Happy Thanksgiving!

I am a conundrum. I puzzle myself. I puzzle others. Sometimes I just don't make sense. Shall I try to explain?

So I've been seeing, what seems like, 75% of the facebook world (at least my friends) listing something, every day, that they're thankful for during the month of November. I really like the idea! Like, I really do. But I can't bring myself to do it, because everyone else is. I, by no means, consider myself a trendsetter, but apparently, a trend-follower, I am also not. I am thankful for so many things in my life... so many! But even though I want to join in, I basically don't let myself, because for whatever reason, I can't be like everyone else -- even though I don't like to stick out and I like what others are doing but I can't do what they're doing because then I'm not an original even though I don't care if I'm original I have to be. Got it? Yeah... me too :o)

But today, on Thanksgiving, here on my blog, I am going to list 30 things I'm thankful for. Yep, one for each day in November, but all at once! So technically, I totally win this thing ;O)

I am thankful for:

1. My relationship with Jesus. I sit here shaking my head wondering who in the world I'd be without Him. My life would be nothing the same; empty and meaningless and lonely. Truly. Grateful.


2. My husband.
He's my best friend.
He cares about me way more than I give him credit for.
He has a servant's heart.
He loves me unconditionally.
I couldn't ask for better!


3. Baby Z. I haven't met him yet, but I think he's going to be a fun little guy, especially if he takes after me - ha ha! Just kidding! I'm so thankful that I've had a healthy pregnancy so far and he seems to be growing and moving right on track. See you in 69 days buddy!

4. Autumn. I'm sure you've picked up on this before, but it's truly my favorite time of year!

5. A place to live. Most of the time it's cramped. Even more of the time it's messy. But we have a roof and walls and a door that locks. We are blessed!

6. Friends. I could easily fill up this list with each friend that I'm grateful for, but then I'd have room for little else. Friends mean so much to me, especially when I live so far away from family. They listen, they encourage, they give me rides, they share my love of Jesus, and I know I can count on them! Thank you for being my friend! My heart is happy when I think of each of you!

7. My Sister. We talk to each other pretty much every day! Can you believe that? We live hundreds of miles apart, but it doesn't seem so far when our hearts are so closely knit. We are confidants, share more memories together than can be counted, and sometimes have conversations in either movie quotes or songs. She has always been firecely protective of me and I realize that all the more as I look back over the years. We have become our own individuals through the passing of time, but we are and will always be sisters!

8. My Mother. She sparked my love for cooking, baking, and feeding family and friends. She demonstrates the value of working hard. She gives so much of herself to others - she truly loves people! I hope to reflect these traits in my life as a mother.

9. My Dad. He works incredibly hard and, in turn, gives his extra to help others. He can strike up a conversation with just about anyone -- which was just so "embarrasing" when I was younger, but now I can see what a positive skill that is! He is highly intelligent and has always pushed me to try harder, be articulate, and thirst for knowledge. Dad, your word for the day is: Opuscule. Go!

10. Music. Music soothes. Music comforts. It heals, excites, rejoices, celebrates, transcends. I am thankful for the musical ability I do have and hope to always share that love with my family.

11. Exercise. Once I started exercising on a regular basis, our marriage became better. Coincidence? I think not. There's just something about getting out there, working out, releasing stress and tension, being out in nature, and gaining those endorphins that is irreplaceable. Although I'm just walking now, when I have been running before and I'm struggling, I tell myself how fortunate I am to be able to run and walk and move. There are many people who wish they could and that makes me even more grateful for the ability!

12. Movies. They are fun. They're entertaining. Sure, they can be a waste of time -sometimes- but I like them!

13. Dora. She's 4 now! I can't believe it! I actually missed her birthday last week *embarrased face* but I don't think she noticed. When she snuggles, I love her more. But I have to admit, there are times when she's chilling (aka sleeping) and off on her own, she's sure easy to take of and makes me appreciate her all the more!


14. Jeremiah's new job! It was an answer to prayer.

15. Food. Making it, baking it, eating it. I love the whole process and I love how it can bring people together!

16. Sales. I'm hoping to find some tomorrow on Black Friday. But really, any time of year, don't you feel so proud when you leave a store, look at the receipt and smile because you saved more than you spent? #Wonderful! (Yeah, I don't really know what the hashtags are for, but it seemed like the appropriate use...)

17. Board games. They bring together family and friends (well, most of the time). They're basically free entertainment. You can enjoy them without electricity! And they're just plain fun!

18. Edvard - our car. It's reliable, safe, starts every time, is charcoal (so much better than white!), and gets better gas mileage than Gretel (who we finally recently sold; another answer to prayer!).

19. Cell phones. So we can call our families that we can't spend the holidays with to tell them we love them!

20. Our camera. It captures memories for us to remember for our lifetime!

21. Freedom. I am thankful to all who have served our country so that we can live in the USA with so many privileges, rights, abilities, and freedoms.

22. The holidays. Yes, they can be stressful and busy. But they create an atmosphere of hospitality and generosity. They bring us together with our family and friends.

23. Family. I love you! No, I didn't list you individually, there's too many! Each of you is special to me and I'm thankful God put you in my life. I know we'd all like to see each other more, but I'm grateful for the times we do share.

24. My job. It's wonderful. The people I work with make all the difference. I will truly miss them when my time here is through. This job has been a huge blessing to us during our time in seminary!

25. Anti-nausea and heartburn medications. *See Monday Musings: Installment 15!

26. Warm drinks. Hot chocolate, heavily doctored coffee, chai tea. They make me feel warm and cozy and I enjoy them so much during the winter time!

27. Leggings. It may sound silly, but they are SO comfortable (especially in my pregnant state!) and keep me warm. I'm a fan of whoever designed them!

28. Decorations. I love decorating for Christmas-- oh yes! But throughout the entire year as well. It's fun to celebrate whatever season we're in!

29. Mail. I love getting letters and cards in the mail. Even magazines are fun. I'm trying to do better about sending handwritten mail to others. But it's always a joy to receive it!

30. Thanksgiving. Sure, it's a day full of food, the Macy's Day Parade, and ushering us into the Christmas season. But I love how it gives us a chance to reflect on what we are thankful for. I honestly wasn't sure how easy it would be to come up with 30 things in a single shot, but they came quicker than I expected. There are so many blessings in my life and I'm glad that at least once a year I can sit down, write them out, and share them.

To life... full of blessings!

Caramel Apple Party 2011

I'm finally getting around to writing up a post about the 2nd Annual Caramel Apple Party from last month. I had a really fun time and think most everyone did too! We kicked it off with some taco soup (courtesy of Lovebug -- he did a great job! It was delicious!) and a fun Mexican "Jack-O'Lantern" Dip (courtesy of the lovely Tara -- it was also wonderful!)


I whipped up this Ghoulish Punch and was quite happy with the results. The one comment Lovebug made, that I suppose I agree with, is that we should have used seltzer (like the recipe called for) instead of Sprite. It was a bit overly sweet and the seltzer would have helped. Regardless, it was still good enough that I saved the recipe in my notebook to make again!


I will toss in a picture here of the red velvet cake balls/pops I made. I ended up with nearly 70! And I displayed them on my new candy corn platter that I scored from Target for $2.50! I thought the cake balls could be a nice alternative for those who didn't want caramel apples. They were well-liked, but I think next time I'd like to put more effort into making them a bit more festive and fun. I mean, they were Red Velvet! Think of the possibilites!


After we ate, we played a rousing game of Battle of the Sexes. It always gets the blood flowing and pits man against woman -- but we still managed to enjoy ourselves! Then we dove into the reason we all came: Caramel Apple Time!

We scrubbed those apples vigorously with water and a dish towel. But the kraft caramels still slid off :o( The homemade caramel I made, on the other hand, did stick much better! I just didn't like the taste of it quite as well -- it was very sugary and sweet. Not that that's a big problem, but when I make caramel next time, I will keep looking for a recipe because I haven't found my go-to recipe yet. It also tells me, though, that making the caramel will make a difference in the way it works on the apples. Every year we learn something new!

Now check out some of the *fruits* of our labor :o)




We ended up having some great topping choices: mini chocolate chips, crushed pretzels, mini marshmallows, and reese's pieces!


I think this one deserved an award for Most Professional Looking!


All in all, it was a very fun night spent with friends, making wonderful memories! Next year it may be QUITE different with at least 3 more little ones running around (eek!) but I think we can still make it happen! It is a tradition that I will continue to celebrate!

To life... full of sweet, sticky, sugary caramel apples!

Monday Musings: Installment 15

Today I might complain. Let me rephrase, today I will complain. I am not a fan of whining and moping and complaining, but, for a moment, I'm going to give in and get real because so far: 3rd trimester = no bueno!!

Seriously, I've been reading enough about 3rd trimester woes: tired, yet unable to sleep; aches with occasional pain; both constipation and hemorrhoids; varicose veins (you know how I feel about those!); leg cramps, especially at night; and so on. I had kind of wrapped my mind around some of those possibilities, but then I was sideswiped with nausea!! What?!? I thought that was a first trimester thing? It started off semi-manageable, not wanting to eat even though I was so hungry -- it progressed into not wanting to eat and not feeling very hungry -- then it moved to full on throwing up/sleeping/moaning on the couch! And then last night, to add insult to injury, every time I rolled from side to side (which was a lot!), there was some sort of rock lodged in my throat...heartburn?!?! To boil it down, I'm at the point of -- Constant: stomach is topsy-turvy; Variables: I try to eat because I know I'm hungry and should eat, I can't put down much and afterwards I feel like my stomach is a cyclone and I try to sit very still until it calms down somewhat, then Baby Z is like "Yay Mom! Thanks for the food! I'm so happy I'll do somersaults! and fist pumps! and, hey, why not a couple full body slams!! WHEEEEE!!" While he's having a party in my uterus, I take cleansing breaths and practice my focused breathing which is supposedly what I'll be using for labor, and start second-guessing myself and my ability to actually deliver this baby when I can hardly take some nausea, kicks from a baby, and a ride on a roller coaster. Then to finish off my "I don't want to eat but I should so I do and then I feel terrible" time, I get some lovely heartburn to really sweeten the deal and reward my efforts of eating. Thanks pregnancy hormones! You're my faves! *Sarcastic eyebrow raise*

Whew! Ok, I feel a little better now. And, to be sure, my stomach isn't as bad today as it was the past few days, so I'm thankful. And now, on to what's cool. I was sitting at our friends' house on Friday night and I looked down, well first I felt serious movement, then I looked down at my belly and it looked like a serious earthquake was happening. I mean, it was shaking top to bottom, left to right. I haven't been able to distinguish hands or feet yet, but it was one of those times you didn't have to touch my belly to feel anything, you could *SEE* it!! It really is pretty neat! Sometimes I like to just look down and check it out because I know what I'm feeling, but it's fun to watch too :o)

To life... full of 3rd trimester woes!

Monday Musings: Part 14

The third trimester is here! And I'm feeling scatterbrained today, so this might be a little all over the place/stream-of-consciousness. Please enjoy :o)

- The doctor says I'm growing right on track. Everything is looking great. I now start going in every 2 weeks for check-ups. It's hard to believe I'm already at this point!

- 12 weeks has never felt so short! I'm starting to wonder if we have everything we need. What are the rest of essential must-haves for him to arrive? I know I've had like 22 weeks to get my brain around the idea of having a baby and what that entails, but it's still a little unbelievable. I've been around plenty of newborns and infants, but it's just going to be so different to have my own! I know I'm a slow processor, but I'm still in awe of the fact that there's actually a HUMAN BABY growing inside of me! So, I'm not quite to the point of trying to comprehend what it will be like having him in my arms and our home.

- I just thought of this song/scene from "Lady and the Tramp" :O)


- How long do we really have until Baby Z makes his appearance? Will we be waiting all the way until February? Or is he going to surprise us and come early?

- What will Dora think of him? Will she be nice or start acting out?

Sorry for the randomness... it's been quite a day! And it's not over. I'm off to a friend's baby shower and then a dinner for Lovebug's *new* job! And hopefully home in time to watch a little bit of the Sing-Off -- Go Pentatonix!

To life... full of wonder!

Still Moving

Hey Folks! Just wanted to give you an update on my mileage for the year. You know my goal has been to complete 575 miles for the year. At the beginning of the year I was not counting any walking, only miles I ran. But once I found out I was expecting, I started including the walking mileage as well. As of yesterday, 11/8/11 I have completed 376 miles this year! Obviously, I'm not going to get 199 miles in the final 7 weeks of this year, but my goal for the year has still motivated me to see how many miles I can get by the end and keep myself moving through this pregnancy. I have been feeling pretty great so far and I think part of that is due to the fact that I have worked to remain active. I'm proud of myself for averaging over 1 mile/day for the year so far and I hope to finish it out strong!

To life... full of walking and staying active!

Monday Musings: Lucky #13

As my second trimester winds to a close (I've read differing opinions on this, one book has said 26 weeks, another 27 weeks, and most of the rest say 28 weeks) I am thankful for many things from the past third of the pregnancy.

1. Feeling pretty good most every day
2. Our Babymoon
3. The change in weather and being able to get outside and walk!
4. Starting to feel the little guy move more and more :o)
5. The way friends and family have been blessing us with baby gifts.
6. That he hasn't tried to make his appearance yet and is inside, safe and sound, still growing and developing.
7. For being able to sleep well!

There are quite a few things I've been reading about the 'Woes' of the third trimester, so I am preparing myself to hang on for the ride. But no matter how tough a day I might have in the next 13 weeks, I know that it's a day closer to the end and getting to meet our little baby boy. It's been quite a journey so far and I'm interested to see how this final third of the pregnancy fares.

To life... full of milestones!

November's Theme

We are well into November now and it's time I come up with a theme. Let's see if I can remember what we've had so far:

January - Snow
February - Red Velvet
March - Mint
April - Strawberries
May - Picnic Food
June - Pop
July - Ice Cream
August - Cookie Dough
September - Whoopie Pies
October - Pumpkin

The mini, brief wrap-up for October includes:
Me - Pumpkin Pancakes
Sister - Pumpkin Milkshakes
Mom - Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

I know my excitement for this monthly project has started to wane and that this time of year is particularly busy. But let's see if we can finish off these last two months strong! How about for November we feature -- Favorite Holiday Foods. Thanksgiving and holiday baking are starting to be on everyone's mind. So take some time to think about your favorite Thanksgiving or holiday food item. It could be stuffing, pumpkin pie, rolls, fudge, whatever! Then when you send in what you make, share the recipe, a picture, and a small snippet of why it's your favorite or what memory you associate with that food. I hope you join in on the fun and enjoy this month of being thankful!

If you'd like any of the pumpkin recipes above, please let me know and I'll be more than happy to share! I hope you participate this month and I'll try to do better at the end of the month wrap-ups.

To life...full of good food memories.