turkey time

i hope you all had a great holiday weekend! this year was T and i's turn to host his parents for turkey day, but we had the added pleasure to have my parents down as well. to say i was excited would barely be covering my excitement...think jumping for joy. 

this was the very first time we would host both sides for a major holiday, so i knew it had all the makings of a memorable day. 

we of course had wine, but to add to the festivities, i made an apple cider sangria. loads of fruit, a cinnamon stick, bourbon, apple cider, and wine - aka autumn in a cup. 

[mom working on appetizers]

[mashed potatoes to be]

[a little thanksgiving day roughhousing]

[matchy, match]

T took lead on smoking the turkey while i took lead on the sides. we made sure to include all the main staples: garlicky mashed potatoes, smoked turkey gravy, mashed sweet potatoes (courtesy of T's mom), roasted green beans with garlic and bacon, cornbread stuffing, and rolls (T's mom, of course). 

after dinner, we took advantage of the warm temperatures by lounging outside to watch the sun set while my brother taught my nephew how to kick around a soccer ball. a couple of people took the classic post-turkey nap, and we let our stomachs settle before dessert. 

[family photo]

[my love and fellow co-host/chef]

[pumpkin pie, caramel apple cheesecake, and chocolate + pudding trifle with dessert wine]

after more stories told, dad jokes made, and laughs shared, we closed the night with tender goodbyes. a beautiful holiday surrounded by those we love the absolute most, and i couldn't be more thankful we got to share it altogether. 

pipe shelving

you know those house projects that have been on your to-do list for a long time, but, for whatever reason, keep getting put to the back burner? our pipe shelving project in our dining room was at the tip top of that list since we'd first moved into our home. but, for loads of reasons - not enough time, not the right time, the financial commitment, etc, etc - it kept getting pushed to the wayside. 

then, at our three year home-aversary, after a recent decluttering, it felt like it was the perfect time to cross this project off our list. 

when we first moved in, we initially placed a bookshelf there, but found it cut off the room. over time, we realized it created a bottleneck effect when the pups were charging out the door, or when we had groups of friends over. plus, it never felt like it was the right fit for the space. 

[T measuring out the space]

our hopes for the shelves were to create better looking storage that could tie this wall into the sort of industrial-rustic look we have in our home. 

the result? greater than we could have ever hoped for. i could finally bring in my cookbooks so that they were in a logical place while being closer to when and where they'd be used. plus, all of our kitchen gadgets and trinkets look so much better. an added bonus was that it finally opened the room back up aka no more bottlenecking - yes!

winding stair

a couple of weekends back, T and i ventured out to the ouachita mountains with the pups and m+j for an unplugged getaway to the woods. it was the perfect way to disconnect and recharge after a long stretch of hectic weeks. plus, i love going where the cell reception is slow, and limited. 

[heading towards the changing trees]

[home, sweet home (for the weekend)]

our first day there, we focused on getting our campsite set up, taking in the views, and keeping warm by the fire. the weather that weekend was pretty windy (read: classic oklahoma wind), but classically fall-like temperatures. in a word, it was lovely, and a perfect excuse to indulge in all the layering. i loved it. 

[getting cozy with spiked cider]

[playing buds]

after making some campfire quesadillas, and enjoying a glowing fire, i went to bed early while the rest of the gang stayed up playing board games. apparently, battleship got pretty intense!

[breakfast toast scramble]

the next morning, we took it pretty easy while we waited for the winds to die down. the pups ran amok through the campsite playing, barking, and marking everything in sight. it was their own personal paradise. 

[chopping more wood]

[late morning sweet treat - banana boats]

[emerald vista]

a little later, we set out for our hike on the ouachita trail with all of the pups. now, i should clarify that we didn't hike the whole trail as it goes through the entire national park. but, we typically try to hike up to the top of the ridge to the first backpackers shelter site. 

[happy pups in their happy place]

[our trail marker]

once we got to the backpacker site, we took a break, had lunch, and took in the mountainside views. 

[couple of cuties]

once we finished our lunch, the temperature started to cool down, so we packed up and headed back to camp. 

[trailblazers]

when we got back to camp, we rebuilt the fire, warmed up some spiked cider, and watched the sun set while the pups took a well-deserved nap. 

[our sleepy, old boy]

later that night, we kept cozy by a roaring fire, ate campfire burritos (oh my goodness, so freaking tasty - i wish all burritos were this good), sipped wine, and took in a gorgeous star-filled sky. a beautiful end to our last night. 

the next morning, we woke up bright and early to wish m+j farewell as michael had a bike race in tulsa a few hours later. then, T and i loaded up the pups, and headed back home to a hot shower, a warm home, and a recharged us. just what the doctor ordered :)

cositas

[spiked cider and pumpkin madeleines]

happy monday everyone! i thought i'd share a funny story from over the weekend. T and i were on a road trip with the pups when we made a pit stop to my favorite ham sandwich shop. i made a passing comment to the boys that i would share a bite of my sandwich with them before we went in...oh brother, i really should have rethought saying that out-loud. when we came back, there were a couple of drooling dogs hanging over my shoulder. to try to satiate them, i gave them each a bite before snacking on the sandwich. for the next several minutes of the drive, boba positioned himself to where he could stare longingly at me eating the sandwich while drooling, and, what looked like, daydreaming. think of middle school crush daydreaming with the music, soft lighting, and everything happening in slow motion. that, was boba. he could not have been more distraught when the sandwich was eaten. i'm near positive he was, and is in love with that sandwich (see below). 

[celebrating my grandma's 90th (above and below)]

[cozy dinners]

[boba and his love, ham sandwich]

[lunch back home]

[snoring pup]