Fall-iday!

The start of a new month has all the potential of the start of a new year. As we turn the page on the calendar we are faced with blank pages, pages that are just waiting to be filled with adventure and excitement. Okay maybe that is a little dramatic, my life if not that exciting. But those blank pages have the potential to hold some great stuff.

The first major event on my calendar is Thanksgiving, coming up this weekend. This is one of my most favourite holidays. There are so many reasons why this holiday is my favourite, and here is a list of some of the reasons I am thankful for Thanksgiving.

1)      The food: any holiday that is focused purely on eating gains big points in my books. This is a kind of funny cause I was a vegetarian for almost 20 years and have only recently started incorporating meat into my diet. One of my first memories of turkey dinner was only about 5 years ago. I have seen the light (and dark) on turkey meat…I love it. Add with it some creamy mashed potatoes, crisp veggies, sweet potatoes and of course cranberry sauce and I’m in heaven. Once I’ve eaten to my stomach’s content I push it a little further to indulge in pumpkin pie with whip cream. Just writing about this is making my mouth water.The benefit of having two very large extended families is that I get to enjoy this meal, not just once but twice in one weekend…oh bliss. This food binge is also the beginning of the end for me in terms of eating healthy. It’s a slippery slope from healthy turkey dinner to Halloween chocolates to Christmas shortbread.

mmmm....pie....

 

2)      Days off: We get a long weekend to spend time with family. This year I even took of the Friday before the weekend to make it extra long so I am extra thankful. It also gives me a day to spend with the kids without the extra family commitments. It also gives us an extra day to do other stuff, which leads me to the next point...

3)      Fall festivals: There is just something about strolling around craft shows in the fall. Because Thanksgiving weekend is earlier in the fall, the weather is usually quite pleasant for being outside. If it doesn’t rain, it’s the perfect weather for walking the craft shows with hot chocolate in hand and eating warm apple fritters. I always have the intention of starting my Christmas shopping early at these craft show, but I almost always come home empty-handed. Most of the purchases are edible. I used to enjoy these shows with girlfriends, relishing the grown-up free time. But last year I brought my kids and we had a great time. They are natural born shoppers and love looking at all the pretty trinkets and jewellery. I just have to rein them in on the spending. Look don’t touch is a repetitive mantra for the day.

4)      The weather: as mentioned about it is usually the perfect temperature for outdoor fall activities such as hiking, pumpkin patches, apple picking and running. I can usually get in one run in mostly because there is an extra day I can sneak away from the family for some much needed alone time. It’s also motivating to get out before or after the over indulgence to work off the food hangover(s). I'm also grateful to live in an area of Canada that experiences four distinct seasons. So we get a wall of beautiful fall colours, just stone throw away from our house. There are also hiking trails, vineyards in full harvest and roadside markets....ahhh home.

5)      Thankfulness: The truth is that it’s not often I take the time to truly reflect on all things I am thankful for. This one weekend a year it’s front and centre. I have so much to be thankful for, family being a big one, health being another big one. I am able to celebrate all of these things in one weekend…and I don’t have to buy anyone gifts, or decorate my house, or bake cookies etc., etc. That alone is worth being thankful.

So what will you be thankful for this coming weekend??