice...

Turkey = amazing. A food~stylist, I'm not. Couldn't leave out the Publix Pilgrims :)

~Thanksgiving Day Menu~

First Course ~ 11am

Hot Crab Dip

Cold Spinach Dip

Cold Seafood Salad

Assorted Cheeses & Salamis

Crackers, Breads & Dippers

Brandy Alexanders (adults only)

Main Course ~ 6:30pm

Roasted Turkey with Traditional Dressing

Mashed White & Sweet Potatoes

Turnips

Scalloped Oysters

Pearl Onions

Green Bean Casserole

Hot Rolls

Gelatin Salad with Carrots (throwback to our foremothers)

Black Olives

Cranberry Sauce

Dessert ~ 9pm

Pumpkin Pie

Chocolate-Pumpkin Cheesecake

Vanilla ice Cream

Last Course ~ unbutton & relax!

And the Winner is....

Of my 1st ever giveaway...

Love my scientific way of chosing...

He sure is cute though!

Congratulations Katie!! I'm so thrilled for Katie and am a huge fan of her blog ( http://katiesperk.blogspot.com/)....awesome recipes! Enjoy this little trinket from Anthropologie and Happy Holidays! OH, and email me your address!!!

This was so fun, I'm going to do one after Christmas...keep an eye out!

Hoping all of your Thanksgiving's were wonderful spent with family. Ours was a whirlwind and things are so, so busy now, but I hope to post our OBX trip pix over the next couple of days.

Thanks for visiting and participating in my giveaway! xoxo Traci

~ Happy Thanksgiving ~

To you & yours. I'm off for a week spent with family. Hoping you are spending yours surrounded by loved ones as well...
{Images via Pinterest}

Don't forget my giveaway!! There aren't too many entries, so you have a really, really good shot @ winning a treat from Anthropologie! Find the link at the top of my page...

Thanks for visiting! xoxo Traci

Sweet Balls {Recipe Swap}

So easy I am almost embarrassed to post it! But...the kids love these and I'm down for them loving anything that is not chicken fingers or fries. These are historically an appetizer, but I serve over mashed potatoes as a sweeter take on meat loaf.

Jar of grape jelly

Jar of chili sauce

Pour the 2 condiments into the crock pot and heat them until they blend and the jelly breaks down.

Add your meatballs (homemade or frozen) My meatballs are simple: ground beef, egg, milk, breadcrumbs, worchester sauce, fresh parley and finely chopped onion.

Cook on low for a couple of hours.

Serve over mashed potatoes or on a platter with toothpicks as an appetizer.

I know not super creative, it's an oldie but goodie, but tasty nonetheless.

CHECK OUT MY 1ST EVER GIVEAWAY!!!!http://coastalpines.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-first-time-anthropologie-giveaway.html

Thanks for visiting!! xoxo Traci

{Giveaway} My First Time

It's my First~Ever Giveaway ya'll! What better to start with but a Jumping Koi brass trinket/ring holder from Anthropologie???

This would make an adorable addition to your vanity, bath or nightstand.

Distressed, vintage-look brass at 4-inches high.

Of course, my 1st giveway would have a flaw....

...sideways or not, the rings are NOT included ;-)

This is going to be easy. Rule #1 Follow Me. Rule #2 comment on this post and tell me what's Number One on your Christmas/Holiday list this year (after world peace, of course). A bonus for me would be to tell your bff's about my giveaway. I'd like to increase my traffic so I can get some useful feedback about some fun projects coming up in 2012. This give-away is open to US & Canada residents only (sorry, I don't ship internationally).

A winner will be announced on Wednesday, November 30th and your "prize" shipped out immediately (You may want to give it as a gift?). Thank you all so much for participating and visiting my lil' blog! xoxo Traci

Gobble, Gobble {semi} Wordless Wednesday & Oh, How Pinteresting!

For your tummy,

For your nails,

For your table

For your wee ones nugget,

{images via Pinterest}

For your ponytail or sidesweep.

I'm so super excited for Thanksgiving...it's definitely my favorite holiday (for the stuffing). This will be one of my last posts until after the holiday except for my announcing my first EVER giveaway later this week. Hint, hint...Anthro.

Keep an eye out for it and in the meantime, I'm joining the girls for Wednesday link-ups :)

Thanks for visiting!! xoxo Traci

It's A Wrap

{images via Pinterest via Paper Source}

I'm almost done Christmas shopping (don't hate). Hoping to be "wrapped" up by Thanksgiving. How fun are these wrapping papers from Paper Source?! I'm especially loving the skiing gnome. Visit here: http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/index.html

As we celebrate Veteran's Day tomorrow. God bless all of our past & present service members (and their families) and thank you for your service. Take time to personally thank someone or shake their hand.

Have a wonderful weekend ~ thanks for visiting! xoxo Traci

Getaway {semi} Wordless Wednesday & Oh, How Pinteresting

In less than two weeks we'll be on the Outer Banks for Thanksgiving

Soundside in Kill Devil Hills

With a sunset similar to this

{All images courtesy of Pinterest}

And I cannot wait.

Linking up with the usual suspects ;-)

Thanks for visiting! xoxo Traci

What I'm reading

after turning off the reality tv. I could actually feel my brain turning to mush, by watching so much of it. I was an avid reader pre-Brennan, I missed it so much.

This is the book I was reading when I had him. I had 2 or 3 chapters to go in October 2009 and did not pick it back up until a couple of weeks ago. Was going to re-read, but I wasn't feeling it.

Just finished American Eve last night. Truly disturbing. I am an admirer of architecture, specifically the style of the legendary Stanford White. What I learned from this book is that personally he was a monster...almost as much so as Evelyn Nesbits mother. If you are a fan of the gilded age and/or turn of the century culture, I highly recommend this book.

Ya'll know I'm a fan of the south. LOVED this book and Ricks mama. Polar opposite of the mother (and I use that term lightly) in American Eve.

This is next. A Lucky Child is about a 10YO who survived Auschwitz. The reviews are stellar and it should remind me to appreciate my life as we segue into the holiday season.

Hope to finish off 2011 with Ragtime. Classic Turn of the Century Novel.

What are you reading? What can you suggest to me? I would love to hear some of your top picks.

Thanks for visiting! xoxo Traci

A {week} day in the life...TGIF!

A day in the life…

5:15 Alarm goes off

5:24 Snooze

5:33 Snooze

5:35 Guilt over snooze, get up

Brush teeth, contacts in, shower, moisturize, make-up (minimal), hair (pony), dress,jewelry & perfume

6:05 Assault & taunt husband to get out of bed

6:08 Head downstairs to pack lunches, start coffee, gather jackets & warm up cars (seasonal)

6:30 Head back up to aid husband in dressing toddler (cranky)

6:40 Drop cranky toddler off at daycare and kvetch with his teacher for a few

6:50 Head up the garden state parkway to work

7:20 Arrive at work for a long 8 ½ day. Won’t get into details but the administrative position I hold is feast or famine, extremely slow or extremely busy. Summer is my slow time. Yay! More time to blog.

11:30 Lunch. Often at my desk and quite bland.

12:00 Back to work…

3:45 Head back down the GSP to pick up baby

4:15 Pick up milk, dry cleaning, lottery tickets, sometimes dinner

4:40 Arrive home and unpack us from our day

4:45 Start laundry, wash lunch dishes, get mail, check machine

5:00 Start dinner, normally 75% homemade (except pizza Fridays)

6:00 Eat dinner

6:20 Clean up from dinner, dishes, clean dishes, continue laundry

7:00 Bathe and play with happy toddler, lay out school clothes and cuddle.

7:40 Put snuggly toddler to bed.

7:45 More laundry

8:00 Depends on the day. Mondays & Wednesdays I blow out my hair to save time. The rest of nights cleaning, crafting, eBaying (I sell) or blogging.

9:30 Throw a wave to husband watching a sport of some type as I head upstairs

Wash face, moisturize, brush teeth, remove contacts, chapstick

9:40 Crawl into bed, put on a DVR’d show for background and pick up my current book

9:59 Fall asleep glasses on, book in hand

1:37 Dreaming of the weekend…

Can you tell why I'm so happy for the weekend?!

Thank you for visiting ~ Have a fabulous weekend! xoxo Traci

On to the Next...{semi} Wordless Wednesday & Oh, How Pinteresting

{all images courtesy of Pinterest}

Please...can we slow down the clock and enjoy this precious season?

Blog hopping with Daphne & Michelle