the most wonderful time of the year ...

wrong holiday but had to post it nonetheless ...

1. ... or is it? Kidding - ish. Mostly kidding. I think the hustle and bustle of the season contrasted with the notion that we must simplify simplify simplify and focus on what's important can be hard to reconcile (for me!). As much as I'd love to have all the gift buying and wrapping to be done long before the start of Advent and the decorating a slow and intentional process, real life trumps these idealizations and my inner grinch is quick to come out to play. Hopefully I'm not alone here but if I am - I've found the Little Women soundtrack (from way back in 1995) steers me back into a cheery disposition.

2. We did have a wonderful Thanksgiving and I hope you did too! I made this stuffing and loved it so much that I think I might sneak it onto our Christmas menu. Simon asked if we had any leftover the next day which is always a good sign in his book. I also made a pumpkin cheesecake and as a, "take it or leave it" pumpkin pie person - I really loved the cheesecake so much more - sorry traditional pie! I should probably also tell you that we bought a smoked turkey and have no regrets. Maybe next year I'll brave an actual Turkey prep and cook extravaganza but this wasn't the year.

3. I cant believe the kids have only two weeks until Christmas break and are therefore halfway through the school year because I'm just now getting used to them all being a grade older than last year. I usually do gift cards for teacher gifts because I know the last thing they need is another mug or candle (although! I am a sucker for candles) and realistically I wont get around to making anything they wont want to accidentally sweep into the trash but if you have any other fun ideas - I'm all eyeballs here.

4. Books! I've read a lot of books but few stand out as worth sharing so I won't but I finally read Educated and found it to be as engrossing as everyone said it would be. I couldn't plow through it because I was terrified of what terrible accident or incident was going to happen in the next chapter but I do hope she writes a sequel of sorts. I was SO EXCITED to see that the sequel to The Royal We (worth reading if you haven't) is available for pre-order! It doesn't come out until June but still - I can't wait.

5. Simon and I are back on The Crown train. I had a hard time making the mental transition to the new actors (I really really loved Claire Foy as the Queen) but we're managing and I keep hearing that season 3 was a lot of peoples favorite so I think we'll survive. We watched, Where'd You Go Bernadette and found it enjoyable. We couldn't get over her house - (complete with old confessional!) such a beauty!

6. I've had some great luck with Amazon buys over the past few months and while I know Amazon Hauls have become quite popular I feel like you really could use my 1/2 a cent thrown into the pot: this vitamin C serum is a really good one + the girls and I are loving these hair clips and headbands. This face wash lives up to all the review hype (it restocks frequently!). I finally bought this roller after letting it sit in my cart for months and it's a great natural headache helper (technical term) and really does help alleviate puffiness.

7. I think I already sang the praises of these pants but they are worth singing about again. If in between sizes I would definitely size down - grocery store/school pick-up/most things friendly. Maybe not holiday party friendly but who am I to judge? My pregnant/postpartum feet of last December/cold months stretched my slippers way out so I took a selfish moment to find some new ones on Black Friday. I'm usually a size 8/8.5 but the kids size 6 in these slippers fit like a very comfy glove. It's scary that Sebastian will probably be able to borrow (in theory - no borrowing will be happening under my watchful eye) them any minute as his feet seem to grow a 1/2 size every month but I digress. They go well with the aforementioned, "butter pants". I also bit the Sorel bullet on these boots and have no regrets after accompanying Phoebe's class to the pumpkin patch on a ~20 degree morning - worth every penny but I do wish I'd done the kids size thing because I think they would've fit just fine!

That's all for now! I always say the tired, "I'm going to blog more!" but I really do want to. Hopefully I will - even if it is into the readerless abyss ;)