With the beginning of November here I have Thanksgiving on my mind.

Since Xan and I began dating Thanksgiving has become a really special holiday for us. For his family Thanksgiving is THE holiday. Usually around 20 people gather at his parents house which is nestled in an art community among the Appalachian Mountains. If you’ve never spent time in the Appalachians in the fall you’re truly missing out on something. The leaves epitomizing the colors of fall, the crisp cold refreshing air, and the sun streaming over the peaks of the Appalachian mountains in the morning while you sip warm coffee and take it all in. It makes me nostalgic just thinking about it. Once we got serious I spent every Thanksgiving there and those are some of my happiest memories from our relationship to date. All the best things in one long weekend: cozy sweaters, fires burning, creative cooking, a slow and intentional pace, quality time with people we love, and amazing conversations. It was always a time to unwind, truly rest and relax, and reflect on the many things we had to be grateful for. Heading back home to the flatlands we both felt content, refreshed, and filled up with love and happiness. My entertaining dream is to eventually host Thanksgivings and other occasions that are reflections of those times with a gaggle of our closest friends and family.