Happy Monday, friends!

Is anyone else so excited it is a short week? I have a full, busy day at work today, but—knock on wood—it should be all downhill from here. Tomorrow is one of my all-time favorite days at work each year: our annual Thanksgiving potluck luncheon. All 75 or so of us in the office each bring a dish to share and when it’s time for lunch, we all gather in the main conference room until we’ve stuffed ourselves silly. Most workdays, I usually eat at my desk, so it’s nice to share a meal with both my direct teammates and those in the office I might not usually have the chance to eat with.

This year we’re mixing things up a bit and doing non-traditional Thanksgiving foods, which I’m actually pretty excited about! I’m making these cookie bars (with fall M&Ms!) to share since they are often requested by my coworkers. After, on our half-day on Wednesday, we bring out all the leftovers and pretty much have a second feast—it’s one of the benefits of being local for the holiday!

Even though Thanksgiving isn’t until Thursday, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about what I’m thankful for—and I’m lucky that my list is pretty long! In the spirit of cheesy ice breakers at family get-togethers, I wanted to share a few things that I am especially grateful for:

• My Faith—I’m thankful to believe in a God that will never forsake me, always gives me the strength I need, who sent his only begotten son to pay my ransom. (PS. If you feel like you’re missing something in your life—His light is always on! Feel free to DM me if you want to know more about my faith and/or join me at Mass here in Arlington.)
• My Family—not only do I have an amazing immediate family, I am lucky to have an extended family that sticks together. One of my favorite parts of living in Arlington is that I am close to my family and can partake in both planned and spontaneous events.
• My Friends—I consider myself lucky to have forged such genuine friendships from all different chapters of my life—middle school, high school, college, post-grad. I am so thankful I have friends that are loyal, show up when I need them the most, and love exploring with me.
• My Health—one of my coworkers always says “our health is our wealth,” and I could not agree more. I am thankful to be psychically able to do all the things I want to do and mentally in a place where I am very happy. I am also grateful that I have made more of an effort this year to exercise regularly, and for the “third place” I have found at both spin class and Orangetheory.
• A Job I Love—it’s true what they say—you spend more time at work than you do anywhere else. It’s not lost on me that I am lucky to have a job that challenges me, provides me the opportunity for growth, and allows me to work alongside great people. I’m also thankful that through this job, I am able to not only meet my needs, but have disposable income to travel, dine, shop, and share experiences with those I love.
• A Passion Project—I’m thankful that I have a passion project—this blog!—that feeds my creativity and has given me opportunities and friendships beyond my wildest dreams when I made a Blogger account nearly four years ago. And I am especially grateful for anyone reading this post now—my readers are the best!

I could write an entire blog about what I am thankful for, but in addition to the things enumerated above, just know I’m counting my blessings each and every day. I’d love to know what you’re thankful for this year—let me know in the comments below.

(As an aside, I know it’s always much harder to find gratitude—especially around the holidays—when you’re in the midst of a difficult time. If that’s you this year, I’m sending you wishes for love and brighter days ahead!)

I’ll save you all the long narrative about this easy, last-minute Thanksgiving outfit since I know it is a busy week for everyone. All the details are linked below, but my favorite thing about this outfit is that it can be pulled together with items you probably already have in your closet.

I’ll be back tomorrow with more holiday content for you, but if you don’t pop by here before Thanksgiving—I hope you have a warm one, and again, I am so thankful everyday for your readership and continued support! x

*** SHOP THE POST ***
Halogen Lace Yoke Ruffle Top
Loft Modern Skinny Jeans
Halogen Oliver Wrap Ankle Flat
Madewell Prague Satchel
Baublebar Mya Drops
Ray Ban Aviators
ASOS Tartan Blanket Scarf—nearly identical one here for $23

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Photos by Monica Dutia