It's Thanksgiving, and I'm thankful

 

It's Thanksgiving, and I really am thankful for so much.

• My adorable, healthy nieces and nephew
• My family.  I wish we lived closer, but it makes me that much more grateful for the time we are together.
• My faith
• Oliver, my faithful, fluffy buddy
• Purdue
• Old friends
• Sports
• A good historical fiction novel set in England (quite specific, but my favorites)
• TV that makes me laugh
• DVR
• A job
• Buffalo Wild Wings (What?  It's true.)
• Wine, french bread, and brie
• Pasta
• Blogs
• Memories from wonderful vacations (Ah, Italy)
• The dream that I could someday have a beach home
• My mom's mashed potatoes
• Music and the ability to keep a tune
• The Avett Brothers
• My random, new found love for baths and french dip sandwiches (not at the same time)
• My favorites Anthropologie mug
• Rivalry games.  (Go Clemson--Beat the Gamecocks!  Go Purdue--Crush the Hoosiers!)
• My health
• Ben.  Last, but never least.

*Picture of Ben and Ollie watching a Clemson game.  All things for which I'm grateful. :)

I'm a FAN (a sports fan that is)

So if you want to know me, you should know that I'm a sports fan.  Most importantly, I'm a college sports fan.  I do love my Colts, but other than some NFL, I follow no professional teams.  However, when it comes to college, I start the seasons with my teams and by the end I'll watch about anyone.  And don't get me started on March Madness.  It is the all-time best sporting event.  As an adult, no time makes me feel like a kid at Christmas as much as the first weekend of March Madness.  I get excited just thinking about it.

So I'm a Purdue fan first and foremost.  They are my first love and my true love.  Nothing makes my heart proud like Hail Purdue and Boiler Up!

Purdue has been having a rough couple football years, but basketball season has been so much fun.  The players from the last few years (Robbie Hummel, JaJuan Johnson, E'Twaun Moore, Chris Kramer, and Lewis Jackson) will probably be some of my all-time favorites.  I'm expecting some heartache this season with the team and the amount of freshmen, but I also see so much potential for the next couple years and that makes it bearable.

After Purdue comes Clemson.

Look at the sea of orange.  There's no stadium like Death Valley.

I worked at Clemson for five years, and Ben has two degrees bearing their name.  There's something about the amount of sports pride and the sea of orange that truly gets in your blood.  Their football team has been so much fun to watch this year.  They lost a tough one to Florida State, and I really wish there could be a re-match.  I don't follow them as much during basketball season because Purdue takes up my time. Besides, it's really a football school.

I normally want Northwestern to do well (except when they play Purdue) because I do have a master's degree with both our names on it, but I don't typically go out of my way to watch their games or get to know their players.

Finally, we just moved to Columbia, and I imagine that over the next few years, we will become Mizzou fans.  We did go to one football game this year, but the fourth quarter made it kind of rough.

So there you go. A little introduction into my sports loving heart (which unfortunately breaks quite often.) That's just the way it goes.

It tastes better in red

I'll admit it.  I'm a Starbucks fan.  However, I don't vary my routine with my drink.  It's a Grande Skinny Vanilla Cappuccino all the time.  Well unless it's in the evening, and I just want a hot beverage but no caffeine.  Then I get a Tall Skinny Vanilla Steamer.  Why do I capitalize the Starbucks drinks?  I have no idea.  It just seems like they should be capitalized.  Anyway, my question--why are those drinks so much better in the holiday cups???  Why does that simple piece of marketing work so well?  Even Ben, who likes to claim he has a caffeine allergy (he doesn't), wants Starbucks in the red cups.  (By the way, he's a Tall Americano, unless he's doing the ordering in which case he's a SMALL Americano.  Rebel.)

I don't have an answer to this query.  I'll just continue to enjoy my drink in the red cup that much more than the classic white.

Change (they say it's good for you)

It's been a long time since I've posted. Ben's always telling me to get back on here so here I am! A whole heck of a lot has happened in the past year and a half. Here are some of the great things. I have a new nephew, Teddy. He's pretty great.

This cutie turned 2!

Ben graduated so he officially has his Ph.D. Yea Ben!

Ben and I took a celebatory trip to Italy and Nice, France. I could do a ridiculous amount of posts so here's just a sneak peek. I want to go back.

Finally, we now live here:

Okay well we don't actually live "there" but we do now live in Columbia, MO. I definitely miss Clemson and aspects of the South, but it's also great to be back in the midwest. Hopefully I'll get around to filling in the rest of year soon! I'll leave you with this guy. He's still the best.

My favorite day of the year

It's my birthday! Today I am 30. I love celebrating my birthday so I think that always helps with getting older. I don't really feel that old, but I guess that's what all old people say. :)

I'll post more about my bday when I have pictures. Last weekend, Ben worked very secretly with Brandi (best friend from Indy), and Daniel Castro (best friend from Austin's husband) to throw Katie and I a surprise 30th birthday party in Indy. It was awesome, and I'll post more about it as soon as I get some pictures uploaded.

Tonight we're eating at the Lazy Goat in Greenville. Yum! I plan to eat a whole bunch of cheese, and not feel guilty about it at all. That's the beauty of your birthday.


Image found via here

She's One!

My niece, Ellana, turned 1 on May 1st. So for her first birthday, it got to be her golden birthday. We went up to Durham for her party. I haven't seen her since New Year's, and she is such a little doll. Seriously adorable.

She can do some sign language. She's watching her video here and doing "hat".

Listening to everyone singing to her.

Looking stylish.

Final group picture.

I love her!

Chills

This Harry Potter preview gives me chills. I cannot wait!!