Thankful Thursday: Thanksgiving

I'm sure everyone is doing a Thankful Thursday post for Thanksgiving.

We don't celebrate much here, but I'm going to a Friendsgiving on Saturday so I'll get my turkey and fixins' then.

I'm thankful for...

• Health. I stress healthy eating and exercise all the time. I have convince myself it's not for aesthetics. I'm already healthy. I can run, hike, lift, and I have no ailments or deficiencies!
• Having enough. I still have student debts and I'm incurring more by going back to school, but my day-to-day life is not marred by them. I'm fortunate to have work too, even if it's sporadic.
• Mom. Our relationship has always been rocky, but we are working through it. I'm growing up too and learning that in the end, she's really all I have.
  
  
  
  
• Friends, the long lasting ones. Even after years of not seeing them or talking to them, we can pick up where we left off.
  
  
  
  
• My car. Mollie said this, and I'm thankful everyday for a car. 
• My phone. Sure, I just lost it, but it made me realize how thankful I am to have an iPhone and how thankful I am to be able to get a new one within 2 days. Interestingly enough, I was able to go without for a day and it was okay.
• Food choices. I get to choose my food. I get to buy and make what I feel like eating.
  
  
  Today's lunch: open-faced salmon sandwich & some of this gluten-free mac & cheese from green2go. Not bad but not great.
  
  
  Oh She Glow's homemade "Rolo" knockoffs with date caramel
  
  
  
• Warm weather. I miss the snow and even getting snowed in with friends, but I don't mind not driving in the snow or the possibility of losing electricity.
  
  
   
• Where I live. It's not a big deal. I could live anywhere, but I like having things so close by. There's a lack of nature, but I can drive less than an hour to some parks and forget I'm in the suburbs. I can also drive to L.A. and San Diego for day trips. As for everywhere else I'd rather live, I can visit. :)
  
  
  Today's adventure: Carbon Canyon in Brea.
  
  
  
  A short 1 mile hike there to see the only Coastal Redwoods in the area.
  
  
  
  Stoked!
  
  
  
  I spent a good 45 minutes taking pictures...
  
  
  
  ...and relaxing among the trees. There was so much space between them!
  

After my afternoon siesta, I went for a walk and ended up at TJ Maxx nearby. I love sweets, but I cannot stand sweet scents. I loved this quirky candle:

I had chicken chili for breakfast and dinner - so many leftovers - but I made myself a pumpkin mug cake for dessert. This is essentially my pumpkin oatmeal protein pancake with less stress to keep it in pancake shape and much faster too. :)

Pumpkin mug cake

Cake:

• 2 egg whites
• 2 tbsp oat flour
• 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
• 1 tbsp Greek yogurt
• pumpkin pie spice, as needed
• baking powder, as needed

Frosting:

• 1 tbsp Greek yogurt cream cheese
• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
• stevia, to taste

Put all cake ingredients in a mug and beat with fork. Microwave 1:30-2 minutes on medium. Let cool while making frosting. Flip over mug, cut cake like you would an English muffin and spread with frosting. Eat.

I'm bound to have this today too!

How are you staying active on Thanksgiving? I'm heading to yoga in the morning, or doing something at home if I want to watch the Macy's Day Parade.
What food item are you in charge of?
What else will you be doing? Football perhaps? No football here, but I will be watching "Catching Fire."