Full Hearts This Thanksgiving

to Read (

Words)

Well, the long and beautiful Thanksgiving weekend has come and passed already. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with full hearts and full bellies. We have so much to be grateful for this season and always. We started Thanksgiving Day with a delicious and traditional feast with Ryan's family and ended the day with another amazing traditional feast with my family.

Maternity dress and outfit details at the end of the post.

We took a bunch of photos before we left because that's what I love to do! This is a season of our lives that I want to celebrate now and always. That bump on my belly that grows bigger each morning is a miracle. She is the answer to so many prayers, and the reason each day of our lives is full of Thanksgiving. This Thanksgiving is night and day compared to the last. This year we have a new story to tell about faith and God and prayer.

I cried. I prayed. He listened. I praised. Psalms 66:17-20

My sister's girls, my nieces, they're so excited about our little sweet pea!

Thanksgiving Prayer

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food,

For love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

For flowers that bloom about our feet;

For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;

For song of bird, and hum of bee;

For all things fair we hear or see;

Father in Heaven, we thank Thee!

by Ralph Waldo Emerson

This year I baked pecan pies and I tried a new recipe. The Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies were a Pinterest find and they were delicious. Ryan and I decided they'll need to become a Thanksgiving Tradition. I've shared the recipe at the end of this post.

Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies

Prep time Total time
20 mins 30 mins
Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies: soft, moist pecan cookies topped with an easy brown sugar frosting. Perfect for Christmas or holiday baking!
Serves: 3 dozen

Ingredients Cookies:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
1⁄2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour (I did 50% whole wheat, 50% all-purpose, but you could use all-purpose)
1⁄2 tsp baking soda
1⁄4 tsp salt
1⁄2 cup finely chopped pecans
36 pecan halves or chopped pecans, toasted, optional
Frosting:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1⁄2 cup milk or cream (I use 1% milk)*
1 tbsp butter or margarine
11⁄2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions Cookies:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
Add in flour, baking soda, and salt beat until combined. Stir in chopped pecans.
Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes (or more).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Shape into 1" balls (I used a 1 tbsp cookie scoop) and place a couple inches apart on lightly greased
cookie sheets or parchment paper. Bake 10 minutes or until set (not glossy at all in the middle) and lightly browned at the edges. Cool before frosting.

Frosting

Combine brown sugar and milk in a small pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil and boil 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in butter.
Stir in 11⁄2 cups powdered sugar and whisk or beat with a mixer until smooth. If frosting is too thin, add more sugar, but keep in mind it will firm up dramatically within a few minutes.
Spread each cookie with about 1 tbsp frosting and top with a pecan or chopped pecans. Let frosting set before storing.

*I didn't have milk so I used almond milk and a little bit of vanilla coffee creamer!
Link to original source & recipe above.

Outfit Details
My maternity dress is from ASOS here.
My lipstick is MAC Saint Germain with this beautiful BLUE (yes BLUE!) in Soft Hint on top.
I can't go without my maternity tights.
My shoes are not available this year, but something similar here and here.
Pearl necklace similar here and here.
Go to fall and winter fragrance is Black Opium.