Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope your day is starting off well!  I wrote this early as I knew I would not have time to do so, because at this very moment we are driving to my parent's about 90 minutes from Cincinnati. 

Because it is Thanksgiving I thought I would share exactly what Thanksgiving means to me!

Thanksgiving is a time for family, a time for giving and not receiving and a time to share with everyone what we are truly thankful for.

Every Thanksgiving we would wake up to the wonderful smell of food (we always have our thanksgiving meal in the early afternoon)! Mom would usually make something simple for breakfast like Cinnamon rolls and then would go on about the meal preparation! Dad would usually help cut up the oysters, celery and all the other fixins that get mixed into mom's wonderful stuffing and then it was to his recliner to relax until the turkey was ready to be removed from the oven.  We always had a large turkey for everyone and mom usually let dad do the heavy lifting.  At that point everything was usually almost done! Dad would then slice the turkey and place it on a platter then drizzle it with a layer of turkey juice and gravy, YUMMY! (My mouth is watering just thinking about it!) My brother and I would split the wishbone and of course make a wish! (sometimes the wishes even came true!)  Everyone would arrive sit at the big table and dig in! YUMMY! Seconds, and sometimes thirds! Slowly everyone would finish and then it was time for pie! I am not a fan of pie but it seems everyone else is! Pecan, Pumpkin and chocolate usually are the three to be made at our house topped with whipped cream!  Everyone then sits around and watches a movie or heads to their next destination.  We then clean up and lay around or nap! Our thanksgiving would be complete with family, food and enough love for everyone!

Until I grew up, moved away and got married... now the smell doesn't wake us up, but the food still taste wonderful and the family is always loving!  I am still and will forever be thankful for my Savior, husband, parents, brother and his wife, niece and nephew, and all the other blessings that we have received this year that are too many to count!

Hope your Thanksgiving is full of new memories and fun!

24 Miles

So far this week I have worked out everyday... 4 days in a row and completed 24 miles! WOOHOO!  I feel so great, its not even funny! I may not have much more energy than I did before but I am certainly more productive with it!  Not to mention the hour and fifteen minutes at the gym everyday has been a good time to catch up on some reading for Medical Law and Ethics!  Considering the book just came and I had to take the first test on Monday without it and got an A, I'm not sure how much I really NEED to read it but its something productive to do at the gym!  The goal is to continue exercising everyday in preparation for our big vacation we are planning for sometime in late April or early May! I will not only be done with my nursing program in April but Alex will only have five months left in his masters program and a weeks vacation will be exactly what we need!

Now I'm off to make my grandma's dumpling recipe for tomorrow, hopefully I will be able to make them just the way she used to! This will be the first thanksgiving of my life without her there.... prayers greatly appreciated (not to mention mom is sick and in charge of doing the cooking! YIKES!)  I will be getting up extra early to hit the gym before eating turkey... if I wait till afterwards my exercise will only be in my dreams cause I'll be enjoying the annual afternoon nap!

Hope your Thanksgiving is great and full of many things to be thankful for!