Intimately thankful- a recap of our 2015 Thanksgiving

This past year has been a roller-coaster of mixed emotions and changes for my family. And when I volunteered to host Thanksgiving dinner this year I was nervous as to what it would mean for us and whether I'd be able to meet the expectations of what used to be my favorite holiday before the passing of my grandmother.

Unlike prior years where I make my dishes the day of, this year I prepped everything the night before. Giving me enough time to do some shopping thanksgiving day.For the menu we focused on old favorites (vegetarian style) : Lasagna Sweet Potato pecan casserole Collard Greens- the secret's in the smoked paprika Arroz con Guandules (rice and beans) Dominican pastelon Cranberry and herb stuffing Scallop potatoes (thanks to Brent!) Broccoli Salad w/soy based bacon Pastel en ojas

My mom was in charge of the desert which consisted of: -Sweet potato-coconut souffle -Almond Biscotti, Cranberry white chocolate cookies, mini carrot cakes, apple jam and cheese crackers, tres leche (yum!), Apple Pie (courtesy of Brent)

For the Birds my mom bought a stuffed turkey, hubs did a fall-off-the-bone turkey which was a huge hit and I KILLED a Tofurky roast! My first time (about 2 years ago) making the roast was a bust-but this year I figured out the trick!

This year I seasoned it and let it sit for a day and a half. Then I tossed some orange jam and orange slices and BAM. It was juicy and tender- so good my mom scooped some up herself!

In a long, cut out white and gold dress I felt like a 1920's holiday party hostess (cue the Nat King Cole and Ole Louis).

My family always dresses up and we all happened to wear sparkling gold which complimented our mood lighting, laughter, post-food coma-itis, and jazz music beautifully. It was good food and good energy.

When everyone was gone, and our house was still a moment of overwhelming vulnerability overtook me. And all that was left was hubs and I, dancing to Frank Sinatra at the end of our Gatsby-perfect Thanksgiving night.

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Zombie Turns 3!

Zombie's birthday parties are always prepared a little over 6 months in advance. This time is used to gather party supplies prep DIY decorations and spend hours "researching" Pinterest for unspeakably cute and memorable birthday accents.

We knew from the beginning we wanted something small and intimate with a top priority of bringing in good vibes only and settled on a sleepover and small get together. With everyone we've got going on however, my party planning began 2 weeks prior- for this neurotic perfectionist, this was a HUGE deal.

If you've been following me for awhile you know Shamu (the orca) is Zombie's valentine, the light of her soul, the prince charming who will save her from the castle. So we turned our living and dining room into an orca habitat.

My mom got the blow up fish and hanging sea creatures on sale as summer is long gone and the candy I strategically wait until Halloween candy goes on 75% off and BAM! I attack! As our guest list was smaller this year two bags of candy was more than enough. I got toy plastic orcas at the Dollar Tree and my mom made mini pinatas using toilet paper rolls, zebra striped wrapping paper and printed orcas as a label.

On our multiple trips to SeaWorld we acquired the party hats for the kids.

For the decorations I had Hubs hang blue and white streamers from the ceiling and I used fringe plastic tablecloth for the jellyfish tentacles and seaweed. For a SUPER SIMPLE tutorial click here I used two shades of blue table cloth for the "waves" and plastic head caps and tissue paper for the inner part of the Jellyfish- which were the biggest hit of the afternoon! Hub's friend who just moved to town happened to have worked in balloon art back in Puerto Rico. Just my luck! So naturally I put him to work and he did two gorgeous columns which were the perfect fit for my banner wall!

Our turnout was better than we'd imagined! We kept our mini guests busy with shooting games, under the sea dominoes, Bubbles, tug o'war, pin the tail on the whale (a beautiful poster done by my little sister) and we played Free Willy the movie while everyone ate cake and wound down.

I know the event industry is booming right now and there's a strong emphasis on birthdays, weddings, even dinners being beautiful decorated down to the smallest accent but after all is said and done my heart was full with the thought my daughter spent her 3rd birthday with people who wholeheartedly love and cherish her. People who would've cared less if I'd put up a few balloons and had a plain vanilla cake.

(Photo by Naiciry C.)

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Fail Festival

This year our local church hosted a fall festival/carnival which I'd forgotten all about it until our playdate buddies called us! Lucky for me I was at my mom's house just a few minutes away.

Fast forward to forty minutes in one-way traffic waiting and searching for parking. I secretly took back every Sunday morning thought I'd ever had of the property being HUGE, this friday it was anything but. Shout-out to the two women who found us some parking just as we were about to leave.

They had it divided into two events, the first being the fall festival where for $4 children were given candy and hay rides and access to the bounce houses. The carnival required a seperate $20 admisson required for the carnival rides and a 40 minute wait which I REFUSED to do. It was late and Zombie, Isa and i hadn't eaten so I went on a food hunt, hoping to find some deep fried oreos or bbq booths. Sadly all I found was a popcorn and funnel cakes. That was it. No food. long lines and wait times. I'd had it! After a mere 30 minutes we left. It was all too clear things weren't very well thought out and the HANGRY monster in me was about to get the best of me.

Earlier that day I'd come across a photo on instagram of Ben and Jerry's Pumpkin Cheesecake ice cream. SInce we couldn't decide on what to eat we took a ride down to Walmart and got ice cream instead. Years ago my mom brought home a sweet potato-pumpkin pie a coworker of hers had made. Ben and Jerry's took me back more than 10 years to the best pumpkin pie I had ever tasted.

So maybe our first fall festival experience wasn't the best... but at least I ended the night off with a fall worthy trip down memory lane.

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October is not ALL about Halloween you know!

Since being a child, I have never celebrated Halloween, even after being old enough to do so. I respect and love all my friends who do; it’s just not my “thing” if you will. In Miami our church had provided each family with a flyer to tape on their door advising tricksters and treaters alike that our house does not celebrate the holiday. Each year, the orange cardstock’s survival surprised me more. You would think after 6 years it would’ve at least had a bent corner! So, on the night of, we would put on our most worn-out and comfy pajamas, turn all the lights off, cuddle with enough candy, Hawaiian pizza and soda to give us entry-level diabetes, and watch the MTV Michael Jackson marathon. My sisters and I used to peek out the apartment shades just to watch the people in costume and pick out the creeps.

Fast forward to 13 years later and here I am starting my own anti-Halloween tradition (omitting the sign on the door). This year we thought we would have a sleepover party with our friends. Pinterest has a ton of inspiration on teaching toddlers about the fall, the weather changes and pumpkin lattes – OK just kidding on the pumpkin lattes. We figured a sleepover would be a great opportunity for us to do some pumpkin gutting! Aside from releasing some built up work, school, LIFE tension it also means pumpkin seed roasting and pumpkin painting! Zombie’s face while the pumpkin slime squishes through her tiny fingers should be pretty epic. If you’re looking for a great and inexpensive pumpkin patch I highly recommend the Sanlando Pumpkin Patch in Longwood. Their space has photo opportunities, haystacks, game sections, a “farm” and crafts. The girls loved picking out baby pumpkins and pointing out the really huge ones. We took our pumpkins home and turned the girls lose to paint their pumpkin faces.

In Florida October means our weather gets frisky, getting as low as 70 degrees- we can wear thigh-high boots! Perfect weather to get outside and enjoy our beautiful scenery. For us that’s a hike down the 13 plus trails at Wekiva Springs, our current favorite since there’s so much uncovered territory. It’s like a scavenger hunt with nature! We went a few weekends ago for the first time and although it was beautiful it was also very Florida humid. Do not forget the bug spray; the mosquitoes will down you like fast food. For those of you who do not like hiking they also offer canoeing, tubing, and kayaking. And the entrance fee is only $6 per vehicle!

We all scream for ice cream and we all fall for fall…. festivals that is! There are many large church or campground sites that have a yearly fall festival anytime from mid-October to late November. In all honesty I don’t remember the last time I was ever at a fall festival, but according to Pinterest it’s a lot of fun; and fun means sleepy car rides home! (YAY!) So what exactly happens at these festivals? There’s a petting zoo, face painting, hayrides, scarecrow crafts, bobbing for apples, music, and of course food. The haystacks and pumpkins at these festivals are perfect family photo backdrops and props for your Thanksgiving Day cards. If you’re in the Orlando area there’s a great fall festival list here.

I hope you all have a safe holiday!

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