Solution #1: Consumer Reports (which does very thorough testing) claims that McCormick's Turkey Gravy Mix is actually pretty good! If your grocery store is open this morning (ours has limited hours today, closing at noon), send a friend or family member on the errand to pick this up. It's a powder mix sold in small packets (see link below). It will only take you 5 minutes to add water and boil, and your husband doesn't have to know you cheated. In my experience, when it's presented alongside a bunch of other yummy homemade items, a little cheating never hurts. http://www.mccormick.com/Products/Seasoning-Mixes/Gravies-and-Sauces/Turkey-Gravy-Mix.aspx Solution #2: If you live in a friendly neighborhood, knock on a neighbor's door and plead your case. Chances are, if they are making Turkey Gravy from scratch, they are making too much of it. We always have leftover gravy. Surely someone will be generous (in the spirit of Thanks and GIVING) - all you need is a half cup to present to your husband for his personal use (no one else will care). Good Luck! Hope this was helpful!

All I can say is THANK YOU for all of these wonderfully helpful comments! I cannot wait to dive into all of these. I've been a fan of StyleMePretty for a while - I could lose hours just scrolling through the gorgeous photos...and have a feeling that is going to be the case for the other suggestions you've all given...there are so many sites mentioned here that I haven't seen before! For the fellow engaged ladies - Congrats! And to those married gals who have already been through it all and survived with your sanity in tact - Kudos! ;) Stay tuned for future wedding-related posts...

MEC - Simply put: No. My reviews are never for sale. I feature products, hotels, restaurants, stores, and online shops on this blog all the time. I'm always on the lookout for great things to share here! 99% of the things I cover are the result of something I've come across in my everyday life, and once in a while it is the result of receiving a clever PR pitch that strikes me as special. Once in a blue moon, I am fortunate enough to benefit from a Discounted Media Rate when offered by a company (usually through their PR person) - a special discount given to members of the media. I am not given "freebies", and a discount doesn't necessitate a review. When I travel somewhere I love, I like to share it with my readers... which is what I've done here. I hope my readers enjoy my suggestions, and know that they are genuine. I would never write about a place I didn't love, and again, my opinions are not for sale.

Thanks for your comment, John. While rates can certainly creep up during prime season and on weekends at any hotel, The Vintage Inn offers lower rates on mid-week stays and in the off-season. I began my stay on a Sunday night, and I think that helped a lot. I encourage readers to call the hotel directly and discuss options based on travel dates. The reservationist you speak to will likely be able to offer a lower rate than you're seeing listed online - and this is a good tip to keep in mind when booking any hotel. Also, when booking at the last minute, you can often get deals based on how full the hotel is - if they're not all booked up, they're more likely to reduce the rate a bit, since they'd rather fill the room than let it stay vacant. As for the "without the European price tag" - this trip was by far more affordable than any trip to Europe I've taken - and I felt like I got way more bang for my buck - not just because of hotel rates but also due to travel costs and cost of food. Hope that helps!

love it! Flyer - your relatives are lucky little ones! I can still remember the thrill and joy in opening a birthday card that contained even $5 in it. With that $5 bill, the world was my oyster. Sarah - from the looks of your cute blog, I think your friends are pretty lucky to get your delicious homemade cookies! Emily - that's such a good point - as we get older, our birthday "wish lists" get shorter and shorter - and the thoughtful gifts full of time and love are the ones that mean the most. Also really nice when you just KNOW your friend is going to use (eat!) the gift you give them!

Tiffany- I am actually already a huge fan of the chip flavors. In fact, when I order Graeter's these days (for special occasions) I rarely get any flavors that don't have the chips in them! The chocolate they use for the chips is just too rich and perfect to pass up. I envy your proximity to Graeter's - you can have it whenever you want without paying a premium for special shipping! So jealous. Black Raspberry Chip is without a doubt my absolute favorite flavor. Yummm.

Susan - your shop is so lovely! I am a huge fan of "vintage reincarnated" and admire your extensive collection - what a treasure trove. I agree that specialty match boxes make an excellent hostess gift. Seems that you can never find a match when you need one, and having pretty match boxes out around the house is the perfect solution. Much more stylish than whipping out one of those stick lighters. I love that you can refill the boxes when you run out of matches - so nice to not have to throw something so beautiful out! Please look out for an email from me very soon :)

There is hope Kathleen! I never used to love salmon - it was always my last-choice in the seafood world. I got on the salmon bandwagon a few years ago with salmon cooked on a cedar plank (on the grill or in your oven), with a nice glaze with lots of flavor - soy, mustard, maple syrup - it all comes together so you're not really tasting that salmon taste. The salmon is like a vehicle for all the other wonderful flavors! Any of these are great: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Planked-Salmon-with-Coconut-Rice-354349 http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/cedar-plank-salmon-10000000635603/index.html http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cedar-Planked-Salmon-with-Maple-Glaze-and-Mustard-Mashed-Potatoes-14473

Thanks Susan! I'll contact you about the goodies. That would be just delightful! Your company looks adorable from the website. And Lisa - the cake IS delicious. Well worth the effort. Chocolate is good for the soul!

love these Holly! the personalized notecards are perfect for summer hostess gifts. and i agree with you on the drunken gift tags - too funny.

Sarah - great point. I do understand that disposable plates - biodegradable or not - are considered less environmentally responsible than reusable plates that may be washed. I actually use biodegradable trash bags as well, instead of normal plastic ones - which I'm told helps some once it does go to the landfill. I'm certainly not the most "green" hostess, but am starting to make an effort to be more aware and make small changes. One additional reason I used the Bambu plates is that we had 7 people using 3 plates each - in different sizes for each part of the meal (apps, entree, and dessert)- for a grand total of 21 plates - which is more than my dishwasher will hold per load. Some may call it lazy - but I didn't feel like loading and unloading twice for this particular party!

Dare i admit it? I'm just dying for Ikea to create a more affordable version of this table, since the functionality is so smart and the look so sleek.