Alive & Well :)

I wish I could get back in the blogging groove! We've had a busy fall.

Last week we enjoyed a week away at a cabin. It was quiet and peaceful and just what we needed. I took precisely zero pictures and Andrew took maybe six. We saw our first snow of the season which excited the boys - me...not so much. :) We visited a chocolate factory and enjoyed some delicious treats. And we went on one hike (it was a prairie maze) and went to one museum. We also visited with my sister and brother-in-law and some very good friends. I read Jane Eyre for the first time and loved it! It was a delightfully rare treat to be able to read so much - something I enjoyed so much when I was younger and find tough to squeeze in amidst everything (I tend to fall asleep two pages into reading at night :)). All in all, a great week.

I'm very excited that The Cooks Next Door re-launched this week. After a hiatus since mid-August and several conversations as well as a weekend retreat, Steph and & I decided to change some things and to bring it back to life. We are posting daily between now and Thanksgiving and then planning for 2-3 new posts/week after that. We also are tweeting (@cooksnextdoor) (I'm working hard to understand Twitter a little more) and we started a facebook fan page - you can "like" us here. I'm looking forward to collaborating with Stephanie - we will be bringing you all types of recipes including seasonal, simple, gluten-free, vegetarian, and more.

Well, we are back to reality this week and getting ready for the start of the holiday season - can you believe it's already here?! I'm busily cleaning and recovering from vacation while starting to think about all of the baking and cooking for next week. I love the cozy, warm feelings that the holidays bring to our home.

Any plans for you, readers? Are you baking, cooking, hosting? Any great recipes? I'm hoping to try a sweet potato pie with bacon this week!