So much to give thanks for on this Thanksgiving day!!!

I have spent the weekdays this week writing out day by day, the things that I am thankful for. While I could go on forever, the things I have included this week on Facebook are----

1)I am thankful, most of all, for my God. He has blessed me beyond belief for so many things that I don't deserve. Thank you God-for without you, we would have nothing to be thankful for.

2)I am thankful that God sent me such an amazing husband. A man who loves the Lord, is selfless and encouraging to me,trustworthy and sincere, and also my best friend!

3) I am thankful for my wonderful family-You have helped teach me priorities and values in life, been there through happy,fun times, as well as dark,sad times, but you are always there when I need you. No questions asked-just unconitional, selfless love.

I am still continuing this list throughout the week, but those are the few that I have come up with the last few days. I really do have so much to be thankful for. We all do. Sometimes, I think we all tend to forget what God has blessed us with---just the basic things of living that we take for granted.

My mother gave me a few quotes a couple years ago and they hang on my refrigerator. They remind us of things that we often take for granted. Here goes!!!!

* Be thankful for the clothes that fit a little too snug, because it means you have
enough to eat.
* Be thankful for the mess you clean up after a party, because it means you have
been surrounded by friends.
* Be thankful for the taxes you pay, because it means you're employed.
* Be thankful that your lawn needs mowing and your windows need fixing, b/c
it means you have a home.
* Be thankful for the heating bill, because it means you are warm.
* Be thankful for the laundry, b/c it means you have clothes to wear.
* Be thankful for the space you find at the far end of the parking lot, b/c it
means you can walk.
* Be thankful for the lady who sings off-key behind you in church, b/c it means
you can hear.
* Be thankful when people complain about the government, b/c it means we have
freedom of speech.
* Be thankful for the alarms that goes off in the early morning hours, b/c it
means you're alive.


Hope you enjoy those as much as me!!! In other news this week, I have spent the last two days baking a HUGE birthday cake for Matt's mother's 50th birthday tomorrow. Wow!!! I did not have a clue the labor this thing would take ;)
By the numbers, I went through over 1 carton of eggs 16 (yes, 16) sticks of butter (can you feel your arteries clogging as we speak??;p) 2 bags of flour, 2 bags of sugar, 1 gallon milk, and 5 boxes of confectioner's sugar..........and a few other things like fondant, decorations, etc. that I am forgetting to include.

I only had 3 cake pans, but each layer required 3 cake pans each----that meant baking them all separately, cleaning the pans, and baking again.........did I mention I made this cake from scratch........as well as the buttercream icing???!! Oh yeah............last night the baking process alone took 7 hours, with 2 hours of carving and icing. Matt carved out the layers to make them appear "topsy-turvy". ---Don't think I could have done that part without him!! Tonight consisted of decorating the remainder of the cake with fondant, etc. Total cakes = 8 cakes, although in the photos I post later it appears to only be 3 layers. It's called a topsy-turvy cake........I hope she loves it ;)


I think Matt has converted to only aqua-jogging until the marathon. He is be extra-cautious with his foot, because he definitely doesn't want an injury right now leading into Ironman Canada training for next season. I am feeling much better than the previous weeks after NY marathon--not feeling that sluggish feeling anymore. I even pushed myself on mile repeats this morning (which I have a hard time doing alone, especially on a cold morning when I'm tired already from the weekly mileage.) Taper for Memphis has begun, and I plan on enjoying next week thoroughly ;) We plan on taking a couple weeks almost completely off after Memphis marathon in order to rest up and recover and really prepare ourselves for the big triathlon season ahead........I know Matt is excited!! (especially to be done with marathon training ;)

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and gobble up plenty of good food ;)