30 Days of Thanks: Day 12- A Gadget

This is my kindle. I was totally the girl in the commercial who's all "no I don't want to give up actual books" and then falls for the kindle. Don't get me wrong, I still love books and will never give them up entirely. There's something about the feel of the pages and the binding and the smell of a brand new book that I love. (Yes, I'm a giant dork for writing that. That's not news.)

Now I can be a bit more selective about what actually sits on the shelf. A nine volume Hemingway collection with ivory cloth binding and gilded lettering on the spines? Of course that can be on the shelf! A trilogy written for young adults about a secret troll society and their princess who doesn't know that she's a princess with incredible psychic powers? Ummm, I maybe don't need to be seen carrying that one around. (It's the Trylle series by Amanda Hocking in case you're wondering and it was FANTASTIC.)

Plus, if I'm ever on an episode of hoarders, it will be because of books. That tiny little thing holds up to 1,000 books. Challenge accepted. I think it'll be easy to get to that number with the help of sites like Pixel of Ink, a blog that posts great deals and free downloadable books for the Kindle and the Nook. Some are great, some are not, but when they're free I'm willing to give them a try.

If you haven't tried one out, I highly recommend it. 

30 Days of Thanks: Day 11- A Tradition

Today is Veteran's Day, so it seems fitting that the tradition I'm thankful for is our military. I find myself humbled on a regular basis by those who choose to serve our country and protect our ideals and our freedoms. As the daughter of an Air Force veteran and the grand-daughter of Navy veteran, I am immeasurably proud today. I'm proud of them every day, but today I get to take a few minutes out of my day and really think about all that they've done.

So to all those soldiers and their families- Thank you. The sacrifices you make are not easy, but they are appreciated. Though we frequently take them for granted, we would be lost without the opportunities provided to all of us through your sacrifices.

{image found via pinterest}

Big Guy’s Bar Etiquette

Every man should be prepared. They should have flashlights with batteries if the lights go out. They should have cold weather gear in their car in case they have to change a flat in the winter. Likewise, a true friend keeps his bar fully stocked. This way when company comes he is ready to entertain at a moment’s notice.

Stocking a bar in college was easy, all you needed was a handle of Captain Morgan and whatever cheap vodka was nearby. Often both of these items could have been kept in the freezer. Now that we have jobs and careers the bar says a little bit more about you. It reflects on if you are a reserved and sophisticated or looking to party at the drop of a hat.

First, start with the basics. I believe a liquor cabinet should have a bottle of rum, a bottle of whiskey, a bottle of vodka, a bottle of gin and a bottle of something fun like tequila or cognac. When setting up your bar you should think about everyone you might have over. I keep a high end bottle of bourbon in case my dad comes over. I also keep a honeyed whiskey because I know it is on of my friend’s favorite.

Making sure you have the basics, and then adding a few fun pieces helps show your guests that you no longer live in the fraternity basement. You can go from classy to trashy depending on who you are hosting.

30 Days of Thanks: Day 10- A Time of Day

There's something about the quiet of the evening, right around sunset that pulls me in. I think it's got something to do with that transitional time of day.

For me it's a break between work and school. It's a few minutes to sit clamly and relax before moving on to the next thing on what can at times be an overwhelming to-do list. It's time where I can just be with the Big Guy and not be thinking about what's just been done and what's next. There's something very relaxing and almost zen about it all.

Sadly, it never lasts quite long enough. Too soon I'm jarred back into reality and am moving on to the next thing that needs to be done.

30 Days of Thanks: Day 9- A Blog

Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.
~ Mother Teresa

There are a lot of blogs out there in the world. The list in my Google Reader seems to get bigger all the time. Every now and then, a blog really stands out for one reason or another. In this case it's because I know the blogger and have come to think of her as a good friend. Her name is Lindsay, and her blog is the one that inspired me to do this 30 Days of Thanks series that you're reading. This is her blog. She's funny, she's stylish, she's great at what she does, and she's a great friend. Basically, she's the type of woman I want to be when I grow up.

Lindsay is one of several women that I met on a popular wedding planning board a  few years ago. The only thing that we had in common at the time was the month we were all getting married- October 2011. I don't think I knew what to expect at the time, aside from a place to go and share all the little details of the planning with people who would be just as interested and making some of the same decisions at the same time. It saved my friends from conversations about the best napkin colors and whether the sash on the chair should be tied in a bow or a simple fold. (Black and a simple fold in case you're curious.)

Somewhere along the way, these women became more than just names on posts, and we found that we had a lot more in common beyond the weddings. We've been there for each other through some of life's biggest moments- marriage, divorce, births, infertility, death, new jobs, new homes. We've been there for each other to share little moments as well. We're all there to support each other and occasionally remind each other that we're not crazy after all.

It's funny looking back on it, but I really have gotten so much from them. I'm better for having known them, and happier for having them in my life.

30 Days of Thanks: Day 8- A Restaurant

Today I will be happier than a bird with a french fry.

Not sure exactly where I came upon that quote- but it really is a perfect tie in for today's post. One of our favorite restaurants here in town is Brugge Brasserie.

It's a Belgian gastropub in Broadripple, and we always have a fantastic time when we go. It's a great place to go with friends for dinner, or to sit outside in the summer with a pot of mussels and french bread, some fries and their roasted garlic aioli and people watch. One item on their menu that we get when we go with friends is the L'Enorme- it's a giant cone of fries with each of their sauces: fresh mayonnaise, horseradish, blue cheese, hot curry, homemade ketchup, sweet chili, aioli, roasted garlic aioli, sea salt & sherry vinegar, poplar syrup and French dijon, and fresh herb pesto. It's huge- as the name implies- so you'd definitely want to share with friends.

The crepes are wonderful- my personal favorite is the grilled chicken with Roquefort, endive and spinach. The Big Guy is a fan of their mitrailettes- sandwiches piled high on French bread. They brew their own beer as well- one of which is actually in the Big Guy's 1,001 Beers You Must Try Before You Die book, the Trippel de Ripple. It's one of my favorites.

The atmosphere is relaxed, the food is great. There's really nothing missing!

{Both images are from the Brugge website linked above.}

30 Days of Thanks: Day 7- A Scent

"Sometimes," said Pooh, "the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."
A.A. Milne

{image via pinterest}

Here's why I love this scent- my mom wore this when I was little. I remember her srapying it on my pillow before my first sleepover so that I wouldn't feel scared and it totally worked. 

30 Days of Thanks: Day 6- A Pair of Shoes

There is no formula for glamour. It combines shimmer and charisma. It's elusive but you know it when you see it. ~ Mary McDonald, Mary McDonald Interiors

That's what I love about these shoes. I always feel glamorous in them. They're satin and the best shade of apple green. I wore them to our rehearsal dinner. They're also surprisingly comfortable, which is just an added bonus.

30 Days of Thanks: Day 5- A Place

The place I'm most thankful for is our home. (Oddly enough, I have no pictures of the outside of the house. I'll have to work on that.) We're extremely lucky to have our own home, and proud of the fact that we've done it all on our own. It's got everything we need, and plenty of room to grow.
Most importantly, it's the place where we get to relax and just be ourselves. It's the place we come back to that allows us to come back to each other. You know that feeling you get when you've been away on vacation, or even just after a long day at work, and you walk through your door? You know how in that moment everything just feels better?

I love that feeling.

30 Days of Thanks: Day 4- A Snack

Nachos.

{image found via pinterest}

Yup, I'm thankful for nachos. Seems like a silly thing to be thankful for, but there's a pretty good reason for it. Before the Big Guy and I were an item, we were friends. We met at work, and frequently found ourselves at functions hosted by the company. After one of these functions, a few of us went out for drinks. While we were out, there was a guy at the bar who was getting a little too friendly for my taste and I asked the Big Guy to pretend to be my boyfriend so that this guy would back off. He agreed, but was pretty sure that by the end of the night I would want him to be my boyfriend for real. (He'd been trying to get me to date him for a while at this point.) We stayed out for a while longer and went to get some nachos as a late night snack.

You can see where this story is going. We had a great time, and it turns out the Big Guy was pretty good at predicting the future after all- I did want him to be my boyfriend.

He's cute when he's right.