Welcome to the weekend, my friends! I’m over here in full cheer mode today for the sweater and jacket weather that has finally arrived. I know this may not thrill everyone, but did you know there are only 26 days until Thanksgiving and 56 days until Christmas? I am so ready for the happy distractions of the holiday season.
ON THE BLOG this week: Cranberry Christmas Cookies are filled with an abundance of fresh tart cranberries balanced by a buttery sweet cookie. I created this cookie specifically to mimic everyone’s favorite Cranberry Christmas Cake and it’s already a hit.
With spicy sausage, tender noodles, and a melty cheese topping, this Lasagna Soup recipe has all your favorite Italian ingredients simmered together in one pot.
Crispy, juicy, Slow Cooker Carnitas are one of my family’s favorite meals. For about 7 years now I’ve been making carnitas using this recipe for oven-roasted Pulled Pork Carnitas, and they are truly phenomenal that way, but I don’t always have time to babysit that recipe. That’s where the crock-pot comes to the rescue and it’s why I’m thrilled to have found a slow cooker recipe that delivers all that delicious juicy pork flavor with far less effort.
What I’m CRAVING: These Caramel Apple Snickerdoodles by Butter with a Side of Bread caught my eye this week. They look and sound incredible!
My FAVORITE THINGS this week are these little clip-on reading lamps. I needed a really small option for bedside reading lamps and these are perfect for that. I clipped one onto a headboard and another onto a nightstand shelf. They even dim and remember the setting when they’re turned off and on again. I’m glad I gave them a try because they turned out to be a terrific guest room option for a crazy low price.
What I’m WATCHING: Sneakers. This is a classic movie that doesn’t get old. I hadn’t seen it in at least 20+ years and we watched it with our boys this week. It’s a little crazy that while the technology they’re using is laughably out of date (and that’s fun in and of itself) the movie itself is more relevant than ever.
“It’s not about who’s got the most bullets, it’s about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think… it’s all about the information!”
If you haven’t seen it before, it’s definitely worth a watch and the acting is some of the best with Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, Dan Aykroyd, River Phoenix, David Strathairn, Mary McDonnell, Ben Kingsley, and even a cameo with James Earl Jones.
What I’m READING: I’m re-reading Present over Perfect by Shauna Niequist. I read this book for the first time several years ago, (I’m guessing that was before I started writing these newsletters because I can’t find a mention of it.) and it is every bit as solid a read now, 5 years later. I’m reading it alongside the guided journal that was published this year to be used alongside it.
“Loving one’s work is a gift. And loving one’s work makes it really easy to neglect other parts of life.” – Shauna Niequist, Present over Perfect
“I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you are not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald
Wishing you a beautiful week full of little things that make you smile!
Mary
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