Happy Thanksgiving!

The past few days have been wonderful! I guess I really needed some time off of work, I've been enjoying every second! A and I spent Thanksgiving with my family this year. It was a wonderful evening: a delicious meal, my dear family (including Aunt Robin and my brother's girlfriend Toni), Texas beat A&M, and we celebrated my brothers birthday! I cannot believe my little brother is 25! We're getting old! ;)

This year I am thankful for:

(1) Our wonderful families - this includes my loving husband, our supportive parents, all of our relatives, and our sweet little Ruby.

(2) My job - it stresses me out sometimes, but what job doesn't! I love what I do, and I really love my coworkers, and I am so thankful to have a job with benefits at a time when so many people are without.

(3) My home - while it may seem modest terms of Houston housing, I do not let myself forget what a large, and luxurious home it is in terms of world housing.

(4) My health - I've been able to live 27 strong, healthy years free of major illness or injury. I tend to take this for granted. I know I could take better care of my body and definitely plan to do so through making better choices!

And now for the pics!

Happy 25th Mike!!

My mom's beautiful table setting

The family at dinner

I've been bitten by the Green Monster!

The Green Monster Smoothie, that is! If you know me, you know I really, really don't like green vegetables. I mean, I could go for days without eating them and not even notice. In an effort to eat more green veggies, I've been searching for ways to sneak them in to things that I already love, and came across the Green Monster recipe! It looks gross, but it seriously tastes just like a peanut-butter and banana smoothie. I promise, you can't taste the spinach at all. (I even made the husband taste it with his eyes closed!)

Here's to eating more veggies! Cheers! :)

2 cups of baby spinach (or kale)

1 small/medium banana

3 oz Fage yogurt (0%)

1/4 skim milk

1 tbsp natural peanut butter (I use almond butter)

ArtCrawl Houston!

Well, it was a gloomy day, but Jackie, Jess, and I ventured out to ArtCrawl last weekend. I had never been, but really enjoyed it and will hopefully go again next year! After a few detours (thanks to Houston traffic and construction!) we met at Last Concert Cafe, a little hole-in-the-wall Mexican place. The service was great and so was the food. Then we walked around and visited some of the galleries right in that area. I bought a small piece, but haven't decided where to hang it in the house!

Texas Book Festival

I went to the Texas Book Festival with my mom and aunts for the first time this year, and it was great fun! The Festival is held at the gorgeous Texas State Capitol over 2 days. There are tons of "sessions" to attend where the authors talk about their writing (usually plugging a new book). There are even tents for children to hear about children's books and foodie tents with cookbook authors.

My favorite sessions were:

Historic Texas From the Air (written by a history professor and pilot/photographer) You know I LOVE me some Texas history!! Can't get enough of Goliad, Santa Anna, the battle of San Jacinto, etc!!!

Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do? by Harvard government professor, Michael Sandel. This session was definitely thought provoking! Professor Sandel used Aristotle's definition of justice to have a discussion with the audience about some modern day moral dilemmas. We talked about the justice of whether or not the golfer, Casey Martin, should be allowed to compete with a golf cart due to his disability, and the justice of same-sex marriage. (yes, we went there!)

When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of Women from 1960 to the Present written by New York Times op-ed Editor, Gail Collins. This session had me in tears! When you think about it.... the position of women in society in didn't change that much for thousands of years, then in a whirlwind of just a few decades we've become CEO's. Absolutely amazing. She tells the story of the many (not necessarily famous) women (and men!) who made the life I take for granted today possible. However, there are a LOT of growing pains that come along with a societal shift of that magnitude, and we're not there yet. She poses new questions, like the

question of childcare when both parents are working.... we haven't really figured that one out yet. This book is definitely on my to-be-read list!!

The Clinton Tapes: Wrestling History with the American President written by historian Taylor Branch. Clinton requested to be interviewed, in SECRET, on tape by Taylor so that his history as President would be preserved. The secret interviews took place over 8 years. The process of actually collecting the interviews sounded fascinating! (Not ever the author's family knew about the project).

The Informant: Wait, isn't that a movie? Yes, but first it was a book published in 2000! The book has corrupt corporations, crocked FBI agents, crazy witnesses and more! I can't wait to read it! (and THEN I'll see the movie!)

I will definitely go back next year if I can! Best of all - it is totally FREE!! :)

Now for some pics - I forgot my camera, so these were taken on my BB. The gorgeous Texas Capitol, and the inside of the House Chamber:

Oh, and this was one the items on my 101 in 1001 list, so I get huge check mark by Number 57! (I know, I know, I haven't blogged about my 101 list, so some of you have no idea what I'm talking about.... I'll write about it soon!)