Happy Thanksgiving weekend! I totally didn’t realize it was Saturday until after dinner when I was like, “wait! I have to work on my blog post tonight!” I’ve always loved the long holiday weekend and we’re soaking up all the extra family time with Matthew who has been off work. He’s been so busy with his new job this year that even one day off is wonderful.
WHAT WE ATE
I plan to share the meals I made the previous week, with links if possible, as some inspiration for your own menu planning.
MONDAY- Smoked Ham Hock Soup– My cousin was in town so we had this simple soup recipe that was really yummy! It’s a unique take on a typical ham and lentil soup and we all loved the spices!
TUESDAY- Chipotle Burrito Bowls– This was a hit! The marinade on the chicken was really yummy and made a big difference. We did cut back on the spice a bit though.
WEDNESDAY- Sheet Pan Salmon with Smashed Potatoes- We wanted to keep dinner simple knowing Thanksgiving was a day away.
THURSDAY- Thanksgiving – We make this herby mushroom croissant stuffing every year and it’s our favorite!!
FRIDAY- Thanksgiving 2.0- Hosting is always so busy that I almost don’t get to enjoy it so I love Thanksgiving dinner leftover night!
SATURDAY- Sweet Potato Pierogi- I’ve been wanting to make the cover image of the Half Baked Harvest Every Day cookbook since I got it. I’m not sure how traditional these perogis are but we all loved them! I even had extras to freeze!
SUNDAY- Acorn Squash Stuffed with Curried Beef– Trying to get back to our healthy eating this week. I’m curious about this recipe and hoping the kids like it!
Those sourdough chocolate chip pumpkin cookies I made last weekend have been such a nice treat this week! I’m definitely going to make them again!
WHAT I WORE
For Thanksgiving, I wore this beautiful dress from Baybala and somehow didn’t get one picture in it! It’s such a pretty print though and I’m always so impressed with the quality of their pieces, especially the items I’ve gotten for the kids. Augustine has worn this sweater for 2 days in a row because he loves it so much. And Corinna has been reaching for this dress quite regularly. They’re having a 25% off sale right now too!
SALES TO NOTE
Not one sale going on right now, can you believe it?? I wish that was the case. It always feels so overwhelming to be inundated with all the Black Friday sales and I tried to stay very focused on Christmas presents but of course, there are some that are hard to resist.
J.Crew– 50% off everything! I picked up a few gifts and also some staples for myself like this white v-neck tee. Ok, and I also bought this sweater and skirt, thinking it would be a pretty December outfit.
Shopbop– 25% off with code HOLIDAY
Anthropologie– Another favorite for holiday gifts. 30% off sitewide!
Abercrombie– 25% off everything
Target– Lots of deals and gift cards with purchase! Take a look at their books, movies, and CDs too because they have a Buy 2 Get 1 Free Promo! Some of my favorite cookbooks this year have been Cook Beautiful, What’s Gaby Cooking Take it Easy, and Smitten Kitchen. Hearth & Hand with Magnolia is one of my favorite lines and there’s a lot on sale too.
GAP– I always try to stock up on some staples for the kids during Black Friday and Gap’s deals are the best! 50% off everything (and some is 60% off!)
ON MY MIND
I feel like the past few days have been so frantic shopping sales which I know is not good..trust me! My goal though is to get done with all my shopping by December 1st so that I can truly enjoy the holiday season without unnecessary, last-minute stress. The commercialization of Christmas can be so over the top and while I love finding special things for my people, I don’t want that aspect to take away from what the season is truly about. Even with what I share, know that you don’t have to get anything. There will always be another sale, or not and that’s ok too. Buy what you want/need in a mindful way. That’s my goal anyway!
We’re starting out Treehouse Schoolhouse Christmas study on December 4th and I’m so looking forward to it! There’s still time to order the digital copy and print. You can use code MARAFERREIRA for a discount too.
I’m not sure I’ll have everything wrapped by December 1st but I’m going to plan a night where I can wrap while watching a Christmas movie. I got this wrapping paper and just need to find some ribbon to go with it. I love the idea of green velvet but white might be more versatile. This trio might be the winner though.
We’ve started decorating for Christmas a bit and I’m hoping we’ll get our big tree up before the weekend is over. It’s going to be so festive around here and I love that we will be able to enjoy it all for the whole month of December!
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I appreciate you all so much, truly!
xox
