Let Your Heart Be Light

Sorry it's been a while since my last post - it's been a busy, busy work-filled, family-filled past week, and I've loved mostly every minute of it.  I'll give you the short version of what all went down.  So, I think I mentioned my mom, sister and cousin were coming up for the two days before Thanksgiving.  I had so much fun with them!  It was really wonderful getting to spend some time with close family members around Thanksgiving.  I wasn't looking forward to being without them.  Sadly, as long as I'm in the hotel industry, I'll have to work most holidays.  I can't afford to take them all off; it goes against the best interest of the hotel and my coworkers.  Anyway, my mom and I put together a delicious menu full of traditional Thanksgiving foods (minus the turkey, haha) - Rotisserie chicken, five-cup fruit salad, sweet potato casserole, corn casserole (I should post the recipe sometime in the near future!), English peas, Sister Schubert's rolls (a Kitchen family staple) and of course raspberry tart and peach cobbler for dessert.  Everything turned out really beautiful and more than edible.  While they were here, we also watched some movies - The Help, 500 Days of Summer, Paranormal Activity 3 and The Hunger Games.  We played a ridiculously long game of Phase 10 (card game) that Jason ended up winning.  Tuesday evening, my mom and I went for a walk and checked out the hot tub at my apartment complex before we all went up to the UT campus for some Rita's "Ice Custard Happiness."  They left Wednesday afternoon after lunch, and everything went back to quiet and normal.

On actual Thanksgiving Day, I worked 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. and Jason got off work at 5 p.m., so when he got home we drove up to his parents' place for dinner.  They made a delicious meal as well - Turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, spinach salad with feta cheese, green bean casserole, rolls and pumpkin pie for dessert.  Two Thanksgiving meals ain't too shabby, I must say.  Although, I did gain about five pounds throughout the week that I'm trying to lose again.  I'm so up and down when to comes to fitness!  Don't get me started!  After dinner at Jason's parents' we met up with our friends Corey and Helen, along with a couple of their friends, at the Draught House pub in North Central Austin for some post-holiday beverages, but we couldn't stay long because we both had to work the next day, unlike everyone we were with.

On Black Friday, Jason had to work noon to midnight so after work I entertained myself by idiotically going to Target for a few things.  Despite it being one of the craziest days for shopping, it really wasn't so bad.  That night I ordered Chinese takeout and attempted to watch Smooth Talk and failed because the disc kept skipping, so I caught up on Gossip Girl and did a little online shopping.  Saturday night I got to see Rebecca's sister Cynthia and her husband, Shelby, as they were in town for a wedding.  I got them the hook-up at the hotel and we met one of their friends and his new friend at Trudy's for dinner and drinks.  It was really good to see them - the last time I saw Shelby was back in March when Cynthia was in Italy.  I don't even remember the last time I saw her!  We all decided it was unacceptable, and I told them they should come up and visit more often.

Last night Jason and I put up all of our Christmas decorations, tree and all!  Our apartment looks so cozy and Christmas-y now :)  The cats are probably more excited than we are, however.  The tree is a feline playground as far as they're concerned.  I am a very firm believer in celebrating one holiday at a time.   I refuse to listen to Christmas music, watch Christmas movies or buy anything Christmas-related until AFTER Thanksgiving.  With that said, post-Thanksgiving and up until New Years, I am a Christmas fiend.  I break out my Christmas albums, CDs and movies.  I make Christmas cookies, I wear Christmas colors, I keep my radio on 95.5 FM permanently for Christmas music 'round the clock. You bet your booty I am all about it!  So I'd like to wish each and every one of you a safe and happy holiday season - may the odds be ever in your favor!  Haha.

xoxo