Pictures

Here are the links to our Thanksgiving Activities:

Pretentious Thanksgiving - Nov. 17 -
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8BZM2zlq3csVY

Gibbens/Anderson Thanksgiving -
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8BZM2zlq3csU-&emid=sharview&linkid=link4

Rices on Thanksgiving Weekend, Logan's 1st Birthday Party -
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8BZM2zlq3csUc

Call for Exceptional Websites

I'm designing a blog for our neighborhood, to go live in January. I've found some really cool sites to post on there, but I need more. Please send me links to sites that the typical American family may enjoy...things to do, vacations, home improvement, discounts/coupons, marriage, baby, shopping sites, etc. Give me your top three favorites, please!

Greatest Website Ever!

I don't know about you, but I have a hard time telling people what I would like to have for holidays or birthdays and I also have a hard time deciding what others would ultimately like to have. Today I found a tool that solves all those problems - http://www.wishlist.com/!

With wishlist.com, you can do the normal stuff like browse the website to save items, type in what you want, but you can also save virtually anything you find on the Internet into your wish list quickly and easily (I did find a few favorite stores that I couldn't save stuff onto my wish list), and the coolest feature is you can take a picture of anything with your camera phone and email it to your wish list. How awesome is that? I know - you probably all already know about this site - but I didn't and I'm hooked! I just want to "wish list" stuff because it is so fun! Now if only I can convince Ryan to use it....

Giving Thanks...

Thanksgiving is a time of reflection for me. I am genuinely so thankful for so many things, but I spend too much time complaining and wishing and not enough time giving thanks for all of the wonderful things in my life. Thanksgiving puts things back into perspective a little bit for me and it reminds me that I need to be more outwardly thankful everyday.

Just a few things I'm thankful for...

Family - I'm thankful for my husband, who loves me unconditionally, shows me every single day and makes me strive to be a better person; for my family who I appreciate so much, and have influenced my life more than they'll ever know; for the Gibbens and Anderson families who've opened their hearts to me and my family over the past 5 years...I couldn't ask for a more special family!

Friends - Old friends and new, I'm so thankful to have each and every one in my life; for Connie and Kate who are expecting...and expanding our friends.

Health - I'm thankful for the health of Ryan and I, as well as my family and friends.

Freedom and Knowledge - I'm thankful that I have the freedom and the knowledge to make decent choices and good sense to carry out my daily activities for the benefit of all.

Opportunity - I'm thankful for each and every opportunity that comes my way...in my career, my personal life and with each opportunity I get to spend time with family and friends.

I’m Thankful for You

Thanksgiving is the appointed time

for focusing on the good in our lives.
In each of our days, we can find small blessings,
but too often we overlook them,
choosing instead to spend our time

paying attention to problems.
We give our energy

to those who cause us trouble

instead of those who bring peace.
Starting now, let’s be on the lookout

for the bits of pleasure in each hour,
and appreciate the people who

bring love and light to everyone
who is blessed to know them.
You are one of those people.
On Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for you.

~Author Unknown

More Than A Day
As Thanksgiving Day rolls around,

It brings up some facts, quite profound.

We may think that we're poor, feel like bums,

insecure, but in truth, our riches astound.
We have friends and family we love;

We have guidance from heaven above.

We have so much more

Than they sell in a store,

We're wealthy, when push comes to shove.
So add up your blessings, I say;

Make Thanksgiving last more than a day.

Enjoy what you've got;

Realize it's a lot,

And you'll make all your cares go away.
~Author unknown

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Recap of Pretentious Thanksgiving

I guess it's been a while since I've communicated with outside world via this blog, but things have been a bit hectic. However, on Saturday we finally took a break from the daily grind for the most anticipated event of the year - Pretentious Thanksgiving.

Our good friends Sandi and Shawn began Pretentious Thanksgiving the weekend before Thanksgiving in 2005 and it has become a tradition. Sandi enjoys cooking nice meals, so they decided to host a several-course meal (with high end ingredients) with wine pairings for each course, and invite friends to share in the event. It apparently sounded a little pretentious in the planning stages because the name stuck and so did the pretentiousness, as you may notice in the pictures.

Shawn and Sandi just bought a house on Oct. 29th and have been moving in and planning this event in that short period of time. I have to say, you'd never know they pulled it all together in a rush, because it was sensational. This was the first year we've been able to attend...and we had no idea what we were missing! I put it on our calendar last year (literally) so we wouldn't plan anything. So, please don't anticipate us ever doing anything the Saturday before Thanksgiving, because I'm not missing out on this event again...

It was seriously phenomenal, like you'd get at a five star restaurant and of course the company was terrific as usual! Every morsel of food was scrumptious, but my favorite was the pumpkin ginger bisque with the Gewurztraminer. Ryan even said it was the most perfect pairing he's ever had. The Sweet Potato Galette with Viognier was great too. This was the first Viognier I've ever enjoyed. I wonder if I liked it because it was paired so well?

Check out the menu:

Course 1 - Pumpkin and Ginger Bisque. Pairing: Gewurztraminer, Alsace
Course 2 - Sweet Potato Galette. Pairing: Viognier, Virginia
Course 3 - Farm Raised Turkey with Wild Mushroom Stuffing. Pairing: Pinot Noir, Oregon
Course 4 - Haricots Verts with Roquefort and Walnuts. Pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington
Course 5 - Cranberry Orange Brioche Pudding. Pairing: Sauternes, Bordeaux

I will post pictures as soon as I get them off my camera, which is packed for our Thanksgiving weekend trip.

Week 2

I just got home from my Weight Watchers meeting. I thought I did very well, even better than the first week. I drank more water each day than I usually do in a week, exercised every day except yesterday, walked for hours on Saturday, avoided the Halloween candy, and avoided most of the bad stuff this weekend while my family was here (I did have two small pieces of homemade pizza). I only lost .2 pounds. So I guess it's a new goal for next week to get back on track and try to be more conscious of portion sizes, as I really think that's my biggest issue.

Family Weekend

We had a great weekend hanging out with my family. The weather was perfect, so we walked along the Mall for over 5 hours yesterday. Everyone was exhausted last night. When we got back to our house, we ate pizzas for over two hours. Maddi and Tori and I made cookies and Dylan helped with the popcorn. Poor Gabbi was exhausted - she was asking for pizza and to go to bed by 5:00pm, we hadn't even left the city yet. We watched Goonies later in the evening because the kids had never seen it.

We loved having everyone here - and the kids were so great! I really miss having my family around to hang out with on the weekends. The past 24 hours reminded me a lot of what it was like living at home. It was nice! Thanks for traveling so far to share the weekend with us, everyone!

Here are some photos, many of which Maddi took throughout the day - and some that I took of the kids acting silly: share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8BZM2zlq3csTA

It's So Exciting!

We are expecting visitors tomorrow...many of them have never visited us before, so it's exciting! My grandparents, my brother Evan (who've been here once or twice, but never to our new place) and my Uncle Todd and his kids - Tori, Maddi, Dylan and Gabbi are all coming tomorrow morning to visit for the night. We'll be packed to the gils, even rolling out the sleeping bags and air mattresses for the occasion.

Tomorrow afternoon, we're going to DC to see the monuments and museums, since the kids have never been there and Todd can't remember being there. After the tour, we're going to make our own personal pizzas. Then the "adults" can relax from the long day while the "kids" (ie. me, Ryan, Evan and the real kids) make cookies and popcorn, and allow the little ones to take over the basement, play some games and watch movies all night long! Sunday I'm making homemade waffles for breakfast - they're so yummy. We'll likely go to church together before they all head home.

I love entertaining (particularly kids, because they get so excited), and of course I love when our families visit! I'll post a synopsis and pictures on Sunday...

Week #2: Mid-diet-week Update

All is well this week with the new way of eating. It's getting easier every day. I'm not nearly as hungry as I was last week. I don't even need all the veggies I bring to work to keep me away from the junk food.

Before Halloween, I made Ryan put the candy away because it was too difficult to resist (except for the Candy Corn because I hate it). On Halloween, I ate a few small tootsie rolls and at first they were yummy. I didn't really feel guilty because I had a few points to use, but I quickly realized I didn't really want them. It was a great feeling - one I've never experienced before actually. We now have our left over Halloween candy sitting on the counter, and I'm not tempted to eat it.

I increased the water successfully, but I think I'm going to hurl after the third bottle by noon. Just this morning I figured out that the bottle I've been drinking from is twice as big as I thought, so I've really increased my water.

I still need to get more exercise...but I've spent the last three evenings digging out my winter clothes, packing up the summer stuff, and cleaning the house from top to bottom, so I'm sure I got some exercise since I never sat down. But I'll keep working on that! More after the weigh in on Monday!