A wonderful day...

Yesterday was an amazing Thanksgiving day! 

We ended up leaving for Cassie's house at around 9:30 in the morning, stopping for coffee and newspapers on our way. 

When we got there, Cassie already had really yummy pumpkin cookie's ready, and Jessica showed up soon after with two cases of beer for Matt and Dan, and lots and lots of wine for Her, Char, Cassie, and I.

With Macy's Thanksgiving parade in the background, I stuck in the cinnamon rolls that we brought for breakfast, and Cassie started making eggs and hash browns. 

After breakfast, Charlotte and I basted and seasoned the 18 pound turkey. After it went in the oven , around noon, we all went for a walk on trails in the wood behind Cassie and Dan's house. The weather was perfect, and it was an awesome way to burn a little extra calories before dinner!

When we got back, we cracked open the wine and started getting things ready for dinner. 

Matt and Dan kicked back on the couch and watched football, in typical man style. 

Dinner just seemed to come together so easily. And, we had lots of yummy food. The menu included :

* Turkey (Charlotte and I did an AWESOME job!)

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Sweet Potatoes with Pineapple

Cauliflower Casserole

Green Bean Casserole

Vegetarian Stuffing

Cresant Rolls

Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin Cookies

Peppermint Cheesecake balls

Dinner was ready around 5, and it was all so good! 

After dinner, we were all so full, that we flopped on the couches and zoned out in front of the television. l

Jessica left around 9 and we all got into our pajamas and finished the night watching Elf, which is definitely one of my favorite Christmas movies. 

It was such a great night, and an awesome way to kickoff the Holiday season. 

When I moved here, I was so nervous that I would spend the whole time feeling awkward or out of place. Yesterday made me feel so at home. I am so thankful for everyone I know here, and so Thankful for an amazing holiday!

Now it's time to put up the tree!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We're getting ready to leave to go Cassie's to spend the day baking and drinking wine, so I thought I would stop by and wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! 

I've had an awesome year, and I have so much to be thankful for. 

Thanks for those of you who take the time to read this blog! I know I have friends and family (well mostly family), who come here because they genuinely care about the things going on in my life, and I am so lucky to have such a supportive community of people who care!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

The Law of Attraction

The other night, Charlotte, Jess, and I watched a documentary about the law of attraction, which basically states what what you think and feel determines what will happen in your life. It's kind of similar to the concept of self fulfilling prophecy. 

One example that the film mentioned is that, if you wake up in the morning and stub your toe, and think "Ugh it's going to be a bad day.", then it usually does turn out to be a bad day... and vice versa. 

This is exactly how my day went today. 

We've been planning to have our floors redone for weeks now. Last month, a guy from a contracting company came to measure the house and tell us how much floor we needed and what other materials we had to buy. After weeks of anticipation, today was the big day. The guys were coming to put in our floor, and Colt and I had a big day planned that included some quality time at the mall, lunch at our favorite restaurant, and drinking starbucks while shopping for Thanksgiving supplies. 

But, as I've mentioned before... making plans is pointless... because they always get messed up. 

The floor men were supposed to come at 7:30, so I planned on getting up at 6:30 so that I could get ready for the day while Colt was still asleep. But, he decided that he wanted to get up at 6:30 too. 

Have you every tried putting mascara on while holding a 22 pound baby? 

At 7:50, the people still weren't here, so I laid down with Colty, for his morning nap. As soon as he was sound asleep, the doorbell rang, which didn't make for a happy baby.

At this point, I was still optimistic. 

I went outside to move my car so that the men could back their van up to the house. When I came back in, the head guy (who was about my age, and super attractive), announced that " We have a problem."

A few weeks ago when we ordered the supplies, they had us by nails, when what we actually needed was floor glue.

So, I spent 30 minutes trying to get a hold of my cousin, with three men staring at me and a cranky baby. 

Still positive. 

Then, it was decided that I would meet Charlotte at Lowes, to get the glue. Which is the same point that Colt decided to pee all over himself. 

And THAT is when I decided it was going to be a bad day. According to the law of attraction, this is what set the tone for the whole day. 

I'll spare you all of the pathetic details, but let's just say... I spent an hour and a  half driving back and forth with buckets of glue, I forgot Colt's stroller and had to carry him across the mall, we had to go to Home depot to buy more wood, and I ended the day by accidentally deleting all of the numbers in my phone. 

Bad bad bad. 

I came home feeling defeated. My super fun day with Colt was mediocre at best, and there where still three strange men blasting music throughout the house, even though the baby desperately needed a nap. 

But then, they slowly finished up, and cleaned up the mess. We had dinner as a family and rearranged the furniture. And, as we sat down in our new living room to watch a movie, I realized it was all worth it. 

Screw you Law of Attraction! 

I had a frustrating conversation with my 85 year old grandpa last weekend, that ended with the sentence "You can't just babysit forever."

Ugh. As if I don't feel lame enough that I don't have a "real job", my grandpa, whose approval I want, has to subtly remind me that he isn't impressed with my lifestyle choices. 

I have this tennis match constantly going on in my head. On one side, I am so happy where I am. I love waking up to Colt's smiling face. I love meeting new people and hearing their stories. And, I love that I have been able to get away from Ohio, and from everyone else's ideas about what I should be doing with my life. 

But, the other side of the net isn't so pretty. That side is filled with the voices of people who have high expectations for me. People who probably wouldn't like to see that I'm not using my degree to do great things. That side is also filled with all of my own doubts. 

Why am I here?

What am I afraid of?

Does what I'm doing even matter?

These are the thoughts that put me in a crazy funk. That make me question my own worth. Am I making an impact on the world? Or am I just copping out because I'm afraid that I won't be able to make it in the real world. 

But, when I hear Colty laugh, or when he starts to learn new things... I realize that what I'm doing DOES matter. If I weren't here, Colt would be in Day Care. He wouldn't be able to go to the Little Gym every week. His first smiles, rolls, and steps would be shared with strangers, and not with someone who loves him. He wouldn't get fed on demand, and he would have to wear disposable diapers. And he wouldn't be able to play in his own house, and with his own toys, where he doesn't have to worry about catching whooping cough or any of the other diseases his fragile immune system hasn't been vaccinated against. 

You see, I'm so desperate to know that I'm making a difference. I want my thoughts and words to be so important that people listen. I want to change lives. I want to accomplish so much. 

When I think of accomplishments, I think of money. I'm surrounded by people who joined the army, the equivalent of selling your freedoms to the government, just because they want a good paycheck. Is money what matters? If so, I'm nothing. 

When I think of accomplishments, I think of my peers who started graduate school this semester, so sure that they know what they want to do in life. Is that important now? Do I need to be ready for grad school? Do I need to know what I want to spend the next 40 years doing? If so, I guess I'm screwed.  

There is a website, where you can type in your age, and it tells you what others your age have accomplished. 

Don't do it.... it WILL mess with your confidence. 

But, do you know what helps my confidence?

The fact that I know that I'm appreciated.  The fact that I know that the things I'm doing in Colt's life are helping him to be happy and healthy. The fact that I've spent 5 months trying to teach an infant how to sign the words "milk", "more", and "up", and now he is finally trying to sign back.

That is how I'm making a difference. 

That is what I'm doing with my life. 

Call me a "babysitter" all you want. But recognize that I'm working harder than most people my age. I'm working 60 hours a week, doing my very best to make life better for a little boy who I adore. 

So yeah, I could get a "real job", and I will, but why would I rush it? 

I'm doing exactly what I'm meant to be doing. 

Let me Explain...

Okay, I realize I am 9 or 10 days behind on my 30 day Thankfulness Challenge, but I've been incredibly busy!

After my last post, I went to Ohio for four days! It was so  nice to just hang out a home watching movies! I went for a lot of long walks too. Where I live now, there aren't really a lot of places to walk, so it was really great to have sidewalks for a change!

Now, I'm back in North Carolina, preparing for the upcoming holiday season!

Tomorrow Charlotte and I are going shopping for Thanksgiving Dinner. We are going to celebrate at our friend Cassie's house. Wednesday night we are going to have a sleepover, so that we can get up early the next day and start cooking. Our friend Jessica is coming over for dinner too! It should be a lot of fun!

Next Saturday is Jessica's 30th birthday! So, we are celebrating by going out to Buffalo Wild Wings, which has the BEST margaritas! So, I'm super excited for that!

It is really crazy how fast this month has gone so far! Actually, it is crazy how fast this YEAR has gone! I've had such a great year, but I am also excited for all of the things happening in 2013!

Before the New Year, I have a few things that I want to accomplish. First of all, I want to have a relaxing Christmas at home. It will be my last Christmas in the house I grew up in, which is really bitter sweet. Also, I'm planning on going with my best friend to get a tattoo! And, a few of us are planning a super fun night out after Christmas (aka hotel rooms and the Interbelt). I can't think of a better way to end such an amazing year!

So, I guess I'm not going to go crazy updating my Thankful list... but I'm thankful for everything I just mentioned. I'm thankful for an amazing family, awesome friends, and most importantly, that I have everything that I could ever need!

I hope everyone is having a good holiday season so far!!!

Days 6 and 7

This post is going to be short and sweet!

#6. I am thankful for the outcome of last nights election. The moment that Obama won in Ohio, was the proudest that I have ever been to be an American.

#7. I am very thankful that tomorrow I get to go to Ohio for a few days, to be with my family and take a few days to relax and have fun.

Sorry... I know this is a cop out... but I'm tired!

Day 5- Democracy

It's 11:00 the night before election day...and after of hours of passionate conversation via Facebook, I am so fired up that I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep tonight!

It's day 5 of this whole... What I'm Thankful for Challenge, and tonight, more than anything, I am thankful that tomorrow I have the opportunity to participate in what makes America "American", and that is Democracy.

I've made it no secret that I plan to vote for Barack Obama tomorrow.

I'm confident in my candidate, and his vision for America.

Throughout the course of this election, I've been accused of being a Muslim and a terrorist lover. Earlier today, I read a negative comment directed towards me by a member of my family who I really respect.

Although it would be easy to be hurt by those things, or to let the negative attitudes of others to prevent me from using my voice, I have to remember how lucky I am to live in a country where we are able to make this kind of important decision.

Why am I voting for Obama?

Because I believe in helping others.

Because I believe that the separation of church and state is good for democracy as well as for the church.

Because I believe that a woman should have the right to make decisions regarding her own body.

Because I believe in education.

Because I believe that the 47%  is home to people who have worked hard to make this country what it is.

Because I believe that marriage should be between two people who love and respect one another, regardless of gender.

But, most importantly, I an voting for Obama because I believe that America has the potential to be the greatest nation in the world, and we deserve a leader willing to invest in all of our citizens.

See you at the polls!

Day 4- Bananas

#4   I love bananas. I mean, I really really LOVE bananas. Around my house, we go through bananas like a primate exhibit at the local zoo.

Yesterday, I went to the store and got two bunches of bananas. I knew that we would only be home for 5 days before leaving for Ohio, but I figured we could handle it.

As of this afternoon, we only have four bananas left...out of at least 10.

So, what do we do with all of these bananas?

Well, this morning, I had a banana in my oatmeal. Colt had a mashed up banana for a snack. Charlotte and Matt shared a banana- laden protein shake. And... we all had delicious cups of banana ice cream.

Banana ice cream is, by far, my favorite evening treat. It is super yummy, and super easy to make. Besides all of that, it only has about one hundred and eighty calories, and zero sugar.

Banana Ice Cream

1 Bananas

1/2 Cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

1 Tablespoons of Cocoa Powder

2 Table Spoons of Organic whipped cream. (Real Whipped Cream is only one ingredient away from being plastic. 

Directions: 5 or six hours beforehand, peel, slice and freeze 3 medium bananas. 

When well frozen, put bananas, almond milk, and cocoa powder into the blender. Blend until smooth. (Think, frosty texture.)

Pour into your favorite mug, and top with organic whipped cream. Seriously, don't eat the real stuff. It's disgusting. 

This recipe makes one serving. 

Besides their obvious deliciousness, bananas have a lot of health benefits. They have tons of potassium, which your body NEEDS to function properly. 

When I was on vacation this year, I went a few days without any bananas. By day three, I was waking up with the worst charlie- horses I'd ever had. I knew it was diet related, so I asked Charlotte for advice...

Her recommendation that I eat a few bananas really did the trick! 

So, eat a banana...fell better...be thankful! 

Day 2- 4 Day Weekends

# 3. There is a great, little know secret about the Army. That is, that they are constantly having four day weekends. And by constantly, I mean I've been here for almost 6 months and there have been about eight of them.

Besides the fact that I don't have to work, a lot of exciting things tend to center around four day weekends, which is why I am extremely thankful for them.

I have to say, that four days just seem to go on forever. I get so well rested. I get to go to the gym when ever I want, and we usually do a lot of shopping.

This upcoming four day is especially exciting, because we are making a trip to Ohio for an early Thanksgiving celebration.

I haven't been home in months (since July), so I am super excited to see my family. Although I wish I had time to visit everyone I care about, I am excited for the chance to hang out with my parents, and experience a few days of the fall in Ohio.

So yes, I'd say that is something to be grateful for!

Even though it's about two hours past my "bedtime", I decided that I need to update this blog. Not because I have anything great to say, but because I just updated my other blog, (You know, the fat one.) and I have this weird OCD like problem, where I can't update one with out the other. So here it goes. 

The past couple of days, I've seen posts about doing 30 Days of Thankfulness. I thought about doing it on facebook, but I figured that someone would get butthurt if I forgot to be thankful for them. So, I thought I would do it here instead. I'm not sure if I will post every night. But, I'm going to try because, ya know, gratitude is cool. 

Since I missed yesterday, this post will be a double dose of grateful! 

1.This, is my best friend Gina. The picture pretty much does justice to our relationship. To be honest, Gina and I have had a rough relationship. There have been plenty of times when I've decided that I didn't want to be her friend anymore. But, I'm glad I never did anything crazy enough to lose her friendship, because I don't know what my life would be like without her.

Gina is a super caring person. She loves people, and really loves animals. Most importantly, though, she is one of the least judgmental people that I know. I am confident that I could tell her anything, and she wouldn't think twice about it.

Gina is the type of person who can make anything fun. Our friendship started over a couple of classes that we had in common, the fact that she lived on my floor, and the fact that she liked going to breakfast as much as I did. Whether we were studying, walking around campus, or hanging out in the game room, there was always a good time to be had. 

Eventually, we bonded over our love of dancing, glitter, long island iced tea, and the movie rent. 

We've been through a lot, but I don't know what I would do without her! 

2. This... is my other best friend, and former room mate, Megan. 

Megan and I have known each other since our freshman year. We ended up sitting next to each other during a psych class, and when we had to find partners to work on a big paper, our lack of social skills led us to working with each other. 

I think I knew that Megan and I would be friends when she came over to my room to work on said paper, and we spent the whole time talking about everything but psychology, and not getting any work done. 

Over the next couple of years, we worked on tons of projects and assignments together, and spent countless hours in the library, drinking mocha chillers, and planning our futures. 

Last year, I had the privilege of being Megan's room mate. We had such a fun year! We did a lot of crazy things, and had a lot of late night conversations. When I had a broken heart, and ate all of the chocolate in our room, she wasn't mad. When I started rolling my hair up in socks, she laughed at me like any good friend would do, and then put socks in her hair too. 

I can safely say that I am a better person for knowing Megan. She just got her first "big girl" job, and I am so excited to see where her life takes her. I know she will be awesome at whatever she decides to do, and I know that we will be friends long enough so that I can see how things turn out for her! 

So, there are days one and two of this thirty day challenge. Don't worry, I won't spend every day bragging about what awesome friends I have ! :-)