Happiest of all Thanksgivings!!

Hi there people I love!

Happy Thanksgiving!!! I hope you all have a wonderful day today filled with family, friends, ALL the food, and some serious relaxation.  So, to be honest, I want to be spending the most of this time today with our family.  Yesterday, Caleb and I drove 10 hours to a tiny town in Missouri where his family lives and it's so good to spend Thanksgiving with family!

Last night, we got to celebrate Christmas with Caleb's mom and dad, sister and her husband and now the holiday season is officially in full swing!! (Yay!)  We've been baking and cooking up a storm all morning, but I took a second to sit down and write to all of you to wish you a really special day today, whether you get to spend it with family or not.  Maybe today is just a day for you to relax and have some alone time...or maybe you come from an extremely loud and obnoxious family like I do (I love them don't worry). Either way, I hope today you at least have some time to reflect on everything we have to be grateful for. I am so thankful today for so many things, and sometimes I think that if we took the time to be as thankful everyday as we are on this day, we would be different people and a different nation.  I encourage us all to try and reflect on how blessed we are every single day, beyond this special day of Thanksgiving. 

If you do happen to be celebrating with your friends or family, or both, I encourage you to do ONE more thing today.  I saw a friend post something like this on Facebook and I thought it was absolutely BRILLIANT.  Our generation especially, is so addicted to technology and social media that I really feel we miss out on just being present with the people we are actually IN the room with. So, today, of all days, let's be PRESENT, friends.  I think doing something like this might cultivate more actual conversations, and special interactions with the people you're with today...

We literally decided that we were going to do this for this day...(after I post this blog entry of course) in hopes to learn to be more present and in the moment. And just for good measure, and because it's Thanksgiving, I want to list 10 things I'm especially thankful for this year...

1.  I'm thankful for my wonderful husband, and our special relationship. 

2.  I'm thankful for my wonderful friends and family that are always encouraging me, cheering me on and helping me to be better.

3.  I'm thankful for #NoSo and its launch {finally} and how it will hopefully encourage and motivate you!!

4.  I'm thankful to be spending Thanksgiving with my extended family on Caleb's side and for all the amazing food that's currently in the oven.

5.  I'm thankful for my little puppy, Romo which at this time last year, was the only thing I wanted to Christmas :)

6.  I'm thankful for Christmas decorations at our cute, little apartment back at home in Nashville. 

7.  I'm thankful for a free country that I can create and live my dreams in.

8.  I'm thankful for music and the impact it's had on my life, and the continuous legacy that I hope our music (Caleb + Kelsey) leaves someday too.

9.  I'm thankful for my new found love for tea.

10.  I'm thankful to blessed by the people that surround me in my life everyday.

Happy Thanksgiving to you friends! Be present today and let's all try to reflect on everything we have to be so thankful for. Have a wonderfully blessed day!

Xx,

Kelsey 

Thanksgiving + The World's Greatest PumPkin Roll Recipe

Well...it's almost Thanksgiving and I'm so in love with this time of year. I love being with family, eating until our pants don't fit, and then taking family group naps after the giant feast. There are so many things I love about celebrating Thanksgiving, but I'm not going to lie, I LOVE to eat, and Thanksgiving dinner might be the best part about it all. 

So since you'll learn that I love to eat more than most things in life, I get so excited when I find a recipe that I'm obsessed with and can't wait to share. So, we have a couple friends who live in North Carolina named Philip and Autumn that have become some of our greatest friends in the last couple years. They have not only been mentors to us, but they have spoiled us rotten by road tripping to Nashville to spend weekends with us, taking us out to dinner and planning adventures for us all to take while they're here. We love when they blow into town because it means game nights, loud music and living room dancing, and the occasional baking fest (yeah, I know I should really try to get this fall baking thing under control...I'm working on it).  So, about a month ago, Autumn came to town and met up with Fallon (my bestie from Nashie) and I, and we decided to be domestic and bake something together.  

It was just starting to get a bit chilly outside, and Autumn lit up like a Christmas tree when we started to talk about baking something. She squealed that she has a famous "pumpkin roll" recipe that she bakes for her family for various gatherings.  So the three of us, put our blonde heads together and baked this beautiful thing that we later feasted on, and I'm fairly certain we didn't even share it with our husbands...(sorry guys).

Anyways, Fallon was generous enough to let us turn her kitchen into a mass pumpkin chaos, and Autumn walked us through each step.  Fall is nearing its end (unfortunately), but winter is coming and it brings its exciting elements as well...but for now, MORE PUMPKIN PLEASE.  So, we spent the afternoon that day baking the most beautifully, delicious pumpkin roll ever.  It really wasn't quite as difficult as I was anticipating (thank you Jesus), and we kind of nailed it. I just wanted to share this incredible recipe with you all, in case you need a last minute dessert option to top off your Thanksgiving dinner. Check this out y'all...

The {World's Greatest} Pumpkin Roll Recipe

The Cake:

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 cup flour
• Small amount of powdered sugar for dusting (on the outside)
• Kitchen towel

The Icing:

• 8oz. cream cheese, softened
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

And here's how - (Courtesy of Fallon and Autumn's hands)

World's Greatest Pumpkin Roll Recipe Ingredients

Step 1 - Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs, and sugar into a medium mixing bowl on low/medium until they're combined.

Step 2 - Slowly add other ingredients and mix well.

Step 3 - Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper, sift some powdered sugar onto the waxed paper, and pour the batter over the cookie sheet.

Go, Fal, go!!!

Step 4 - Bake the cake batter at 350 degrees, until the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Should be around a half an hour. 

Step 5 - While the cake is baking, make your cream cheese filling.  [Guys, I know it's going to be impossible, but try not to lick the bowl clean before you finish the cake...it's JUST THAT GOOD.] Combine all of the cream cheese filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well until smooth. 

Step 6 - Take your kitchen towel, and lay it flat on the counter. Using your sifter again, sift some powdered sugar all over the towel.  When the cake is done, let it cool for a few minutes and then carefully flip it onto the towel. 

Step 7 - Remove wax paper from cake.  Carefully roll cake into towel and set aside to cool for another few minutes.  

Step 8 - After giving the cake a few minutes to mold, unwrap it.  Spread cream cheese filling on entire cake evenly and re-roll. 

Step 9 - Chill for another couple hours, slice and serve with your favorite coffee, tea or hot chocolate!

Give this recipe a try if you're a pumpkin lover like I am.  It's so yummy and the perfect afternoon treat to boost your spirit and energy. What do you think?? Let me know if you try it :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Xx,
Kelsey

P.S. - If you have already, click here to subscribe to my newsletter. After Thanksgiving, I'll be sharing an awesome way to burn off some calories!

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It's That {Baking} Time of Year Again...

Okay y'all, I don't know about you but, when fall rolls around again each year, I am just compelled in my spirit to BAKE.  I don't know what it is about fall really, that causes me to want everything to come from the oven, but it does! I'm not even really a baking type of girl, and normally don't enjoy it...except for around the fall season!! 

There's something about fall that makes it such a magical season for some, including myself.  There's just so many smells and sights associated with fall that I absolutely love.  First of all, when I can start lighting Yankee candles in my house called, "Gingerbread House" or "Warm Sugar Cookies", my heart wants to explode.  I love for my house to smell like a giant bakery in the fall, even if it makes me hungry every minute of the day.  Fall is such a cozy, inviting season of the year, and I think it brings people together for so many reasons...football is back, oversized sweater and boot sock season is back, and baked TREATS are back. And those my friends, are things to get excited about!  

A couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to catch a quick flight from Nashville to Chicago, where my entire immediate family lives. It's always exciting getting the chance to go home and visit, and inevitably one of the most important things we do while I'm there, is EAT.  Constantly.  Every minute it seems, there is something new on the counter that everyone is grazing on at any given point during the day. I come from a long line of great cooks on both sides of my family and I'll be darned if I can't live up to their cooking skills [someday].  Every chance I get, I'm begging my mama and grandma to teach me how to make a new recipe while I'm there, and that's just what we did.  

One afternoon in particular, a chilly, blustery day in Chicago, my grandma Sue and I got to spend time baking together.  She happens to be super patient (which helps when you don't know the first thing about baking...like me) and she takes her time with each step.  She and I made a MEAN, and I mean, MEAN homemade peach cobbler that afternoon.  We actually made dinner for the rest of the family for that evening as well, but today, I'm just going to focus on this peach cobbler recipe that shouldn't even be ALLOWED to eat, it's so good. And surprisingly enough, it's actually pretty simple, and I promise you everyone will think you're the bomb when you serve this at your next dinner party.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2-3 cups frozen peaches (or canned)
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 cup pecans (chopped)

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter in the microwave and pour into baking dish and set aside. (9x13 inch pan)

Step 2 - In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, 1 cup of sugar, milk, and cinnamon and stir together.  Pour into baking dish.

Step 3 - Arrange peaches into batter. Sprinkle remaining sugar over peaches and pour water over entire mix.  

Step 4 - Chop pecans and sprinkle over peaches. Add some more cinnamon on top of the entire thing.

Step 5 - Bake at 400 for 40-50 minutes. Serve with scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Anyways, as I said before, this was a HUGE hit with my family and did not disappoint in any way. And if you get the chance, bake with someone you love.  It makes the entire process so much more fun.  Try this recipe and tell me what you think!! What are some of YOUR favorite fall recipes to bake??

XX,

Kelsey

It's Finally Here!

Hi everybody!!

Oh my goodness, I'm so excited to finally be sharing this thing I've been dreaming up for months now with YOU!! My desire is for NoSo to be a place where we can do life together...a place where we share ideas, dreams, inspiration and encouragement with one another.  In order to get to know each other at least a little bit, I feel like this first post out of the gate, I should tell you a little bit about myself as the writer.  Some of you know me well, and some of you I've never met, but let's change that someday! 

My name is Kelsey Taylor Grimm, I'm ONE month away from turning the big 2-6, and I'm married to the most amazing man, Caleb Grimm.  Some of you may know that I consider myself to be a "Northern girl", as I spent most of life growing up in the midwest (I don't like to admit that it was the midwest, I prefer to think of it as "The North"...I don't know just roll with me).  I have two younger brothers, Tyler (23) and Chad (21).  My parents Gregg and Tammy have been instrumental in raising me to be the person I am today, and for that I am so grateful.  I grew up in a small town in Illinois, and graduated from a Christian university south of Chicago called Olivet Nazarene University with a degree in Music Education (which I'm not exactly using, sorry mom and dad).  

Soon after I graduated, I landed myself my first professional singing gig, moved to Nashville and joined a Christian girl band, 1 Girl Nation, where we signed with Sony Provident in 2012.  I continued to sing with that group for nearly 2 years, when I met Caleb somewhere in that mix. It's still somewhat hilarious to me that a girl in a girl pop group married a boy in a boy band...but hey, crazier stuff has happened, and we happened to be made for each other.  I decided once Caleb and I got engaged in November of 2013, that it was time I step away from the band that demanded so much of my time. I'm grateful for the experience that it gave me, and even more, the relationships I cultivated during that time.  I learned so much in those couple years and I'm better for them.  

Caleb and I got married on July 19th, 2014 a little north of Nashville, and it was assuredly the most perfect day that ever was and will be.  Everyone in the whole world that I love was there to celebrate with us, and it is a day I won't soon forget. We have since developed our own musical duo, in addition to Caleb's full time gig Anthem Lights, and we call ourselves *very cleverly in my opinion*, Caleb + Kelsey.  Singing together has been one of the most treasured gifts that God has blessed us with in marriage.  We are so grateful and privileged to be able to live out our passion of creating music together. We sing mostly covers of our favorite songs, but we hope and pray that the future brings some original music your way as well. :) If you're interested in checking out a couple of our videos, please do! The links are below:

"Should've Been Us" - Tori Kelly

"Maps" - Maroon 5

"No Air" - Jordin Sparks & Chris Brown

Anyways, you guys already know I love fashion, food, fitness, traveling, cooking, (although mostly the eating part), decorating, creating, and beauty...especially the inside kind.  And that's exactly my vision for NoSo.  I would love for this to be a place for me to share my life with you, and keep each other motivated to be better.  Life is an exhilarating, exciting, sometimes terrifying journey that keeps us on our toes but it's the most beautiful gift we've been given.  And after all, we only get one life to live...so let's make this one count. 

All my love,

Kelsey

Xx