Better Late than Never

69. family
70. my Grandma Rita and all the life lessons she taught me without even trying.
71. Knowing that it doesn't matter where you eat on thanksgiving, as long as you are with family. (a GR lesson)
72. That I am NOT doing ANY shopping today
73. Days off work
74. off switches
75. Slippers
76. ears
77. the number 6
78. health
79. that it is now acceptable to think obsessively about Christmas
80. That Claire reminds me what Christmas is about (Mommy, will there be cake at Jesus' birthday party?) (ps. mom do you use real cherries for His cake?)
81. That it's only Friday but it feels like Sunday
82. socks
83. rugs
84. my vacuum cleaner
85. Fixed computers
86. tissues
87. modern medicine

Blast from Holidays Past

So I just unearthed a reminder of what the holidays are like. I was moving Christmas from the back of our only storage space to the front so that when we wanted to put up the decorations we could skip the entire days worth of work that it takes to get to the decorations and just put them up in holiday bliss.
In my rearranging I found a tote, unlabled and rather large considering our small amout of storage here. I remember putting the tote in the closet around the end of Christmas last year. In the tote that took up a lot of my storage space I found :
1 dirty baby sock (Claire's)
6 small pieces of cut up twine that used to tie something up (I'm guessing)
1 crushed and USED christmas bow
1 annoying as anything crying box out of a babydoll that Claire recieved last year.
2 duffel bags I have been searching for all year
1 life vest for and infant (still brand new)
1 empty Christmas ornament box for Claire's first year onament.
And that's it.
Why was I saving this strange assortment of mostly garbage? Why did I allocate about 1/8 of my storage space to storing it for a year? The world may never know.

Tubs to Tears

47. bath time
48. a home all my own
49. family all on one continet
50. having my computer home
51. not having to talk to the police in a whole year at least about anything
52. Shoes
53. bubbles
54. graham crackers
55. movies in bed
56. dishwasher!!!
57. Forgiveness
58. Love
59. Hope
60. Packages
61. Picture Frames no one else wanted
62. hearing
63. Sight
64. the lack of mirrors in my house
65. breath (the deep relaxing kind)
66. Laughter (especially the big kind from little people)
67. tears
68. Joy

Thankful Through the Storm

36. Marshmallows
37. Hot cocoa made with warm milk
38. My kids :)
39. A warm home to be in
40. Child locks on cupboards (how I wish mine would actually work all the time)
41. Kids who think cleaning is fun
42. My husband who takes such good care of me (I love you honey)
43. Flowers to brighten both my house and my day (from the husband who loves me)
44. Crayons
45. Feelings of accomplishment
46. Christmas decorations

It's a Wonderful Life I Lead

We have begun the process of becoming married with children. No, even though some days our lives may seem like they are right out of the soap operas I am really meaning that we are getting responsible. You know, insurance, wills, all that grown up stuff.
So far we have spoken with the life insurance guy, and met with the come-to-your-house Dr. who takes your urine and blood. I have only tuned out during babble that I don't understand once and I passed out after they took my blood but came to rather quickly. Overall I think it's been a success so far.
However, growing up is stressful and when I get stressed I start having strange dreams. Like the night we met with the insurance guy I had a dream nightmare about what life would be like if I passed. Jimmy would have to take care of the kids and in my dream they didn't get up on time for daycare. Claire dressed herself in neon green and orange leggings and a pink party dress with her 'fuzzy' shoes and knee high socks with cupcakes on them (all items she has in her wardrobe, but we don't usually wear them together). He didn't know where I kept the diapers and had no clue about how to change Nick. They ate Peanut butter sandwiches or pasta for every meal and Jimmy hadn't changed the sheets in over 4 months. (I'm not sure how I knew that...) Needless to say, life was bleak.
So I think I will stick around a little while longer, until I can train Claire to cook, and dress herself, and until Nick is potty trained, and can change the sheets by himself. It's good to be reminded they still need me. (and probably always will)

Another Full Night and Day

28. full nights of sleep

29. blankets

30. washing machine

31. America and it's freedoms and opportunities

32. my Dad

33. the anticipation of something good

34. Sisters (of all kinds)

35. DVR

So as I was writing this I typed 'chickens' for number 34. Making chickens a repeat, I took it off but the oddity of 'chickens' appearing twice in my list of things I am thankful for was not lost to me. Maybe we'll head over to the zoo to crow at the roosters and chickens today in appreciation for them. We were up before them this morning. I am not thankful for daylight savings.

Cows to Chickens

14. cows
15. sister-in-laws
16. visits from actual sisters :)
17. Pillows
18. gas (the kind you put in your car)
19. email
20. beautiful fabric (even though I don't have a sewing machine to do anything with it)
21. my gram (who taught me that there is no shame in stock piling large quantities of fabric with no real intended purpose)
22. my Aunt Peggy
23. mail from friends
24. stamps
25. Christmas in the air
26. The Chicken Dance song (which plays on repeat at our house these days)
27. Brother-in-laws who married my sister and introduced #26 into my children's lives; Thanks Mark :P

I'm on a roll!
I really do have a lot to be thankful for today;
This morning I get to have some time to myself AND a visit from my sister AND my husband home for dinner!

That could have read; This morning I am going to the 'lady doctor' AND my sister is coming to work at my house so we don't get to play even though she's right there AND my husband probably won't be home for dinner.
But that's not as positive as I feel this morning. I am choosing to accentuate the positive, and eliminate the negative. Nauffy weather outside take your best shot, my bubble of sunshine will prevail!

Plenty to be Thankful For

So, as with everything in my life, I am a little behind, or maybe I'm just way ahead. My mind has completely skipped over an entire holiday...
I am already dreaming of Christmas decorations for my house, I have begun shopping for gifts and I'm blogging about Christmas cards (which by the way netted me free Christmas cards for 'almost' all my facebook friends)(YAY!).
Forget Thanksgiving. I would I guess if I didn't have so much to be thankful for, and so many people to remind me to be thankful :)
So here goes:
1. A Jesus who loves me
2. Two beautiful and healthy kids
3. My ability to smile
4. My kids ability to make me smile
5. Hardwood flooring
6. My mom (I meant to put her near the top cause I know she appreciates it) (oops)
**Now is a good time to remind you all that this list is in no real order**
7. Love, and especially a family who always loves (no matter what)
8. books
9. The library
10. brownies in a mug with a glass of cold milk
11. money
12. Sisters
**Again not in any real order**
13. new paper items

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it-
is like wrapping a present and not giving it.

William Arthur Ward

You Get a Card.. And YOU get a Card... EVERYbody Get a CARD!

This year I decided to do my Christmas cards on Shutterfly.com.
I scrolled down the page, about halfway down I had set aside 6 designs that I really liked. That's when I knew I was in trouble. My list this year is short, I am not sending to Jimmy's boss, the guy who owns the deli, or girlfriends who Jimmy's friends will probably break up with before the cards even arrive. In fact this year my list of close friends and family tops out at 40. But with this many different card options, I'll be sending a different adorable card to every person on my list!

There are all types of cards!
Some that are classic:

I really like the bright colors they used this year in lieu of the red and green that dominates everything else.









They have ones that feature you/your adorable kids really big;
Or not so big if you aren't cute or have no kids
(notice that I am not in any of these)


If you forget to order them in time,
no fear, send out Thank You cards with your pictures on them. Who doesn't love a picture of an over enthusiastic three year old ripping paper off a box like it contains Curious George himself.

And if your list is even shorter than mine they have priced their holiday gifts to make them super affordable as well as cute! Every year I make a calendar for our family so we can look back and remember just what we were doing a year ago or how little the kids were 'just one year ago'. They have different designs this year, more childlike and like the cards, full of bright colors and great designs.

Oh heck forget the 40 people I love the most, this year I'll be sending a different card to each of my facebook friends. Nevermind that I don't know where half of them live anymore; my kids look so cute on these cards I need to brag to everyone I know!