Believe it or not, Thanksgiving is only three weeks away, which means you better start putting together your meal prep grocery list right now and start buying whatever ingredients you need this weekend. While the big turkey dinner is the main attraction for Thanksgiving Day, as well as pumpkin pie, make sure to get all the essentials that will make your day go by more smoothly - aka, less stressful.

Trust me when I say that finding ways to make Thanksgiving Day go perfectly can be a life saver. Last year, I volunteered to do most of the cooking/baking, which I didn't mind taking on the task, but between getting up really early, cooking/baking, cleaning, and practically babysitting my little cousins, I was already worn out by the time I went to the Black Friday sales (well, Thanksgiving evening sales).

I'm once again going to be doing the majority (if not all) of the cooking and baking, but I'm going to be more prepared this time. This year, I'm teaming up with the great people at Oriental Trading to bring you this post, titled "Clever Items to Simplify Your Thanksgiving!



Cleaning up after a Thanksgiving meal can take a bit of time and energy, so this year I'm going the paper plate route! Oriental Trading has a big selection of different paper and plastic plates, and I went with the "Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner Plates." The sturdy paper plates measures 11" and retails for $2.99 for one package containing 8 plates, but it's currently on sale for $1.98. Additionally, I got the matching "Thanksgiving Turkey Dessert Plates," which comes in a package of 8 paper plates (7") and retails for $1.79 per unit. I also got the 5" "Thanksgiving Turkey Beverage Napkins." There are 16 napkins in one package, which retails for $1.99, but it's currently on sale for $.98.

Of course, the last thing I want to do on Thanksgiving is to wash a bunch of silverware, so the next item on my list is the "Chocolate High Count Cutlery Set." The set contains 70 plastic forks, 70 plastic spoons, and 70 plastic knives, which retails only for $9.99! If you don't like the chocolate color, don't worry, as the set is available in other colors.

Lastly, I picked out the "Clear Plastic Cup Set," which retains for $5.99. That's a great price for 50 cups!


A small centerpiece or decoration can go along way on a dinner table, coffee table, or just about anywhere in a home. Oriental Trading has a big section of DIY craft kits for children and adults that can be used for a centerpiece, or you can buy a decor to display. I picked out the "Carved Thanksgiving Pumpkin Set" (look at the picture above). The set includes three decor pumpkins with metal leaves and wire vines. The pumpkins are between 5" to 6" tall. Each one has a printed saying - "Give Thanks," "Be Joyful," and "Be Thankful."

While the pumpkins are small, they are adorable and will look great as a Thanksgiving centerpiece.

Pocket Books; 422 pages; $7.99; Amazon

Now available from Pocket Books is Shattered Memories, the final installment of The Mirror Sisters Series, by V.C. Andrews.

Well, technically, the real author is Andrew Neiderman , aka the ghost writer who started writing under the name V.C. Andrews after the real V.C. Andrews died in 1986. Mr Neiderman finished writing "Garden of Shadows" and "Fallen Hearts." The rest of the V.C. Andrews novels after "Fallen Hearts" were either inspired or attributed to V.C. Andrews.

The Mirror Sisters Series are by-the-book (no pun intended) young adult stories. Book One, The Mirror Sisters, centered on identical twins Haylee and Kaylee Fitzergald, who both struggled to have an actual life due to their control freak mother. The novel ended with Haylee planning on meeting an older man she had chatted with online. After she gets sick, she convinces Kaylee to take her place, which results in Kaylee being kidnapped. Book Two, Broken Glass, picks up the storyline exactly where it left off with a twist towards the ending (Spoiler Alert!) - Haylee set her sister up, so Kaylee would be kidnapped, because she wanted to be an only child!

The third and final entry (well, I think it's the final the book), centers on Kaylee being sent to a private high school after her mother had a nervous breakdown. Where's Haylee? Well, she's locked away, well, sort of, as she does return in the latter half to once again try to ruin her sister's life.

RLJ Entertainment; Not Rated; 94 minutes; Amazon

Now available on Blu-ray and DVD from from RLJ Entertainment is the action thriller Bushwick. Directed by Cary Murnion & Jonathan Milott, the film stars Dave Bautista (Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy) and Brittany Snow (Pitch Perfect).

Bushwick is set in a world where Texas have decided to secede from the United States, which brings the country to the brink of a second civil war.

The film centers on a college student named Lucy (played by Brittany Snow) traveling home with her boyfriend. Almost as soon as they step off of the subway train in Bushwick, New York, they enter into a world full of chaos. Her boyfriend is murdered right in front of her, but she doesn't have time to mourn, as she must out run a group of Texas mercenaries.

In order to survive, and possibly find her family, Lucy must rely on a war veteran, Stupe (played by Dave Bautista), who's trying to way out of the city, so he can travel to Hoboken, New Jersey to find his son. Unfortunately, getting pass the local residents and the militia is going to be a major problem for them.

Special Features include:

Now available on Amazon, Pronoun, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBooks, and Google Play is the young adult supernatural novel Flesh by Laura Bickle.

There's no better way to get yourself in the mood for Halloween than reading a spooky novel; which is exactly what I did early this morning when I read the eBook Flesh.

Since I'm short of time today (and the rest of the week), I'm going to copy & paste the official blurb of the novel instead of writing my own synopsis.

Charlie Sulliven thinks she knows all the secrets of the dead. Raised in a funeral home, she’s the reluctant “Ghoul Girl,” her reputation tied to a disastrous Halloween party. But navigating her life as a high school sophomore is an anxiety-inducing puzzle to her. She haunts the funeral home with her parents, emo older brother, Garth, their pistol-packing Gramma, and the glass-eyeball-devouring dachshund, Lothar.

Chewed human bodies are appearing in her parents’ morgue…and disappearing in the middle of the night. The bodies seem tied to a local legend, Catfish Bob, who has resurfaced in the muddy Milburn river near Charlie’s small town. When one of Charlie’s classmates, Amanda, awakens in the cooler as a flesh-eating ghoul, Charlie must protect her newfound friend and step up to unravel the mystery…and try to avoid becoming lunch meat for the dead.

Disney/Pixar; 102 minutes

Now available Digital HD and 4K Ultra HD is Disney/Pixar's Car 3. The film will be arriving on Blu-ray 4K Ultra and Blu-ray on November 7th!

Directed by Brian Fee, the computer-animated film features the talented voice-cast of Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo, Chris Cooper, Armie Hammer, Larry the Cable Guy, Bonnie Hunt, Nathan Fillion, Lea DeLaria, and Kerry Washington.

Cars 3 centers on an aging Lightning McQueen being beaten on the race track by a rookie named Jackson Storm. After several months of resting in Radiator Springs, McQueen plans on making his big return to the world racing in Florida, but first he must be retrained.

With a new sponsor, Sterling, and a young new trainer, Cruz Ramirez, McQueen tries his best to use the latest technology to help improve his speed. However, he slow learns that the only way to win the race is to rely on the help of Doc Hudson's old crew.

Digital Special Features are:

• Miss Fritter’s Racing Skoool (Exclusive new mini-movie) – Enjoy blindsided testimonials from the Crazy 8’s, touting the transformative impact Miss Fritter’s Racing School has had in reshaping the direction of their lives Theatrical Short: “Lou” – When a toy-stealing bully ruins recess for a playground full of kids, only one thing stands in his way: the “Lost and Found” box.
• Let’s. Get. Crazy. – Get schooled in the world of demolition derby, the “rules” of figure 8 racing, and how Pixar puts the crazy in the Thunder Hollow Crazy 8 race. This piece is hosted by Lea DeLaria.
• Legendary – a close, historical look at the racing legends Wendell Scott and Louise Smith, whose tenacity and perseverance got them into the race even when they weren’t invited.
• Ready for the Race – Disney Channel’s Olivia Rodrigo and NASCAR Racer William Byron check out the Hendrick Motorsports campus to showcase how real-world race training influenced the filmmakers.
• World’s Fastest Billboard – Blink and you will miss all of the graphics and “car-ified” advertisements created by Pixar’s Art team to make the ”Cars 3” world as believable as possible.
• Cruz Ramirez: The Yellow Car That Could – Join Cristela Alonzo and the filmmakers on their journey to create a race-car trainer turned champion racer.
• Generations: The Story of “Cars 3” – For the story team, creating Lightning McQueen’s next chapter didn’t involve just a tune-up, but a complete overhaul.
• My First Car – A collection of illustrated first-car stories as narrated by members of the “Cars 3” cast and crew. “A Green Car on the Red Carpet with Kerry Washington,” “Old Blue,” and “Still in the Family.”
• 5 Deleted Scenes – Each deleted scene is set up with an introduction as to why it was removed from the film. Deleted scenes include “The Boogie Woogie,” “The Jars of Dirt,” “Lugnut,” “The Bolt,” and “More Than New Paint.”
• Cars To Die(cast) For – Take a look at the phenomenon of die-cast toy collecting and the more than 1,000 unique designs that exist in the Cars universe.
• Commentary – Brian Fee (Director), Kevin Reher (Producer), Andrea Warren (Co-Producer) and Jay Ward (Creative Director)
• And more…

(c) Can Stock Photo / stokkete

Luckily, there's plenty of time to find someone thanks to online dating websites. Whether you're looking for a short or long term relationship, there's a dating site for almost every niche.

No, I'm not talking about how much you're going to spend on your first date. Instead, I'm referring to your budget for online dating. While there are plenty of free dating sites (Plenty of Fish, OkCupid, etc.), those might not be your best options.

Yes, the free-to-join sites might have a big variety of members to choose from, but it's not a guarantee that they're looking for a relationship. They could be looking for a friend, a fling, or nothing at all. With paid dating sites, you know the members are looking for real relationships.

However, no matter what your budget actually is, make sure to find the best dating sites that fits your needs.

You need to know what type of relationship you're wanting. Are you looking for a girlfriend/boyfriend? Are you looking for a spouse? Are you looking for friends with benefits (aka - adult dating)? 

Knowing exactly what type of relationship you want will save you time and money.