Snapshots of Thanksgiving 2013:

This Thanksgiving can be summed up in 3 words:

Deep Fried Turkey

:)

But while we're on the subject, I'm incredibly thankful for the abundance of blessings that seem to be flowing my way. Lately it seems I increasingly find myself stopping and thinking "is this really my life?"

And JP is definitely not the least of those blessings. He pretty much makes my world go round. 

So here's to giving thanks! And (trying) to pay it forward. And realizing there is always something to be grateful for. Always. 

Now, onto CHRISTMAS!!

Read about past Thanksgivings here. 

3rd Annual Pie Party!

That's right! 3rd annual! 

Read about the first year here and the second year here!

JP spearheaded the whole idea during our first married-Thanksgiving and (I can't believe it's been this long) here we are 3 years later!

The premise of the pie party is simple:

1) Bake a pie 

(we've had a few imposters in past years try to pass off a Kneader's pie as their own... the shame follows them still)

2) Bring the pie

3) Sample all the pies

4) Vote for your favorite (can't vote for your own!) 

5) The winner gets to take home the coveted ceramic pilgrim woman figurine trophy. 

She's become a crowd-favorite.

This year, we did it a couple nights earlier (normally we host it the night before Thanksgiving) so that all of our friends who were going out of town for the holiday could attend and I'm so glad we did! 

We had a house full of people and more pies to choose from than ever before! 

If it keeps getting bigger I think next year we might have to have different categories of pies!

And in case you were wondering, my sis-in-law's milk tart pie won this year! It's a South African pie and it was amazing.

 ^^^ Clearly, we weren't quite ready for the picture haha

 ^^^ That's better!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Links for the Weekend! Hooray!

^^^ This is my "IT'S THE WEEKEND" snapchat I sent to a friend... seemed appropriate.

It's the weekend! YES!

On a sadder note, I taught my very last anatomy class last night. I've been an anatomy TA for over 2 years now, and seriously it's been my most favorite thing EVER. I love my fellow anatomy TA's, I love teaching, and I love the human body and learning more about it, so it was sort of the perfect marriage of everything I love. And now it's over! This last semester of mine is flying by. I mean FLYING. 

Anyways, that was a tangent and now onto what I was planning on writing:

JP and I are joining my family on a little staycation up at the Zermatt Resort in Midway and I'm so so excited! I love pseudo-vacations! So little stress and so much fun! 

But before i go, some links that have been making my week:

>>> I can't wait to show you guys my new project involving these prints!

>>> This website, I'm obsessed with it. And I'm definitely using their downloadables for Thanksgiving!

>>> Been listening and loving this cover. 

>>> I'm in tears over this story and video. There are people in this world who are absolutely incredible. 

>>> Literally dying to purchase these. Trying to find them a little more in my price range though haha

The Best Way to Spread Christmas Cheer...

I've just fully embraced Christmas over here. 

JP is still holding out until after Thanksgiving but when he's not in the car with me, you better believe I've got 100.3 on the radio playing Christmas songs!

However I was able to convince him to come along to the "Lighting of Riverwoods" this weekend!

We went with our friends Danny and Amber and joined the masses in kicking off the Christmas season with a million Christmas lights, fireworks, Santa Claus, ice sculptors, and live performers singing Christmas songs! 

(JP couldn't escape... ha ha ha). 

Then we went to Slab for dinner (we hadn't had that delicious pizza since we've been home from Paris!), and finished the night off with BUTTERBEER from Starbucks! 

Which I highly recommend, it's a game changer.

You can see my instagram post with the recipe posted here.

Before:

After:

Slab!

Prettiest Bridal Shower for the Prettiest Bride-To-Be:

One of my best friends in the entire world had a bridal shower this weekend!

I announced Markell's engagement in this post, and the countdown is on to the wedding! I can't wait!

My mother-in-law threw her a "mom" bridal shower, and it was so much fun chatting with all the ladies in our neighborhood + the food was amazing and it couldn't have been a more gorgeous day!