Thanksgiving 2012

Thanksgiving has such a way of reminding us that the year is coming to a close. Hard to believe that its already come and gone. I always leave from family visits feeling so blessed that I still have all of them here to celebrate with, on both mom and dad's sides.

I love getting a taste of the country life when we go see all of dad's people in Statesboro. I got to see pictures of my cousin, Katie's, first deer....an 8 pt. buck might I add. A neighbor's "pet" peacock came up to the door and peeked his head in the window a few times. We also raved over cousin Kelli's little boy, Brooks, the newest addition to the family. He and his big brother Cole are two of the cutest kids ever. Hopefully mine will be equally as cute one day. I have this fear that I'm gonna have an ugly baby. Is that shallow? But in all seriousness, these two are precious. (so I stole facebook pics....sorry) Cathlin and I baked pies at one of her friend's houses on the night before the Statesboro trip. We had a slight incident on the car ride back home resulting in me with a lap full of Karo syrup. To the feast, she brought the remains of the pecan pie that did not end up in my lap. According to her, I'm not a very good pie holder. We sat around with full bellies afterwards and caught up on each other's lives. Some of us tossed a football around in the yard. Easy livin' out there in the Boro.

On Saturday we had Thanksgiving with my mom's side. We dressed up all nice beforehand with intentions of taking a family picture for our Christmas card. Somewhere along the line we became too full and lazy to exert energy on pictures. Better luck next time. You may or may not be receiving a card from the Wilson family this year. Depends on whether or not we get our act together. Cathlin made the most delicious white macaroni and cheese. It was on the verge of being a flop when the flour started clumping, but mom saved the day with her swift stirring action and it turned out to be pretty delicious. We had way more food than all 7 of us ever needed. For appetizers while we cooked, we had mimosas, cheese, nuts, and jalapeno stuffed olives. When lunchtime rolled around it was time for collard greens, dressing with gravy, creamed corn, stewed squash, broccoli cornbread, sweet potato casserole, fried turkey, ham, mac & cheese, rolls, brownies, and banana pudding. Heaven. Afterwards the boys went fishing and the girls stayed in and played Apples to Apples and MadGab. This card from MadGab had us all in tears:

Go ahead. Read the words that you see on the card and try to decipher what phrase it is.

Give up? Mickey Mouse. Mom was the one trying to guess it and she kept saying Meeeek- Caaaame- Houuss. We could all hear exactly what it was supposed to be, but she had no idea. Every time she repeated it with this puzzled look on her face, it made us laugh even harder. Of course Grama laughed herself into a coughing attack. (Love you!)

Soon it will be time for a repeat of family & food when Christmas comes around. Its the most wonderful time of the year!

Caroline

Bag, Fridge, Heart

I tried sleeping but that isn't working right now. Too many thoughts swirling around. So, what better to do than write at 1:30 AM?  I think a JoyDare prompt is the direction this one will be heading.  Here it is for tonight: What is one thing in your bag, one thing in your fridge, one thing in your heart?

In my bag?

The FOUR fortunes I received last night out of ONE fortune cookie. You heard me. If that isnt lucky, I dont know what is. I have a hard time throwing those things away for some reason. I feel like I have to hang on to them so that they'll come true! So, in my purse they went. Along with all the old gum, loose change, and receipts that continue to hang out in there. I want to be one of those people ( like my sister) with a clean, organized purse. It just isn't in the cards for me.


The fortune cookies were on the counter at a surprise 30th birthday party I went to last night with my friend, Kasey. At the party, this happened....

A little off track there. Back to JoyDare.

In my fridge?

Farmers Market purchases! (nevermind that this was from last week.) I got romaine lettuce, feta cheese, cheddar cheese, a dozen large eggs, shelled pecans, jalepeno peppers, bell peppers, and a vidalia onion.  Now, for what I made with some of these things....I'll share the recipes.

1) Autumn Chopped Salad
2) Creamy Jalepeno Dip
3) White Turkey Chili 









In my heart? 

Celebrating one year today with this guy. I found him last year on Veteran's Day. He's provides entertainment for me on the daily. Thanks Whales.

-Caroline

Productivity in Reverse

Not sure what it is about getting my eyes dialiated that makes me immmediately want to read. What a tease. Does that happen to anyone else? I was so exhausted after my long day at work and my eye doctor appointment immediately following that I decided it would be a perfect night to sit on the porch and read my book. Fail. Its been three hours since my appointment and just now are my eyes starting to adjust back to somewhat normalcy. I can see up close just barely enough to type this. Every time this happens I promise myself that I won't make fun of my mom for having to break out her reading glasses.

I think my bed time will be no later than 8:00 tonight.  After my nutritious dinner of Reese's pieces and milk followed by Nyquil and nose spray, I won't be able to function for much longer. Hello first cold of the school year. I held out until October.

I am now changed into a mismatched sweatpants and Walmart sweat shirt ensemble and it reminds me of a little something I saw on Pinterest:

So true.

Here's to a more productive evening tomorrow!

Charleston via Instagram

Friday, 4:30...hit the road from home to my next favorite city

Met my travel buddy, Margaret, at the hotel...after our dinner we stopped in for a beer at Henry's 

Woke up bright and early Saturday morning & made it downtown in time for brunch at Eli's Table

I ordered two entrees...don't judge. #1: Sweet Potato Pancakes with Candied Pecan Butter #2 Cheese Grits, Bacon & Egg Biscuit

Spent the afternoon shopping at the Market

This was my purchase. Tell me its not the most perfect piece of folk art you ever did see. Kind of hard to see here, but its a block of wood distressed in red with the wording painted on pieces of hammered tin. Its now hanging in my bathroom! (lyrics from Danny's Song- Kenny Loggins)

4:00- stopped in the Lululemon store on King Street to purchase some new yoga pants....then off to "practice" my moves. 

Post-yoga happy hour and appetizers on King Street. 

Cleaned up for the night and back downtown at Vendue Rooftop Bar

Second stop... Squeeze: Charleston's Tightest Bar. And that it was!

  

Sunday morning brunch: Hominy Grill, featured on Man vs. Food for "The Big Nasty" consisting of a biscuit piled high with deliciously spicy gravy and pan friend chicken. Also the place where a complete stranger asked if I would like to try a bite of his meal. I took him up on it. We became friends. 

Waiting for our names to be called....it was the obviously place to be. We waited for 30 min for brunch.

Love the ambiance here (Hominy Grill)

A walk up window outside where we ordered mimosas for the wait (can you see it on the far left?)

Walking along The Battery

Do people get married here often? Because I would. (just once...to clarify)

Rainbow Row

Beautiful day & perfect weekend. 

The End.

Finding Inspiration

One of my favorite things to do as a blogger (a very small blogger) is to read others' blogs. Its usually my greatest source of inspiration.

I don't know what it is about this school year...but I'm starting to notice that dreaded "burn out" feeling that so many teachers begin to have starting around year 5. (Or so I've been told.) My save-the-world mindset has begun to fade a little and my thoughts drift to....there's got to be something more. Anyone? Don't get me wrong. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the children. Yet, I don't want to get into a rut and never venture out into new territory just because I have a secure job. Don't worry- I'm not quitting my job. I'm thinking out loud. Exploring.

I found so much inspiration from Lisa Leonard, that I have to share her video. She writes one of the most recent blogs that I follow and this video clip confirmed my thoughts of trying something new. Her thing is jewelry making. I am not sure exactly what mine would be, but its brewing.  Watch her video and you'll see why I fell in love with her and her family.

Ideas Welcomed!

Caroline

Ketchup Popsicles

A word on blogging: I've found that my blog has helped me to slow down and notice life. At dinner tonight, I had a conversation with a friend that went something like this...

Friend: I like reading your blogs. I wish I blogged.

Me: You can!

Friend: But I don't do anything cool.

Me: Uh, neither do I.  

Its all about celebrating what matters and noticing the moments. What matters to me isn't always earth shattering, but when I take 2 seconds to write about it, it somehow gains a form of significance. It is published. It is recorded for ever and ever amen. When I'm old and gray I can look back and reminisce. 

Another thing. If you're excited about something, odds are, your passion for it will spark someone else's interest. Or their curiosity if nothing else. If you put your heart and soul into something, it really doesn't matter what it is. People seem to buy it. Its your passion for that "thing" that becomes appealing to everyone else. They may not love the "thing," but they will love your passion. Be passionate about SOMETHING. It kinda reminds me of one of the greatest movies of all time, Tommy Boy. The part when Richard says, "He could sell a ketchup popsicle to a woman in white gloves." Obviously, this quote deals more with being a good salesman- but it all ties together. If you don't believe in it,  no one else will either. 

 After all ....

Source

Well, this wasn't the original direction that this post was supposed to follow, but somehow I went off on a rabbit trail. All that to say... do something you love. And don't worry about it being not "cool" enough. 

This blog was SUPPOSED to be about my Fabulous Friday with Jessica and Julie. An after work trip to Bonna Bella, complete with: Blue Moons, Appletini's, and Coors Lights (yes- I was the classy one with the Coors Light.) We also had Nachos, Grilled Shrimp Salads and Molten Lava Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream. And last but not least, a trip to Goodwill. Who knew Goodwill was the place to be on a Friday night? We closed the joint down and left with bag fulls of thrifty goodness.  So, go on and do what you love. And if you don't know yet... try some new things until you figure it out. Start a blog! And be sure to tell me about it if you do. 

Happy Friday

Caroline

Sunday

"He works on us in all sorts of ways. But above all, he works on us through each other."

-C.S. Lewis

Funny how the worst days can sometimes turn into the best days. My Sunday routine was thrown off a little this morning, but somehow my day has morphed into something beautiful.

After church this morning I went to visit my family. I use the term visit lightly because they only live 15 minutes away. I should go see them a whole lot more than I do, but life gets in the way and I admittedly take them for granted.  Today was extra special because everyone was home. Mom, dad, Cath, even my grandparents were there from SC. Its these days that I need to savor because I know we won't all be able to be together forever. But for today, we were & it was just what I needed. We watched golf and napped on the couch and mom served me slaw dogs and Brunswick stew...still on the couch. Grama brought me some surprises including a case of cat food from Sam's and some treats for my kids at school. (Don't worry, the cat food was for Whelan). Cathlin tied a string around my toe as a reminder. She says its to remind me that she loves me. Ha.

Cath and I practiced our yoga head stands in the living room and my string fell off. But I still remember :) After some living room yoga we decided that we'd go to an actual class at the studio. I think as a blessing in disguise, the studio was unexpectedly closed. At that moment, the idea of backyard yoga was born. It may have been the most perfect place ever. See for yourself.....

Now the sun is going down and I'm feeling content and peaceful. My Sunday has turned into what a Sunday should be. A day of rest and fulfillment. I even got to talk to two of my best friends from out of town on the phone today. More often than not, our schedules don't align to talk more than 5 minutes. But today, it seemed like time stood still for awhile and we got to really connect without rushing. Jenna and Kendall- I wish you both lived closer.


And...this song has been on repeat since I heard it at church this morning. All Son & Daughters- All The Poor & Powerless.

- Caroline