Thanksgiving Table - Grown-up style

Like I mentioned in my previous post on our friends in Chicago came to visit us for this important holiday and I really wanted to make things extra-special for them and of course for my family. 

You already know my Dining room was all set-up for this occassion, so now all I did was add on the dinnerware and the cutlery. Here it is pre-dinner...

All Ready!

I added ponsettias for some fresh flowers and greenery since my table was already jam-pakced! I folded the napkins following this super simple instructions on how to do the Diamond fold.

Glistening...

I used my HSN Jonathan Adler glasses  & silverware and added a Champagne flute for you know what.   I used paper placemats I brought from Horchow on clearance for $9 for 50 pcs.

All Set!

Sample Setting

I used my plain gold lined dinnerware I bought from Walmart 2 years ago. Along with the red chargers I've had since 5 years ago. The reindeer place card holders were actually photo holders from Kohls I bought last year!

The finishing touch - FOOD!!!!

Our menu consisted of : Rice, Pancit palabok, Baked salmon, Honey-baked Ham, Lechon Kawali, Kare-kare, Cranberry relish and of course stuffed turkey!!

Desserts

Dessert consisted of Pumpkin pie, cream puffs and Brazo de Mercedes

YUM!

I eventually had to remove the centerpieces to make room for more important stuff... :)

The hosts - Me and my handsome hubby!

All ready to partake our feast!

At the end of dinner, we made our Thanksgiving souvenirs - I started this last year, basically it's an ornament filled with all of what each member of our family is thankful for. I just got glass ornaments from Hobby lobby and printed out the paper to write our "Thanks" and stuffed them inside the ornament for each family! :)

Hope you all had a festive thanksgiving!!!!!

Linking back toNewly Woodwards

Kids Thanksgiving Table

We had a wonderful time last Thanksgiving with our friends from Chicago visiting and staying over. The kids had their own table set-up and we the mom's served as their servers!

Placemat from whateverdeedeewants.com

I printed our these placemats for some kiddie fun. Found them on pinterest and the link for the placemets is here.  I only had it enlarged at the copier center.

Ready for the little ones

I set-up the table in our eat-in kitchen. Used my "unbreakable" corelle plates and added crayons on each side so they can play with their mats. I used Blue dots napkins from Ikea as an accent. I also added my old wicker table cover from Walmart.

I used mini-wine glasses I bought at our local goodwill for 50 cents each! The kids loved them so much that one of the kids asked if he could have one and take it home! I gladly obliged!

I added their hand-written place cards so everyone would know where to go. 

The Menu consisted of : Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Spaghetti, Pumpkin pie and Cream puffs, Chocolate cookies, and of course, turkey with gravy!!!

The centerpiece was also an idea I got from Pinterest, and here is the Link on how to make it! I only substituted the melon in the guide for pumpkin - just thinkin' that pumpkin' is more into this season than anything (plus, I had lots of those on display outside!)! My friends helped me make this lovely bird...

"my assistants" busy at work

Tada!

We really had a hard time trying to keep the kids hands away before dinner started! :)

Kids busy with coloring or  filling their plates!

So cute!

Hope your Thanksgiving was marvelous!!!!!!

Linking back to Newly Woodwards

Christmas-Ready Dining room

If you liked my Halloween decor in the dining room last time, here is my Dining room now...

Sparking Dining

One of the big impact things in this room is the glitter wallpaper! You all know what that is - the glitter gift wrap from Walmart I was bragging about in my previous post. For $4 a piece, this wall accent made my dining room partey ready!!

Centerpiece, I mean, centerpieces!

The Centerpiece of the Dining room table consisted of lots of candles in different shapes and sizes. Again, you know me, they were all bought last year on clearance. The Reindeers are from Pier 1 last year, the white candles with red cherries were from Kohls. The Silver candle sticks were from TJ Maxx ($2.00 for two - score!). The clear glass candlesticks are from CB2 and the long tealight holder is from Crate and barrel bought 4 years ago. The runner was from Kohls last year. I also added the "Merry Christmas ornaments " for extra sparkle, $1.25 for 10 from Walmart last year. The Silver Tree was also from Walmart 4-5 years ago.

Buffet Set-up

Another view

I added a lot of my old red and silver ornaments into my apothecary jars and capped it off with gittered snowflake ornaments. I also filled 3 of my cake stands with ornaments. The mirror that used to be behind the  lamps (check out my previous post on Halloween ) is now serving as a tray where all the cake stands are. The birds are part of my white porcelain collection. The candy tree jar is from Crate and Barrel bought at a garage sale years ago. Currently I filled it with fake snow. The white fluffy trees are also from Crate and Barrel 3 years ago. "Celebrate" appetizer plates were from Kohls last year.

Shelving upgrade

Just like during Halloween, I just changed the Knick-kancks on display on these mirrored shelves.

Add caption

There you have it folks. Now all we need is a nice family dinner to really shake things up in this room. And since we will be somewhere else on Christmas eve, this room will be of more use to us this Thanksgiving!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!!!!!!

Christmas-ready Chandy and Window

Ok, if our media center got a Christmas upgrade, for sure even our chandy will too!!!!! I usually hang ornaments to the chandy. This year is no different. Take a look...

"let it snow.."

Let it snow...

I used red snowflake garland bought from Menards 3 years ago. Then hung a big silver Dollar tree snowflake (bought 4 years ago) in the middle. The other glitter snowflakes were from Opryland I bought last year on clearance.

Our Dining room window joined in on the fun too! Here she is...

Ready to party

Ornaments galore

another view

I just hung old ornaments using red ribbon in different widths and lengths. Then I added my old silver ball garlands bought form Marshalls a few years ago. 

I don't have drapes yet in my dining because it is still under "construction" - meaning, I still haven't decide what to do with the overall decor there. So for the holidays, I'm going all out in this room since it does not follow any specific color scheme yet.

My theme for this Holiday season is Sparkling Christmas with lots of reds,silver and snowflakes and reindeers!

Anyway, I will post my Christmas-ready Dining room set-up soon!!!

An open letter to my son Aidan

Dearest Aidan,


I know that it may be many years before you get to read this letter, but I'm writing it anyway since I am just overflowing with pride and joy at what you have just accomplished.


You are now in first grade at your new school and yesterday you brought home your progress report card with straight A's and all S's. I and your daddy and kuya, are all so proud of this because we know how hard you worked for this.


Everyday, when you get home from school, the very first thing you do is go to your little desk in our kitchen and pull out all your homework and call me "Mommy, you need to help me with this!". You do this on your own, without any prompts from us, without any questions. You just knew that you gotta do what you gotta do. I think that what makes me so proud is this attitude of yours which I hope will linger on throughout your life and also, rub off on me too.


Your initial struggles with reading was very frustrating. So frustrating that it made you really anxious about school and brought out a transient tic in you. We felt the stress and your wanting to learn and please everyone, and so we all worked together to get your reading at par with your peers. Everyday, we would go thru all the vocabulary words you get from school -  From week 1 to now week 12 ( that's about 150 words now including the extras I put in your word box) and you would read these words to me automatically, without any complaints, without any questions. I feel your complete trust that this repetitive exercise will help you with your reading - and it did.


Now, its math we're "struggling " with. We realized how much we neglected you during all those years your nanny was with us. We are reviewing the basics of numbers again on top of your current math work in school of addition and subtraction. It is difficult and challenging, you cry sometimes because you know you couldn't get it sometimes. I am at fault too for loosing my temper so often that all I could do is apologize for my impatience and shortcomings to you before I say good night. I thank you Aidan for being so understanding of your mom who does not have the same patience and trust as you do.


I know its going to be a long haul. But you know what, this progress report of yours only shows that with the way you are right now, with your inherent admirable attitude, I strongly believe you can overcome your difficulty with math.


And with that, I am also equally confident that someday, when things are not going well for you, wether be it about middle school work or a college thesis, or about your life in general, WE KNOW you will be alright in the end.


Thank you anak, for showing me and teaching me and assuring me everyday, that things will be alright.


Thank you for teaching me the importance of hard work and perseverance in your own little way. 


Thank you for showing me how to trust unconditionally. 


But most of all thank you for your patience with mommy and daddy. We love you so much anak!




Your number 1 fan,
Mommy


PS: I just heard mass at your school today, and I thanked GOD for YOU and who YOU ARE!

FLASHBACK: Aidan's 6th Birthday

We had a fun-filled party during Aidan's 6th birthday. And I just wanted to share some of the details about it here!

The theme is "Toy Story". This was actually the 2nd Toy Story party I've come up with, the first one was for Nio when he turned 3. So I know this was gonna be a very fun party to set-up!

6-Cake

The cake was just plain blue. I added the Toy Story-themed sprinkles I bought at Walmart. The toy belonged to Aidan and I just placed it on the corner to some accent.

Souvenirs

I bought the boxes from "Party City" and filled it with goodies. I placed Aidan's picture and with the help of an Ipad App called GLOW DRAW. I made the picture card just to make these store-bought boxes more personalized.

Garage Set-up

Prizes

His birthday is January and being too cold to be outside. we set-up the game area in the garage. Patio heater, some table covers in coordinating colors to cover the mess and Viola - a party/game room!

Pabitin

It is a Filipino tradition to have a contraption such as this during kids parties. The PABITIN goes up and down, up and down while the eager kids await to try getting the toy they want! Such fun!

Dessert and Kiddie food set-up

I used a clearance table cover from Pier 1 and added purple napkins and lime green drawer liners to give the table more color.

I got the Star shaped bowls from Kohls on clearance after Christmas. Chocolates and fruits and cupcakes complete the desserts. The kiddie food consisted of pizza, chicken nuggets, veggies and chips.

Drinks on one side, adult food on the other

Tribute to the celebrant

Grown-up food

The buffet consisted of Beef with broccoli, Hunan Chicken, Chopsuey, Spring rolls, Palabok, Baked Mac and Congee or lugaw with all the extras and Fried tofu!

Balloons for the bday boy

More on the celebrant

I displayed a lot of Aidan's art around and his pictures to make the room feel like it's really FOR HIM!

Toy Story toys everywhere

Proud Birthday Buzz Boy!