Thanksgiving 2014

This busy Thanksgiving weekend knocked me flat. But it was wonderful.

Thanksgiving looked a lot like last year, except with the addition of my beach ball belly, swollen feet, and 80 degree temperatures, and I was generally a little more tired this time around. I didn't take as many pictures as I would have liked - I mostly sat chatting with our guests, a cold drink in hand, and my feet elevated. But as this holiday weekend winds down, I am thinking about all the things I am grateful for right now. A husband who brings me multiple servings of mashed potatoes, rubs my feet, and sings to my belly. Parents I don't just love, but actually really like - my parents are our friends. A mother-in-law who injects stories and music into every gathering (and planned me the most amazing shower -- more on that soon). Silly Thanksgiving games, including turkey trivia and Thanskgiving Scattergories. The softest Australian Shepherd who snuggles up next to you, gives you kisses, and loves you unconditionally. A beautiful celebration of our baby and tons of wise parenting advice at my shower on Saturday. A visit from our hilarious Norwegian friend David. A bounty of leftover cheese and crackers. And pie. I don't have photos of all of these things, but they exist.

{matching!}

{after dinner chatting}

{games!}

Happy Thanksgiving!

The turkey is in the oven, our house smells divine, we're eating yogurt parfaits, snuggled up in soft jammies, watching this hilarious movie. 

I can't believe we'll have a little one this time next year.

So much to be grateful for and I'm thankful there's a holiday to celebrate it. Hope your weekend is filled with all the things and people you love.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Noted on a Friday

{rainy day pho}

It was a whirlwind birthday week and truth be told, I could use a drink right about now. It's been a great few days, nothing bad has happened, but I feel like I've been going, going for the last two weeks and would love a smooth and relaxing cocktail on this chilly Friday evening. A warm bath and fall-scented candles will have to do. What are you up to this weekend? We have our second hypnobirthing class tomorrow (I love it) and then I'm planning to nest -- re-arrange, clean out, and make space in our home. Then we'll be meeting up with old friends and doing some major grocery shopping on Sunday. With out-of-town visitors, Thanksgiving, and my baby shower (!) all in the next 10 days, I can't wait to spend this weekend chilling out and reenergizing. I hope you enjoy. xo

Some photos from the last couple weeks...

Tooling around on my parents' golf cart.

Sweet surprise from Flav.. an assortment of heavenly cupcakes.

Birthday morning.

Guiri sleeping on my shirt.

Thanksgiving - 2014 Blueprint

{2013 planning}

We are one week from Thanksgiving, friends, and I am getting excited to host again. We'll have a relatively small party this year, with just 6 people, but I'm excited to use this weekend to start the shopping and prep. Re-visiting last year's Blueprint helped, so I'm doing it again this year. This may be of no interest to anyone else, and after hosting for many years I could probably pull together a decent Thanksgiving in 6 hours, but I love the holiday scheming and dreaming, so here goes.

This year's Menu / Who's bringing what

Cider-Brined-And-Glazed Turkey (the most mouthwatering, fall-off-the-bone recipe there is)
Apple, Sausage, and Parsnip Stuffing (make half unless you're feeding an army)
Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
Clinton Beans aka Green Bean Casserole with Gruyere and Criminis
Double-Dutch Mac and Cheese with Chard
Yams - Decided not to do this year because I am the only one that eats them
Cranberry Sauce - buy pre-made at Trader Joe's
Silvia's Famous Enchiladas -Flavio's mom is bringing
A really good salad -- Flavio's mom is bringing
Dinner rolls - my mom is bringing
Pumpkin Pie with Spiced Whipped Cream (making 2 this year as one went so quickly)
Apple pie - my mom is bringing
Wine - red, white, sparkling - various guests are bringing
Beer
Coffee
Sparkling water and limes for me
Flavio will be mixing this year's signature cocktail: Poinsettias !

So far I have:
Done nothing except write this post and delegate food for guests to bring.

Tomorrow I will:
Make my grocery lists.

Sunday I will:
Do the first round of grocery shopping
Make and freeze my pie crusts
Cube and dry bread for stuffing
Make sure Flav picks out festive beer

On Monday I will:
Work all day :(
Spend the evening making our annual Thanksgiving trivia game
And maybe come up with one other table game -- I thought these mad libs looked fun

On Tuesday I will:
Make one last grocery stop
Do all the prep -- chop, measure, store
Brine the turkey Tuesday evening

On Wednesday I will:
Make the pies
Clean the house
Set the table
Buy fresh flowers, gourds, and other decor
Make the mac n cheese
Make the stuffing Wednesday night

On Thursday I will:
Wake up early, put on music, stuff and get the bird in the oven
Peel and make mashed potatoes
Make the Clinton Beans
Bake remaining stuffing
Make spiced whipped cream for pies
Reheat the mac n cheese
Take Guiri to the park and exhaust her so she is not a psycho when everyone comes over
Watch movies throughout the day, revel

Most importantly, I plan to be conscious of the meaning of the holiday. It's so easy to get caught up in the rush without stopping to slow down, feel grateful, savor, and enjoy family.

Some related links:
Photos and re-cap of last year's Thanksgiving
The ultimate guide to Modern Thanksgiving Etiquette
Last year's signature cocktail, Cranberry Margaritas
One of my favorite quotes on gratitude
An essay: It's decorative gourd season, motherfuckers

A Birthday Bump Update: 26 weeks

Today is my cake day and it has been a regular Tuesday, but my birthday always makes me feel different in the best possible way. After a busy weekend and Monday/Tuesday, I'm excited for Flav to get home so we can go out for a fun dinner and to see the very classy Dumb & Dumber To. I'm 34 which means I've officially reached my mid-thirties. Woot! I know people say your twenties are the best time of your life, but I definitely prefer my thirties, and this pregnant birthday feels incredibly special.

I haven't done a bumpdate recently because despite my rapidly expanding belly, there isn't much new to share from my last report at 22 weeks. I'm still feeling really good. The baby is still measuring big (I'm terrified this is going to be a 10-pounder!), and his/her kicks have me wondering if this little one is a soccer player already. I know I've already said it, but I've never felt better or more exhilarated in my life. Now on to dinner and a big slab of cake. :)

Noted on a Friday

Greetings from Vegas! We got here yesterday and we're looking forward to a long weekend of relaxation with my parents. It's likely our last trip here before the baby comes, so we fully intend to soak up the comfort and be the carefree "kids" for maybe the last time. We spent yesterday evening chatting with my mom about all things pregnancy, labor, and baby, and I can't believe I'm going to be a mama-bear myself very soon. Is this really happening? I feel simultaneously ready and terrified. Happy weekend. xo

Eggy, sweet pan de muerto, via Tijuana and my mother-in-law.

Somebody doesn't mind daylight savings. Or my pregnancy pillow.

Mario, Luigi, and the Princess on candy duty this Halloween.

Flores para los muertos.

Requisite Dairy Queen stop on the way to Vegas.

Noted on a (Halloween) Friday

{ghostly pumpkins}

Happy Halloween! After being gone last weekend and a hectic work week, I'm excited to spend this evening dressing up, passing out candy, eating homemade soup, and doing a little trick-or-drinking (beer for Flav, gingerale for me) at home. We'll be watching movies and enjoying all the costumed kiddos on our doorstep. I hear rain is in the weekend forecast, so I'm looking forward to making room for the nursery, celebrating my mother-in-law's birthday, and spending time with our San Diego parents, Jan and Gary. It's my favorite time of year and this Halloween feels more special than ever before. Enjoy. xo

Some scenes from Halloweens past...

{Halloween 2013}

{Pirate Guiri}

{Halloween 2006}

Noted on a Friday

{pumpkin spice muffins, fresh from the oven}

This week went by in a flash and I can't believe we're almost into November. It feels like October through December always go by so fast, whereas January, for example, feels like it's moving backward. But, I'm embracing all the fun that's coming with open arms, including this weekend when we're heading to LA to hang with my cousin and her two babies. It will be good to soak up some parenting advice and practice being with little ones -- a pretty foreign concept for Flavio and me. I hope you have a great weekend. xo

Watching the world go by.

Love this stuff.

A mid-week sushi date with friends.

Noted on a Friday

{signs of fall in the neighborhood}

Welp, this week was a weird one complete with an emergency trip to the vet and for a broken pawnail, and an Ebola scare and evacuation during my Thursday morning classes. TGIF. Despite these obstacles, things feel abuzz on the homefront. Halloween decorations are mostly up, costume ideas are in progress, and I can't help but feel giddy about all my favorite holidays on the horizon. We've got an action-packed weekend ahead complete with a friend's birthday brunch, some baby shopping and registering, and a fall-themed potluck on Sunday. I'm hoping to squeeze in some baking, Netflixing, and general relaxation in this lovely cooler weather. Here are some memorable moments from this week.

{her bandage melts me}

{my favorite kinda lunch: homemade pumpkin soup with cheese/crackers}

{delighted by the recent baby gifts that have arrived on our porch}

{'tis the season}

Noted on a Friday

It feels so good to be winding down the work week -- it's been a busy one. We're treating my mother-in-law to dinner tonight, and then I'm looking forward to recharging this weekend with some early Halloween decorating, catching up with the Parenthood season premier, and maybe a trip to the movies to see this. I hope you enjoy. xo

Butterfly fluttering by.

So excited!

Friends at the park. :)

Colorful decisions at a Wednesday pedicure.

First day of fall

Today is the first day of autumn, best season ever. I'm looking forward to crisp mornings,  pumpkin-inspired everything, crackling fires, homemade soups, and cozy sweaters.

Noted on a Friday

This past week was an effort to bid this long, hot summer farewell. We barbecued, enjoyed cold drinks at our local bar (ginger beer for me), hung at the dog park, went on long walks in the warm evenings, and generally spent our after-work time outside. San Diego even had its own mini-hurricane this week (at least that's what I'm calling it) and I'm just waiting for the autumnal weather to come rolling in... The first day of fall is this Tuesday. Fingers crossed!

Some little things making me happy lately...

Though it was nearly 100 degrees this week, these leaves are telling me my season is right around the corner.

Can't stop staring at this photo of Baby C. at 12 weeks. Life is such a miracle.

Guiri and her boyfriend Bowie had their first sleepover at our place. Love bugs.

The tastiest deep-fried catfish at Phuong Trang with Jan and Gary.

Monday Night Football at Sycamore Den.

Minding our own business at the dog park when rain and 70 mph winds flashed through. Wild.

Thanksgiving Weekend 2013

The long Thanksgiving weekend was just wonderful.

Flavio did such an amazing job preparing everything that on Turkey Day itself we found ourselves oddly relaxed. We watched movies, took long showers, and waited for guests to arrive with cranberry margaritas in hand. It was lovely. Of course there was the annual chaos of trying to keep 10 different dishes warm at once with our teeny tiny oven, but then I finally declared that this year some sides would be lukewarm and everyone should just have another drink - and ah ha! That is the trick.

{table setting, in progress}

{Gorgeous George, as in Clooney}

{my list}

{table games}

We cobbled together seating in close quarters and enjoyed delicious food, delightful company, a highly competitive pre-dessert Thanksgiving trivia competition, and writing/sharing gratitude on our placemats (I stole the idea from here). We made the rule that you couldn't write/share anything obvious, like health, friends, etc., so everyone's "I am thankful for..." lists were funny and inspired. After dinner we crammed into the living room to eat pie and the birthday cake my mom brought for me, the ladies chatting, the guys watching football. Nothing makes me happier than the laughter and the bustle that comes with a full home. I am now thinking Thanksgiving is my new favorite holiday. (Some years it's Christmas, some years it's Halloween) but Thanksgiving feels like Christmas without all the consumerism, but with all the gluttony and family time! Love.

The Post-Thanksgiving weekend involved lazy mornings, lots of leftovers, precious time with my parents, picking out and trimming our tree, and a trip to the movies to see 12 Years a Slave, which is still haunting me.

On 12 Years a Slave: I nearly had a panic attack in the beginning of the film - it is so horrifying and brutal that I kept squeezing Flavio's hand, sinking lower in my chair, thinking I might leave. But then the film sucks you in, captivates and devastates you, involving you in the psychology of subjugation in a way that makes your feel chained to your chair, truly afraid of what's going to happen next. I've never really experienced this kind of emotional manipulation in a film before. The story chronicles the stages of Solomon's mental state as he moves through periods of confusion, horror, helplessness, Stockholm syndrome, anger, and the continual struggle to maintain his identity and soul - and he takes you right along with him. It's a brilliant, heartbreaking, and important film and I can't stop thinking about it. Somehow, despite its grimness, it felt perfect for Thanksgiving weekend - reminding us that slavery is as important to remember as the pilgrims, and that we are privileged to have the freedom to give thanks. It should be required viewing.

{Saturday night's stunning sunset}

{morning, mimosa, magazine - heaven.}

{day at the park}

I'm feeling a little Sunday sad tonight. The house is quiet, I am anxious about the long work week ahead, and I am missing my parents. On the bright side, our Christmas tree lights are twinkling at me, reminding me I only have 3 weeks left of the semester, and that cookie-baking, holiday gatherings, and the most wonderful time of the year is just around the corner.

{twinkles}