Don't Let the Grinch Steal Thanksgiving

Don't Let the Grinch Steal Thanksgiving
by Greg Asimakoupoulos

In Whoville the Grinch was quite greedy and mean.
The envy within him caused him to turn green.
Ungrateful and jealous, this monster-like grouch
spent Thanksgiving morning curled up on the couch.
No holiday baking. No holiday fun.
The number of chairs at his table was one.

It seemed that his appetite wasn't for food.
He always was stuck in the stuff-buying mood.
"Why cook up a turkey?" He said to himself.
"I'd rather add stuff to what's stuffed on my shelf."

The stores were all closed for the Great Day of Thanks.
But that was no problem. The green prince of pranks
could shop by computer to his heart's content.
And clicking his mouse, the Grinch spent and he spent.

The Great Day of Thanking went by really quick
and by spending and buying the Grinch got real sick.
but nobody knew it. And nobody cared.

For Grinchers are selfish and Grinches don't share.
And if you are wondering the point of this rhyme,
then keep reading on past the end of this line.

In the -ville we inhabit there isn't a Grinch.
but sometimes we act just like him cause we're rich.
We buy what we want without batting an eye.
We silence our kids' "gotta-haves" when they cry.
We love to go shopping and spend major cash
while throwing away what's still good with the trash.

We envy our neighbor's new car and new boat,
and find ourselves lusting to have her mink coat.
We want a new kitchen. New drapes would be fine.
And oh don't we love how our hardwood floors shine?

We long for the latest. We crave what is new.
We're not satisfied having one. We need two.
Two big screen TV sets. Two Lexus. Two homes.
There's two spouses working to service the loans.

And though when we're scraped we bleed red not Grinch-green,
our selfish Grinch tendencies still can be seen.
Our hearts are thing-centered. They aren't good at thanks.
They start to beat stronger at Best Buy and banks.

It's hard to be grateful when there's more to buy.
We can't track our assets. In truth, we don't try.
Instead we're inclined to add up what we need.
First this and then that and then? Look at our greed!

And even on this day when turkey is king
we aren't satisfied with a leg and a wing.
We need mashed potatoes. We need candied yams.
We need beans and biscuits plus two kinds of jams.
There's tossed greens and Jell-O and cranberries too;
At least we are grateful our chompers still chew.

But gratitude's not way high up on our list.
We feel so entitled it tends to get missed.
But that is not all we ungrateful folk do.
There's something that turns us a Grinch-greenish hue.
We rarely if ever say "I'm satisfied."
And if once we said it, it's likely we lied.

If we are forever fixated on more,
we can't be contended. Contentment's a chore.
Contentment is foreign. Contentment ain't fun.
And why should we settle when our dreams aren't done?

Why settle indeed? Because deep in our soul
we feel's something's missing. It feels like a hole.
It's really a hunger that's long been ignored
by Grinch-like behavior that's caused us to hoard.

But, hey, it's Thanksgiving. The hungry are filled.
Let thirsts, dreams and longings be quenched, met and stilled.
No turkey is needed. A ham will not do.
The feelings you long for hide deep within you.

Start counting your blessings. Look back, not ahead.
Be done being selfish. Be grateful instead.
Be grateful for fingers, for eyelids that close.
Be grateful that you can still smell with your nose.
Be grateful for legs that allow you to walk.
Give thanks that the tongue in your mouth lets you talk.

Give thanks for your children. Give thanks for your spouse.
Give thanks for your over-stuffed "imperfect" house.
Be done with Grinch yearnings. Let thanks fill your heart.
Acknowledge God's goodness. That's where it must start.

30 Things I've Learned

I stumbled across this list on a web site today, which I thought had some great things to say, and just wanted to share. Enjoy!

1. There comes a point in life when you get tired of chasing everyone and trying to fix everything, but it’s not giving up.  It’s realizing you don’t need certain people and things and the drama they bring.
2. If a person wants to be a part of your life they will make an obvious effort to do so.  Don’t bother reserving a space in your heart for people who do not make an effort to stay.
3. If you want to fly, you have to give up the things that weigh you down – which is not always as obvious and easy as it sounds.
4. Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing.
5. Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success.  You don’t fail by falling down.  You fail by never getting back up.  Sometimes you just have to forget how you feel, remember what you deserve, and keep pushing forward.
6. When you get to know people with different ethnic backgrounds, from different cities and countries, who live at various socioeconomic levels, you begin to realize that everyone basically wants the same things.  Theywant validation, love, happiness, fulfillment and hopes for a better future.  The way they pursue these desires is where things branch off, but the fundamentals are the same.  You can relate to almost everyone everywhere if you look past the superficial facades that divide us.
7. The more things you own, the more your things own you.  Less truly gives you more freedom.  Read The Joy of Less.
8. While you’re busy looking for the perfect person, you’ll probably miss the imperfect person who could make you perfectly happy.  This is as true for friendships as it is for intimate relationships.  Finding a companion or a friend isn’t about trying to transform yourself into the perfect image of what you think they want.  It’s about being exactly who you are and then finding someone who appreciates that.
9. Relationships must be chosen wisely.  It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company.  There’s no need to rush.  If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason.
10. Making a thousand friends is not a miracle.  A miracle is making one friend who will stand by your side when thousands are against you.
11. Someone will always be better looking.  Someone will always be smarter.  Someone will always be more charismatic.  But they will never be you – with your exact ideas, knowledge and skills.
12. Making progress involves risk.  Period.  You can’t make it to second base with your foot on first.
13. Every morning you are faced with two choices:  You can aimlessly stumble through the day not knowing what’s going to happen and simply react to events at a moment’s notice, or you can go through the day directing your own life and making your own decisions and destiny.  Read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
14. Everyone makes mistakes.  If you can’t forgive others, don’t expect others to forgive you.  To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you.
15. It’s okay to fall apart for a little while.  You don’t always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well.  You shouldn’t be concerned with what other people are thinking either – cry if you need to – it’s healthy to shed your tears.  The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.
16. We sometimes do things that are permanently foolish just because we are temporarily upset.  A lot of heartache can be avoided if you learn to control your emotions.
17. Someone else doesn’t have to be wrong for you to be right.  There are many roads to what’s right.  You cannot judge others by your own past.  They are living a different life than you.  What might be good for one person may not be good for another.  What might be bad for one person might change another person’s life for the better.  You have to allow people to make their own mistakes and their own decisions.
18. Nobody is perfect, and nobody deserves to be perfect.  Nobody has it easy.  You never know what people are going through.  Every one of us has issues.  So don’t belittle yourself or anyone else.  Everybody is fighting their own unique war.
19. A smile doesn’t always mean a person is happy.  Sometimes it simply means they are strong enough to face their problems.
20. The happiest people I know keep an open mind to new ideas and ventures, use their leisure time as a means of mental development, and love good music, good books, good pictures, good company and good conversation.  And oftentimes they are also the cause of happiness in others.
21. You can’t take things too personally.  Rarely do people do things because of you.  They do things because of them.
22. Feelings change, people change, and time keeps rolling.  You can hold on to past mistakes or you can create your own happiness.  A smile is a choice, not a miracle.  True happiness comes from within.  Don’t make the mistake of waiting on someone or something to come along and make you happy.
23. It’s much harder to change the length of your life than it is to change the depth of it.
24. You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.
25. When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you.
26. One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you like everyone else.
27. Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things.  Read The Book of Awesome.
28. Anyone can make a difference.  Making one person smile can change the world.  Maybe not the whole world, but their world.
29. Everything is a life lesson.  Everyone you meet, everything you encounter, etc.  They’re all part of the learning experience we call ‘life.’  Never forget to acknowledge the lesson, especially when things don’t go your way.  If you don’t get a job that you wanted or a relationship doesn’t work, it only means something better is out there waiting.  And the lesson you just learned is the first step towards it.
30. Regardless of how filthy your past has been, your future is still spotless.  Don’t start your day with the broken pieces of yesterday.  Every day is a fresh start.  Each day is a new beginning.  Every morning we wake up is the first day of the rest of our life.

Touches of Fall Around the House

Now that the temperatures are cooling off and fall is in the air, I can't help but add little fall touches around the house. Along with the fall tablescape, here are a few other things, such as these little cuties that greet visitors:

And this:

I had this floral swag outside last year (not sure what I was thinking??), but it really wasn't meant to be outside, so now it decks the fireplace:

Some cute fall candles in the office:

And a Leaves candle from Bath & Body (this smells soooo good!):

KitchenAid Giveaway!

This is so awesome! Reluctant Entertainer is featured in Your Life: Guide to Women's Health, a new publication by USA Today designed specifically for women that hits the stands today. To celebrate, KitchenAid is giving away a 7-quart Stand Mixer! This product is brand new, so the winner will be one of the first to own it! Woo hoo!! You can find out all the details on how to enter here.

Here is additional information about the mixer (winner gets to choose between silver, black, or red):

KitchenAid’s Best Performing Stand Mixer
• Our Most Powerful, Quietest Available – 1.3HP high efficiency DC motor is designed to run longer and delivers optimum torque with less at build-up. Easily handles recipes requiring longer mixing, kneading and whipping times. The all-metal, precise gear design produces a smooth, quiet sound.
• Our Longest Lasting – Designed for long life of high performance; backed by 2 year hassle-free replacement warranty.
• Our Most Efficient – Advanced feedback control communicates in micro seconds to the motor to ensure optimal power is delivered to the bowl.

Professional-Style Attachment Power Hub
Fits all current KitchenAid® attachments and future larger capacity commercial-style attachments

Largest Capacity Residential Bowl-Lift Available 7-Quart (6.6 L)
• Handles 8 ½ lbs of mashed potatoes, 8 ½ loaves of bread, 14 dozen cookies.

Dishwasher Safe Accessories
Maximize bowl coverage with the stainless steel 11-wire Elliptical Whip, coated metal Flat Beater and Power Knead™ Dough Hook. Handles small and large jobs equally well.

 Contest Ends this Friday, September 23, 2011, at midnight.

Fall Nesting - Tablescape

I love fall and have been doing a little "nesting" lately. The Inspired Room is having a Fall Nesting Party, as is so I thought I'd join in the fun. I've been mostly shopping the house or watching for good sales to add to my fall decor. Here is my current fall table.

The mirror set I received as a Christmas gift from my mom several years ago. The big floral things on the ends are from Hobby Lobby last year. The pumpkin in the middle is a candle from Bath & Body one or two years ago. The little tea lights were a gift from a friend and the taller candles are Yankee Candles that I found for a steal at HomeGoods a year or so ago. They're a little too pink for fall, so after surfing around blogland for a bit, I decided to try a Pottery Barn knockoff. This post by Thrifty Parsonage Living was my inspiration. I like her creation better, but I was working with what I had. :) Here is her version:

And here is mine:

So there you have it! My use-what-I-had-onhand fall tablescape! :)

Map Coasters

This map coaster idea from Martha Stewart is so cute! It also looks like something easy enough to do even if one isn't normally a big crafter! What a fun way to repurpose an old map or create a unique memento from a special trip!

http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/map-coasters?xsc=eml_org_2011_08_12&om_rid=NsgxKu&om_mid=_BORRXDB8bVwbDO#

Serenading a Beluga Whale

Have you seen this YouTube video that's been making the rounds lately of the mariachi band serenading a beluga whale? It so cute! To me, beluga whales always look like they're sort of smiling, which makes this even more fun. Enjoy!

11 Rules About Marriage You Won't Learn in School

Kelly's Korner is hosting a Show Us Your Life topic on best marriage advice. My hubby and I will celebrate our fifteenth wedding anniversary this year (gasp! Where did the time go?) and we've definitely learned a few things over the years. I think we're all sort of like professional students of marriage, though, in that there will always be more to learn.

I want to share “11 Rules That You Won’t Learn in School About Marriage” by Dennis Rainey. Enjoy!

Rule 1: Marriage isn’t about your happiness. It’s not about you getting all your needs met through another person. Practicing self-denial and self-sacrifice, patience, understanding, and forgiveness are the fundamentals of a great marriage. If you want to be the center of the universe, then there’s a much better chance of that happening if you stay single.

Rule 2: Getting married gives a man a chance to step up and finish growing up. The best preparation for marriage for a single man is to man up now and keep on becoming the man God created him to be.

Rule 3: It’s okay to have one rookie season, but it’s not okay to repeat your rookie season. You will make rookie mistakes in your first year of marriage; the key is that you don’t continue making those same mistakes in year five, year 10, or year 20 of your marriage.

Rule 4: It takes a real man to be satisfied with and love one woman for a lifetime. And it takes a real woman to be content with and respect one man for a lifetime.

Rule 5: Love isn’t a feeling. Love is commitment. It’s time to replace the “D word”—divorce—with the “C word”—commitment. Divorce may feel like a happy solution, but it results in long-term toxic baggage. You can’t begin a marriage without commitment. You can’t sustain one without it either. A marriage that goes the distance is really hard work. If you want something that is easy and has immediate gratification, then go shopping or play a video game.

Rule 6: Online relationships with old high school or college flames, emotional affairs, sexual affairs, and cohabiting are shallow and illegitimate substitutes for the real thing. Emotional and sexual fidelity in marriage is the real thing.

Rule 7: Women spell romance R-E-L-A-T-I-O-N-S-H-I-P. Men spell romance S-E-X. If you want to speak romance to your spouse, become a student of your spouse, enroll in a lifelong “Romantic Language School,” and become fluent in your spouse’s language.

Rule 8: During courtship, opposites attract. After marriage, opposites can repel each another. You married your spouse because he/she is different. Differences are God’s gift to you to create new capacities in your life. Different isn’t wrong, it’s just different.

Rule 9: Pornography robs men of a real relationship with a real person and poisons real masculinity, replacing it with the toxic killers of shame, deceit, and isolation. Pornography siphons off a man’s drive for intimacy with his wife. Marriage is not for wimps. Accept no substitutes.

Rule 10: As a home is built, it will reflect the builder. Most couples fail to consult the Master Architect and His blueprints for building a home. Instead a man and woman marry with two sets of blueprints (his and hers). As they begin building, they discover that a home can’t be built from two very different sets of blueprints.

Rule 11: How you will be remembered has less to do with how much money you make or how much you accomplish and more with how you have loved and lived.


Something else that I read recently that I think is so true: "A successful marriage is a union of two good forgivers." Amen and amen!

Quick Iced Tea Tip

Happy first day of summer! Hope you enjoy the day! If you enjoy drinking iced tea (sweet or unsweet), but don't like how it gets watered down after a bit, try using tea cubes instead. You can freeze the tea in an ice tray and then use that for the ice for your tea. That way, when it melts down, you're just getting more tea in your drink rather than water. Enjoy!

Coffee Filters - Not Just For, Ya Know, Filtering Coffee

I received these tips in an email from a friend and just had to share. There are some great ideas here!




                                                            COFFEE FILTERS
                             
Coffee  filters .... Who knew!   And you can buy 1,000 at the Dollar Tree for just a dollar, even the large ones. 

1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the  microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.  

2. Clean windows, mirrors, and chrome....  Coffee filters are lint-free so they'll leave windows sparkling.
                             
3.  Protect China by separating your good dishes with a coffee filter between each dish.
                             
4.  Filter broken cork from wine.  If you break the cork when opening a wine  bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter. 
                             
5.  Protect a cast-iron skillet.  Place a coffee filter in the  skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust. 

6.  Apply shoe polish.  Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.  

7.  Recycle frying oil.  After frying, strain oil through a sieve  lined with a coffee filter. 

8.  Weigh chopped foods...  Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a  kitchen scale. 

9.  Hold tacos.  Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods. 

10.  Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot.  Line a plant  pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes. 

11.  Prevent a Popsicle from dripping.  Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter. 

12.  Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows?  Use strips of coffee filters.

13.  Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc on them.  It soaks out all the grease.  

14.  Keep in the bathroom.  They make great "razor nick fixers." 
                             
15.  As a sewing backing.  Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing for embroidering or appliquéing soft fabrics. 
                             
16.  Put baking soda into a coffee filter and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors. 
                             
17.  Use them to strain soup stock and to tie fresh herbs in to put in soups and stews. 
                             
18.  Use a coffee filter to prevent spilling when you add fluids to your car. 
                             
19.  Use them as a spoon rest while cooking and clean up small counter spills. 
                             
20.  Can use to hold dry ingredients when baking or when cutting a piece of fruit or veggies.  Saves on having extra bowls to wash. 
                             
21.  Use them to wrap Christmas ornaments for storage. 
                             
22.  Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls.
                             
23.  Use them to sprout seeds.  Simply dampen the coffee filter, place seeds inside, fold it and place it into a plastic baggie until they sprout. 
                             
24. Use coffee filters as blotting paper for pressed flowers.  Place the flowers between two coffee filters and put the coffee filters in phone book. 
                             
25.  Use as a disposable "snack bowl" for popcorn, chips, etc. 
                              

OH YEAH THEY ARE GREAT TO USE IN YOUR COFFEE MAKERS TOO.

Drawer Organization

I subscribe to Martha Stewart's emails with daily organizing tips, and when I saw this tip this morning for taming the T-shirt drawer, I had to try it! My hubby is a bit of a T-shirt hoarder, so I'm always trying to find new ways to make more of them fit in the dresser. I'm happy to say that this method really does help. Not only can I fit more in a drawer, but bonus, one can see ALL of the T-shirts at a glance instead of some of them being forgotten at the bottom of the pile! Woo hoo!!

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/this-end-up?xsc=eml_org_2011_04_25

Show Us Your Life - My Reading List

The latest in the Show Us Your Life series at Kelly's Korner is about what is on our reading lists. I love to read, which means that list can be pretty long sometimes, so I'm going to try to only pick a few. It's hard, though!!

I recently finished Maid to Match by Deeanne Gist. The setting is at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. This is the first book I've read by this author and I really enjoyed it, though there were some heavier themes included in the plot.

Recently I began reading Joyce Meyer's The Confidant Woman. It seems that you can't go wrong with anything by Joyce! She was right down my alley before even finishing the first chapter!

Another book I recently began reading is The Count of Monte Cristo. I want to read it and The Three Musketeers soon. Just because.

On the "To Read" list: I've been hearing SO MUCH about The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond that I think I'm going to have to check it out! Have you read it? What did you think?

What's on your reading list?

This I Believe

I received this in a Kirk Weisler "Thought 4 the Day" email this week, and I thought it was worth sharing.

This I Believe

“Socially connected people live longer than those that are not” and “Empathy can be learned”…  are notes I captured in my leadership learning notebook.   What follows is a powerful quote from Thomas Paine followed by some great “I Believe” statements that are most likely a result of someone who wisely followed Paine’s counsel.  When we reflect on life and take the time to capture it by writing it down we can learn more while simultaneously becoming more able to share it with others.  Don’t you just love people who love to learn and are willing to share their wisdom?  Can you see how many of the “I Believe” statements may have been the result of growing better by the reflection of difficulty?  Enjoy!

I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection.  — Thomas Paine (1737-1809) British-American Writer

I believe - That we don’t have to change friends . . . if we understand that friends change.

I believe: That no matter how good a friend is, they are going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I believe:  That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. The same goes for true love.

I believe:   That you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I believe:  That it’s taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I believe:  That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I believe:  We have too many smart people in the world and too few good people.

I believe:  That you can keep going long after you can’t.

I believe:  That we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I believe:  That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I believe:  That regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.

I believe:  That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I believe:  That money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I believe:  We should talk softly to our children regardless of how angry we are with them.

I believe:  That my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I believe:  That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you’re down will be the ones to help you get back up.

I believe:  That sometimes when I’m angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn’t give me the right to be cruel.

I believe:  That just because someone doesn’t love you the way you want them to doesn’t mean they don’t love you with all they have.

I believe:  That it isn’t always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I believe:  That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn’t stop for your grief.

I believe:  That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are; but we are responsible for who we become.

I believe:  That just because two people argue, it doesn’t mean they don’t love each other. And just because they don’t argue, it doesn’t mean they do.

I believe:  That two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I believe:  That your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don’t even know you.

I believe:  That even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out you will find the strength to help.

I believe:  That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I believe:  That the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

I believe:  That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you’ve had and what you’ve learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you’ve celebrated.

Baby Oil = Chrome Polish

When we needed to buy a new toaster last year, I spied a shiny chrome toaster and realized it was calling my name! Unfortunately, no one told me that after a while that lovely toaster would no longer be so shiny. Hmm... how to restore it to its former luster? I tried various things with no luck and then ran across a tip on realsimple.com that baby oil works wonders on polishing any chrome in your house (even chrome wheels on your car). I filed that away under "good to know" in my brain and decided I would try it "one of these days." Well, "one of these days" arrived this morning and I gave it a try. Wow! I must say it does indeed work wonders! I should have taken before and after shots so you can fully appreciate the difference, but I didn't think of it until I was finished. Now I guess I should try that toothpaste-on-tarnished-silver tip next and see if it also works wonders. :)

Ribbon Organization

I love, love, LOVE this idea by Delightful Order for organizing ribbons! It's positively genius! Did I mention that I love it? :)

Clogged Drain Help

I have unusually long hair. Rapunzel hair. Grazes-the-back-of-my-calves hair. My hubby has often said it could be used as a weapon.

Why do I share this? Because when one has that much hair, it doesn't take much of it to cause some pretty serious clogs in the shower drain. We have tried so many different things when the drain clogs up, including heavy-duty industrial supplies my hubby was able to order through work, and all without much success. So imagine my surprise when we recently got the best results using items most people have in their kitchens.

This little beauty

Plus this little beauty

Equals

I've heard off an on that baking soda and vinegar is a great solution for this problem, but I admit that I've always blown it off, thinking it wouldn't work for a big doozy of a clog. For kicks and giggles, though, last week I decided to give it a try. First I poured half a cup of baking soda down the drain. Then I poured half a cup of vinegar down the drain. I've heard you should let it sit for at least 30 minutes before running hot water down the drain, but I had to go somewhere, so I ended up letting it sit overnight. The next morning I ran lots of hot water down the drain and went about my day. Later when I took a shower, it really didn't seem much better. In fact, by the time I was done, the water didn't seem to be draining AT ALL. I was afraid that maybe I had really messed up something! But about 15 minutes after I got out of the shower, I heard this strange loud noise come from the drain and then heard all the water drain quickly away. Ever since then, the drain has been clearer than it has in years! Woo hoo! So I just wanted to share this little tip in case you've never tried it because, like me, you were doubtful of its effectiveness.

Happy Friday! :)

Fear of Spiders

Have you seen this? I have what my husband calls my "bug scream" when I spot an unwanted creepy crawly in the house, and this ad made us both laugh. After we saw it, I couldn't resist saying, "See? Don't scoff me and my fear of spiders!" Haha!

Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Footballs

I love this idea for strawberry footballs by From Glitter to Gumdrops. My husband loves chocolate-covered strawberries, and of course, he also loves football, so this will be a fun thing to do for him! Can't wait to try it!

Bake A Heart In a Cupcake

Love this idea from Bake it in a Cake. Cupcakes with heart shapes in the middle - so cute!