Homemade Mashed Potatoes

I should've done this earlier in the week, but we've been so busy getting moved that I didn't think about it until today. One of my specialties that I love to make for Thanksgiving (or anytime) is homemade mashed potatoes. They're always a hit & so I thought I'd share my recipe with you:

5 lbs russet potatoes
1 stick of butter or margarine
16 oz. sour cream (can use light or fat free)
salt, black pepper, & garlic powder to taste

Peel & cut potatoes into small pieces -- I cut them into half, then half again, so that now you have quarters, then cut each quarter into 3 or 4 pieces. Boil until fork inserts easily. Drain potatoes & put in a large mixing bowl with butter & sour cream, then mix (with an upright or handheld mixer) or mash until well blended & mashed. Add salt, pepper & garlic powder until they taste just how you'd like them. Tasty enough to eat without adding anything at the table (butter, gravy, etc.)!

5 days & counting

Yep, 5 days until the movers are supposed to come (next Thursday). Our list is a mile long & we're crossing things off one at a time but it still seems like so much to get done. At least they'll be packing us up, but there really is so much that has to be done in preparation for them to pack us, like making sure we have everything set aside that we'll need from the time they pack us up until we get our stuff . . . and we don't know when that will be.

I'm really feeling this last month of pregnancy & starting to re-think the idea of traveling across the country at this stage in a pregnancy. Guess its too late for that! But I am doing some things to try to make it easier. I've never hired help for house cleaning before, but after the movers pack us up, I'm refusing to do the clean-up that needs to be done to get our house ready to rent or sell, so I'm going to hire someone to do it for me & not feel guilty about it one bit. We'll also hire carpet cleaners as opposed to doing it ourselves (like we've always done before). Yes, things will be a little more expensive than doing it ourselves, but the weight lifted off my shoulders is huge!

Tomorrow, we're actually taking a break! Jeff has watched on tv & always been interested in Punkin Chunkin which is only about an hour drive from us. We've wanted to go since we found out it takes place in Delaware, but every year something has come up (fertility treatments, difficult pregnancy, Jeff was out of the country, etc.). We were thrilled when we found out we'd barely be able to fit it in before our move, so we'll take a day to relax & have fun tomorrow & then we'll be back at it again!