Perhaps you have a favorite Thanksgiving you’ll cherish forever or a stretch of years when it was most memorable. Maybe it was the years your grandparents hosted or after you got married and carved out your own traditions. For me, it was a long stretch of time when the women in my family would gather on Thanksgiving Eve to bake pies with Mom. So. Many. Pies.
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Pumpkin spice is definitely one of my favorite things about fall, so much so that I started making my own version. I use it year around but especially from September through November. I recently shared it during a girls’ weekend my by college BFFs. We used it in our morning pumpkin smoothies and afternoon apple cider mimosas! So good!
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The time is here to make basil pesto at my house. While later than usual due to weather conditions and a delayed start planting, I can’t get through summer without sharing my traditional basil pesto. Every summer, I make sure to plant plenty of basil to make at least one giant batch (usually two) to gift to family and friends and stow in the freezer.
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The first potential heat wave of the season is predicted in my area this week which reminds me that we’re in the middle of the dog days of summer. According the Old Farmers’ Almanac, this period occurs July 3 to August 11 in the Northern Hemisphere. Living in central New England, these 40 days are truly a gift from Mother Nature that I treasure. Sure, the heat and humidity can be uncomfortable during a heat wave, so I do appreciate having central air when it’s needed. But overall, I embrace the summer heat. I patiently wait all winter for warm weather, so when the hot days hit, I try not to complain knowing I’d gladly welcome them in January.
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I’m long overdue for another room reveal and I’ve been saving the last room on my main floor for the holiday season. I love how festive it is especially when the room is filled with family and friends to celebrate happy occasions. When we did our full interior paint refresh, this was one room that remained in the same color family. It got a new fresh coat of color in a slightly different shade using Benjamin Moore’s Caliente. The color is described as “a charismatic, classic shade of red that is radiant and full of energy.” Sounds just about right for an engaging dining experience, right?!
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An easy, affordable and fun kids’ activity that will keep them engaged is planning a cupcake-decorating project. It’s great for a kids’ party or even family time. So, when the temps soared into the 90s at a family party we hosted, I knew the little ones would welcome a project and air conditioning break. My grandkids and I are no strangers to decorating cupcakes with me. I started making kits during the early days of the pandemic when socializing was limited to our family bubble. Our first one was an Independence Day theme; I still cherish those memories and photos.
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Vacations have a way to provide perspective about your life and how you spend your time. My recent getaway on the island of St. Maarten/St. Martin gave me the pleasure to check off to-dos under my 2022 goals. Most significantly, I consider myself fortunate to cross off items under the Pure Joy/Fun and Adventure/Travel categories in my Commit30 planner. Allow me to elaborate briefly on three goals in this pictorial post.
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