It all began in 1947 when the NTF, National Turkey Federation and the Poultry and Egg National Board began giving a turkey to our nation’s president. The turkeys were eaten at a white house dinner. So, when did turkeys begin to ask for a pardon? It first occurred in 1963, when President Kennedy, referring to the turkey given to him, said, “Let’s just keep him.” It wasn’t until the first Thanksgiving of President George H.W. Bush, in 1989, that a turkey was officially pardoned for the first time.

Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush followed suit and allowed a pardon of each turkey presented as a gift. Now, some people think this tradition, of pardoning turkeys began in 1947 when Harry Truman pardoned the turkey given to him. There is no documentation of this. Even the Truman Library has been unable to find any evidence of this. Another story claims the tradition dates back to Abraham Lincoln pardoning his son Tad’s pet turkey.

Since the first actual pardon in 1989, the pardoned turkeys have enjoyed their reprieve while residing at petting zoos. Lucky turkeys!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Jones Soda. All opinions are 100% mine.

I absolutely love receiving those green boxes from IZEA. You never know what you are going to get. I recommend opening each box very, very slowly. I am just kidding. LOL

I received a lovely green box yesterday and while it held a terrific turkey hat that I intend to wear on Thanksgiving, it also contained a bottle of Tofurky and Gravy Jones Soda . Now, I am pretty picky about what goes into my body and this just did not fit the bill of something I would intentionally buy. However, I trust the folks at IZEA (I must rethink that choice at a later date) and so I tried this odd product. I was surprised at the taste! It was quite tasty. I have a new admiration for the folks at food processing plants that know how to make their products look pretty. It was hard to get past the looks of this drink. Can we say dirty water? I am going to have to find another bottle so that my nephew can share it with his friends. I think they would have a riot with this product. They are so ornery.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

It looks as if today is going to be a busy Saturday.

I need to get over to my mother in-laws house and get her internet hooked up. I switched her from cable to DSL and saved her a ton of money. I hope it moves fast enough to suit her. I think it will.

Greg is home for a few hours and then he heads home to help his wife make food for all of us to share on Thursday. I think they are excited to 1. have Thanksgiving as a married couple and 2. have a few relatives squished into their apartment and feed us! I cannot wait.

Brody’s eye is doing amazingly well after having it flushed again at Purdue Univ. veterinary clinic. I hope this does it. We have over $500 invested in getting this eye healed, so far.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of LeapFish Inc. All opinions are 100% mine.

Wow! That video makes me think about how far technology has brought us and how much it has changed our lives.

I can remember when you had to sit down to talk on the phone because the cord wouldn’t reach far enough so that you could wash the dishes, load clothes into the dryer and otherwise multitask while talking. Kids today would have no idea how restrained we were when the phone rang. I can remember having to pull into a gas station to use the phone. Thank goodness those days are gone! I feel much more secure with my cell phone in my pocket.

There are so many ways in which technology has helped society. We can meet people on the Internet and call them friends. We can find out within minutes that a celebrity has died, committed a crime and given a million dollars to charity.

How many ways have you used technology in ways that were not available ten years ago? Let me think, just this week I…

1. I ordered the game Farkle from a shopping site.
2. I used Google satellite to see my daughter’s new apartment building.
3. I researched leapfish to check on traffic rankings on a popular website.
3. I used Mapquest to find out how to get to Purdue University’s small animal hospital.
4. I looked at WebMD to find out the generic name of a medication.
5. I announced my involvement in a giveaway on Twitter.
6. I killed a few fish in my aquarium on Facebook because I forgot to feed them.

I could go on and on about how the evolution of the web and how it has changed my life! How about you?

I thought my mom was going to need a new kidney today. Let me explain.

My dog, Elsie, loves stuffed animals. I received a lovely green box from IZEA today. Inside was a product and a fun turkey hat.

I was wearing that hat while bringing my mom a cup of coffee. Elsie took a look at my head and went wacko! She jumped farther than I have ever seen her jump and landed right in my mom’s lap! Poor mom. I had to hide the hat to get Elsie to forget about it. Crazy dog.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Popstation. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you have talent? Have you ever thought of how to get yourself introduced to the world and how to let your light shine? I look at all those people trying out on the reality shows and admire their tenacity. I think that is a hard road to travel to become a star. There are many unknown talented people who need a venue and it may not be a reality show at all. I have discovered a better idea.

PopStation is an online music and entertainment experience that allows you to enter a singing contest whereby you have a chance to make it to the Top of the Charts and qualify for an Album Deal! All you need is headphones (any will do), a microphone (built-in or hand held), and the desire to take it to put yourself out there.

Check out where you can watch a video to see how this all works and register for a FREE account. Then get yourself to the practice rooms, select a song that suits your talent and practice, practice, practice! Each song which by the way gives you a choice of genre, is available for two weeks. When you think you are ready, record your original song version and then call everyone on your Christmas list and get the word out. Let them know that you need their votes to make it to the top. Have them tell their friends and then they can tell their friends…you get the drift. There is no need for celebrity judges or panels on PopStation, not when Aunt Gladys knows her baby can sing!

Now that I have your attention, are you ready to hear about the Big Deal that is decided every three months?

The Big Deal is when you are chosen as #1. You are awarded a A VIP album recording experience! Imagine yourself whisked away by a luxury car service that takes you to a professional recording studio where you spend two days recording your own album! You become the featured artist on the Popstation’s Artist page! This is where the world meets you, the next rising star!

Good luck and don’t forget that I was the one who told you about this when you become all rich and famous!

My most wonderful son, Greg, spent 4 or 5 hours last night finding Pioneer Woman’s book signing location in St. Louis, bought a cookbook for me and waited in line to have it autographed. He even put her on the phone so she could say hi to me while she signed my book! What a great kid.

I love you Greg. Thanks for such a wonderful surprise.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Sponsored Tweets. All opinions are 100% mine.

What do Kim Kardashian, Bob Vila, Sister Hazel and Leann Rimes and I have in common? We are all participating in the new Sponsored Tweets program! IZEA’s recently launched SponsoredTweets.com is helping people make money while tweeting.

A month or so ago, I was asked to sign up for sponsored tweets. I read over the instructions, the policy concerning disclosure and the referral program and signed up as fast as my fingers would type.

Sponsored Tweets is connecting tweeters with advertisers who are interested in gaining exposure for their idea and product.

My heart gets all pitter pattery when I get an email that lets me know an advertiser wants me to Twitter for them. I simply log in to my account and if I like what the advertiser has to offer, I agree to let the system use my Twitter account to get the word out.

I like the ability to accept or reject an offer. There are some things I know nothing about. Sorry to burst my kid’s bubble. Believe it. I do not know about everything. For example, if an advertiser wants me to tell everyone what I think about car oil I would have to pass but if they ask me to let the world know what I think about leather interior, I am in the know! LOL

I have already made a little money with Sponsored Tweets and so can you!

Charleston Gazette
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A group of music figures has begun a campaign against mountaintop coal removal.
The campaign, Music Saves Mountains, is sponsored by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Gibson Foundation. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a senior attorney with the council, addressed those attending a meeting Monday night.
Those at the gathering included Emmylou Harris, Randy Travis, Big Kenny Alphin, Dierks Bentley, Delbert McClinton, Kid Rock and J.D. Souther.
Harris said protection is needed for the Appalachian mountains, where country music was born and is celebrated in song.

I do not think these entertainers know the whole story. If they did, they would not be against coal mining but of mining of mountain tops. Their actions do not hurt them. They have enough money. It hurts the coal miners who have families to support. Please research mountain top coal mining, Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 and contact the companies who can make a difference.

Ref: The Huffington Post