Holiday Check List - 1 Week Before Thanksgiving

The holiday season is full of fun, laughter, and good times with family and friends.  And if you let it, the holiday season can be full of stress too.  I have always been a planner, and I like to think that my family and friends appreciate that.  For the last couple of years on my blog I've shared my holiday check lists with my readers and plan on doing the same this year too.  And it seems even more important to stay on top of my holiday check lists this year since we're expecting our third child (JP) anytime around the end of December.  So, without further ado, here is my check list for this week, the week before Thanksgiving and five weeks before Christmas:

• Finalize Thanksgiving Menu (I am bringing Overnight Salad, Pecan Pie, Shrimp Dip and Pickle Wrap Dip to my Mom's house and my Grandparent's house.  And if I have time I also will make puppy chow...  You've got to have snack foods for Black Friday right!)
• Buy Thanksgiving Groceries  (I like to stay away from the grocery store as much as possible the week of Thanksgiving so I buy all my groceries the week before.  I also start buying my Christmas goodie staples as they go on sale.  And I buy my first carton of egg nog to break open Thanksgiving Day!  Another good thing to do is to clean out your refrigerator so you have room for all your Thanksgiving groceries.)
• Organize Travel During the Holidays  (You should have your Thanksgiving travel plans figured out, but you also should be working on your Christmas travel.  It is a good idea to figure out and finalize your Christmas plans when you're already spending time with your family for Thanksgiving.)
• Gift Lists  (This includes not only figuring out your own family's wish list, but also deciding what gifts you're giving others for Christmas.  Also, decide your present budget and possible locations to buy all of your gifts.  Check out my Christmas gift picks from last year here.)

What is on your holiday check list this week?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Also, don't forget to enter my "My Family's Farm" children's turkey farm book giveaway!  It ends this Thursday!