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November marks the month that has been set aside for Thanksgiving. Some may say there is so much going on in my life that is not good what do I have to be thankful for. First, it can always be worse. Just turn on the news and you can see proof of that locally, nationally and globally. Yes, we are challenged daily but there is always “SOMETHING” to be thankful for.
Preparation
Now having set the stage for why we should be thankful. We can now begin to prepare for the week ahead and the festivities that come with Thanksgiving. Remembering to pace yourself and do what you can when you can. The celebration is not about perfection but about truly just “Being Thankful”.
Hopefully, you have created your menu for Thanksgiving. This should include all your main dishes. Then you add your side dishes and desserts. When your break down your menu by categories. It allows you to do two things. It allows you to take each dish and break it down by ingredients. Then you can also take inventory of whether or not you already have these items on hand. This may take some time because based on who is coming to your home they may not eat certain items. Please take this into consideration.
Organizing
Once your menu is done, you will need to prepare a list of ingredients and seasonings. If you have taken the steps outlined above. The next step is easier. Take inventory of what you already have at home to work with and complete your shopping list. Try to prepare this list carefully so that you make the best use of your time and travels. You can do this by breaking down the trips to no more than three stores to complete your list. Once you are done with the food portion of preparing for Thanksgiving, you can now focus on getting the house ready for family and friends.
Remember that your family and friends are not coming over to inspect your home. They are coming over to have fun and enjoy a great meal. Turn on some music and dance your way through cleaning. Making sure to include each room. You can break this down over the course of a few days, so as not to wear yourself thin. If you are short on time and or energy, might I suggest you call in a cleaning staff. Shop around for pricing and reputation and if you are satisfied keep them on standby for moments when you just need that extra sprucing up.
Last Minute Preparations
After the cleaning is done, begin to prep (food) that you can days out from Thanksgiving to save you time in the kitchen. This can by done by seasoning your meats a few days in advance, chopping vegetables and even preparing some of your deserts such as pies ahead of time until they are ready to bake. Please be mindful when doing this to know which items are able to be prepped ahead of time. Prepped is not the same as being cooked. It is a way of doing the tedious work ahead of time to cut down on some of the time consuming tasks involved in the kitchen on Thanksgiving Day.
Now that your house is clean, the food is prepped add your flowers and last minute special touches to your home to set the mood. You have done all the necessary work and are all set!
Rest Up
Whew, this was quite a workout! Now take the time to rest up and relax so that you have energy to not only cook but enjoy your company. Remembering that there is always something to be thankful for. November is marked as the month of Thanksgiving, but we can all practice the act of being thankful everyday no matter what is happening in our lives. May all my readers have a great and festive Thanksgiving. Remember to stay Thankful.
