Putting the 'Thanks' in Thanksgiving

I am thankful for so many things that have been given to me only by the grace of God. Certainly not things I deserve, trust me, if we got what we deserved I'd have a cardboard box, lice, and maybe a cracker.

I'll try to keep my list short, I mean I could detail every single thing that I am thankful for, right down to my adorable pink flowered measuring bowls from my Aunt Lucy in Mexico. But, because there is turkey to be eaten, a parade to be watched, and a brother-in-law to make fun of, I will keep it short.

1. I am thankful for my husband. He is a special kind of man that I really thought existed only in female imaginations and cheesy romance books. He is thoughtful, loving, and Good Lord he is a handsome fella!

2. I am thankful for my family. I am blessed with a huge family, one that accepts imperfections, and forgives each other. Also, one that makes fun of each other incessantly. It's where I belong, I am happiest among my family.

3. I am thankful for the ways that my family is growing. Two babies next year! Two babies next year! I can't wait to meet my new nieces and/or nephews!

4. I am thankful my dog. Oh Jaco. There are no words.

5. I am thankful for the opportunity to finish school. Also, I am petrified by this, but we will cover that at a later time!

6. I am thankful for my little online community. It's funny, I never thought I would consider people I have never met, and never really seen to be my friends, but the relationships I am found through this website have been open and honest in a very unexpected and rewarding way.

Happy Thanksgiving! And to all of my international readers ...HAPPY THURSDAY!

Sorry Caveman!

We had an early Thanksgiving dinner with out church on Sunday. Not that that means we won't we celebrating tomorrow, or Saturday for that matter. but it did give us a little taste of what to expect tomorrow.
Bethany will probably hover around the dessert table...not that it will have any ill effect on her slim little bod. Brat.


Matt will take an ungodly portion of turkey...
...and eat it like a caveman. (In my head I totally just saw the Geico caveman commercial and pictured him storming out of Thanksgiving dinner because I said my husband was eating like a caveman. Sorry caveman!)

And me? I'll be stalking some pie.
Hopefully it will be Shoofly (sounds like shoe-fly) pie! The picture above is Pumpkin, just for the record.

This is Shoofly. Have you had Shoofly pie? It.is.heaven. Also, it is Amish I think, and I like to pretend that makes it wholesome and healthy. It's my pie, and I'll delude myself if I want to!

And it's best with a wet bottom. Hmm....that sounds questionable does it not? It does, I know, it's those darned Amish, always naming things like that. No really, nearby Amish towns include Intercourse, Virginville, Blueballs, Bird-in-hand...it's odd.

This post is going south fast. Okay...anyway....

What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish?

I've Been Keeping a Secret From You...

...and I'm sorry. Very very SORRY. And No, I'm not pregnant. I know that's what half of you thought, but really, it's nothing THAT life-changing.

My secret...gosh...I'm almost scared to write it. My husband doesn't even know! He will now, since he reads this and all..umm...Hi Honey! Love You! Uh...Sorry!?

So anyway...that uh...that secret we were talking about? It all starts with my hatred of winter. It's not the holidays, it's not the snow, it's just being pent up inside with nothing to do, I can't handle it. I go a little psycho. So, in the winter, I find...ahem...workout videos. Please...hear me out.


I can't handle the ones that are all hip-hip aerobic, or peppy disco work-out, I just have to much pride to even do those alone in the living room. I get embarrassed to make that much of an ass out of myself in front of the couch. No, no, this girl gravitates towards things like yoga, or weight training videos. Youtube is a great resource guys, seriously.

But my secret....well..I found a new workout. And I am thinking of...gulp...signing up for classes at a nearby center.

It's....well...it's....belly dancing.


I know, I know, most awkward girl in the world! I know! All knees and elbows! Trust me, I KNOW! But still...I...I...well, I kind of like it. My hips have never felt this good! Really, I swear. After a course I feel like I really worked out, got my giggles in for the afternoon, AND I feel like my joints run smoother.

For the record, I DO NOT HAVE A COSTUME! I do have a silk scarf that I may or may not tie around my hips, but we aren't even going to touch on that topic.

Did you know that belly dancing originates as a way for women to prepare for childbirth. So all you girls thinking of having babies, get shakin'! And all you pregnant ladies, check with your doctors, but really, the beginner courses are so low impact and low stress, they will feel GREAT.


Sure, sure, I giggle maniacally overtime they tell me to shimmy my non-existent boobs, or my hips for that matter. Not that my hips are non-existent by any means, just that I have no control over them. But I have found a new respect for the female body....uh...I mean, MY body. I mean, I can shoulder punch! How many people know how to shoulder punch?! No, actually, don't tell me, I prefer to pretend not that many can do it!


Sooo...anyway...now that you are all laughing at me and my secret love of the revolving belly, here is the very first part of the very first belly dancing workout I ever did. I challenge you to do it sometime this week. It's Thanksgiving here in the States, and really, is it going to hurt you? Yes, you will feel like a fool, but afterwards, you just might feel a little bit...dare i say...sexy???



What are your workout secrets? Kegels at your desk? Hiney squeezes in the car? Toe raises in the checkout line? Lunges in the shower? Don't be scared, I've PROBABLY done them all at one point or another.

Settle The Debate

There is great debate in our household about a certain topic. Well, it's more of a picture than a topic. Jaco was running around wearing this bandanna a few days ago. I think he look like a tiny furry gang member. Matt things he looks like a sailor. I'd like to say it is only because we were snowed in this weekend, which is true, but the reality is that we have conversations like this on a regular basis. We're just THAT DEEP.


So, I leave it to the experts, gang member? Sailor? Sailor? Gang member?

I particularly like saying he looks like a 'thug-muffin' which may or may not be a word I completely made up, but try saying it!

Go ahead, I'll wait...

...Done? Okay good.

It's irresistible no?
I mean, look at the contempt on his face! He's a total thug-muffin!

*Spell check didn't highlight thug-muffin, that is just further proof that the English language is on a slippery slope! I think we all knew that after they added 'meh' to the dictionary though, didn't we?

The House of Mouse...Oh Lord

Recently someone began to follow me on twitter. Someone called 'House of Mouse'. Little did I know that clicking on the link to their etsy shop to begin my long descent into the world of internet addiction. No, we aren't talkin' XXX here people. We are talking House of Mouse.

I love mice, it's a little known fact about me. 'Cause I'm sure you couldn't tell by the name of my website or anything. I used to have pet mice, I loved them dearly. It ended badly though, in a strange cannibalistic murder-suicide. I think it was a death pact, they were so in love that they were going out together! Goodbye cruel world!!

I'm getting sidetracked again. Anyway...House of Mouse. I might ask for one for my upcoming birthday. We shall see.

Are you ready for this? Are you sure? This is what occupies the House of Mouse.

Oh Dear Lord, it's Indiana Jones Mouse.

Adam and Eve Mouse. Help me Rhonda.

Gasp! Harry Potter Mouse! Expelliarmus! You all just realized what a dork I am didn't you?
Dusty the Traveling Mouse. How do I love thee, let me count the ways. Well there is your suitcase, your map, your pink fuzzy ears and your sweet little whiskers. I should stop.
Oh my word. I have nothing to say. Edward Scissorpaws has rendered me speechless.
And oh! My childhood favorite! Robin Hood Mouse! Look at the tiny bow and his quiver of arrows. You should really visit their website, there are so many. Frida Kahlo Mouse, Chewbacca Mouse, Hannibal Lecter Mouse, Yoda Mouse. It's enough to make a hormonal woman cry I tell ya! Or so I have heard...

Ahem..sniff...anyway...what are your favorite etsy shops? Do you etsy? You should, trust me, there is nowhere like it for one of a kind gifts, because let's face it, we all have enough Mary Kay lip balm to go around. Or is it just me that gets that every year.

Where are you doing most of your holiday gift shopping?

Fetus Envy

Sorta Freudian, sorta screwed up. Anyway....As you well know, my older sister is pregnant. Very pregnant.
But what you don't know, is that my sister-in-law Liz is ALSO pregnant! Due in June.

Also, FIVE of my friends are currently pregnant.

I don't have pictures of the other two, but trust me...they exist.

That's not including the blogs I read that are currently expecting, just the people I actually know. Holy Crap, what is in the water people?!

I buy baby socks and hats every time I see them, I can't help it, and you know what...I'm pretty sure there is no such thing as too many onesies. Sometimes all the baby talk and tiny shoes causes me to break out in a fit of fetus envy.

But then I remember this...

...and that fit subsides. Because...well, I'm sure you can see for yourself. Horrors.

UPDATE: I just remembered..I posted that picture on facebook, just for kicks, and got this message from one of Matt's good friends Anthony...

" that looks more like it could be our kid. this baby is totally hideous by the way. what's hilarious is that cindy and i tried this and our baby came out white with dirty blond hair and bluish green eyes. . .kind of like it could be your baby. eerie."

Interesting...since this is what Anthony and Cindy look like...
That website is whacked out, I believe.

The Smartest Dumb Dog I Ever Did See...

As I was working at my desk the other day, I heard a sort of clicking noise coming from the living room. I figured Jaco was chewing either another pumpkin, or his new love, my palm tree. I grabbed my camera to document his naughtiness, and tiptoed out to catch him in the act.

What I saw darn near broke my heart. Jaco was trying to put on his harness, he had somehow gotten it around his waist, and was trying to pull it over his shoulder. Apparently he thought it was high time he go for a walk.

He may not be able to add with his paws, but you gotta admit, that is one smart pup!

And yes, for that, he got a nice long walk.

Never Have I Ever

I recently saw this on Lindseys blog, so I jumped on the wagon and did it too.

Here is how it works, copy and paste it, then bold the things you have done.

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive - What about a Porsche?
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said "I love you" and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon - I WAS SO CLOSE! But I gave it away. ..that person had more to gain from it!
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run - 3rd grade gym class does count right??
36. Danced like a fool and didn't care who was looking - my entire wedding reception
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe -- mm kinda...for like a day, Matt has for real though - so I am claiming this for him too!
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Taken a midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving (it was in a swimming pool)
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theatre
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party - we are SO not talking about this one
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days - I was sick, and I had water, fluids, etc.
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest - My mom dressed me as a cafeteria tray for the Church costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River -- No, but I did raft on the Mae Wang river! I think thats better anyway!
82. Been on a television news program as an "expert"
83. Gotten flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music - again...does church choir count? It was recorded!
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date - Tsk, tsk, MATTHEW!
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Passed out cold -at my in-laws (no alcohol involved)
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane - Okay, technically for like 2 seconds.
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Helped an animal give birth - helped/hindered potato/potAto
112. Won money on a TV game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for 30 hours in a 48 hour period
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. States
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad and The Odyssey
135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you - NO, but someone I didn't know STOLE some of it once. Does that count?
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone's life

Wow, I am at right around 75/150, I gotta get on that! What have you done from this list?

If these sparked any questions feel free to ask them, I'll answer ALMOST anything.

An Important Lesson Learned

Jaco learned an important lesson this weekend.

If a puppy were to be left alone for...oh, let's say two hours, and said puppy pulled the watch that his Mommy got his Daddy in Spain on their honeymoon off of the dining room table, and chewed that watch, that puppy? That puppy would be in trouble.

Hypothetically speaking of course, that puppy would have to take a BATH. The most dreaded of consequences.


Even his feet would be stressed out.

But not only that, after his bath he would be forced to wear a towel around the apartment so he didn't make everything smell like orange dreamsicle shampoo with a hint of wet dog.
(Please forgive the blur, I may have been laughing and therefore unable to hold the camera steady)

And then said puppy would be embarrassed because his Daddy was chanting 'toga, toga, toga' while he ran around in a towel.
All hypothetically speaking, of course.

Goodies Galore!

I have been blessed to meet some really awesome bloggers, and over the past month or so I have been doubly blessed to receive some really sweet gifts from them. Check out my loot!
First up, I received some drop dead gorgeous greeting cards from Jen, over at Muddy Boot Dreams.

I tell ya...the attention to detail just send these beauties over the top! She even put darling little stamps on the envelopes!

Next up, I won these two from Trainwreck over on Cowboys, Kids, and Sunsets. The personal details she put into both pieces is stunning. The paperweight has a picture of the book "Town Mouse, Country Mouse" in the center.

And the pendent, well, the pendent just made me squeal like a four year old on Christmas. She has my initials on one side, and on the other side, she has two adorable country mice leaning on an apple core.

And last, but CERTAINLY not least, we have this little beaut from The Wife, at Gizzards and Calf Fries.

This has led to ALL sorts of fun for me. Usually it resides next to my computer at home, where it brings a smile to face every time I see it. But every now and then I feel the need to break out the bling for some photos.

For some reason I am the only one who finds this fun.
Oh Lord.

um help

Someone please tell me what you see on my page? Cause....I just checked it and it was ALL KINDS OF WEIRD. I mean...there was another language on my page.

Jaco in the Morning

Just five more minutes...please! I promise, I'll get out of bed and go for a walk in five minutes. No really! I'm awake, I'm just resting my eyes! Hey, can you turn off the light? I won't go back to sleep! I promise!

Oh you made coffee? Well, why didn't you say so?!
Sugar, no cream. Thanks.

It Would Be Easier if I Lived in a Bubble

I stepped up and faced my fears last night, I gave a speech. It was for school so it was relatively ''easy" as far as speeches go, but I think we all know by now that I have a bit of a social phobia. I seized onto the only topic I know a ridiculous amount about, mostly because I have an unhealthy fear of it, Carbon Monoxide. I'm sure you guys remember the Great Carbon Monoxide Scare of 2008?

I figured that was my best chance of eking out a five minute speech.

I dressed nicely in an effort to convince myself that I am an adult that is fully capable of speaking in front of a room of 30 people. I was prepared, but honestly, the fact that I knew I LOOKED the part was more reassuring to me than my hours of preparation.

I waited for my turn to take the podium anxiously. As I waited, I fidgeted. It's what I do, I am a fidget. I always have been, and always will be. Being still and/or calm does not come naturally to me in any sense. As I gathered my notes, I noticed that while I was 'fidgeting' I was actually stroking my pen back and forth over the thigh of my leg.

Back and forth with my OPEN pen over the thigh of my light gray slacks.

By the time I noticed my error I had created a giant blue swath of ink across my upper thigh.

Go freakin' figure.

I gave my speech with one hand awkwardly placed on my upper thigh area. I think the class thought my bladder was about to give. I looked into their sympathetic faces and fumbled through five minutes in agony.
Meet my downfall. INK.

Well the Weather Outside is Frightful

So...I may have broken the Cardinal rule of Holiday decorating. Namely, I mixed Thanksgiving decorations with Christmas decorations. I know, I know, it was wrong and I'm sorry all right?! But I went to Walmart recently to pick up a set of jumper cables, and wouldn't you know they were playing Christmas Carols?

I hummed White Christmas for the rest of the day, then when I went into the laundry room what did I see? Our stockings. Just sitting there, waiting patiently for their day in the sun. I couldn't resist. I was drawn to them like a moth to a flame.

I'm sorry, please forgive me.
I swear...that's as far as I went. Well, there is that little snowman there, but how could I resist all those cheery carrot noses? Nevermind that Jaco ate all the eyeballs off last winter...he is still pretty darn cute if you ask me! (He being the snowman, not Jaco...Jaco is a pistol) .

Matt thinks this does not bode well for the holiday season. He thinks I am going to burn out on Christmas spirit. He has no faith! He is probably right.

I already have most of our Christmas shopping finished, I bought most of our gifts for our family off of Etsy. I would show you guys the gifts, but I have family that reads this...and those little scheisters would definitely peek! Um...I mean...I love you guys! Don't look in my closet!

How about you guys? Where do you stand on the Christmas season? Have you started shopping? Decorating? Eating cookies?

I think I might go watch Elf now. Gosh darn it I love that movie!

Just a Little Public Service Announcement

Hey guys, I noticed something in Google Reader the other day, my feed has changed. Which makes total sense since I changed my website. The old address will still get you here, but it doesn't get updated in Reader quite the same. So....you may want to update the address in you subscriptions if you subscribe here. You can click on the 'subscribe' button to the right, or you can add the following address to your reader...

http://www.countrymousetales.com/feeds/posts/default

If you are not using a feed reader, and are not sure what that means...

It is a cool way to keep up with all of your favorite bloggers. These programs sort of consolidate the blogs you read on a regular basis and show when they are updated, so you don't have to manually type in the address every time. I know, I know, first world problem. I'm just sayin' it's much easier!

I will be back later today with a real post, I promise!!

What Do You Think This Means?

I had a dream last night. A dream that I just CAN NOT shake. It has been sticking with me throughout my morning, and that is saying a lot, I very rarely remember my dreams.

So here goes...

I dreamt that I was back in school of some sort, and that by some bizarre twist of fate I had wound up in a dance course. For our final project we had to do our own interpretive dance.

I prepared my selection, copying it off of the radio onto a cassette tape, just like the way I secretly taped the 'thong song' back in high school.

I dressed for my performance in a blue t-shirt and (gasp) only a pair of white tights.

When I got up to perform my judges turned out to be Stacey and Clinton from the show What not to Wear. Stacey told me I looked fat in my tights, and Clinton told me my performance was "hard to watch".

Which, had this happened, probably would have been true.

I started to cry in my dream but then my dad showed up and was throwing fruit at Stacey and Clinton.

Then my phone rang, and I woke up.

SO...any interpretations???

No? Drat! I told Matt, he said it mean that I have watched too much TLC. Hmph, boys!

OBVIOUSLY this is tied to the cricket incident.

Sing it Whitney!

I am not overly emotional. I'm really not, but I just sat here crying and watched this video on Youtube at least four time, which will probably be at least six times before I finish writing this. You guys have probably seen this before since I am usually the last one to hear about things like this.

I try not to simply repost things I have seen on the Internet here on my website, because I honestly enjoy coming up with things to write here, but guys...at the risk on jumping on a proverbial bandwagon...you have to watch this. It's just...well it's just incredible.

(Just a warning to anyone who may be working, this has music in the background, turn down your speakers, no one will know, I'll never tell your boss! I promise!)



Gulp. Just for the record, I am not hugging my dog and humming the theme song to Born Free. Ahem, I mean, I am not even moved. Nope, WAY too level headed to be crying here on my couch.

Somebody get me a tissue will ya?

Things I Didn't Know Before I got Married

1. When left up totheirown devices men actually CAN watch football for an entire day, stopping only to eat and poop.

2. It doesn't matter if there are no games of interest on at the time, in which case they can just watch commentary.

3. For some reason, when it this sedate state, they become easily irritated. Because GOD FORBID I distract one of them with my banter DURING A FREAKIN' COMMERCIAL.

Long story short, I am at my in-laws. Football has been on all day. Please send help.

Francois

I would like to introduce you to the newest member of our household.
I have been wanting to get another puppy, you know, as a playmate for Jaco. Matt thinks this is a bad idea so we compromised on a fish.
But we might need to rethink that "playmate for Jaco" idea.
And yes, I realize that pictures make it look as if I am keeping our fish in a small sauce pot. This is not true, don't believe the hype. I WOULD NEVER! He has a bowl, I swear.

Iced Apple Tea

Matt has been on my case to post this, I have resisted but so far that boy is RELENTLESS! I keep trying to tell him that I'm not that kind of girl, this ain't no recipe blog, and I ain't no foodie. Give me a baked potato and I am a happy little mouse.

He just laughed and threatened me with physical violence.

So anyway, after we hosted the fall festival I ended up with about 3 dozen apples crowding my fridge. I started frantically looking up recipes with apples, but no matter how delicious apple dumplings are there really is such a thing as too much dumplings. Then in a stroke of luck I stumbled on this recipe. Iced Apple Tea. If that doesn't scream old school southern charm I don't know what does, I feel like I should be wearing a hat and some dainty gloves.

Funny thing is, the only use of actual apples is as a garnish. It is so simple, that doesn't mean I didn't manage to set off the fire alarm on my first attempt, but I have faith that you are undoubtedly better in the kitchen than I.

You will need apple cider, two apples, 1/3 cup of honey, a pinch of sugar, and six tea bags.

Bring three cups of water to a boil, remove from heat, and steep all six tea bags in the water for 15 minutes.

Remove the tea bags, and add three cups of apple cider (I am told that apple juice works just as well, but we are cider people), the honey, and the sugar and bring the mixture to a boil again.

You want to heat the tea until the honey dissolves.

Pour it into your fanciest crystal pitcher that your old neighbor Dave gave you when he got divorced and wanted to start over in the kitchen. Since taking these pictures, I have learned that I like to pour it over the sliced apples, but I am pretty sure it makes so difference whatsoever.

You can drink it right away if you like hot drinks, or you can refrigerate it for a couple of hours if you like it refreshingly cold.
Whatever you do, DO NOT forget to eat the tea soaked apples. Matt never eats his, I don't know why, they are unbelievable.

I like to pour mine into a wine glass and take on a slight southern drawl. What? You guys don't do that? Oh...yeah...neither do I. Ahem. Moving on.

Now, what to do with my remaining 25 apples? Anyone? Anyone??