Nasty November

To start things off, here's a funny video of a high school cross country team that recorded a parody of the song "Fancy."  Even though it is high schoolers, it looks pretty fancy!  No pun intended.

Another random insert:  This is an old post from before there was snow on the ground for this season, but I like goats and I like Colorado skiing!  One blog for a resort that I follow, ABasin, has lots of goats, and they even post about them sometimes.

This month has had some crazy and nasty weather, which has made some days very discouraging!  But of course there are always smiles to go around town!  You just have to have that attitude about it!  This month seems to have gone by just as fast and been just as busy as October was!  Just colder.  And wetter.

Practices during this month were rough...the weather was pretty much all cold and nasty, hence the title "Nasty November."  We had one week that Farmer told us to only cross train after state, which was not too exciting for me since we still had a race left, but I did it anyways.  After that, though, we were back on the trails, leaves, mud, and all.

After going to Hobby Lobby, mom took me by Sweet CeCe's to use a gift card my grandmother gave me. I haven't had froyo in a while, and this was amazing!  I'm talking heaven in my mouth!  I tried mint with Andes mints, chocolate caramel turtle with Resee's Pieces in the little cup, then in the big one I had egg nog and pumpkin pie with cheesecake chunks and cereal!

This was inspired by Jenna, my Sunday school class college leader. When you mis your face soap with baking soda, it makes a mask!  My face felt quite refreshed afterwards. 

Hobby Lobby could entertain me for hours during the holidays!  Mom and I went the Tuesday night after we got out of school for Thanksgiving to do some Christmas shopping. 

Wednesday morning was the first day of break, yet I still had to get up earlier than I had been. Farmer wanted to have practice early so we could have the rest of break to do what we needed to. 

Every Wednesday morning that we have Bible study, I always head a couple streets over in my neighborhood to pick up Megan!

Marshmallow is my favorite!  Well, I have lots of favorites, but anything marshmallow catches my eye, especially scents and tastes.  I was hooked after the first time I ate marshmallow frozen yogurt.  I have never gotten to try TCBY's yet, but I am determined that I will one day.  I think it's too late for this year, out of season, but it's eggnog time now!  I love those, too!  I've gotten to try the Silk Nog at TCBY and the Eggnog at Sweet CeCe's now, too!  Like eating a cloud...(as I go back to edit this, I can now say that I have gotten to try the marshmallow!  YUM!)

Because of post season races, we have had to change our Christmas decorating plans.  We always used to spend all day the Friday after Thanksgiving and some of the weekend decorating the house!  Now we aren't home at that time, so

I've been eating lots of bananas lately.  At least one a day if not more! 

I have been addicted to banana and almond butter quinoa.  I ate it almost every day for two weeks during the end of cross country season!  Cocoa powder makes a great addition, too.

Squash is one of my favorites, so I'm branching out to varieties other than butternut.  Acorn squash is okay, but I think it looks better than it tastes.  Butternut is still my favorite, but spaghetti squash is cool because you can cut it up or string it so easily!  I have fun with my food.

Handheld pencil sharpeners are usually crap, but this one is the best I have ever used!  Thank you Mrs. Porter!

Now that the regular season is over, it's time for the banquet.  We all get to dress up and have a buffet and get all sorts of awards.  Since we never get to eat pasta...sarcasm...the banquet is a pasta buffet.  We got salads, too, and the dessert buffet table was the best of all the gatherings we've had!  Three flavors of pudding, cheesecake, and pies! 

Coach Owens and Burroughs are over there trying to look all cool.

        

 

Me, Katlyn, Maggie, and Ana down one side of the table

Farmer giving his thoughts and feelings

Elizabeth and Abby on my other side!

We're all so goofy!  Especially when it comes to meal time!  We are almost always around a table or something with food when the team gets together.

       

Every year we get to watch a slideshow and video of highlights from the season.  Parts are exciting, sad, sweet, heartwarming, intense, and funny.  The bloopers and terrible face sections are hilarious!  Here we have a road run on the left, me coming in at the end of one rep of a mile loop speed workout, then a prerace chant.

  

Even though it is now December, there still has not been a day to match this low temperature!

 

I am following the RunFurman blog, and enjoy following how they perform throughout the season on instagram, too.  I know some of the runners from camp and racing against Emma last year, but others I just follow on instagram.  Grace Tinkey is one of those!  One of the RunFurman blog features was on getting to know her, and I loved reading about it.  Not only is she one of the top runners out there, I respect her even more for her attitude and spirit for the Lord!

 

One of my favorite starts to the Christmas season:  Operation Christmas Child!  My mom helped me find which age group got the least "attention" and that's what we bought for, the middle age boys.

Post season regionals and nationals started pooping up about every weekend. I am so glad Iive down south!  This was the conditions they day of the Nike Northeast Region. 

I made this bookmark to use during the fall.  No matter what the circumstances, we can choose to be joyful. Joy depends on having Christ, no this world. Joy is also an acronym for Jesus, others, yourself, so that's why it is squared!

Pugs and coffee all in one picture!  When it's cold out (and inside) during the winter and some fall months, I make a cup of coffee last all day to help keep me warm. 

Another thing that is great during cold weather is chili and soup!  This is a heaping bowl of chicken tortilla soup.   I also added some cornbread and extra veggies.

My friends mom have me this gum as a little surprise on day!  It's the little things that bring genuine smiles to faces. Remember that as you go out today!

Our school has been under construction, as is everything else in East Tennessee. This is a painting of our principles on the wall blocking the entrance to where the new freshman academy will be. 

How cute is Woodstock dressed up like a turkey!?

Allie Ostrander is an amazing runner!  She just recently has become big on the stage, because she is from Alaska and never really had any competition. A couple weeks ago, she won the Nike National title. She is also point guard of the basketball team. And tiny, like me!  Milesplit is doing a mini video series on her, and it is very cool to see the sights from where she gets to train!

I was really excited to finally wear these socks that I got at the beach last year. 

The NCAA national championships were just recently, too, and I was looking up how some of my prospective schools were doing. This map divided up te regions for me, because I didn't know who went where. 

Chick-fil-a does awesome Tuff around the holidays!  They made a decoration with fall muffin cups that the staff wrote down things that they were thankful for. They also provide Operation Christmas Child boxes for anyone to pick up and fill to give. 

I love Luna Carrot Cake!  The Larger Cluf version is great, too. I like to use them as dessert. 

I found a new cool protein!  Tiny shrimp!  They are so tiny, they are no bigger than a fingernail!  I was so fascinated. 

Chick-fil-a also has it's downsides. Since they switched to the new coffee, it doesn't quite taste the same, and the cups are crap. They're paper instead of styrofoam, they leak, and they sit have a cover for the hole you drink out of. 

My friend Katlyn sent me this. I need this sticker!

Yes, I live with a stress test, too, my mom. Don't worry, she would say the same about me. 

This is a joke with our family, as my dad is not exactly the most technologically savvy man when it comes to smartphones. Once he tried to take a picture of me and a lady cold basketball player, but kept saying he couldn't see us. He has the lens up to his eye looking the wrong way. 

We had a festive sock day at practice without even planning it!

One morning, we actually got a little snow!

I also finally got to try the apple pie flavored coffee that I got from the Apple Barn last month. It's pretty yummy!  I like to use my hoot hoot mug during the fall. That's also some more almond butter banana honey quinoa!