Things I'm Loving Friday XLIX

Happy FriYAY! It's a cold one down here in Houston, so I can only assume that it's even chillier in other parts of the state and country. But it’s been a hot minute since I have posted a Things I’m Loving Friday, but I’m committed to making this blog a regular part of my routine again, so here it goes!

Powerbeats2 Wireless In-Ear Headphones

I finally bit the bullet and solved my headphone problem. I figured if I’m going to get serious about one day (hopefully in the near-ish future) qualifying for the Boston Marathon, then I had better get the gear that will help make it possible. Not that there’s anything wrong with the headphones that I currently use, but on my longer, faster runs, they sometimes fall out of my ears. And then there are the days when I just don’t know what to do with the length of the wires. You would think after five solid years of running I would have it figured out, but these wireless headphones are the answer to all my problems. It took me a little while to get used to over-the-ear headphones, but they stay on while I’m running, and in my opinion, the sound quality is excellent. As silly as it sounds, every second counts when it comes to qualifying for Boston, and I would hate for it to come down to a headphone malfunction.

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Longhorn Coaches

I’ll admit that I’m bragging a little bit with this one. It was the start of 3^rd period yesterday, and our head football coach popped his head into my classroom just as I was explaining to my class what we were going to be doing that day, telling me to step outside for a minute because he had a surprise for me. My jaw dropped when I was greeted by two HUGE men wearing burnt orange Longhorn warm-ups. I quickly figured out that it was Oscar Giles and Michael Huff, who are football coaches at the University of Texas, and they were visiting Bellaire to, I assume, take a look at some of our football players. 

And I love to think that some of our students’ college football dreams could be coming true. It puts a smile on my face that is equivalent to the one I’m wearing as I got to put my horns up alongside two coaches who will hopefully help bring the winning tradition back to Longhorn football. I truly couldn’t stop smiling the entire rest of the day knowing that the people I work with not only knew how much it would mean to me to get to meet them, but that these two coaches took the time to shake my hand and thank me for the work that I’m doing. Hook ‘em horns!

Adidas Superstar

Guys, this pair of shoes was the best purchase I ever could have made. I bought them on such a whim – I saw someone at school wearing a pair of black and white Adidas Superstars, and it reminded me of the stylish orange and white pair I had back in the day. I did a quick search to see if there was anything in the red and white realm, because school spirit, obviously, and ever since I got them in the mail sometime around mid-October, I wear them to school at least once a week. They’re comfortable and stylish. I say this because I always get compliments from my students whenever I wear them. And when your students compliment you on your shoe choice, you know you’re rockin’ it.

Harry Potter and the Sacred Text

Podcasts are the new “it” thing these days. And I’ll admit that I’m jumping on board. My school next-door neighbor told me about this podcast, and being the Harry Potter lover that I am, I knew I had to check it out. I was driving from my apartment to the Memorial area in rush-hour traffic just this last week, and I had more than enough time to finish the first episode (?). And I absolutely loved it. I’m already a huge fan of Harry Potter, and one college summer I wrote an entire blog post about how much the Harry Potter series means to me, and how it’s more than just a “wizarding world.” It’s chock full of valuable lessons, and this podcast decodes the text in such a way that makes it meaningful to our own lives. Each episode explores a central theme, and even after listening to just one episode over the topic of commitment, I’m hooked.

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Nine Easy Ways to Fit Mindfulness Into Your Daily Life

I don’t know if it’s just me, and I hope it’s not just me, but it’s so easy for me to get bogged down in my daily to-do list and all that I have to juggle. I feel as though the second my alarm clock goes off, I jump out of bed and my mind starts going. I think about all of the tasks that I need to complete that day and I rarely take time to appreciate the little things that are all around me. I’m so guilty of pulling out my phone while waiting in line at the grocery store instead of striking up a conversation with those around me. Granted, not everyone may want to have a conversation while in line at the grocery store, but you get what I’m saying. I can’t remember the last time – aside from Thanksgiving – I ate something without staring at a television, computer or phone screen. I was actually walking up the stairs to my classroom just this morning thinking about how so many of my students don’t know how to be alone with their thoughts, and then I had the haunting realization that maybe I don’t know how to be alone with my thoughts, either. So my goal going into the end of 2016 and the start of 2017 is to practice mindfulness.

And on that note, I'm off to enjoy a wild Friday night babysitting for some kids down the street from my parents house. I'm not complaining, because a night of Hungry's and watching Elf is surely in my future. And after a go-go-go week, I'll take a relaxed Friday night in. Hopefully I can stay awake longer than the kids!

Tailgate Snacks

Hello, hello! How are you guys doing? I hope you're finishing off a wonderful week. It's hard for my week to be anything but wonderful when you get a day off in the middle of it. I think I'm going to start a petition for that to be an actual thing. I can't even begin to tell you how much I enjoyed my fall holiday. Casually waking up, a slow morning, new recipes, lots of time spent in the sunshine, hours of baking, and a whole lot of downtime. If that didn't revive me for a full school day, I don't know what would. Plus, I got to be the fall treats fairy for the English department on Thursday, and you guys know how much I love baking for other people. I was told that I'm going to make a good wife one day. The operative phrase being one day.

It's fall, so that means lots and lots of pumpkin. Or does that make me a basic white girl?

But we're going to switch gears a little bit. I mentioned in yesterday's post that I welcome the start of fall because it means football season. I can spend hours just sitting on the couch watching football. If it's not Texas breaking my heart, it's the Texans. Or the Eagles. Or the Colts. So while it would be easy to drown my football sorrows in comfort food, I'll feel better if I make smart snacking choices. Because let's be honest - snacking is part of football season. My dad has been known to order Philadelphia Cheesesteaks FROM PHILADELPHIA to eat while watching an Eagles game. That may not be the healthiest choice, but hey, we're allowed an indulgence or two every now and again. But just because we find ourselves glued to the television screen on game day, doesn't mean we have to succumb to wearing our stretchy pants. The Texans may fumble the ball more than I would care to admit, but over at Nuts.com, they believe that game day food choices don't have to be a fumble.

And Texas football is a fumble no more! Hopefully, anyway.

But while everyone else is enjoying nachos, seven-layer dips, and other delicious appetizers, you don't want to be the one who is over there munching on the raw broccoli. And lucky for you, healthy eating doesn't have to be boring. There are ample crowd-pleasing game-time snacks that won't pack on the pounds. And you'll find some of my favorites below.

Fajitas
Mexican food and football go together like the words Hook'em and Horns. Especially down here in Texas. But Mexican food is not always the healthiest choice. Chips and cheese and sour cream all taste good, but I think we can all agree that they leave you feeling less than your best. I am not sure that I would have come up with the idea of fajitas on my own, but I came home one day to my parents cooking up a bunch of fajita meat before an Eagles game one Sunday. All you need is some lean chicken and/or beef, bell peppers, onions, guacamole, maybe a little bit of cheese, and corn tortillas. As well as any spices that you may desire. Throw the meat and veggies into a pan, stick it it into the oven, scoop them into the tortillas, and garnish them as you wish. Healthy and delicious.

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Quinoa Pizza Bites
Pizza is another game-day go-to. Sure, it may be easier to call up Domino's or Pizza Hut and have the pizza delivered right to your door, but I guarantee you won't regret making these quinoa pizza bites. Quinoa is all the rage these days anyway, so this is perfect if you happen to find yourself with some leftover quinoa. These pizza bites are easy, customizable, kid-friendly, and there's just no way you can feel guilty after popping one (or two or three or four) into your mouth.

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Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
Hot wings are another classic game-day snack. They're spicy, they're messy, they're tasty, and let's just be honest. We've all found ourselves licking our fingers with 10 clean bones on the plate below us. It can be hard to stop sometimes! But with these buffalo cauliflower bites, you don't have to feel guilty. And I'll be the first one to say that I am not a huge fan of cauliflower. I'll eat it, but it's not my first choice. But these cauliflower bites are delicious. If you're not dairy-intolerant, you can certainly use regular butter in place of vegan margarine, but I will recommend that you don't cut these pieces too small. You want a nice big "wing" to bite into. And hey, let yourself indulge a little bit and dip these into your favorite ranch dressing.

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Healthified Mozzarella Sticks
Who doesn't love a good mozzarella stick? I have never cared much for Sonic, but I used to salivate over their mozzarella sticks. And it doesn't take a genius to know that fried cheese is not the best choice. But the good news is that there are ways to make them healthier. This recipe bakes instead of fries, uses no butter, and calls for store-bought cheese sticks. Doesn't get much better than that!

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Black Bean Corn and Avocado Dip
Chips and dip is a serious part of game-day. It's something you eat so mindlessly that you don't even realize that your pants are suddenly fitting a little bit tighter. And you'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't enjoy a good seven-layer dip. Well, this dip might not be seven layers, but it is one that will have you fighting your neighbor for the last few scoops. This black bean corn and avocado dip is all the taste, without the guilt. And if you choose pita chips over Tostitos, you're really rocking and rolling.

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Chocolate Covered Strawberries
What is football without dessert? My favorite part of going to sports games as a kid was definitely the soft serve ice cream. And who doesn't love curling up with a bowl of Blue Bell while cheering your team onto victory? While that's all good and nostalgic, these chocolate covered strawberries will not only please the waistline and palette, but that will be sure to impress your guests. Dipped in chocolate and decorated with white icing, the only fumble you'll make is not giving one of these a try.

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I hope this post gets you guys ready for this weekend's games. I'm hoping I can cheer the Texans onto their first win, but I'm not holding onto too much hope. Before you call me a pessimist, you have to understand that I grew up in Houston. And I know that our teams are more than capable of imploding at the last minute. Cough, Astros, cough. Not pessimistic; just realistic. Anyway, I want to give a special shout out to Nuts.com for giving me the opportunity to talk about my favorite healthy game-day snacks. And if you're looking for even more healthy snacks, please check out their Healthy Snacks page. Because they're absolutely right - healthy snacking is one of the keys to diet success. And healthy eating doesn't have to be bland or boring. You just have to get creative. And I hope this helped get your creative juices flowing. Because with these recipes, you can have your cake and eat it, too.

Lucky Seven

I am making good on yesterday's promise, and I am sneaking in a post before the day is done. Today has been a day full of baking, running errands, and doing a little bit of review for my certification exam. And when I say a little bit, I mean a very little bit. I'm just having a hard time motivating myself to study when I'm on Christmas break. Oops! Maybe the motivation will hit come January 1st.

It took me a while to get motivated enough to squeeze in a workout, as today was a very bitter day. The sun never came out, and the temperature never rose above 46 degrees. Around 4:00pm I bundled up and ran my favorite neighborhood route. After 5.5 miles, my hands were very chilly, but it was some nice running weather.

Tomorrow you can expect a very cliche look back at the year / New Years Resolutions-type post, so tonight I will focus on some supposed "lucky" food that is supposed to bring about prosperity and good health in the new year.

Greens

Greens are eaten on New Year's Eve because they resemble money. I'll get my greens in early on in the day with my favorite egg whites and spinach breakfast.

Beans

Beans resemble coins, and they are said to bring prosperity in the New Year. In the South, black-eyed peas are said to show humility, and as I made sure to pick up some black-eyed peas at the store the other day, you better believe I'll be cooking some up for my family before we all go our separate directions to ring in the new year.

Fish

Fish scales resemble money, but they also swim in schools, which promote the idea of abundance. While some might choose to see this as an abundance of money, I'll view it as an abundance of love, good conversations, friendship, and other things that money can't buy.

Pork

I learned something new today - pigs never move backward, so pork is thought to symbolize progress. This is a big one for me, because with this new year comes quite a bit of change, and I hope to progress in many, many ways.

Circular Foods

Because they symbolize "coming full circle," foods in the shape of a ring are thought to bring good luck. I'm going to put my English degree to good use and do a little interpretation on this one. I've experienced a lot of the "grass is always greener" phenomenon, especially with this being my final semester of college. The truth is, the grass isn't always greener on the other side, and you might have to dig a little bit deeper to find the good in the things that you have, but once you find that good, it's sure to be very rewarding.

Go ahead - eat that cookie! You'll run it off tomorrow.

Long Noodles

Popular in China, Japan, and other Asian countries, these long noodles signify longevity. Apparently, the longer the noodle, the longer your life, but take care not to break it before you get all of it in your mouth. If you eat noodles, it's sure to be a meal filled with lots of slurping!

Does spaghetti squash count as noodles?

Pomegranate

This one has a lot of good luck attached to it (which might go along with the fact that they take a very long time to eat), but their red color symbolizes life and fertility; their medicinal properties represent health; and their abundant, round seeds represent prosperity.

Does pomegranate frozen yogurt count?

Do you have any "lucky" food traditions that you plan to enact tomorrow? If so, please share them with me!

And with that, I'm off to continue cheering on my Longhorns in their final game of the 2013 season. Not only that, but tonight's game is the end of the incredible Mack Brown era. It would be hard to find a guy classier than Mack, so today, win or lose, we celebrate him. Thanks for a great 16 years, and for everything that you did for the university. The eyes of Texas will ALWAYS be upon you, Mack.

“Don’t let this be the greatest thing that ever happened to you.” (Source)

A Refreshing Weekend

I am just not sure how it is already the middle of November. In fact, it is nearer to the end of November than it is to the beginning. There is only one week until I get to go home for Thanksgiving break, and after that, there is only one more week of class. Time really does fly!

Anyway, this past weekend my parents came up to Austin so that we could all go to the football game together. They went to Norman so that they could watch a game with Daniel, so I guess they felt like coming to Austin would be the fair thing to do. I thought it was going to be a really exciting game, but it turned out to be Mack Brown's worst career loss at home. We just couldn't get into a rhythm, and we couldn't seem to stop their quarterback from running the ball, so we were handed our first Big 12 loss of the season. So though the game wasn't very exciting, it was still a very fun day.

My parents got to my house around 11:30am, and we spent some time hanging around my house before heading out north to the Arboretum area to get lunch at a new-to-me restaurant, Z'Tejas. The very first Z'Tejas location was born right here in Austin, Texas, on our historic 6th Street, and there are now 11 locations open for business in the Western United States. It is a classified as a "southwestern grill," and it has a little bit of Tex-Mex, soup and salads, sandwiches, burgers, steak and seafood - so it really has a wide range of food from which to choose. We ordered some of the tableside guacamole, freshly made at your table, as the name implies, and I give it two thumbs up. I wasn't sure about some of the ingredients, but I couldn't stop eating it!

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For my main dish, I went for the Grilled Salmon and vegetables, and I ate nearly every last bite, despite being extremely full. The salmon was grilled to perfection, and the vegetables were sauteed in a way that I just can't seem to do myself!

My mom, after much back and forth, opted for the Avocado Turkey Burger, and a side of sweet potato fries (I helped her out with those), and my dad went for the Green Chili Barbacoa Enchiladas. Dylan joined us for lunch and the game, and he went for the Sante Fe Smoked Chicken Enchilada.

All of our plates were pretty near clean by the end of the meal, and we all agreed that it was a great meal filled with great company. After lunch, we headed back in the direction of campus, and made it to the game right on time. I should probably be ashamed to admit that this was my first football game to attend this season, and it was also my last home game as a student, as I probably won't be making the trip back to Austin for our Thanksgiving Day game. I'm bummed that it wasn't a better game, but the weather was great, and I am thankful for that time spent with my parents.

We left the game before it was over, and after getting stuck in quite a traffic jam leaving the stadium, I was back at my house, ready for a little bit of relaxation time. I was sad to send my parents back to Houston, but it was a little easier knowing that I would see them again in just a week.

Sunday was another busy one full of homework and YoungLife, but Dylan and I did take time to go to dinner together before our all-area meeting. We went to Mandola's Italian Market in the triangle, and though my grilled chicken salad was tasty, my strawberry gelato stole the show.

I think I even shocked Dylan a little bit when I ate a large chocolate chunk out of his mint chocolate chip gelato. I figured a little bit of dairy wouldn't hurt me, and those large chocolate chunks are my favorite!

And now it's back to the craziness of another week, but hopefully I will be better about updating y'all this round! Have a great Tuesday!

Red River Rivalry

I am a little embarrassed that yesterday I wrote about my lack of confidence in the Longhorn football team in the big Red River Rivalry game today. But to defend my words, our play so far this year hadn't given me much reason to be hopeful about this game. I don't know where it's been all season, but our team came ready to play today. And I am so proud to be a Longhorn, and I can't wait to see our beautiful tower lit up orange tonight.

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I am happy to say that with this win, I can officially continue on with my four-year graduation plan. If we had lost, I was contemplating taking a victory lap, solely to see if I could have one memorable football season (though our 2011 Thanksgiving victory against Texas A&M is certainly one to remember), but my parents will be relieved to hear that I can in fact graduate next May as planned. There are other reasons to celebrate our win, one of them being there will certainly be an increased morale on campus, and we just might have a bit more school spirit. I know that I'm already excited for when my parents to come to Austin in November so that we can all go to the OSU game. If we keep playing like this, I'm calling a Big 12 championship. You heard it here first! I'm also happy for the sake of Mack Brown. Though I think he should step down at the end of this year just as much as the next person, I think winning the Red River Rivalry is a good way to do that. He's done great things for this program, and it was so nice to see him smiling on the sidelines this afternoon.

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And this win was made all the better due to the fact that my little brother is currently a freshman at OU. I didn't know how I was going to live it down if we had lost this game. 

I'm a little bummed that I didn't make the trek to Dallas for my senior year Texas/OU game, but the best seat in the house is often the view from the couch, or from a treadmill, which is where I spent the majority of the first half.

I got up around 8:00 this morning, and opted to work on a little bit of homework instead of hitting the gym first thing. Around 11:30 I finally changed out of my pajamas and headed up to 24 Hour Fitness, and set up shop on a treadmill that was very close to the TV that was showing the game. I ended up running just over seven miles in an hour, and because I was watching the game, the time absolutely flew by. Plus, it was fun to see everyone reacting to the game. I am really feeling ready for my upcoming trip to San Francisco, and that feeling is heightened due to the fact that I just brought down my suitcase so that I can start packing. I always do this, in that I get started extremely early, but then I tend to leave most of the packing to the last minute. Let's see if I can break that trend this time!

After my time at the gym, a quick trip to Target, and a very refreshing shower, I heated up a bowl of my chicken and pineapple vegetable dish, and ate it while parked on the couch watching that beautiful, beautiful football game. 

I'm honestly so happy that nothing can bring me down, even the fact that my plans for the rest of the day include working on lots of school work. Hook 'Em Horns, and Texas Forever! Have a great rest of your Saturday!

Hook 'Em Horns

And it's back. Longhorn football, that is. Though I did not order season tickets (I know, I know), I am still very excited for the upcoming football season. I have hope that we will make up for our dismal past three seasons, and maybe that we'll even beat that team north of the Red River. Our first game is tonight against New Mexico State, and I am hoping that we will see our beautiful tower lit orange!

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Workout

I woke up around 7:45 this morning and knew that a good run would be the best way to start off my Saturday. I originally told myself that I needed to run seven miles in preparation for my half marathon, but I can push that back a week or two, so I decided to keep it at an even five miles (actually, 5.4) using my 45-minute treadmill workout. The first few minutes were pretty rough, but I got into a groove and I felt as though I could have kept running for miles. However, Dylan and I both needed to return something to the Co-Op, so we decided it would be better to do that before things on campus got too crazy with the big game. It was pretty perfect timing as I managed to get home and take a quick shower before he got to my house.

Breakfast

I know you guys are getting tired of the scrambled egg whites and spinach picture, so I decided to keep things interesting and switch it up a little bit for you guys today. I originally had plans to try a new recipe entirely, but as I didn't get home from running those errands until after 11:00am, and I was still pretty hot from my run and walking down the drag, I opted for a smoothie made using frozen peaches, raspberries, flax milk, spinach, and chia seeds. This smoothie was a bit of a struggle to blend, as the peaches were pretty frozen and were giving me some serious trouble this morning. It was one of my thicker smoothies, but it was still delicious. The peach-raspberry combination is definitely one of my favorites!

But, be on the lookout for a new-to-me recipe on the blog tomorrow. It should be a good one!

And now I am taking a break from some school work to type up this blog post. I am currently posted up in the beautiful new liberal arts building on campus, as I tend to get distracted when I study at my house, especially when all of my roommates are home. It's no fault against them, but I often want to hang out with them instead of doing my work. Plus, it's really my last semester to take advantage of being on campus, and I plan to discover the best study (and lesson planning) spots around the 40 acres.

Have a great college football Saturday and Hook 'Em Horns! 

Texas Forever

***WARNING: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! So if you don't want any part of the series to be ruined, you may not want to continue reading***

Well, it has finally happened. My Friday Night Lights experience has finally come to an end. It was a great ride, and I don't regret one minute of the almost 54 hours that was spent watching this show. I became far too emotionally invested in the characters lives and relationships, and got way too wrapped up in the football games featuring both the Dillon Panthers and the East Dillon Lions.

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This show is so much more than a "football show," though it certainly has some exciting football moments. There was so much I loved about the show, but I'll try to keep this as short and sweet as possible without going overboard. There is so much that could be said about this show that displays so much heart, so much realism, and so much emotion, and if any of you are looking for a new show, I'm sure you're not surprised to hear that I absolutely recommend this one.

Eric and Tami Taylor

A wonderful (and beautiful) couple, who dealt with and worked through actual problems. Eric Taylor coached the Dillon Panthers to a state championship, and later coaches the East Dillon Lions to a championship as well. More than just coaching football, he molded men. He took those boys under his wing and cared for them in ways they may have never experienced before. And Tami Taylor, his beautiful wife who loves her wine and saying "y'all," stands up for what she believes in and mentors students at both Dillon and East Dillon High. I like to think they will eventually move back to Texas, and I absolutely love their relationship. All I can say is, if I grow up to be like Tami Taylor, I would consider myself to be a success.

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Tim Riggins

The bad boy, rarely without a beer in hand. The long hair doesn't really do it for me, but that hair is Tim Riggins. Incredible football player, devoted best friend and brother, and the character you can't help but grow to love more and more as the show progresses. He loves Texas and coins the famous phrase, "Texas forever."

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Matt and Julie

I am obsessed with Matt Saracen. I love Matt and the relationship he has with his grandma, the way he handles himself, the way he hesitates and is unsure of himself, how scared he is of Coach Taylor, and the way he loves Julie Taylor. They are such a cute, pure couple and Matt proposing to Julie at the Alamo Freeze with his grandmother's ring was one of the best moments in the entire series.

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And lastly, I loved the final tributes to each one of the main characters in the final minutes of the final episode (that was a lot of finals). If the rest of the episode hadn't brought tears, these final moments definitely should.

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Clear Eyes. Full Hearts. Can't Lose. Texas Forever, y'all.

Thanksgiving Break Recap

So I decided to procrastinate a bit more and do my Thanksgiving break recap right now. So here we go!

Wednesday was supposed to be a really productive day for me. Was it? No, it wasn't, because I chose the Friday Night Lights crew over The Monk and Shattering the Stereotypes. I think y'all would probably do the same. I ended up finishing Season One on Thursday night so now I'm on a Friday Night Lights detox until December 12th. All I can say is that I want to be Tami Taylor when I grow up.

Thanksgiving started off bright and early with the 2012 TXU Turkey Trot benefitting Sheltering Arms Services. I was out of the house by about 6:30am, which meant I somehow found myself at the front of the starting line. With all of the people who run something like five-minute miles. I just trotted along and enjoyed the run - finishing at about 51:30. I was satisfied, and didn't feel quite as guilty about the large amount of turkey I consumed later that day.

The starting line

Williams Tower in Houston

Thanksgiving was just a great day all the way around. Some good food, good family time, good (and not-so-good) football games. I really wanted to do a post on all that I am thankful for but that ended up getting really long - which is not something to complain about - and I decided that I'll try to do a post like that as it gets closer to Christmas. All I know is that I'm pretty darn blessed!

Friday was another day full of football. It started at 1:00pm as my parents and I headed down the road to Stratford High School to send off the football boys as their bus took off for Reliant Stadium. They were set to play #1 state ranked Pearland Dawson at 4:00pm, and there was definitely some excitement in the air. The game was so much fun for me in the stands - though it stressed me out because both teams were back and forth the entire game - so I can only imagine how special it must have been to be playing in Reliant. What a cool thing these boys got to do. The boys played extremely well the entire game and though the scoreboard wasn't in their favor when time ran out, they have nothing to hang their heads about. I've mentioned it before, but there is something special about the Stratford community. The boys had so much support from parents, faculty, friends, and neighbors. My brother said that if it had to end, that was a pretty good place to end it. Well said!

His lovely sign, courtesy of Tri-Theta 

Before the game 

Travis, Graham, Daniel, and Ragan

Singing the alma mater after the game

I begged my parents to stop at Hungry's on the way home from the game because I was already tired of eating leftover turkey, and after a tough decision, I opted for the Veggie Black Bean Burger with a side of baked fries. It hit the spot. After all, Hungry's is probably my all-time favorite restaurant, so I couldn't come home to Houston without having it at least once!

Saturday and Sunday provided some time for me to relax, watch more football, and hit up some of my favorite restaurants. And maybe do some of the homework that I neglected all week. I met two of my best friends from high school for lunch at Ruggles Green in City Centre, and we ended up staying there for about three hours just talking, catching up, and planning some fun Christmas break adventures. I opted for the Veggie Nut Burger with a side of sweet potato fries and I ate every last bite. Apparently I just can't get enough of the burger and fry combo. Good food and good company - I am starting to see a trend here!

It was hard to come back to Austin knowing that I have a pretty tough couple of weeks ahead of me, but knowing that the next time I come home I will be free of any school work for a month is getting me through. I have lots of baking, reading, and Friday Night Lights watching to attend to!