Hey There, It's Christa!

The Countdown to Thanksgiving Has Officially Begun!

Confession time: It's only November 3, and I've already poured through the latest issues of Food Network Magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Everyday With Rachael Ray and Better Homes and Gardens, not to mention a few cookbooks in search of the best Thanksgiving recipes.

Yes, I absolutely adore making Thanksgiving dinner...every single course of it. Really, it's like the Super Bowl of meals for the home cook, and I look forward to (and start planning) for the big day several weeks in advance.

Hence all those magazine articles...

Now I'll admit, if I had to cook for a whole army of people (usually, we have 2 or 3 guests aside from Will and I), I might not feel the same way. But because there's just a few of us, I love the challenge of trying to get everything done in time in our very tiny, apartment-sized kitchen.

This year, I cheated a little and ordered a smoked turkey (Will has always extolled the many virtues of a smoked turkey, so I surprised him by ordering the one from East Texas that Oprah likes), so that will definitely make things easier cooking-wise since the turkey tends to take the longest (and ours already comes all ready to go). But if you're making your own, I highly recommend Sunny Anderson's recipe for turkey with peach rosemary glaze. I made this last year, and it was delicious.

So without having to do all the roasting myself this year, that will leave more time for the my favorite part of the meal—the sides!!

While it's definitely not rocket science by any means (although I definitely add my own touches from the original recipe), Thanksgiving just isn't Thanksgiving without green bean casserole. So I will make that, along with garlic red mashed potatoes and gravy (a once-a-year indulgence), homemade cheddar buttermilk biscuits, homemade sausage and cranberry stuffing and, of course, I'll serve all that with Barefoot Contessa's old-fashioned cranberry sauce. I love this stuff sooo much that I wrote a review of it on Crate and Barrel's website, the only place where you can get it. Trust me, it's way better than the stuff with the can imprint still on it.

As far as dessert goes, I'm still deciding what I want to do. I'll definitely make something pumpkin-y, but maybe I'll offer something else, too (an apple tart, perhaps?), so I'm still brainstorming that. Thankfully, I've still got, oh, 23 days left, but it's never too early to start, right?

So now that I've revealed mine, what are your must-haves for Thanksgiving dinner and why? Also, any good dessert recipes I must try pronto?

The 10 Best Things About Fall

I know, I know...when Fall arrives in Minnesota, well, it's officially one step closer to six months of winter which for the record, is no fun at all. Not one little bit.

Even with that ominous event always lurking in the back of my mind, it's impossible not to love this amazing season that's way, way too short in my humble opinion.

Simply put, it's spectacular for a number of reasons—reasons I'll explain in "Letterman Top-10 list" style right here, right now.

Coming in at #10: No more shorts or capri pants. Given that I have ghostly white legs that don't tan, and I'm not a tanning salon kind of girl, I'm don't exactly love wearing shorts or capri pants. But when it gets hot—really hot— in the summer months, what choice do you have in the matter? 

You just gotta own it like Anne Hathaway does. Or give it your best shot, anyway.

Sadly, my legs hate the sun so much that I still have "redneck socks" (a.k.a. seemingly permanent tan lines) from a bad sunburn I got two years ago while sitting by the Four Seasons' pool in L.A. for 20 minutes. Yeah, 20 minutes and unsightly tan lines to show for it two years later. Goodness knows how bad it would've been if I'd stayed out any longer...

#9: Bouquets of freshly sharpened pencils. Sure, roses are a great gesture of romantic devotion, but I always loved it when Tom Hanks' character tells Meg Ryan's character in You've Got Mail (via e-mail, of course) that he'd send her a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils if he knew her name and address.

I must confess that line gets me every time. Yeah, I'm a dork who loves school supplies...and I haven't set foot in a classroom (other than as a guest speaker) for years now.

Every fall when kids are getting their new backpacks, glue sticks and Jonas Brothers' notebooks, it's my tradition to pick up a few new school supplies (for the office, of course), too. There's just nothing like a bunch of new pens, cute notebooks, paper clips and post-its to make working at home feel more tolerable, lemme tell ya.

#8: Soup, Soup and more Soup. On a chilly day, there's nothing more delicious with crackers or a crusty piece of bread in my opinion. Whether it's butternut squash, a hearty bowl of chili or simple tomato basil, count me in. And making it myself? Well, that just makes the experience more fun.

#7: Better Movies, Actual Must-See TV. After reviewing dud after dud at the box office this summer,   fall movies couldn't arrive fast enough. And I'm thrilled to pieces for new episodes of "The Office," and "Castle," too, which beats re-runs any day of the week.

#6: Are You Ready for Some Football? We Banisters have been for months now. And thanks to Favre signing with the Vikes (yes, I'm finally getting used to it), we have three teams (the Packers, Vikings and Cowboys) to root for. Fun, fun, fun.

#5: Scarves, Scarves, Scarves. I adore scarves, but I've never figured out a way to wear them in the summer without looking ridiculous. But in the fall? No problem at all. I'm already excited about sporting all my favorites, Burberry and otherwise.

#4: Two words: Halloween candy. Do I really need to explain this?

#3: Beautiful Scenery: Anyone who knows me well knows that nature and I don't always get along, but ultimately, who can deny the  beauty of fall? I absolutely love the changing leaves, the crisp feeling in the air and taking long walks with Will with such a gorgeous backdrop.

#2: Pumpkin spice lattes. Yeah, I still love my caramel macchiatos, but once these babies arrive in stores, I simply can't get enough. So delicious.

#1: Special occasions. But what takes the proverbial cake when it comes to fall is all that I get to celebrate...Will and I's anniversary (October 8). Will's birthday (October 13). My mom's birthday (October 21). My pal Krista's birthday (October 23).There's certainly no shortage of fun (or cake) in the Fall months, that's for sure...

They Say It's Your Birthday!

Whew! Will and I have been celebrating a lot of birthdays in our family lately.

In the past two weeks, my aunt Ann, my mother-in-law Jo Ann, my adorable niece Adelyn, and my I-can't-believe-he's-really-all-grown-up brother Casey have all gotten a year older (or in Adelyn's case, reached that all-important one-year-old status).

Thankfully, I haven't eaten my body weight in cake yet. But I'll fully admit that wasn't exactly the picture of self control either when I indulged in a slice, or two, or three while in Colorado with Adelyn, her lovely parents and my Mom. After all, Adelyn hated both of her cakes with a passion (chocolate or pink vanilla chip with sprinkles, it didn't matter), and we couldn't let all that sugary tastiness go to waste, right?

Who knows? Maybe next year, Adelyn will be quite the enthusiastic cake convert. But I must say I was envious of her ability to push it away without as much as a second thought. It was also pretty cute when she was visibly upset when the frosting got all over her hands. Apparently, she likes her paws free of stickiness, and I can't say I blame her.

With all this birthday reminiscing this morning, I also couldn't help but notice the date on the calendar—August 4—and remember that we would've been celebrating one more today—my Dad's. He would've turned 57 years young today, and I'm guessing he would've wanted an entire pan of my Mom's brownies for his party. And vanilla ice cream, too.

Even more than my Mom who's not a big fan of sweets of any kind, he was always quite the chocoholic. He was also one of those incredibly annoying people that could indulge without gaining excess pounds the process, a magnificent gene I somehow failed to acquire. Sooo not fair.

It's been almost 19 years (!!!) now since he passed away, and sadly, my memories of him seem to get fuzzier with each passing year. But even all those years after his death, there are still so many everyday moments when I wonder what life would be like if he were still here.

Would he and my Mom still live in Ladysmith or would they have moved on? Would he and I still play  basketball in the driveway or would he whoop my butt at Wii tennis instead? I also wonder what he'd think of my life and my chosen profession. Would he be happy that I'm a writer? Or wish I'd pursued something else entirely? And since he wasn't around for the Internet revolution, I often wonder if he would've been a fan of things like Facebook, Twitter and e-mail or think they were silly (my guess is somewhere in between).

But most of all, I'd love a snapshot of our whole family together again (and for Will to meet him for the first time). He was always an enthusiastic fan of celebrating birthdays, so I'm guessing we would've had fun whatever we did. Even if it involved fishing, a passion of his that I've never shared.

And because I can't say it in person, I'll just say it here: Happy Birthday, Dad. We love you and miss you. If calories weren't an issue, I'd sooo have a brownie in your honor today. But I'm guessing you'd understand my quandary since I'm still trying to lose the extra pounds from all the cake I've consumed lately...:)

I'm Back From the Big D...

I was on a bit of a blogging hiatus last week. In fact, I'm pretty sure I forgot I even have a blog because the days leading up to our trip to Dallas were a little nuts.

No matter how prepared I think I am, there's always all sorts of unexpected loose ends to take care of before I go on a trip. It's never just an easy-peasy process. And this little jaunt, with a wedding involved (Will's sister Bess got married), was definitely no exception. I was running around, shopping for my dress and wrapping up deadlines with only seconds left on the proverbial clock.

But like it always does, everything ended falling neatly into place, and Will and I had a great time in his hometown. Bess and Andy's wedding was absolutely beautiful, and it was fun being somewhere where it actually felt like summer. And noshing on some really great Tex-Mex, something that's severely lacking in Minnesota, was definitely a bonus.

I must also say that it's great to have such fantastic in-laws. I've heard many a horror story about the scary ones out there, so I'm very thankful to always feel so welcome. It always so much fun hangin' at the Banister house, and I wish we got to do that a little more often.

But until that day arrives, we'll always have Bess' wedding.

All Things New

I'm hesitant to speak too quickly as it's been known to snow during the most random of times here in Minnesota, but I think, quick possibly, that Spring is here to stay. And I couldn't be happier.

There's just something about sunshine, warmth and being able to shed layers and layers of outerwear that can't help but put a smile on your face. And I'm very grateful for that because I've been a grumpy, grumpy bear during the long winter months...

But now that Spring is here, and the flowers are in full bloom, Minnesota isn't quite so bad. In fact, today's it's 74, sunny and there's no humidity in sight. Really, the only way the day could be more perfect is if I was hangin' with Will. And if a certain former Packer quarterback really and truly ends up playing for the team I've always dubbed the "Drag Queens," well, that means one more cool person will be living here, too. Though, for the record, I will never, never, never be sporting the purple and white. Or one of those hideous purple Viking crowns with the blonde braids hanging from it. As a native of the Cheesehead state, I just can't do it.

Beyond the trivalities of the NFL, the change in season has also revved up my creativity and energy level. I'm not only embracing my writing with new fervor, but I actually (gasp!) look forward to working out. Heck, I even got really excited about planting an herb and flower garden until I was forced to remind myself that we live in an apartment and don't have a yard. But one day, I will have a green thumb, and I can't wait.

So here's to Spring and all of its dewy newness...and may the snow stay far, far away until, say, December.

Return From the Land of Sniffles

I had high hopes for writing this week.

Well, until a snotty, fever-y, cough-inducing decided to invade my body right after I got home from GM Week in Nashville.

Now I totally know it's a bit wussy to be down for the count because of a cold. I mean, c'mon, it's not the swine flu (which incidentally needs a new moniker, don't you think?).

But for some reason this nasty little bug wiped me out big time, leaving me with only enough energy for sleeping, laying on the couch and watching my favorite Food Network shows (which I always ended up falling asleep to) and occasionally wandering in the kitchen for a bottle of Dasani and another round of Dayquil and Vitamin C.

While time for extra sleep is always welcome, it seriously stinks when it's not your idea. See, I always make sure the next few after GM Week are uncluttered so I can leisurely catch up on novel writing and blogging, rather than my usual magazine deadlines. I'd even set some pretty ambitious word counts for myself, and you guessed it, I didn't write a single word—and it's already Thursday. Grrrr.

So now that I'm gradually on the upswing, I'm getting a little writing in—even if it's not on the third Sydney Alexander novel. I haven't blogged in ages, so it's fun to be back.

Per usual, GM Week was a crazy affair scheduling-wise. I don't know why I always try and pack in so much in one week, but it just wouldn't be GM Week if I didn't. Now I'm just wondering if the drastically reduced numbers of attendees will have an impact on next year's festivities. I mean, I've never seen the Renaissance lobby as empty as it was this year. Usually there's countless Indie artists strutting around with perfect Bedhead and whatever sunglasses are cool at the moment, shoving flyers in your face. But this year, I was only offered one unsolicited opportunity to see a band I'd never heard of play at some random showcase, which has to make some sort of GM Week history...

Nonetheless, I still managed to get sick after the fact, which makes me wonder if it's the schedule or just Nashville. But whatever the reason, I'm glad my sniffles are getting fewer by the hour. Now if my poor red nose would stop peeling, I'd be even happier. But hey, you can't always have it all, right?

Off to screen "Wolverine" now...be sure to check for my review on Crosswalk.com tomorrow, k?

Rejecting Paris?

When you live in the frozen tundra of Minnesota, you can't help (and in my case, routinely) but think about where you'd rather be living. I mean, St. Paul does have a few charms, but when it feels like winter almost six months a year, the good things aren't always easy to remember.

So I saw a quiz on Facebook titled "Where Should You Be Living?" and immediately went to work. And when it was all said and done, the verdict was—wait for it, Paris.

PARIS! City of love.

Now I haven't been to Paris yet, but I'm definitely looking forward to it. I mean, who couldn't love a place that's home to The Lourvre, Hemingway, everything Hermés and rich, butter-saturated delicacies at every corner?

But given the language barrier (yeah, I don't speak French), today's wretched exchange rate for our poor little dollar and the fact that I couldn't exactly thrive as a freelancer there, I'm thinking that Paris might not be the place for Will and I.
Now, California...that's another story.

Yeah, it's expensive and smoggy, and the traffic is definitely less than desirable. Plus, some people actually get sick of the perpetual sunshine (something I still can't quite fathom), but I think I could roll in a place that's just a stone's throw from the Pacific. Every time I've visited Cali, I've had an exceptional, exceptional time, and I couldn't imagine that being much different if Will and I actually called it home.

But since it looks like we're going to be stuck here for a little longer at least, it is fun to dream in the meantime. I mean, Paris or California...that's not exactly a bad scenario either way...

2008: The Year in Numbers

Since I never got around to writing a Christmas letter this year, (trust me, it was challenging enough to send out 90 handwritten cards, and I think I still missed some people), I thought my blog would be the ideal place to sum up everything 2008.

And by the way, if you were one of the people I shafted on the card front, please accept this blog entry as a peace offering, 'cause c'mon, you probably would've already thrown away my card by now, right? I mean, it is a whopping four days after Christmas.

Ok, that doesn't make me feel any better. Will you please just accept my sincerest apologies if I missed ya?

Ah yes, that's much better.

Now to commemorate 2008 in all its glory, I've decided to take a numeric approach. So with no further adieu, here's the breakdown from the fabulous to the mundane (in no particular order):

*Months I Actually Stayed Put in Minnesota For the Entire 30-31 Days: 2
 
*Awesome Graduation Ceremonies I Went to: 1
Will graduated with his M.A. in Christian Thought from Bethel Seminary on May 31 (Magna Cum Laude, although he'd never tell you that). I was one proud wife to say the least!

*Non-Awesome Graduation Ceremonies Attended: None

*Albums I Reviewed: 77

*Movies I Reviewed: 45

*Movies I Actually Gave Positive Reviews to: 18

*Nieces Born: 1
(Yes, that's Miss Adelyn Grace McCormick at Christmas this year...she's nearly five months old when this was taken).

*Stamps on My Passport: 2
(to Scotland via Manchester, England)

*Hours Spent on Facebook Before Scrabulous Shut Down: Countless

*Hours Spent on Facebook After Scrabulous Shut Down: Not as Embarrassing

*Total of Katy Perry Songs I Listened to All the Way Through: 0

*Number of Jonas Brothers Songs I Listened to All the Way Through: 1

*Number of Jonas Brothers Songs I Wish I'd Listened to All the Way Through: 0

*Times I Gorged on Fruit Tea for Days and Days, Thanks to Trips to Nashville: 3

*Trips to Colorado Springs for Fun Family Time and Book Signings: 3

*Leaps for Joy I Made When the Presidential Election Was Over: 2

*Speaking Engagements in Springfield, Missouri: 1

*Novels That Released: 1
(Blessed Are the Meddlers hit shelves on August 15)

*Book Signings I Did: 18

*Times I Removed My MacBook From My Computer Bag for Security Purposes: 10
 
*Hours Basking in the SoCal Sunshine: 264

*Times I Saw Twilight: 2
(And yeah, I actually liked it in a guilty pleasure sort of way!)

*Number of Times I Still Couldn't Believe the Packers Traded Brett Favre: At least 16

*Resolutions I Have for 2009: Still deciding...

Christmas Eve

While I'm probably not quite as giddy as most kids are on Christmas Eve, there's always a certain excitement about Christmas morning that never leaves—no matter how old you are. Even though it's just Will and I this year, I am already excited about peeking in the stockings and ripping off the paper on the presents we got for each other. And instead of the usual Christmas feast, I can't wait to make Will a big Italian meal...three-cheese tortellini, bread and red wine. Who knows? We may even sing a Christmas carol or two (or I'll let him since he's the far superior singer, while I'm at least 99.9% tone-deaf).

But as joyous as the season always is, I can't help but have a slightly melancholy feeling around 11:00 a.m. each year on Christmas Eve when I think about what happened back in 1990. Yes, only one day before Christmas that particular year (I was a freshman in high school), my 38-year-old father lost his battle with cancer and went to be with Jesus. Of course, that's a joyous ending to what had been many hard months of pain and struggle, but I still can't help but miss him being here on earth all the same. And when 11:00 a.m. rolled around today, I couldn't believe it had been 18 years since that sad morning when my Mom told me "He's gone." I remember my sadness and absolute disbelief that my dad, still a young man, wouldn't be joining us Christmas celebrations anymore. I felt for my brother and sister, who were only 9 and 7 at the time and felt guilty for having so many more memories of him by virtue of being older. And I remember how my Dad always loved Christmas and was just like a big kid whenever presents were involved. Weeks before the big day, he'd shake the boxes and guess what exactly what was inside with astounding precision.

He was so good, in fact, that we had to resort to stuffing his gifts inside the wrong boxes to keep him from guessing what everything was. I also remember the Christmas he was sooo excited that he advocated for us opening all our gifts on Christmas Eve. While my Mom was decidedly reluctant, she eventually gave in, and we tore in with vigor. Just like she said, there wasn't anything for Christmas morning, which was a little disappointing for me, but he was happy all the same.

Now I can't help but wonder if he'd feel the same way about Christmas (my guess is yes). I think he'd love hanging with all of us (I would've loved for him to meet my hubby, Will and Lindsey's hubby, Shayne—I think they all would've got along great) and would take special pleasure in seeing his new little granddaughter Adelyn and throwing the football for old time's sake with my brother Casey.

While I don't know exactly how the whole heaven thing works, I'd like to think he's been able to eavesdrop on a few of our Christmas celebrations and smiles whenever he sees how happy we are. I know that we were always thrilled to pieces whenever he was around; he always made everything so much fun, and I really miss him dearly.

So because I can't say it in person, I'll say it here: Merry Christmas, Dad. I bet the choir is pretty amazing up there...

'Tis the Season

I really can't believe that it's only a week until Christmas Eve...where oh where has December gone?

But so far, it's been really fun getting ready for Christmas. I baked just two batches of cookies this year since I'm dieting—mint M&M and peanut butter blossoms with an almond Hershey's Kiss in the center. For the record, I managed to only eat one of each, so really that's the biggest Christmas miracle of all.

We also put up our tree last Sunday, which is always a ton of fun, too. We've got everyone from Elvis to the Packers (of course!) to adorable snowmen represented ornament-wise, and the dancing Frosty is in the corner (a gift from Cracker Barrel last year where my Mom works part-time).

The stockings are also hung, but not by the chimney with care since we happen to be sans fireplace. But now that I've officially completed all the holiday shopping (a full 8 days early, natch), I think the Banisters are officially ready for December 25th. Tomorrow we're off to Dallas to hang with Will's family for a few days, so at least we'll get a little non-snowy holiday fun in as well. And since it's been below zero the past few days, I definitely couldn't ask for a better gift. I know, I know, it's a bit ridiculous not to love snow on Christmas, but after growing up in Wisconsin and living in MN for seven years total between college and the last three years, there's really no love lost when it's not around.

Now on that grinchy note, a jolly Merry Christmas to everyone reading...
Christa