Happy Thanksgiving From the Right Fits!

Sorry for the short hiatus. I was in Milwaukee for the past three days with my family. All four of my sisters were there with their husbands and kids. It was definitely a full house!

The rest of my family ran a Turkey Trot 5k on Thanksgiving morning, but my "stress reaction" in my tibia meant no running for me. Fortunately, I am still able to work out with other activities, so I went to a Body Pump class at my sister's gym, Elite Sports Club. 

What I love about Body Pump is that its the same class no matter where you go. The class is all weight lifting, with no jumping or high-impact activities, so it didn't cause any issues for the "stress reaction."

Then it was time to cook! I was in charge of the mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, baked brie phyllo cups with craisins and walnuts, scalloped corn, rice krispie treats, and Oreo truffles. I prepped most of the food the weekend before, so at the last minute I was also tasked with the sweet potato casserole.

There were a lot of cooks in the kitchen, but that's what makes it so fun.

Like every Thanksgiving, I ate just a bit too much, but had a great time with my family. 

We played plenty of games (Truth be Told, Things, Fishbowl, etc) and ate plenty of food.

By the end of the day, my little family was ready for a nap!

Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours!

Fits Do Race (Pre)views: Upcoming Thanksgiving Races in the Minneapolis Area.

By Cool J in Minneapolis

The past five years, my family has organized their own 5k. You can check those out HERE and HERE. We "organized" this 5k just for the family. It was an opportunity for us to share a fun run with the whole family, and it was a healthy event where everyone could join. We tried to make it authentic with shirts, medals, a post-race party like no other, and more. 

However, this year, we are actually going to be participating in a sanctioned 5k in Milwaukee, the Drumstick Dash. My sister Cresta thought this would be a fun change- a REAL 5k this year! And it's for a good cause, as it benefits "Feeding America" a hunger-relief charity. The 5k finishes in Miller Park, which will be a lot of fun! Unfortunately, no dogs allowed though, so Matilda has to sit this year out, but most everyone else in my immediate family will be there.

last year's turkey trot- Matilda won first place in the dog division!

Though I will be in Milwaukee, you should check out one of the following options for Thanksgiving Day runs in the Minneapolis area!

There's the ever-popular Lifetime Fitness Turkey Day 5k at 8 am downtown Minneapolis. I have run this one multiple times in the past, but it definitely is a little chaotic and crowded. It probably isn't my favorite. It's also a little pricey, with registration nearly $50 (for a 5k??)

One of my favorites when I have been in town for Thanksgiving (though it has been awhile) was the Drumstick Dash 10k around Lake Harriet. It's true that two laps around Lake Harriet is a little repetitive, especially since I run this lake quite a bit on my own. However, I like the longer distance of a 10k, and its so close to home, its hard to pass up. Registration is only $35, and that's for twice the distance of the Lifetime option! Its organized by Marathon Sports and it is USATF certified. Its definitely a little more low-key than the Lifetime 5k, yet more of a runner's race. This run is chip-timed as well.

There is a fun-sounding Gobble Gait 8k in Hastings, MN. I have never run this race, but it looks great! Check it out HERE. There is a Beast 2 Feast 5k around Lake Calhoun on Thanksgiving morning too, so take your pick Uptowners- Harriet or Calhoun! Website HERE. 

If you live near Woodbury, there is a Turkey Trek 5k there as well, (website HERE) Or, you can head to the "Giving Thanks 5k" in St. Paul.

Weather too cold for you to run outside? Then check out the Walk to End Hunger 5k, which is held indoors at the Mall of America! (Check it out HERE)

Seriously, there is something for everyone in the Twin Cities area. I'm sad that I will miss out, but I'm sure I'll have fun running the Milwaukee Drumstick Dash with my family!  

...and to make things a little more fun, I purchased this fun holiday hat on Etsy for the occasion!

 It was $30 on Etsy, made by hand by Nicole at Simply Hookin It. She even sent me a personal thank you card for ordering from her.

I'm not sure how comfortable the hat will be for running, but at least it's only 3.1 miles.

Check out Nicole's other handmade goods HERE.

With so many options in the area, you have no excuse not to get up early and break a sweat on Thanksgiving day!

Let me know which race you choose!

Fit the Bill: Fashion Swap

By: LL
You will soon realize that Jess and I are big fans of the fashion swap. (See here for advice on how to host a swap.) What better way to mix up your wardrobe than swapping in a few pieces from someone else's closet. In our family, it is an annual tradition for us sisters to get together at Thanksgiving and swap clothes. This year, Jess and I were taking requests. Any clothes that we had each worn enough times to part with were up for grabs. I think that we, along with our other sisters and a family friend, came out with some great "new to us" pieces that fit the bill - because they were FREE!

{Two mustard Anthro cardis for LL}

{Turquoise and coral necklace for Jess}

{A yellow polka dot ruffle blouse for Jess}

{An orange Chloe top for Jess}

And what fashion swap is complete without good food and wine?!? After the swap, EC and her husband hosted the entire family for a make-your-own-pizza night. 

{Five "fitting" sisters}

Jess: Banana Republic cords, Anthro top and anthro necklace

LL: Ralph Lauren sweater, Old Navy Diva jeans, H&M lace tank

{EC makes some great pizzas} 

{Good wine and fun games} 

{Cutest baby fit ever...little Hoodie with her Etsy hat}

Featured Fit: What to Wear to Thanksgiving Dinner

By Cool J
Nothing says Wisconsin Thanksgiving like an over-the-top cheese tray. Each year, the cheese tray gets bigger and bigger…(hopefully the same is not true about our thighs!)

With so much great food to consume, LL and I both went for something casual and "forgiving" for our Thanksgiving attire. I paired my favorite pair of mustard Banana Republic cordoroys and a simple navy top, (also from Banana), with a vintage necklace from Covered Boutique (in Uptown). 

They have the cutest jewelry at this boutique. Though my husband calls me “Mr. T.” in this necklace- I pity the fool!- I don’t mind. It’s one of my current favorites!

And two days in a row- more yellow and navy for Jess!

LL wore a polka dot blouse with a navy cardi (both fitting the bill from Old Navy) with her Always Skinny's from the Gap, with riding boots from Abound. 

 It was a little breezy on Thanksgiving, so please forgive our crazy hair! It looked a lot better inside.

And our lovely host Dr. CJ, my oldest sister, also posed for a few pictures.  She was comfortably chic in black leggings, a fun green patterned top, and a green cardigan, which complimented the color of her eyes quite well.

 Looking good, Dr. CJ!

Jess's ensemble:

Mustard cords from Banana Republic- buy them HERE

Navy top from Banana Republic

Vintage necklace from Covered Boutique

LL's ensemble:

Polka dot blouse from Old Navy

Navy cardigan

Always Skinny jeans from the Gap
Riding boots by Abound
Pearl earrings (gifted)

CJ's ensemble:

Flowered top from Anne Klein

Green cardi from Target (what a great find!)

Black Leggings from White House/Black Market
Black ballet flats by Sam Edelman

We enjoyed a great meal, thanks to CJ's husband's cooking, and then we played games throughout the evening.

We hope you too had a great Thanksgiving! Cheers from the Right Fits!

Fits Do Race Reviews: 5th Annual Family Turkey Trot

By Cool J

Five years of a healthy family tradition continued this past Thursday morning, as nearly everyone in my immediate family arrived for the 5^th annual running of the family Turkey Trot.  

Eight runners and one dog ran the new and improved 5k (which was actually a 4 miler) on a (very) warm Thanksgiving morning in Brookfield, Wisconsin.  There were also two babies, three kids, one race volunteer (Mom) and her dog, and one injured runner (still recovering from her IT band issues) present. 

 {one sad injured runner}

 Post-race commentators raved that this was the best Turkey Trot so far!

The weather was extremely mild. In fact, some runners wore shorts.

 {showing some leg there Dusters!}

The new course was hilly and a bit more challenging than the old route, but it was well-marked (see below) and easy to follow (a perfect square).

 {Well-marked course}

 {No getting lost on this course!}

One participant did mention that the race started a little late (around 8:30 am rather than the advertised 8 am start). However, this delayed start was only to ensure that all the runners had a chance to use the (plentiful) bathrooms before the starting gun, as there were no facilities on the course.

We asked for a volunteer to sing the national anthem at the start, but instead we enjoyed my niece Clara’s rendition of  “Apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur!” Close enough, right?

Race tees were a high-quality dri-fit, with  {mostly "made-up"} local sponsors (though the Right Fits was a legitimate lead sponsor!)

 {Race tees}

A big turkey meal is the normal post-race "party," but this year we had a unique kind of post-race refreshment: apple fritters and apple cider! My nieces set up the cutest apple cider stand with piping hot apple cider for participants.

 {Post-race refreshments at the Apple Cider stand}

{LL enjoying a post-race apple fritter. Check out her turkey BIC band!}

As for this year’s winner? Well, it was a tie. If you recall, Matilda was the winner last year, with Dusters right on her heels. But this year, Ms. Matilda ran with LL and me. So Dusters was able to sprint ahead with Todd (my brother-in-law) and the two of them finished together for a “tie”. What good sports they are J

Everyone is a winner!

 I gave this race a 10 out of 10! Best race ever! 

Why? Well, because it’s with my family of course.

Holiday Fits: Does it all fit?

By: LL

I don't know about all of you, but I know that it can be very challenging to pack for a trip - whether business or pleasure. I feel that I have learned to minimize and maximize over the last few years as traveling efficiently has become a necessity. (A little less now that I live where Southwest is an option and I have more space with my bags flying free!). Either way, for women, and sometimes for men too, packing for a trip can be a daunting task as we struggle to pack all the options we feel we might need. 

This morning I started the task of packing for my Thanksgiving trip. Here are the standard steps that I take to make certain that I pack the most amount of fits with the least amount of items. 

1. I write out a list of the different activities I knew we will be doing and try to imagine the most likely additions to that list. Then, I pull my favorite looks for each of those activities. 

2. I review all the clothes that I pulled and try to minimize what I actually need. I consolidate, swapping in one blazer that could work over two different blouses and one pair of skinnies that could go from day to night. These simple moves help decrease your unnecessary inventory (heck, it also helps you create new looks that you hadn't tried before!). 

3. Then, I bulk up on accessories. Necklaces and scarves can really make an outfit look completely different and can help to bring a day outfit into an evening look. They also do not take up much space. 

4. I categorize what needs to go in a carryon and what can go in checked luggage. (Will it fit??)

5. I then pack all the essentials, including toiletries. (Hint: Bring a skinnier flat iron that can also double as a curling iron and leave the blow-dryer at home. There is always a blow-dryer at hotels and at most homes you will visit.)

6. If there is extra room, don't fill it with another look. Leave extra space for anything you might pick up during your trip. Such as new clothes from a fashion swap?? (Here is a peek at what I am bring for my fashion swap with my sisters. Looking forward to some new pieces replacing these on the trip home.)

 And who could forget the awesome race tees?!?!?

Happy Thanksgiving!!! And good luck packing to those of you who are also traveling for the holiday. 

Fitting Remarks: Prepping for the Turkey Trot!

By Cool J

I never claimed to have that great of handwriting (I'm a leftie) but I did some prepping last night for the 5th Annual Family Turkey Trot! Let's hope none of participants get lost due to the new and improved route.

Thanksgiving Fits: Holiday Packing

By: LL
I must say that I personally enjoy Thanksgiving much more than Christmas. I think it is because you get to enjoy the company and good food, but without the pressure of finding the right gift and spending money that you don't have. In my family, Thanksgiving is also all about the right fits.

As I talked about the other day, my family hosts an annual 5k on Thursday morning to kick off the over-indulgent feast. But the holiday isn't only about physical fits ... it is also about fashion fits. Having four older sisters, Thanksgiving is a time of modeling cute new outfits and swapping fashion (which we refer to as Long-Term Borrows, or LTBs).

As I prepare for my annual pilgrimage back to Wisconsin, the first step in my planning is coming up with my outfits. For me, this means an outfit for travel/arrival, another for Thanksgiving day and a third for our evening out to celebrate my husband's birthday and catch up with a few friends.

Since I will be flying back to Wisconsin, my "arrival" outfit will convey stylish comfort, such as this bargain look - yellow cardigan from Old Navy, navy striped cotton turtleneck from Gap, red Bubble necklace from J.Crew, Always Skinny jeans from Gap, and wedge riding boots from Abound. This outfit works because it is comfortable with a few stylish pieces that tie the outfit together and make it looked polished. In addition, the winter coat can stay in the suitcase so you aren't lugging that around with your carry-on.

For the Thanksgiving celebration, I like to dress up. Here is a great look that includes an aubergine dress from Dorothy Perkins, Club Monaco polka dot tights, Steven Madden black suede pumps, a gold Seiko watch, and a gold-plated leaf necklace. This outfit works so well because it is comfortable and warm but not a sweater, which can become too warm with many people in one room with multiple ovens on. It also includes some of the great fall colors that I love so much.

Then, there is a look for a night out to catch up with friends. Here is a good look that includes a blazer and blouse from H&M, Diva jeans from Old Navy, a checker necklace from Forever21, and suede gray booties from BCBG Generation. Why this outfit works is that it doesn't require a winter coat (which is cumbersome when going out for drinks) and is fancy without being overly fancy. It is sweet and simple. 

Creating Fits: Thanksgiving Treats!

By Jessie

LL is definitely the creative one on this blog. She makes amazing necklaces and other jewelry; I just enjoy the benefits, hehe!
Yet I'm trying to do my part to add to the arts and craft portion of the blog. And of course, what better place to go for ideas than Pinterest.

Last night's project: Candy Turkeys!

Last night I decided to attempt this little craft project to bring along to our family Thanksgiving celebration next week. I thought perhaps my nieces would get a kick out of them; technically, they are placecards, but I'm not sure if I will add names or not.

How to make these little cuties:
Source: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/11/oreo-turkeys-and-cookie-pilgrim-hats/

Dusters picked up the supplies for me on his way home. Lots of healthy stuff, like double-stuff Oreos, Whoppers, candy corn, Reese's peanut butter cup minis, and plenty of frosting! The checkout lady at the grocery store must have given him a double take, as that's a LOT of sugar for a grown man!

The turkeys are made from two Oreos stuck together with frosting, with a Reese's peanut butter cup for the body, a Whopper for a head, and candy corn for feathers.

We had to use tweezers to put on the eyeballs.

All done! 

The Pinterest source showed these little cuties as placecards for the big meal. 

Yes, I realize now that I forgot a few steps, like the feet and the "wattle" (yep- that's what the red thing under a turkey's beak is called!) Clearly, the above turkeys are a bit more professional looking than mine!

But hey, he's still cute right? And he'll taste just as good!