Leftovers

We hosted Thanksgiving at our house this year, which I was thrilled about. There's something about cooking and entertaining that makes me feel all giddy inside. The weather was freakishly warm, so we got to enjoy cocktails and appetizers out on our patio while the turkey and all the fixings were baking in the oven. A no-stress, relaxing day. Perfect.

Eli entertained us with some tasty jams 

Everything turned out great except for my 30 Minute Yeast Rolls. Found out the hard way that you can't let them rise too long, otherwise they turn into one giant roll. I also had to bake them on the bottom rack because of the other food in the oven, so they burned on the bottom. Oh well - the tops still tasted good! My mom made real homemade dressing (traditional sage and red wine raisin) .. totally made the meal. Her sweet potato casserole was the best I've ever had, too. I was thankful for my mom's cooking that day! Paula Deen and Pioneer Woman had a hand in our meal, too, with a delicious fresh Green Bean Casserole and Creamy Mashed Potatoes (that I made the day before). My great aunt made her traditional cranberries and my aunt made a homemade pumpkin pie and a caramel apple cake. All in all, it was an amazing dinner and a very enjoyable day with the family.

Next stop? St Louis to meet our new niece and spend time with Eli's family!

 the perfect big sister 

proud Aunt and Uncle 

Ella loved having a "real" baby to feed

So much to be thankful for this year ... a reminder to slow down and be appreciative of all the little blessings we have in our lives. With Thanksgiving comes a plethora of leftovers, so here are some leftover pictures from the rest of our fall adventures:

Weekend at the Lake

A fun weekend getaway to Lake of the Ozarks with Eli's brother, my sister in law, and our niece. Ellasyn had a blast with her cousin.

  

  

   

this family of 3 (plus 4 dogs) is now a family of 4!

Birthday Party

Ella's friend Kaelyn turned 2 (and her backyard is a toddler's dream):

  

thatta girl ... rock chalk 

I love how my daughter is always willing to help out ...

Day at the Zoo

A spur-of-the-moment trip to the KC Zoo on a perfect fall day:

  

lazy kangaroos 

  

Sky Safari over Africa 



Surviving the Warrior Dash

Eli and I competed in the Warrior Dash in Old Monroe, MO right outside St. Louis. I trained for this thing (with a jogging stroller, nonetheless) and it still kicked my butt. The trail was super hilly, and with 12 physical obstacles added to the 5K jog, you feel like you are gonna die. I plowed through, though ... the best part was definitely jumping the fire pit and swimming through mud at the very end. Oh, and the free beer, souvenir hat, and good times with my sister- and brother-in-law.

 before ...

after ... and before the fire hose spray down 

 my warrior hero

 proof

Okay, I think I'm finally all caught up with blog posts. It's amazing what I can get done when I am not working. Next up? Christmas! Happy Holidays everyone!!