What day is it anyway?

Usually I'm on vacation when I can't recall the day of the week but somehow, despite the fact that I'm NOT sitting by a pool in the shade of a palm tree or sipping a frozen fruity cocktail, it's happened again.  Yes, it's Tuesday which means I skipped over Monday and have some catching up to do.  Here goes:

1.  I'm thankful for friends who entrust me with their deepest, darkest secrets and those who give me sneak peeks into upcoming projects!  Mums the word, cross my heart!!

2.  I'm thankful for living in a town that's so small I can wave to no fewer than five parent friends on the way to school on any given day.

3.  In regards to #2: I'm thankful for baseball caps!

4.  I'm thankful for being invited to book group tonight so I can chat with others equally entrenched in the Hunger Games craze.  I'll finish book #3 today and will be sad to leave the lives of Katniss, Peeta, and Gail...but excited for the movie coming in March!  Watch the trailer HERE!

5.  I'm thankful after a couple extra days of fixes our new fireplace is complete!  Bring on the marshmallows!

6.  I'm thankful for online ordering and delivery.

7.  I'm thankful for Twining's Christmas Tea with honey and the caffeine within which will help me accomplish several extra tasks today.

8.  I'm thankful for deadlines, without which many of my projects would remain unfinished!

9.  I'm thankful a certain younger sister will be surrounded by her friends today as she returns to school.

10.  I'm thankful for "Daddy Boot Camp" which, in my absence, got my son to try two new vegetables (and like them!) and my daughter to stay in her room at night...even if it means she now sleeps in a tent!

A grateful, albeit heavy, heart

I took the kids to church today.  As I looked around I couldn't help but notice other tear filled eyes.  It seemed like others were feeling a loss of spirit as well.  I tried to sing but the words didn't come out as they usually do.  My heart is a bit heavier today but still, I have much to be grateful for:

1. My own children at my side who remind me what's important.

2. Daytime naps--they're not just for toddlers!

3. Grape lollipop kisses and sticky fingered bear hugs.

4. The death of a child is the hardest loss any parent must endure.  I don't know how someone gets through that level of grief, but I know several who have so I know it is possible.  I'm thankful I live in a tight knit community whose members are already looking for ways to help the Malsin family put one foot in front of the other as they face their long road ahead.  My heart goes out to Julia's family and to everyone who was blessed to know Julia and call her a friend.

5. I am grateful I believe in Heaven and angels.  When I close my eyes I picture Julia, with her huge smile, welcoming all the other children whose lives were cut too short, and taking them under her wing.  I BELIEVE she is sharing her beautiful spirit with all those in Heaven...just as she did here on earth.

My Fast Five

1.  Family dinners.
2.  Comradery: hugs shared between friends.
3.  I am grateful to learn how many people not only read my last post but were touched by it as well.  We're all in this together.
4.  A glass of wine. Everything in moderation.
5.  Tickle fights with my kids.  Their laughter is truly contagious.

A sad, sad day.

Today our town lost an amazing young lady.  When you find yourself in this much sadness, it's hard to find things to be grateful for...so I turn to my own family for today's list.

1. Kisses
2. Hugs
3. The sounds of my family's voices
4. Friends who comfort us in our mutual sadness
5. Lastly, I am truly grateful for being part of Team Julia.  Following this remarkable young lady's journey has given me a better appreciation for life.  It is through Julia's unending spirit I am reminded not to sweat the small stuff, and to cling to those close to me because we never know how long we have on this earth together. 

Rest in Peace, sweet Julia.

Catching a cold, catching up!

It was only a matter of time before I got my first winter cold and here I am, cold and all, making up for a missing day. Instead of breaking it up into the past two days, here's a list of ten things I'm grateful for, in no particular order:

1. Rainbows
2. Lily of the Valley
3. My family's health
4. Honey in my tea
5. Our new stone fireplace
6. Clean children
7. Bubbles
8. Clean sheets
9. Black and white photography
10. Catching up with dear friends

My Daily Gratitudes

1. I am grateful for having a husband who's more than handy. In the olden days, back when we were first married, had no kids, and the man had five friggin weeks of vacation, Mark ripped our entire kitchen down to the bare brick walls before he and my father installed our new kitchen, including all the plumbing and electric. Now it's 14 years later and our life is a tad busier than our DC days. Even so, he does as much as he can in the little free time he has and takes pride in a job well done which, by the way, it always is.

2. As I listen to the President's State of the Union address, I am grateful for living in America where we have freedom and choice.

3. I am grateful for today's warmer temperature which makes me think of spring flowers, long walks around the neighborhood, and tennis!

4. I am grateful to be involved in Operation Bookworm, a program in my daughter's class that allows me to go in and read with the kids for an hour each week.

5. I am grateful for good books! I am currently reading the Hunger Games trilogy (just started book #3) and love being engrossed in the printed word rather than passing my time in front of the tv or the computer. Okay, now back to my book!

Gratitude at a Decent Hour

It feels so nice to be able to sit and write before midnight. Before the evening has passed into another day.

1. First I am grateful for the two-hour delay my kids had for school this morning. This extra time allowed me to visit with them much more than if I had to hurry them onto the bus, as well as to give them the treats I had bought for them.

2. I am grateful, after much trial and error, we discovered how to use a water whistle which, when used correctly, sounds amazingly like a bird singing in a rainforest. I pray neither drops theirs as each whistle is made of clay. I hate to see a fun toy become the source of tears!

3. I am grateful for my daughter's constant kisses at bedtime. This game used to annoy me because it was a blatant delay tactic but, since my return, it's sweet and wonderful. Let's see how long it remains this way! (LOL)

4. I am grateful to back in my wifi-enabled home as a week's worth of clothes spins in the dryer.

5. Lastly, I am happy to be nestled in the comfort of my king-size bed once again. Yup, heated mattress pad, fleece sheets and all! Good night y'all! ;-)

A whirlwind of gratitude

Today:

1. I am grateful to be home safe and sound with my family!
2. I am grateful for my dear stamping friends and roommates--what a blast we had!
3. I am grateful for medical professionals who are calm under pressure, including those who helped a family on our first flight today. I hope everyone is okay. Though I will never know for sure, I am extremely optimistic based on crew reactions.
4. Speaking of reactions, I am grateful for those I received from my children when I woke them to say I'm finally home. I missed them soooo much!
5. I am grateful for having such a thoughtful husband who not only cleared the snow off the cars in our driveway but warmed them up in advance as well!

Yesterday:

Wow, where to begin...this was a jam-packed day of fun!
1. I am thankful for all the incredible Tex Mex food I discovered in San Antonio. My taste buds, they are expanding!
2. I am thankful for my friends who ALL braved the mechanical bull at Cowboys Dance Hall! I wish they had an official timer but according to my video I beat last year's time! Yeah baby!
3. I'm happy for my dance buddy, Pam. Together we quickly picked up the Cupid Shuffle with more than 100 other line dance lovers!
4. I am thankful I still have it in me to make it to 3:30am...and probably more thankful it only happens once a year!
5. Lastly, I'm thankful in general for this final day exploring the shops, sights, sounds and flavors of San Antonio, Texas!

Merci!

Tonight we ended Leadership with lots of fun!

1. Thank you Stampin' Up! for all the free goodies...I was so excited when the prize patrol picked my color band and gave me another $50 worth of goodies!

2. Had another excellent time out with the girls. Tonight we dined overlooking this beautiful city 750 feet off the ground at Tower of the Americas.

3. Thank you to my roommates for putting up with my non-stop groans from still-sore muscles from running on the treadmill. No pain, no gain as "they" say!

4. I'm looking forward to our final evening together tomorrow, but not before we shop for souvenirs for the families....

5. I'm very thankful for my wonderful team who inspire and motivate me--without you all I wouldn't have made it to Leadership this year! Merci mes amies!

My Gratitudes

Today feels like it ran 48 hours as I think of all we did! It's late here so I'll attempt to make this short and sweet:

1. I'm grateful for my fantabulous upline Jennifer Heffernan who bestowed my group and me with a wonderful Vera Bradley luggage tag and candy to perk us up during our first long day of classes. Not to be missed is my next upline Christina Crawford. I can't wait to pick out my free set--thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

2. I'm grateful for Stampin' Up! and especially Shelli Gardner for bringing such wonderful women together. I love that I can spot someone I haven't seen in a year and still get a hug and a cheery hello!

3. I'm grateful for the many classes we not only attend, but participate in as well (Brian Pillings, I loved the personal touch you added to your class with photos of you and your wife!)

4. I am grateful for the Wyndam rep who gave us passes to Howl at the Moon which surpassed our expectations for a fun night out. Kudos to the incredible, multi-talented musicians especially Katie!

5. Lastly, I am grateful for a new dessert the gals and I shared called Buñuelos. These delicate delights are Mexican doughnuts filled with cream, dusted with powdered sugar and then drizzled with caramel and chocolate. Can't you just taste them? I promised this would be sweet! ;-)

Still Grateful in San Antonio!

1. Today I am grateful to have been selected to participate in my first-ever focus group at the Stampin' Up! Leadership Conference. It was a cool experience which went much too fast.

2. I'm happy to be hanging out with friends visiting this great little city.

3. I am grateful for my morning run in the gym and achieving my personal best, running 2.75 miles without stopping--3.25 miles in all. My hips and shins are sore but achy muscles remind me that staying in shape takes effort...but the payoff is well worth it.

4. I'm happy to have had a leisurely shopping trip, scoring an awesome new pocketbook and belt with lots of BLING!

5. I'm grateful my roomies and I were in agreement tonight to take it easy before our full day of classes tomorrow. Nighty night, friends!

Texas sized Thanks

1. So grateful after yesterday's nail biter of travel, we were able to catch our flight out, make our mad dash connection in Atlanta and safely land in our destination city, San Antonio, this afternoon.

2. Looking forward to a much-needed restful night's sleep.

3. Thankful for today's beautiful 75-degree day which we enjoyed strolling along the San Antonio Riverwalk.

4. Thankful to be "in the margarita capital." Last count: 2 meals, 2 frozen mango margaritas...will be hitting the gym in the morning.

5. Looking forward to meet up with other friends and stampers in the morning, then attending my first ever focus group!

New Day of Thanks

Wouldn't you know on the one day I need to get myself and three friends to the airport we get a winter storm advisory/watch/warning? Whichever one of those translates to "it's worse than we thought," that's what we got. Now my friends were supposed to arrive at 4:30 am for our stamping trip but as soon as I discovered we were in for an icy pre-dawn trip we all agreed to leave at 9pm and get a hotel room near the airport. This was a great move especially since it had started snowing around 8:45pm. So here begins today's list of things for which I'm grateful:

1. My husband, for making me dinner and bringing it to me while I frantically packed my suitcase.

2. That my daughter wasn't still crying when I left the house.

3. That despite sliding down my hill and ending up stopped completely backwards (a first for me), I didn't drive over the embankment or hit any other moving or stationary objects.

4. After turning the car around and continuing to slide out of control, I pulled into a driveway with such precision it would have made Mario Andretti proud (well, my friends were and that's what counts.)

5. After a harrowing drive on 684 I'm thankful I'm now in a comfy bed awaiting my 5:30am wakeup call.

Let's hope tomorrow brings smoother travels and warmer weather!

Déjà vu

I find myself having to play catch up for two days again. Here goes....

Today:
1. I couldn't be more ecstatic Mike from Apple called to say everything was recovered and my computer is fixed. Would it be considered inappropriate to give my new best friend a smooch when I pick it up tomorrow??

2. I'm grateful for my sister-in-law who took the kids for a few hours so I could get a thing or two accomplished. Alas, there's never enough time in the day....

3. I'm grateful for our friends who invited us over tonight for football, food and fun! Everyone needs friends who make you laugh--turns out Siri is pretty humorous as well!

4. I'm grateful my daughter has been going to bed and staying there--even if it means she has to sleep backwards!

5. I'm grateful for my family's health.


Yesterday:
1. I'm honored to have had a heart-to-heart phone conversation with a dear friend--that she feels comfortable to confide in me means so much.

2. Happy to have a friend over for my son which kept both my kids and the friend laughing and playing for hours without even stopping for a snack. Thank you Lego!

3. Happy to have enough free time to curl up with a blanket, a cup of tea, and a good book! Reading is a luxury I haven't afforded myself lately but I working on it!

4. Grateful for my Kindle which allows me to put the second book in the trilogy in my hands without ever leaving home!

5. Lastly, I'm grateful my children let me be this morning until 8:00am before their daily demands began.

Today and Before.

Today. But first, the prologue:

As I was sitting at the Apple Genius Bar this afternoon being told my external harddrive was mysteriously void of files, I was frankly pretty hardpressed to find something for which to be grateful. All had been fine with my external harddrive last month when I called Apple to see why my computer was slow. I was instructed to partition, a.k.a. change around, my external harddrive. Yada yada yada, I listened to Apple, and now it's all gone. Perfect.

My mind raced through the thousands of photos spanning several years of my children's history and family vacations never to be viewed again. That's when the first tear came. The genius looked at me sympathetically (as best he could being 20-something-years old and having no kids of his own) as he handed me a business card of a company in CA which "may or may not be able to retrieve the photos and will cost A LOT." That was the straw that broke this camel's back. As the tears came I desperately wanted to transport myself immediately out of the store. As I thanked my oh-so-helpful Genius (really?) and made my way out, avoiding all eye contact with anyone else, I felt a tap on the shoulder. Genius had brought a friend. He and his Manager wanted to take one more look at my laptop and see what they could do. Fine.

1. First I was thankful for having been loaned by a friend The Hunger Games which allowed me to distract myself long enough to take deep breaths and begin to hope for a small miracle.

2. Next I was thankful to be introduced to "Mike" who I'd seen before and was now taking a look at my computer. This guy really knows his shit. I mean Apple products.

3. I was thankful to then hear the words, "I don't want to get your hopes up, but I may have found your photo library." Mike. Buddy. Pal. Too late. I'm not just hoping, I'm FaceTiming God right now!

4. After Mike got my files to start copying he suggested I grab a cup of coffee while I wait the two hours it was estimated to take to retrieve all my photos. "It's been a long day, I think I'll go home and come back, okay?" "Thanks!"

5. Lastly, as my computer still remains at Apple, I am truly thankful for Mike and plan to write a glowing letter of praise since he not only found my files but will be making a few other modifications "Apple doesn't normally do" to get my laptop back up, complete with photos and running better than before. Yippee! Did I mentioned there was no charge since I have a warranty? (Insert mental image of me doing my very best happy dance here.)

In conclusion, I don't care what anyone says about Friday the 13th. This was by far the luckiest day I've had in ages!


Yesterday 1/12/12: not nearly as dramatic, but still worthy of thanks.
1. I am thankful for a night with the ladies and a little excuse to get together once a month called Bunco.
2. I am thankful for my husband who doesn't give me a hard time for leaving. Maybe he needs a break from me (gasp!)...either way, grateful.
3. Grateful to talk openly about many different subjects, be it the latest novels, parenting frustrations, playdate protocol, house renovations...just happy not to hear myself say, "Because I said so!" if only til tomorrow.
4. Once again I am grateful for my friends, in particular our host who also happens to make a mean batch of toffee! YUM!
5. Thankful to make it safely home to my family despite the heavy fog.

Gadget Gal Gives Thanks

1. I am thankful for technology. Did I mention I'm a bit of a gadget girl? I wouldn't say I'm a nerd because I don't know how things work, just how to use them. I find it amazing to see science fiction movies and James Bond accessories of the past come to life and the fact that my kids get to grow up learning it all...so cool!

2. I am thankful for Bridgewater chocolate. This local gem is put in my stocking each year. If you like choocolate like I do, you should check it out. The retail store is in Brookfield, CT. It's in my top 5 (perhaps 3) chocolate brands.

3. I am thankful for emails that bring good news.

4. I am happy when I finish a good book so I can start another. Anyone have a good recommendation?

5. I am thankful for having a good insurance policy. Though spending 2+ hours at the dentist's office today isn't going on any list of top ten afternoons, I'll take spending 50% to adorn my tooth with a royal chapeau, instead of 100%, any day.

Parent Ingenuity and More

In case you're wondering, yes, this is my second post of the day but I skipped yesterday and am making up for lost time.

1. Today I'm thankful for a little thing called parent ingenuity. When my DD was having her usual hissy fit about doing her homework, I took out my iPhone and simply asked if I should take a video and send it to her teacher.

Man, that girl can move when she wants to!

2. I'm thankful for nights when my children's bedtime comes quickly and is accomplished without frustrated whines or overtired tears.

3. I'm thankful for the ticking of the clocks which reminds me that silence is indeed a beautiful thing!

4. I am thankful the selection of eyeglasses has dramatically increased over the years which allowed my DD to choose her first pair of readers with BLING!

5. Finally, I am thankful for fleece sheets!

On Taking Down the Tree...

1. I am grateful no lamps, vases or other accessories were broken as I forced my petrified tree through the much smaller door opening.

2. I am grateful for finding two remaining ornaments on the bottom branches before I hauled our once-prized tree off to the Christmas tree graveyard out back.

3. I am grateful my central vacuum didn't get clogged from the millions of needles which lay strewn about in the removal aftermath.

4. I am grateful now that the tree is out of the house, taking down the rest of the holiday decorations won't be nearly as daunting...or dangerous.

5. Finally, as much as I truly love the Christmas season, I am grateful not to have to go though this all again for another 365 days!

Five Things For Which I'm Grateful

In no particular order...

1. Borgatti's ravioli direct from Arthur Avenue and Bert's homemade tomato sauce good enough to drink.

2. My sister, Renée. We live on opposite coasts and are different from each other in more ways than I can count, but no matter how much time lapses between visits or conversations I know we can count on each other for the rest of our lives.

3. Google--for bringing me answers when I seek them, recipes when I crave them, directions, images, and so much more!

4. Facebook--for keeping me up to date with the comings and goings of friends and family wherever they are.

5. Post-Christmas bargains at the mall. I would normally pass on a full-priced sweater for $79 at Banana Republic, but being able to get it after the holidays for $19.99? I've got one word for that...SOLD!!

Still Grateful Day 8 -- a day behind!

1. Today I am grateful to have so many different types of friends, including those who tell me I'm only a couple steps behind them and will ultimatly realize I have it pretty darn good! I realize it now, truly I do, but everyone needs a friendly reminder now and again just the same.

2. I am thankful for the health of my entire family.

3. I look forward to ski trips with family and friends to get us through the harsh CT winter.

4. I am grateful for friends with an amazing sense of humor, who can laugh at themselves and remind me not to take myself so seriously.

5. Lastly, I am grateful for Sundays which are, for the most part, family day.

Day 7

1. Yes, I'm a little bit late getting this out but I was out having fun with friends and what's better than that?!  So, tonight I am grateful I can share pretty much anything with my girlfriends! Those friends that can listen without judgement are a rare find and I am so thankful for you all!

2. Key lime martinis...need I say more?  Actually the next best thing is Ciao Bella's Key Lime Pie Sorbet complete with graham cracker pieces...yum!

3. I am thankful for my husband, that I can leave the children in the next best hands and go out for a night with the girls to unwind after a week of mommyhood.

4. I am grateful for a pretty Christmas tree though I know it's on it's last legs...

5. I am thankful for another night to come spent with friends.  Who doesn't love a surprise...this one should be fun!

Day 6

1. I am grateful in advance to be going out with some of my favorite gals tomorrow. Key lime martinis will be icing on the cake of a sure-to-be-fun night!

2. I am thankful for movies which have the power to wisk us away from our everyday lives and transport us to another time and place.

3. I am thankful for all-things Apple. I can't imagine where I'd be without my iPhone, iPad, and my newest favorite toy, the Apple Wireless Keyboard. Sadly, the iPad is making my MacBook nearly obsolete! Thank you, Steve Jobs, from the bottom of my heart!

4. I am thankful knowing my children are safe and sound up in their beds. One of my favorite things is kissing them as they sleep and hearing the returned dreamy mumbles of "I love you too."

5. I know firsthand I am NOT smarter than a fifth grader, a fact my son's daily recounts of school reminds me each day. Today I re-learned there is a waxing gibbous moon in the sky tonight. Thanks to my sweet boy for not pointing out that I really should know these things already!

Day 5

1. I am grateful for a roaring propane-fueled fire I can ignite with the push of a button.  It definitely doesn't throw heat like a wood burning fire, but we lazy folk can't be too choosy now can we?!

2. I am grateful a simple hobby such as putting rubber stamps and ink to paper has led me to my upcoming trip to San Antonio, TX!  The best thing I could never have anticipated prior to joining the Stampin' Up! company ten years ago was the lasting friendships I would make!  I am so excited to be going to this year's Leadership conference with my posse and creating more memories together!!  Let's see if I can beat last year's time on a mechanical bull!  (Yee haw!)  Pictures will surely follow....

3. Every time I look at our Christmas tree I am reminded of a fun day the kids and I shared together choosing it, getting it home and inside the house, and later decorating it with all the lights and pretty ornaments we've collected over the years.  I do believe this is our best tree to date!  (Sorry, Mark, but it's true!)  Thanks to our local Dom's Nursery for having great trees available year after year.

4. As I type these gratitudes with the sound of the fire roaring behind me, I am also enjoying the sounds of my children playing so nicely together.  It doesn't happen all the time, (don't get me wrong, they are GREAT kids but they are siblings after all) so when it does it is a symphony to my ears!

5. Lastly, I am grateful for my dad who's birthday is today.  I have one particular photo of the two of us from my wedding etched in my mind's eye that reminds me I'll always be my daddy's little girl.  Happy Birthday, Dad.  I love you!

A Grateful Heart - Day 4

1. I am grateful for having a daughter that notices the little things. She is always quick to point out and, even better, to compliment a recent hair cut... or when I "do my eyes" for a night out...and many more occasions the other Y-chromosome-containing members of my family completely miss.

2. I am equally grateful for having a son who always knows when an extra hug or kind word is needed. He has a big heart and will one day surely make someone else as happy as he makes his mom each and every day!

3. I am grateful for Lindt Chocolate Truffles (probably chocolate in general but this delectable brand deserves extra praise) and to the women at my hair salon who shared them this morning. What a special treat to enjoy during "me" time!

4. I am thankful for my heated mattress pad which I am already looking forward to using when I crawl into bed later to alleviate the winter chill which has settled into my bones.  Is it really only the 12th day of winter?!? 

5. I am thankful for warmer days ahead as we plan for a family vacation to Florida.

Day 3

1. I am grateful my children will be returning to school tomorrow! We had a fun break including a matinee this morning of Arthur Christmas but now the sibling bickering is back so back to school they go with perfect timing!

2. I am happy listening to my husband whistling as he putters around the kitchen. In his own words he "brings home the bacon AND cooks it up in a pan." Hey, if it ain't broke.... LOL

3. I am very lucky to have both my parents still with me especially after my mom had nearly fatal congestive heart failure 14 years ago. I never thought she'd be around to see her grandchildren so I am forever happy to have had this bonus time with her and hope she continues to be a medical miracle for many more years to come!

4. I am grateful to have such generous in-laws who spoil my kids whenever they get the chance and, more importantly, truly enjoy the time they spend with them.

5. Silly as this sounds, I am grateful for Tony Horton. Or maybe I'm grateful I called QVC back in September...? Anywho. Now I'm fully aware Tony doesn't know me from a hole in the wall but he nonetheless inspires me to get off my keister, press play on the DVD player and exercise. Thanks, Tony! Five more days to go and I am officially a P90X graduate!

A Grateful Heart

Day Two of things I'm grateful for....

1. I am grateful my children have not yet experienced the loss of a loved one.

2. I am happy for family time...even if it means arguing about which channel to select. If I were home alone I wouldn't choose to watch football or the Fittest woman on Earth, but we're together and that's what's important. We settled on the Travel Channel's Extreme Water Parks btw.

3. I am happy to have had a decent night's sleep (even if slightly pharmaceutically enhanced) and no hangover on New Year's Day!

4. Apparently I am grateful for kettlecorn, specifically Stosh's Kettlecorn in Kent, CT as I am polishing off a bag as I write this! Seriously though, this stuff ROCKS! I need to have a chat with Mr. Stosh about adjusting his serving size however -- 20 servings per container? I think not.

5. Though there are many days to come that I'll attempt to take this particular gratitude back off the list, I am truly fortunate I am able to stay at home with my children.

(This was written earlier today but as I lay in bed listening to the snoring sounds of my husband getting both his and my share of ZZZZZs, I decided to take a break from my online antics and share this with you instead.

Now back to Words with Friends!)