I snagged a 18.5lb Jennie-O turkey at Food Lion for $7.35 over the weekend for Christmas eve dinner.

My mom will host Christmas dinner. Not sure what she's having. I'll be in charge of dessert, as always. James (hubby) wants me to make an apple pie so I guess that's on the list.

Im gonna cut back on making so much for the dinner at my husbands Dads this year.
Ham, turkey, yeast rolls, deviled eggs, marinated vegetable salad, gravy, honey roasted sweet potatoes, cranberry salad, chocolate loaded peanut butter brownies & cookies and cream cake. Im going to ask his Daddy to make mashed potatoes, rolls & green beans and new potatoes.

I figure I can make the desserts and the deviled eggs, marinated vegetable salad and the cranberry salad the day before and take them to his Dads. The day of their dinner it would leave me the ham, turkey, yeast rolls, gravy and sweet potatoes to make.

Everyone's holiday dishes sound SO delicious!

I'm unsure what I'm making exactly yet, except I need to photograph some King Crablegs so hopefully I can find some nice ones at a decent price at Sam's Club or Costco soon!

Not sure exactly how my clan will be celebrating/eating this year- or how, just yet...

Most of you know that my sister and I have been trading-off every other week having my Mom stay with us. She's on the waiting-list for a senior-apartment just 5 minutes from me- but the soonest they expect a vacancy is March...

Sis has asked me if I can keep Mom for the 3 weeks that her daughter will be home from college on winter break, 'cause Mom uses daughter's room, and Sis's family will be in and out and have a lot going on during that time.

I'm used to just having her for a week at a time- and I've always been grateful for the week-long trades w/ sis 'cause it gives us time to refresh and regroup to get stuff done and be at our best for Mom. So I hope it all works out well! Please cross your fingers for us!

Your Mama not staying at the same home she was in?
I got my fingers crossed for you Hon. If you need to talk you know where I am.

Well, janie... Mom has had another senior apartment that offers some assisted living aspects, about an hour from us in Peoria. But a few months back she went to stay at my sister's for 2 weeks and on the morning we were due to drive her back to her place she broke-down and confided in us that she didn't want to go back there and felt she could no longer take care of herself.

We understood- she's had obvious issues w/ personal hygiene the last year or so- and she's lost so much weight and has literally withered and become dangerously frail right before our eyes.

Oddly- all this decline has happened as her mental health has improved w/ meds and 'upstairs' she's now healthier than she has been in 30 years! So to see the physical down-fall occurring at the same time has been- well- strange.

Anyway, Karla and I have been trying to evenly divide the time we keep Mom- usually a week at a time... until the senior apartment facility near me can get her in- they say March...

...so until then we try to do our best, keep a sunny face on, and try to keep Mom's needs in mind before all others...

Thanks, janie dear!