2018 Thanksgiving Shenanigans

Nick and I headed back to my home state of Pennsylvania to spend Thanksgiving with my family this year! It was the first holiday in two years that we were able to spend with them.

We have really small family and a very small extended family so Thanksgiving at home is always really relaxed. For dinner it was only my dad, mom, my sister, and me and Nick. My brother's wife and my two nieces came later in the evening to hang out, and I always miss my brother because he works retail and works on both Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday.

I always take Christmas gifts for my nieces, Emma and Ella, at Thanksgiving instead of mailing them in December. I enjoy watching them get excited about opening their presents!

My sister got me the best gift this year. It's a blanket with Scout on it!

I love just getting to spend time with my family, especially my little nieces. We had a "sleepover" later and no boys were allowed (per Ella)! Sorry Dad and Nick!

But "Uncle Noodle" (as the girls call Nick) did get in on some fun.

Friday afternoon my sister and I took my nieces to hibachi. These girls are NUTS for hibachi!

On Friday night my sister and I headed over to a Chriskindlmarkt that the non-profit arts organization  she works for puts on. I picked up a few stocking stuffers for Nick and maaaaybe a little something for myself too!

My sister is the volunteer manager/coordinator of the company, and she and her staff of two work their butts off at these events. I was glad she managed to get the weekend off to spend time with me while I was in town!

On Saturday I went on a Cocktail Trail with my BFF, Sara Jane, her husband and my sister to support Small Business Saturday. It was fun to walk around, shop, and drink!

We discovered this place, Vault 634, which used to be an old bank that has been turned in to an event space. It was GORGEOUS.

Sunday was another great day of fun and family and food. Pennsylvania has the best pizza - New York style pizza - that you can't find in Michigan. I always have to have it when I'm home. We hung out with my sister-in-law and took the kids to the neighbors' to feed the chickens and collect eggs! We sadly started the trek back to Michigan that evening.

I hope everyone enjoyed Thanksgiving!

CHEERS!

The Best Gifts for Your Favorite Traveler

//1// Find a Travel Passport Wallet with RFID blocking technology and that not only has room for a passport, but travel documents, cards, and cash.

//2// A Roll Up Cord Organizer is prefect to organize chargers and cords. It includes space for memory cards, flash drives, and earbuds.

//3// Wireless, Noise Canceling Headphones are great for plane rides and layovers of any lengths.

//4/ A Packing Cube System is the best way to for your favorite traveler to keep things separate and organized.

//5// Everlane's Every Day Market Tote is the carry-on must have accessory. Made of 100% Italian leather, it's sturdy structure will last trip after trip!

//6// Gift your favorite traveler with a piece of St. Christopher jewelry. St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers in the Greek and Latin traditions and the patron saint of protection in the Catholic church. A St. Christopher medallion will ensure your traveler knows he or she is loved and wished well!

//7// The Canon PowerShot SX740 is one of the best point and shoot cameras on the market. It's compact design makes it easy to carry and offers 40x Optical Zoom, a 3 inch tilt LCD screen, 4K video, and is Wi-Fi and Blueooth enabled making it a must for that trip of a lifetime!

//8// Having your own blanket and eye mask can make for much for comfortable traveling. A travel kit makes the perfect holiday gift!

The London Fog

The London Fog is the perfect drink for non-coffee drinkers for those chilly mornings!

What You'll Need:

1 earl gray teabag

1/2 cup of hot water

1/2 cup of milk of your choice (love vanilla almond milk!)

1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1-2 teaspoons of a sweetener of your choice (sugar, raw honey, maple syrup, Splenda, ect.)

What You'll Need to Do:

Steep your tea bag in hot water for 3-5 minutes (the longer it's steeped, the stronger the tea).

Mix together the milk and vanilla extract.

Heat it up on the stove whisking continuously.

Stir in the sweetener to the steeped tea.

Top with the warm milk combination.

ENJOY!