Friends-giving: The Best Kind of Turkey Day!

I am currently in the great state of Indiana. Middle America. Cornfields and blue skies for days (well, in the summertime maybe). It's a great place to spend Thanksgiving because first of all, these people know how to cook. Second of all, I'm here to meet two new additions to Adam's family... his new twin nieces Kaia and Kierra. Now while I wasn't able to offer Amy and Ian a million dollars for the photo rights to their sweet babies, they played along anyway and let me snap some photos of the lovely ladies for all of you! Aren't they just the sweetest?

  

I have a confession to make... we haven't celebrated Thanksgiving yet. Shhhh, don't tell anyone. Yeah, I know it was yesterday, but the Rust family is so huge that logistically speaking they have to observe Thanksgiving on Friday night to accommodate everyone. That's fine by me because it gives me an extra day to anticipate the culinary delights of Thanksgiving dinner.

In lieu of pictures from my Thanksgiving celebration which has yet to happen, I thought I'd share pictures from last weekend's Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner Party at my apartment. While the party was really just a nice way to light a fire under my butt to finish decorating the apartment, the whole 'friend thing' wasn't bad either. Twenty people showed up, all bearing dishes to share... and well, the rest is history!

This year, I am thankful for friends like these! Friends that make the holiday season seem a bit more special!

Friends that show up bearing semi-nutritious concoctions (because they know me). And friends that succeed in NOT spilling any red wine on my new bedroom rug! Good job, friends!

Hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving! Enjoy the pictures and I'll be back in blog-action on Monday!

Our makeshift bar, bitters and everything!

Sometimes you have to 'test' the cocktails the night before while prepping the food... just to make sure they're good.

Adam decided to go all out and roast a chicken (we figured we'd save turkey for the real celebration on Thursday)...

...and he made a pork loin, which was out of this world.

A party is the perfect excuse to (1) buy Christmas lights early (2) hang all your yet-to-be-hung pictures, and...

...(3) buy flowers for yourself!

Good parties call for good sunsets!

Basting that chicken so it's nice and tasty!

Seasoned the pork with his secret ingredients!

I wish my stove top looked like this every day!

'Big Apple' Stuffing made with apples and NY bagels... courtesy of Megan Ferrara!

Katrina's pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting! Nom nom nom.

Love these beautiful people!

Two Georgia Bulldogs representing!

The food was REALLY, REALLY, REALLY good. Right, Alex?

Ryan and Katrina...the cutest.

Caius must've been a bit stuffed.

Two lovely ladies, Katie and Ari.

A Flywheel reunion!

Ari was faced with WAY too many options....however did she choose?

I don't think Ty and I have EVER taken a serious picture.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Katrina was forced to write her name on her cup
after two drinks were stolen right out from under her! Thank God for Sharpies!

Ryan was clearly telling an awesome story.

And the best part about throwing a dinner party at your house? Leftovers for lunch the next day!

Oh... and all those leftover bottles of wine!