~Photo-a-day~ Nov 26-Dec 1

I ran the drumstick dash again this year. Even though Christina and I did it together, we didn’t run together. I ran alone and it was positively boring…I shouldn’t HAVE to run so fast then. I should be fine with running slower. I had my first cup of coffee, in over a year, after finishing this race – I deserved it after running in that freezing weather. IT WAS AMAZING!!!! no sweetener just straight black=) We stopped by my grandmas to enjoy a bit of the traditional meal. The cranberry salad, my mom made, was excellent! It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without it.

I went hunting all day Friday with Steve (my boss) and Isaac, way down in Canaan Indiana. We didn’t see anything, but had a wonderfully grand time out there in the woods. This was my very first all day hunt. And let me tell you it was perfect! I had such a good time=) Sitting there, thinking. All by myself all day long, no phones ringing, no costumer needing anything, I didn’t have to put my glasses on all day, and I didn’t have to talk to a soul. A neighbor dog came out of the woods and began barking at me non-stop for the first half hour of legal shooting. Tried my patience to the max, to say the least.

Sunday my mom and Victoria sang the Handle’s Messiah with a community choir. I’ve listened to this song all my life on CD’s my mom has blared off and on my entire life …but have never ever heard it live. It was beautiful – the hallelujah chorus gave me the chills. Everyone standing to their feet wow!!!! Mom has worked so hard the past few months to get to this point…music lessons etc. She’s one of the best singers I’ve heard (of course I’m bias) but come on, believe me, she like sang opera in collage…so I hope you get the picture of how GOOD she really is=) She underestimates herself so much…All of us kids were there to hear her sing, minus only one - Jonathan. She was so happy…and that’s when she’s the most beautiful to me.

 

Day 330

~starts with “S”~

Spice=) The king of the spices in my book is cinnamon…I love the smell, taste, looks everything about it.

Day 331

~texture~

Day 332

~a blessing~

We cooked our normal stuffed Thanksgiving turkey for Sunday. This stuffing is soooo good! we only have it once a year and wow after I eat it - every time no fail, I wonder why we don’t make it more often that this.

Day 333

~warmth~

no kidding it was fifty-three degrees, it felt like a heat wave. I went running in a tank top and actually was pouring sweat=) I could totally get used to this!

Day 334

~I went…~

I went to the Handle’s Messiah performance=) 

Day 335

~mail~

Mailing out the Christmas letters to soldier. I will be mailing out 31 letters to 31 soldiers this month.

Day 335

~red & white~

I’ve actually begun my in store Christmas shopping!!!

 

Happy Wednesday Folks!!!

 

I’m Thankful for…=)

21 things I’m thankful for this year!

1. The cruise I was able to go on in February (read about it here, here, here, here, and here) the biggest learning experience so far for me.
2. Having the health and endurance to run the 500 mini marathon 
3. Another year with my horse Sam. He’s 22 and starting to show his age, which reminds me to cherish every second we spend together.
4. Friends. I’ve shared so many wonderful memories with so many of them this year and feel so blessed to have each one in my life.
5. My best friend Christina, this year we’ve gone through so much together. I don't want to image my life without her
6. My entire family, I am so blessed to have such a wonderful and supportive group of people to claim forever=)
7. My mom…when no one else will listen, she’s always there.
8. Celebrating my 21st birthday in North Carolina
9. The best vacation of my life (Smokey Mountains)
10. My job…that has slowly begun to turn into a career this year and given so much more purpose to my life
11. These books…for helping my dig deeper in my personal study time each day.
12. New beginnings. and believe me this year I have needed a lot of them
13. Our home…it’s so peaceful here. Our second year was even better than the first=)
14. So many wonderful evenings on this boat this summer.
15. My new found love for cooking…I have had so much fun in our kitchen this year.
16. Electronics…I don’t over use them, but boy am I glad I have them.
17. My schedule book. Since I started using one since Mayish, my life has been much more structured and I accomplish more. I don’t go anywhere without it.
18. My boss…he’s practically my second dad.
19. Fabulous Amish neighbors, I spend so much time at their house.
20. Braces, I don’t like the way the feel or look. But the results I saw/am seeing this year are amazing.
21. Dave Ramsey, listening to this at the beginning of January has revolutionized my year and the way I handle my money

Happy Thanksgiving!

p.s. I’m running in the Drum Stick Dash this morning…it’ll be cold but so fun. Christina’s joining me this year. It’s always a good way to start Thanksgiving, by helping others.

P.S> I’m missing this guy today…my first Thanksgiving in my life without my younger brother. This is when growing up isn’t fun….

casey crocker’s Sweet Potato Casserole

With Thanksgiving as our inspiration this month, Casey made Sweet Potato Casserole…I’m sure you all already have your pumpkin recipes baked for the season. So here’s a yummy Autumn side dish that will help to break up the pumpkin monotony… it’s is just SO delicious! Oh and look at all that color…they were so orange! I enjoyed this dish so much I might make some for my mom’s sides Thanksgiving meal. Now of course that I know how to make it=) thanks to Casey….

Casey cooked the sweet potatoes before hand in her crock pot. I’ve only heard of this, but haven’t ever tried it. She just wrapped them in foil, placed them in the crock and they cooked on high for four hours. Talk about super easy! They were cooked to perfection…and smelled amazing!

Click here to find the recipe and make this for yourself=)

They were still a bit warm…=) BTW isn’t her outfit choice so cute! She even had the silver nails to go with it=)We dídn’t have the eggs the recipe called for sooooo…Carl (Casey’s amazing husband) ran to the store and picked us some. See why I say she’s lucky, girlies…=)I loved this casserole dish…so beautiful! I just wish the marshmallows wouldn’t loose this puffiness…She decorates her house with all sorts of amazing things like this…candles in coffee beans. And you can just image what it smells like when the candles get warm. Heavenly!!! coming from a former coffee addict=) It looks as good as it tasted!

I love a plain sweet potatoes, but you can always make it better. At least once a year for the holidays.

What’s your favorite casserole?

 

Thoughts from a tree stand….

 

While in the tree stand, the day after Thanksgiving, I had a lot of time to think…I absolutely love being out there. So peaceful and away from all my everyday cares.  It’s like stepping into another world, a peaceful world, where the business of the other world can’t reach me for a moment.

Well I got to thinking. What else do you do in a tree stand for hours on end=) I thought of a lot of things that I was thankful for but decided to narrow it down to the top 5 things I’m most thankful for…here they are.

#5 My Job – I love it, perfect for my personality and life style. Wonderful hours and I work with a bunch of great people. God completely out did himself when he opened this door for me.

#4 Our Home – Moving is definitely hard….but the more I live at our new house the more I love it and the more it becomes home. Months later I can truthfully say I LOVE IT here!

#3 Sam – My horse, my baby, my life…need I say more. He’s my everything…whenever he gets sick or something else happens. I think of what I’d do without him.

#2 My Family – They are truly God’s best gift to me…and I thank him for them everyday. I have found some of my best friends in this wonderful group of people and have made some of lives joyous memories, together, with them.

#1 My Faith – I don’t know what I would do without God as the rock in my life. What kind of love he must have had to come to earth just to die for me.  He gives me the strength I need everyday in every tough situation. I wouldn't have a life without him.

What are you thankful for?