I thought I'd be spending Thanksgiving on my own this year. Instead, I was lucky enough to visit both sides of my family as well as my SO's. Some of the highlights of the weekend (aside from food) included...

1. Pillow shopping

One of my main excuses to walk outside with my SO was to go scouting for throw pillows to add to my apartment. His sister was also kind enough to take us out on a drive to the Christmas Tree Shop. We fit in some good quality time searching for pillows and crafts. It was a much needed break from the daily research schedule I normally have.

2. Cousin reunions

During Thanksgiving lunch, I was reunited with my older cousin who's on his final year towards a Bachelor's of Architecture. By Thanksgiving dinner, I visited my younger cousin who's working on his senior year of high school. While school keeps us apart geographically and time-wise, Thanksgiving was the perfect day to catch up-- not just on our studies-- but also on our lives and viewpoints. The family time was refreshing and I'm grateful for every minute.

3. DOGS

My family doesn't own any dogs anymore, but luckily my SO does! This break entailed many cuddles with various pups. They always know how to put you into a light-hearted holiday spirit!

4. The Thanksgiving game

One of my town's most revered holiday traditions is the high school football game with our neighboring town, with the location switching annually. This year, the game was home. And I was able to see a ton of high school classmates and friends I had played in the band with. It's crazy to see the once-fifth-grader in your woodwind section talk about applying to colleges. It's a huge throwback, but you also feel so proud inside to know that they're finding their own paths.

5. Dairy Queen (my mom says ice cream is not a meal)

Yes, I tried to keep away from food as a topic of discussion on this list, but it's just a dessert! In case you're curious, I did DQ right by getting an oreo blizzard on one of my last days of break. It was a sweet way to wrap up my week in good ole' Jersey.