I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with delicious food, good times, and people you love. My husband and I started our own tradition about 4 years ago and love our peaceful holiday even more each year. My mother joined us for dinner this time, which was a nice bonus, and Dan’s parents visited with us earlier in the day. After our meal, we went to my cousin’s house for dessert, where the rest of my family was. It was a good day.

I decorated the table with harvest trinkets and kept within a country/rustic style. Simple and in the spirit of the holiday.

This year, I tried some new recipes, all of which turned out awesome. The menu included Stuffed Peppers w/Brown Rice & Spinach in a Parmesan Mascarpone sauce, Green beans, Mashed Potatoes & Veg Gravy, Sweet Corn, and Tempeh Wheatballs. Yum!

Dessert at my cousin’s was fun and there was more than enough sweets to go around. And of course, its always nice to see family and catch up. We were home by 9pm and took the rest of the night to relax on the couch with our dogs and chill out.

You know, every day I am thankful for the great things in my life as well as all the amazing people. I am also grateful for change and new beginnings. The simple fact that Dan and I created our own tradition for the holiday, just makes it that much more special. It doesn’t bother me anymore that I am not sharing the infamous feast with all of our family because to us it’s more than just a holiday. We’ve chosen to stick by our beliefs and celebrate a cruelty-free Thanksgiving that we look forward to sharing with our future children. Being thankful for the Earth and everything it shares with us, is just the beginning.

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