This year I joined in on two secret santa-esque exchanges: Craftaholics Anonymous Handmade Gift Exchange and the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap. So, so, so, so much fun.

For the Handmade Gift Exchange I sent off one of these marbled clay ring dishes that my sisters and I made this past weekend. I obviously made one (or two) for myself too. They were just so fun to make! And so very adorable. I received a gorgeous rug mug and set of potholders that were sewed with fabric from Indonesia. (Maria, if you are reading this: Thank you SO MUCH!!! Love them.)

For the Food Blogger Cookie Swap I shipped off three boxes of cookies to three food bloggers and will receive a dozen cookies from three other bloggers. Awesome, right? I usually check my mail once every 6 weeks (terrible, I know), but lately I’ve been checking every other day. So excited. All the participants will be posting their cookie recipes on December 15 (myself included), so keep an eye out!

I waited until the very last-minute to send everything, because I’m terrible at mailing things and heaven forbid I complete something early. Thank goodness for the mailroom and bubble wrap at work. Despite the procrastination it was still fun. And so are these links:

• This song is my new obsession. I discovered it on the Cities 97 Sampler and just can’t stop listening to it.
• Tissue paper on mugs. Who woulda thunk?
• Red wine and chocolate are two of my favorite things; therefore, I will be drinking this concoction until spring.
• What some text messages in the dating world really mean. #helpful
• If you made me these pancakes for breakfast I would not get mad at you.

I hope you check your mail and receive something fun today – a package from Amazon, a box of cookies, a Crate and Barrel catalog, a coupon from a new restaurant in town… basically anything non-bill related.

Happy Thursdayyyyyy xxxooohohoho jd.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I hope you are feeling thankful today. Thankful for the people in your life. Thankful for the things that you have and for the things that you can do. Thankful for the awesome things. Thankful for the challenges. I hope that you are thankful for everything.

I was originally planning on writing a list of things that I’m thankful for – a list of Thursday Thanks instead of my typical Thursday Things. However, I soon realized that the list would be far too long and maybe a little bit sappy and that no one would probably actually read it soooo… I stopped.

I’ll just tell you that I am thankful for everything. Every single thing. It’s good for me to step back and reflect on how ridiculously wonderful this life is. Not everything is easy and great, but it definitely could be a lot worse. #blessed (<— that one’s for you, Bre.)

I hope you spend the day with family, friends, and loved ones. I hope you eat a lot sweet potatoes and pie, turkey too. I also hope you fit in some exercise. Cover all those bases.

I am thankful for you for reading this blog. You’re great and I really appreciate it. I’d give you a hug right now if I was standing next to you.

xxxooo happy thankful Thursday – jd

THE PHILLY MARATHON IS ON SUNDAY!!!

I’m not sure if those are caps and exclamation points of excitement or fear. Since I haven’t really been running much (thank you, hip flexor) I’m all like “Running? A marathon? Oh yeah, I’m doing that. On Sunday. Wait… 26.2 miles?! Lord, help me.” As I type this I have nervous waves pulsing through my body.

In the last month I have run approximately 20 miles total split across 5 runs. On Sunday I will attempt 26.2 miles at once. Uuummmm… pray for me, please.

HOWEVER, there are some bright spots:

1. My knee and hip feel significantly better than they did one month ago.
2. I’ll be traveling with 9 others from my run club. We made awesome marathon shirts after having a Rocky movie night. Their company/encouragement/inspiration will make the whole marathon weekend experience amazing and so worth it.
3. Post-marathon Philly cheesesteaks.

Until we talk again (which probably won’t be until post-marathon), here are some fun things to check out and drool over:

• This pie. I want it. Also: this one, this one, this one, and this one.
• I don’t typically hang a wreath on my door, but I would make and hang this felt flower wreath.
• Wrap me up in ALL the chunky knits.
• This watch looks pretty cool, but I do love Garmin. Runners, your thoughts?
• How bada$$ does winter running make you feel?! 0 degrees. Nbd, see you out there. If you don’t share my enthusiasm, here are 6 ways to make it more enjoyable.

PS – I’m going to go see A Christmas Carol tonight with one of my faves. I’ve always, always, always wanted to go and tonight that dream will come true.

<3jd

It is cooolllldddddd here, 20 degrees cold. AND it snowed. Not a light-dusting-melt-right-away snow, but rather a lots-of-inches-stick-to-the-ground snow. I’m not going to lie, I kind of like it. (Don’t hate me!)

When the weather gets like this I crave a few things: Christmas movies, hot tea, and knitting (also accepted: red wine). I know, it’s way to early for Christmas movies, but Lifetime and Hallmark are already airing them on the weekends and I just cannot resist. Cheesy Christmas movies are my absolute fave. Sometimes, they can get to the point of extreme cheesy where it’s almost uncomfortable to watch. But still. Everyone overcomes obstacles and falls in love and believes in Santa Claus. That’s a good world to live in.

Knitting is to Christmas movies like peanut butter is to jelly, so I just had to bust out the needles and yarn. I met up with a friend on Saturday to teach her how to knit. She was a quick learner and is rocking her way through a scarf! I was able to finish a hat. Then I decided to make a headband too, because I had extra yarn (never throw away those scraps!) and the Christmas movies were still rolling.

Now with all these wintery activities I feel like Christmas should be in two weeks, not Thanksgiving. I love Thanksgiving (and Black Friday) though, so I’m glad it hasn’t passed by yet.

Anyways, enough holiday talk. Grab a cup of tea and check out these things:

• Ever since I heard this song play during savasana at a yoga sculpt class (the 10:30am Sunday at Yoga Sol!) a few weeks ago I became obsessed. I kept forgetting to ask the instructor what the song was and couldn’t find it (who knew it’d be called Mother & Father?!), but then it popped up on a Songza playlist yesterday. Woo.
• So many delicious brussels sprouts recipes this week: yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, and YUM!!
• These diy flannel fringe scarves look both cute and cozy. I want ten. You can never have enough scarves, right? I’ll take a break from knitting to make (at least) one.
• Keep an eye out for these kitchen things the next time you are at a flea market. I went to an antique store a few weeks ago and found a small cast iron skillet for $5 – a steal!
• Loved this article about mentoring relationships.

PS- Did you make a wish on 11/11 at 11:11?! I did. But I won’t tell you what I wished for….

xoxojd

My mom, the leading lady of this post, came to Minneapolis last weekend, because my dad had given her the “day off” (meaning she didn’t have to sit at home “on call” in case he needed a ride in from the field). She hadn’t been up to visit in a while and we both needed/wanted a low-key weekend. Usually I put her to work with some sort of DIY craft project for my condo (which she loves to help with), but I didn’t have any. Weird.

Instead of crafting we hung out, shopped, cooked, drank wine, yoga sculpt-ed, brunched, and baked.

My little brother joined in on the brunch fun where we just couldn’t resist the apple doughnuts with cheddar cheese for an appetizer. I mean, who could? They were so good.

These links are good too. Check them out:

• Brown butter, pumpkin, and sage is where it’s at this fall: here, here, here, here, here and pretty much everywhere.
• I want a bar cart and throw a party, but that means I need a new house (or bigger space) to put one in.
• My mom and I should have made these hats this weekend. Maybe they will have to wait for Sister Weekend (Jaci/Kristin – thoughts?!).
• There is a cereal cafe in London!! I love cereal and can talk about Cheerios like Bubba talks about shrimp, but I never, ever, ever buy cereal because I will OD on it. This is also why I never purchase chips & salsa. These are dangerous things to have in the pantry. Anyways, I would totally go to the Cereal Killer Cafe and have one of everything.
• My friend sent me this article on Monday and I loved it. Staying is settling, so where shall I move?

Stay warm out there. High of 40 degrees today. Gaaahhhh.

<3jennad

On my way home from work on Tuesday, which was a blustery fall day, I decided that I really wanted needed soup. So I made some and it was the best decision I made all day. Clearly it wasn’t that intense of a day, but hey, a good decision is a good decision.

It was a little bit sweet, a little bit spicy, and a lotta bit pumpkiny.

I hope a big comforting bowl of soup is in your near future. Eat some while you check out these fun things:

• Who doesn’t love a good idiom? Here are awesome ones from around the world.
• Not gonna lie, I will be buying Taylor Swift’s new album. And it will be in CD form, because that’s how I roll.
• I want to make ALL of these pizzas. Come over for dinner and eat these with me please. I’ll supply the pizza. You supply the wine/beer. Deal?
• Minnesotans eat on frozen rivers all the time – while ice fishing in dinky ice houses. I think the dining experience at this restaurant on a frozen restaurant would be just a little bit different.
• Traveling is a big and important piece of my life. Here is an awesome list of 20 trips to take in your 20s. I have a few of them checked off and a few to add to my “must travel to” list.

And hey, happy (early) Halloween! I hope you dress up in an awesome outfit and have a spookily good time.

Also, HAPPY (early) BIRTHDAY to my dear friend and amazing sister-in-law Kristin. Love you. You’re the bestest.

Welp, see you later.

xoxojd