Happy Thankstermass Eve Everyone!

Thankstermass Eve? What on earth is that? Well until a couple of years ago we didn't know either. This year marked our second annual 'Happy Thankstermas Eve' family reunion. Essentially, 'Happy Thankstermas Eve' is a combination of Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas, New Years Eve, and all of the birthdays.

My dad is from Sudbury, so naturally a great deal of his relatives are as well. Traveling five hours up north can be daunting - especially when the snow hits the ground. We all decided the best solution was to combine all of the holidays into one fun filled weekend together.

This years reunion took place over Labour Day weekend. When we get together things typically get quite rowdy, but we always have a fun time. I believe because we see each other so rarely we actually appreciate this time together more. To make things easier my cousins and I each took a holiday, and individually planned it.

Our weekend consisted of a family wide baseball game (among other quirky games), a Christmas gift exchange, a Thanksgiving pot luck dinner, an easter egg hunt for the kids, a new years eve party, and a birthday cake for everyone. Trying to cram all of that into one weekend gets fairly hectic, but that's half of the fun. This year the highlight was undoubtably the lip sync battles. Which were - as expected - very dramatic.

Being as this is only our second time doing this escapade both events have been fairly successful. Hopefully 'Happy Thankstermas Eve' will live on, and improve even more with time.

I am beyond grateful to have this wonderful group of people in my life. My family may be eccentric, but everyone supports each other through the good, and the bad. At the end of the weekend it is always sad to part ways, but it makes the excitement for next years reunion even greater.

Until next time,

Shan. xx
 

My Favourite Fall Recipe

The weather may still be reaching highs of 28 degrees, but that doesn't mean it's too early to start heating things up in the kitchen. Okay - perhaps it is a little early. I can't deny that - like most - fall is one of my favourite seasons. The colours, the fashion, and the festivities. It's all inspiring. Which is why I couldn't wait to get a head start on baking my favourite spice cake.

 

If you know me you probably know I am not a huge baker. However, this is one recipe I can't ignore. It is tantalizing when paired with cookie butter (which is available at most grocery stores). I just had to share this recipe with you for the season. It is a great solution to excessively sugary cakes, and is both gluten and dairy free. It's perfect for anyone with allergies. To view the full recipe from The Clean Dish please click here.

What are your favourite seasonal treats? Let me know below!

Shan. xx

Back to the Blogging Board

It sure feels GOOD to be back.

I started a blog about a year ago called 'Blog of a Blonde' which was mostly a creative outlet. Since then I have started writing for Her Campus Waterloo and the Federations of Students website at the University of Waterloo. That (among other things I like to dabble in) has been keeping me too busy to host my own blog. However, now that I've had some free time, I've decided to return to the world of blogging. It's fun to write about adventures, girly things, and whatever comes to mind. 

Currently, I am sitting in my kitchen gazing at these gorgeous flowers my moms friend gave to her, and dreaming about the future. It's been a great day so far. I hope yours is going just as well. 

More to come soon,

Shan. xx