25. I am thankful that I had a very enjoyable time at my 10 year high school reunion. It is nice to catch up with old classmates, spend time with my closest friends in the world, and go back to Burlingame for a night to bring back old memories. I had a wonderful time and I was happy to come home to my house and proud of have accomplished since high school. There will be a post soon detailing more of the events of the night...
26. I am thankful that it is finally an acceptable time to put up my Christmas decorations! I wait all year long to put them up and dread taking them down. Well folks, the time is here again! I am not going to post any pictures yet but lets just say it is pretty festive in this lil condo!
27. I am thankful for the Dollar Store. I have really found some great buys there! Especially on holiday items. For example, I found these cute little tins for $1 each! They are the prefect way to pack tasty treats to give as gifts. I suggest you take a look at a Dollar Store near you and see what there is to offer!
I simply love Christmas. I am filled with joy and happiness. I spend more time with friends and family and even have a few weeks off work. Here are a few things that I am looking forward to this holiday season....
Mike and I will have our own little tree. I plan on collecting little boxes and wrapping them to put under our tree to make it look more festive. Because I have a curious kitty I don't like to put actual presents under the tree this year.
Miss V posted this cute idea on her page and I think I will actually wrap my presents this way! So cute!
Christmas time means BAKING!! I look forward to making some old favorites....
My dad's famous sugar cookies
Freshly baked gingerbread.
And trying new recipes...
I also, look forward to snow...
And watching the sledding disasters at Spooner. Lawn chairs and a beer is all I need to settle in for TONS of laughs.
And building gingerbread houses...
But most of all Santa, I look forward to the happiness and joy that is around during the holidays. Homes are decorated, snow is falling, nights are longer, and there is a magical feeling in the air. No matter how old I get, I still have a giddy feeling on Christmas morning and get chocked up when I see my nephew watch you pack the final items in our stockings.
Now playing...All I want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey
Thursday was a fabulous day to give thanks and spend time with those I love most.
I went out to my parents house early to hangout and around 4:00 our family and friends filled the house. Mike came for a while but had to go to Antioch to spend time with his family and pick up his relatives... He was only there for a little while but it was nice that he could meet more of my family and hang out for a bit. Many family members were there, though due to traveling and time we missed a few relatives. Nonetheless we still ate, laughed, and watched football!
This year my brother-in-law fried a turkey and my mom cooked a turkey in the oven. Though they were both very tasty, I have to give major props to AJ for a absolutely delicious bird. Fried turkey is amazing. Next year we will fry two turkeys!
Also, my sister made the most delicious pumpkin pie I have ever tasted. I am going to make it soon so I will take pictures and post them with the recipe so you can make the pie for yourself...you'll LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!
I wrapped up my night by watching a movie and having a slumber party at my sister's house...it's tradition and it is always fun. All and all I had a very happy thanksgiving. I am very grateful for my loving and supportive family, boyfriend, and friends. I just love this time of year.
I hope you had a wonderful day and made sure give thanks to all the wonderful people and for the great things in your life.
Continuing on with my 30 days of thanks. It is easier to do a few days at a time, so here are my thanks for 21, 22, & 23.
21. I am thankful for Real Housewives of Atlanta. Ohhhh this show provides me with endless one-liners and entertainment.
Phaedra is outrageous...here are a few of my favorite quotes from
Ms. Phaedra:
"What in the world is Kim wearing? She is like Jessica Rabbit gone bad."
"You wanna go head to head, we can do that all day… if you wanna get your wig pulled off."
"A prayer cloth is a covering so that you don't offend people with your luscious thighs and kneecaps when you're in service."
"I like everything about the dead... cause they're so quiet. I mean, think about it, how quiet it would be to be in a room with no one that is alive."
Haha she is so ridiculous and I am thankful to watch!
22. I am thankful for the movie Love Actually. I have seen this movie SO many times. It makes me laugh and cry every time I watch. It is the perfect rainy day movie. I recently watched with Lance and Laura...we sang along with our favorite songs, worked on a puzzle, ate yummy snacks and enjoyed each other’s company.
23. I am thankful for my cat Lucy. She loves me dearly and keeps me company when the house is empty. Currently, she is snuggled right up next to me just sleeping. She is lazy, loyal, and loveable.
17. I am thankful for games. I like board games, card games, and others like charades and celebrity. Games are fun to play when friends come over or on vacation. My personal favorites are Scattergories, Mexican Train, and Sets & Runs. What are your favorites?
18. I am thankful for my bed. My bed is soft and warm. I have many pillows and blankets. It is the perfect place to sleep and I look forward to getting in bed every night. The only problem is getting OUT of bed in the morning.
19. I am thankful for my home. It is close to my job and my friends and family. Also, it is cozy and spacious. All the rooms are big and my kitchen is huge! There's also a pool and it is walking distance from Whole Foods and Lake Merritt.
Lake Merritt
20. I am thankful for my ESPN application. It kindly updates me when games are starting and when points are scored. Also, in the event that my game is not on TV, I can watch Gamecast and see what is happening live. Additionally, I can have all my favorite teams on one page so I don't need to seek out scores and stats.
14. I am thankful for my Chuck Taylors. I have Converse in four colors - gray, black, blue, and white. I wish I had them in all the colors because they are comfortable and cute.
15. I am thankful for my naturally blonde hair. I remember when I was young I would complain about my hair but I am VERY lucky. When strangers ask if my hair is naturally blonde and I say yes the response is generally, "Wow! What beautiful hair you have! People pay a lot of money for hair that color." I do find myself jealous of women who have dark brown or black hair because it looks so shiny and beautiful but overall I am pretty thankful for my hair.
16. I am thankful for cheese. I absolutely love cheese...cheddar, cream, asiago, Parmesan, jack, brie, goat, cottage, gouda, fontina, feta, mozzarella, and my personal favorite manchego. I put cheese on everything. However, I am NOT thankful for cheese that is blue. Most other cheeses are good in my book.
And now for what I am loving today...
Today I am loving that tomorrow is my class' Thanksgiving potluck. The kids are really excited and I am looking forward to having lots of food, fun, and families in the class tomorrow. I know the kids are excited as well. The menu will be slightly different than the traditional Thanksgiving feast to reflect the varied backgrounds and cultures in our class. We will have ham, egg rolls, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, Chinese noodles, spaghetti....it should be pretty tasty! It is so much fun to celebrate and give thanks!
I'm loving my new nail polish. After spending too much money on manicures or expensive nail polish that would chip the NEXT DAY, I decided to buy some $0.99 nail polish. Well to my surprise and DELIGHT this polish has lasted for about 5 days and is just barely chipping. I love good deals!
I hope that you are as fortunate as I am to have so many things to be thankful for. What are you loving today?
Now playing...Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People
Now that I am getting back in my blogging groove, I have spent some time visiting other blogs and I noticed quite a few people sharing 30 days of thanks. I have to play some catch up but love the idea of thinking about things I am thankful for and sharing them with you!
So in this first post I will share 13 things I am thankful (one for each of the first 13 days of November) for so that I can catch up with everyone else!
1. I am thankful for my friends and family. I have a very solid support system and value all of their love and support. My friends are my family and my family are my friends. :-)
2. I am thankful that I love my job. Of course, there are days that I would rather stay in bed and days that I come home totally drained from a long day with my students. But, I can honestly say, I wouldn't pick any other career for myself. I love teaching, I am a good teacher, and I love that fact that my job is ever changing.
3. I am thankful for cozy blankets. I am always cold and bundled up so a nice, warm, SOFT blanket is very important to me.
4. I am thankful for mascara. It totally sounds lame but mascara is a face changer for me. I like make-up but don't really take the time to put much on unless I am going somewhere special. However, mascara is always something I make sure to put on before I leave the house. I have very long eyelashes that are blonde so a thin coat of mascara opens up my eyes and shows off my eyelashes.
Not my eyelashes but very long and pretty!
5. I am thankful for music. Music can fit my mood and bring back memories. I listen to music whenever I can and have a very unique taste in music. I have everything from hip-hop and country to classic rock and show tunes. There is a song for every feeling! I have started playing more music for my students and find that it brings a different more positive energy to our classroom.
6. I am thankful for college football. I love spending Saturday cheering on my favorite teams and watching the players and coaches do what they love most. There is a difference between college and professional football. There is a love that the kids playing in college have for the game that is somehow overshadowed by fortune and fame in the NFL. Don't get me wrong I love watching NFL football as well but it is very different than college.
7. I am thankful potatoes. I love potatoes...baked, fried, mashed...you name it, I like it.
8. I am thankful for Sex and the City - the movies and the TV series. As I have gotten older I have been able to identify with Miranda, Carrie, Charlotte, and Samantha. Through the seasons, these ladies married and started families but remained best friends. I see a similarity with my girlfriends. I enjoy the fact that regardless of what happens in their lives, their friendships remain strong and important. There is nothing like spending time with my girls.
9. I am thankful for artwork. As I look around my condo I see beautiful photographs and paintings and think about how plain and boring it would be without them.
10. I am thankful for DVR. I am not always home to watch some of my favorite shows and it is nice to know what my DVR will record when I am not there. When I had TiVo I called it Phillip...I have yet to name my DVR - I am thinking that David would be a good choice. That way I can say, "Oh I don't have to worry, David will record that show for me." haha
11. I am thankful I enjoy cooking. Cooking makes my life easier and helps me relax at the end of the day.
12. I am thankful to live close to Lake Tahoe. LT is one of my favorite places and it is only 3 hours away. I just wish I could visit more often.
13. I am thankful for French Poodle salad dressing. This salad dressing is only available in Carmel and is VERY tasty. I look forward to finding new foods that I can dress with French Poodle. If you haven't tried it before and you are visiting Carmel I suggest you pick up a bottle or 6!
Simply amazing.
Almost halfway through the month and SO many things I am thankful for.
I cannot believe it is already November. There is all this build up to Thanksgiving and the month seems to roll by slower than a slug! I do love how the air turns crisp and the nights are long. I adore cuddling up with my snuggle buddy, watching movies, and drinking lots of tea. I am excited to enjoy some of my favorite things about November...
Warm cozy blankets.
A nice hot fire.
Playing in the rain.
Cute and fashionable rain boots.
Little tea cups that make me feel like a princess at high tea.
Trees in transition.
Umbrellas used to accessorize an outfit.
Homemade pumpkin break.
This month always makes me happy. I delight in unpacking my favorite sweaters and scarves. The holiday season begins and exciting events with friends and family occupy my free time. I spend a lot of time baking and entertaining. What a wonderful time of year...
Now playing Gone baby, don't be gone by Erykah Badu
