Are you chicken?

It's the first day of December (and my roommate's 21st birthday!!!), and it is 60 degrees and rainy outside with a thunderstorm warning.

What is wrong with this picture....?!?!

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Thanksgiving ended up going quite differently than planned, but that's ok--I have been learning to really go with the flow and take things as they come. Yoga & meditation techniques have helped me with this, along with journaling. I highly recommend yoga. It is WAY more than just an exercise for your body--it can truly transform your mind and outlook, and is the best stress reliever!

Anyway, on Thanksgiving morning, my dad woke up with a terrible cough, a fever, and just feeling really sick. So, rather than travel 4.5 hours to Pittsburgh, my parents and I decided to stay at home.

Mom & I went to the grocery store and bought a yummy but nontraditional meal--roast chicken instead of turkey! Hey, who says you have to have turkey for Thanksgiving?!?!

We did buy more traditional side dishes: stuffing, potatoes (which my mom used to make her homemade mashed potatoes), cranberry sauce, and lemon meringue pie. We also had asparagus on the side, and a homemade chocolate cake along with the pie. It was randomly thrown together, but considering Dad was sick and it was mostly just Mom & I eating, it wasn't so bad. Plus, it was kind of nice having a quiet meal without the stress of relatives.

I also had my very first Black Friday shopping experience! I woke up at 3:30 am and my Mom & I hit up Best Buy. We arrived at 4:15 am, and the parking lot was already full. There was a line of customers wrapping around and behind the building! The store didn't even open until 5am! We managed to get 2 nooks (the Barnes & Noble digital reader) for $99 each! After Best Buy, we headed to the mall to score some more deals.

The rest of my Thanksgiving weekend was spent relaxing and decorating for the upcoming holiday season. I also have been absolutely addicted to online holiday shopping--I got some amazing deals during Cyber Monday!

Now, it's back to reality--my final 2 weeks before I become an official college graduate!!! I have a LOT of schoolwork to do in the next 2 weeks, including group projects, papers, and exams. However, I know I can do it. I also have been working at the coffeehouse like crazy to make as much money as I can before I leave! Last night, I worked until midnight! There was a jazz band performing and they were really good, so it made the night a bit more interesting.

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So, seeing as it's December, I wanted to ask: what is your favorite holiday tradition?

Mine is my family's Christmas Eve party. My extended family will be spending Christmas Eve at our house, where we have food, drinks, a gift exchange, and escargot (my mother is French)! It's always nice to catch up with my cousins, aunts, and uncles.

I am also excited to see my older brother, whom I haven't seen since May!!! That's 7 long months!!! He and his fiance will be visiting for Christmas, and I couldn't be happier.