Friend Makin’ Mondays: Thanksgiving Edition

I am going to make it short and sweet. I have so much to be Thankful and slowly but surely I am changing my mindset to be in the moment and to be present, to be grateful. So here we go.

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

Thanksgiving Edition

1. Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions?  If so, please share them.  Nope, none, back in the homeland we do not celebrate Thanksgiving. Over hear we just get together with family, have a big feast and dance the night away.

2. List at least three dishes that are on your family’s table every year.Well, for the family that is here: My MIL Famous Turkey (and the only turkey I will eat), Potato salad and Roasted Pork.

3. Do you prefer pumpkin pie or pecan pie?  neither. We never have this for Thanksgiving, usually we do our typical cake or cheesecake.

4. Will you watch football on Thanksgiving Day? Ok, I officially suck at this because we do not do any of these things. We usually just dance :)

5. Do you plan to exercise Thursday? nope! I work all week walking around NYC. Enough :)

6. Do you prefer ham or turkey?   ham unless is my MIL's Turkey.

7. Will you shop on Black Friday?  If so, where will you go first?  Nope, I have not done that in years and right now we have other priorities. I cannot foresee getting trample on for a TV. That's just me, I rather do Cyber Monday.

8. Do you take a nap on Thanksgiving? No, I have to get ready since I have to meet family.

9. Share one dish that probably won’t be on anyone else’s table. Moro (rice with green peas) and probably the Roasted Pork.

10. What are you thankful for today?  My home. Same answer for the last few months. Also my and my family's health...My Brother is really sick with Cancer and I know how difficult his life is; makes you have more perspective...

Now it’s your turn to post the questions on your blog!  Don’t forget to come back and link up in the comments!  Happy Monday, and happy early Thanksgiving!

The Liebster Award aka The Oscar's for me!!

I want to thank my Mom for supporting me, even thought she hates 99% of my decisions, my dress maker, the people at MAC, etc... OH MY someone was crazy enough to give me an award.

I found out on my last post that the lovely Jenn has nominated me for a Liebster. Follow her link so you can see what is all about (sort of like paying it forward kind of thing).

Since I am up late searching for comfortable walking boots at Zappos I took a break and decided to do it!

Here it is:

The Rules:

1. State 11 personal facts. 

2. Answer the questions from the person who nominated you. 

3. Nominate 5 bloggers who have less than 200 followers (no tag backs) and ask them random questions.

4. Complete your post.

5. Link up your post on the originating bloggers post. 

Just the Facts:

1. I have a favorite finger hehehe
2. I cry ginormous sobs when I found out Michael Jackson died. I love him. True love last a lifetime. End of story.
3. This one is bad. I find most of the people around me incredibly stupid. I know, that is horrible to say but I do. I have a very inquisitive mind and I love learning new things. To me someone who doesn't even bother to know where Cuba is just because it does not relate to them is ignorant. 
4. I do some sort of prayer everyday, I talk to what I believe is God in the most random places, walking around, in the subway, etc. I don't think anyone knows this because I don't think I am religious at all.
5. I don't like licorice, gummy candies, twizzlers, hard cookies, pickles or cucumbers
6. I hate when people say that someone's  behavior is acceptable because that's just how they are. (i.e: "Oh don't pay attention to Sandra's hurtful comments, that's how she is") what a horrible excuse.
7. I positively hate taking pills.
8. I love to help people. I love making someone smile or making their day better. It gives me a great feeling when I know I can be of service
9. I do not like modern art.
10. I avoid confrontation at all cost, even when I know I am right. Specially because I can't never forget what others said and do to me. Forgiveness does not come easy for me...I will treat you with respect but I will never forget.
11. Even though my life has been very hard at times, I do believe it will make for a great story to tell my grandkids one day. 

Questions from Jenn to me:

1. If you were president for a day, what would you do/change and why? 

I will give each family $5,000 it would not solve many problems but I know people can do a lot with unexpected money and help with any immediate need they have (or save it if they are fortunate enough)

I will also allow any immigrant that has been here for over 10yrs to get his US Citizenship.

Harder punishment for parole violators.

Gosh, should I keep going????

2. Who do you admire the most?  And why? Can be someone living or deceased, real or imaginary. 

Besides my parents (They raised 6 kids, no loans, no credit cards, all attended private schools, build their own home, they are HEROES to me) I would say The Character of Lorelai Gilmore because she always did and said what she meant

3. What is your favorite holiday? How do you celebrate that holiday?

Halloween in first place and Christmas in second.

When I had a home I used to go all out with fog machines, strobe lights, a Big Halloween party. Now is more simple since we have a Halloween Movie night in which we do some fun trivia. For Christmas we are planning to do a Hot chocolate gathering but I also love doing all the decor for the Holidays and walking around seeing all the pretty homes and stores.

4. What are you most afraid of?

loosing my home again

5. If you could choose a new profession, what would you do?

Makeup artist or translator, again because I would love to help people, plus makeup is so much fun!

OK, so most of the people on my list are also over the 100 mark but I will nominate this very special lady:

Jodi from And in my Corner- because she rocks!

My questions are:

-If you could go back and be any age for 1 year, which would it be and why?

-not including your family, which 5 people would you invite for an amazing dinner party? (could be famous, dead or alive)

-name 3 pet peeves

-your dream vehicle, make, model, color and why

-You have one week to go away, by yourself and $10,000 to spent on that week mandatory, where would you go?

Over & out

Meanwhile in NYC

We survive this crazy Sandy. And I'm gonna tell you the truth: I had NO IDEA it was this bad. We didn't have cable, internet or phones; our apartment is in the back garden which shapes like an U, our front trees where moving a lot, it was breezy but being from the Caribbean it did not look that bad. I actually slept with my window open (I kid you not).

By Tuesday when we got the connection back and saw the news I was " what the heck?! where were we?!
We did not loose power or water and now we know how incredible lucky we where.

I went to work on Wednesday, so I check and the buses have been re routed, the main road is full of huge trees so I though, uhm, maybe some branches where down...instead I got this:

Basically a huge trees fell down the road, one fell on FOUR cars crushing them (excuse the lack of detail since my dear teenager took these). Then another one fell across the street to the house, they took down to light post along with electricity for that block. It was just one block down from us. Not only we got lucky because our complex is not so expose to the trees as the ones you see in these pics, but also we got everything back and they are still in the dark!


Getting around has been challenging  especially Wednesday. Overall we are not complaining and actually grateful for the things we take for granted.

I believe and I know things will recover and people will heal. Also my beloved NJ where I lived many, many years...so scary...so sad.

With the state of things we thought Halloween was cancelled, and since we had our Halloween Movie night Saturday we didn't think much of it, but when we went for a walk our little guy saw other kids dressed up so he wanted to join them. We Trick or Treated for a little while and he got his pumpkin filled in just one block. So thank you to all my neighbors who where in the spirit of celebrating still and making it festive for the kids.

Hope you all are staying well.

Over & out