November in Review

Well, I've made it to the final post for November. I'm pretty proud of myself for making it to the end. This week was a little sporadic on the posting because of my birthday and Thanksgiving, which we visited my parents to celebrate in Northern Kentucky. I didn't bring my computer and had some trouble with posting from my phone, but I'm all caught up now! It's been fun November! Now on to December and full on Christmas mode! Here are a few photos from the month.

1 Photo

This weekend we've been enjoying the holiday with family and friends. Here's a shot from my parents' house last night. 

Black Friday Shopping?

Now I don't really like going out shopping  for Black Friday at all. I was just telling my friends last night that I would rather just pay the extra money than to get out in that mess (although I do appreciate the satisfaction of getting a great deal… just not on this day).

But if I were to go out today, I would take two people with me: Donna Meagle and Tom Haverford from Parks and Recreation .…because TREAT YO' SELF!

I think Donna would be pushy enough to get us through the crowds, and Tom would know all the latest and best gifts to  buy! Another perk of bringing these two along? They would probably keep my rage for the crazy shoppers at bay and keep me laughing for the whole day. 

Completely Frivolous, Indulgent Christmas List

This post for the #30for30 challenge was actually supposed to be for Tuesday, which was my birthday. I missed posting on Tuesday and Wednesday because even though it was a two day work week, it was a crazy busy two days. But anyway, here is my "completely frivolous, indulgent Christmas list."

So here goes...
This passport case from Cuyana for our upcoming trip to Ireland!

Louboutin flats found on Pinterest.

An exotic vacation sounds nice right about now...

I've had this bag on my Pinterest wish list for a while now, and Sean actually got it for me for my birthday!

Favorite Thanksgiving Family Tradition

My family does it every year. We go around the table each saying what we are thankful for... cliche but hey when else are you going to do it? It's a nice tradition that I look forward to each Thanksgiving.

Another family tradition that we have not just on Thanksgiving but at all of our O'Neill celebrations is a little game called Left, Right, Center. Everyone chips in three dollars and at the end, someone wins the whole pot. Last Saturday we played a special "high stakes" version (each person chipped in $15!), and my dad won! Sean took this video of his final roll to win it all, and it just makes me smile!

Recipe: Maple Pecan Pie Bars

Image via the kitchn

Sean and I made these pecan pie bars as our contribution to my mom's family Thanksgiving celebration that was over the weekend. They were so simple to make and they were a hit with the family. I found the recipe on one of my favorite websites: the kitchn. They were easy to throw together quickly, and easy for transporting to a party. Also, thanks to my dad, we discovered they are extra delicious with a side of whipped cream! We are always quick to add whipped cream in the McPhillips household!

Favorite Thanksgiving Dish

I think my favorite Thanksgiving dish is probably dressing/stuffing (it's up for debate what you want to call it). It's just the thing that makes it feel uniquely Thanksgiving. Many of the other dishes we have at my family's celebration are things we have at other holidays, or they are dishes that are substituted with different variations throughout the years. But dressing means that it's Thanksgiving, and it's always there for the O'Neill celebration. We celebrated yesterday in Northern Kentucky, and my mom made the dressing this year. (It's her mom's recipe that we've always made.) It was a beautiful dinner, and I love being with such a wonderful family. Thanksgiving truly is my favorite holiday, and I'm thankful to have such wonderful family and friends with whom to celebrate it. 

This year's centerpiece: a serving dish passed down from my great-grandmother O'Neill