Sunday, November 25, 2012

HOLIDAY WEEKENDING

The art of living does not consist in
preserving and clinging to a particular
mode of happiness, but in allowing
happiness to change its form without
being disappointed by the change;
happiness, like a child, must be
allowed to grow up. 

~Charles L. Morgan





This holiday weekend
has been  a quiet one
with most of the children
off on other adventures
leaving just four of us
around the Thanksgiving
table this year.
I still ended up cooking
enough food for twenty
people so there are plenty
of leftovers in the ice box.
I have already cooked and
frozen 6 quarts of turkey
stock to use throughout
the year and with the
the return of everyone
tonight there will be a
large pot of turkey and
dumplings simmer on the
stove later this afternoon.

There is always time for
knitting. Besides sweaters,
I am working on fingerless
gloves to tuck into stockings
and with the holiday speeding
toward us I am knitting every
moment I can spare and truthfully,
some I can't. ;)

Yesterday I finished my first
Whole30 and immediately started
over. Granted I don't follow the
exact plan since I don't eat meat,
but there has been no sugar,
wheat or dairy in my diet, a lot
of eggs have been consumed and
I still miss stevia in my coffee,
but you know what? I feel awesome,
truly I do. My energy level has
about doubled, I've dropped
some weight and my mood
is just about always happy.
I did miss having a piece of pie
on Thursday, but really, I feel
so good that I don't want to
mess anything up.

Autumn is in full force here, with
temperatures in the mid 40's
at night and mid 60's during the
day making it hard to stay inside
so I am off to enjoy the last day
of my vacation before Monday
arrives.

I hope your holiday weekend has
been filled with all you hoped for
and you are enjoying this life
you've been given.

Joining with the lovely Amanda.

24 comments:

  1. so glad to hear that you are feeling so well and invigorated, enough to want to do it all over again! and dumplings...yum. i bet your house has smelled heavenly this thanksgiving!

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  2. I am happy you have enough turkey stock to use again and again. My dad gave us half a turkey and we are going to eat it today. I think going dairy free for me would be beneficial! It's just so hard to commit.

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  3. What a wonderful weekend! I love the lily's. I love the yarn you are using for the fingerless mitts. I still haven't cast mine on for Eveyln's KAL :-( I'm thinking I need to save them for now. I have too much other knitting and sewing to do before Christmas! The Whole30 intrigues me. I'm so afraid I don't have the self discipline to try it though.

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  4. Hmm.. I bet that was all so delicious, and all the better for having leftovers to last you a while!

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  5. Sounds like a lovely weekend Tracey.

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  6. quiet but wonderful......thanks for the fingerless mitt referral...I've been having a really good time with them!

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  7. Oh boy do I wish I could beam myself over to your neck of the woods. What lovely photos of your weekend.

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  8. We bought a turkey to cook for ourselves next week since we ate at my parents. I miss leftovers. And there was enough food for my parents to eat for at least two weeks! Lots of knitting to get to here as well. Enjoy the rest of your vaca!

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  9. I made enough food for 20 people too...it was my first year doing Thanksgiving by myself for just my husband and two babes, and I think I went a little overboard. But, it was a great relaxing day! Glad to hear you had a wonderful time as well :-) And I would love some of your autumn over here in Maine...we are in the 40's during the day and I am trying not to think about the night time temps right now!

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  10. i love that quote tracey, it really applies. you have been so productive, it's wonderful to have that turkey stock and the turkey and dumplings sounds like a great leftover recipe. i have no doubt you'll finish all your christmas knitting, my inspiring friend!

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  11. are the fingerless gloves a new addition?? lol we have a week of non-paleo and i am feeling it today, so tired and run down. forgot how that felt. my dear husband and i are back on the straight and narrow tomorrow (well tonight really). i felt so good on the whole30.

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  12. I love that quote that you opened with, it's exactly what I needed right now...

    Popped over from Habit of Being, what a lovely place you have here! We too cooked enough for 20, but it turned out to be just the 5 of us for our first Thanksgiving in our new home; so much to be thankful for:-)

    Your photos are beautiful, and I've enjoyed peeking at your lovely knitting projects.

    It's nice to "meet" you!
    Peace,
    ~Michelle

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  13. It's hard to downsize when you are used to cooking for a large group isn't it. But that turkey and dumplings sound awesome. I think I missed the Whole30 can you direct me?

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  14. ok tracey. you have spurred me on. i clicked on the whole30 link and read up on it and as of tonight...after a few months of fall induced gluttony...i am on board! thank you for the inspiration! i would love to hear more about what you have been eating! And do you keep on cooking 'normal' food for the whole family and is it challenging? it's so hard pleasing everyone around here..it's daunting to think about feeding myself so strictly but i printed the shopping list and i'm very excited. have a lovely week my dear!

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  15. What a lovely post Tracey...amazing photos. I love the colour of the vegetables. I will look into the WHole30 plan as you advised...sounds amazing.

    As do the chicken and dumplings...

    Enjoy the rest of the holiday.
    deb

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  16. I am so impressed! My sister did something similar and raved about it. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

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  17. What gorgeous flowers & landscapes !

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  18. Thank you for these lovely photos. Taking charge of one's diet and practices is so important -- good for you!

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  19. Oh you had a beautiful Thanksgiving weekend! Miss you! Wow and turkey dumplings-yum! Like you, I am knitting in those stolen moments too!
    xoxo
    love,
    ang

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  20. Isn't it just amazing how food can change the way we feel? So glad you're on a good track. Your autumn sounds dreamy. It's downright chilly here. I always say, if it's going to be cold, it might as well snow.
    Wishing you a lovely week.

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  21. Good for you on the whole 30! I was at it for a while and then lost some steam (can we say pie and stuffing). Thanks for the reminder to get back it, I feel so much better.

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  22. Glad to see your Thanksgiving was sweet and quiet. I have been seeing the Whole30 title being dropped everywhere. Off to see what it's all about :)

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  23. Sounds and looks like a fantastic Thanksgiving. I need to change the way I eat....it's so hard!

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  24. It was very quiet here too. I was the only one of my four siblings to be "home" for Thanksgiving. We too still had a 20lb bird. Lots of yumminess. I have been sugar, grain and dairy free for over a year and have never felt better. I did have a problem for a couple months while travelling, but am back on track. Good for you!

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