THANKSGIVING 2016

This Thanksgiving was bittersweet - it was the first one without my grandma, and the last one in her house ever.

It was still a happy Thanksgiving. My grandma raised such a wonderful family (eight kids!) and I love my aunts and uncles and cousins so much.

(Even when I have to answer how I like to Chicago, how my job search is coming, how Joe is, and how the rest of the Appalachian Trail was to each and every one of them. ;p )

We ate lots, caught up lots, and laughed lots. My ten year old cousin also tried to school me on the concept of infinity... so yeah, there's that too.

Hope you had a good one. xo

Christmas Day + More Rochester

Christmas Day and the day after Christmas were spent with my other side of the family: The Gugel's (pronounced Googles). They're the one I always go to the 1000 Islands with. Here are some bits from those days... 

For the record this gnocchi recipe is out of this world delish. My mom has made it the last two years and both times it has been the first thing that runs out!

We did a white elephant with presents that were all under $5 this year. As it turns out, $5 can buy quite a lot. I ended up with a tupperware container. It probably doesn't sound exciting, but I was actually quite excited by it. Hah. 

From the very end of the night when the selfie stick came out. What an odd (yet fun) contraption. Am I allowed to say that without being judged?  

And then we made it to the day after Christmas. On this splendid day, the gang went for a long walk after breakfast. One of my favorite things about my Gugel side of the family is that everyone is so active. Our time in the 1000 Islands every summer is definitely a testament to that. Everyone fills their days with morning hikes, followed by afternoon paddles, followed by late afternoon swims, and then evening walks or field games. I hadn't exactly realized that until the first time Joe ever came with me. I had taken him for a hike in the morning and while we ate lunch he was like, "Well that was a fun day." And I was like, "But it's not over - the activities are only starting!" I do love my fam-peeps though. 

After we finally made it back from our walk, it was time for some lunch and goodbyes. Afterward, the immediate fam hit the road to the Adirondacks. Not without stopping at the Genesee Brewery first though! While we had just planned on getting a Christmas gift for our family friend who is a Genesee Beer junkie, we ended up sharing a quick flight before hitting the road again. This was my favorite.

Cheers!

Christmas Eve

So I'm back to regular posting and here to say, merry many days after Christmas Eve! After my birthday and a day in Westchester, the immediate Oliver Family drove up to Rochester. Our first stop was to spend Christmas Eve with the ever-so-extended Oliver Family. As I mentioned last Christmas Eve, they're a riot. (Do you have any funnies in your family?)

Here are some of the events that transpired:

- After chilling together all night, my cousin's kids never couldn't remember my name. Oh kids.

- However, my grandma didn't call me by the wrong name (always happens to someone in huge Oliver Family gatherings).

- My cousins and I still managed to not be so grown up and laughed during the meal blessing.

- My aunt made red velvet cookies that weren't red (???) and didn't contain gluten.

- I drank the perfect amount of whiskey sours.

- And ate three servings of mashed potatoes.

- My grandpa and uncles talked about all the crazy punishments their Catholic school nuns put them through.

- My aunts, grandma, cousin, and I all Facebook stalked (and gossiped about) the girl my cousin is dating that no one had met yet.

- My high school aged cousins obliged and accepted the older cousins' Snapchat requests.

- And somehow, I miraculously managed to stay up past eleven.

Black Friday Treasures

Even though I didn't participate in Black Friday (I'm not really that type),  I acquired some really cool things from both my grandmothers' houses on that fine day, so I figured I'd share my little trove of history (and other anecdotes) here.


01. A Picture Of My Grandma, Her Sister, And Her Cousins From The 1930's
I love this picture. My grandma is third from the left and her sister is the one to her right. Everything about this picture looks so classic including the frilly socks and the chocolate milk with straws.

02. An Authentic Norwegian Ski Sweater & Hat
A (hand-me-down) souvenir set from my grandma's trip to Norway in the early1950's, when she studied in France on a Fulbright Scholarship. Clearly this one required a selfie ;)

03. A Set Of Depression Era Glass Candlesticks
These (and many other rose-colored Depression Era place settings) have been sitting in my grandma's basement for 15+ years.  They belonged to my great grandmother Rosalie, which I keep thinking is funny because Rosealie's favorite color was appropriately rose.

04. A Mini-Cuisinart
My other grandma loves to go to estate sales because one of her favorite things in life is probably walking through other peoples' decorate houses. Like she even loved seeing both my ground floor college apartments and my sophomore year dorm room!

At a sale a few years ago she discovered her first mini Cuisinart food processor, and I'm convinced that she has picked up just about every single one of those on the Rochester estate sale circuit since. Finally it was my turn to receive one and I'm happy to say that it's seeming pretty handy so far.

Family Clambake

Oh hello, amies! Hoping you had nice weekends! This past weekend, I was in Rochester to celebrate my grandma's 75th birthday. Just like almost all the classic Oliver family parties of the past, this celebration was done in the style of a clambake.

I don't eat clams, but it was a really nice day... There was lots of food, lots of family, and lots of fun...

Even if this awkward picture of my guy cousins speaks to the opposite ;p
(Seriously though, what is it with guys never wanting to smile in pictures?!)

I also finally got to see one of my cousins who I haven't seen in more than four years! It's crazy how things just pick up where they leave off, even when people have kids or college degrees or live with their boyfriends or are six foot nine (not even kidding, one of my cousins is that tall!).

All in all, it was a quick (and tiring), but really good trip.
Already looking forward to go back in less than a month for Thanksgiving!