Thanksgiving/Holiday Season

So seeing as I epically failed at my blog for thanksgiving but was mostly written already... here it is:

Thanksgiving is a great time of year.  It reminds me of everything that I am thankful for.  

• I am thankful for my friends and family.  
• I am thankful to work at a job that I really enjoy.  
• Despite the fact that we bicker sometimes, I'm thankful for having a roommate that is a great friend.
• I'm thankful for knowing that I have people that I can always count on.
• I'm thankful for such a great workout buddy, without her I probably would have quit a long time ago.

Those are some of the few things that I'm thankful for.  I am really thankful that this year has taught me so much.  I have learned so much about me.  I realized that I'm much stronger than I thought.  

Now to new stuff:

So now on to the best/worst time of year.  This is by far my most favorite time of year, I love everything about it, but on the flip side, it reminds me how alone I am.  This is way worse than valentine's day.  Everything has to be in a big group or as a couple.  You typically can't go see christmas stuff by yourself.  I love seeing holiday lights and sharing so much with the ones I love. 


So anyway enough of that, some of the fun stuff I have already done and that I am going to do.  

This past weekend I went to see a play at centerstage.  It was American Buffalo, not my favorite but it was ok.  Before we went over to the show we had some amazing tacos and good home brewed beer.  Saturday I went to work then went out for Dollar Days.  I went back to the Top of the World Trade Center.  It was beautiful, we could see for miles.  Then we went over to the sports legends museum.  After that we headed back to fells point to watch the lighted boat parade and grab dinner.  It was so nice, my favorite boat was still the boat that has lights to make it look like a sleigh in the back and reindeer getting ready to take off on the front.  Then Sunday we went and cut down our christmas trees, mine was a little 4-5 foot tree that fit perfectly on my table.  Unfortunately, my lights didn't work when I plugged them in so I will have to get more lights today.  I also got a poinsettia from the garden center right by the tree farm to be a little more festive.  Then I went over to Sean and Amanda's to watch the Raven's game and watch them partially make beer.  It was a very full weekend.

Coming up over the next few weeks:
*Canton lamp post lighting
*Merritt Holiday Party
*Hand bell choir at the DC Mormon Temple Visitor's Center
*Kickball Christmas Party at Julie's
*Symphony of Lights
*Christmas on 34th Street
*Charlie Brown Christmas at the Science Center with live music
*Work Holiday Party


That doesn't include the holiday specials and movies that I watch, cause those are part of the norm. It will be a busy season that I hope will be as enjoyable as I plan it to be.


Enjoy the holidays and say hi to someone you don't know.  You might just make their day when you wish them a happy holiday.

Where a year has gone

A year seems like such a long time, but really it is like I have barely batted an eyelash.  A year ago, I made some big changes to my life and it has not stopped all year.  A year ago, I realized that the relationship I was in wasn't right for either of us and I took the path unknown.  It was a scary step.  Since then I feel like I have learned and experienced a lot.  I lived alone and then moved in with a boy that I am not romantically involved with (which was refreshing).  I've been on some great weekends away, from skiing to the beach to seeing friends and family.  I went on vacation by myself and had a great time.  I have had some great dates and some bad ones.  I met someone that I truly cared about, that obviously didn't feel the same way about me.  I have become closer to family and friends and surrounded myself by people that love me and want to see me succeed as much as I want to for them.  I have progressed in work, taken on more responsibilities and I am getting ready to take my Professional engineers exam. 

Every year I think is going to be "my year".  I don't think that is wrong but I don't think that is right either.  This year, I have pushed myself farther than I ever imagined and I have still come out alive.  I realized that I can do things on my own.  I realized that I have great friends.

This has been a tough year and it isn't over, but I think I have fared pretty well.  I have learned so much about myself and I really am in such a different place than I was a year ago.  A year ago I was looking into the future of the unknown and I was scared... now I look and although it is still unknown I am not so scared. 

The things planned for the next year:

• Visit Family in Florida with Steph
• Weekend trips away with friends and family
• Visiting Dana in Europe
• Going to Oktoberfest for a few friends 30th birthdays and visit at least one other country than Germany while I'm there.
• Going to the Lake
• Passing the PE (hopefully)
• Go to New Orleans for Julie's Bachelorette Party
• Use my reward travel for somewhere on the west coast
• Be a part of Julie's special day

There are many things that I have planned and I can't wait to see what else arises.   Lets see if the next 12-13 months bring as many surprises as the last 12 have.

Busy...

So in every facet of my life these days I'm busy.  Some of it is my fault and some is not.  I have really taken to this whole getting healthy effort.  I have been going to the gym about 3-5 days a week, which has really helped me de-stress my life.  I feel so much better and at the wedding last weekend I could dance the night away which I haven't been able to do in a long time.  Now not only am I trying to workout more but I have started adding in better eating habits.  Obviously, I'm not perfect at that but every little bit helps.  So on top of my workouts, I try to see some friends in my spare time when I'm not working.  (Which is very little)  Work has been nonstop crazy for the past few weeks... but who really wants to think about that. 

So Heather and Matt's wedding, it was beautiful.  They were married a month ago in Florida and had the reception here last week.  It was a blast.  We had a great time, they had it at Pier 5 on the second floor overlooking the harbor.  Oh and the food was awesome and the cakes were to die for.  (They had 7 different types.  I'm also excited cause Julie is having some of the same cakes at her wedding).  All in all i was a gerat time spent with some great friends.  It was cool because Heather and Matt met on our kickball team and now they are our married kickball friends.  It is weird to think that I met each of them the same time that they met each other.  I'm so happy for them.  Although, I would like my workout buddy, but I can sacrifice while she is on her honeymoon. :)

I'm starting to realize how easy it is to make positive changes in my life and I'm doing it.  I also realized that for the time being, although it would be nice to be in a relationship, I don't think I'm ready for one.  For now I will keep to all my faux boyfriends... because juggling them can be stressful enough ;)

This weekend, I'm going to see Les Mis.  I am so excited!  The last time I saw this I was in Middle School.  It will be a great time as it is the 25 anniversary show!!  The show will be great and then my Wilma Flintstone costume will be great later that evening... once I make it. 

I know this was all over the place but so much to fill in and so little time. 

October

So far October has been a really busy month.  I have been in 4 different states and we are not even half way through.  The beginning started out with a trip to Florida.  Then a trip to Rhode Island.  Obviously I live here and then on Sunday I was in Delaware for a brief second to pick people up before we went to Milburn Orchards. (I really love their apples) 

It has been great!  The only thing is I need to start giving myself more time to be home and clean... besides that I have been working out and going to different things in and out of the city.  Tomorrow I am going to see second city at Centerstage because they had this great deal for the season that anyone between the age of 21 and 34 can get an unlimited pass to all the regular shows.  So a few of us got it because it was so cheap!!  So it will be nice to have a source of entertainment that I don't have to think about other than getting there.  We are also going to carve pumpkins at some point... at least I am.

So in other words I'm just really busy, between work and home.  I really like it because I'm experiencing so many different things.  I'm also finding time to cook too.  Especially in the crock pot.  I made pulled pork and butternut squash soup this weekend and both were great.  My only complaint is that MJ ate most of the pulled pork by himself.  I would have liked to have more but at least there is a lot of soup and I have more of that.  Maybe I need to invest in another crock pot this year since that has been my big kick.  This weekend I think I will be making applesauce and try to make apple butter for the first time.

Oh and if you love pumpkin spice lattes as much as I do.  I found a recipe on Baltimore Sun's website.  I'm trying it soon.  I will let you know how good it is.

DIY pumpkin spice latte

Note: Adapted from the blog FrugalDreamer.com.

Servings: 2

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus more for garnish
1 cup strong brewed coffee
Whipped cream
Cinnamon, optional

Combine milk, pumpkin and sugar in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until steaming. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice. Whisk the mixture until foamy. Transfer into two mugs, filling each only half way; top with coffee. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and a dash of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon.

Fall

So seeing as the rain has really put a damper on things, I like most have started to look to the joys of fall now that about every other day actually feels like fall.

Some things that I can't wait for:

Apple Picking, Cider and Applesauce

Pumpkin Soup

I think this fall will be just as busy as the summer was.  Between weddings, renaissance festivals, friends and trips to different cities, I think this fall is going to be a fall to remember.  (But then again I make most seasons a season to remember ;-D )