Skates, Shucks, and Showing Up

Wowsa, November was...a month. A full one. The kind where you're spinning seventeen plates at once while riding a unicycle on an elephant's back and also trying to remember to pause and be grateful – which is easier said than done when life is moving at warp speed. So let's catch up!

November was a bit of a wonky month – I had the kids for the first three weeks, then their dad had them for Thanksgiving. Hard, but we've got the routine down pat at this point. I'm convinced I was an air traffic controller in a past life.

Elizabeth is deep in prep mode for her first skating competition (!!). She's been doing skating shows for a while, but this is her first actual competition, and watching her work toward it has been so fun. The focus. The determination. She's all in.

Zach, meanwhile, is in full post-season lacrosse mode – private one-on-ones, extra training, all of it. The kid literally carries his lacrosse stick everywhere. I'm concerned it has physically fused to his hand at this point.

The kids and I also lost someone really close to our family this month – our dear friend Stanley. While I'll try not to short circuit my keyboard with tears, I will just say that a month of gratitude can also be a hard one. You're bouncing between all the forced emotions and pressure to feel thankful, but then life reminds you that sometimes really sad things happen. I'm doing my best to pause and let people show up for me - and for them, I am thankful beyond words.

MY FAMILY’S SOUNDTRACK FOR THE HOLIDAYS: I just might have reached peak playlist creation with this one - perfect background music for making holiday cookies with the fam! 

Partytrick had some really fun highlights this month!

I hosted an oyster party in Denver with 75 people – John from the Maine Oyster Company came out to shuck, my friends at Juliet and Avenue Eight provided some great bevies. Chris was able to fly in for it and got the fire-hose treatment of meeting what felt like my entire social history in one evening. It was the perfect trifecta: good people, good food, great conversation.

I also did a TV segment on 9 News about hosting for the holidays, which was a blast. Got to talk about making entertaining feel less stressful and more joyful – which is always especially relevant this time of year.

MY GO-TO HOST GIFT FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Heck, grab a set of these for yourself, too!

On the personal front, I celebrated Thanksgiving for the first time in years with my family – while my kids were with their dad, I spent it with Chris and my mom, brother, sister, and nephews (and puppies!) in the Hudson Valley at my sister's place. It was the kind of low-key, quality family time I didn't realize I'd been missing (though we all know there also comes a point where you're ready to say goodbye to your family, too). ;)

We also did Thanksgiving with Chris's family, so it was basically Thanksgiving x2. Lots of family. Lots of food. And lots of oysters? They showed up at both Thanksgivings. Not mad about it.

November definitely threw some curveballs my way, but it also reminded me how important it is to stop and actually be present – with family, with friends, with the people who show up when things get hard. Our neighbors have been incredible this month, too, and it's been a good reminder of what real community looks like.

OTHER THINGS THAT SHOULD SHOW UP AT EVERY THANKSGIVING: These linen napkins. (Are we noticing a theme?)

"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others." 

– Cicero