Giving Thanks

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'm sharing things in my life I am thankful for. 

It's always easy to remember the big things (home to live in, job, etc), but I find more value in the smaller things. The everyday things that so easily feel mundane after a while, or unimportant.

• I am thankful for my husband getting up with the kids each morning.
• Though it's frustrated me lately, I am thankful for the ability to still nurse Cillian, especially as it seems to be very comforting for him this week.
• I'm thankful for a trip to see a sister-in-law and cousins yesterday.
• The boys being off of school today & yesterday.
• Good dinners we've made at home.
• Positive comments about Aidan & Brennan at parent-teacher conferences.
• Starting my Christmas shopping.
• Aidan making his 1st Reconciliation.
• Our church having perpetual Adoration.
• A new niece born this week!

There is plenty more I am thankful for, but that's a good list so far. :)

I love the month of November, especially Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and we are blessed to have so much to be thankful for.

It's not always easy to acknowledge the good when there is so much to stress us out. I hope you can see some of the reasons you have to be thankful.

Thankful: November Week 2

In keeping with the theme for this month, I'm posting some blessings from this past week. They'll help my eyes open up to more than the fact that neither of my boys has slept until 6a.m. ALL WEEK. Early mornings + pregnancy=tired momma.

But there are things to be thankful for!
-I made it to Aidan's school on Monday for their Walking Club (to help at recess).  It was a gorgeous day, Brennan behaved, and it was good to see the kids. Plus Brennan & I played at the park after!

-Story Time Tuesday at the library. It's always cute to see Brennan as a "student".

-Wednesday I had a my regular prenatal check-up, and everything continues to go well. Considering the pain I was in at this point with Brennan's pregnancy, this is great. Plus Brennan was hilarious to the staff, talking nonstop & trying to show them the baby.

- A good parent-teacher conference with Aidan's teacher. To hear he is respectful & has great Math skills, etc, warms my heart.

-Our good friend Bethany visited! The boys loved seeing her, and we enjoyed time in the sun at the park yesterday.

Gigantic leaves! So big they covered their faces. :)

-Pat won an award at work, being voted 3rd quarter MVP!  I'm proud of him, and happy that his hard work is recognized. He works very hard.

-The mess with our former-jerk-of-a-landlord is finally getting settled, and we will be done with him once & for all. We are paying the undeserving jerk some money, which he does not deserve. But it's almost like a pay-it-off for peace price. With everything we have coming up, it beats going to court, even though I am confident he would lose. Ugh. He is a loser.

I'm fortunate to have a lot to be thankful for this week.  How about you?

Thankful: November Week 1

It's common around the blog world to post frequent snippets about what you're thankful for leading to Thanksgiving. I like to do that, simply because it helps keep perspective. Even when life seems to drag and fall, there are always blessings.

As this first week of November comes to an end (already!), now is a great time to think of what I'm thankful for:

-My niece, Haleigh, who turned 12 yesterday. Even at the young age of 12, Haleigh is a mature person with a huge heart, and truly a great example. She is very smart, earns excellent grades for herself in a tough school, and she's beautiful. Inside & out. We've all been blessed by her life these past 12 years.

-Aidan & Brennan (despite their early waking!). Yesterday Aidan's school had an indoor fair to benefit the Missions, and the boys loved it. It was fulfilling to watch them run around, giggling over winning a sucker or sticker. 

-Thursday our new bath/shower was installed. YES! Our old one was so nasty gross, with softened drywall supporting it. Water damage had caused problems, etc. Now we have an excellent, sanitary one. :) It looks a bazillion times better. Of course, we now have more projects to do in there, but there IS a blessing.

-Getting the final date for Pat's graduation! And planning his party. :) I can't believe this will all be over with in just over a month. Talk about a wonderful Christmas gift!

There is much to be thankful for. What are you counting as your blessings?

Thankful Thursday

I haven't done this one in a while, but I was feeling it today, so here goes:

• I'm grateful for turning the tv OFF more this week. 
• I'm grateful for fun playing with my kids, playing cops & robbers & other politically incorrect games
• I am thankful for life. It's so true that each day is a gift. I am lucky enough to have a supportive husband and 2 boys to love. 
• I'm thankful for CSI. Yeah, the tv show.
• I'm thankful for exercise replacing the emotional-eating tendency I always had.
• I'm thankful for my son's teacher. 
• I'm very grateful for the blogging friends that have become real friends to me. 
• I'm thankful for several people recently who have made me feel great by telling me *I* inspired them. How humbling.
• I'm so grateful for our emergency fund.

My world isn't perfect. I am so far from perfect. But at times, things perfectly line up to make me see that I am blessed. 

Giving Thanks: Round 3

Today I am Thankful for avocados.

Avocados on sale for $0.69/each!
That is a GREAT price, and we're going to the store.

MMMMMM. Mushy, green avocado....

I'm also grateful for Brennan sleeping until 6:15 this morning. Still early, yes, but it beats 5:00 (the time he's been waking up lately)

I'm grateful for buying most of our Thanksgiving things last night, including the pies, turkey, stuffing, some of the veggies, and DRUMROLL....saving $10 in coupons!

The coupon total may be higher, depending on today.

I bought those oven bags for $2.29, then this morning I saw a $1 off coupon for them. The store doubles up to a $1, so if they'll honor it, I'll get $2 back and score those oven bags for $0.29. The store is close enough to our house that we're willing to make the trip and see if they'll honor it. I hope so! I love good deals.
**they honored it, and less than 5 minutes later Patrick walked out of there with $4. Sweet!*

Of course I'm thankful for my family & friends. I just happen to be food-focused today. ;)

What are you thankful for? There has to be at least one thing!