Ten things that happened this weekend....

1. It rained. and rained. and rained. all that snow from last weekend ...Gone!

2. We hosted Thanksgiving for 38 people and cooked three 20 pound turkeys.

3. It was so muddy and rainy and windy...
...we ended up buying a tree from the barn instead of cutting one down.
Some of us were okay with it, others...well, there's always next year, right? ;)

{most of my immediate family ^^^}

4. We threw a big bash for Jeff's birthday!

5. 5 of us made 37 pizzas and baked them in my sister Dana and her husband's brick oven.
It was so much fun! There is nothing better..NOTHING! than a pizza from a brick oven.
{and if you need an event catered...I know people! ;) }

6. Christmas decorations are up!

7. Jeff spent his birthday fixing our old buying and installing a new faucet in our kitchen sink.

8. We listened to The Avett Brothers album...a lot. 

9. We ate waaaaaay too much sugar.

10. Once again I realized how blessed I am to be married to the man I am married to!

Hope your week is off to a great start.
XxOo

The day before Thanksgiving.

For the eleventh year in a row we're hosting Thanksgiving at our house.
There will be almost 40 people coming over for the holiday. {different times, but they're coming}
I Love it!

Turkeys, potatoes and desserts are being made today.
Egg Nog is in the refrigerator.. punishable by sudden death if you drink before tomorrow.

This evening we are cutting down our Christmas Tree. {Yes in the dark...ask our children why}

Cinnamon rolls and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade tomorrow morning!
I can hardly contain myself.

Saturday is Jeff's birthday...(it's a big one too. ;)
Ahhh! I love this man SO much.

Finally ...here are a couple of songs before we go full force Christmas music around here!

I want Jeff to take me on a walk for two.  {I have loved Brooke since American Idol...the one and only season I watched..
because of her! Ha! So glad she's making music.}

We can't ever get enough of these guys..they sound incredible even live.
I bought Jeff one of their vinyls for his birthday...Shhh!!! Don't tell! he's not getting it until Sunday.
I'm counting on him not reading my post. ;)....this song is on the album.

We have Nothing! to be afraid of.

What do we play on Thanksgiving at our house? Why The Perfect Dinner Music of course.

Have a Wonderful and Blessed Thanksgiving!
XxOo

Aren't these pictures in the post fun?
I searched old Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade photos..so many to look at!

It happened so early.

Friday my kids could hardly contain themselves...okay, not just the kids.
Other people in the house were excited too. A snowstorm was in the forecast!

By Saturday afternoon we had 15 inches of snow on the ground.

This was very early in the season for us.
Snow usually doesn't happen around here until December.

You don't know how hard it has been.
15 inches of snow is like pouring Christmas spirit over your head
and making you swim in it...you don't feel too Fall-ish or Thanksgiving-ish when
big, fat, sparkly snowflakes are falling down outside your window.

But I'm waiting. Patiently waiting. Wednesday we chop the tree. Friday we decorate the tree!
This week is all about the Turkey.

This little guy absolutely adored the snow. {it's official..he's just like the rest of the family}
After an hour outside, I took him in to warm up. He cried.

My children must have Nordic genes from somewhere down the line. They all dream of winter.

This article and this article have been popping up in my FB feed...maybe you've already read them?
If not, take a look...they will make you more content with the upcoming season.
{or not...if you're a super negative person, then nothing will help.
You'll just ride out winter complaining.}

I'm excited for winter.
I like the brisk air. I like the cozy fires in our wood stove. I like warm sweaters.

*Not to self...revisit this post in April when cold temperatures are in the forecast and you're discontent because everyone in California is swimming and planting flowers.

**One more note to self...In April, ignore the part you wrote about super negative people.
This doesn't apply to you.

....for now I will live in pre-winter bliss.
Did I mention we put our tree up this week? 

XxOo

The Bright Pink Sucker.

"Why yes, I would love to taste your bright pink sucker....

...that was amazing. I want it....

 ...give it to me...GIVE.TO.ME!
Give. Grrrr....give, give....

Waaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhaaaaahhhhhh....

Nooooo....waaaaahhhhhhh....bright pink sucker.

Fine....people want to take suckers away from me. I'll show them.

I don't need a silly pink sucker. Suckers are for suckers. I'm a man. Men eat sticks."

The End.
XxOO

Fashion Tip Friday~

I just finished reading the oh-so-popular book "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up".

The book gets a little weird though once when she starts thanking all of her belongings
for their hard work. I just took it as you should be thankful for what you have.

It made a lot of sense though and it was inspiring..
...in fact, my house has {mostly} remained clean ALL week long because of one chapter!
I couldn't believe it. {more about this next week}


One of the things she said that I really loved....
"Don't downgrade your old clothes into lounge wear or pajamas".

Brilliant! Winter is coming. The days of being home and trying to stay warm are upon us.

While you are home, you still want to feel good about yourself, right?
I know when I feel like a slob, I feel lazy and tired.

Even if I end up wearing sweatpants all day I will still do my hair and make-up.
I don't necessarily think sweats are a bad idea if you do them right.

So get rid of your old clothes and get a few nice pieces to wear around your house.
Keep the two separate. Goodbye tattered old clothes. Hello cute sweat shirts.

She also makes mention of wearing nice pajamas to bed...not your old clothes.
You'll sleep better. ;)

There are lots of cute shirts and comfy pants out there that won't make you look like...
"I just rolled out of bed...three days ago."

So toss the old clothes that are worn and tired and get a few
nice things to wear when you're home. Cotton is cheap...just ask Target!

Fix up for yourself. It will keep your spirits up during those long cold months....
...and also keep you from being embarrassed if someone should come to your door unexpectedly. ;)


HaPpY Friday!
XxOo

p.s. snuggly babies  are the BEST!

Excuse me Christmas people while we dote on fall a little longer...

As I type this there are only 42 days. 15 hours. 43 minutes. Until Christmas.
13 days and we cut down our Christmas Tree!
14 days until the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
15 days and we decorate our house for Christmas...Ahhhh!!! I can barely contain myself!

Dashing through the snow...Falalala Laaaa....Christ the Savior is born....Oh Holy Night...

Close your eyes and think back to late August.
(Now open them so you can finish reading. ;)

You're thinking of apple orchards and sweaters and hot cider and cinnamon doughnuts and pumpkins.
You are anxiously waiting for your outside to turn bright and beautiful with golden, red and orange.
The crunchy leaves. The crisp mornings. The sounds of football cheers.

You. Love. Fall. We all love fall.

These are the thoughts I will dwell upon {as best as I can} for the next two weeks.
I will bask in the incredible season that is beloved autumn. The season of giving Thanks.

We will finish reading about Squanto and the Pilgrims.
We will talk of turkey and make thankful cards.

Happy Fall.
XxOo

Dreams of Montana....

Is it every man's dream to move out to the middle of nowhere in Montana?
or just my husband's?  He's been talking about ever it since we were first married.
{maybe even before...}

My kids are totally be up for it. I suppose I am too...but I'd miss family.
Okay, who am I kidding..I'd miss Chicago too.
...even though it's an hour away....it's close enough. doughnuts.pizza.

But on days like yesterday...when my girls spent time with beloved horses
and talked about having a barn and animals of their very own...
...then I share Jeff's dream.

...and then I wake up! Joking...joking. (Sort of. ;)

Thanks so much for inviting us out Jason. The girls Loved it!

Happy Monday.
XxOo

It's warm outside in November and you should eat a doughnut.

My mums are blooming.
The windows are open.
Sophia read her book in the sunshine barefoot on the front porch.
I picked beets from my garden.
I wore sandals while I raked leaves.

Just a regular old November day in Northern Illinois. {insert confused face here}

Quote from Sam:
"Mom, the weather is getting me really mad!
We should be wearing hats and sweatshirts and seeing our breath outside right now.
Fall is being wasted on warm weather. It's the worst year!"

Only some in the house are happy with 75 and sunny.
This is most likely the last hurrah....we will not have this again until April!
You will not hear me complain. :)

Also..in case you don't know this, tomorrow is {yet another}  National Doughnut Day.

We love doughnuts.
Jeff and I actually loved doughnuts before they were trendy.
Now they are a "thing"...like Coffee. and Cupcakes.
{I think the cupcake trend is coming to a close though...now it's doughnuts all the way...
...which is fine by us.}

If you google, you will find that National Doughnut Day is very important.

How special to have TWO National days dedicated to something so wonderful.
I may even put up streamers and balloons..not sure yet...
...I may be too busy stuffing my face...with doughnuts.
XxOo