Thanksgiving tomorrow

I love this time of year! love, love LOVE IT! It's been especially cool this year with my journey to healthy living and getting excited about Thanksgiving and Christmas...not because I want to eat and bake all these sugary things, but because I'm excited to introduce new desserts and things that I can enjoy that aren't made of white sugar and that are healthier. I'm excited for that challenge! I'm excited to make these things a staple in our home for the holidays and holidays to come. I'm excited that I have no desire to indulge, and over-indulge, in things that are bad for my body.

Do I sound crazy? Maybe to some...and maybe to my former self. But yes, I'm excited!

You wanna know what I'm bringing to our Thanksgiving feast tomorrow? Well, I will tell you.

Roasted Parmesan Green Beans.
These are healthy little suckers roasted with a little Olive Oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper
and then top it off with a bit of shredded Parmesan...yummm!

Chocolate Pie
made with 85% Cacao Godiva dark chocolate, low fat ricotta cheese, real whipped cream sweetened with agave...yumm! Recipe found here

Turtle Pumpkin Pie
Who says you can't have a healthy version of Pumpkin Pie? You can with this beauty!
Made with Sugar free Caramel syrup, pecans, pumpkin, whipping cream sweetened with Agave or Stevia. Who doesn't love pumpkin, pecan and caramel all together? Can't wait to try this!
Recipe found here

I can't wait to taste these! Hope you have a happy, healthy Thanksgiving!

No snow????

Thanksgiving is next week and we have yet to get a consistent snow fall that will stay on the ground, here in Lehi. In fact, the only real time it snowed this season was a few weeks ago and we had a light dusting on the grounds but quickly melted away.

I was disappointed when the weather forecast called for snow in the valley this weekend...and we got none of it. I guess Salt Lake got slammed. Bummer. I even had to cancel a foto shoot because I thought there was going to be snow!

I know, people say I'm crazy for wanting the snow when it's a beautiful 50 degrees outside. But...you see...I'm like my Dad...thanksgiving just isn't the same with out some snow! On Thanksgiving we put up the Christmas tree. But what's the fun in that when it doesn't feel like Christmas outside? Do you see what I'm saying? Yeah, there's Christmas music playing on the radio station, but I can't seem to get into the holidays without the dang snow!

I remember Thanksgiving back in...gosh...I don't remember the year...but I think I was 11 or 12...so 1990? I got all bundled up, went outside, stood on a chair (yeah there was a tin chair out in the backyard) and fell backwards into the 2 feet of snow that we had (or at least it seemed like it was 2 feet). It was magical!

I need that magic that snow brings!! Once the holidays are over I'm ok if we don't have anymore snow...but I NEED IT HERE FOR THE HOLIDAYS! Please, oh please weatherman...tell me we'll get some REAL snow for Thanksgiving and Christmas!!

Amazing...

Beauty in this world really moves me, and this is no exception.

...and I love the music in this too.

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

Video Description: Two young women are out in a canoe on the River Shannon in Ireland when a murmuration of starlings comes flying overhead, swooping and swirling in amazing shapes. They laugh and exclaim with wonder. Set to music by Emmett Glynn and band.

Erin and Dave are ENGAGED!

My big sissy, Erin got engaged to her beloved Dave Dean last Friday evening. SO EXCITING!!!

(gorgeous ring, yes?!)

Although we all knew it was coming, and have already been planning the big day, and Erin has purchased her wedding dress, and honeymoon tickets have been purchased...it's now official.

They're the cutest couple. Dave is a great guy and I'm so excited to have him a part of our family. CONGRATS you two!

December 17th can't come fast enough! :)


**For updates on my Journey to Healthy Living click here.

tonight

Tonight after coming home from work I sat on the couch and watched Ryan put together some pictures at the kitchen table. We chatted about the day.

Something about this night was good. There was a good feeling in the air.

I felt complete peace and joy. I smiled and told Ryan I loved him. He responded with the same.

I told him how much I love our little family. I know he felt the same.

Although the day was tiring. It was great coming home to such peace and sincere joy.

I love my Ryan. More than words can express.

5k

I did one today. Check out my thoughts about it here at my "Journey to Healthy Living" blog. :)

catching up

This past month with not eating sugar, and all things "white", and soda, has been really good. I'm way over the cravings of any of that junk.

It's funny but the one thing I really crave is meat. Red meat. A nice juicy steak. I've never been a red meat eater; always stuck to chicken or turkey. But man, I can't get enough of steak. I don't eat it everyday or anything like that...maybe once a week...but man when I crave it I CRAVE it! Ryan and I have gone to Rodizio a few times this month just to curb my meat cravings. You'd think I was pregnant or something, but I'm not. I guess my body just needs red meat.

Water is my best friend and I drink a lot of it each day. Overall from my highest weight I'm down 26 lbs. not too shabby.

I have a lot more to go but progress is being made and I'm crossing my fingers that when I go back to my Dr. in a month he'll tell me I don't need to be on insulin.

I like trying on pants that used to not fit very well and having them almost fall off of me. It's a good feeling.

******

Last week my brother Quinn called me to say he had a late b-day present for me. He said he had tickets to Josh Groban for me that night. Woot Woot! I've always like Josh Groban. But I'll be honest. It was a Saturday and I was tired from just finishing up shooting a wedding with my friend. The last thing I wanted to do was go to a concert, but I did and I'm glad I did. He was good! The best part is that I was on the floor and 6 rows from the front. It was awesome! That guy is really funny and really cool. He's a great entertainer, and of course a great singer, musician. I went with Darlene, and my sister Megan. So fun!




******

I wanted to document a dream I had the other night because I don't want to forget it.
I had a dream that I was pregnant, and ready to give birth. It was my due date and Ryan was anxious for me to get to the hospital, saying we needed to get going and we needed to get going now. I kept telling him that I wasn't even in labor yet. He said it didn't matter but that he wanted us to go so they could check. I thought he was being so silly, but then saw that he was just being cautious and was so concerned that everything would go well. It was cute. I just kept thinking..."but I'm not in labor, I have no pains".

It was a good dream. One that I hoped was real. I think Ryan and I are both feeling that we are closer to having kids - whether by giving birth to them or adopting. It's a good feeling. We'll see what happens. :)

******

Oh! I have changed positions at work, and I couldn't be happier. I've been XANGO's call center Manager or 6 years now. As much as I enjoyed working with the agents and working so closely with our Distributors I'm grateful to not be a manager any more. I'm now an Administrative Assistant to my boss. It's a good move and the timing was perfect. I was burned out big time.

Ok, I think that's about it! Hope you all are having a great week. :)