A Month of Thanks

Good Afternoon!  Halloween is always a fun holiday for me but not only for the dressing up and candy.  I love Halloween because it is the official kick-off for the holiday season!  I really love Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I have previously mentioned that one of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions is participating in Turkey Trots.  I also have another tradition that I write three things that I am thankful for each day in November. 

I really love the opportunity to refocus on the great things in life because it is all too easy to complain about what's not right, fair or good.  I'm going to share these on my blog (lucky you!).

Today I am thankful for my treadmill, Japanese peanuts and microwavable meals.  First of all, without my treadmill I wouldn't be as physically fit as I am.  I love my treadmill.  I actually got up this morning at 4:30am and got a tiny three mile run in before getting ready for work.  I have said it too many times to count but if I don't exercise in the morning, it probably isn't happening.  I will not run outside by myself in the dark.  Not happening.  That really limits the window of opportunity to go out for a run during the winter time when you work a full-time on top of being a mommy.

Secondly, I am thankful for Japanese peanuts.  A coworker from Arizona brought these to our office on a visit and I was instantly hooked.  These suckers are good.  They have a hard candy-like shell on them so they are super crunchy and they have the perfect balance of sweet, salty and spicy.  They are definitely one of my favorite snacks after working out!

That's right, Japanese peanuts made in Mexico

Lastly, I'm thankful for microwavable meals.  I would spend hundreds of dollars and gain millions of pounds without them.  It makes life so much easier to just grab one out of the freezer and head off to work.  These meals are already pretty affordable PLUS you can always find coupons for them and they go on sale frequently too.  They are a complete lifesaver for the busy, single mom on a budget!

What are you thankful for?

Happy Halloween!

Win for Halloween and utter fail for healthy living!  I have consumed my weight in chocolate and peanut butter today :)  I had been able to steer clear of the candy dishes in the office until today.  It just didn't feel right not tempting a diabetic coma on Halloween. 

Julia was totally excited about trick-or-treating.  I explained to her that the houses with front porch lights on had candy and the dark houses did not.  I didn't have to tell her twice!  In no time at all, she was running down the sidewalk saying "No light, no candy!"

It was so much fun seeing her so excited about it.  It really made me think about the great times that I had trick-or-treating.  When I was young, we lived in a townhouse community and there seemed to be a million kids my age.  Our community had a Halloween party complete with a cake walk and costume contests.  We always had SO much fun!

Does Halloween seem better or worse than when you were a kid?

What's your favorite Halloween memory?