I've spent some time over the last couple of weeks really contemplating this blog post. I knew the core concept I wanted to get across, but I spent my shower thinking time many days wondering how to word it. It may not be the most elegantly worded blog post available, but it speaks from my heart and goes like this;
Be kind. Adulting is hard. Hell, life in general is hard. Whether you are 10 or 50, the scope of your reality includes a great many things that are just plain hard for you. Maybe it's tying your shoes, or maybe it's dealing with the loss of a loved one. Our days are all full of hard decisions and situations. On top of all of this, we live in a world where tragedy and injustice is splashed in our faces every day. Be kind. It sounds so simple, but it isn't. Think about it. If we could just be kind to one another, how much easier could we make things? Hold the door for a stranger, smile at people in the grocery store, tolerate the differences in others. When you are thinking of someone, let them know. Say something nice to your partner, to your children, to your parents and your friends. Say something nice to someone you don't particularly like, What is it hurting? Nothing. Be kind. Unplug from your phone at whatever sport practice and interact with the other parents. Go on that coffee date you keep putting off. Spread kindness around like you are trying to start an epidemic. And maybe you will. Put a positive spin on your life, and you may find that it changes a lot. Start now. Enjoy every minute. Life is so short, just be kind.
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Dusting off the Old Blog
Facebook has that fancy "On This Day" business now, and several times it has offered up old blog posts of mine to give me warm feelys about the past. I realized when the last one popped up that it had been 3 years since I last graced the internet with the musings and misadventures of my everyday life. Not that I really believe the internet missed me, but I did remember how much I enjoyed sharing my insights and adventures with my family and friends. So on a whim today I dusted off the old blog, and did a bit of freshening up. Sort of like Spring Cleaning. In July. There's still a bit to be done, but I thought I'd throw this out there. You know, like a heads up, or a warning, whichever way you choose to take it. Maybe a little nudge to the rest of you that have neglected blogs floating about. I do enjoy reading them.
Monday, July 1, 2013
How to Blow up a Pyrex Dish and Other Fun Summer Activities
Let me start by saying that so far, our Summer has been an absolute whirlwind. Mostly not in a bad way, just lots of crazy busyness. Whew!
It started a week before school let out when my wonderful SIL and her hubby came to stay for about a week. It was so great to have them here, as they live in ID and we don't really get to see them much. They arrived on the Saturday that my upstairs neighbor's water heater ruptured and caused for it to rain in my bathroom and hallway. LOL Welcome to the neighborhood! The trip for them, however, was not as much fun as it should have been since they seemed to have one problem after another with their Jeep. The long and complicated mess ended with them having to have one of my other SIL tow their Jeep back to Elko from Winnemucca to hang out at our place until Alex can get it fixed. They had to go back to Fallon and get a friend from ID to come and pick them up to take them home. Much later than they had originally planned. But thankfully they are back home safely, and the Jeep is in good hands.
About 3 days after Siddie and Ryan left, my Auntie and nephews came to stay for a little over a week. We checked out museums while they were here, spent some time at the park, and blew up a Pyrex baking dish. And broke a window. I should probably start with how I blew up the Pyrex since that's the first of a series of strange chaotic events that occurred while my Auntie was here. The night prior, I baked a delicious Wacky Cake and left the leftover portion in the Pyrex on the back burner of the stove. In preparing to cook the beautiful giant artichokes I paid an insane price for the next evening, I accidentally turned on the burner under the Pyrex dish instead of the one under the artichokes. We noticed a strange smell and that the Pyrex dish was smoking. Realizing what I had done, I grabbed the dish and went to put it in the dishwater in the sink (yes, I really was going to do that). At this point, my Auntie stopped me and pointed out that it would be much safer to set the dish on the back porch in case it exploded when it started to cool off. I agreed and turned to walk to the back door only to have the dish in question explode violently in my hands. Yup. Covered me in glass, blew it clear into the living room, under the stove, under the table, and, you guessed it, all over those beautiful artichokes which were now rendered inedible. Yay. So no artichokes for dinner that night. A couple of days after the Exploding Pyrex, my curious 5 year old son decided to see if he could bounce a rock off the cement in our back yard. Yup. And right through his bedroom window. While I was standing in front of it stripping the sheets off his bed to wash them. After I finally calmed down, I called the rental company, who would not, by the way, pay for the window (thankfully our renter's insurance did) and was instructed to cover the window with something to keep people from getting hurt on it (???) and call someone to fix it. I reached under the sink to grab a trash bag (the first cover I thought of) only to find that everything under my sink was VERY wet, due to the fact that the sink was leaking. I called the rental company again. While I was outside with my Auntie duck taping trash bags over the broken window (thankfully it was a double paned window and he only broke the outside pane) the maintenance guy showed up. Not to fix my sink, but to (finally) look at my ceiling where it had rained from my upstairs neighbors apartment more than a week prior. He poked at it, looked at my sink and told me he would be back the next day to cut some holes in my ceiling and assess the damage, and also to fix my sink. At 4:50pm the next day, he called to say he wouldn't make it, but would be by at 8:00 a.m. the following day. Okay. He came in, cut a 12x12 hole in the ceiling in my hallway and in my bathroom, and fixed my kitchen sink after 2 trips to the Home Depot and several hours. Haven't seen him since. I had to talk to the rental company today because I thought we had a gas leak (turns out we are just smelling the rotting insulation and wood through the holes in our ceiling) and was assured we are a priority this week. This week?
In the midst of all this chaos, we did manage to mark 5 or 6 things off our Summer Bucket list, and start some others. And laugh. We have to laugh. Or go crazy.
It started a week before school let out when my wonderful SIL and her hubby came to stay for about a week. It was so great to have them here, as they live in ID and we don't really get to see them much. They arrived on the Saturday that my upstairs neighbor's water heater ruptured and caused for it to rain in my bathroom and hallway. LOL Welcome to the neighborhood! The trip for them, however, was not as much fun as it should have been since they seemed to have one problem after another with their Jeep. The long and complicated mess ended with them having to have one of my other SIL tow their Jeep back to Elko from Winnemucca to hang out at our place until Alex can get it fixed. They had to go back to Fallon and get a friend from ID to come and pick them up to take them home. Much later than they had originally planned. But thankfully they are back home safely, and the Jeep is in good hands.
About 3 days after Siddie and Ryan left, my Auntie and nephews came to stay for a little over a week. We checked out museums while they were here, spent some time at the park, and blew up a Pyrex baking dish. And broke a window. I should probably start with how I blew up the Pyrex since that's the first of a series of strange chaotic events that occurred while my Auntie was here. The night prior, I baked a delicious Wacky Cake and left the leftover portion in the Pyrex on the back burner of the stove. In preparing to cook the beautiful giant artichokes I paid an insane price for the next evening, I accidentally turned on the burner under the Pyrex dish instead of the one under the artichokes. We noticed a strange smell and that the Pyrex dish was smoking. Realizing what I had done, I grabbed the dish and went to put it in the dishwater in the sink (yes, I really was going to do that). At this point, my Auntie stopped me and pointed out that it would be much safer to set the dish on the back porch in case it exploded when it started to cool off. I agreed and turned to walk to the back door only to have the dish in question explode violently in my hands. Yup. Covered me in glass, blew it clear into the living room, under the stove, under the table, and, you guessed it, all over those beautiful artichokes which were now rendered inedible. Yay. So no artichokes for dinner that night. A couple of days after the Exploding Pyrex, my curious 5 year old son decided to see if he could bounce a rock off the cement in our back yard. Yup. And right through his bedroom window. While I was standing in front of it stripping the sheets off his bed to wash them. After I finally calmed down, I called the rental company, who would not, by the way, pay for the window (thankfully our renter's insurance did) and was instructed to cover the window with something to keep people from getting hurt on it (???) and call someone to fix it. I reached under the sink to grab a trash bag (the first cover I thought of) only to find that everything under my sink was VERY wet, due to the fact that the sink was leaking. I called the rental company again. While I was outside with my Auntie duck taping trash bags over the broken window (thankfully it was a double paned window and he only broke the outside pane) the maintenance guy showed up. Not to fix my sink, but to (finally) look at my ceiling where it had rained from my upstairs neighbors apartment more than a week prior. He poked at it, looked at my sink and told me he would be back the next day to cut some holes in my ceiling and assess the damage, and also to fix my sink. At 4:50pm the next day, he called to say he wouldn't make it, but would be by at 8:00 a.m. the following day. Okay. He came in, cut a 12x12 hole in the ceiling in my hallway and in my bathroom, and fixed my kitchen sink after 2 trips to the Home Depot and several hours. Haven't seen him since. I had to talk to the rental company today because I thought we had a gas leak (turns out we are just smelling the rotting insulation and wood through the holes in our ceiling) and was assured we are a priority this week. This week?
In the midst of all this chaos, we did manage to mark 5 or 6 things off our Summer Bucket list, and start some others. And laugh. We have to laugh. Or go crazy.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Bringing a Bedroom Together on the Cheap
Miss Leelah came to live with us full time in February. On the 3rd to be precise. Her bedroom was...well, kind of a catch all to be honest. Because no one used it full time before she came, I had my craft stuff in it, and used the closet as extra storage space. It had a bed, but the bed set was about 10 years old, and looked it. The only other piece of bedroom furniture in the room was one of a set of nightstands that my Aunt had given us. Yep, just the one. LOL And not a dresser in site.
Shortly after she came to live with us, my Grandmother gave us a dresser that had belonged to my Pop's mom, my Great-granny Fern, long before I was even born. It was a very sturdy dresser, but in need of a make over.
Both pieces were varnished, or lacquered, or whatever they used to make them slick and shiny. I remembered pinning a tip on Pinterest (who doesn't love Pinterest?) about a primer that would make anything ready to paint. Enter the miracle primer Zinsser Cover Stain. The best part is that I found a quart of this liquid gold on clearance at WalMart for about half price. Score for me! It seriously covers and sticks to ANYTHING. But be warned. It's an oil-base primer, so if you don't wear gloves when you use it, and you happen to get it on your hands, you may as well remove your skin to get it off. Or that's what I've heard anyway. I would NEVER not pay attention to the fact that is was oil-based and use it without gloves. Nope, not me.
So, I took all the hardware off both pieces of furniture and used a small foam roller to primer them. Not too bad. I didn't put it on extra thick or try to have perfect coverage. I sort of just played it by ear and hoped for the best.
The primer was dry in about half an hour. I then used the WalMart brand paint in Tribal Smokestone to paint both the dresser and nightstand. Leelah picked the color, and it is very catching. And the WalMart brand of paint only ran me about $10 for a quart. Again, I didn't put it on super thick or try for perfect coverage. I went over the places that I felt needed it with a second coat, and everything was dry in about half and hour again. The primer underneath gives it sort of a rough texture, and I don't know if it's because I only lightly primered or because that's just how the primer is, but I like it.
On to the hardware. Of course the furniture wasn't from a matching set, so the hardware was different on each piece. The dresser had gold colored knobs, and the nightstand had a bronze toned knobs. Hmmm. Back to Walmart to buy some Krylon Colormaster Brushed Metallic spray paint in Oil Rubbed Bronze. I had never used it before now, but what the heck. It's really watery. I mean really watery, and it took 2 coats to cover the knobs well, but it is beautiful, and it dries in 10 minutes or less. Perfect.
Once everything was dry, I put all the knobs and drawers back in their places, and voila! a matching bedroom set, complete with new bed set, for less than $100. Not too shabby. The best part is, however, that Leelah loves it.
Shortly after she came to live with us, my Grandmother gave us a dresser that had belonged to my Pop's mom, my Great-granny Fern, long before I was even born. It was a very sturdy dresser, but in need of a make over.
Both pieces were varnished, or lacquered, or whatever they used to make them slick and shiny. I remembered pinning a tip on Pinterest (who doesn't love Pinterest?) about a primer that would make anything ready to paint. Enter the miracle primer Zinsser Cover Stain. The best part is that I found a quart of this liquid gold on clearance at WalMart for about half price. Score for me! It seriously covers and sticks to ANYTHING. But be warned. It's an oil-base primer, so if you don't wear gloves when you use it, and you happen to get it on your hands, you may as well remove your skin to get it off. Or that's what I've heard anyway. I would NEVER not pay attention to the fact that is was oil-based and use it without gloves. Nope, not me.
So, I took all the hardware off both pieces of furniture and used a small foam roller to primer them. Not too bad. I didn't put it on extra thick or try to have perfect coverage. I sort of just played it by ear and hoped for the best.
The primer was dry in about half an hour. I then used the WalMart brand paint in Tribal Smokestone to paint both the dresser and nightstand. Leelah picked the color, and it is very catching. And the WalMart brand of paint only ran me about $10 for a quart. Again, I didn't put it on super thick or try for perfect coverage. I went over the places that I felt needed it with a second coat, and everything was dry in about half and hour again. The primer underneath gives it sort of a rough texture, and I don't know if it's because I only lightly primered or because that's just how the primer is, but I like it.
On to the hardware. Of course the furniture wasn't from a matching set, so the hardware was different on each piece. The dresser had gold colored knobs, and the nightstand had a bronze toned knobs. Hmmm. Back to Walmart to buy some Krylon Colormaster Brushed Metallic spray paint in Oil Rubbed Bronze. I had never used it before now, but what the heck. It's really watery. I mean really watery, and it took 2 coats to cover the knobs well, but it is beautiful, and it dries in 10 minutes or less. Perfect.
Once everything was dry, I put all the knobs and drawers back in their places, and voila! a matching bedroom set, complete with new bed set, for less than $100. Not too shabby. The best part is, however, that Leelah loves it.
Monday, January 7, 2013
A Thought (or Two) on New Year's Resolutions...
It’s a New Year!
Hello to 2013, a new chance full of a hundred thousand promises and ways
to make life even better.
I wonder to myself why it is that the New Year makes us all
want to put into effect those changes we have been putting off for months or
even years. Maybe it’s because it gives
us the sense of starting over, or starting fresh. That’s what I’m doing with this New Year,
starting fresh. I’ve set myself some
specific New Year’s Resolutions, in hopes that by being less vague I make them
a little more obtainable. I’m setting up
a system of support, people and things to help me achieve these personal goals,
and I’m excited like I’ve never been excited before.
My overall goal this year is to simplify my life. By simplify, I mean to take out all the
unneccessary and unhealthy baggage, so to speak. I signed up to join in the 52 Week Organized Home
Challenge, and I’m purging and organizing like crazy! I’m actually ahead on the January Declutter
calendar, and I have been using Pinterest
as a guide for crafty storage solutions (the possibilities are endless!)
The simplification doesn’t stop there, however. I’m also simplifying the way we eat. Not to say that our meals will be simple, but
more along the lines of the ingredients will be simpler and fresher. I’m
planning for leaner proteins, more fruits and vegies and a goal to only eat out
once a month. Thanks to Bountiful Baskets, I can do all of
this and still stay within my budget, which is also being simplified. I’m FINALLY making myself stick out a fitness
routine. No excuses to be had! I joined an 8 week challenge with a friend of
mine via The
Six Sister’s Stuff (these ladies have a fantastic blog!). I’ve picked back up on the Weight Watchers
program (which, BTW, you can follow for free if you don’t mind not having the
new 360 program). My goals are within
reach.
I guess what I’m really doing is taking a good hard look at
the things that matter most in my life; my family, my health and my
happiness. How can I make these things
better and enjoy them more? The
possibilities are endless! So take a
minute to slow down in this crazy thing we call life, and enjoy the simple
things. May 2013 bring you many things
to celebrate and smile about.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Today I am Thirty...
Today I am Thirty. It feels like that line should come with a weight of some kind. I guess for me it just doesn't. I am honestly excited to be the big 3-0. It's crazy for me to think back and realize I have thirty years of life under my belt. 2 marriages. 4 kids. A million amazing adventures. I wouldn't trade a day of it for anything in the universe. Not even a bad day. :) I don't feel thirty, and, for me, this is the best part of all. I feel like life is really just starting to get good, and I can't wait to see what's waiting around the next bend. So here's to 30, and cheers to 30 more!
Monday, September 17, 2012
Five Years Ago Today
Five years ago today, this is what I looked like. LOL At 5:00 o'clock in the morning, I was at Churchill County Hospital preparing to be induced, since in this house we never have small babies. LOL
After about 12 hours of labor, we welcomed into the world the 8 pound 7 ounce Anthony Gleason (Anthony for his Uncle AJ and Gleason for his Papa).
It's still hard for me to believe that this tiny (well, maybe not "tiny") baby boy is 5 years old today. It never ceases to amaze me just how quickly time passes. It seems like only yesterday he was a wiggly, shy 2 year old.
Then I blinked and he was starting Kindergarten. Still shy, still pretty wiggly, but so much bigger. He has grown into a kind hearted and happy boy that is full of laughs and silly stories.
So Happy 5th Birthday to the best Anthony Gleason that any family could ask for!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
The Mom Project
Okay, so the Mom Project that I talked about on Facebook a
couple of months ago has finally come to fruition. It’s one of those projects that is always
evolving and changing in some manner, and you will soon see why. The idea for this project came from a
combination of a Home Management Binder I saw on Pinterest (courtesy of abowlfulloflemons.blogspot.com) and the coupon binder from thekrazycouponlady.com. I have finally reached a place where I feel
that it’s complete enough for me to share, and so I shall!
Let’s start first with a list of the supplies I used to put
this little baby together:
*1 ½ in Binder (I like the ones with the clear pocket on the
front for personalization)
*2 sets of erasable tab dividers (I picked the white ones
because I like the idea of being able to doodle on them.)
*Pencil pouch (I have 2 in my book)
*Pens
*Sharpies
*White Out
*Post Its
*Sport card holders
*Clear page protectors
*Stick on tabs
*Lined paper
*Print offs that apply (you’ll understand this part better
by the end)
First, I start at www.wordle.net
and make myself a cover page to slide into the front of my binder. I call mine “Mama’s Big Book” but you could
call it anything that makes you happy. I
use words to describe all the things inside my book, such as “coupons” and
“busy”. It takes a few times to get
things just right, but once you do, it’s so great!
Open the book, and inside the pocket on the left I store
papers and things that I need access to in the near future. Notes I’ve taken about internet providers or
cable companies that I have called to check prices with.
On the right hand side, the first thing you come to is my
pencil pouch. I have pens in several
colors, white out, post it notes, sharpies, scissors, and any other office
supply I may need to keep handy in this pencil pouch.
Now starts the dividers.
Each category is something I feel I need in my life, and many of them
came from the Home Management Binder on abowlfulloflemons.blogspot.com. The
sections I have are Calendar, Schedules, Cleaning, Menu Planning, Finances, To
Do, School, Medical, Contacts, Projects, Check Out These Websites, Wish List
and Party. You could add all kinds of
tabs, like a music tab for music you want to download, or sheet music you are
interested in playing. The possibilities
are endless.
I’m going to break down what’s in each section to give you an
idea of how I organized my binder. All
of the sheets I use I found on Pinterest and printed for free. There are hundreds of options out there,
including some you can download and personalize for a small fee.
Calendar:
In this section I have two different sheets. First you come to my weekly planner. This is one of my very favorite templates and
is made by mommytracked.com. I use the space on Friday to keep track of
what bills need to be paid that week since that’s the day that my hubby gets
paid. The second part of this tab is my
calendar, which I write all over on.
This I print via creativemama.com because I think they the most beautiful
and functional printable monthly calendar I have found.
Schedules:
This section is to keep things such as kids’ sports
schedules in, or if you or you husband work a rotating schedule you could keep
that here as well. My kids aren’t
currently in sports, and my husband schedule is constant so this tab is empty
for the moment.
Cleaning:
I love cleaning check lists, and this is the perfect place
to keep them. I have seen several of
them that are by week or by day. The
important part of this tab is finding the one that works best for you.
Meal Planning:
This is basically a money saving tab. I have read blog after blog that swear by
meal planning to help save on grocery costs, and it’s really an ingenius
idea. The sheet I use in from www.theprojectgirl.com and I
absolutely adore it!
Finances:
To Do:
Have fun with this tab.
Find some to do sheets that make you smile. I have some with owls on them (www.theOrganizedClassroomBlog.com)
I also have long term goal sheets in this tab (www.getbuttonedup.com) that makes me
feel like I have really accomplished something when it’s done.
School:
This is the place to keep letters from teachers, PTO meeting
notes, field trip schedules, etc.
Medical:
Again from yourway.net, the little packet I use gives you a place
for insurance information, allergy information and doctors information.
Contacts:
This is my address book. It’s so much nicer than one of
those tiny purse address books, and I love it. These sheets are also from
yourway.net. I also have a sheet from getbuttonedup.com
to keep track of websites and passwords, and a birthday organizer from
yourway.net.
Projects:
Under this tab is where I keep all the projects I have in
the works along with supply lists, etc. for said projects.
Check Out These Websites:
This is where I keep a list of websites I come across while
I’m reading a magazine or someone tells me about that I want to check out when
I get some time.
Wish List:
This is where I keep a list of things that I’d like to get,
but don’t have to have. Things for the
house is the biggest component of this list.
Party!:
This is where I keep things for the latest birthday party or
family party we are having. Supply
lists, guests lists, and all those sorts of things.
The second part of my binder is my coupon binder. I’m a novice at the couponing thing, and so I
went with the printable organizer from thekrazycouponlady.com. I put the sheets
in clear page protectors and added my own tabs with stick on tabs. I use collector card sheets to keep my
coupons in, though I have seen actual coupon organizer sheets. I have a price book sheet (organizedhome.com)
and another pencil pouch at the beginning of the coupon section. I use the pencil pouch to put coupons I know
I will be using on a shopping trip and my shopping list in for easy access.
In the very back of my binder I keep two clear page
protectors, one that I put coupons that need to be clipped/organized and one
that I keep original copies of the sheets I use in just in case.
I plan on adding other tabs as the time comes, like a tab
for canning. I love my book, and it
works well for me. I hope that some of
you can take something from it to make your own life easier and more organized.
J
Worlds Worst Blogger
I'm not so good with keeping up on this lately, for many reasons really. Most of them are actually significant even. The biggest one being that we moved to Elko recently, and getting internet there has proved to be a pain in the a**. For real. We're really working to get this figured out, but until then, I have been using the internet when I'm at my grandparent's house in Fallon, which is where I happen to be now. Anyway, in order to catch up and try to get all this back on track, here's a recap:
*April- Moved into the 5th wheel in Battle Mountain while we were waiting for something to come open in Battle Mountain or Elko that was big enough for our family.
*July- Finally got into an apartment in Elko. Yes, we lived in our 5th wheel for 3 months. I hope I never have to do that again. In fact, I hope none of you ever have to do that either. Ever.
Since then, we have managed to relocate the majority of our belongings to Elko, potty train Drake, and try to make life as normal and functional as possible. For now. Bahahaha!
*April- Moved into the 5th wheel in Battle Mountain while we were waiting for something to come open in Battle Mountain or Elko that was big enough for our family.
*July- Finally got into an apartment in Elko. Yes, we lived in our 5th wheel for 3 months. I hope I never have to do that again. In fact, I hope none of you ever have to do that either. Ever.
Since then, we have managed to relocate the majority of our belongings to Elko, potty train Drake, and try to make life as normal and functional as possible. For now. Bahahaha!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Hello 2012!!
This already feels like "A Year In Review" type of deal. LOL How lucky for me that I've been blogging throughout the year, and so I don't have to spend pages giving you the details of what I did in 2011. I guess that just leaves me to build up how great this year is going to be!! Well, what a great year I hope it's going to be rather. I'm attempting to make some pretty major changes in my life this year, and in the lives of my immediate family (lucky them!). I'm changing eating habits, and exercise habits, and recycling habits, and...LOL Pretty much a total life overhaul. And it's much needed. I'm also trying the 365 Photo Challenge (thanks Roxy!). Really, when I take it all in and look at it, I think, "Man, I really feel like a grown up today. Weird." LOL So here's to hoping that my resolutions find themselves an easy home in my heart and the hearts of my family, and that all of yours do as well!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
A Month of Thanks, A Summary of Thanks
So, I pretty much fell off the Month of Thanks wagon there towards the end, but mostly it was because I was enjoying all of the things that I have to be thankful for. If I have taken nothing else from this Month of Thanks business, I have at least come to the realization that I am one lucky girl. I have a LOT to be thankful for. Really. I have a super handsome, amazing, loving husband whom I totally don't deserve but am so grateful for, 4 beautiful, healthy, happy kids to adore, a family that is so my rock in a storm, and a life to envy. Even in the hard times. No, it's not perfect by any means, and I will be the first to admit that, but man is it good! Maybe we should integrate a bit more thankfulness into our every day lives, even if just quietly and to ourselves. Maybe instead of one running month a year of thankfulness, we should take one small moment every morning and be grateful for something in our lives. I can only imagine how much more pleasant every day life would be if everyone took a moment to be thankful every day.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
A Month of Thanks, Day 23
I know it's a bit early. Though I'm not as early as some of my friends out there. That's right, we decorated the Christmas tree tonight. I know I said that I wasn't putting it up until after Thanksgiving, but technically, we celebrated Thanksgiving today, and that's good enough for me. So what I'm thankful for today is sharing the joy of decorating our Christmas tree as a family. It's so nice to spend the time hanging the ornaments and standing back to look the tree over. I have suspicions that Leelah and Michael are getting to that age where they feel like they are too old to be doing these sorts of things, and so I am soaking it all up, and hoping that in all my small ways, I am teaching them that family comes first. I know that today, I am thankful for mine.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
A Month of Thanks, Day 22
Today I am thankful that my fabulous hubby surprised me by coming home early and saving me a drive to and from Battle Mountain. The end. :)
Monday, November 21, 2011
A Month of Thanks, Day 21
I don't have many friends, really, and even fewer that I would call close friends. But the ones I do have are pretty amazing, and I'd like to take today to be thankful for them. I am thankful to have friends who have stuck it out with me even when life wasn't easy or fun. I am thankful for friends who stand by me, even if I'm wrong. I am thankful for friends who forgive me for my imperfections. You are truly amazing people, and I am lucky to have you in my life. It doesn't matter if we don't get to see each other every day, or that we don't talk nearly as often as we wish we did. I know that we all have lives of our own, and I understand that it's easy to get caught up in them. What really matters in the end is that we are always there for each other, in whatever ways we can be. And that makes a huge difference sometimes. So, to all my amazing friends out there, whether we talked today, or a week ago, or even a year ago, you know who you are, and that you are indispensable. Thank you for you.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
A Month of Thanks, Day 20
Today I am thankful for all the fun and silly things that I get to do with my amazing kids. Last night, we had an impromptu Unbirthday-Fake-Mustache Party. Yep, you read that right. We wanted a birthday cake, and since it was no ones actual birthday, we decided to have a party of our own. And it was just plain fantastic.
Anthony chose this mustache because he said it looked like Luigi's. LOL
And oddly, Michael looks like Mario...
Here is the cake we bought. We stuck a giant Mr. Potato Head mustache on it, to go with the party theme. It was much more attractive before Drake swan dived into it. Thankfully, the plastic cover was still on it when he did.
My niece, Michelle, petting her mustache.
Drake had a runny nose, so his mustache is most definitely not re-usable, but he does look rather dashing.
Somehow, my mustache is two-toned. Weird. And I was doing my best mustache face, which I think is a phenomenal success.
My brother Bowie and his girlfriend Felisha attended our party as well, but I didn't get a very good picture of them. Hmmm...
Nights like this leave me a lot to be thankful for. They're filled with the sorts of things in life that simply cannot be replaced, like my kids' laughter, and the memories of how much fun we had. I hope that there will be many more of these impromptu laughter inducing episodes to be thankful for in my lifetime, and that I pass on to my children the ability to enjoy life at a moments notice. :)
And oddly, Michael looks like Mario...Leelah paired hers with a fabulous purple wig.
My niece, Michelle, petting her mustache.
Drake had a runny nose, so his mustache is most definitely not re-usable, but he does look rather dashing.
My brother Bowie and his girlfriend Felisha attended our party as well, but I didn't get a very good picture of them. Hmmm...
Nights like this leave me a lot to be thankful for. They're filled with the sorts of things in life that simply cannot be replaced, like my kids' laughter, and the memories of how much fun we had. I hope that there will be many more of these impromptu laughter inducing episodes to be thankful for in my lifetime, and that I pass on to my children the ability to enjoy life at a moments notice. :)
Saturday, November 19, 2011
A Month of Thanks, Day 19
Wow, this month is flying by! Hard to believe it's already 19 days into my Month of Thanks, and only 5 days until the actual Day of Thanks. And what sweet little revelations this daily thankfulness has brought to my life! So that is what I'm thankful for today. I am thankful for this Month of Thanks business, and for the interesting little enlightenment's thinking so hard about being thankful is bringing me. I hope that thinking about being thankful is bringing all of you the same joy that it's bringing me, and I say try not to be thankful only during the Month of Thanks, but every day, for all the little things that really make a difference.
Friday, November 18, 2011
A Month of Thanks, Day 17 and 18
So, I missed my first day so far in my Month of Thanks yesterday. Not bad, 16 days in a row. I was wiped out last night, and, well, I thought about my thanks, but just didn't get to putting it out there. So, for yesterday, I am thankful for laughter. It's amazing how just a little bit of laughter can change the course of your whole day. It's true that laughter is the best medicine. My favorite kinds of laughter are happy baby laughs (cuz let's face it, no one can produce an innocent happy laugh like a baby) and those deep-seeded belly laughs that make everything in the world seem like it's going to be okay. We need more laughter in our day to day lives, and more reasons to laugh. Now that would change the world!
Now, for today, I am thankful for Fridays. I don't just mean the day-of-the-week Friday. What I really mean is your work Friday, which could really be any day of the week. For me, it does actually happen to be on the-day-of-the-week Friday. I am thankful for Fridays because it seems like knowing that the weekend is so close can get you through just about anything. And when it's been an especially long week, Friday is even sweeter. Nothing makes you appreciate how hard you've been working as your Friday does. This week was one of those long weeks, and at the end of the day today I let out a long sigh and thought "Man am I ever thankful for Fridays!" :)
Now, for today, I am thankful for Fridays. I don't just mean the day-of-the-week Friday. What I really mean is your work Friday, which could really be any day of the week. For me, it does actually happen to be on the-day-of-the-week Friday. I am thankful for Fridays because it seems like knowing that the weekend is so close can get you through just about anything. And when it's been an especially long week, Friday is even sweeter. Nothing makes you appreciate how hard you've been working as your Friday does. This week was one of those long weeks, and at the end of the day today I let out a long sigh and thought "Man am I ever thankful for Fridays!" :)
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
A Month of Thanks, Day 16
It's nice to feel that all the things that I am thankful for don't have to be earth-shattering revelations or tear jerking insights. It's absolutely fantastic that many of my thanks can be the simple little things that make my life that much more enjoyable. Today is one of those kind of days. You know the ones, where it's been a bit of a long day, and you're tired, and just want to relax? Which brings me right to what I am thankful for today, which is hot tea. It seems like such a simple little thing, but it really makes such a difference in my day. There is nothing quite like enjoying a mug of hot tea in the quiet of my living room after my munchkins have gone to bed. It relaxes me so nicely, and sets the tone for a good nights sleep. Tonight, I had Honey Chamomile, and right now, I feel like all is right with the world. :)
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
A Month of Thanks, Day 15
Today, I am thankful for books. That's right folks, books. What a weird thing to be thankful for, you say? Well, yeah, maybe a little. But those of you who know me pretty well know that I can loose myself in a book like no one else. Really. I LOVE to read, and I hope that I am instilling that love in my children as well. There is no cheaper vacation in life than a good book. Once a book draws me in, I am insatiable, and a good series just sets my world alight. I also believe that a good book can change you, change the way you think or feel, and make you a different person. It's amazing. Truly. I've been thinking of making a list of the books I have read, and setting a lifetime goal. I'm not really sure where to start number wise though, so probably the list first would be the best approach. So, anyway, to all you authors out there and future authors as well, thanks a million from this avid literature fan. :)
Monday, November 14, 2011
A Month of Thanks, Day 14
Today I am thankful for the capacity we, as people, have for forgiveness. Not just for my own capacity to forgive, but also for others to forgive me. I know that I have made mistakes. I will be the first to admit that I'm nowhere near perfection, and I am thankful that I have people in my life that can see past my imperfections and forgive me for the unbecoming or hurtful things I have done. I understand that some things hurt, or embarrass, and I can't tell you how amazed and thankful I am that people can forgive for that. I am also grateful that I can forgive, that I can look at someone who has hurt me and reason out that they make mistakes too, and forgive them for their indiscretions. How blessed are we all to have that ability in our hearts, and how thankful am I to be able to access it.
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