"Whatever happens, give Thanks."

 Thanksgiving Eve. Normally I would be busy preparing for Thanksgiving dinner but this year we are not hosting Thanksgiving dinner. All I have to do is bake a Sugar-Free Blueberry Pie for my father-in-law and bring some Pumpkin Bread.  Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family around a table, enjoy a nice meal, catch the parade and a game or two. In my family, we spent the time before dinner talking about what we were thankful for. Some years it would just be the four of us; other years it would include other family members and friends. Whether it was filling Thanksgiving baskets, volunteering at a shelter or visiting a nursing home, we always were willing to give back.

While growing up, my dad lost his job twice. The second time he lost his job was the longest period. It eventually had us moving away from Louisiana. During those times of unemployment, my dad would do odd jobs around town. He was the maintenance guy at an apartment building, the custodian at the church, a night security guard, and other job titles that paid much lower than what he was use to. Because of him losing his job, we, as a family, cut corners and did without. We would help clean out apartments at the apartment building when needed or help clean up Sunday School rooms. We might not of had the newest gadget or the top name designer clothes but we had a roof over our heads and food on our table. God always provided for us. His timing was perfect every time. Thinking back over the years, my sister and I never complained. We just did. Our parents taught us that it wasn't about how much stuff we had but about what we could do for someone else in need.

Here in the United States, we have more stuff than what we really need. At times we take this for granted. The ability to head to a grocery store and have a huge selection to choose from or the ability to hit several clothing stores for particular items. The ability to grab a bite to eat out or order delivery whenever we want. Most people in other parts of the world are happy if they have clean drinking water, a pair of shoes, food to eat, or even the chance to go to school.

Don't worry about what deals might be out there on Black Friday or about what you want for Christmas. Stop focusing on what you don't have but on what you DO have. No matter what happens in our lives, there is ALWAYS something to be thankful for.  What are you thankful for?

Close but no cigar.

Last week was a blur of activity. Getting ready for the New England Food Festival took up a majority of our time. Baking over 2000 Holiday cookies sure seemed to take forever but in actuality it didn't. We labeled 2000 bags on Monday, started baking on Tuesday and finished baking Thursday. Of course holding down our regular jobs meant we would bake about 5 to 6 hours a night after working all day. Bob did most of the baking since he has a good system. I did the packaging and together we filled up 4 large tubs of cookies. Friday we decorated our table with the main ingredients we used in the cookies and got much needed sleep before heading out early Saturday morning to do the final preparation.  We entered the festival with the sole purpose of getting our name out there. We think we have accomplished that goal. Guess only time will tell.  Like us, we met new business owners participating in the festival for the first time. We had a chance to talk to a lot of people and to talk to the judges. Though we didn't win a category, we still enjoyed the experience and are giving it serious thought for next year.

The festival was a great time. The crowd to enter the tent started lining up 15 minutes before the festival started. Of course with the Thanksgiving parade starting at 10:30, the whole area was bustling with activity. Once the doors open, the masses started pouring in. Last year the festival saw 1500 people so the coordinators told all vendors to plan for 2000. By 2:30 pm, all of the ballots were given away and people were still entering the tent. Around 3:10 pm, we ran out of our 2000 individually sealed packages and started opening up the displayed packages. Of course, the displayed cookies didn't last long and we were completely out by 3:30 pm. 

We did get a lot of feedback from the public and the judges. One judge stated that our cookie was the "Best darn cookie" he ever had. Another judge asked us for the recipe. Several paying participants came back to get cookies to go, tell us that our cookies were better than theirs, or to find our name on their ballot to vote for. One lady made it a point to say that our entry was the best thing she tasted at the festival. A few out-of-towners came back to stay that they wished we were in Alabama or California. We did mention to all who asked where we were, that we do local delivery and ship anywhere in the United States.  One competing vendor even attempted a 'cookie throw down' with us. Needless to say, they walked away admitting that our cookie was better than theirs.

So now that the festival is over with, we are gearing up for the holidays. Pies for Thanksgiving will be delivered on the 24th and orders for Christmas are already starting to pour in. So thank you to all that came out and supported us at the festival and who are currently supporting our local business this holiday season.

New England Food Festival and Beyond!

This weekend in Historical Plymouth, the New England Food Festival will be taking place. The festival is on Saturday, November 20 from 11 am to 4 pm. Judges will be choosing the best entries from 20 vendors in areas of soups, chowders, desserts, party foods, and decor. There is also a People's Choice award also.  The cost is $10 per person and kids under 5 eat free. If you are enjoying the parade, stop by along the waterfront to see what other events are happening this upcoming weekend.

We will be in the festival competing in the Dessert category. We're in the process this week of preparing to make 2000 Holiday cookies. We are looking forward to the festival and meeting a lot of new people. We hope to see our faithful and loyal customers also.

After the festival, we will be busy preparing orders for Thanksgiving. Pies can be shipped to any destination (except the pumpkin pie), picked up, or delivered. We also offer a wide variety of breads and also do platters for those of you hosting Thanksgiving at your house. Take away some of the stress by having us do some of your holiday baking for you.

If you are thinking of Christmas ideas for co-workers, business associates, family and friends, why not send them a gift basket of cookies, biscotti, or a mixture of baked goods. Not sure about what to send, you can send them a gift certificate. We do over corporate boxes. These boxes come with 16 to 26 individually wrapped  cookies of your choice. Hosting a holiday meeting, have us deliver a few platters.  To guarantee deliver for Christmas, orders must be received by 12/17 so they may be shipped out by 12/18.

This time of the year can be crazy if you let it be. Take the time to be thankful and enjoy the time you spend with family and friends. Try to be a little more patient with others.