Happy Be-lated Thanksgiving!

Dedication: To my familia for making Thanksgiving the greatest holiday ever and keeping me well feed.

(The Primos) 

Happy  be-lated Thanksgiving! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday surrounded by great family and fantastic friends. I also hope your meals were as fabulous as mine. Honestly, I've always been a Christmas girl, but ever since joining the Turiano family Thanksgiving has quickly moved to the top of my list. These people can cook! Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese they make it all and well.

(One of two delicious turkeys) 

Aside from the delicious food, we (Patrick and I) were able to spend some quality time with our new niece, Alyssa. To say she's got the whole family wrapped around her little tiny fingers is an understatement. We are all madly in love with her. She's absolutely lovely and brings enormous joy to us all.

(Patrick, Alyssa and I - Take 1) 

(Patrick, Alyssa and I - Take 2) 

Thanksgiving was truly wonderful, being back home and spending quality time with the familia was just what the doctor ordered for a stressed out grad student. We laughed, ate, shared wonderful memories and caught up.

I have many things to be thankful for this year, I'm healthy, I have a fantastic loving and supportive husband, a wonderful family, and great friends. I hope you too had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'd love to hear how it went and what are some of your traditions.

Hasta next time,
Grace

Black Friday

Dedication: To the men and women who brace the Black Friday madness-you rock!

(Image courtesy of ExtraTV) 

Ladies and gents I'm not sure if you're aware but we are just 13 days away from the greatest holiday ever invented-Black Friday! If you know me, you happen to know it's just my all time favorite holiday. Most people cringe at the thought of waking up at 3:00 a.m. to stand in a line that is longer than I-95.
Not me-I live for that stuff. Trust me when I say shopping is my middle name and doing it on a minimal budget should be my first name.

Every year my mother and I develop a game plan about two days before the big festivities. We create our Christmas list, research the best bargains, clip coupons and map out our store routes.  We always make sure to visit the major department stores first. Perks you ask? JCPenny gifts free Mickey and Minnie snow globes (my mom owns far too many to count), smaller check-out lines and way better deals. Our shopping extravaganza usually ends by noon with a visit to Starbucks for a much needed energy boost. It's a joyous day I tell you and believe when I say the countdown has begun at Casa Ros/Turiano.

In order to help you prep for the greatest holiday, here's a few suggestions from Yahoo. It's a great way to get the 411 on what to do.

(Image courtesy of MSNBC) 

Hasta next time,
Grace