Happy Thanksgiving!

Photo from here and here.

Happy Weekend!

I think this is going to be a very full weekend. We're starting phase two of our kitchen remodel: we're installing new lighting and we're also going to repaint. (Will and I recently admitted to each other that we don't like the green we chose for the walls after all. Dang!)

On Saturday, my parents are hosting a big Thanksgiving bash -- a week early since my grandma is having hip replacement surgery next week. I absolutely love getting together with my dad's side the family; my relatives are a lot of fun and always tell great stories. And then on Sunday, my mom and sister and I are planning to have a shopping day. We're hoping to get a lot of our Christmas gift-buying done. Let the weekend begin!

Photo from here. 

Thankful

I'm overwhelmed today with how much I have in my life to be thankful for. My husband, dog, family and friends. The fact that we're all healthy. That we have good jobs and warm homes. That we can have fun and go on adventures, laugh and cry, connect with others and feel so much. That there's always more to see, do, learn and experience. That I can make a wish, and it can come true. That anything is possible. It's pretty wonderful. Happy Thanksgiving.

Photo from here.

Still Thankful

It's the Monday after the long Thanksgiving weekend. In other words, back to reality. No more sleeping in and lounging around. No more eating nonstop and chatting for hours with family.

While we're all getting settled back into our normal routines, I still feel incredibly thankful. Not just for this gloriously relaxing weekend I just had. But for where I'm at right now in my life. I love that on Thanksgiving we pause and reflect on how good we have it. I try to do that throughout the year -- be more conscious more often about how blessed we are. I'm glad that these feelings are lingering after the weekend.

So, in honor of Thanksgiving, here are a few of the things I'm thankful for:
* My husband -- my dream guy, who makes me laugh, whom I'm incredibly attracted to, whom I always crave being connected with
* My parents -- not everyone has a good relationship with their folks but being close to them is one of the greatest blessings in my life
* My sister and her husband -- I love them and really, really like them; my husband and I are lucky to be friends, not just family, with the two of them
* My pup -- we logged in some major cuddle time this weekend and, quite frankly, I'm not ready to give that up
* My family -- I'm grateful for every last one of this crazy, loud, funny and deeply loving bunch
* My girlfriends -- although I don't live near all of them anymore, they're so important to me and I think of them constantly; I can't wait till we're together next
* My faith -- it's my rock and my backbone and my cornerstone
* My home -- the small, just-for-us life we're building in our house makes me so happy
* My job -- not only am I thankful for having a job at all right now, I can't believe it gets to be one that fulfills, challenges and rewards me
* My country -- it gives me advantages and opportunities that I'm not even conscious of on a daily basis
* My body -- being healthy and feeling well is absolutely one of the greatest gifts in life
* My mind -- my brain seems to always be shooting off in one random direction or the other but I am thankful for my creativity and the sharpness I have at least some of the time
* My choices -- being able to live healthfully and as cruelty-free as possible is crucial to me
* My inspirations -- I'm definitely lucky to live in a place where ideas, thoughts and crazy notions are all around

Happy Thanksgiving -- last week, today and every day.

Twists on Tradition

I'm so happy it's Thanksgiving week. I love this time of year -- the food, the traditions, the slowing down, the time spent with family. We'll be doing two Thanksgiving celebrations this year: brunch with my husband's parents and friends and then an evening meal with my crazy family. I can't wait!

Now, I realize I'm fortunate not only for getting two great meals on Thursday, but also because I'm not hosting either. Not that it wouldn't be fun. Maybe one day I'll get all brave and ambitious and invite everyone over to our house. And if I did, I would like to decorate with clean lines and harvest-time hues, much like these two tabletops: 

Isn't this Martha Stewart idea of displaying colorful leaves in clear vases great?

White dishes look so crisp when they're paired with a chocolate table and pumpkin runner, a la this Real Simple table.

Photos from here and here.