Nine Favorite Things.

Thanks for joining me for another Nine Favorite Things post.

Happy Sunday before Thanksgiving! It’s crazy that Thanksgiving week is already here, I feel like this month is flying by! I’m very much looking forward to a slower week ahead and I’m really hoping for snow on Thanksgiving Day. It’s currently in our forecast, so fingers crossed. I LOVE a snow-filled Thanksgiving Day. It’s the perfect weather for cutting down our Christmas tree, then staying inside to cook and bake all day. See, sounds perfect, right? For me, it’s the ideal way to spend Thanksgiving. And really Christmas too…nothing, and I really mean nothing, beats out a snow-filled Christmas Day.

Anyway, I’m excited and already very prepared to start decorating for Christmas on Thanksgiving night. My dad did the sweetest thing for me the other day after my LA trip was postponed. I was pretty bummed out and he clearly took note because he showed up at the studio with not one, but two, Christmas trees for me. He said I needed some holiday cheer. For a guy that’s the real-life version of The Grinch, this was an overly sweet fatherly gesture. Sure got to love him.

The real question is, should I decorate the trees now or wait until Thanksgiving. The type A Tieghan inside of me says to wait until Thanksgiving, but the other side of me is so ready for Christmas…

Question: How are you guys spending Thanksgiving this year? Any traditions you love and are looking forward to? What’s different this year?

And now, it’s really just time to start thinking about all the Thanksgiving prep. Are you guys cooking this year? Are any of you majorly prepping for the big meal today or are you having a smaller Thanksgiving this year that requires less prep? If you need some menu inspiration, tips, and/or tricks, be sure you check out our 2020 Thanksgiving menu and guide. Are there any HBH recipes you guys are planning to make? I am SO EXCITED to (hopefully) see what you’ve made on Instagram come Thanksgiving night. It’s always my favorite going through all your Instagram photos and messages. My only hope is that none of you have any disasters!

And lastly, another Oslo update! He’s good, always snuggled tight in my mom’s arms…since she has a hard time ever putting him down. I said this last week, but her eyes have a special sparkle to them these days. He’s been such a bright spot in all of our lives. And what’s been even more fun this week? All of my brothers finally got to meet him for the very first time. Everyone is together for Thanksgiving and it’s so fun to see. My mom’s the happiest with everyone together. All the photos below are thanks to my brother Kai (Malachi), who I made sure to ask for photos from. My mom’s iPhone photos are, of course cute, but Kai has a talent for always capturing the best moments.

Speaking of Kai, it’s his 25th birthday on Tuesday and I’m still struggling with just what to get him. Kai does A LOT for me and while yes, he does work with us on HBH (he creates all our video content), he goes above and beyond his job title. I need to think up something good…and quick!

Coming up this week on HBH, we’ll be sharing an easy, last-minute appetizer that’s always a favorite. A holiday breakfast that’s really worth waking up for. And then for Wednesday, well, I’m torn between an appetizer or a dinner roll. Any requests? We’ll be taking Thanksgiving Day off, but back up on Friday with a sweet treat that will be perfect to enjoy while decking the halls! And for Saturday? We’ll be kicking off Christmas Cocktail Saturday. Again, I’m so excited!

Question: what are you guys looking forward to most this week?

Enjoy this week’s favorites! Lots of holiday talk below!

1. Things I’m loving, wanting, and excited to try…

watching…Miracle on 34th Street, A Thanksgiving night tradition.

cooking…Red Wine Braised Short Ribs. One of my favorite late November and December recipes.

loving…Zara Home for holiday decor. Ordered these ornaments and these candles.

ordered…with nowhere to go, I still decided to order the cutest holiday dress, tights, and boots. Might dress up just because I love this outfit.

gifting…this Skating Santa Snow Globe. Can’t wait to surprise Asher.

wanting…to heal my chapped lips. They’ve never been so dry and everything I’m using seems to be making it worse. Any suggestions?

listening to…Christmas music. But the classics, and not until Thanksgiving Day…going to hold out for that snow!

ordering…these Zara boots. Cute, but also perfect for the Colorado cold.

thinking about ordering…these cashmere holiday sweaters. The Snowflake Crewneck and Sledding Goat Crewneck are the perfect “ugly”, but cute Christmas sweaters.

ordered…this Red and White Striped Bowl from Crate and Barrel. Something fun is coming soon!

ordered…more of this North Pole wrapping paper. I got this last year and it’s one of my favorite rolls. Use it sparingly however, it runs out fast.

loving…Oribe Shampoo and Conditioner also from Violet Grey. I know I mentioned this last week, but I’m obsessed. My hair smells, looks, and feels good for days after washing. I’ve never used such a nice hair product before.

drinking…Vanilla Espresso Martini. New favorite holiday cocktail.

watching…Expert Tips on Decorating, Entertaining, and Gifting for the Holiday Season with the Martha Stewart team. I got sucked into this one, but if you love holiday decor, watch it.

2. My Favorite Last Minute Appetizers.

How to Make an Easy Holiday Cheese Board

Cranberry Brie Pastry Tarts

Goat Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates with Honey

Cranberry Brie Pull Apart Bread

Everything Ranch Cheese and Pretzel Snack Mix

5 Ingredient Cranberry Brie Cinnamon Puff Pastry Swirls

Burrata with Lemon Pepper Salami Bites

Oven Toasted Garlic Herb Cheese Ravioli

Mini Pastry Wrapped Cranberry Baked Brie Bites

3 Ingredient Cheesy Pizza Pretzels

3. The Best Holiday Candles.

4. Favorite Questions of The Week.

q: What’s been your favorite Christmas gift?
a: The painting my little sister made for me last year! It’s hanging on my wall next to my desk and I love it! She spent so much time making it!

q: How far ahead are you usually on recipes? How long does it take for recipes start to finish?
a: I am not far ahead on recipes at all, but I wish I was! I’ve found I’m most creative when my recipes are less planned and more about what I feel in the mood to make or what’s inspiring me.

Some recipes are easier and only take one or two rounds of testing. But others are harder and can take multiple attempts, and multiple days. It really just depends on the recipe! On average, I test a recipe 3-4 times before finally sharing it with you guys.

q: What’s your favorite Thanksgiving tradition?
a: First, I love just getting to spend the day cooking for my family. I love mixing them drinks and just hanging together. Our Thanksgiving is always very low key and casual. Then, cutting down our Christmas tree…or trees really!? And lastly, watching Miracle on 34th Street. Happens every Thanksgiving night!

q: What’s your favorite clothing brand? Your sweaters always look so cozy!
a: I don’t have one favorite brand, but most of my sweaters come from Shopbop, Zara, or & Other Stories. Oh, and Sezane too!

q: What is the age difference between you and Asher?
a: We’re 15 years apart!!

5. Thanksgiving Tips of the Week.

Thanksgiving Tip: 11

Plan Your Menu

If you haven’t already, get your menu planned! We have less than 4 days left till Thanksgiving. So take time today to hammer out your menu, test new recipes, write out a grocery list, and get organized!

If you’re having anyone bring a dish…tell them what to bring.

It’s always easier and less overwhelming when you’re organized and crossing things off your list each day. Don’t do everything the day before…or worse yet, the day of.

Reader Tip: Defrost Your Turkey in The Fridge Ahead of Time

Yuppp! Remember to thaw that bird! It’s easy to forget…trust me, been there done that. We’ve had a couple of years where we thawed our turkey in the bathtub. It works, but I don’t recommend it.

Reader Tip: Mashed Potatoes in the Crockpot

Yes! See my recipe here.

Thanksgiving Tip: 12

Stock Your Bar Cart 

Start stocking up on everything you need to make your favorite drinks! Plot what you’re making, pick up the booze, and make sure you’ve got everything you need for a good Thanksgiving cocktail.

Reader Tip: Read through your recipes the day before to double-check ingredients and steps. 

Yes! Do this! It’s always good to be extra prepared and make sure you have everything you need. Trust me, the grocery store on Thanksgiving Day is the worst.

Thanksgiving Tip: 13

Serve Cocktails

Nothing groundbreaking about this, but you’ve got to serve up a drink or two. It doesn’t matter if it’s just the two of you or a group. Everyone loves to have a drink in hand. It immediately makes people feel welcomed and relaxed. I recommend a pitcher style drink so you’re not playing bartender while also cooking Thanksgiving dinner.

See all my holiday cocktails here.

Reader Tip: Exercise before eating. Run that turkey trot! You’ll have more energy to hang with family.

Kind of love this one! My mom usually makes us do a family hike to cut down our Christmas tree. It’s not something everyone wants to do, but everyone is always hungry for dinner afterward!

Thanksgiving Tip: 14

Set the Table Way Ahead of Time

This is something my grandma taught me, and it’s probably my favorite entertaining trick. She’d always set her holiday tables a week ahead. If that’s not possible, at least set them the night before. It’s one more thing you can cross off your checklist early. Plus you’ll be guaranteed to have the table set and looking pretty when guests arrive.

Reader Tip: Label serving dishes with post-it’s so you know everything has a spot.

Love this tip! My grandma used to do this as well. It saves so much time…and stress before dinner.

6. Thankful For The Little Things.

This year, I’m thankful for all the little things, which really just involves my family! To be honest, I’m the oddball out in my family, but that doesn’t me we’re not all close. In fact, we’re incredibly tight-knit. I’m thankful that with seven siblings (and 3 cousins), we all get along so well. We genuinely enjoy spending time together. We’re each other’s best friends and it’s nice to always know someone has your back and will pitch in to help when it’s needed.

The cool thing about my family is that it doesn’t just include my seven siblings, it also includes my three cousins. They are very much a part of the fam, it’s like we’re all siblings. We were all close before, but when my aunt passed 8 years ago, they pretty much became siblings.

As mentioned above, my brother Kai does a lot for me and puts up with A LOT. I’m constantly texting him asking photography/tech questions. Or to pick a photo because I can’t make up my mind. The number of things he does for me is unreal and I’m forever grateful.

And then, there is Kai’s girlfriend, Cait. Cait helps with a lot of the comments on HBH. But more recently she has taken on the role of being my personal stylist. She’s living in LA working as a stylist, so whenever I have events or trips, she pulls clothing pieces for me. For my LA trip (that got postponed) she picked out the cutest set of outfits. If you need a stylist in LA, she’s your girl.

My two cousins, Maggie and Abby, both work with us on HBH on the social side of things. Honestly, they’ve been my saving grace this past year and I couldn’t get by without these two. Not only because of their help, but all banter back and forth keeps the positivity flowing. And I love bouncing ideas/thoughts off of them.

Lastly, my sister in law Lyndsie, who is my unofficial recipe adviser. I’m constantly going back and forth with her whenever I need some advice on a recipe. She always gives the best (most honest) feedback.

I could go on and on listing out each family member. But you get the idea…this year I am grateful for my family.

7. Favorite Links I’m Loving…

Long Wool Coats on Our Must-Have Lists…all of these are cute, but especially love this coat.

What Kristin Cavallari Can’t Live Without…I ordered these leggings and have to say, they’re pretty comfy.

Create Your Most Organized Pantry…using only IKEA products.

49 Best Christmas Decoration Ideas of 2020…getting in that holiday spirit. So many cute ideas here.

15 Thanksgiving Must-Haves from Trader Joe’s…the cranberry cheese for me.

20 Beauty Gifts Under $100 You’ll Want for Yourself…adding to my cart.

29 Black Friday Sales…who’s shopping the sales this week?

5 Nap Nooks That Take Lounging to the Next Level…bring on the cozy winter days.

6 Clean Holiday Candles…It’s such a splurge, but I’m a fan of the Trudon Candles.

What Lauren Conrad Can’t Live Without…excited to try the LC Beauty Lip & Cheek Tint.

30 Thanksgiving Sides That’ll Steal the Turkey’s Thunder…yum. These all sound delicious.

11 Things I Wish I Could Have Told Myself When I Was in That Shitty Relationship…because everyone has been there.

The Bachelor Mansion Is Now on Airbnb…I’ve never seen even one episode, but I know how well-loved this show is.

42 Thanksgiving Quotes to Fill You With Gratitude…love these.

8. Favorites Picks From The Shopbop Sale…

9. this week’s dinners…

Monday: Creamy Gnocchi Soup with Rosemary Bacon

Tuesday: 30 Minute Spicy Sesame Noodles with Ginger Chicken

Wednesday: One Pan 4 Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta Bake

Thursday: Our 2020 Thanksgiving Menu and Guide

Friday: One Pot Creamy Turkey and Potato Dumplings

Saturday Sip: Creamy Coconut Hot Chocolate

Sunday Sweet Treat: Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Cupcakes with Butter Pecan Frosting

Check out all the past Nine Favorite Things posts here.

Lastly, if you’re catching up on blog posts from the week, be sure to sign up for our daily newsletters. They’ll help you to stay up to date with everything that’s happening here, as well as fun content you’ll only get via email. If you’re meal planning today, don’t forget to check out my menu below (it’s # 9 on the favorite’s list). You can grab the full grocery list for this week’s menu in our special Sunday newsletter.