Looks like another yummy one… a Peoria Pumpkin Pie!!! Homemade pie in a handmade pie dish… the perfect combo!!! As we know everything tastes better in handmade pottery! Thanks for sharing Kristy!!!

Looks like someone was captured making quite a feast!!!
But it’s really the fine mug collection in the background that caught my attention!!!
Thanks for sharing!!!

So yesterday we celebrated Thanksgiving with my family… and I made the pumpkin pies. It was the first time I have ever “blind baked” the crust first so it would be nice & flaky… no soggy bottoms. Thanks to my friend, former student & baking show winner Martin Sorge, he “coached” me through the process… crust, crimp, chill, poke, line with foil, fill with dry beans, bake, fill & bake again! And it WORKED!!! Yummy pies with nice crispy bottoms! Thanks Martin!!!

So it seems as though I might have a little Christmas Elf wreaking sweet havoc in my world?! It started with some goodies randomly appearing on my Teacher Shelf at Lillstreet. And then more sweet treats appeared at my condo this weekend!!! You know I love a good OREO & a good Scavenger Hunt. I’m not quite sure who the Elf is… but they obviously know me too well… and I’ve narrowed it down to two Elfish suspects!!!

Here’s Allison & Michael possibly having a little “too much fun” with their new holiday pottery items from my HOLIDAY HOME SHOW!!! Not that there is such a thing as “too much fun!” HA!!! Thanks for sharing… thanks for playing!!!

Another fun night of bingo at IKEA!!! I had lots of numbers & lots of dots… but none that ever got me a BINGO! Luckily, my friend Tiffany scored with a BINGO & won an owl “basket” filled with goodies… and a cool IKEA bucket hat!! She kept the hat… but ended up trading her prize with an other bingo winner! Followed with some fun IKEA shopping… I mean, we were already there… how could we not?!!!

First there was the check-in ChiTri Expo… always fun with my friend Tracy!

But then it was race time…

It was another hot & sweaty day down on the lakefront… but this time there a good reason! Today was the CHICAGO TRIATHLON… swim, bike & run! The weather started out nice with still waters & a cool breeze for the swim… which I must admit was surprisingly “calm” considering it was my first time swimming in the lake since the last Triathlon!!! And by swimming, I mean “flailing about in a forward direction”!!! HA!!! The bike is always fun – although the headwinds heading back south were pretty strong until you get to go underground to ride on Lower Wacker Drive… which is my favorite!!! It’s like riding through the BatCave!!! But by the time I made it to the run, the temps were reaching the 90’s with blazing sun for most of the route through Museum Campus along the lake! Tough… but we finished… finally… all hot & sweaty! Another one done… always fun playing at the ChiTri with my “racing” pal Tracy Wanatowicz… and our annual post-race photo-shoot at Buckingham Fountain!!!

You gotta love when a random package of OREOs just shows up on your Teacher’s Shelf. Sweet treats from a sweet friend & long-time student. Less cookie, more filling?… I’m in!!! Thanks Katie.

But I do think they might be mislabeled?… Family Size?… looks more like “single serving” to me!
I mean, they’re “thins” after all, right???

You gotta love when one of your art fair “besties” brings you a little chocolate-covered yumminess to help make the art fair day even better! Thanks Rhonda… you know me too well!!! Ha!

One of the highlights of the Fourth of July in Chenoa, Illinois is the parade through town. It’s such a retro-flashback parade with people tossing candy to the kids, one marching band, one kid on a decorated bike (Ryann), clowns with water hoses, the Shriners in their little cars… and seemingly every old tractor, vintage car, or semi-truck that wanted to be part of the festivities. It’s a loud parade… but so much fun to see the parade with the little kids having fun along the route. Excited about the candy & festivities… not so much about the LOUD noises!

The weather had cleared up & held it’s own until the very end when a small cloud of drizzle passed over. Luckily, Mimi was there to hold “down the fort” while they shuttled the kids back to the house! I was more about the AMAZING hand-dipped & freshly fried corn dog that followed downtown… a little sprinkle of rain didn’t deter me!