Einstein - November 2013

1. I love this picture of Einstein, such a beauty! :)

And now for the little guy…

Duke & Einstein - November 2013

I am seriously stunned at how large Duke has gotten, especially in relation to Einstein. These two guys are something, aren’t they?! Duke’s personality continues to develop, and it’s fun to see how different he and Einstein are, yet how many of the same mannerisms they have. Duke is going to the vet today for a booster shot and and for some pre-operative blood work for his neuter, which is two weeks from today. Right now, his favorite thing is chewing on Einstein’s face and running laps around the living room at night :)

2. Thanksgiving is less than a week away! I currently have countless to-do and shopping lists fluttering between my purse and multiple notebooks. I hit up the mall on Wednesday to stock up on things you don’t realize you need until you start really thinking through the meal. Case in point: those big curved pitch fork-like things (I believe the proper name is “turkey lifters”). I also realized I would be way short on serving spoons, and a bunch of other random things. BUT… I’m super excited to host a holiday and enjoy the day here at our house!

3. These pictures of a toddler napping with his puppy brother totally made my heart melt.

4. I’ve collected a few new cookbooks recently and already have two favorites that I literally read cover-to-cover.

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Bountiful was written by Todd & Diane, the husband and wife blogging team from White on Rice Couple. Not only is this book beautifully photographed, but you can just feel their love of good, fresh food and love of family and friends bounding from the pages.

Sweet is a fabulous book of desserts written by Valerie Gordon, the owner of Valerie Confections in Los Angeles. Not only are the recipes beautiful, but I love all of the little stories behind each one. A fantastic read!

5. Have you see the video of a couple performing THE Dirty Dancing dance at their wedding? So much win.

6. Are any of you hardcore Black Friday shoppers and planning to hit up the stores next Friday? I never shopped on Black Friday until five years ago… it was about the third date for me and my Chief Culinary Consultant. We met up after breakfast, did some local shopping, then drove about an hour north to hit up the outlets, had dinner, went home to watch a Penguins hockey game (seriously, it was meant to be), then out for drinks. One of the best dates ever. Now it’s our tradition. We don’t hunt sales or anything; just sleep in, then head up to the outlets for a few hours of some leisurely shopping.

7. I’ll be sharing my Thanksgiving menu on Sunday, so if you’re looking to round out your own menu, be sure to check it out!

8. I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that we had started watching Band of Brothers on demand. We finished it last night and, oh my, what a fantastic series. It was riveting and heart-wrenching. My heart hurts for all that those men saw and experienced.

9. My Chief Culinary Consultant found these 99 Life Hacks That Could Make Your Life Easier a few days ago. Some of them are pretty darn brilliant!

10. TGIF! I hope you have a relaxing weekend before the holiday!

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