Posts to come, I promise, I'm not slacking!!!

I know I'm slacking in posting, but seriously, life is busy this time of year!!!

I'm getting my butt BACK to the gym since October was scratched.  Unforeseen surgeries tend to put a damper on that momentum.  I'm finding that I actually prefer to double up my routines and get 2 done in 1 day.  It's probably not the completely right answer, but it makes my half hour drive to the gym far more worth it.  Granted a single routine takes 45 minutes to an hour, however a double only adds on an extra half hour so it just seems to make sense.  And, courtesy of my planet fitness membership, I can also get in a tanning session!  Twice a week to get all my routines in and KNOWING I can make it, and then going randomly in the week if I have time or putting in a Zumba work out is way easier with our schedule, and an almost 1 year old, than trying to get to the gym 4 times a week after 6 pm once the hubs is home.



Let's talk Thanksgiving.  I have so many recipes that I'm so excited to share with ya'll, unfortunately since we're trying something a little new this year I don't want to do so until after I've taste tested everything.  So, get ready for some snazzy recipes for next year maybe?  We're doing our ENTIRE Thanksgiving, minus the Turkey, in slow cookers this year.  Line it, put everything in that morning, switch it to keep warm once it's done instead of having to time everything perfectly, and simply throw away the liner for clean up.  Can't get much better than that.  It'll take us 2 6-qt slow cookers (one for mashed potatoes, and the other for a fantastic cran-apple maple sweet potato.  That's one of the recipes I'm excited to share with you).  I bought a triple slow cooker, 3 2.5-qt dishes, from walmart for 30 bucks.  It'll hold some spiced apples, some carrots, and the stuffing to keep it warm.  Then I have 2 mini slow cookers at 1.5 qt's each, you can pick them up for $10 each at Walmart also.  One to hold corn, the other to hold Italian Pea's once they're cooked in the skillet.  Some pretty great pull apart bread, and 3 flavored butters!  There will also be some AWESOME pumpkin whoopie pies to share the recipe of, and some butterscotch brownies that always go over well in this house.  I'm lucky to see an entire pan last 2 days!  So, get ready for some awesome food coming your way soon!

Also on the agenda?  A first birthday is heading this way at the beginning of December!  My lovely daughter is turning 1 and I am trying SO hard to not go overkill on everything.  After all, she's 1 and what is she going to care, really?  Things to expect from that?  Some adorable home made invitations, a pretty spectacular cake...or cupcakes...I haven't decided just yet which way I'm going with that, but I do know how I'm decorating them regardless.  A few pretty neat sentiment/memory crafts that will become a must for annual traditions in our home, and some decoration ideas.

And I have a Christmas solution that I'm excited to share with ya'll too!  We're not doing your traditional Christmas tree this year, since a small curious mind and wondering hands will probably bring it to its demise should it be put up.  However, my solution is one I'm quite excited about, and even more excited to share.  I will try to get that one up following Thanksgiving as well in the event it could be of use to someone this year!

So, I apologize for the lack of posts and what will probably continue to be a lack of posts for the next few weeks, but I promise you that after Thanksgiving will come some pretty stellar recipes (the hubs has 2 weeks off so I'll have a decent amount of time to get them in) and some first birthday cuteness will follow close behind.

If you're interested in any of our Thanksgiving recipes feel free to check me out on Pinterest, Katheryn Howat.  They're under my board titled Holiday, Thanksgiving.  I can't promise you how much of anything is going to turn out as there's some new stuff coming but, feel free to give them a try.  The only thing that I know WILL be great is the sweet potato as I'm modifying a chicken sweet potato crockpot meal my husband makes and doing it without the chicken, and mashing it rather than keeping things whole.  I also have a First Birthday board which will let you follow at least some of the inspiration for this birthday in the event you're looking for a little of your own!

Hope everyone has an awesome holiday, and if you come up with some great recipes of your own PLEASE share!  I'm always a sucker for a new recipe to try!!!