Thursday Thoughts - In Short Order

1. July was here and gone in the blink of an eye.

2. Watching: Stranger Things on Netflix. Winona Ryder and Matthew Modine, I've missed you.

3. Fresh air. Tuesday and Wednesday we had the windows open in our house. It is so glorious to sleep with the windows open on a temperate night in the summer. 

4. I tried the DD cold brew iced coffee yesterday. I'll stick with the regular iced. 

5. Philly's looking fine this week. I love the building on 16th that is painted entirely with dandelions and grass right now. Of course I was taking a million photos of it, really impossible to get the whole thing from the same side of the street, and the people were probably watching on the cameras like look at this amateur.

6. Today on The Armchair Librarians, Jana & I discuss my idol, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, subject of Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

7. At the risk of sounding like a senior, I don't get the appeal of the boomerang function on Instagram. So I see you moving the same way over and over like a deranged robot? Okay. Next.

8. Books: Show Us Your Books is Tuesday. Currently reading: Cruel Beautiful World.

9. Advice. Along these lines, check out this post from Chelsea at The Girl Who Loved to Write.

10. E-card of the week:

Made it through a Thursday Thoughts without politics. Send rewards. 

Linking up with Kristen & Gretch

I know this much is true

Some things are scientific facts that can be looked up. Some things can't be proven, but we consider them facts nonetheless because they hold such truth in our lives. Of course, they're usually in opposition to someone else's truth. My truth is not necessarily your truth which is okay, because if we were all the same life would be extremely boring. If you need your friends to be carbon copies of you, you should rethink your life. Mean Girls is a movie, not a think tank.

Some things I know to be true...

-The beach is a good place to come to terms with life.

-No one can love you unless you love yourself.

-Using a base coat and a top coat on your nails is crucial to a good manicure.

-It is possible to have a casual, surface relationship with someone you don't like. It's called being a grown up and is required in certain situations.

-A good laugh, a long sleep, a cup of coffee, and salt water can cure most things.

-Excuses make the most stand-up people sound like assholes.

-Dogs throw up, pee, and poop on fabric surfaces over hard, easy to clean surfaces 97% of the time.

-Books will take you places you'll never go in person.

-Saying, "I'm so busy" doesn't make you cool or enviable. It means you've over-scheduled yourself.

-A person's skin color, genitals, age, political leanings, or god don't make them a good or bad person. It's what's in their heart, soul, and mind, and how they act.

-Constant cynicism is tiring. We get it, you're an enlightened skeptic. You're also draining as fuck.

-There are worse things in life than being wrong.

-Not making time for and practicing self care is not selfless, it's foolish.

-Life is not fair and the world owes us nothing except for what we earn.

-There's three sides to every story: yours, mine, and the truth.

-Wrong is wrong, even if everyone is doing it. Right is right, even if no one is.

-Feminism is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. If you believe that, you're a feminist. 

-When the snorer falls asleep first, the other person gets no sleep. 

-Comparison is the thief of joy.

-Acting from a place of fear will never bring about the result I'm looking for, in any situation.

-There's bad everywhere, but there's also good. It's that way for a reason. We need the yin and the yang.

Thanks to The Girl Who Loved to Write for this post idea. 

What are some of your truths?

 Linking up with Shanna for Random Wednesday

10 Items of Note for my Teenage Self

I’m not a person who would like to go back and erase every bad choice or mistake I’ve made. I believe that our reaction to mistakes and fuck ups shape who we are and that every choice we make, good or bad, leads us to where and who we are right now. And I'd never change that.

I also know that sometimes you have to touch the fire to know it burns. Even if Current Me told Teenage Me these things, Teenage Me would give Current Me the finger and keep on doing what she was doing. That being said, if I was going to tell my teenage self some things, these would be those things.

1. Keep that Polaroid camera you got when you were 11. You’ll really want it when you’re 36 and it will cost eleventy billion dollars which you will have a hard time justifying.
2. Remember: people who talk shit are simply shit talkers.
3. Spend as much time as you can with your grandparents. Talk to them about what it was like when they were young. Soak up the time you have with them.
4. Savor every second of not working, having bills, or being responsible for anything.
5. All things end: good and bad. Appreciate what you have when you have it and hang in there when you don’t. 
6. Whatever qualifies as a huge deal now will not even be on your radar in 10 years. It’s not worth the angst or the stress.
7. Record every single episode of Beverly Hills 90210. Never get rid of your VCR.
8. In regards to college: don’t eat and drink whatever you want, study abroad
9. In regards to college: Go to a state college. You’ll save a ton of money. Better yet, go to a community college for a year or two, then a state college.
10. These are not the best years of your life as some people will tell you – but if you make it a goal to have the best time of your life every year, then you’ll always technically be in the best time of your life.

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Haikuesday

Advice. I have some.

Teenagers say "no thanks" though

Bastards would take cash.

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Speaking of teenage selves, happy happy birthday to one of my favorite friends since we were teenagers friends - Frank!

What would you tell your teenage self?

Linking up with Jana, and you should too!

10 Tips on Decluttering

Decluttering is really personal. I don't believe in holding on to things I'm not using, wearing or loving in the hopes that I will one day use them, fit in them, or love them. I'm not telling you to get rid of your stuff...that's a lie. I am telling you that. Everyone has at least a few items they shouldn't have, me included.

I think people shy away from decluttering because they think it means an absence of things and a home void of personality.  It does not mean that. It means having the respect for the things you love and want on display to give them a home and space around them.  I have a lot of decor throughout the house. My walls are full of photos. I never, however, have more than I can handle. If it doesn't have a place, it doesn't belong.

My view on clutter in the home is that it leads to clutter in the heart and mind; it allows clutter to infiltrate everywhere. Too much stuff, then suddenly too much to do, too much chaos. In my mind, clearing physical clutter clears a path to a better life.

Here are some things I live by. I'm not a genius and these aren't things I made up. They're basic tenets of organizing in my words.

1. A place for everything and everything in its place. If something doesn't have a designated space, find one for it or get rid of it. Wherever it goes is its home, so when you're done with it return it to its home. I swear I heard my Grandmom say this 49030489038 times. The next one as well.

2. One in, one out. One of the best things my Grandmom taught me. Last week I brought home two cardigans, two t-shirts, and a 3/4 sleeve t-shirt. I also ordered a skirt and two dresses. That night at home I did a quick closet purge. That's how you keep from having too much.

3. Tough love evaluation. If you hold something in your hands and don't feel a connection to it because it's useful, beautiful, or because you love it, get rid of it. If you just want a memory of it, take a photo. Purging requires a shred of ruthlessness. When the urge hits, do it.

4. Cast a critical eye on your every once in a while items. I have seasonal items and entertaining items that I don't use daily or monthly. I make sure I keep an eye on them so I'm not holding on to more than I can use at any given time, or buying more to add to an already complete collection.

5. Zone by zone. I don't say today I will declutter my bedroom. I say I'm going to go through my top two drawers. Once I do that and deal with all the stuff (throwing out, packing up to give away, or putting away in a new home, NOT just moving it), I may move on to my shoes, two more drawers, the bookcase in my room, the box next to my bed. Or I may just stop with those two drawers. Scaling decluttering projects down to 10 minute intervals allows me to accomplish something in 10 minutes. Decluttering a closet sounds like a lot of work and something I might not be up for. Decluttering a shelf does not.

6. Know that organizing is circular. I typically declutter and organize some part of the house on a daily basis even if it's just a pile on the table. Some weeks shit lays on the floor in the closet for three days before I can get to it. Life happens around us. Still, I'm disciplined in continually putting things in their homes and reevaluating my organizational systems and whether or not things are still functional, useful, or loved. You don't organize something once and then never again. It requires upkeep and evaluation.

Real Simple

7. Do not transfer clutter. FYI, it's not decluttering if you're just moving shit from place to place. You have to actually find a home for it, toss it, or give it away.

8. Jammed in is not a good look on anything. We always get new things. Make sure there's a little bit of space for you to assimilate new items and still have some space around the items you have.

9. Someone might want it is not a good reason to hold something. Your home is not a storage locker. Don't treat it as such. Reach out to whomever may want or need it and give them a pick up deadline. If they don't meet it, it gets tossed or donated. MFD wants to hold on to things for months just in case. Nope. Not happening.

10. Use reminders. If you can't bear to part with something, set a reminder on your calendar for six months from now. If you haven't thought about it or used it since you set the reminder, get rid of it.

What about you? Is decluttering a part of your life or a foreign concept? Do you have any tips to share?

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Haikuesday

Purging is needed

or you will be on Hoarders. 

Then we can't be friends. 

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10 Things I do to make Life Easier in the Kitchen

1. I put tinfoil in a bowl before I drain the grease from bacon. I throw it out or freeze it if I'm going to use it to cook with at another time. I don't need to worry about a gross bowl.

2. I prepare food on Sundays: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks. I'm cleaning up for an hour or two one day versus every morning and night. I leave the house by 7 and get home at 6. I do not feel like cooking every night. Being prepared gives me no excuse for eating shitty processed meals. That being said, some weekends we're away or I'm too busy to do that. So I always have some meals in the freezer ready to heat and eat: quiche (pieces frozen individually), breakfast burritos, baked ziti, enchiladas, mexican stuffed shells, soup.

3. If a recipe calls for half an onion, I chop the rest of it and freeze it. Likewise, if I only need a tablespoon or two of tomato paste, I freeze the rest of the can in ice cube trays and to use at my leisure. No haste, no waste, and since I usually add them to sauce or soup, no defrosting. I hate wasting food. There are too many people in this world who don't have that luxury.

4. As soon as I use the last of something, I grab my phone and write it down on a list under the Grocery Note I keep in the notes. I check that when I'm making my grocery or Target lists. I've been shopping more at Target using my red card for a 5% discount plus the Cartwheel app, Target mobile coupons, and real live coupons.

5. Wear gloves when doing dishes. Do you think these nails keep themselves? I buy fun gloves at Homegoods to put a shine on a shit chore.

6. I separate bananas when I bring them home - it keeps them good longer.

7. I never buy buttermilk because it would go bad before I'd use it all. If I need it, I add a tablespoon of lemon juice to a cup of milk, stir, and let stand for 10 minutes. Viola - you made buttermilk, bitches.

8. I whisk eggs in a four cup measuring cup so they're easy to pour out.

9.  I don't peel carrots, cucumbers, or potatoes. Again, I hate wasting food and more importantly wasting nutrients. Most nutrients in carrots are in or just below the skin. Scrub those bitches and cut the ends off and boom, you're good to go. Cucumber peel is a good source of fiber. Potato skin has a ton of finber and vitamins - it's full of vitamin K, potassium, copper, and iron. So if you eat over and we're having potato salad or mashed potatoes, expect the skin.

10. I always have a box of brownie mix in the pantry and a few bags of frozen berries in the fridge. If I have to make a dessert on the fly to serve to impromptu dinner guests or bring to a spontaneous gathering, brownies and berry cobbler will do nicely.

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Haikuesday

Share your kitchen tips!

Ordering out tricks work too.

Please, no tips on beets. 

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Tomorrow: our weekend in Mexico. Hasta manana, amigos.

Organizing items of note

Nerd alert: one of my favorite things to figure out is which storage item to use to organize something. I know Steph at Not Entirely Perfect feels the same way, which is why we are giving away a $50 gift card to The Container Store right now that you can enter to win at the bottom of this post. We love to organize the shit out of things. Check Steph's organize posts out by clicking here.

I look around and re-purpose what I have before I buy an organizer. I have a lot of things laying around that would be good organizers. I bet you do too. Before you throw something out, look at it and ask yourself how you could put it to work as an organizer. A magazine holder was on its way and now holds my garden flags. However, sometimes you just need to purchase organizers instead of re-purposing something. Here are some of my favorite organizer purchases:

1. Rectangular sea grass bin from The Container Store - $7.99. I also have one in my linen closet holding extras: mini tissue packs, mouthwash, toothpaste, MFD's shave gel and deoderant.

2. Large multi-purpose translucent bin from The Container Store - $5.99. I also use one of these under the kitchen sink to store water bottles, and an XL one ($6.99) to store dish liquid and other kitchen cleaners. I am not of the "keep all cleaning items in one place" school. When we lived in a small one bedroom apartment, I did that. This house has three floors.  Leaving cleaning stuff in each bathroom and the kitchen stuff in the kitchen ensures that those places get wiped down daily.

3. Mini stacking basket from The Container Store - $3.99. I usually have four rolls of TP stacked in here.

4. Shoe boxes from Target - It's been a while, but I think they're around $3? I can fit two flats in one box. I also use them in the linen closet to store medicine, travel sized products, and Qtips/cotton balls. These are a great work horse and can be used throughout the house.

5. Dollar Store organizers. They're a little flimsy, but they do the job. I use them in both freezers to keep shit in check. In the fridge they hold little stuff like MFD's beloved Country Crock, yogurts, etc. They also hold baking stuff: vanilla, baking powder, salt, chips, cookie cutters, etc. I have an oval one under the kitchen sink that holds my dirty towels, napkins, and wash cloths until they're ready to be washed.

6. ClosetMaid Cubeicals from Target - $5.99. I employ these on the book shelf in my room. They hold pajamas, pants, flip flops, slippers, and crapping around t-shirts. 

Most of my other organizers come from Marshalls/Home Goods. I'm lured to fun colors and textures, especially for organizers that sit in plain sight.

And, of course, my Muji makeup organizers. They are lebombdotcom.

What are your favorite organizers?

When it comes to weight loss, let's go back to basics.

A good Saturday to you, dear reader. A while back I asked people to let me know what they wanted to see on this blog, and one of the answers was fitness stuff. I am not a guru on that, so I went straight to the source, my friend Kathy at Vodka and Soda. Kathy fucking rocks and she's really knowledgeable about fitness, clean eating, and weight loss. She totally kicks ass. And uses the term fitness boner to describe when work out things go awesome so hello you know you'll love her, sickos. So sit back, relax, and enjoy. And follow her on her blog, she's been doing Fitness Fridays. Get your fitness fix from the source. 

Visit Kathy at Vodka & Soda / Twitter / Instagram

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Hello amazing readers of Life According to Steph! I’m Kathy and I blog over at Vodka and Soda.  I’m a 38 year old mother to an adorable and brilliant 5 year old, a total geek at heart (I work in the IT industry) and an avid lover of all things health and fitness.  Today, Steph was crazy enough to let me take over this space so we’re going to talk about something that gives me a major boner – fitness.  Listen up fast because I’m about to impart some mad wisdom in your faces.

source

It’s the end of January and a lot of people have started weight loss challenges or making positive changes in their lives.  All of this – whether you’re a newbie or a guru – is awesome because any change, no matter how small it is, can make a difference.  And here’s where I get on my soapbox to say what needs to be said:    All that shit you read or hear on the TV/internet about this diet or that diet or juicing or detoxing or whatever – IGNORE IT.  It’s nothing but dumb marketing schemes put out by marketing companies who want nothing but to take your money.  Do not buy into their shit!

source

In my personal opinion (and experience), when it comes to weight loss, we need to go back to the basics - no fancy blenders or juicers.  No powders or meal replacements or pills.  No diets that cut out major food groups or restrict food consumption.  No food that comes out of a box, bag or can - just the basic stuff:  fresh, wholesome food and exercise.  That’s it. 

There is no magic behind weight loss. Nothing that any marketing company can put out on the shelf will make you accelerate or burn fat any faster than your body will allow which is why I say to avoid all those fad diets and crazy machines – your body will burn fat if you return to the basics, make the right choices and exercise.  All you need to do start and then give it time to work.

And carbs – what is with all the demonizing of carbohydrates?  Time and time again, I read about women cutting out carbs because “that’s the reason i can’t lose weight.”  This is one of the biggest misconceptions of all! Carbs are NOT the reason why you can’t lose weight – bad choices are the reasons why one can’t lose weight.   Yes, carbs are caloric dense but are also is a great source of energy.  Cutting out carbs will do nothing but make you feel tired, miserable and crazy.  Our bodies need carbohydrates to function so instead of eating the white, starchy kinds, just select healthy alternatives like sweet potatoes, quinoa or whole grains. Eat them in controlled portions, eat within your caloric range for weight loss and you will lose inches and weight.

The biggest challenge for anyone wanting to lose weight is making the change; the starting point.  You’re now changing the way you eat and changing your daily routine which is instead of sitting on the couch, you get up and exercise. Who said change is easy?  It’s not!  Humans are naturally resistant to change because it’s different from what we do on a daily basis.  We also put too much pressure on ourselves to become fitness gurus or healthy in a couple of weeks when really, it takes at least a month to feel and see the changes.  Did you know that it takes humans on average 4 weeks to form new habits?  This means that we need to repeat an activity at approximately the same time every day for at least 4 weeks in order for it to become a habit.  So give yourself a break; if you’ve just started a healthy change or a new workout program, give yourself time to adjust and adapt.  Be patient.  Go back to the basics of clean eating and exercise.  Most of all, remember that it’s not the outside that only counts but what’s happening on the inside that counts most.

Are you currently working to make a healthy change in your life? 

Kathy - Vodka and Soda

Friday Five: Laura's Life Advice Edition

TGIF! First week of the 2014, dunzo. I went to the train station today, turned around and came home. It's frigid, roads suck, my train was cancelled, and my office is effectively closed. I'll be working from home.

Today is the birthday of one of my BFFs. Happy birthday to Laura! Today's Friday Five: Life Advice Edition is brought to you courtesy of one of my oldest and dearest framily members.

1. Costumes make everything better. So does dancing and Air Supply.

2. "The unselfish effort to bring cheer to others will be the beginning of a happier life for ourselves"(Helen Keller). Volunteer more, it's good for the soul.

Illustrating #1 and #2, Laura as the Cookie Monster. She volunteers with Holiday Express 

3. The best is still ahead. Quit looking back, you'll miss it. Surround yourself with positive people that make you laugh.

4. WWAWD? Ask yourself what would Anthony Weiner do? And then do the opposite. Nothing good can come of electronically documenting your nether regions or going by the screen name Carlos Danger.

5. "We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us." Joseph Campbell

Laura and Chris got married in September 2013. This bonus advice is from Chris, also a January baby:

6.  Don't eat yellow snow and wear sunscreen.

There you have it, party people. Happy birthday to Laura today and to Chris on January 10! Thanks  for playing my reindeer games. Wait, Christmas is over.

Have you endorsed Marla from Luck Fupus as a Hilarious Health Activist? Click this link and then hit endorse under her photo. Marla is a great friend of mine and shares real shit about her battle with lupus among other things.

Have a great weekend y'all! Fellow northeast people, stay warm!

A Thanksgiving Timeline

There are 470,892 Thanksgiving recipes out there, so instead of sharing the recipes I used when we hosted Friendsgiving this weekend, I thought I'd share my timeline in painstaking detail because that's what really amps people up. Thanksgiving is a meal where the main course takes up your oven for a lot of the day and there are 702 side dishes you also need to put into the oven. And it has to be on the table simultaneously, so it all comes down to timing. If you want any of the recipes, please leave me a comment or shoot me an email at lifeaccordingtosteph@gmail.com and I'll get them to you. My menu for eight adults and one child:

Appetizers: 
Raw yellow peppers with onion dip
Devilled eggs a la Debbie
Cheese and crackers
Butternut squash soup a la Angie

Main: 
Turkey
Mashed potatoes
Stuffing - in the bird and out of the bird
Spinach casserole
Sweet potato casserole
Corn
Green beans
Rolls & butter
Cranberry sauce (jelly)
gravy - with pan drippings
gravy - with pan drippings and giblets

Dessert: 
Peanut Butter and chocolate buckeyes a la Jenny
Apple and pumpkin pie a la Amanda

Dinner was scheduled for Saturday at 6:00. Sorry if this bugs your eyes out, but here's my play by play:

Friday:
2-3 p.m.: Grocery shopping: me at two stores and MFD at two stores.
3:30 - 4: Chop herbs for brine, prepare brine for the turkey, put turkey in the brine breast-side down and into the fridge. Name your turkey. Our turkey's name is Bernard.

4:15: Slice foccacia bread into bite sized pieces for stuffing. Allow to sit out for the rest of the night on a jelly roll pan.
4:30 - 6:00: Chop celery and onions for the stuffing, sage/rosemary/thyme for the stuffing, peppers for the app, onions for the spinach casserole, herbs for herbed butter. Store in separate tupperware containers. Remove a stick of butter from the fridge. Snap ends off of beans, store in a ziploc bag.
6:05: Become consumed with fear that my 15.23 pound turkey will not be enough, and put a 7 pound bone-in turkey breast in the oven. Baste every half hour.
7:00: Thaw and squeeze water from two packs of frozen chopped spinach. Store in tupperware.
8:20: Remove turkey breast, let rest for 20 minutes then remove to platter.
8:30: Make giblet gravy with the pan drippings (MFD).
8:45: MFD carves turkey breast. I cut up lemons, limes, oranges for drinks.

9:00 Make herbed butter with the herbs designated for it and the butter that's been softening for a few hours.
10:00:  Turn the turkey over onto its back in the brine, put the cubed bread into a gallon-sized ziploc.

Saturday: 
8:00 a.m.: Turn turkey over so it's breast side down in brine again.
9:00: Prepare spinach casserole and bake.
9:15: Receive email mentioning butter, realize butter was left out of the casserole, haul ass into the kitchen and frantically add it.
9:30: Prepare sweet potato casserole.
9:40: Remove spinach casserole and allow to cool on counter, put sweet potato casserole into oven.
9:45: Saute onions and celery for out of the bird stuffing, assemble.
10:00: Remove turkey from brine, dry thoroughly with towels, put on a platter and refrigerate.
10:15: Remove sweet potato casserole from oven and allow to cool on counter, put stuffing into oven.
10:15: Realize I will need more bread for in the bird stuffing. Toast backup bag of pre-cubed bread in the oven for 20 minutes. Thank the universe audibly that you always overbuy and do not have to rush to the store. 
10:20: Realize I need more herbs, onions, and celery for in the bird stuffing. Chop then saute.
10:45: Remove stuffing from oven and allow to cool on counter.
11:00: Remove turkey from fridge and set on counter. Dry it again.
11:15: Put stuffing, spinach casserole, and sweet potato casserole in the fridge.

11:45: Prepare turkey with veggie oil, herbed butter, and stuffing.
12 noon: The bird goes in the oven. Baste at 45 minutes and every half hour after that, rotate pan hourly.
12:15 p.m.: Make onion dip and refrigerate.
12:20: Wipe down the kitchen, run the dishwasher, do the kitchen floor. Put towels used to dry out turkey and clean into the wash.
1:15: Consider painting nails but realize you need to wear oven mitts as gloves for the next five hours.
2:00: Set the table.
2:30: Set the drinks up, make extra pitcher of iced tea, put a stick of butter out in a glass dish, fill up salt & pepper shakers
3:15: Turkey smells done and according to the thermometer, it is done. Tent that bird with foil.
3:30: Peel and cut potatoes, store in pot of cold salted water on stove top. Open three cans of corn and put in a bowl, cover with saran and refrigerate.
3:45: Move bird to large platter. Make gravy with pan drippings.
4:00: MFD carves turkey (and eats it surreptitiously like a wild jackal), arranges it in a weird presentation, and covers tightly with foil.
4:10: Turn oven to 200 and put spinach casserole, stuffing, and sweet potato casserole in the oven, covered.
4:30: Raise heat to 350.
5:00: Boil water for potatoes. Start to get really hot after standing in front of oven for eleven hundred days.
5:15: Steam green beans for 6 minutes, put gravy in gravy boats, open cranberry sauce and refrigerate. I am now moving like a well-oiled machine. 
5:25: Put apps and cold drinks out, fill ice bucket, light candles.
5:30: Saute green beans in three batches.
5:30: Finish off mashed potatoes (MFD). I heat up giblet gravy from Friday night.
5:35: Pull sweet potatoes out of the oven, put turkey and mashed potatoes in (covered), reduce heat to 275.
5:45: Put rolls in basket and cover with a towel.
5:50: Remove everything from the oven, put marshmallows on top of the sweet potato casserole and broil. Put remaining food on the table. Keep a close eye on sweet potatoes. Microwave corn, green beans, and gravy. Go go Gadget arms.
5:58: Make sure everyone has drinks and all dishes have spoons. Ladle soup into bowls. Bark out orders. 
6:00: Grab cranberry sauce in a last chance power drive.
6:04: Sit down to eat. Boom. The meal is eaten in less time than it takes to peel the potatoes, which I only ever do on Thanksgiving. We eat them with skins the rest of the year. 

Haikuesday:

Gather round, my friends. 

(If you fit with all the food)

Can tables collapse?

My advice:
1. Buy what you can. For me that's rolls and cranberry sauce. If you make rolls, make them ahead and freeze them.
2. Do not concoct a pie in the sky menu that you're not going to be able to execute. Keep it simple. Let people fill the holes in your menu. Write down or know a schedule in your head.
3. Do whatever you can before hand - chopping veggies is a big one. Setting out dishes you'll be using is too.
4. Ensure your turkey has ample time to thaw if you buy frozen. And dry that bird like it's the only thing keeping the world from catching on fire.
5. Make dishes ahead and reheat.
6. Have another pair of hands or two for the last 40 minutes and make someone else carve the turkey. MFD took care of the potatoes and Debbie helped with dishes and putting food out.
7. Wash and clean as you go, and get rid of as many dishes as you can before anyone arrives.
8. Have an empty dishwasher ready to be filled. You do not want to face clean up with a loaded and full or loaded and clean dishwasher.
9. Purchase Dollar Store tupperware so people can take leftovers home and not steal your precious tupperware.
10. Have fun - it's not supposed to be so stressful that YOU don't enjoy the day.

We didn't need the turkey breast except for leftovers - I like to have enough to send people home with food. We all want Thanksgiving leftovers, don't we?

Are you hosting Thanksgiving? Going somewhere and making a dish? Give me the scoop.