We are back from visiting family in North Carolina. Overall the trip was a smooth one: Flights were on time, no lost luggage, no stuffed animals went missing.
I managed to stay (mostly) gluten and soy free. Yes that meant no stuffing. I’m at peace with it.
I totally dug into dessert though. Did you expect anything less?
But what would a trip be without some learning?
- Do not force your grandchildren (when you have some) to wait 5 hours to eat breakfast because you’ve got some god-forsaken souffle in the oven you are inordinately proud of. Despite your best efforts to starve them, kids could not care less about souffles and will devise and execute a scheme to ferret Kashi from your pantry.
- When organizing the family picture, mandates that include color chips of approved sweater hues will only cause the natives to rebel. In a big way. Cannot wait to see that pic.
What matters most on Thanksgiving is not souffles, or sweaters but that you are with your loved ones, connecting and enjoying.
On the workout front, since Thursday and Saturday were travel days, the only trotting I did was limited to airport walking and luggage/child dragging, which is enough in itself.
Black Friday, however brought on a special kind of agony, er, I mean awesome: Caveman and I worked out together, something that rarely happens these days. A good marriage requires give and take. So instead of heading to the UNC track, I humored the Caveman and we ran to the UNC football stadium. The day dawned crisp and gorgeous.
100-yard sprints were on tap, followed by 30-yard ‘bursts’. It was all topped off with some running of the hallowed stadium stairs.
Ouch is an understatement. I will say though, after that workout, the easy pace on Sunday’s long run was already faster. Speed work hurts. A lot. But trust me, it works.
I was happy to slip on these pretty girls from Zensah after. I flew home in them too. Full review to come.
Although I’ll probably never be among the Black Friday crowds storming the mall doors in the wee hours, we did make our way there later that afternoon. I have to say the lines were minimal and everyone was super polite. I think I found the kindest, most helpful Lulu staff on the planet. I’ve mentioned before how this store has a way of making me feel the way I did in high school (not cool enough) when Debbie W. ignored me and wouldn’t sign my yearbook. Not the case in here.
I snagged a few things on sale. What’s with the final sale crapola though? But I dig the festive bag.
How was your Thanksgiving? Did you score on Black Friday? What will you shop for on Cyber Monday?
I always love your posts. I feel so many times we live similar lives; this is what makes you such a great blogger (connecting to your reader) I did the same “souffle” thing a few weeks ago… I should have served them cereal, there would have been more peace in my house that day; and how about that Debbie W? mean girls are just miserable, aren’t they? xoxo
Oh no, you have to be kidding about the approved sweater colours! oh my.
Sounds like a tough but FUN workout at the stadium! What a fun way to mix it up with the hubby.
Hope you had a lovely weekend overall.
ok, I’m giggling about the approved sweater colors 🙂 I always always say I’m going to manage a big family photo at Thanksgiving, and it always always gets lost in the craziness.
Your posts always leave me smiling! So funny about the breakfast and pics. Recipes for disaster, no doubt!
I love the Chapel Hill area–such a cute town. And the workout at the UNC stadium sounded badass. Way to go!
Ahhhhhhhh!! I LOVE those socks!!!
I only shopped online on Friday. And nothing too crazy at that.
I feel jaded you shopped at Lulu *sigh*. We have a much better return policy…just sayin’. 🙂
Glad you survived breakfast and picture hell, and got a hellacious workout in to boot. Good times 🙂
xo
Approved sweater colors? Love it… hahaaaa
Those socks are GORGEOUS!
Your family stories always crack me up. I seriously cannot believe that about color chips, though. Ridiculous!
Looks like an awesome way to workout with your husband! Mike and I are both runners, but we rarely run together. It makes it that much more fun when we finally do.
WOW… Great holiday… Can’t believe that you fit in a workout on UNC’s football field. I guess I have to step my game up…
Your stadium workout sounds awesome! I’m completely drooling over that dessert in the pic. Yummy! I didn’t do dessert on T-day. Luckily they didn’t have anything I liked:)
Those socks are so cool looking!!
Breakfasts for early birds and children are a requirement. Family photos should be done via Photoshop.
Very brave of you to hit that “L” store. I fear the Debbie effect too much (I also did NO shopping this past weekend anywhere). Maybe someday…..
Our Thanksgiving was mellow. All friends, no family, overpriced restaurant instead of cooking….I’ll take it! Low-key is good.
Sometimes I think we share the same inlaws 😉 Glad you survived and are back home.
I’m loving those socks! Must have a pair!
Souffle and sweaters. There’s probably better things to worry about. But at least the photo will be colour coordinated.
Now I could actually enjoying football if I got to run around the statdium!!
Love those socks!!
A.) Those socks are amazing, and B.) I need to hit up a lulu ASAP.
So glad you had a wonderful trip!
The stadium work-out sounds killer!!!
Love the sweater story – can’t even imagine coordinating extended family!!
Oh, Marcia! Color chips?? There would be rebels in my family, too. 🙂 Nice job getting some speedwork in. I’m enjoyed way more than my fair share of dessert this long weekend. We head back tomorrow and will get back on track!
Thanksgiving can be trying for sure, but it’s still my favorite holiday.
Awesome you and the cave man got to run together! Speed work at the stadium sounds tough but fun.
Approved sweater colors? ha! so funny!
Great workout – way to get it done on vacation!
We’re actually not really doing any shopping of any kind, except for maybe our parents. Our families are pretty chill and our daughter is still too young to be too demanding of Santa. If we gather, we get each other small stocking-stuffer type gifts but otherwise, we just assume tell friends and family to spend what they would on us on themselves, and we’ll do the same 🙂
I love the cute styles of the Zensah socks. Looking forward to your review! I could use a more fashionable pair of compression socks 🙂
It is so nice to have your workout partner right there next to you! No black friday for us. We took it easy and all the Thanksgiving food is gone so we can get back on track.
The stadium workout looks like a nice change of pace, stairs are really hard! Even if you have to slow down a little, it’s nice to have a workout partner to give you something else to think about.
I love those stadium workouts!!!!! you look so hardcore. I think I’m going to be needing and anxiously awaiting a full review on those kick ass socks! they look so pretty!
I’m Canadian, my thanksgiving was in October 😛 I’m over it! lol
Those MIL expectations can definitely add the stress to a family holiday 🙁 Hubz says I’ve become the queen of “matrixing’ his mother – smiling while completely moving around an issue. I’m sure it makes her crazy, but at least we leave holidays with all our limbs still attached 🙂
LOL, I know exactly how you feel about the “wrong” crowd in a sporting store. I always feel a little troll-like at my local Lulemon, but Athleta is a much nicer place to peruse.
Ah, MIL. Yup, I feel you. Our last trip to Detroit we were trying to get out of the house for 2 hours. Finally we wrapped up the kids and are about to leave to get lunch because we were all starving. MIL starts making scrambled eggs at noon – because her blood sugar was dropping and she needed to eat before we went anywhere. Uhh … she wasn’t exactly invited to join us at that point … she didn’t get it.
Stadium workouts are tough but I really liked doing those during college with the wrestlers at practice.
I cannot comment on the picture outfits- too soon for me, too soon…
I did hit our Lulu up Black Friday too! Fine, I hit them up every week, so its not anything new. But I did get new things! Okay, that’s not news either…I got the new bag! There 🙂
omg. love those colors of the zensah socks. i NEED them. but they never, ever have a sale. boo. thanksgiving was actually great (up until saturday)-it was great to see my family. how cool that you ran on the field? how, and why, was it open? so fun! and yes, i definitely shopped on black friday 🙂