Thanksgiving Blessings

I shared Thanksgiving with my friend Jacque's family. It was fun to to play with the kids and spend the day in the kitchen laughing with her. She is a good friend and I am so happy to have had her in my life.

My contributions to the day were my homemade apple sauce, which is absolutely delicious, and Banana pudding. I had to beg her to let me bring those but both were a big hit and recipes were exchanged. That is what I call Christmas.

I am so grateful for wonderful people in my life who are willing to include me in their families. It makes the holidays that much more meaningful to me.

Turkey Run

I started my Thanksgiving off with a Turkey Run. I ran most of the three mile course I did (could do up to five, but I pushed too hard training last Saturday and my old fracture is giving me some pain) and it was wonderful. It was so beautiful this morning and it makes it hard not to be thankful for the amazing blessings in my life!

Blessing number 1, living in beautiful Utah. This was at the end of the run and I just struck me how lucky I was to be so blessed to be surrounded by such beautiful scenery all the time. I love seeing the mountains in the background of everything and I love crisp cool air in the mornings.

I am so blessed to be blessed with amazing friends who have become my family. Being so far from my own family I have been so blessed to have amazing people come into my life. In no particular order the ones I feel most grateful for this year are: Logan, Chantal, Melinda, Tricia, Kari and Peter. There are so many more but it is this small set who have truly been such blessings to me this year by being listening ears, shoulders to cry on, late night texts about Taylor Lautner or Hugh Jackman, temple buddies, encouraging messages or telling me that no matter what others say or act like, that I am a beautiful and sweet person.

I am grateful for the gym and my trainer. You have to bored of this by now but the changes in my life have been staggering and a whole new world has opened up to me because of it. 6 days a week I am at the gym working out and I love the person I have become because of that one little fact.

I am so blessed, to know of my worth. I can move mountains, soothe troubled souls, lend a shoulder when needed and I can build and strengthen those around me. How blessed I am!

I am most grateful for the love of my Heavenly Father who has taught me that as long as I do what I know to be right, things will work out. Every time. It may not be in a week, a month or even a year, but in the end it will.

Those are just a few of the things I am thankful for today. Now that that is out of the way, on the the last bit of Black Friday planning...

Black Friday

Yeah, I am one of those people who wake up at insane hours and camp out at stores to get a deal or two. I have a favorite Black Friday website (or two) that gives me all the deals in one place. So I comb through the ads, make lists and then work on the lists again comparing prices and distance from other stores.

I get a group together, we make attack plans. Each heading in different directions while one of us secures a place in line. We have goals people!

I have never had someone get hurt, hit, knocked over or anything of the sort. It has always been fun and entertaining. Hot chocolate, warm gloves, hats and scarves are all very important to the plan.

So while you may be sleeping, I am getting some steals and making some of the most entertaining memories. I am always willing to take on a newbie or two or add veteran Black Friday shoppers to the group.

Traditions

As the holiday season really begins to gear up, I begin to really think about the traditions I celebrate and why. Upon reflection I have to laugh at some of the reasons and some just warm my heart. Here are a few I am already getting ready for:

Thanksgiving- I love being single at Thanksgiving! I know, it sounds ridiculous, but I do! I have tons of invites from all of my favorite people to attend all kinds of Thanksgivings with them and their families or friends. Ranging from going to restaurants to huge family gatherings and formal to very informal. I can politely thank each person for their invitations and choose the one I feel most interested in. Then I donate my Thanksgiving feast (in non-perishable forms) to a food bank in the area. If someone is willing to share their feasts with me, I am more than happy to repay that favor to people who could really use it. If I choose to forgo any Thanksgiving (which I have done and will do again I am sure!) I enjoy pizza or sushi and put up all my Christmas decorations.

Arts and Crafts: I try to make as many presents as is possible. I watch throughout the year for things I can make that I know someone would like and as I get coupons for 40% off at Michael's and Joann's I buy the supplies so that I spend a little less. Now I have most of my supplies and I start to make the crafts I have been collecting. I love evenings of Holiday movies and craft projects.

Singing: I tend to be in multiple choirs and I spend a few hours a week singing some of my favorite songs, Christmas songs! We perform at church and other various places in the community. This year I am excited to be a part of an older choir, all mid-singles.

Gold Bows: Years ago my mom had a bunch of gold bows that went on the Christmas tree. If we did service we would get to put a gold bow and tree. I adopted this little tradition and make it work better for me. Each gold bow represents a way that I have remembered the reason to celebrate the season. I have a bow tree that is devoted to just the gold bows and it is always my goal to have the tree covered in bows by the time I take it down.

Cheese balls: It is just the way it should be. You should have at least one during the season. I found a great recipe that I have used for years and am working on adapting it to a slightly more healthy version of a completely unhealthy treat.

Black Friday: Every year a group of friends and I scour ads and find all the things we want for great deals. We wake up at ungodly hours and freeze. All in the name of fun! I am the kind who is up at 2 am out shopping or in line by 3. Yes, I take it seriously.

These are just a few of my traditions. How do you celebrate and make the Holiday special in your home?

Surprise!

I was surprised this week by a message from my little (ok, so he is 19, but he will always be my little brother) brother Ethan telling me he would be in UT for the week of Thanksgiving. I haven't seen him in 2 years and I am excited at the chance to "hang" with him.

When Ethan was younger we called him Bubba, which became Bubs and then, during a summer vacation that he came and stayed with me, I started calling him Bubbert. I don't remember why now, I just know that I still do. No one else have ever called him that and it makes it kind of silly but I can't help it. In fact a few weeks ago when I met a mutual favorite author, Brandon Sanderson, I had him sign a copy of his newest book for my brother...inscribed to Bubbert. That is how much I love him.

While he is staying with friends an hour away, I will get a chance to see him. While I may not do a traditional Thanksgiving thing, you can believe that this Thanksgiving I will be grateful that I got spend a little time with family. Family isn't something I do much of so a big blessing to me. I do not know how much I will get the chance to see him in the next year, as he plans to go on a mission I know it will be longer than the two years it has been. I am proud of who he has become, even if he is still a little goofy.

Really?

I love Christmas. I do.

With that said, I am opposed to Christmas specials on TV BEFORE thanksgiving! You can have commercials, run ads, even listen to Christmas music, but Madagascar Christmas special over a week before Thanksgiving!

Not cool my friends, not cool.