A Very Happy Thanksgiving To You And Yours.

A Daily Dandy shout out to all my peeps for a healthy and happy Thanksgiving holiday! 

Eat too much turkey, enjoy your day, laugh with the family and enjoy these very funny people's thoughts on our uniquely American tradition! Today's content is courtesy of Huff Post Comedy.

To The Men And Women Who Serve Our Country

They Lift You Up

Friends are like gems...so a good friend of mine inspired me to say.

I think he's right on. When you need it, it comes in the most amazing packages. Is it our faith? Is it our karma? I will not question why. I will only be grateful. Whatever the reason, good friends can elevate you to a place you never thought was possible. It is then that you realize that they are your family and family comes in many forms.

They lift you up, become your cheerleaders and keep you going knowing that you should not be afraid to try to achieve because they believe in you. They see it all. The good, the bad and the ugly, and yet they still care about you and give you strength. It's reciprocal, this friendship thing and it only works if you too, care enough to lift them up. And it happens when you/they may not even realize it.

This is the true gem, the diamond in the rough. And that cannot be valued, for friendship like that is truly priceless.

Talking Turkey

A little boy and a little girl attended the same school and became friends. Every day they would sit together to eat their lunch. They discovered that they both brought turkey sandwiches every day! 

This went on all through the fourth and fifth grades, until one day he noticed that her sandwich wasn't a turkey sandwich. He said, 'Hey, how come you're not eating turkey, don't you like it anymore?'
She said 'I love it but I have to stop eating it.'

'Why?' he asked.
She pointed to her lap and said 'Cause I'm starting to grow little feathers down there!'

'Let me see' he said. 
'Okay' and she showed him. He looked and said, 'That's right. You are! Better not eat any more turkey.'

He kept eating his turkey sandwiches until one day he brought a peanut butter sandwich instead. He said to the little girl,
'I have to stop eating turkey sandwiches, I'm starting to get feathers down there too!' She asked if she could look, so he showed her:

She said, 'Oh, my God, it's too late for you! You've already got the NECK and Giblets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Plating Pretty

This week it's all about food...

So I'm watching Sunday Morning on CBS on Sunday and it was all about food. Food is love, where I come from, and the Sunday morning program served to solidify that fact. There was an interesting piece about a new staple in American restaurants called "plating".

Remember when your food was presented to you in a way that served the important food groups? A protein, a starch, a vegatable and so forth. All compartmentalized, like the paper plates with the sections spaced out, your food was placed on the plate side by side. Today, with the popularity of cooking shows and reality cooking competitions, that has changed. "Plating" the food has become the norm and even some chain restaurants are getting into the phenomenon. Plating, or food styling, is a way to present the food in the most artistic and appetizing way possible, like wrapping a present, the presentation is just as important. We are learning from the pros, by following food shows and competitions, and designing our plates to be things of beauty.

Food bloggers take pics of the foods presented to them on their blogs and social media sites are all abuzz with the pretty and pleasing presentations of food on a plate. The garnish, tying the plate together to make it a work of art.And they may be on to something.

Take a simple turkey dinner; instead of loading the food on in different sections, the food is sometimes presented from the inside of the plate out. All of your mom's favorites, piled expertly and beautifully with the gravy drizzled over it like the garland on a Christmas tree, the gourmet way is now the trend in our food obsessed culture. 

So on Thursday, don't lop a bunch of your favorites on the plate with no rhyme or reason, instead think of your plate as your own personal masterpiece. You may have more than a few people at the table who will ask you for a bite from your own "plating" Picasso.

Three Reasons To Be Thankful This Beauty Of A Thanksgiving

Two weeks from today and for some of us it's already zero dark thirty and counting. 

The thought of spending a day, or in some cases a long weekend, with long lost relatives you'd rather loose for even longer can cause even the most level headed person major anxiety. I know what you are thinking.. Are they going to judge you and the career decisions your are making? Will Uncle Bob bring up old memories that still sting? And what about Cousin Janice? She's always looking for a juicy tidbit of gossip to share at the family water cooler; the punch bowl. And the biggest question of all: can I loose that extra 25 lbs in two weeks? 

While I can't claim to have a degree in the workings of human interaction and behavior, I can share with you some expertise of a different kind that is sure to give you a "turkey leg" up on spending time with your family during Thanksgiving. 

1.  The wonder of an at home facial mask: Seriously...listen up here because this one is a no brainer and a guaranteed game changer for hardly any effort. A simple "spring clean" for your face is what's in order and it's as easy as slathering it all over your just cleansed skin and waiting 15 minutes before rinsing off. Watching your favorite TV show? Perfect opportunity to pamper your puss. Eve Lom's Rescue Mask is just about the most perfect complexion concoction you could ask for. Voted by In Style Magazine as the Best Mask for Congested Skin for 9YEARS consecutively,  it's key ingredients are Kaolin (China Clay), Camphor and Honey. Rescue Mask boosts the complexion by improving  tired, dull skin. Puffiness? Dilute with a little water and apply under under the eye for 2-3 minutes and remove with damp muslin cloth. Your skin will glow and your relatives will wonder what it is about you that looks so "fresh".

2.    If you haven't already, get yourself an illuminating powder: I say this all the time and if you've ever been to The Candy Bar, chances are you've heard it, but a product like Kevyn Aucoin's The Celestial Powder in Candelight can take years off your face and make you the envy of everyone you know. Applied evenly to the top of your cheekbone, your brow bone and down the center of your nose, this light, shimmery powder can cause others to inquire about your special "glow". It's like this: You've just bumped into a friend you haven't seen in months at the grocery store. While you are answering her questions about your husband and the kids, her quizzical stare at your face and the distracted manner in which she responds to you is all the answer you need: SHE'S NOT LISTENING TO YOU BECAUSE SHE"S WONDERING WHAT IT IS ON YOUR CHEEKS THAT IS GIVING YOU THAT GORGEOUS GLOW. Take that Aunt Mary....can you please pass the pumpkin pie?

3.     A little bit of Bling dangling from your earlobe: Marilyn wan't kidding when she gave us the head's up about diamonds being a girl's best friend. While there's no need to break the bank here, a strategically placed gorgeous, blinggy earring lights up your face and your psyche! It's the holiday season, so a little dressier the occasion, the bigger and better the bling! Choose a sexy, dangly pair of earrings or a crystal clear stud to bring out your best face. Rebel Designs has several stunners that are budget friendly and perfect to pair with your holiday ensemble. Affordable, classic elegance that you can wear over and over again, a gorgeous pair of earrings is a great way to let everybody know you are no shrinking violet. 

Holiday's? They come and go but your family is forever. Don't sweat the small stuff. I promise, at least one or all of these simple beauty secrets can give you the boost to sit at the Thanksgiving table with confidence. At most, you'll feel better, and you might even find yourself having a great time!  

Because we all know what's coming next.....

1000 Things I Need To Say

Somewhere along the way in this crazy, fast paced thing I like to call my life, I let a little milestone pass without proper fanfare. And the funny thing is, I just kind of noticed it all nonchalant and then it hit me. I reached 1000 posts. One thousand posts on Candy's Daily Dandy!!! To date, this will now be 1016 posts.

Maybe now Cinemax, HBO or Showtime will come a calling and turn my blog into a fabulous series starring Sarah Jessica Parker as me!!! Right? Turn a dream into reality. Just sayin and dreamin..There can't be only one Candace in the world that's a famous writer. One can only hope.

Anyway, 1000 posts comprises the largest body of my work to date. Some of it complete crap, some of it brilliant, some of it hilarious and some of it poignant and somber. I've shared with you my life, my kids life, my crazy family moments my childhood, my friends and general trivia, news and junk that no one really cares about except maybe us. And let's not forget the comments!! Bloggers, you never cease to make me laugh out loud, cry, and think and inspire me to keep going every day. For you and your loyalty I am grateful. Without you it wouldn't be nearly as rewarding. Heck, Heff, Scope and Zibsy, you all made it into my children's toast at our wedding. Really. I've never met any of you, yet you are all an important part of my life. Thanks for coming along for this crazy ride.

And this crazy ride, so far, has been....one of the greatest things I have ever done. (besides Frick and Frack) My blog is right up there with my favorite things in life. And you are all a big part of it, and for that I thank you and I love you and I am eternally grateful that you take a moment out of your busy day to see what kind of Dandy Candy has to share today.

I'm gonna keep on sharing little Candy Dandy's Daily and I hope you all will keep coming.

1000 Thank you's just doesn't quite seem enough, because I get so much more from all of you.

Gobble Gobble...

I can't believe it's here already.

How did that happen??  I'm glad, because I love the holidays. I guess I've been too busy to notice that they were creeping up on me. Despite it all I am cooking a turkey just for Frick, Frack and My Guy this year which should be a welcome change. My little nuclear unit.

This year I'm Thanking for all the Giving and I'm going give back and not ask for Thanks.

I wish many blessings to you and yours and I thank you for coming here and joining in the discussion.


Happy Thanksgiving Bloggers, and make sure your belt buckle has a few extra holes in it...

Happy Turkey Day!

I'm going off grid today bloggers. I got a lot of cans to open.

I'll see you on the flip side of Thanksgiving. Best wishes to you and yours.

Who Knew Cameron Was A Kansas City Fan?

I'm a little behind schedule bloggers, because I got home last night at 1:00 am after Monday Night Football at Gillette Stadium. Sitting behind me was the guy from ABC's Modern Family, Eric Stonestreet. I don't watch Modern Family but I read enough rag magazines to know who he is and to know he is hilarious on the show.

He's absolutely adorable, and I kept turning around and staring at him (I know, soo rude) because I wasn't quite sure if it was him or not. He was slightly unshaven and I might not have even known who he was if weren't for people taking pictures of him.

Anyway, that's not really what I wanted to tell you. This morning I was working out a bit later than usual and I caught the Rachel Rae show. Today she had her "Thanks-give-away" show spectacular and she was giving away lots of great stuff. Oh yeah, she was giving away designer cookie baskets, Sears gift certificates, Dyson vacuums, watches, Kindle's, bikes, designer cookware and lots more. It got me to thinking about how all the talk show hosts today all vying to create the next "Oprah's Favorite Things" show frenzy with crazy giveaways. Ellen has her "12 days of Give Away" and Dr. Phil and Nate Burkus have been know to stow some goodies underneath the audience seats.

It's like a sweepstakes to become the next heir to the talk show taping Gods, and here's the thing...I WANT IN!!

How do I get tickets to Rachel Rae's "Thanks-give-away" show next year? I am a huge Rachel Rae fan and a true-blue magazine subscriber to Rachel Rae Everyday Magazine. (I don't throw them away and I file them by month). Count me in for the next one!

And Ellen? I guess if I had to I could fly out to LA to see my niece, nephew and his lovely wife next year and see a live taping of Ellen's "12 days of Giveaway". You certainly wouldn't have to twist my arm.

Who wants to come next year? Cmon, it will be fun and we'd have a whole year to plan it. New York or LA? Who's coming? Let's DO it together bloggers!

Charity Begins At Home

Tis the season for giving. I try to teach my children that there is more joy in giving than receiving. Today will be a great lesson in giving.

My Guy grew up without much. He still remembers how hard it was for his mother, a single mother of 5, to make ends meet, especially at Christmas. Now, a grown man, enjoying the spoils of success, he made a commitment to himself to give back and to make Christmas special for children in need. 15 years ago he created a charity that takes care of two bridge homes for kids at Christmas and we have been fortunate enough to help and watch as his small Christmas miracle happens every year.

Heartbreaking are the Christmas lists the children make out every year that read, "I want my mom to come back" or "I want my family together for Christmas" along with the requests for warm winter jackets and gloves. This year the kids asked for the same things along with a few requests for North Face jackets and Ugg boots. These requests fill my heart with sorrow. Not because they are for the "name brand" material things that kids so desire, because they tell me they wish to be like every other kid in more ways than one. "They are getting EVERYTHING," My Guy declared, knowing that even if temporarily, he can ease some of their Christmas angst.

So his team shopped for North Face jackets and Ugg boots in various styles and colors and XBox 360's for the group homes and the latest games. My Guy and the rich corporations he works with and people who fund them take pride in making sure these kids get what they desire. Then they are lovingly wrapped and packaged up, ready for delivery. Today is delivery day, but the final piece of the puzzle I am fortunate enough to be in charge of. I will take my daughter this morning to the local supermarket and fill two shopping carts, one for each home, for the Christmas day feast.

Breakfast and dinner are on the menu so I will fill the cart with eggs, bacon, bread, milk, ham and turkeys, so that these kid will know that there really is a Santa Claus who cares. Then we will deliver them to the bridge homes, along with the bags of gifts, each one marked with each child's name, so that their Christmas is complete. I even get to see the excitement on the faces of the older ones who think they know what is inside those big green bags. That feeling is worth more than any gift I could receive on Christmas.

My Guy isn't one who loves Christmas like I do, "too many bad memories", he says, but I know the truth. The truth is, he is filled with more joy knowing that these kids will have a good day and that he had a small part in making sure. Last year, while he was making the delivery, a young boy stopped him at the door and said, "Are you Santa Claus?" My Guy, lump in his throat, responded. "No, I'm not Santa, but I work for him." That just about filled him for the whole year. At our own Christmas feast, when we join hands for the blessing, we think about the kids at those homes, enjoying their feast, and give thanks to all who made it possible. And the lump in My Guy's throat and the tear in his eye that he tries so hard to hide, tell me that he is a very rich man indeed.

In more ways than one.

A Time For Thanks

Today I am filled with gratitude. My heart swells with goodness and it is directly related to the kindness of others that my family and I have been lucky enough to receive over the past few days. There really is good in the world and I have proof.

One Class Act

Remember "The Cupcake Chronicles"? Behold the power of the internet.

A blog entry that was meant as a theraputic rant and a chance to field the opinion of my blogger friends turned into an amazing act of kindness. A local supermarket chain, Roche Bros. that was mentioned only as an alternative to my problem, NOT the source, picked up my rant/blog via alert widget linked to their corporate name. I received an email that same afternoon that read:

Candy-

I am the Bakery Merchandiser for Roche Bros. I have read your blog and would like to help.

I apologize that this has turned into a problem.

I then contacted Roche Bros Bakery Merchandiser and not only did he completely take care of my custom bakery needs, he made it convenient for me to arrange pick up at my local Roche Bros. AND they donated the cupcakes to the event! I was floored. I kept repeating to the bakery employee when I was picking up the 60 mini vanilla cupcakes with red frosting,

"Are you sure there is no charge? I think there is a mistake." I was assured there was no mistake and that they were a donation from the Roche Bros. corp.

To Mr. Bakery Merchandiser and to Roche Bros., I thank you, you are one class act.

That Which Fuels The Fire

Before I first met My Guy, one of the ways he was described to me was as a successful business man. What he later told me was that the success of his company was directly related to the hard work and dedication of the men who work for him. He told me that without their commitment, he would not have been able to achieve the success they, as a company, enjoy today.

On Sunday, those same hard working men didn't let us down either. They were there, within a half hour of the phone call, ankle deep in water in our basement, doing whatever was needed, solving problems and taking action without question on their one day off a week.

I cannot thank them enough for, once again, coming to my family's rescue. I truly don't know what we would have done without them.

To the wonderful people I speak of here today and the rest of the "game changers" out there in the world, I say thanks. With my heart swelling with gratitude, I ask the question,

"Can we really change the world with kindness? "

I couldn't think of a better way to try.