Here are some Thanksgiving traditions shared by PYP members. Feel free to share your Thanksgiving traditions!

• We start a Thankful tree in the beginning of Nov. I post a cardboard tree on the wall in our kitchen with a basket of paper leaves underneath it. Every time we think of something we are thankful for we paste it on the tree. We spend the time after Thanksgiving dinner talking about everything we have posted on the tree.
• We take the time to call all of our family members that live out of state and visit with them.
• We try to take our pictures for our Christmas cards that weekend, always fun!
• Starting Nov. 1st each of my kids get a turkey without feathers that I make out of a poster board. I hang them on our big sliding doors in the kitchen so we can see them all the time. Then all month as I see things that I love that they do or good choices that they make, I write those things down on a colored paper feather (ie: DS shared his prized Transformer with DD who is 2 or DS got a great score on a hard test, or DD helped make her bed without being asked)…that kind of stuff. Then the night before Thanksgiving we go through all of the feathers together while we make the place cards for Thanksgiving dinner the next day.
• Email or call or just ask each person that will be at dinner what they are thankful for, then make a list on the place mat with all the answers. It would be fun to try and guess who said what or have each person say why they chose that.
• We always have a big (1000 piece) puzzle set up on a card table that people can sit around and work on while visiting.
• We like to make gingerbread houses. Graham crackers, icing, and everybody brings candy to decorate.
• Last year we played Thanksgiving Bingo as a big group–I had a list of about 50 Thanksgiving-related words, split into columns under “T-H-A-N-K” and blank bingo boards. Everyone wrote in the words they wanted, then when we drew a word we would say the letter it was under (easier that way). Everyone ages 3 to 90 enjoyed it!
• The ladies in my family do a craft – usually something for Christmas decor or something like that.
• After dinner, we had a picture scavenger hunt all over town. We divide up into groups and have a list of all the things we need to take a picture of within a certain time frame. Like for instance one of the things was a picture with the most people, so we went to some random church where there was a lot of cars and took a picture with some unsuspecting family that was finishing up their dinner. It was a lot of fun!
• About a week or so before Thanksgiving I give everyone invited the beginning of the same story. Each person makes up their own ending to the story and we share them at dinner. The first year the story was written from the perspective of a turkey that didn’t want to be Thanksgiving dinner and how he was going to get out of it, this year the story is centered around two feuding neighbors that are trying to outdo each other with holiday pranks…It has been hilarious to see the product of everyone’ s imagination and we have really enjoyed this.

There are some great Thanksgiving deals at Target this week!

Non-Food Deals:

If you are starting to accumulate lots of coupons you might be wondering the best way to use them. Just heading out to the grocery store and using your .35 cent coupon on tuna fish is not the best way to utilize your coupon. If you know how to use your coupons you can make your money stretch farther than you thought possible!

1. Wait to use your coupons. Don’t use them right away. Wait closer to the expiration date for a good sale. For example, take a $1/1 Colgate toothpaste coupon. When Walgreens, Rite Aid, CVS, Albertson’s or your local store has them on sale, THEN use the coupon on the sale price. many times these stores will have toothpaste on sale for $1, then you could get the toothpaste for free! Or when Walgreens offers Register Rewards on the toothpaste you can actually come out ahead when you use your coupon on the sale price, then get back a RR for the full purchase price!

Virtual Meal-In-a-Bag Feeds Families in Need
Smith’s Food & Drug shoppers can help alleviate hunger in their community through the 5th Annual Smith’s Gift of Giving Program.
Smith’s checkers will be taking donation orders for a $7.00 meal-in-a-bag or a $10 ham or turkey from November 8 through December 26. The food is then delivered by caseload to the Utah Food Bank for distribution to individuals and families in need.
A Gift of Giving meal includes 13 nutritious food items like tuna, rice, mixed vegetables, peaches, macaroni and cheese, red beans, and peanut butter and jelly packaged at cost by Smith’s to assure the highest value of the donation.
In 2008, Smith’s customers in Utah provided 2,789 turkeys & hams and 2,745 staple items, which equaled 46,352 meals for hungry people.
“Smith’s holiday food drive allows their customers to directly help people in their own community,” said Jim Pugh, executive director of the Utah Food Bank Services. “These most basic and nutritious food items are so crucial to individuals and families who are depending on the Food Bank in these distressful economic times. We are truly grateful to Smith’s and their customers for their support.”

Download a song by a CMA Award Nominated Artist for FREE!

See the details at this link.

Link to all songs included in promo

Check out our Gift Idea forum for ideas on what to get just about anyone in any age group.

Do you know about the amazing powers of vinegar? You really don’t need to be spending all that money on various cleaning supplies….vinegar will clean almost anything! It is extremely cheap, good on the environment and safe around children and pets. Vinegar has been around for thousands of years, and is really one of the best things you can always have on hand. There are over 1000 uses for vinegar that I could find, probably more! Check out the tips on the websites listed here.

Vinegar Tips
Cleaning with Vinegar
Vinegar: The only cleaner you will ever need
The Vinegar Institute

Here are some of my favorite uses for vinegar:

• cleaning out my washing machine. Ever notice how there sometimes gets to be a film on the inside of the machine? Or it might just smell a little? Well, fill the washer with hot water, pour in about 3/4 c. vinegar and let agitate for several minutes. Then let sit overnight. In the morning, let agitate again for several minutes, then rinse well.

• cleaning the shower. Stop spending money on those ‘clean shower’ sprays! Use a mixture of vinegar and water after you shower and it keeps the mildew away. Also, spraying full strength vinegar on your shower doors and letting it sit before spraying it off will help get off water deposits.

• cleaning windows. I pour water into an empty spray bottle, add a few Tbl of vinegar and mix well. It does a great job cleaning my windows.

• making my own buttermilk. I never buy buttermilk…I always make my own! Mix in 1 Tbl vinegar to 1 cup milk, and let it sit for at least 5 minutes. Whalla…Buttermilk! I always use this in recipes and no one can tell the difference.
• cleaning the microwave. To make cleaning your microwave easy, get a bowl of water, mix in a few Tbl of vinegar and put in the microwave for about 1 minute on high. The hot water will steam up the caked-on food, and wipe up will be a breeze…not to mention having a fresher smelling microwave!

There are still places in my house I like to use disinfectants on, but vinegar can do it for many other spots for me. What do you use vinegar for?

Disney Pixar UP $10 off Blu-ray Combo Pack is $19.96 at WalMart. Use the $10 printable coupon below, and get it for $9.96!

Link to printable coupon

Direct link to coupon: link (IE) link (FF)

Deal of the Day valid only on date specified through Midnight EST.
Today’s Deal (11/10)
Weight Watchers
Term:1 Yr 6 Issues
Publisher’s Price: $14.95
Now: $6.98
*$5.93 after 15% off code

Possible Codes:
Take An Extra 15% Off Most Titles PINCHPENNIES15

BestDealMagazines.com LINK
If you are seeking a healthy lifestyle then Weight Watchers is just for you! Weight Watchers is designed for women committed to change and seeking a healthy lifestyle. Each issue brings you great advice on health, fitness, fashion, beauty and food, plus many other issues designed to help you develop healthy living for a lifetime. Weight Watchers is an excellent choice for anyone desiring to live healthy!

Upcoming Deals:
11/11 Body & Soul 1 Year $5.29
11/12 Boy’s Life 1 Year $5.29
11/13 Ultimate Motorcycling 1 Year $3.89
11/14 Girl’s Life 1 Year $9.49
11/15 Mac Life 1 Year $6.89

Happy Birthday Sesame Street! This much loved show turned 40 today. Share your memories with someone you love this holiday season.

Sesame Street Shop at Amazon.com

Great items like:
Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days (2009)
List Price: $29.93
Price: $19.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.
You Save: $9.94 (33%)

Lots of other DVDs, CDs, books, toys and more!

Lion House Rolls are discovered by millions of visitors to Temple Square each year. Over 10,000 rolls are sold each day at Lion House Pantries.

For the first time, The Lion House has introduced their world famous roll mix available for purchase at local grocery stores. Now you can enjoy the smell and taste of fresh baked rolls at home. Starting in November, Lion House Mixes will be on store shelves at Associated Foods (Dans Dicks, Lin’s, Macey’s), Deseret Book, The Lion House Pantry and Nauvoo Cafe. The retail price is $3.99 per box.

Need some new tunes? Amazon is selling 50 MP3 albums for just $5 each. Right now they have Black eyed peas, Owl city, John Secada, Tim McGraw, Beach boys, and many more.
Amazon 50 MP3s for $5 LINK

I got notified in my email today of this great deal: free shipping on any order at Avon.com!

Enter code SORRY914 at checkout.

Avon.com LINK

Hurry, offer expires 11/12/09 at midnight!

Here are some deals in the clearance section. They would make great stocking stuffers!

Hannah Montana Hand Cream 100-635
only .69 cents!
savings of 53%

TrueGlow Body Lotion 204-533
only $1.99!
savings of 80%

This Shipping offer applies only to standard shipping charges and does not affect 2nd Day or Overnight delivery rates. A valid United States street address is required for all deliveries.If you are already enjoying personalized service from an Avon Representative, please remember to include her/his phone number during the ordering process to ensure proper credit.

Coupon codes and their offers cannot be combined –only 1 coupon code is allowed per transaction. All offers and specials good only while supplies last. Please visit the product page for complete details on promotions and specials listed above. Coupon codes and their offers are valid only at Avon’s Online Store with direct delivery.