I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving, whether it was a quiet meal at home, a large family gathering, or a friendsgiving with the people you really wanted to spend time with. 🙂 For the first time in ages I didn’t have to work over the long weekend. While I ended up giving my credit card more of a workout than I intended, I was careful to set some funds aside for Giving Tuesday.
Thankful Thursday (a/k/a Thanksgiving)
On Thankful Thursday (a/k/a Thanksgiving) I started my day with a lovely 8 mile run. I planned on squeezing in 6 miles before I started baking pies, but the weather was so nice, I decided the pies could wait a little bit longer.
#seenonmyrun #notmyhouse
I think the pies benefited from the endorphins, although I may have gotten a bit carried away with the pie crust cut-outs.
Black Friday
The only Black Friday shopping on my agenda was a trip to Athleta, to spend the $20 in birthday money that is one of the benefits of the Athleta-branded VISA credit card. I convinced by husband to go with me by suggesting a bike ride first.
The fall colors are fading but there are still plenty to enjoy.
Friday night I took advantage of a few more on-line Black Friday deals, ordering my favorite Peppermint Bark from Williams-Sonoma and some new running tights and PJs from Victoria’s Secret that my husband will wrap and put under the tree for me. I might have put some gifts in my shopping cart before checking out, but most of the shopping I did was for myself. 🙂
Small Business Saturday
I think I ate more Thanksgiving leftovers on Friday than I had eaten on Thursday, so I was happy to join one of my MRTT friends for a long run on Saturday morning.
After that, I met another friend for some Small Business Saturday shopping in Old Town, where this time I only bought gifts for others–although I did end up adding these Lululemon Run With Me Gloves to my Christmas list!
Advent Sunday
I started Sunday by going to church, where we celebrated the start of Advent.
After church I went to the grocery store to give it a chance to warm up a bit before we went on a bike ride. We opted for a short route since we had a long list of weekend chores we hadn’t done yet.
Thanks to the runner who offered to take our picture!
Cyber Monday
I don’t understand why Cyber Monday is still a thing since most of us have internet access at home, but I guess marketers hope we won’t be able to resist one more day of early holiday shopping. Since I did so much shopping over the weekend, I’m afraid there will be deals on things I already purchased!
Giving Tuesday
Looking ahead, Tuesday Novemer 29 is #GivingTuesday, when charities will ask you to think of others who are not on your holiday shopping list and make donations to support their causes. Over the next few months I will be fundraising for two charitable organizations:
Cycle For Survival raises money for rare cancer research conducted at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. I will be riding in a Cycle For Survival event on February 24, 2017, joining others from my office for a day of sweating and celebrating progress in the fight against rare cancers.
Here’s a look at how the $30M raised by Cycle For Surival in 2016 is being spent:
The National Institutes of Health defines a “rare” cancer as one with
fewer than 200,000 affected individuals in the United States.
Please support Cycle For Survival via my donations page here.
I also am fundraising for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals through the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run. This is my fourth consecutive year supporting this cause, so you may be more familiar with this organization. Donations made through Credit Unions for Kids support research and training, purchase equipment, and pay for uncompensated care at 170 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across the U.S. and Canada.
Please support Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals via my donation page here.
[Tweet “Wrapping up Thanksgiving Weekend and looking forward to #GivingTuesday”]
Which of these “special” days did you observe?
Have you finished the Thanksgiving leftovers yet?
![The Ultimate Coffee Date](http://got2run4me.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Ultimate-Coffee-Date.png" "The Ultimate Coffee Date")
Your pies looked amazing! I will be happy to donate to your cycle event but I am going to ask you to remind me in a few weeks to do it! hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving
Thank you so much! I’ll try to include an end-of-tax-year reminder in one of my December posts. 🙂
Coco, you make fancy pies! I’m so impressed with those cut-outs. They are almost too pretty to eat. Almost. LOL. I don’t think I’ve seen a blow up turkey before. He is so cute and deserves a pic! You saw some nice color on your runs and bike rides this week. It will soon be gone, even here. I don’t understand the Cyber Monday thing either. Plus, everyone was giving out their discounts early. So, why bother? Thanks for linking!
Oh, gosh, inflatable illuminated turkeys were all the rage around here. Now for the snowmen ….
WoW! Those pies!!!! Most of our leftovers are gone….a tiny bit of gravy, some turkey, lots of mashed potatoes, and LOTS of dressing (yuck! it may get tossed because the husband is the only one who eats it).
Oh my gosh, I love my mom’s cornbread dressing! It’s great with eggs for breakfas.
I know it’s been said already, but holy cow those pies! They are absolutely beautiful. Well done this week with your workouts and showing restraint with your shopping. I was no so well behaved as you!
Thanks, I really have a lot of fun with them.
I’m about to move a bunch of turkey into the freezer, although I plan to enjoy a turkey sandwich after my run today. I rarely eat sandwiches!
Sounds like you had a great week!
Those pies! You have a future career as a baker, I think!
Such gorgeous pies! Those endorphins served you very well! A tiny bit of turkey came home with us, that is about it.
So fun! Your pies look amazing. I went spinning on Black Friday and had to look away when I saw Athleta was around the corner from the cycling studio. Oof! Glad you had a nice Thanksgiving.
Yes, it’s best to stay away from the stores if you don’t want to get sucked in!
Gosh it is rare to see every dollar raised donated – that is nice!
Biking this time of year requires many layers lol I have not brave yet 🙂 but i will. It is good you got out.
I finally ate the last of my sweet potato casserole with pecans…it was so good, but i need to get my diet back on track.
We still have one serving of cornbread stuffing left – I may stretch it out to two! I’ve been wearing my cold weather running gear on the bike – I get more use out of it that way!
In looking at Friday’s picture, looks like you have a beautiful trail to bike on! Good point about Cyber Monday. And the deals are really just the same deals from Friday.
Yes, that’s the Capital Crescent Trail, which runs from Georgetown (DC) to Bethesda (MD), about 7.5 miles. It goes further, but not paved, so I haven’t braved the rest! I did a bit more shopping today but now I’m burned out!
I love looking at all your pictures of the leaves. You know I never thought about cyber Monday and how with everyone having smart phones, etc. We really don’t need to wait till we go back to work to buy on line.
I’m so impressed with your pies! I made one pumpkin pie this year and although I love baking, I can’t say I enjoy making pies!
Thanks for the reminder about giving Tuesday, too.
Thanks. I enjoy all types of baking – except yeast bread – I’m intimidate by the process!
BEAUTIFUL pies. Bet they were as tasty as they were pretty!
Yes, the pumpkin was a big hit this year!
I saw the photos of your pies on IG and FB…. boy that is impressive. I have absolutely no patience what so ever for baking.
Black Friday marketing has come to France, but not sure how long it will last. Halloween lasted about 5 years…. LOL.
Have a great week.
Oh, interesting. I do like the on-line deals but don’t like the in-store craziness.
Sounds like you had a great few days and have more great days ahead! I will come back when I get home later to donate! 🙂
Awesome – thanks!
Everyone is right – those pies are pretty fancy! Sounds like a great long weekend! You’re fundraising for two great causes! I donate to Sloan every year so I’ll be happy to make a donation to support your cycle event.
Wow – thank you so much! It was really nice having the long weekend off. It might be the most time I’ve really had off all year.
Wow, talk about busy few days! Since Thanksgiving is in October in Canada, I didn’t celebrate it this past weekend. However it was still action packed with kids swim lessons and gymnastics, and raking through last leaves before the snow falls.
Weekends are always busy, but hopefully with fun things!
Gorgeous pies!
We celebrated Thanksgiving, visited Santa on Black Friday, and then I was off for my race weekend. I haven’t paid much attention to Cyber Monday, and we will make our donations in a couple of weeks.
Looks like you had a great week of running and cycling!
It’s such a busy time of year. Congrats on your race!
Those are some beautiful pies! Thank you for the heads up on giving Tuesday, I am going to look into that! I was disappointed with Cyber Monday , where were the big deals? I bought a few things but nothing out of the ordinary! Sounds like you had a great weekend and it is nice to kick off the advent season 🙂
Those pies, just wow. What great causes you are raising money! Sounds like you had an awesome Thanksgiving weekend.
Wow! Your pies are gorgeous! Yummy! I did plenty of shopping this weekend starting with Friday, but mostly online. I hate crowds and there’s no real reason to go out.
I need to go shopping in stores when I don’t quite know what to get, but I usually wait until closer to Christmas when the added pressure helps me get inspired. 😉
I am still in shock at your pies! Dear heavens, you would think you were a professional.
I promise they are easier than they look!