What's your favorite Thanksgiving dish?
Also in here: Boy Howdy, a fun way to help IVF patients, & Matchy Christmas
Hi my dears! First things first:
Tomorrow the guide to Meaningful Gifts for Kids will be here!
Next week, instead of a regular Handpicked, I’ll be sending my third and final gift guide, Meaningful Gifts for Women We Love (Including Ourselves).
Thank you so much for reading and clicking on my gift guides! Usually I only made a few dollars a week from my commissionable links, but it all adds up, and I am so grateful to you for supporting me when you shop. If you’re looking for a specific gift, email me! I’d love to help you find the perfect thing.
thanksgiving
I’m from a huge family: the second of seven kids, with over 100 cousins + uncles + aunts just on my dad’s side. We’re all close and gather as often as we can. Naturally, given the size of our group, I have very different world views than a lot of my family members, even though we mostly share the same religion (Church of Jesus Christ, aka Mormon). I have always been very anti-Trump, and I struggle to understand how and why so many people I love voted for a person I think is dangerous, disgusting, and should be in prison. Many of my family members feel the opposite and think he’s absolutely terrific. Some others “held their noses” and voted for him because, though they feel he’s immoral, they like his policies. A few choose not to disclose who they voted for.
And in eight days, we’ll be sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner, with all of this swirling.
My imperfect solution is to prioritize the person in front of me, focusing on why I love them, hoping they’ll do the same for me. Do I think they cast a vote for a horrendous, violent misogynist? Yes. Does that transform my loved one into a horrendous, violent misogynist? Not to me. I’m lucky enough that I’ll never have to spend Thanksgiving with Mr. Trump, thank God. So I’m unburdening myself from him, from his vicious and terrifying grip on American culture, and lowering myself into the here and now with the people I choose to love. Staying up late with my grandma, making pies with my sisters, walking with my parents. Loving them in their imperfections (and praying they’ll love me in mine) is my challenge and my honor.
AND WITH THAT
I’d love to know what you’re looking forward to eating at Thanksgiving dinner. Cornbread stuffing and garlic mashed potatoes are my top two. What’s your favorite Thanksgiving dish? Tell us!!!
painting
I’m getting close to finished on this painting of my cousin’s pup who recently passed away. Truthfully, I’m not a dog person. A dog painting person, however, yes.
if you have a moment…
Last week I received a note from a wonderful reader named Moriah. I’m sharing it here:
“For anyone looking to do some service right now: I have a goal to deliver 100 friendship bracelets to the Utah Fertility Center, where I did IVF last year, for patients going through fertility treatments. I’d love for them to have encouraging messages like “You’ve got this,” “You are brave,” etc. They don’t need to be fancy at all!
If you know of anyone who would like to make some bracelets, they can **fill out this form** and I will tell them where they can send the bracelets.
I know a lot of us feel hopeless right now, especially women, which is why I wanted to do something to help. Let’s all keep praying that our reproductive rights stay safe for women experiencing miscarriages, fertility issues, or any other scary reproductive situations.”
—Moriah M.
Thank you for sharing, Moriah. I know the loneliness of secondary infertility, and I’m so grateful for wonderful readers who are doing kind things like this out in the world.
today’s bouquet
Calling all Texans: sign up for a brilliant NEW newsletter all about Austin, TX written by lifelong Texan and breakfast queen, my artsy friend Rachel Giberson.
I’m DYING to start a Little Free Library and paint it with flowers and fairies and rainbows. Do you have one? Please send me your tips!
No link for this, but can I just say, if you’re cranky, have an Oreo. With milk. Pretty sure this is a medical solution for all bad moods.
Cry Once a Week is the best and worst thing on the internet. (via Matt R.)
Striking portraits made from nothing but flowers, fruits and vegetables!
A gorgeous Navajo tapestry painstakingly woven to precisely replicate a computer chip.
One French pastel maker is carrying on a centuries-old (and sort of secret) artisan method. Nearly 2,000 colors! Keep an eye out for these pastels in next week’s gift guide :-)
My sister Lizzy and I exchanged a flurry of texts yesterday morning over the new Dôen collection — we’re dying over this sexy top and this black dress (her) and this plaid dress (moi).
Terrible news, I bought these jeans after Jen Shoop shared some similar ones; I figured they would look bad on me and I would send them back. Incorrect. They’re MAGNIFICENT. Time for some budget gymnastics.
Two terrific tomato finds: a tomato-painted dutch oven (shared by
) and an heirloom tomato menorah. I have no need for either but I want them both!!In my Anthro cart: a tapestry for a secret project and a mint sweater.
“The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff.”
— Carl Sagan
happy holiday
Skip this section if you’re not ready for Christmas yet!
I rounded up a bunch of pieces for moms who like to match with their kids. Matchy Christmas, y’all!
This salad bowl is hands-down the hardest working Christmas item in my home. (And it’s only $39 right now.)
If you need a little computer snack, John Derian’s holiday category is the correct activity.
Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call by Bleachers is the perfectly painful holiday track for those ringing in the post-breakup season.
Actually gasped when I saw this gardeny menorah! I’m obsessed.
Keep an eye out for the Meaningful Gifts for Kids — tomorrow!
last thing
Most popular link from last week: an accurate visual of having four kids
Readers today: 1,807
Grateful for you.
an enormous amount of gravy poured over mashed potatoes! 😊
We have a Little Free Library at my work and it is great! There's a nonprofit in the area partnered with Little Free Library that helps us keep it stocked with books, too :)