_{read time 3 minutes}

Happy Monday, y'all. My heart is heavy this week after losing our dear Lola, but I wanted to share a bit about her life and what she meant to us. Plus Thanksgiving prep and one final sale before we close out the year.

This past week in a minute:

The last sale of the year… I know, I know, I'm tired of "Black Friday" sales too, so I'll keep this brief. If you didn't get a chance to grab something last week, this will probably be my last sale of the year.

We're live right now with our biggest discount of the year across everything: Kids Books, Art & Ornaments, and my Fine Art Prints & Ornaments. 20% off all of it.

One of the rare ones… This week, we said goodbye to our sweet family dog, Lola. She was there through all of it. Side by side, my nursemaid for all 4 babies. 6 different houses since Jordan and I were married. Always by our side. We miss her presence and calm spirit, but we’re very grateful that we had so much time with her. I wrote a small little something below as I reflected on her life…

If you’re lucky, you’ll get that once in a lifetime dog…

The perfect companion, the calming spirit that brings peace to your home, the dog that tolerates your babies pulling at their ears and sitting on their tail…the forever walking buddy, the one that would never dream of nipping at you even on their worse day…The one that sits with you in your tears, in your joy and that never leaves your side while you’re waiting to bring babies into the world. They are rare. And you know when their are gone there will never be another quite like them.

If you have a dog like this in your lifetime. You are one of the lucky ones.

Goodbye my dear Lola. You gave us everything you had for 15 years and asked for very little in return but a pat on the head. One of the rare ones 🫶🏻

My must-have for Thanksgiving

My absolute must-have for Thanksgiving is soft, buttery, homemade sourdough rolls. And the recipe from Farmhouse on Boone has been my go-to for many years now. I don't even look at other recipes anymore because this one is just perfect.

These rolls are family favorites, made specifically for soaking up all the gravy and mashed potatoes during the big meal. There's something about the tang of the sourdough combined with that pillowy softness that just makes everything better.

I make at least five dozen every year. Not just for Thanksgiving day, but for the days that follow too. Leftover turkey sandwiches? Ham sandwiches the next morning? These rolls make everything taste a little more special. We go through them faster than you'd think.

The recipe itself is pretty spot-on, but here are a few tips I've learned over the years: remember to start the day before (sourdough needs time), and don't over-knead or under-knead the dough. There's a sweet spot where it feels smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky. You'll know it when you feel it. And DON’T skip the egg wash!

Also, I always brush the tops with melted butter right when they come out of the oven. It's not technically in the recipe, but trust me on this one. It makes them absolutely irresistible.

If you've never made homemade rolls for Thanksgiving, this is the year to try. Your family will ask for them every year after.

 — Tabitha Paige, Author/ Illustrator, Speech Therapist & Mom

Sometimes I make books & other pretty things…