Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Getting Ready For Thanksgiving

First off, Happy Veterans Day to any of my readers who are in the armed forces, are military wives, or have family in the military.  My brother is a Marine who has done tours in Iraq + Afghanistan, and is currently stationed in Cali, so I know firsthand how selfless they are to serve our country, often times highly underpaid and undervalued, and how difficult of a job it really is.  The typical "thank you for your service to our country" is so cliché and doesn't begin to describe how truly grateful I am for each & every veteran.  The fact that I live in a country where we have a fair judicial system, that I can travel freely to almost any country without having to obtain a visa, where education is free for our children, and as a woman I have the freedom to sit here and write whatever I please on my blog without fear for my life says so much.  Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart.  We are so lucky to be Americans.

Now onto today's post...

Anyone who cooks the big dinner themselves knows that the few weeks leading up to turkey day is all about getting ready.  Planning out your menu, mentally checking off serving pieces that you will be using, making a list of new items that you need to buy, thinking about your tablescape, etc.  As I've said before, I love cooking & entertaining so this is the one time of year that I like to really go all out.

Last year was our first official Thanksgiving as a married couple, so I invested in a lot of the essentials that are needed to host a big dinner {platters, luxe serving utensils, etc}.  I also purchased these extremely affordable organic shaped dinner plates with a gold rim from West Elm last year that have become our special occasion plates for when we have company over and have gotten quite a lot of use out of.  Combined with any gold flatware, they look much more expensive than they really are and I highly, highly recommend them.  If you're interested in seeing my Thanksgiving table from last year you can view that post here.

So today I wanted to fill you in on a few items that are all Thanksgiving related that have been on my mind lately.  Some of them are decor related, others are just basics that I'm adding to my ever growing shopping list, and there's a few quirky items added in there as well :)

Lets get started...



I need a good roaster and am obsessed with this copper version.  This is definitely on the pricier side, but there's just some kitchen items that are worth the investment and this is one of them.  View it here


These napkins.  I need them in my life.  Unfortunately due to the lengthy shipping time, I can't get them in time for Thanksgiving.  I've been searching the depths of the internet to find them elsewhere, but I just can't track them down.  I'm now thinking about trying to do a DIY version, but I'm not very crafty and am nervous that I'll mess up a perfectly good linen napkin.  I'll keep you guys posted. 



I don't have a great pie serving set and have my eye on these gold beauties.  Perfect for serving up pumpkin pie :)  On sale here.


Confession: I've never actually made stuffing from scratch.  The idea of it kind of intimidates me.  The past couple of years I've bought this gluten free version from Williams-Sonoma and it is actually really, really good!  This is definitely on my shopping list this year.  


This is another item that I bought from Williams-Sonoma last year, and our turkey turned out SO good.  With everything else that I cook {I do it all with no help}, there is no way in hell that I have time in the days leading up to make my own brining blend!  If you're cooking a turkey this year, I definitely recommend this.



This banner that I found on Etsy is so sweet and would look perfect on our front porch with my harvest wreath that I ordered. 



My table setting is going to be different from last years {I'll share it next week}, and I'm contemplating these wooden chargers to finish my tablescape.  I think they would work with the look I'm going for, and would accent my gold rimmed plates nicely.



Call me old fashioned, but I love to send cards to my family & friends all the time, and actually still send a card to my grandmother for every single holiday.  It's just so nice to receive a hand written note in the mail.  While this is definitely NOT a card that I'd send my grandma lol, it would be perfect for one of my girlfriends!  View it here.


I recently just threw away our colander.  It started doing this weird paint peeling thing and I just felt like it probably wasn't the healthiest for us anymore, so in the garbage it went.  I need a new one asap, and this copper stunner would be perfect! 



And lastly, when it's crunch time and the turkey is out of the oven and you're making that gravy, this gravy seperator from Williams-Sonoma would make life so much easier.  Ingenious.






I have a great Thanksgiving recipe that I'll be sharing later on this week!  Have a great day & thanks for reading!

6 comments:

  1. Your place setting last year was gorgeous and those plates are too cute!! I seriously can't wait for the day to host a thanksgiving...until then I'll just help family prepare meals LOL

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    1. Thanks B!! Helping out is great too, at least you get to contribute to the dinner! And by the time you host your own thanksgiving, you'll be a pro :)

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  2. Hi Andy,
    I love your blog -- great tips on Thanksgiving! One comment (not related to Thanksgiving), it's really hard to read the print on your blog because it's so light and it's against a white background. I know it's not just my computer because I've pulled up your blog both at home, at work, and at school. I'm not sure if anyone else notices this...I find myself sitting about 2 inches from the screen to make out the content.

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    1. Hi Tina! Thanks for the feedback! I know it's a little light, but the graphic designer who developed my new site was not the easiest to work with and I have no idea how to correct it on my own :( I do appreciate your honesty & for taking the time to comment. xx

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  3. Hey Andy, love love love all your picks for Thanksgiving, everything is gorgeous, and looks super functional! While Thanksgiving has already passed in Canada (it was October 13th), I think it's always a wonderful time to be grateful for all we have! Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, can't wait to see your tablescape this year! :)

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    1. I completely agree with you, Nicole! It's always nice to reflect on our blessings :)

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