.Post (Edit).

It has been brought to my attention that I left out one very important member in my Thanksgiving "thankful" list.  My life would not be definitely complete without this precious lil penguin...

Lovely Day.

Feeling especially thankful this year.  A perfect fall morning spent in the kitchen with family.  An afternoon nap.  And now?  A glass of red, and a warm cozy bed.  But most importantly, a boyfriend at home who loves me more than anything (and tells me every day).

I am truly blessed. 

My Thanksgiving Contribution

Homemade cranberry sauce.

 

Delish.

So Thankful.

For him.

...these girls...

                 and them.

The Weather Outside is Frightful...

So I stay inside and cook.

 

...and drink.

..Butternut Squash Chicken Stew..

..Pumpkin Penne w/Parmesan..

And my most recent culinary discovery...

Chicken pho (a la Pho Van) is my new favorite gluten-free winter treat.

I'm not really sure when or how it happened, but it would seem as though I've caught the bug of domesticity.  Perhaps it's the season (the golden trees, the crisp air, or the imminence of holiday festivities).  Whatever the reason, I can't seem to stop cooking, cleaning, and shopping...for groceries of all things! (and maybe some shoes too...I've not completely lost all sense).  But now I'm hearing myself say things like "sautee", "simmer" and "babe will you run to the store; we're out of cumin".

To highlight the extreme nature of my condition, here are just a few of my purchases from yesterday:

-a new MAC lipstick

-a black peacoat

-a pair of sparkly earrings

-2 bulbs of fennel...?

Who is this girl?!

For now, I figure I'll just embrace it.  The scariest part of this whole transformation is that I'm truly enjoying it.  I love how the apartment consistently smells like home cooked food, I always have clean (and color coordinated) clothes, and most importantly, I haven't managed to catch anything on fire, or lose a finger yet (however there have been a couple of close calls).  Someone please kill me if I start knitting, collecting dolls, or develop a sudden fascination for cats.

Weekend Recap

After careful reflection on this past weekend, I've realized a few things about myself:

1. I have a slightly unhealthy obsession with all things Kardashian

2. I thoroughly enjoy being spoiled 

3. I am seriously out of the Gossip Girl loop

4. There's a good chance I may never be "mommy-material"  

5. I was likely Betty Crocker in a past life

That said, it's now time for this girl to head back to reality...and a new one at that.  A reality that will involve a new roommate.  Yep, to the dismay of Republicans everywhere...I'm becoming the girl with the [gasp] live-in boyfriend.  Granted, the biggest adjustments will be the drastic reduction of closet space and slight lack of square footage.  Relationships are supposed to be about compromise, right?  However, this is a big adjustment for me personally, and one that I swore I would never make again.  So much for my overly dramatic proclamations (I take after my father).  I'd like to believe that I'm ready for this, but I know there's a very good chance I'm not.  Yet, for some reason, I'm okay with that.  I'm okay with taking things one day at a time.  For once, I'm not looking ahead and wondering what the future holds because deep down, I know that it's going to be good.