November!

     We've made it to November! How was your Halloween? Mine was great! It was just as I remember it from my childhood, with a few special changes. My fiance and I got to spend the holiday in Pittsburgh with my family, which I haven't done since we moved to Washington DC. We were really in town to finalize the wedding plans (12 days away!), but it was still a good excuse to enjoy the fun. I didn't realize it, but my mom had invited my entire family over for the festivities, just like when I was younger. I wasn't expecting this, as both of my brothers are too old for tricks or treats. It was a nice surprise. I scoured the house for Halloween-themed movies (we ended up with cassette tapes of Monsters, Inc. and It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!, which fit the bill nicely). My youngest cousin is nine, so he went trick-or-treating while we all stayed home, talked amongst ourselves with pizza, extra candy, and mulled cider. My two aunts were working on the fall-themed centerpieces for my wedding, and even that was fun. My fiance and I, in the middle of the trick-or-treating frenzy, took my family's golden retriever for a walk in the dark. It was perfect--just like trick-or-treating for adults! We got to see all the costumes and greet my candy-laden neighbors, and look at their decorated houses. The night was cool and dry, which was perfect. Kids didn't have to wear their winter coats, but it wasn't too hot to walk the hills of the suburbs. All in all, it was really the perfect way to spend the night.

     Now that we're into November, it's time to really buckle down and think about the holidays coming up. What's great is that they're largely food-based holidays--hooray! I'm looking forward to starting my cookies and thinking up side dishes to bring to Thanksgiving dinner. Tonight after work, I am going home to make some chicken soup (to guard against the colds and flues that we always seem to find in Pittsburgh), and then I'm going to start to clean and plan for the holidays.

     If you're looking way forward to Christmas, note that the Countdown has already begun at Organized Christmas. I could not recommend that site more highly for helping to keep things organized so you can keep the true spirit of Christmas in sight. As my wedding falls right in the middle of a major Christmas-planning month, it's good to have that site to remind me of the things I'll need to take care of, as the world does not revolve around my marriage! I've already sketched up my budget, I have my Christmas cards bought from last year's end of Christmas sales, I have my new Christmas card return labels printed with our new married names, and I'm just waiting for the Christmas postage in the mail. Once you hit November, it's really a relief to have all of that stuff out of the way so you can enjoy the entire month of December. Don't let these times rush by! Relish them!

     I found a great holiday recipe resource. Visit the Recipe of the Day Calendars page at MyRecipes.com for many themes--Cookie Countdown, the Season's Best Pies, and Your Daily Soup, just to mention a few. I'm receiving new cookie recipes daily until 2010, so I'll have no trouble finding something special to make.

     We're now in the holiday season, friends, so it's time to plan a little and enjoy a lot! If you can stay focused, you'll have a lot of fun this year! If you have any other ideas, please let me know.

     Until next time!