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November 23, 2021

Life Lately

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Hi friends! 

We are still suuuuper sleep deprived over here and not exactly feeling our best, but some fun weekend outings have lifted our spirits recently!

First up: a beautiful fall hike with friends.

daddy daughter hike

A couple hours in the woods enjoying the fall colors and fresh air was just what the doctor ordered.

Matt, Riese, Wes, and I met our friends Jen and Eric and their two kids for a little hike one afternoon in Hemlock Overlook Regional Park and we all had a blast tromping around in the colorful leaves!

We brought the carrier in case Riese wanted it and of course she only wanted to be in it for approximately 2 minutes. Oh well! She likes hiking a lot more when she has little friends with her to hike with (vs. when it’s just our family and she gets bored and “tired”). 

Wes seemed to enjoy himself – he looked around a lot and snoozed some, too. 

hiking with a baby carrier

Fall is my absolute favorite time to be out in the woods. I’m hoping we can make it out for a few more hikes before it gets too cold!

hiking in the woods in fall

Post-hike we walked over to Paradise Springs Winery which is right next door to the park – so convenient! We got pizza from their pizza truck and had a super early dinner, plus some wine, of course. 

paradise springs winery

As soon as the sun started going down it got COLD so we didn’t stick around too long but it was such a lovely afternoon. 

Other fun we’ve had lately is that Riese’s 4th birthday is this week and we had a little party for her last weekend with some of her friends! 

My mom made the cupcakes for the party – vanilla with vanilla frosting and purple sprinkles, per Riese’s request. 🙂 

vanilla cupcakes with purple sprinkles

This past weekend our big adventure was a trip to the zoo with one of Riese’s little buddies from school and his family. The panda chowing down on some leaves was a huge hit:

looking at a panda at the zoo

As were all the big cats. 

little girl at the zoo

We all had lunch post-zoo at Duke’s right across the street from the main entrance. I hadn’t been here since last I went to the zoo (years ago, when Riese was 2 I think?) and it is just as good as ever. 

Burger + fries + some salad hit the spot:

burger and fries from duke's in woodley park

I hope those of you that are celebrating Thanksgiving have a nice week!

We are renting a house in Lake Anna, Virginia from Tuesday to Sunday with Matt’s family – we were originally planning to head up to Pittsburgh but there’s not really enough space at the house up there for the whole family now with all the kids in the mix, so we decided to do something different so we could all stay together. 

I’m in charge of the cranberry sauce (I’ll be making my homemade cranberry sauce recipe, of course) and also some brussels sprouts. 

Maybe I’ll make my Miso and Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts? Or I may just do them in the style of my Herb & Garlic Roasted Vegetables… we’ll see!

how to roast brussels sprouts on sheet pan

Matt is on turkey duty for the big day! 

If you need some more recipe inspiration, check out this post for all my favorites rounded up together: Best Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes.

And be sure to check this post out for the day after Thanksgiving: Recipe Ideas for Thanksgiving Leftovers. 

Have a wonderful week, my friends! There will not be a new blog post going live on Friday this week, so I’ll see you back here on next Tuesday with a recap from the Lake Anna Thanksgiving festivities. Until then! 

- anne
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5 comments
  • Ana November 23, 2021 · 12:38PM:
    Love the zoo! Happy Thanksgiving and have fun at the lake!
    Reply
  • Roadrunner November 23, 2021 · 7:40PM:
    Great outings, Anne, nicely done! And all best for a wonderful Thanksgiving gathering!
    Reply
  • Jen Hanft November 24, 2021 · 1:03PM:
    Have a wonderful trip! Happy Thanksgiving:)
    Reply
  • S
    November 29, 2021 · 1:15PM:
    Made this Brussels Sprouts in Saor for Thanksgiving. So good! https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022711-brussels-sprouts-in-saor
    Reply
    • Anne
      November 29, 2021 · 4:45PM:
      Ooo that sounds really unique!
      Reply
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anne mauney fannetastic food
Hi, I’m Anne! I'm a Washington D.C. based Registered Dietitian, mother, runner, and lover of travel, adventure, and the great outdoors. I've been blogging since 2009, sharing a mix of lifestyle content, recipes, and fitness tips. Come for the recipes – stay for the fun!
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anne mauney

I’m Anne, a Registered Dietitian and mother. I've been blogging since 2009 and love showing others that eating nutritious foods and staying active can actually be fun rather than overwhelming!

When I’m not writing or cooking for fannetastic food, you can find me running, coaching nutrition clients, or on an adventure with my family. Feel free to reach out - I'd love to hear from you!

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