Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We hope you have a wonderful day full of turkey, pie, and a good nap. Bundle up tonight because the cold weather is on its way. :)

Vegetarianism

So yes, I've been eating light this week so I can save up space for the much anticipated Thanksgiving feast. Yesterday, however, resulted in a really painful stomach ache post salad...I know I can't eat salads without getting sick yet I keep on trying. I'm done with salads. I'm going to be the world's worst vegetarian and not eat salads. Speaking of vegetarianism, I think it's funny how people often equate the decision of vegetarian to being in some sort of "phase." Though I have met plenty of vegetarians who later decided to eat meat, I meet more who have kept it up rather than those who have not. I'm often puzzled when people are completely perplexed about how I live a normal life without eating meat. The type of questions I get are: don't you need protein??, what do you order when you go out to eat?, don't you miss eating meat?, do you ever crave it?.

I just think it's funny because I never think twice about living any differently than anyone else. Vegetarian was a choice for me, not b/c I am animal activist (although I do love them I know that not eating meat is not going to save them), because I never ate it that much and I don't digest it very well. So my answer to all those questions are: yes you need protein, but there are so many other sources for protein that are actually better for you than animal protein is--I order veggie things (sandwiches, burritos, pasta) or I simply order side dishes of vegetables, and sometimes if there's a really delicious menu item w/ meat I'll order it w/o meat or just pick aroud it--I don't miss eating meat...I honestly don't even consider it when I am trying to decide what to eat--and no I do not crave meat, but I never have in my whole life even when I was eating it. Anyways, that's just my spill on vegetarianism. I've come across so many people who don't understand it, but for them I wouldn't recommend being a vegetarian anyways.
I actually challenge people to go a few days without eating meat and see how you feel. Some people (generally with type O blood) will not do well b/c they digest animal protein very well and crave it typically, but for the rest I challenge you to see how you feel once meat is out of your diet. If you feel better, then I recommend trying to go longer periods without meat. After going for 2 years without meat, anytime I have that sinewy texture in my mouth accidentally it's just appalling. Just for an FYI, type A blood is the "vegetarian blood type" that does best w/o meat (it's what I am too).

Moving on, something I've always wanted to do has been lingering in my mind recently. Although I would love to work in or own my own bakery one day (investors, give me a call please ha), I've been hearing about several people who bake things out of their homes and sell them to people. I know that this really constitutes as a business, but I'm looking for a way around that title to avoid all the legal issues. I just think it would be a great side job to say make a few baked goods for someone throwing a party and doesn't have time, or someone who is having their family over for dinner and need something sweet or dessert. If anyone knows more about this or has any advice or ideas, let me know.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Check out these awesome cookies on my other blog. :)

http://olivia-bakerscorner.blogspot.com/2010/11/double-chocolate-cherry-cookies.html

Clove

This is my first official blog post from work and I feel like I should be in trouble right now...oh well. Well we have a new addition to our household--Clove. We really didn't want another cat, but I found a litter of 3 kittens hiding in the bushes in front of our aparment 2 weeks ago. It was freezing outside and they were just shaking and I couldn't stand it. So to make a long weekend story short...we trapped the kittens and the mom (it took awhile) and took them to the Humane Shelter. They wouldn't take them b/c they weren't hurt or abused, so we were stuck with them and nowhere else was open to take them to. We ended up putting the little kennel of cats in our guest bathroom bathtub with some beach towels under it. We kept them there overnight and I decided to play with them since they were there. I pick up my favorite kitten and Mark walked in, saw it, and told me that we needed to keep it. :/ I took him the next morning to the vet, came back, and took the other cats to the Bartlett Animal Shelter. They wouldn't take them either b/c I wasn't a Bartlett resident..so I got my grandmother who lives in Bartlett and she filled out the paperwork and they are now safely there. Raising a kitten that is 5 weeks is old SO much work. We initially had to bottle feed and potty train him. I swear I do not know how women handle having babies...I can barely handle this kitten. He is really cute though so it kind of makes it all worth it. :)

Moving on...we (well, me mostly) are really looking forward to our first Thanksgiving together as a married couple. I've been watching the weather religiously to make sure that it's going to be cold on Thanksgiving b/c if it's hot I get really cranky. ha I'm going to be bringing homeade mashed potatoes and a caramel apple pie this year. The pie is a new recipe so we'll see how it goes. :) Soon I will begin working on our homeade Christmas presents this year but I can't say anything more b/c they're a secret. :) We also went to Chattanooga last weekend at a bed and breakfast there just to relax for a little bit. After going to a bed and breakast, I'm not sure I ever want to go back to a hotel ever again. The people who work at bed and breakfasts treat you like family. You come into your room with fresh robes chocolate covered strawberries awaiting you. Then you have turndown service...a 3 course breakfast...what more can you ask for??

Mark and I are wanting to take a holiday picture for our Christmas cards this year, but we're wondering if we get a friend to take the picture for us or if we set the timer on a camera? How do most people take Christmas card pictures?? We're obviously newbies at this. :)

23rd Birthday =$23 for charity:water

Hey everyone, Mark here! I'm turning 23 on December 15 and am donating my birthday to charity:water. Pretty much that means I do not want gifts, but instead for you to give $23 to charity:water for their work around the world.

You can donate by clicking here. 

I can smell the holidays a'comin

I know I know...we are not the world's most steady bloggers. We blog sporadically and it needs to end. My aunt informed me a few weeks ago that I needed to update and I forgot again. I promise to do better! *fingers crossed* Mark and I have been ridiculously busy the past few months. Mark's store has slowly been improving, but it will soon be insanely busy since it's almost the holiday season. He spoke last month at a little conference called Ignite Memphis where people are chosen to speak for 5 min. about ways to improve Memphis. I've been working hard at Morgan Keegan and been enjoying married life so much. :) We both agree that being married is just getting better and better as times goes on.

Now I know my sister will understand and appreciate this, but we started decorating our apartment for Christmas last night. Yes I know it's not even Thanksgiving yet but I just can't help myself! I want to enjoy our Christmas decorations longer than 4 weeks, plus it's one less thing I have to worry about once it gets really busy near Christmas. This year I decorated the tree and bought the ornaments from the Dollar Tree because they're cheap and in case the kitties want to play with the tree, they don't break. I'm going to take pictures of everything once I finish. :) Christmas and Thanksgiving this year are more special than ever because it's our first Christmas as a married couple. I never imagined how much different the holidays become when you are married. Everything is more sentimental because you know you'll be starting traditions that'll last for a long time. I want to fill our home with the warm smells of cookies baking and soup simmering. Speaking of cookies--I'm baking some Earl Gray Tea cookies right now. I found them on www.realsimple.com. They are very low calorie (I think 44 calories a serving) and are not too sweet...and perfect with tea of course.

We also bought little holiday kitty collars for the cats and 10 min. after putting them on we took them off. It didn't go over to well. Mark and I have been eagerly anticipating the fall and winter weather--basically since September. We are both cold weather people and love to bundle up in the cold. We are planning on going to a bed and breakfast somewhere in Chattanooga sometime in November to get away for the weekend. Perhaps it will be our new pre-holiday tradition to get away before everything gets crazy. A tradition we started last year was to go to Waffle House on Christmas morning for breakfast. Surprisingly enough, it's really packed too! We decided that a tradition we want to start for Thanksgiving is to buy cards for each other and write down what we are most thankful for one in another and thank God for blessing up so much.  

Now that it's getting colder, it means that it's time for a few things:

1. Time to buy wood for the fireplace at Kroger.

2. Time to turn off the heat and pile on the blankets.

3. Because we keep it so cold, the kitties are usually on one of us trying to stay warm by the time we wake up in the morning .

4. Time to remember to put your robe by the shower or else the dreaded LEAP to the robe where every part of your body is wet and cold occurs and you are miserable for the rest of the morning.

5. Time for yummy drinks such as: mulled apple cider, hot chocolate, and latte's.

6. Time to plan out your holiday gift list (I even wrote out a whole list of everyone's names we needed to get gifts for at work..yes I am very productive). :)

7. Time to bring out scarves, gloves, boots, sweaters, sweatshirts, and jackets.

8. For girls, time to switch to a heavier moisturizer because the cold weather dries out your skin.

9. Time to lather on lotion more heavily than usual to prevent really dry skin.

10. Time to watch all the cheesy Christmasy movies (Peanuts movies are my favorite!!!).

11. Time to find Mark a stocking b/c as of now, both kitties have one and I have two all hanging up on the mantel...two Olivia's and 2 kitty stockings...I don't look selfish at all right? (One of my stockings is in place of his soon to be stocking so don't judge me haha).

12. Time to buy tins at the Dollar Tree to put all my Christmas baked goodies in.

13. Time to hit the gym harder and run longer outside to burn off those Christmas goodies.

That's all I have for now, but keep expecting more things soon. :)