Thanksgiving 2011

The Forbes had the best Thanksgiving this year! Last Thanksgiving I was absolutely miserable and had a wound vac stuck to me after some major surgery I had. I am so thankful I haven't had a cyst problem in months! This year I had many things to be thankful for. My sweet husband being home to celebrate, the beautiful life God has blessed us with, my mawmaw's health and that she looks and acts like she can run a marathon...and so much more, I could go on.


We got up early yesterday morning and headed out for a 4 mile run! It was so nice to have my Brandon to run beside. He's pretty fast and never stops. We haven't ran together since I've really stepped up my game and he was so proud of how much better I had gotten!

At the 4 mile point I was like hmm...let's keep going and do 5 miles. We ended up running 5.65! Big accomplishment. We had to get back to the car...hehe.

Some advice for the 'beginner' runners who don't think you can ever get over that two mile hump...
You can. This time last year I couldn't run over 2 miles without stopping. Now I can run almost 6 miles without stopping. It took some time, but you can do it. I wanted to stop many times, but I knew I had to keep going. For the last 1/2 mile of our run my knees were feeling the impact of the pavement harder then ever. But it feels BETTER to be able to say, 'I did it!' & jump up and down like an excited little girl learning how to tie a shoe.

After the run we headed home to get ready for our day and started off with a Pumpkin Pie Smoothie that Brandon made. It wasn't great, but it was pretty good and had great nutrition!

Ingredients:
1/2 Banana
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
3/4-1 cup vanilla soy milk (or milk of choice)
1 tsp vanilla
Few shakes of cinnamon
Pinch of cloves
4-5 ice cubes

Directions:
1. Add all ingredients in the blender
2. Blend together!


While Brandon was in the shower the Turkey came to visit! Oh, you know...like Santa and the Easter Bunny...only it was the Turkey! She wrote on the picture which is on his dresser 'I'm thankful for you because...' and had little notes of why she is so thankful for him. :)

While running and getting ready for our Thanksgiving Day I had my Party Potatoes cookin' in the crock pot. I'm not a big potato girl, but they weren't bad! I got in charge of bringing the mashed taters, but of course I had to mix it up.

Ingredients:
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8oz greek yogurt
1 can chopped green chiles
1 1/2 cups shredded colby-monterey jack cheese blend
1 bag frozen southern-style diced hash brown potatoes
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup finely crushed Doritos

Directions:
1. Mix together cream of mushroom, greek yogurt, green chiles, and shredded cheese.
2. Layer 1/2 bag of potatoes then mixture, then potatoes and top with the rest of mixture.
3. Cook in crock pot on high for 4 hours.
4. Before serving sprinkle with crushed Doritos and onions.

Hint: Notice how you have to buy the green onions by large increments in the bag? And you don't need them... Well, if you empty out a plastic water bottle, chop up all the extra green onions, and put them in the water bottle, you can freeze them and use as needed! Wah-lah!



Over the river and through the woods to mawmaw's house we go!

Here is my sweet mawmaw ♥
And the dessert and ALL the food!

My plate, oh yes...I cleaned it.

My mawmaw and pawpaw went to Gatlinburg a few weeks ago to enjoy the beautiful fall scenery. Well, while they were there...Mawmaw got her some skinny jeans!!
Watch out ya'll!

Thanksgiving 2011♥

After mawmaw's we took some grub over to my memaw's and visted them. She gave me 'A Taste Of Home' Magazine, because of all of the Holiday Recipes in there. I've already found some I'm ready to try! After that we went to Steak & Shake and I got my first Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake of the year! Score! {As if we weren't full enough} Mom was calling us pig faces all day...rude! ;)



I hope everyone else had a great Thanksgiving as well. With that being said, it's time to crank up the Christmas Music, finish decorating, and get ta cookin and baking! I love this time of year!