So Very Thankful

Another epic holiday has passed. We had a wonderful time, safe travel to and from and wonderful times with the people who mean the most. Family is such a blessing. I had some conversations with my cousins over the holiday and just did some personal reflecting in general. Life, love and family should never be taken for granted. There are so many people that don't have these things in their life, so truly it should be treasured.


We took off a day earlier so I got to spend all day Wednesday in the kitchen cooking and prepping for the Holiday with my Mom which is a complete blessing after her health challenges from earlier this year. I got to hang out with my cousin from California, which was an unexpected treat also. My parents got a new dog, which they were reluctant to tell me about since they know I am really afraid of them. LOL They were jokingly calling her my new little sister. LOL I will admit that she is a very gentle little dog and after about 48 hours of anxiety, I was fine. I am still not that comfy holding or touching her, but everyone seems to love her.  My nieces and nephews are fascinated with her and it is fun to watch them bonding with the dog.  I like the fact that she seems to helping my mom with a routine and something for her to focus on since she is retired now.


We got up early Thanksgiving morning for our annual family tradition of running the Turkey Trot. I did the 1 Mile Fun Run this year because my ankle would not let me be great. LOL My 5 yr old nephew, smoked me like nobody's business. He is quite the little athlete.  My 11 yr old niece shut everybody down in the 5K, we were very proud of her. She has been playing basketball this year and her stamina was through the roof ! She did a great job.

Early morning stretching for the race !

Heading downtown for the Turkey Trot

My parents even brought their new dog  to watch LOL 

Go girls !

My BIL & Niece after she made us all proud 

Me & my little track star niece

My cousin reppin' the OKC Thunder LOL 

Later that day, my Aunt & Uncle hosted in their home as always & we had a great time, eating, watching football, doing Karaoke & of course the annual Taboo Challenge of the men vs. the women. We spanked them of course ! LOL Even my dad got in on the Karaoke & had us rolling singing " Mustang Sally " LOL ! And I don't know why my nieces & nephews were shocked that I know the words to "Hot Cheeto's & Taki's" ???? I love that video on You.Tube. Those little kids are the cutest and can rap too.

Me & my cousin from Cali ! 

The famous "Kiddie Table X 2  " LOL  !

My my my  they are growing like weeds !

Hot Cheetos & Taki's !!!! LOL 

The boys wanted to get in on it too. 

My sister & BIL singing a duet !

Daddy had to get him some. 

My cousins doing Bonnie & Clyde by Bey & Jay Z !

My two favorite guys :) 

On Friday, the day after we did absolutely no shopping. I am not into the Black Friday Madness. We took the kids to an indoor Trampoline Park which was really fun for them & cool to watch. I was sore from the run, so I could not indulge but it looked like a blast. The kids had an impromptu Pizza Party that night & the grown cousins went out for dinner and drinks at Republic Gastropub which was a cool little spot.

Oh to be a kid on a trampoline again ! 

No more Turkey ! Let's have Pizza ! 

This little girl is a handful, best believe ! 

Love these little girls .......

Me and my love at dinner :)

Saturday morning. Me & Mr. Mixologist had a breakfast cook off challenge. We made two different versions of Shrimp n' grits for the family. They thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't have to tell you that he won the challenge, but everyone said that both were really good. I just realized while writing this blog, that I took no pictures of what we cooked. I guess I was too busy cooking.


Saturday afternoon, we went to a Cigar Lounge and watched football.  Mr. Mixologist  got my cousin from California to try a Cigar & she is hooked, LOL. She can't wait to go back to LA & find a local spot to hang out at.

Puffin it up ! 

When we finally got tired of all the Turkey we made our way to our favorite Mexican spot when at home, Ted's Cafe Esconditio. I really love their food.

My BIL & Sister

My sister & cousin 

I hated to have to get back to reality, but we did. It was a wonderful holiday. I can't believe how quickly this year has flown by.  Not it's time to start shopping for the Christmas tree ! Dang.

How was your Thanksgiving ?  

Do you have any holiday traditions ?

Who traveled the furthest to celebrate ?


Thoughts ? Commnts ? Questions ?


Beautifully Complex 

Thoughtful Tuesday

Life is challenging, life is unpredictable and life is short. But life is also rewarding, there is redemption and there can be joy in the time we have.

I love the Internet. Despite the many negative aspects of it, there are so many opportunities to connect with others, share and learn so much or just be reminded of what you already know. I stumbled across this site over the weekend called Makes Me Think. It's one of those sites you can spend too much time on just browsing and reflecting.  The posts and the comments just remind me that the human experience is so similar and can be remarkable on any given day.

Here are few of my favorites:

Today, I was putting quarters into a parking meter for my parking spot downtown when a homeless man asked me if I could spare some change. I actually had a lot of coins in my purse, so I handed him about five dollars in change. The meeting I attended downtown ran about two hours longer than I had expected it to, and about an hour longer than I had paid for on the parking meter. But when I got to my car, the homeless man I had given change to earlier was putting a quarter into my parking meter. When he saw me, he said, “Oh good, you’re back. A little while ago the meter maid was ticketing cars with expired meters, so I’ve been slowly putting some change into your meter to keep you out of trouble.” MMT

Proof that social media is really taking over LOL

Today, I was hungry when I boarded my flight home from San Diego to Chicago. I was craving a Sullivans Steakhouse filet (Sullivans is my favorite restaurant), so I sarcastically tweeted, “Hey @SullivansSteak – Can you meet me at the O’Hare airport with a 10 oz filet when I land at 8PM? Great, thanks! :)” It was just a joke, so I didn’t expect anything to come of it. But when I walked past the security exit toward baggage claim there was a man wearing a Sullivans polo and holding a sign with my name on it. When I introduced myself, he said, “Our CEO just happened to see your tweet this evening and had us prepare this for you. It’s on the house. Welcome home.” MMT

Sowing a seed

Today, almost 5 years after I stopped volunteering at the suicide prevention hotline, the new manager gave me a call. She said this afternoon they received a $25,000 anonymous donation to help fund the support line. Along with the donation they received an email that read, “Thank you Claire. You saved my life.” Apparently, I’m the only Claire who ever volunteered there. MMT

 and

Today, an elderly man named Dave, who was a regular customer at our pub for the last fifteen years or so, passed away. Among other things, he was known by the pub staff to be a poor tipper – oftentimes he left no tip at all, or would forgetfully leave without paying his tab. This evening we got a call from his attorney. In his will, Dave requested that the remaining $500,000 from his estate be equally divided up for all 10 active employees of the pub. MMT

What truly matters.....

Today, one of my close friends from high school – a hometown success story and entrepreneur who owns and operates two publicly traded companies – a man I respect and look up to – came over to my house for dinner. After my wife and kids left the table, he and I chatted for a couple hours. Toward the end of the evening he said, “I admire you. I admire the love in this house. I admire the family you put together. I never got around to that. And it was great to see it, feel it, and be a part of it tonight. Thank you.” MMT

This one brought tears to my eyes...

Today, 5 years after my mom lost her battle with cancer, my dad started dating again. He was worried about how I would feel about it, but I fully support him. This evening, after his date, I heard him talking in his bedroom. I thought perhaps his date came back with him. But when I listened closely, I heard him talking to my mom, telling her how hard it is and how much he misses her. And promising that no matter what, she will always be the love of his life. MMT


Reading this type of stuff helps me to remain hopeful and encouraged. If I didn't have a foundation of faith in my life, I don't know how I could get up and face life each and every day.

Check it out & let me know what you think about the site in the comments.

Enjoy !

Beautifully Complex 

Simply Thankful

We leave tomorrow heading to see my family for Thanksgiving.  Honestly today I am too exhausted to be excited yet, but my heart is full.   It is so very important to reflect.  At this moment I am simply thankful.......



to have the means to travel home without major sacrifice.
(Thank you for your provision Lord )


to have a wonderful neighbor who always looks after my home when I travel.
(Thank you for your guardian angels)


to have received a call from my cousin who had to miss the last two
Thanksgivings, asking if we can scoop him up on the way home !
(So glad to be a blessing to others)


to have nieces and nephews that love me as much as I love them and who anxiously await my arrival.
(Thank you for filling up my heart Lord)


to have lifelong friends that I am looking forward to hanging out with after spending time with our families.
(Thank you for meaningful relationships)


to have a wonderful Beau who looks forward to doing ALL the driving and letting me read, sleep, sing, talk, laugh, blog, twitter, and FB to my heart's content.
(Thank you for sending me love)


to have a mother who truly throws down in the kitchen who managed to teach me several of her tricks so that we can continue to make memories in the kitchen together, cooking, talking, laughing and reminiscing.
(I will be praying for my friends whose mothers are no longer here)



to have a daddy who will call us no less than every 2 hours to find out where we are at ? how is the traffic ? any bad weather ? how is the gas mileage ? LOL
(Thank you for protection Father)



to have standing family traditions that bring joy to my heart such as getting up early to run the Turkey Trot together no matter how many have to walk to finish, the annual Taboo Challenge where the competition is fierce ! We argue, laugh and the ladies usually win, unless the guys cheat. LOL
(Thank you for family Lord)


for being a child of God, covered in his blood, with His grace and mercy ever present in my life.
(Thank you for being everything I need and more than I could ever deserve)




Wishing all of my Blog land friends a safe, happy & blessed Thanksgiving !


Thank you for reading, commenting AND lurking LOL !


Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ?



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Thankful : Day 30 Challenges

Well, well, well.  I made it to the end of the 30 day Thankful Challenge today and I can definitely say I succeeded. Even if I missed a day, I managed to catch up, not get too far behind and stay in the game ! Thanks for throwing out the challenge Babs !

I really appreciate the fact that it made me more conscious of some simple things that I can be grateful about. Also for me it was a good blogging exercise, because I really do want to write more here and learn how to be disciplined enough to just take the time to do it. I really do want to become a more consistent blogger and this was just the jump start that I needed.


When I think about ALL of the challenges I have faced in my life, I now truly understand their purpose and worth in my life. Overcoming and pushing yourself through tough things is what  brings about wisdom, patience and understanding. The most important result is often you become a blessing to another person. You may be the vessel that He uses to touch another's life in an unexpected way.


Challenges are good because they make you stretch, think, grow, advance, mature, just any number of things that can be seen as improvement to your life and your character. I have flexed my muscles this month and now I plan to keep it up, especially since I learned how to blog from my Blackberry HA !

So today I am thankful for the challenge to be thankful and for all of the blessings that I have in my life and continue to receive each and every day.

What are you thankful for ?

Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ?

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Thankful: Day 29 Unexpected Sweetness

Red Velvet Cheesecake

I think I might just give up on trying to eat right until these holidays are over !  It seems like during this time of the  year, every other day at work they are having food, snacks, and sweets for some reason or another. Today we had a team meeting and the Manager brought in TWO Red Velvet Cheesecake for us to enjoy and enjoy it we did.

What a tasty combination. The red velvet cake was so moist and not overly sweet and the cheesecake on top was the perfect consistency and smoothness. There was plenty left over and she encouraged us to take the remaining pieces so nothing would go to waste. Man, I couldn't wait to finish my dinner tonight so that I could have another piece ! I felt a little guilty but I'm sorry the guilt was worth the goodness I enjoyed at the end of a hectic Monday.

Today I am thankful for unexpected sweetness in whatever form it comes in ! LOL

What are you thankful for ?

Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ?

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Thankful : Day 28 Recuperation Days

We arrived home safely from all the traveling. We put like 1800 miles on the rental vehicle I discovered after turning it in. I spent the day relaxing, unpacking, and doing laundry getting ready for the work week. It is nice to have a least one day to recuperate before getting back on the grind.

So today I am extra thankful for that.

What are you thankful for ?

Beautifully Complex


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Thankful : Day 27 Celebration of Life

Funerals can be a mixed bag. You never really know what to expect, especially if you are not familiar with all of the family dynamics at play. Some can be very sad, others may be filled with drama and high emotion. The funeral we attended this morning was definitely a celebration of life.

She was a retired educator, and a Christian who lived a life giving to others and that is what she will be remembered for and that is what we celebrated today. The message was encouraging and the minister was familiar with the life she lived.
The music was uplifting and not sad. The mood was definitely jubilant by the end of the service.

Different denominations handle funerals differently and sometimes it varies regionally as well. One thing they did different today was at the end of the service, the Pastor made a point of saying that the casket would NOT be opened up again, so as to not undo the emotional place that the family was now in after celebrating life, not death. I thought this was a great idea, especially since they had a Wake last night and a viewing in the church before the funeral this morning.

I am a very emotional person by nature (Cancer trait). I can easily get pulled into the emotions of others, so I am glad that the funeral was truly uplifting and a positive celebration of life rather than draped with a lot of sadness.

Today I am thankful for the Celebration of Life.

What are you thankful for ?

Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ?

Beautifully Complex


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Thankful: Day 26 Road Trips

By the time we get back to Houston Sunday night me and Mr. Mixologist will have logged a total of 26 hours in a car together. In fact, I am writing this blog from the comfort of the passenger seat listening to satellite radio. I know some people dread long distances in a car, but I really enjoy it sometimes, especially with the right road dawg ! LOL

When you live far from your family sometimes situations require you to have the ability to jump in a car and show up. Especially when the cost of a last minute flight could feed a small village ! The downside is the time it takes to get there, but I like flexibility of being able to take breaks or stop for gas according to my plan. I have been getting the opportunity to do more riding and less driving this time which is great. As long as I have some good snacks and plenty to read I am good.

Road trips also provide a lot of good bonding time. I can say for sure that me and my boyfriend have had some our most insightful conversations while on trips in the car. I guess there is something about the confinement and lack of distractions. We have been talking about everything, past situations, funny stories, reminiscing, dreams, goals, you name it. Listening to talk radio and debating on politics, listening to entire CD's and discussing the production flaws, our opinions about why it went platinum or didn't LOL.

It's dark now and we are still about 5 hours from where we need to be so we are going to grab some dinner and then hit the road and get it done.

Today I am thankful for a safe fun road trip and GPS too !

What are you thankful for ?

Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ?

Beautifully Complex

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Thankful : Day 25 Family Traditions

For the last eight years one of the traditions we have in our family is to run the Turkey Trot early on Thanksgiving Morning. Now not everybody runs the whole thing. Some run, some walk/trot, and some just simply walk. I actually started the tradition the first year I ran it alone, but some of my cousins promised to do it with me the next year and the tradition was born. For the first 6 years it was an 8K which is almost 5 miles, now for the last two years they changed it to a 5K (3.2 miles) so the participation has increased both for the race itself and in our family.

The weather is typically unpredictable. Sometimes the weather is perfect, slightly cool, overcast with zero humidity. However this year it was crazy. It was 28 degrees with some strong winds! Luckily some of my cousins made sure to let know in advance so that me and Mr. Mixologist could prepare and pack accordingly. Trust me, we had our layers in effect.

We had a total of 8 family members including my boyfriend that ran the Turkey Trot but my parents, my uncle, sister and other family came downtown to cheer for us, take pictures and brought hot cocoa and coffee ! My uncle owns a carpet and flooring business so a few years ago he started giving us shirts to wear during the trot for some free advertising.

We have a lot of fun as a family at this event. The jokes and clowning about who did what, who needed a defibrolator, who "won" and who "lost" goes on for months afterwards ! LOL The organization that sponsors the race does a lot of good in the community. Also it is the perfect family bonding opportunity and the fact that we are modeling being physically active to the little ones BEFORE we indulge in our Thanksgiving Feast is a good example for them I think.

Today I am thankful for family traditions and the joy they bring.

What are some of your family traditions?

What are you thankful for ?

Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ?

Beautifully Complex
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Thankful: Day 24 Quality Family Time

I spent the day before Thanksgiving playing games with my nieces and nephew, including a tea party and some word games that they actually created by themselves. I love playing with kids. I marvel at their innocence and watching how their little personalities develop and how they learn. I swear I can almost predict who is going to do what when they grow up.

Spending time with them before I had to get in the kitchen and start cooking definitely put me in a nice frame of mind. They make laugh and warm my heart. The oldest one, Savannah loves cooking like I do and was excited to do whatever we needed her to do to get everything done.

Today I am thankful for quality time with my family.

What are you thankful for ?

Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ?

Beautifully Complex
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Thankful: Day 23 Blogging via Blackberry

I am on a roll yall. So far I have done pretty good with this Thankful Challenge and wondered how I would fare over the holidays. Since I will be traveling so much I didn't know how I was going to keep up this last week. I am not the most technical chick and I do know that some folks blog from their phone but I just figured out how to do it today. Don't judge me...LOL!

So if this posts like I'm hoping then I will be very thankful for the ability to Blog via my Blackberry !

Beautifully Complex
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Thankful: Day 22 Children in my Life

 This picture was taken this past summer when my nieces and nephew visited for a couple of weeks. Man we had a blast at the downtown Aquarium ! I love spending time with kids and seeing the world again through their eyes. They remind me of what's important in life and their innocence is intoxicating.

In just a few hours, we will be on our way to spend time with my family for Thanksgiving. I am most looking forward to seeing my nieces, nephew and all my little cousins and spending time, playing games with them, cooking with them and just marveling at how fast they are growing and maturing into little people. Since I live far away I miss out on so much of their development that I look forward to catching up with them at every opportunity.

I love children and I love the fact that I have so many in my life that I love and who love me back.
So today I am thankful for the children present in my life and for all the hugs I will be receiving in just a few hours !

What are you thankful for ?

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Thankful: Day 21 Breath of Life

So we got word that Mr. Mixologist's sister-in-law's mother passed this weekend. She had been sick with Cancer and was recently placed in Hospice care, after being cared for by her daughter for many months at their home. We knew that things had recently turned,  but she went quicker than was expected. He just found out he is going to be a pall bearer at the funeral. He is very honored at the request, but it is challenging to him because it reminds him of the fact that he had to serve in this role in the past for an uncle and a couple of cousins that he was extremely close to.  Death is never easy, but as we all know, it is a part of life.

We have been focused on how we are going to go about adjusting our travel plans, to accommodate this unexpected change for this upcoming  holiday week.  It is going to involve a lot of maneuvering on our part. We were talking today about how challenging it will be for us to cut short a happy family visit, to switch gears emotionally and head to a family event filled with sorrow.  We will go from being laid back, relaxed and enjoying ourselves, enjoying life, to being tasked with being supportive and assisting wherever we are needed under the shadow of death.  I will be meeting some of his family members for the first time, under these unfortunate circumstances, which is not how we originally planned it. But life rarely goes according to plan as we all know.

I have been in prayer for his brother and sister-in law's comfort and recently wrote about facing a similar situation HERE. And yesterday over at CreoleinDC she wrote something that I was really feeling and thinking about as well. Death always puts me in a very reflective place. All of my time and personal challenges on this earth are bringing me to a place of peace and gratefulness of every single day that I am blessed with, as well as those around me. So today I am so thankful for the breath of life that awoke me this morning, that allows me to praise Him and to thank Him for another chance to get it right. 

What are you thankful for ?

Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ?

Beautifully Complex

Thankful : Day 20 Online Recipes

This morning I took out some chicken breasts but didn't really have any plans for them beyond just putting them on the grill. While scanning my google reader, I remembered  a recipe that caught my attention this week over at THREE FOOD WORDS so I checked the cupboards and decided to give it a try. I love the Internet and the information available at your fingertips.

I made a few modifications but pretty much stuck to the directions. I sauteed onions, mushrooms, and used fresh spinach instead of frozen. I mixed mozzarella and cheddar cheese since I didn't have enough of either separately and I must say it was quite tasty.  It took a little more time than I expected and it was tricky turning over the breasts while searing with the toothpicks holding them together. I think the next time I pound out the breasts, I will cut them into smaller pieces before stuffing and rolling them up.  Because mine did not come out too pretty, but they were very tasty.

I served it with baked sweet potatoes and sauteed some cabbage and onion and it was deelish.

So today I am thankful for finding another great online recipe to put into the rotation !

What are you thankful for ?

Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ?

Beautifully Complex

Thankful: Day 19 Quick Hot Beverage

I recently discovered the joy of the Keurig.  Quick, instant, hot beverages be it gourmet coffee, tea, or various types of cocoa. Created in your home, fresh, piping hot in a less than a minute. They have sooooo many different types of cups that you can easily order online. I got my Keurig Special Edition Brewer from Mr. Mixologist and I am hooked on it now. I even found a little holder at Bed Bath and Beyond for the counter top that you can use to store the different types of cups. It looks like a little tree of cups. It is sleek and matches the chrome finishes on the Keurig. I think I might use my 20% off coupon and order it quick !

This morning, after sleeping in late and having a nice brunch, I started my day with some nice hot cocoa.  A perfect start to a cool, slightly overcast day.

Today I am  so thankful for my Keurig which is the business ! 

What are you thankful for ?

Comments ? Questions ? Thoughts ?

Beautifully Complex

Thankful: Day 18 Warm Fire, Cool Vino

My favorite part of the fall weather change is the chance to use my fireplace.  I love it because it's gas with the fake wood logs and lights up very easily.  No messy cleanup and no heavy wood loading and carrying. Tonight is one of those nights to snuggle up with my love, enjoying the warm fire and a nice cool crisp glass of wine. And that is exactly what I am going to do to end this work week.

So tonight I am thankful for a nice warm fire and a cool glass of vino.

What are you thankful for ?

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Thankful : Day 17 Prompt Service

I hate going to the Dealership because it always seems like you end of spending so much time sitting and waiting, even when you have a so called appointment. Because of that I had been dreading taking my vehicle in for a Safety Recall, but since I do want to be safe yesterday I called and made an appointment for this afternoon.

When I arrived, the service technician, was waiting for me. He took my information, gave me the time frame, asked for my cell phone number, showed me the waiting area. They took the car back and promptly did the work, called me when it was ready. I couldn't believe it. It was unlike any experience I have every had and I was shocked. I was out of there in no time to get the other things I needed to get done.

Today I am thankful for prompt, friendly and courteous customer service !

What are you thankful for ?

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Thankful : Day 16 Travelling Grace

You how when you get on the road for a trip, usually for a long distance ride, you pray specifically for "Traveling Grace" or other people will tell you that they will pray for your "Traveling Mercy" ? Well it occurred to me today how I usually only really consciously think about it and pray for it specifically, when the trip involves considerable miles. Like when I am traveling to see my family or taking a vacation.

A few days ago, a friend of a friend was involved in a major car accident on a routine trip. I know the young lady, from meeting her and her children at group functions, parties, etc., but we aren't really friends more like acquaintances.  In the accident, she was taking her kids to school and they were broadsided by very large truck,  she was driving her very small Honda. The point of impact was on her side of the vehicle. All three of them were transported by ambulance, but she was the most severely injured was admitted and is still in ICU. The kids were treated for minor issues and released. She on the other hand has had 2 major surgeries for some internal injuries and suffered a broken leg, a broken arm and I just found out today will definitely be unable to work for several months. 

It's funny how people are in car accidents every.single.day.and we drive by, rubber necking, moving safely on to our destination.  But somehow when it hits close to home it matters so much more. When I see the remnants of an accident, or actually witness one, I always say a prayer thanking him for his protection. Today after speaking with our mutual friend about her status, I thought about how many miles I drive for work every week, how much time I actually spend behind the wheel of a car and just how dangerous it is every.single.day. and I said a conscious prayer and will continue to do so every day as I am clicking my seat belt. 

So today I am thankful for traveling grace and making it safely from point A to B to C and beyond. 

What are you thankful for ?

Comments ? Thoughts ? Questions ?

Beautifully Complex

Thankful: Day 15 A Free Lunch

Today the company catered lunch for the employees. We got our Thanksgiving fix a week early. The food was provided by one of the areas famous soul food restaurants called This Is It. I actually had some field work today and would have missed out, but luckily, I got a text message from a co-worker reminding me there was plenty of food, so I quickly adjusted my schedule for the day so I could get back in the office and not miss the goodness.

So I enjoyed some ham, cornbread dressing with cranberry sauce, green beans, macaroni and cheese, and the best part.......it was $ Free.99 !

So today I was very thankful for an unexpected free lunch.

What are you thankful for ?

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Thankful: Day 14 A Mother's Wisdom

A few years ago, after I bought this house, I was talking to my mom about my utility bills. My budget was kind of tight at the time and I was looking for ways to reduce my living expenses and save some money. During the cooler months, it just seemed to take a lot to heat up the house. I would run the heat for what seemed like forever and it would still be so drafty around here and I would need a blanket just to be comfortable. I have a home office, a spare bedroom, and a large family/formal dining area, in addition to the kitchen and the Master Bedroom. I was running the central heat constantly and it just seemed like it would never really get warm in here, even with the fireplace, but the utility bills said something else.

My mom suggested that I routinely keep all the doors closed to the rooms that I wasn't currently occupying and go to Home De.pot and get a small electric space heater to use.  She emphasized that she wanted me to get the electric kind so that she would not have to worry about carbon monoxide poisoning. All I can say is thank God for mothers and all of their wisdom ! That little conversation has saved me so much money on utility bills over the last few years. I have gone back and looked at my old bills versus what I was paying afterward and it is a  HUGE difference.  I have paid for that space heater, 10 times over in the monetary savings for sure.

It is very portable and  lightweight so I can easily move it from room to room. It has a remote with a timer on it and it is so small that you don't even really notice it, and some people don't even know what it is when its off, and sitting in the corner.  Typically, there are only a few times a year when my house is fully occupied with multiple people in multiple rooms and that is during the Spring and Summer when my nieces are here. During the cold months, I usually come home and spend some time in the kitchen, then move to the office to use the computer for an hour or two, then move to the living area or bedroom to read or watch TV for a few hours before going to sleep. So basically, I really only need to heat the room that I am occupying vs. the whole dang house. 

I used it again for the first time this season last night while watching movies with Mr. Mixologist and I must say we were quite comfortable and cozy. So today I am thankful for the money saving tips, and the care and concern of my mother and most of all her wisdom that is available to me whenever I need it. 

What are you thankful for today ?

Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ?

Beautifully Complex