thanksgiving album

This year's Thanksgiving was the best yet. We had nineteen friends & family members, there was a beautiful light snow falling, lots of food, and wonderful fun. The six kids ran had a blast running around the house in a (high-volume) glee the whole time- as kids are supposed to do at holiday gatherings! And while I can really only speak for myself, it seemed like the big people had some fun too. It's so nice to have such wonderful friends and family to share a holiday with (who are also willing to bring food & help with clean up!)

I know you've been holding your breath waiting for the Turducken verdict: It was all we had hoped it would be and more! In fact, we decided that next year we're getting TWO and scrapping the regular turkey! (Thank you again Steph & Tom for making our Royal Roast dreams come true!)

Here are a few photos from our morning of prep and evening with friends: 

Uhhh, nailed it?

Turkeys.

Coloring by Peyton & Mommy

The baste king.

Whatcha doinin' Daddy?

Whatcha doinin' Daddy? Whatcha doinin' Daddy?

Looked like a skateboard park to O...

P: I'm the turkey! I'm the turkey!
O: No you NOT!

Love my little helper. She set all three tables!

Just a little break

The spread.

Little man checking out the spread.

Sweet Treats.

EVERY other person looks normal here.

Shenanigans.

C'mon, just wear the turkey hat.

And now that Thanksgiving is over I can officially put Elf on repeat. 

Who am I kidding? We don't wait for Christmas to watch Elf- it's a year round flick around here! (But at least the spirit is there now!) I'm sorry I ruined your lives and crammed 11 cookies into the VCR.

Hoping your Thanksgiving was just as wonderful as ours! Happy Holidays!

thankful

"I am thankful for what I am and what I have. My thanksgiving is perpetual."

Henry David Thoreau

(chalkboard artist I am not...but points for trying?)

Like most people, I do have those days where I'm down and think things couldn't possibly get worse... Fortunately, those days, for me, are very rare. As a general rule, I always try to stay positive. I try to always find the good in every situation. And I think, despite those few dark days, I really am extremely thankful for my life and for what I have, everyday. I often sit back and think about just how incredible it is to have this life of mine.
It's rare for me to put it into words, though. There are so many things that I am thankful for. They range from the frivolous (heated seats in my car & good food & coffee) to the things that truly matter (having a roof over our heads and food to eat, etc). But if I had to give an abridged version of what I am truly thankful for, it would look something like this:

I am thankful for my life and my family, and for our health.
I am thankful to be a wife and a mother.
I am thankful for Jon: for his love and support and encouragement; for working crazy hours to support our growing family; for spending most of his time away from the office helping me out around the house; for making me laugh.
I am thankful for my Ollie: because he is the sweetest, most kind and polite kid I've ever known; that- despite his condition- he is generally in good health (and for the doctors and nurses that help us when he is not); for being the brother that he is to Peyton; for his 5am tip-toes into our bedroom when I can just see the silhouette of his crazy hair in the dim light; for the hour we have in the morning after Jon and Peyton leave for work/school when, as they drive off, Ollie looks at me with a smile and says, "Just you and me, right Mom?; for the things he says everyday that make me laugh so hard it hurts; for the fact that he can actually say things, when just a little over a year ago we weren't sure if he could or would; for the fact that he is exactly who he is, because I'm so in love with the little person that he has become.
I am thankful for my Peytie: for being the silliest, funniest, (yes, sassiest) little girl I've ever known; for her incredible imagination- she could entertain herself with a couple of cheerios and a loose thread for hours (I've seen it happen!); for being the sister that she is to Ollie; for her giant hugs when I pick her up at school everyday; for the things she says and does that make me laugh so hard it hurts; for the times when she randomly says, "Mom I just love you so much!"; for her joie de vivre (I'm pretty sure she has double the general dose!); for the fact that she is exactly who she is because I'm so in love with the little person that she has become.
I am thankful to be pregnant: despite the fact that pregnancy is no walk in the park for me (far from it!) and there's not been a day in 7 months where I haven't had something to complain about (sorry Jon!),  I am so incredibly thankful for this new baby and cannot wait to meet him or her in just 10 short weeks!
I am thankful for all my family: for their love and support; for their personalities and for just ending up in the family that I did.
I am thankful for my loyal friends: who stick by me and somehow still want to be my friend despite the fact that I am a hermit and never seem to be able to text/call/email back in a timely manner.
I'm thankful for my home and for our chickens and for the 7 beautiful years we had with our Zoe. I'm thankful that we have a yard that the kids can run around in and explore and play hide-and-seek.
I'm thankful to live in New England, where the changing seasons bring so much excitement and anticipation for what's to come.

I guess, most of all, I'm just thankful for this life. It's such a beautiful thing, don't you think?

Wishing you the most wonderful Thanksgiving, friends!

fixins'

Photo via Pinterest

I am so excited to be hosting Thanksgiving at our house again this year! Because I've already done it a few times, I pretty much have the prep down to a science- I have my little "Thanksgiving" binder that has all of the notes and information from previous years: head count, menu, photocopied recipes (so I don't have to go searching through my cookbooks) and any other info that I might want to remember (including photos of table settings and decorations).  

Much of the menu is your basic, run-of-the-mill Thanksgiving fare: 

~ The Turkey- rubbed with butter, sage, & lemon

~ Classic Green Bean Casserole 

~ Mashed potatoes

~Sweet Potatoes

~ Plain, out of the bag Stuffing (one year I attempted this Chestnut-Chorizo stuffing and it was so labor intensive and took so long... and it turned out that it didn't hold a candle to the old Pepperidge Farm standby)

~ Plain, out of the can Cranberry Sauce (Again, we have experimented with the homemade, whole-berry stuff and low and behold, by the end of the meal the crowd suddenly has flaming torches and pitchforks fighting over the last of the Ocean Spray while the whole-berry bowl sits there full...)

Some of the special things that we have are:

~ Roasted Root Veggies (Diced butternut squash, parsnips, fennel & shallots roasted in garlic & olive oil- It's to die for)

~ Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta & Shallots (Again, to die for)

~ Cheddar-Bacon-Chive Cornbread (made into mini-muffins)

~ PLUS WE HAVE A TURDUCKEN FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR!!!! (excited much?)

And for Appetizers:

~ Brie Baked with Cranberries and Maple Syrup (served with crostini crackers)

~ Spinach-Leek Dip in a Bread Bowl (served with various cut veggies)

~ Thanksgiving Cheer Cocktail: Shot of vodka + splash of Cointreau + equal parts Cranberry Juice, OJ, and Seltzer. Serve with a Rock Candy Swizzle Stick or a cranberry ice cube (My friend Steph loves to poke fun at my apron-wearing ways so when they arrived for Thanksgiving dinner last year I went all out and dressed in my best 50's/Mad Men attire, complete with apron and red lipstick, and answered the door with a "Glass of Thanksgiving Cheer?" The drink- that Jon and I had concocted that morning- ended up being really good, so I think it will forever remain on the Thanksgiving menu) 

* This year, I'll obviously be indulging in the Mocktail version of this- cut out the Vodka and Cointreau and add extra Cranberry & Seltzer (I think I'll get Pomogranate Seltzer and Cran-Pom this year)

Desserts- Ugh, who can even think about desserts after all that? We usually end up having way too many, but something along the lines of:

~ Apple, Pecan, & Pumpkin Pies

~ Birthday Cake (it's always someone's birthday!)

Decor:

I have some of my favorite Pinterest photos here for pin-spiration, but who know what I'll actually end up doing?! I'll be sure to take some photos if I do figure it out!

And PS, the best thing I did last year was to buy a couple dozen Ziplock containers, labels, and brown bags. That way, everyone could make their own container of leftovers (label it as theirs so no one got mixed up) and my refrigerator once again became free and clear. Heaven.

So, what Thanksgiving fixin' or tradition can't you live without? 

I want to know! 

Also, if you have any interest in any recipes from my Thanksgiving menu, email me at lafrucce@icloud.com and I'll send it your way! 

cozy

As promised, I'm back with my personal list of cold weather essentials, inspired by yesterday's story of Ollie and his cozy little nest. It's not a lot, and really nothing extravagant, but these are the things that make me feel super cozy: 

{1} Once, while staying at a friend's house, I found myself burrowing under the comforter to find the label on the guest bed blanket- That's how wonderful this blanket is. I'm not kidding. We now own several. I'm thinking of getting more.

{Shabby Chic Blanket- Target}

{2} You didn't think that Ollie was the only one who loves sweats, did you? It's genetic, I guess. GapBody makes the softest pants eva.

{GapBody Sweats}

{3} I've worn rag wool socks since high school. They are so thick they feel like slippers, but without the hard sole to bug you when you're all curled up.

{RagWool Camp Sock- LLBean}

{4 & 5} The thing I miss most during pregnancy is my morning pot of coffee. (No typo there, if you're wondering) But even when I am allowed to drink coffee, there's something about tea that feels a little more special and ceremonious. These Anthropologie mugs make me feel like I'm living the straight up Downton Abbey life, yo. And fyi,  I'm an Earl Grey girl, all the way.

{Teacup- Anthropologie}

{Earl Grey Tea}

{6} On those really cold days, like ones where you've come in from a rain storm and just can't get the chill out, heating one of these babies up in the microwave for a couple of minutes is just the remedy. (Also awesome when you have sinus infections too.)

{Buckwheat Heating Pad}

{7} I was trying to come up with the coziest recipe I know, and (while I have several comfort food recipes) this was what I ended up. It's super quick, super easy, and just really damn good.

Chicken & Corn Pot Pie

(From the Real Simple, April 2010 edition)

• 1 Rotisserie Chicken, meat shredded
• 2 14.5 oz cans Corn Chowder (I prefer Wolfgang Puck Organic Corn Chowder, found in the Organice/Natural section of the market)
• 1 cup Frozen Peas
• 1 cup Frozen Corn Kernels
• 1 tsp. Thyme
• 1/4 tsp each Salt & Pepper
• 1 sheet Frozen Puff Pastry, thawed

~ Heat oven to 400. In a large bowl, combine chicken, chowders, peas, corn thyme, salt and pepper. Transfer to a shallow 2-qt. (or 8-inch square) baking dish.

~ Lay the pastry on top of the dish, trim to fit, and cut vents on top. (Sometimes I cut out little shapes with a cookie cutter before laying it on top)

~ Bake 25-30 minutes, or until mixture is bubbly and pastry is golden brown.


So that's it! I wish I didn't have so many things to do today or I'd go collect my stash right now, turn on the 'Flix and get my cozy on. But... It's food shopping day, boo. (I am in the mood for Chicken & Corn Pot Pie now, though, so at least I can pick up the fixings for it!)

So, what's on your cozy list?

weekend

Our weekend was wonderful... and very low key. With the holidays and the kids' birthdays coming up, it's so nice to have these little relaxing weekends where we catch up on stuff around the house. The most exciting thing to happen all weekend was my brother, Tommy, stopping in for a quick visit on his way home from NYC. It was such a treat for us all, especially since he came bearing gifts: toys for the kids and H+H Bagels for us- delish. Other than his visit, we pretty much stuck to home and yard work: trimming back bushes and raking leaves, etc. The Wild Ones were happy to help. (If jumping in leaf piles counts as "help", that is.)

Sunday was beautiful, perfect Fall weather so we took the kids for a nearby hike called Blackledge Falls. They rocked the hike (no carrying of any person at any point- my 6-month pregnant self loves them for that) and they were both really excited about looking out for blue blazes on the trees. I would totally trust Peyton to be a trail leader, she was so good at spotting those markers!

Don't worry, no bridge was crossed before Pey first checked underneath for any trolls. 

A safe bridge to tripp-trapp across.

One of the 200 pictures Ollie took on our hike :)

When we got home from the hike, Ollie started stripping down at the door, littering shoes, then socks, and finally jeans, leaving a little trail to the couch. He requested his sweats, and after donning those and curling into a little ball under his Patriots blanket (which he calls his "Tom Bwady") he said, "Ah, Mom, I just so cozy." It was so adorable, my heart pretty much detonated right there in my chest. (It also got me thinking about the things that make me feel perfectly, wonderfully cozy so I started a little list of my own which I will post later on this week!)

So that was our wonderful, uneventful weekend. 

Hope yours was just as great! 

winter woodsy style

My mailbox has been stuffed full with Holiday Shopping Catalogs pretty much since the first of November, and while that puts me in a sort of early panic, it is kind of serving to get me excited for winter (although, poor Thanksgiving seems to be all but forgotten these days...) 

Anyway, I especially love all the winter clothes popping up in the stores. This year seems especially styled toward the cozy, chalet-in-the-mountains type theme which has totally got me wishing that we had some sort of Ski Trip/ Sundance Film Festival event-type thing to attend! Plus, there's nothing quite as cute as a toddler in a chunky knit sweater... Alas, since we have no upcoming Film Festivals or even ski trip plans, we really have no need for this adorableness..... 

Althouuuuughhhh, these little outfits would make for some mighty fine Christmas Tree-picking photos... winkety-wink...

Little Girl Style:

Plaid embroidered Shift Dress

(^^ I recently got Peyton this little faux fur vest from Target, and while I pretty much think there's nothing you can't wear it with, this little dress might just be extra cute with it ^^)

Plaid Ruffle-Trim Shirt

Fair Isle Sweater

Sherpa Snow Boots 

Plaid Tiny Toms

Pom-pom Cable Hat

Little Boy Style:

Plaid Shirt

Chambray Shirt

Shawl Cardigan

Corduroy Pants

Plaid High Top Sneakers

Puffer Parka

Coupl'a things for Mom & Dad too!
Dad:

Bradbury Fleece Shirt

Patagonia Nano Puff

Marled Socks

Bean Boots

Boat & Tote

Mom:

Sorel Boot

Plaid Classic Toms
(LOVE me some Toms...)

Chateau Coat

Cozy Scarf

Anyway, if you have any kind of upcoming woodsy event and find yourself in need something rustic to wear: boom, done. Your welcome.