I got to Indianapolis Wednesday afternoon just as Casey’s plane landed – perfect timing!  Having spent almost an entire week apart, I was beyond excited to see him.  I picked him up and headed to Tina and Eddie’s (Casey’s parents) for Thanksgiving visits – round two!  We haven’t been back to Indy since Labor Day, so we were greeted with warm welcomes from Tina and Eddie, and of course Buggie and Ruthie…

It is such a change to go from my mom’s house of a million cats and little yappy Bosley, to Indianapolis, home of the 100+ pound German Shepherd and Rottweiler!  For anyone who says they are scared of big dogs, or thinks certain breeds of dogs (errr, such as these…) are dangerous or scary, I personally invite you to the Malone house.  You will never meet two bigger (literally) babies in your life – such sweeties!

Things to be grateful for – a week-long pass to Tina and Eddie’s gym in Indianapolis – THANK YOU!  I would have felt like such a lazy lump if I had been here for four days with no workouts.  In Cincinnati, I’ve run the Thanksgiving Day 10k every year (as evidenced by my festive shirt!), so since we were in Indy this year, we headed to the gym to create out own pre-feast workout. 

I felt soooo much better after a good long weight set and 45 minutes in the elliptical.  We were ready to head home and get our cook on!  After going over the menu the night before, I realized there was no cranberry dish, so I offered to make one (since cranberries are my favorite!).  I browsed the blog world for a few minutes, and decided that Meghann’s  cranberry sauce looked good, so I used the same recipe – Apple Orange Cranberry Sauce from Williams-Sonoma.  Thank you, Meghann – it turned out DELICIOUS!

Meanwhile, my mom and Sarah arrived to join the fun!  Next up was the Apple Cornbread Stuffing – yum!  I told Tina I would prep everything and get it ready for her, so I chopped and mixed while Casey  made yummy guacamole for lunchtime snacking. 

Tina found these fabulous turkey molds that she used to make some of the best cornbread I have ever had – so so good! 

Ruthie was excited by all the activity in the house.  She was literally smiling from ear to ear! 

I was smiling too – so grateful to have my most cherished loved ones around me for such a fun day.  I was totally spoiled this Thanksgiving, and got to have BOTH of my amazing families all together for the holiday.  My family is so small, and I am lucky enough that they will travel near and far so that we can all be together as much as possible. 

I’m sure a lot of people feel this way, but I truly feel like I am one of the luckiest people in the world.  I have a family of my own that couldn’t be closer (we missed you Rebecca!!).  A little sister who, despite being born almost exactly TEN years apart, we might as well be separated at birth.  A mom who would do anything for her daughters.  A wonderful new (ish) husband who I am thankful for each and every day. 

And as if that wasn’t enough – I married into a second family that I feel more connected to and part of than I ever thought possible.  Mom, dad, brother, aunts, uncles, cousins – they have all made me feel so at home and welcome in their family, and I cherish every minute we all get to be together.  Truly, the best of both worlds. 

Since we couldn’t all be together to give thanks, we sent lots of love and happy thoughts down to the big group in Atlanta, and to Kirt and Katie all the way down in Florida!

Back to our eats – Casey and I made an experimental vegetarian gravy (which turned out great!), and Tina whipped homemade whipped cream for the pies.

Sarah growled at me for taking so many pictures, and the turkey was finally done (and beautiful!) after being cooked on the grill all day long.  While I didn’t partake in any bird myself, it smelled amazing and smoky from the grill, and the group gave the grilled turkey two big thumbs up.

Ruthie rolled around as if she was a tiny dog, trying to get her belly rubbed…

But we were all way to distracted with FOOD!  Here’s our dessert spread set out on the buffet – chocolate “tunnel of fudge” bundt cake, homemade apple pie, and classic pumpkin pie.  YUM!  The apple-cornbread stuffing turned out delicious too – definitely my favorite dish of the evening, and a recipe to be saved for years to come. 

The vegetarian carved the turkey (!), and Jacque and Bob arrived for dinner! 

It was funny how many people asked me “what are you going to eat this Thanksgiving now that you don’t eat meat?” – really??  Does anyone really look forward to the turkey most?  For me it’s always been about pie and mashed potatoes!  We were ready to eat…  So many delicious dishes, a table filled with friends and family, and a cornbread turkey centerpiece – what more do you need?

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This year I am thankful for so many things.  Most of all, I am thankful for the opportunity to come home to my two favorite places and relax for an entire week, and be surrounded by the people I love most.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Home sweet home, and I have been enjoying all the things I have missed so much in Charlotte.  First up – RUNNING!  Sunday afternoon I went for a short 5 mile run around my old favorite loop, but I was anxious to get back home to my family and cut it short.

Tuesday afternoon everyone was working, and I was left with a lot of free time.  I figured I’d take advantage and head out for a run.  It was SO COLD – I went from running in Charlotte in shorts and a tank top to running in Cincinnati in spandex pants and a North Face – brrrr.  But I forced myself out the door anyways, and was soooo glad I did.  I ended up having a really good ten mile run, covering all sorts of my old favorite turf – my family’s old house, my apartments with Lindsey, I passed my church, my old job – and so much more.

After a great run, I felt I deserved a great reward, right?  My mom, and Lindsey and I went out to a yummy dinner, and stopped afterwards to visit Sarah at work, and enjoy one of Cincinnati’s finest…

YAGOOT!  The best tangy yogurt ever, in the best flavor ever – PUMPKIN!  I got mine with blueberries and sprinkles and destroyed it in about two minutes flat.  Sarah is a college freshman so by nature she is totally poor, so she signed on to work her Thanksgiving break back at the ‘goot to make some extra money.

It has been so fun being at home together for our Thanksgiving breaks.  We are so close and have so much fun together, and I miss being able to pop in and visit her whenever I want.  Back at home, the Holcombe Zoo was keeping things interesting, and making for some very restless nights of sleep for me.  I am not used to waking up with cats on my face anymore!

Tuesday night, we met for Ladies Dinner, which was our monthly tradition before I moved away.  (Of course the three of them still do it without me now that I’m in Charlotte, but I try not to think about that.)  We all met at the Green Dog Cafe, which is a fabulous new, organic/local place that opened in Cincinnati just before I left (of course).  They have lots of delicious vegetarian options, and really unique menu items.  I got a cup (which was gigantic) of the Vegetarian Chili, that came with this delicious homemade bread too.

For dinner I got the French Poodle, which was “warm french green lentils with apple compote and crème fraiche.”  It was also served with socca, which they told me was a chickpea pancake – yum!

It was a lot more food than I expected, and for once I didn’t clear my plate (which seriously never happens!).  We sat and talked and caught up for a long time, and enjoyed all the yummy food.  It was so fun to be with my old friends again.

After dinner I headed to Anthropologie for the employee appreciation 40% off sale, and I bought a fabulous dress for $17  – score!  Then we went to Lindsey’s for an old roommate tv date night and watched our favorite – The Biggest Loser.  When I got home, the crazy cat lady was in full swing…

And actually there was a third cat on the chair who jumped down before I could whip out my camera.  And Bosley was right under the ottoman, just out of picture range.  When I got up this morning, I started packing, reading to hit the road to Indianapolis for the next phase of my Thanksgiving break.  Before I left Sarah and I hung out and played on our computers together, like the twin dorks that we are…

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When it was time to leave, Bosley tried to play dead and convince me not to go…

But I had to hit the road to make it to the Indy airport to get Casey, so I gave him a belly rub and was on my way.  Since Saturday I’ve been in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio…

INDIANA, here I come!