All Things Loved - November

Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I have always loved it and look forward to spending the day with family and eating the entire day! This year was no exception. D and I headed north to Derby on Wednesday night to celebrate our first Thanksgiving as husband and wife. There were 18 of us together this year, my parents, my sister, her husband and their two kids, my brother, my dad’s two brothers, their wives and the kids (five in total). My dad put together a special table that sat on top of the dining room table making it larger so  we could fit more people around it, and we still needed another table to seat five people!

Milestones

On the 14th my nephew H was 6 months old and on the 23rd my nephew P was 4 months old. They both celebrated their first Thanksgivings this year, too!

Exercise

So this past month I’ve really gotten into my Shape workout DVD. It had four parts, abs, butt and hips, legs and upper body. Each segment is about 15 minutes long. You can do just one segment or any combination of the four. (You could do the abs four times, just do the legs or do all four once.) I like to do all four sections and it’s quite the work out! After the first segment I’m usually starting to breathe hard, I’m sweating and whatever section I’m working is burning! It’s been a nice addition to my workout routine and I’m starting to notice some results!

Now that it’s getting dark so early (and getting colder) I’ve started running on the treadmill again. But there is only so much Food Network you can watching while running before it gets a little boring. So I’ve started watching episodes of The Hills while I run. I can usually get in at least 1.5 miles, even at a ‘slow jog’ pace, which isn’t bad. It’s been fun to watch the series from the beginning again. I just completed the first season and I’m starting on the second season this week!

Smells

My mother-in-law got us the Yankee Candle “Christmas Wreath” and a cute ‘holder’ to put it in. We’ve been burning it since last weekend when she gave it to us. It smells just like a Christmas tree! We had the candle burning when it started to snow (and actually stick for a little while) this weekend and it made me realize how close Christmas is.

Being Healthy

ROCKSTAR MENTALITY # 9 - Take multi-vitamin & calcium supplement every day for a month

And another one bites the dust :) 

I knew this one wouldn't be hard for me to complete once I got in the routine of taking them. I'd been very good about it earlier this year, and then for whatever reason, fell out of the habit. This is something I'll continue to do even though I won't keep count or track on here.

In the month I've been taking a multi-vitamin (Women's One A Day) and a calcium supplement (Os-Cal), my nails are stronger and grow better! I'm sure there are benefits going on that I can't see or feel, but I know its good for me to keep taking them. I'm glad I put this on here to get me back in the routine.

Football

BE A MAN -  # 52 Watch 2 football games (per season) of Derek’s choosing

I don't mind watching sports, in fact I actually enjoy watching baseball, basketball and hockey. One of the sports I am not a fan of is football. And its not because I don't know anything about it, I know the basics and then some, but for whatever reason this is just one sport I can't get into. So this entry was for Derek and not myself.

When I realized that today was the last regular season game for Michigan, I knew I needed to make myself comfortable on the couch and get ready to spend 3 hours watching college football. To say Derek gets into his sports is an understatement. In my opinion he gets overly dramatic about the game. They cannot hear him coaching, yelling and swearing or commentary from his spot on the couch; but that doesn't stop him.

With only a few minutes left in the 3rd quarter, Derek started talking about the new coach that would come in (because he's convinced the head coach is going to get fired). I politely suggested we take things one step at a time. He asked me what that meant and while I don't remember exactly what I said, I know I suggested waiting until after the Bowl Game (in December) and see what happens to the coach before he started predicting the future and added something about him being a bit dramatic about everything. His response "Well maybe its because I actually know what I'm talking about. You telling me to take things one step at a time and not be so "dramatic" is like me telling you how to Facebook or something".

Needless to say, feelings were a bit hurt, neither was impressed with what the other had said and we didn't talk for the rest of the game. This may end up being one of the items that doesn't get completed. I would MUCH rather donate to a charity then have to waste another 3.5 hours of my life watching a sport I don't like and getting into a "discussion" with Derek about it.

Pictures

GOD BLESSED THIS BROKEN ROAD - # 9 -Take an “us” picture every month

This month's picture is a self portrait from Thanksgiving.



Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. This year Derek and I traveled to Derby to spend the holiday with my family. This year that included 18 people, my mom and dad, my sister and her family, my brother, my dad's two brothers and their families and Derek and I.  Here are some pictures from the day.

 Derek & I

 S, J & Hunter

Aunt Mandi & Sienna



Food

FOR THE LOVE OF FOOD # 93 - Try three different kinds of seafood

Tonight D and I had a date night. (We went to Outback for dinner and to see Unstoppable.) D got surf and turf for dinner, lobster tails and steak. Feeling brave, or seeing an opportunity to get one step closer to accomplishing another item on my list, I asked to try a small bite of lobster.

At first it didn't seem to bad, but what would when its DRENCHED in melted butter?! Once the butter went away I got an overwhelming 'fishy' taste in my mouth. I chewed a few more bites and then put a bit of potatoes in my mouth to try and get rid of it.

I'm thinking I'm not a lobster fan, which D said is ok as its one of the most expensive kinds of sea food. I heard once you have to try something 7 times before you know if you like it or not. So here's to one taste test down, one item clicked off my list, and to 6 more possible attempts to aquire a fondness for lobster.

Blog Tagging

My other sister-in-law R tagged me with a Blog Award (The Versatile Blogger). As part of this award I am supposed to write seven things about myself, so here goes:

Seven Things About Me:
1. I love to read. (Books, gossip magazines -I'm not picky!)
2. I love to shop.
3. My favorite soda is Dr. Pepper.
4. I am a VERY picky eater.
5. I love photo's and want to be better at taking pictures.
6. I have run a half marathon.
7. I am the oldest of 3 (My sister O is 18 months younger and my brother M is 7 years younger) But in the last year and a half I've 4 BIL's and two SIL's and we have one niece and two nephews! I love our growing families :)

Coming up with seven things about myself is a lot harder then I thought!