Thanskgiving has passed...It was a wonderful day. We were able to spend the day with my parents, grandparents, and two sisters and their families, and then my parents' neighbors came over for dinner. It was a full house -- lots of people, laughter, love...it was fun. And, of course, the food was fabulous. Our contribution to the meal was homemade dinner rolls, frozen cranberry salad (yummy!) and desserts (pumpkin pie, cherry pie, apple pie - all from the store, and a homemade pumpkin cheesecake). As always, there was way too much food. That's o.k. because I love Thanksgiving leftovers the day after Thanksgiving!
I have thought much about my blessings in the last few days...the times when I find myself feeling sorry for what I don't have, I am trying to remind myself to be grateful for what I do have -- a husband who doesn't mind cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms and does it willingly and without being asked...two daughters who are (usually) sweet, kind, helpful, and fun to be with...a loving, close knit family...a great job that I enjoy...a church calling that I have grown to love (wasn't so sure about it at first)...the joy of the gospel...a warm home (well, when the thermostat isn't set at "arctic chill", LOL)...friends...
And now it's on to Christmas. My Mom, sister M, and I braved the Black Friday crowds this morning at 5 a.m. Mom and M found everything they were looking for. I did not. Darn! We were only gone for 2 hours -- that's a Black Friday record for me. Everyone said the sales were going to be fabulous this year, but I just didn't find the items I wanted on sale, or else they weren't in stock. I did get DH a fabulous combined Christmas/anniversary gift so I'm excited about that. A and I went out a little while ago and bought a new Christmas tree, so it will be fun to get that set up and decorated. Later today the girls and I will go to the mall and browse and shop. They're fun to spend time with and they are both old enough now to truly understand and appreciate this special holiday. I'm looking forward to it.
I have much to be thankful for.
Showing posts with label Gratitudes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gratitudes. Show all posts
Friday, November 28, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Thanksgiving Week
Wow, Thanksgiving week is here! It seems like it was just Halloween...now Thanksgiving...and Christmas is just around the corner. (Or in front of the corner, if you look around at all of the decorations already up...Christmas music already playing 24/7 on the radio...and the fact that B had her Christmas piano recital last Saturday!)
This should be a wonderful, fun week. My Dad's parents are here and my sister M, her husband, and little Adorable (their foster daughter) arrive tomorrow. Please keep Adorable in your prayers as she has a stomach virus today and we really want her to feel better to fly down here tomorrow! And on that note, keep me in your prayers, too -- I haven't been feeling well at all today. Not an auspicious start to the week.
And of course, what Thanksgiving week would be complete without Black Friday? My favorite shopping day of the year! I know, some people think I'm crazy. But I love it.
Gratitudes for today:
-I taught all of the young women at church yesterday and it went really well.
-The fine for the speeding ticket isn't as bad as I expected.
-My job interview last week went really well (just waiting on the outcome).
-We get to spend Thanksgiving surrounded by family and way more food than we could ever eat.
-DH cleaned the kitchen (well, most of it) and the girls' bathroom. Yea!
This should be a wonderful, fun week. My Dad's parents are here and my sister M, her husband, and little Adorable (their foster daughter) arrive tomorrow. Please keep Adorable in your prayers as she has a stomach virus today and we really want her to feel better to fly down here tomorrow! And on that note, keep me in your prayers, too -- I haven't been feeling well at all today. Not an auspicious start to the week.
And of course, what Thanksgiving week would be complete without Black Friday? My favorite shopping day of the year! I know, some people think I'm crazy. But I love it.
Gratitudes for today:
-I taught all of the young women at church yesterday and it went really well.
-The fine for the speeding ticket isn't as bad as I expected.
-My job interview last week went really well (just waiting on the outcome).
-We get to spend Thanksgiving surrounded by family and way more food than we could ever eat.
-DH cleaned the kitchen (well, most of it) and the girls' bathroom. Yea!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
More Gratitudes...
Today I am grateful for:
*GPS navigation systems (I have a terrible sense of direction and would have been hopelessly lost on the way home from an out-of-town youth dance last night)
*The young women I work with at church are sweet, wonderful girls (who looked beautiful last night and demonstrated very good etiquette even though the food was gross)
*Sleep (more, please)
*Friends at church who willingly come spend hours helping giggly teenage girls get ready for a formal dance (we couldn't have done it without you!)
*Coca-Cola Classic (my "poison" of choice)
*Ibuprofen (why yes, I do have a headache right now)
*A husband who didn't kill me when I told him about the speeding ticket I got last night (of course, I told him at 1 a.m. so he might not have been fully conscious or coherent...)
*GPS navigation systems (I have a terrible sense of direction and would have been hopelessly lost on the way home from an out-of-town youth dance last night)
*The young women I work with at church are sweet, wonderful girls (who looked beautiful last night and demonstrated very good etiquette even though the food was gross)
*Sleep (more, please)
*Friends at church who willingly come spend hours helping giggly teenage girls get ready for a formal dance (we couldn't have done it without you!)
*Coca-Cola Classic (my "poison" of choice)
*Ibuprofen (why yes, I do have a headache right now)
*A husband who didn't kill me when I told him about the speeding ticket I got last night (of course, I told him at 1 a.m. so he might not have been fully conscious or coherent...)
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Gratitudes....
We all know gratitude is not something that should be reserved for one day each year (Thanksgiving). Or even one month each year (November). But somehow I seem to find myself more aware this time of year of my blessings and things I often take for granted.
Particularly in light of my recent bout of "baby blues" (still not over that but making progress, thanks for asking...and if you happen to come across a mother who wants to give us a baby, we certainly wouldn't say no!)...I know that one of the best ways, at least for me, to get over a case of "the blues" is to focus on others instead of myself and to remember all of the many things for which I am grateful.
So today, I am grateful for:
*A husband who kills spiders
*A daughter who enjoys cooking (more than I do)
*A daughter who likes to have "I love you more" contests with me (I always win -- it's pretty hard to one-up "I gave birth to you so I love you more!" LOL)
*Cars that run and are paid off (especially since we know we'll have to replace at least one of them in the next few months...ugh)
*Three wonderful sisters, a great brother, and two fabulous parents
*Three great brothers-in-law, three handsome and sweet nephews, two adorable and sweet nieces, and one adorable and sweet niece-to-be (we're hoping and praying)
*Incredible friends who put up with me
Particularly in light of my recent bout of "baby blues" (still not over that but making progress, thanks for asking...and if you happen to come across a mother who wants to give us a baby, we certainly wouldn't say no!)...I know that one of the best ways, at least for me, to get over a case of "the blues" is to focus on others instead of myself and to remember all of the many things for which I am grateful.
So today, I am grateful for:
*A husband who kills spiders
*A daughter who enjoys cooking (more than I do)
*A daughter who likes to have "I love you more" contests with me (I always win -- it's pretty hard to one-up "I gave birth to you so I love you more!" LOL)
*Cars that run and are paid off (especially since we know we'll have to replace at least one of them in the next few months...ugh)
*Three wonderful sisters, a great brother, and two fabulous parents
*Three great brothers-in-law, three handsome and sweet nephews, two adorable and sweet nieces, and one adorable and sweet niece-to-be (we're hoping and praying)
*Incredible friends who put up with me
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
FHE....the family activity that ends in sibling arguments...
Last night we were all home -- amazing! A had been asking if we could play a particular board game, so after dinner I announced that we were going to have Family Home Evening and would play the game. Poor DH -- he really doesn't care for board games but how can he say no to having Family Home Evening? (insert innocent smile and batting eyelashes here - LOL)
So we set up the game, divided into two teams, and played a game of Harry Potter Scene It that ended in the narrowest of wins for A and DH (DH really just ran the remote control, him not being as big a fan of all things HP as the rest of us are). B and I would have won but on our final question she said the answer was the "wand shop" and didn't use the proper name (Ollivander's), while A answered with the proper name. Fortunately B was a good sport about it.
After that, A and B played some music for us on the piano and saxophone, and then we decided to play one more game -- Blokus. Love this game! DH didn't want to play, but again -- how can you say no to Family Home Evening? (I really must remember this new ploy...um, I mean idea, to get him to play board games!). So we played a fun round of Blokus and I won...unfortunately at the end of the game, and our lovely, wonderful, fun-filled Family Home Evening, the girls started arguing and pretty much ended our evening on a not-so-pleasant note. Oh well...at least we had Family Home Evening, even if it ended on a sour note.
What am I grateful for today?
Frivolous -- Ink pens that write smoothly, without skipping and making a scratching noise...it's hard to find good pens and I tend to hoard them when I do.
Serious -- Family Home Evening. Even though we have been less than faithful in having Family Home Evening on a weekly basis (ok, even less than less than faithful) I have felt very strongly in the last few months that this is something we need to do. I'm grateful for this program that the church instituted decades ago...and I find it very interesting that in the last several years the toy/game industry has started promoting family game nights...it is so important for families to spend time together...not just playing games, but learning about the gospel, studying the scriptures, singing songs, and enjoying each other's company. I think this will be one of our goals for the new year.
So we set up the game, divided into two teams, and played a game of Harry Potter Scene It that ended in the narrowest of wins for A and DH (DH really just ran the remote control, him not being as big a fan of all things HP as the rest of us are). B and I would have won but on our final question she said the answer was the "wand shop" and didn't use the proper name (Ollivander's), while A answered with the proper name. Fortunately B was a good sport about it.
After that, A and B played some music for us on the piano and saxophone, and then we decided to play one more game -- Blokus. Love this game! DH didn't want to play, but again -- how can you say no to Family Home Evening? (I really must remember this new ploy...um, I mean idea, to get him to play board games!). So we played a fun round of Blokus and I won...unfortunately at the end of the game, and our lovely, wonderful, fun-filled Family Home Evening, the girls started arguing and pretty much ended our evening on a not-so-pleasant note. Oh well...at least we had Family Home Evening, even if it ended on a sour note.
What am I grateful for today?
Frivolous -- Ink pens that write smoothly, without skipping and making a scratching noise...it's hard to find good pens and I tend to hoard them when I do.
Serious -- Family Home Evening. Even though we have been less than faithful in having Family Home Evening on a weekly basis (ok, even less than less than faithful) I have felt very strongly in the last few months that this is something we need to do. I'm grateful for this program that the church instituted decades ago...and I find it very interesting that in the last several years the toy/game industry has started promoting family game nights...it is so important for families to spend time together...not just playing games, but learning about the gospel, studying the scriptures, singing songs, and enjoying each other's company. I think this will be one of our goals for the new year.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Invasion of the Body Snatchers...
Something strange has happened in my home. I'm not going to complain about it, because it's a wonderful thing. But I'm pretty sure our home has been visited by aliens who, somehow, swapped bodies with my children (or whatever it is that body snatchers do) during the night.
Last night, the girls had a huge argument that resulted in one of my children trying to "run away"...and not wanting to speak to anyone for most of the evening. It was not pleasant.
But today they're enjoying each other's company and spending quality time together...A voluntarily got our her saxophone this morning so she and B could work on a Christmas duet. They played some board games after church...are playing together now in the living room, which they have converted into a medical office. Right now they're playing "doctor appointment" -- somehow, all of their injuries seem to be head and foot injuries...things like headaches, messed up ligaments and tendons in ankles, bad knees, etc. Hmmm....I wonder where they came up with all of those maladies. Certainly not from their injury-prone mother. No, certainly not.
B, who is currently the "doctor", just diagnosed A with having "part of your skull bone jammed in and the other part broken," along with torn ligaments, sprains, and bad bruises to her bones (B knows how bad bruised bones hurt!). Ouch. Sounds painful. I'm glad I'm not the patient! Oh, the medical bills are sure to be astronomical!
I am afaid to walk into the living room, lest I somehow disturb the aliens currently inhabiting my children's bodies and unleash an argument or sibling disturbance the magnitude of which surely has never been seen on earth before. So for now I'll enjoy the peace and happiness blanketing our home and try to stay out of the room so I don't disrupt the harmonic convergence that has brought such peace and happiness.
What am I thankful for today?
Frivolous: Shoes. You knew that would come up sooner or later!
Serious: That my girls are currently getting along beautifully.
Last night, the girls had a huge argument that resulted in one of my children trying to "run away"...and not wanting to speak to anyone for most of the evening. It was not pleasant.
But today they're enjoying each other's company and spending quality time together...A voluntarily got our her saxophone this morning so she and B could work on a Christmas duet. They played some board games after church...are playing together now in the living room, which they have converted into a medical office. Right now they're playing "doctor appointment" -- somehow, all of their injuries seem to be head and foot injuries...things like headaches, messed up ligaments and tendons in ankles, bad knees, etc. Hmmm....I wonder where they came up with all of those maladies. Certainly not from their injury-prone mother. No, certainly not.
B, who is currently the "doctor", just diagnosed A with having "part of your skull bone jammed in and the other part broken," along with torn ligaments, sprains, and bad bruises to her bones (B knows how bad bruised bones hurt!). Ouch. Sounds painful. I'm glad I'm not the patient! Oh, the medical bills are sure to be astronomical!
I am afaid to walk into the living room, lest I somehow disturb the aliens currently inhabiting my children's bodies and unleash an argument or sibling disturbance the magnitude of which surely has never been seen on earth before. So for now I'll enjoy the peace and happiness blanketing our home and try to stay out of the room so I don't disrupt the harmonic convergence that has brought such peace and happiness.
What am I thankful for today?
Frivolous: Shoes. You knew that would come up sooner or later!
Serious: That my girls are currently getting along beautifully.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Doesn't it Just Figure?
Yesterday I ordered the materials to make our Christmas cards. I started planning out the design and came to terms with the fact that the unusual design meant it would probably be more work. OK, I can deal with that.
Then, last night, I found my December issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine (don't know who hid it from me...LOL!) and found a fabulous, relatively fast, easy to make card in the magazine. So now I'm wondering if I can just cancel my order for the materials for the other card and make this one...
*Sigh* Decisions, decisions, decisions!
Gratitudes for today:
Frivolous: Hot chocolate from Starbucks...although the toffee nut syrup is good in it, they need to hurry and restock their peppermint syrup because peppermint hot chocolate with whipped cream is heaven in a cup!!
Serious: That we have been blessed with *enough*. While I can always compile a list of "wants" much longer than it should be, we have truly been blessed with the things we need. So many in this world have not.
Then, last night, I found my December issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine (don't know who hid it from me...LOL!) and found a fabulous, relatively fast, easy to make card in the magazine. So now I'm wondering if I can just cancel my order for the materials for the other card and make this one...
*Sigh* Decisions, decisions, decisions!
Gratitudes for today:
Frivolous: Hot chocolate from Starbucks...although the toffee nut syrup is good in it, they need to hurry and restock their peppermint syrup because peppermint hot chocolate with whipped cream is heaven in a cup!!
Serious: That we have been blessed with *enough*. While I can always compile a list of "wants" much longer than it should be, we have truly been blessed with the things we need. So many in this world have not.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Today....
I thought I was handling life pretty well...and you know, as soon as you think that, something happens to send you into a tailspin. That just happened. Not something I really feel like divulging to the world, so I'll just say that I'm spinning again, just when I felt like I had finally gotten my feet back under me. *Sigh*
What am I thankful for today...
My frivolous thing...cheap aerosol hairspray. The dog chewed up an ink pen last night and I was sure our carpet was ruined...but thanks to some cheap aerosol hairspray, the ink spot is gone (although the carpet is quite crunchy and stiff this morning!).
My serious thing...friends. I have some amazing, wonderful friends. Although I don't see most of them often (and not nearly enough), they are wonderful and I can always count on them.
What am I thankful for today...
My frivolous thing...cheap aerosol hairspray. The dog chewed up an ink pen last night and I was sure our carpet was ruined...but thanks to some cheap aerosol hairspray, the ink spot is gone (although the carpet is quite crunchy and stiff this morning!).
My serious thing...friends. I have some amazing, wonderful friends. Although I don't see most of them often (and not nearly enough), they are wonderful and I can always count on them.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Thankful thoughts...
One of the bloggers that I read on a regular basis posts "gratitudes" in all of her posts. I think that's a neat idea...so I'm going to borrow it, at least for November. Not that I don't have things to be grateful for year round...but let's just see how well I can stick with this for one month to start!
So I'll be posting things I'm grateful for...each time I will post one "frivolous" and one serious. At least that's my goal!
So, for today, my frivolous "gratitude" -- I'm thankful for hair styling products. Without them, my hair would be a nasty, frizzy mess every day. Love my blow dryer, straightening iron, mousse, styling creme, and hairspray!
My serious gratitude for today -- I'm thankful for my family. A has been gone for a couple of days on a school field trip and the house is so quiet without her. I'll be glad when she gets home. But at the same time, it has been nice to have a little more time one-on-one with B. She and I did a Christmas craft project Monday night and it was really fun. I have a wonderful family and I'm very thankful for them.
What are you grateful for?
So I'll be posting things I'm grateful for...each time I will post one "frivolous" and one serious. At least that's my goal!
So, for today, my frivolous "gratitude" -- I'm thankful for hair styling products. Without them, my hair would be a nasty, frizzy mess every day. Love my blow dryer, straightening iron, mousse, styling creme, and hairspray!
My serious gratitude for today -- I'm thankful for my family. A has been gone for a couple of days on a school field trip and the house is so quiet without her. I'll be glad when she gets home. But at the same time, it has been nice to have a little more time one-on-one with B. She and I did a Christmas craft project Monday night and it was really fun. I have a wonderful family and I'm very thankful for them.
What are you grateful for?
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