Twenty-Two. Twenty-Three. Twenty-Four. Twenty-Five. Twenty-Six. Twenty-Seven.

I am doing a poor job of blogging lately. Sorry!!! I keep finding things I'd rather be doing but I still have so many things I want to give thanks for!

#22 I am thankful for family! I am so blessed to be a part of a big family and I am so blessed to be a part of John's family too! It was a little sad not to spend Thanksgiving in Arkansas and we definitely missed seeing all of those that we love, but we were deeply thankful for a week of rest and relaxation at home.

#23 I am thankful for perspective. A friend told me last week that her cancer is back--her brain cancer. Understandably she's not doing so well. Another friend is watching her marriage crumble before her very eyes and struggling to understand how this could be happening to her. It's sad and gut-wrenching and I feel so helpless. All the things in my life that seem difficult don't even register on the scale compared to these two. Perspective makes gratitude easier. Much easier.

#24 I am thankful that my sister taught me how to make homemade cranberry sauce last year. Oh my word. It's delicious and easy-peasy and was a great addition to our turkey dinner on Thursday. I was also grateful that I could share a delicious meal with my family (and some yummy desserts with friends) and grateful for a pre-meal hike with my husband!

#25 I am thankful for my wonderful neighbors! I've told y'all before (many, many times) how much we love our neighborhood and it's all because of the people we call neighbors. They're the kind of folks who will watch your dog when you're out of town or will let you borrow a cup of sugar when you're in the middle of baking cookies or will shovel your driveway for you when your husband is out of town or will take you Black Friday shopping and make it so much fun that you forget how tired you are! They've become dear friends to us in the time we have lived here and I'm quite certain that they will all be our friends for LIFE! We are so blessed by them.

#26 I am thankful for a fun day with my family. Yesterday we trekked up to Denver for some shopping at our favorite mall. We didn't end up buying a single thing (except lunch!) but it was fun and I think John and I have a very good idea of what our kids need/want for Christmas. We came home for a couple of hours and I managed to squeeze in a most wonderful nap before we headed down to meet some friends at the Broadmoor hotel for their Christmas tree lighting ceremony. It was GORGEOUS but it was so so so so so so cold! I loved the heat lamps scattered all around the grounds! I really should have taken pictures of the gingerbread houses made by the hotel chefs and of the ice sculptures. I think our family has a new tradition!

#27 I am thankful for my church family! 
I was sitting in church this morning and started looking at all the people around me and I really just felt grateful for the way that the lives of those people overlap with ours and grateful for a shared faith in Christ. Today was the first Sunday of Advent and I'm grateful for this season that quiets our hearts and minds and helps us focus on the meaning of this holiday season.

Happy Sunday, y'all. And GO BRONCOS!

Twenty-One.

#21 I am thankful for my (faux) wood floors!
Honestly, we waited sooooooooo long to replace the ugly vinyl  and carpet throughout our house but this summer that flooring came up and new flooring was laid and I am grateful for it every single day. It looks clean even when it's filthy (a huge improvement over the white vinyl and light carpet!) and it's super easy to clean. As I was cleaning those floors today I knew exactly what I wanted to blog about being thankful for!

I'm also thankful for clean sheets! Climbing into a freshly made bed at the end of the day is one of my favorite things ever. AND...clean sheets are even better when they're washed, dried, and put back on the bed by my sweet husband!

Did you hear that? My bed is calling. Goodnight!

Sixteen. Seventeen. Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty.

Continuing my Thirty Thankful days...

#16 I am thankful for our mechanic. John's car has been doing weird things since May. Something has been causing the battery to drain overnight but neither our local mechanic or the dealership could figure out what it was. John thought he had figured it out a couple of months ago, but with our first big snow it started acting up again and he began having to jump his car every single morning. What a pain! Last week he took his car to the shop to have new tires put on. The mechanic called the next morning and said he found the electrical problem and it was less than $100 to fix! His car has started perfectly since then. It was such a random thing that the mechanic even found it but we are very grateful!

#17 I am thankful for my girls!
I love these two so much. They are sweet and funny and smart (they both have straight A's right now!) and creative and big-hearted and just a joy to be around! I love that they love and enjoy each other. It is such a gift to have a sister and I don't think that is lost on them. Last night, they gave each other facials and Sarah rolled their hair before bed using a sock and instructions from a video she saw on YouTube. It turned out cute...and curly...this morning but their smiles and giggles last night were music to this mama's ears. I am thankful for the privilege of being their mom!

#18 I'm thankful for my bifocals. You might remember I had to get bifocals after my visit to the eye doctor this summer. I don't love wearing glasses but I love that I can actually SEE when I do. I've been relying on them more and more--to read, to drive, to watch television or movies. They help tremendously and I'm thankful for them!

#19 This is kinda superficial but I am thankful for my new boots. Last month John gifted me with a pair that I'd been wanting and I really really love them. They're super casual but they're very comfy and VERY warm! My feet are happy these days.

#20 I am thankful for my couch and our big comfy sofa pillow. Those two things together make for the perfect Sunday afternoon nap! It was wonderful.

Catching up...

I feel like I'm playing catch up in all areas of life right now...including THE BLOG! But, it's easy to catch up when you have things to be thankful for.

#12 Last Friday I made my big grocery run to two grocery stores plus Costco. Therefore I am thankful for a full fridge and pantry. I really don't know if I can convey how grateful I am when I open the pantry or refrigerator door and see full shelves. Some of the twenty-one years of our marriage have been leaner than others and I know how to pinch a penny pretty hard. I pray that I will never take the blessing of provision for granted.

#13 I am thankful for dear friends. Our weekend was very friend-centric. Some highlights include a very fun 50th birthday party for a fun friend and getting to see some other dear friends who recently had a baby. We got to meet their sweet baby and spend a little bit of time catching up over Pinkberry! We also had a delicious dinner with friends on Sunday evening and I even managed to squeeze another friend's holiday party in there too. Friends make life so much sweeter, don't ya think? We feel so blessed to call some of the most amazing people on the planet our friends!

#14 I am thankful for a slower-paced week! Yesterday was really nice. I spent some time at home yesterday morning restoring order after a full weekend. I spent some time working. And then I went to Target just for fun. Can't tell you the last time I went somewhere "just because". It was very, very nice! I have some things scheduled for the rest of the week but honestly, I'm finally feeling like I'm not going full speed 24/7 and it's a beautiful feeling!

#15 I am thankful for my mom. I talked to her for a long time yesterday and it turns out that we're both facing some similar stuff--some similar hard stuff. I think we both sort of helped each other process some of it. It was good and I'm thankful for her! And hate we live so far away from each other.

Alright. My blog time is up. Hope you're all having a good week! Peace out, peeps.

Five on Friday

I'm copying my friend, Susan (aka CarpoolQueen), and her Five on Friday idea. I'll resume the thankfulness tomorrow...

1. I am sooooooooo glad it's Friday. Our weekend is going to be full of good things and good friends and I'm excited about it! Let the goodness begin!

2. Abbey and I ran to Kohl's last night to return some things. I guess while I was there I lost one of my favorite earrings. I'm so sad about it. I'm going to call them later and see if they possibly found it. Don't you hate it when you lose things you love!?! My earring might be lost, but I found some adorable Christmas pjs for my nephew while there last night. Gotta get them packaged up and mailed to my sister today!

3. We're not traveling for Thanksgiving. I'm sad to not be with our family but I know it was the best decision for us. John recently finished some big book projects and he's mentally, physically, and creatively drained. He wanted us to have the holiday break to spend time resting and recharging as a family (and let's face it, driving 2000 miles isn't really all that restful). So we're staying put. I'm cooking a big turkey dinner and we've invited some friends to join us. I'm looking forward to a week of family togetherness, and football, and possibly a trip to the mountains. And NO homework. Man, am I ready for a week of that!

4. This time change has really messed up my sleeping pattern. I usually wake up around 5-5:30 but since the time changed it's been more like 4-4:30. NOT COOL! Not cool at all. The good news is that I get a lot done in the mornings. The bad news is that I'm toast by 7:30pm. It's pathetic.

5. Today, I'm thankful for a lunch date with my favorite person in the whole wide world (#11)! I'm meeting John after I finish some stuff for work. We had to reschedule from earlier in the week and so I've been anticipating this all week. Yay, yay, yay!

Happy Friday, peeps! Hope your weekend is fallish and fun and full of things you love!

#10

#10: I'm thankful for these teenage girls. 

Sarah brought some friends over after school today. They're staying for dinner and I'm taking them to Wyldlife tonight. I love listening to them laugh and talk. They're sweet girls and they've been Sarah's friends for a while now. I love that they're comfortable at our house (like comfortable enough to open the pantry and grab a handful of chocolate chips)(or get a drink from the fridge) and that they talk to me! I enjoy having them around so much and I'm grateful for their presence in the life of our family!

#7, #8, #9

Blogging every day is not easy, y'all--which is why I find myself playing catch up with these Thankful Days posts.

#7 (Monday): I was thankful for an extra day of weekend!
The kids were out of school Monday. {Big happy sigh}Will spent Friday-Sunday at a Young Life Winter Camp so it was nice for him to have a catch-up day at home. We did homework, cleaned rooms, shopped, got haircuts, and just enjoyed the day together. I love three-day weekends! I wish we had three days of weekend all the time!


#8 (yesterday): I'm thankful for my son.
Will is a great kid. We've been pretty hard on him lately about grades and responsibility. He's still adjusting to the workload and expectations of high school and we're trying to help him him navigate some of this stuff. I'll be honest and tell you it's been pretty hard. Yesterday, however, I think we made a small breakthrough and it was so encouraging. For all of us.

I loved listening to him late Sunday afternoon telling us all about his weekend at camp. After he finished telling us his stories (a mix of hilarious and spiritual), he said "Thanks for letting me go, Mom and Dad." That was priceless.

Will is smart, funny, courageous, compassionate, and a great brother to his little sisters. I love that kid so much and am grateful I get to be his mom. 

#9: I'm thankful for my kids' teachers and for my Bible study group at church!

Today I'm helping with a teacher appreciation luncheon at the elementary school. I love that school and I L-O-V-E the teachers there. They've invested so much in my childrens' lives and I'm grateful.

Also grateful for the ladies in my Bible study group at church. I love Bible study days! We're studying The Patriarchs (love Old Testament!) and I'm continually amazed by how relevant these narratives are to my everyday life. 

It's gonna be a great (but very, very full) day. Are you grateful for anything in particular today?

*This post needs some pictures, but I'm out of time! Happy Hump Day!

#4, #5, and #6

I'm playing catch up with my Thirty Thankful Days...

#4: I'm thankful for a strong, healthy body, for good friends, and for the amazing beauty of Colorado!

Also thankful for new fleece pj pants! So warm and comfy.

#5: I'm thankful for a lazy day at home with my family. 

#6: I'm thankful for an extra hour of sleep last night. And I'm beyond grateful for daylight on my morning walks thanks to Daylight Saving Time. I've been walking in the pitch dark since September!

We've had a great weekend! Hope you have too!

Feathers and HOME!

Yesterday as I was putting away some Halloween decorations, I was reminded that I need to cut some feathers for our thankful turkey so that my entire family can participate in Thirty Thankful Days. Our tradition has always been to write things we're thankful for on slips of colored cardstock and stapling them together to make a simple chain but last year I came up with the turkey idea and it was a hit! 

#3: I'm thankful for our home.

I'm not always content within these walls but it is home and I'm grateful for it. I am happiest when all five of us are together in this place. Today, I'm particularly grateful for the warmth it provides from a wintry morning! 

Husbands and Snow Days

I was walking with some friends earlier this week and our conversation turned to gratitude. We all agreed that an attitude of thankfulness isn't always first and foremost in our thoughts which is silly because we've all been given SO much. I was inspired by some friends yesterday who are participating in Thirty Thankful Days (on Facebook or on their blogs) and decided before bed that I want to try to do this too. I'm not promising a post every single day in November (that thought instantly overwhelms me) but I will try to post thirty things this month!

Here goes.

#1: I'm thankful for my husband. 
I'm continually blessed by my husband. He's the most generous person I know. He makes me laugh each and every day. He unloads the dishwasher every single morning and fills my van up with gas so I don't have to. He helps me when I get behind on the laundry. He tells me I'm beautiful. He listens to me talk and talk and talk about everything (and nothing) and doesn't sigh or act bored; he gives me his full attention. When he comes home from work, he puts work behind him and is engaged with his family. He's quick to forgive. He works hard to provide for our family. He's a good friend to his friends. He's extremely gifted with words. He's insightful and wise. He rarely complains. He's honest. He listens to our children and he truly "sees" them. He's respected by many. He's handsome and rugged. He makes life fun! He's my favorite person in the world to spend time with and I honestly can't imagine sharing life with anyone else. I am so deeply thankful for him.

#2: I'm thankful for a (snow) day at home with my family.
It's snowing here today. Actually, it's blizzarding! I learned several years ago that a blizzard isn't necessarily massive amounts of snow as much as it is snow + wind. We have CRAZY wind right now which is making a mess of the nominal amount of snow out there. Our district cancelled classes for the day which is a huge gift for this tired mama. Halloween-ing all weekend long is exhausting! I'm extremely thankful for a day at home with my peeps and snow days are my absolute favorite kind of day. John is working from home this morning, our kids are still sleeping, and I'm hoping the rest of today is slow and lazy!

If you want to participate in Thirty Thankful Days, please do! My friend Dawn even has a linky up on her blog so that you can share your daily gratitude. I love that idea!

Rats! Not one single Bit-O-Honey.

I'm not really tempted by Halloween candy. It's probably because I don't like chocolate. HOWEVER, I really do love Bit-O-Honey and Hot Tamales and Sour Patch Kids and ahem, we won't even mention candy corn. My kiddos dutifully dole out those treats from their Halloween haul to their sugar-deprived mother and I gladly receive them. But this year? Not one single Bit-O-Honey. Not one single pack of Hot Tamales. I walked away with one (ONE!) little packet of Sour Patch Kids. What is this world coming to? Ha! It's okay though. I'm still very careful about my sugar intake so I guess I should be thankful.

Here's some pics from our night of trick-or-treating.

Will was a Razorback fan (because in an effort to drive his mother crazy, he changed his mind at the last minute and we had to throw something/anything together) and Sarah was a yellow crayon. I made her costume and it was super easy! I think it turned out cute!

Abbey was a pirate (a really cute one, I might add) and I think her favorite part of the costume were the gold hoop earrings I let her wear.

Will and Sarah trick-or-treated with a posse of friends so I took Abbey around our neighborhood while John (aka Harry Potter) stayed home and passed out candy.

Yesterday was a day of fun and exhaustion. Can't believe today is November 1st, but I'm ready for the craziness of October to be behind me. October rivals December and May in terms of calendar busy-ness and I love how November lets me catch my breath a little before we head into the holidays!

Gotta run. Gotta fend off the kids wanting CANDY for breakfast! Have a great day, peeps.