Thankful Thursday

It's time for another long overdue Thankful Thursday post.  In my ever hurried life, more often than not, I forget to stop and smell the roses.  I forget to enjoy the small things, be thankful for all that I've been blessed with, and most importantly, I forget to cherish the time with my children.  So I dedicate this post to my sweet boys.  I want to give a small list of thankfulness for each of them.

Colin, my first born, my oldest, my big boy

1. I am thankful that you not only still let me hug and kiss you, you melt into my arms every time.  Sometimes it makes me think I don't do it often enough, but I'm convinced I could hug you for 24-hours straight and it still wouldn't be enough for you.  You are just a sweet, sweet boy and I love you dearly.

2.   I am thankful for your polite manners.  You may not always use your best manners (yell much?) but when you do, it just makes me smile from ear to ear.  When you adamantly say, "Yes, ma'am" without complaining, I am so proud that I've at least taught you one good thing in life.

3.  When you talk in a little voice to your brother and call him "baby" is just the sweetest thing.  There may only be 3 years between the two of you but the way you talk to him, you'd think he was a newborn.  You practically goo and gah over him and even though he doesn't generally like it, that doesn't stop you.  You can tell how much you love him!

4.  I am thankful for your funny little ways of saying things.  You cannot get the concept of tomorrow or yesterday, instead you refer to them as the other day (yesterday) and the next day (tomorrow).  It doesn't matter how many times I've tried to explain it, you just have your own way of speaking and thinking.

5.  I am thankful for your healthy eating habits.  The boy loves to eat and eat a lot.  You think about food every waking minute.  When you finish a meal, you begin to ask when snack time is.  When you're not familiar with something on your plate, you ask if you've had that before and whether or not you like it.  If I say you have and that you did like it, you just eat it without even thinking about it.  You will almost always clean your plate if there's a dessert involved!

Sawyer, my baby, my little biscuit, the grand finale

1.  I am thankful for your uncanny ability to use one word, "uh," to communicate nearly everything.  Your one word grunt is more powerful than an entire dictionary of words.  Despite your one-word vocabulary, you are still learning more and more words every day to add to your repertoire.  I have no doubt, you're vocabulary will be just as extensive as your brothers in no time!

2.  I am thankful for your devilishly good looks.  Vain much?  I'm allowed to be because I'm the mother and I had a hand in making you!  Your white blonde hair that is long enough to put in pigtails and your big blue eyes are just too beautiful for words.  You are a show-stopper for sure.  Daddy says it's a good thing you're cute because you need it to counteract your wild behavior.

3.  I am thankful for your sense of humor.  You are a clown and love attention.  You love to laugh and you love to be laughed at.  You love to laugh at your brother when he does silly things - the sillier the better in your book.  Tickling is your favorite, at least for a while before you start shaking your head and saying, "naoh, staap" (no, stop) in your highest pitch.

4.  I am thankful for your ability to entertain yourself.  You can play by yourself for a good 20 minutes before even realizing someone else is in the room.  We can put you outside with a pile of toys and you're good to go.  Your brother requires more hands-on 'help' playing but not you, you're perfectly content just playing by yourself.

5.  I am thankful for your 'humpy' hugs.  The way you tuck your little hands down into your stomach and nestle your head on my shoulder, just makes it feel like you're melting into my chest.  I could snuggle just like that for hours on end (if my hyperactivity would allow it).  You are such a sweet boy.

I am blessed beyond belief with 2 of the sweetest boys.  Sure there are times when they are wilder than bucks but I'm trying to direct my attention away from those negative thoughts and more towards the good times.  I want to remember this stage as a fun time, a time when I wasn't a maniac mom.  I'm working on it.  As much as I wish it did, it doesn't just happen for me.         

A Long Overdue Thankful Thursday

This morning on my way to work, I was listening to a syndicated radio show that was granting Christmas wishes to some people that had been nominated by others.  I've heard these stories year after year and one are just as heart-wrenching as the next.  They always humble me and make me realize the many blessings I have and how much I have to be thankful for.

The story this morning was a real eye opener.  The girl that was nominated is 19-years old, a college student, works 3 jobs, is raising her brother's 3 children, has terminal lung cancer, lives in shelters on the weekends because she doesn't want to expose "her" children to some of the goings on at her mother's house, and is about to lose her college scholarship because she had to miss so many classes for treatments that she has slipped right under the 3.0 cutoff to maintain her scholarship.  Got all that?  She is a true inspiration.  She sounds like the most selfless person, as she indicated the reason college was so important to her was because having a part-time job just wouldn't cut it.  She helps her mom pay her rent because her 100+ hour work week as a bus driver doesn't bring in enough income to pay all of her bills.  She also helps her grandmother financially and remember she's also raising 3 children!  She sounded so strong, so determined, and so humble.  The dj not only gave her a $1000 gift card to Walmart but reached into his own pocket and gave her $10,000 cash.  She was in tears.  When asked the first thing she'd buy?  Another set of school uniforms for her children because they only have 2 shirts and 1 pair of pants each.

As we approach the Christmas holiday, I ask you to remember the true meaning of season.  I'm not one to get all preachy but I would encourage you to slow down, enjoy what you've been blessed with, and give the gift of joy to as many people you can.  Christmas isn't about giving material items, it's about spreading cheer and celebrating the birth of our Savior.

In the spirit of Christmas, I wanted to get back on the Thankful Thursday wagon and take time to give thanks for some of the things that are often overlooked.

1)  I am thankful for the chance to experience Christmas for the first time through the eyes of 2 small children.  Seeing their eyes light up when they see sparkly lights, or when they see a talking snowman, or when they hear the boisterous "ho-ho-ho" of Santa Claus.  Watching them take it all in just makes me smile.  It's as if all the cares in the world have frozen for a minute, as I take in the simple beauty of pure jubilation.

2)  I am thankful for the ability to plan for tomorrow.  We have good jobs with stable incomes that allows for us to know where we'll be when we wake up in the morning.  We're able to go to sleep at night knowing that we'll have something to eat tomorrow.  We can set money aside so that we can go on a vacation sometime.  While it's great to be able to look to the future, it's also nice to live in the now and enjoy the ordinary days too.

I encourage you to take 7 minutes out of your busy day to listen to this passage from Katrina Kenison's book, "The Gift of an Ordinary Day."  Just a warning that the truth of this passage will probably cause a few tears.  It's powerful and very thought-provoking, but mainly oh-so-true!

3)  I am thankful for the chance to help others.  This is not something I do as often as I could or should but it's something I'd like to do more.  I love the personal satisfaction I get from knowing I've made someone else smile but more than that, I feel like I'm contributing to the world's work.  I feel like I'm doing what He intended for me to do.  I want to strive to do more, take less, and find ways to help as many people as I can.  I also want to teach my children to be selfless and educate them of the importance in giving back to their community.

This was a somewhat heavy post but it's something that's been heavy on my heart.  After hearing that heart-wrenching story this morning of the young girl, I knew I needed to write my feelings down and share it with you all.

Linking up to Thankful Thursday.

Thankful Thursday

I wanted to do something that I haven't done in a while (okay, I've only done it once), and give a nod to some of the blogs that I'm thankful for.  One of my coworkers used to laugh at the way I read blogs.  I would go to my homepage, where I had linked all of my favorite blogs, and click one-by-one to see if any of them had posted something new.  One day when he was laughing, I asked him he had a better idea.  He said he did and that it would in fact "change my life!"

I admit I was still skeptical but if it was that revolutionary, I had to give it a try.  He proceeded to introduce me to Google Reader and I've been a believer ever since.  It did change my life, at least in the computer realm.  I've saved a lot of time and it's so much easier to organize and save posts that I want to bookmark.  It's been wonderful for my recipe addiction!

All that to say, these are some blogs that I almost always 'read'.  I use that term loosely because I'm more of a look-at-the-pictures kind of girl but I do occasionally 'read' the content (:

1)  Sandra Bludau Photography - Oh my word, this gal has some serious talent!  Her newly launched blog is packed with drool-worthy photos.  Too bad she lives in San Antonio because I sure would love to have her photograph my little family.  She is amazing and she's apparently just getting started!

2)  What Katie Ate - In keeping with the photography idea, this blogger is incredibly talented as well.  Not only does she have an amazing eye, she's a chef to boot!  I find myself just getting lost in her pictures, they are that amazing.  She's won all kinds of awards and it's easy to see why.  She's an Aussie so she probably has an awesome accent on top of all her other greatness.  Perhaps I have a wee crush on her (:

3)  Peas and Thank You - I just stumbled on this blog a couple of weeks ago when a fellow blogger, Carly, linked to her recent cookbook.  I was hooked from the first post I read.  She's a young, fairly new mother who loves to cook healthy meals for her family.  Sound familiar?  I felt like we were instant friends (:  I seriously bookmarked 9 out of the first 10 recipes I read from her site.  Love.

All of these sites provide so much inspiration for me.  I get lots of great ideas from all of them, I just utilize some of the inspiration more than others!  What about you, what blogs are you thankful for or which ones inspire you?  Feel free to link up to Black Tag Diaries.

Thankful Thursday

I think I'm finally caught up enough with travel posts to get back into the Thankful Thursday routine. 

1)  I'm thankful for a child who continues to amaze me with the speed at which he adapts to new environments.  Colin has been in and out of 4 "schools" in the last 3 years and he has exceeded my expectations with each one.  I'm the nervous mother who thinks her child will be sitting in the corner, waiting for someone to ask him to play, too shy to initiate contact on his own.  Wrongly so.  With each new day, there's a new friend, a new toy, and a new talent one of his friends has taught him.  I'm thankful he is coming out of his shell, seeing as how it took me a good 18 years to do it!

2)  I'm thankful for a child who smiles, laughs, babbles, and squirms until his little heart is content.  Sawyer has to be one of the happiest little boys around.  Now don't get me wrong, when I leave his sight or he doesn't get what he wants quick enough, he lets you know his displeasure, but otherwise he is happy as a lark playing, talking, and humping about!  He talks much more than I ever remember Colin talking at this age and he loves nothing more than to give whatever object he's holding the business.  Seeing his face light up when he sees me is more rewarding than anything!

3)  I'm thankful for unexpected lunch dates with myself.  I am a creature of habit and routine.  I plan weekly menus so that we have leftovers to take for lunch the next day.  I'm too thrifty to spend money on lunches out every day, so on the rare occasion that I do get to go out, it's extra special.  I got to pick my own lunch spot yesterday and I thoroughly enjoyed the break in my routine to eat some delicious food prepared by someone else.  Doesn't everything taste better when someone else prepares it?

What are you thankful for?  Link up to Black Tag Diaries to share. 

Thankful Thursday

I interrupt my regularly scheduled catch up phase to bring you this week's Thankful Thursday list.  It's been a few weeks since I've done it and I wanted to try to get back on track.  I have a renewed appreciation for each day and try to show that in my actions.  We're not promised tomorrow, so live for today!

1)  Sleeping in.  It doesn't happen often in our house but on the rare occassions when I get to sleep past 7, I feel totally refreshed and super energized.  I enjoy the day so much more (as do those around me) when I get a full night's rest.  More to come in a later post about my attempt to make this a permanent treat!

2)  Cake donuts.  I have a killer sweet tooth and there are few sweets I'll pass up but some are closer to my heart than others.  I love cake donuts straight from the bakery.  I'm not a fan of the Hostess or other store-bought varieties, I prefer the straight-from-the-fryer ones!  My ultimate favorite are caramel cake but a good old plain cake donut is pretty hard to beat.  I just happen to have one staring at me on my desk right now.  I'm trying to resist the urge to devour it.

3)  Memoirs.  Not so much the written ones but more of the intangible ones that are in our hearts and minds.  If you're lucky enough to have an object to go with these memories, even better.  One of the things I've requested of Granny's was her UK sweatshirt.  I would hate to guess how many days that thing was worn.  She was a die-hard UK fan and I think it only appropriate that another die-hard get to carry on the tradition! 

What are you thankful for?  Feel free to link up to Black Tag Diaries to share. 

Thankful Thursday

I started a really deep, emotional Thankful Thursday post for today but I'm just not in the mood now.  I needed something a little lighter today, thus my fun list for this week:

1)  Sandals.  Although I don't like the transitional period where you feet retaliate and give your blisters, one of my favorite parts of summer is getting to put the panty hose away and let my piggies breathe!  Today I'm sporting these for the first time.  I thought I might send them back because I hadn't worn them yet but then I remembered the crazy weather we've been having and realized I hadn't had much of a chance to bust them out.

via

 

 

2)  Spring breezes.  I love to open the back door and let the breeze blow through the house.  There's something so tranquil and relaxing about feeling that cool breeze.  Now if I could just find a way to keep the bugs outside where they belong!

I only wish this was my kitchen view!

3)  Summer meals.  I love how a hearty salad can suffice as an entire meal in the spring/summer.  There's something about the heat that makes you less hungry than the cold winter months.  It also helps when the salad greens and trimmings are bountiful at your local Farmer's Market, or even grocery store.

via

via

via

What are you thankful for?

Thankful Thursday

How is it Thursday already, blah, blah, blah.  Let's get right to it.

1)  Service people who actually return your phone call.  It must be nice to have more business than you know what to do with and decide who and when you're going to work.  Can I get a job like that?  I had to contact 3 people before I finally got someone who was willing to come to my house to do a few odd jobs.  I'm a paying customer, just show up!

2)  Etsy.  I really haven't purchased much from there in the past but I've found a couple of really creative and artistic women on there who are great to work with (unlike the service mentioned in #1).  I'm in the midst of planning Colin's birthday party and I'm so impressed with the stores I've found.  I'll share them all in due time.  

I do find the sorting and searching a bit overwhelming but my persistence paid off this time.

3.  Smoothies.  I've been on a make-your-own-smoothie kick lately.  I like to hide things in there so that I can't taste it but still get the nutrients.  My favorite mixture is spinach, banana, mango, some type of berry, plain Greek yogurt, almond milk, and a tablespoon of chia seeds.  I like to keep it sort of thick and then I pour it into a bowl and stir in a couple tablespoons of raw oats.  If you let it sit for a while, the oats become mushy and it makes it like a super thick oatmeal.  It might sound odd (it certainly does to most of my coworkers who constantly comment on the green color) but it's quite tasty and nutritious.  Don't knock it until you've tried it!

What are you thankful for?  Link up at Black Tag Diaries.

Thankful Thursday

Why is it I can think of 45 things I'm thankful for on any day but Thursday?  I'm not good under pressure.  Nonetheless, I can always come up with at least 3 things.

1)  Hand me downs.  A coworker of mine just brought me her old Radio Flyer wagon that her kids have outgrown.  The boys willingly broke it in tonight.  I'm not sure Sawyer moved - that could be because he loved it or he could have been scared to death.

2.  Self tanning lotion.  For a girl who is white as a ghost, this discovery has been life changing.  Ok, that might be a bit drastic but ever since I was little I wished I had tan skin.  The sun and I just aren't close friends but Mr. Self Tanner and I are an item.  Now if I could just find a store that stocks the brand I love, Vaseline.  If you see it, let me know (I use the medium skin tone).  I'm beginning to think it's been discontinued.  Figures.

3.  Farmer's Market.  I have no idea why this is so fun for us but we love to walk through our local Farmer's Market and usually do it at least once a weekend.  Colin loves it and doesn't understand when we don't go.  I know why he loves it - samples!  Even if we don't buy anything, we just like to walk around.  There's just something about the crisp morning air, the beautiful colors of the produce, the freshness, and all the people strolling about.  

What are you thankful for?  Link up at Black Tag Diaries.

Thankful Thursday

In honor of a special day this coming weekend, I want to turn your attention to this lovely lady:

I am thankful for a mother who inspires me.

I am thankful for a mother who respects me.

I am thankful for a mother who loves me unconditionally.

I am thankful for a mother who gives herself unselfishly.

I am thankful for a mother who is always there for me, to listen, to give advice, or just for a hug.

I am thankful for a mother who lives in the same city as me.

I am thankful for a mother who is the best grandmother a child could ask for.

I am thankful for a mother who gets along famously with my husband.

I am thankful for a mother who shows compassion.

I am thankful for a mother who taught me to cook and eat well from a young age.

I am thankful for a mother who taught me to be frugal and budget wisely.

I am thankful for a mother who is beautiful, both inside and out.

I am thankful for a mother who is fit.

I am thankful for a mother who is smart and creative.

I am thankful for a mother who is my best friend.

I am thankful that God deemed her to be my mother.

I am one blessed girl!

Thankful Thursday

Today's list is a bit longer as I'm incorporating "10 Things I Love" that Ashley was nice enough to tag me on.  I'm definitely thankful for the things that I love, so the timing on this was perfect.

In keeping with the rules, I'm supposed to state who tagged me - done - and then state 10 things I love.  Easy enough.  So thanks, Ashley, I love your floppy-haired little boy and reading your thoughts.   Warning:  This is going to be all over the place.

1.  Shopping trips with my mom.  This past weekend I took her to Cincinnati for a little outlet mall shopping.  We had a fabulous time together, ate a great breakfast, and spent way too much money.  Lucky for us, Sawyer was a trooper and did quite well - 2 naps, minimal crying, and no poopy diapers!

2.  Breakfast.  Breakfast is by far my favorite meal of the day - unless you count dessert as a meal, which I definitely do but most don't and they'd be wrong.  I love sweets for breakfast but I like to have a little something savory mixed in as well.  My perfect combo is a veggie omelet or scramble of any kind and a plate of flavored pancakes!  One of my favorite spots to get this is First Watch.  Wes and I keep saying that it would be a gold mine if someone would open one in Lexington but we can't find anyone to take the bite.

3.  Local Businesses.  As someone who would love to own and operate her own business one day, I have a special place in my heart for other entrepreneurs.  In this terrible economy it's hard enough to buy yourself a tank of gas, let alone splurge on something, so I can only imagine how hard it's been for these small businesses.  Here are a few of my favorites around Lexington - Lovely Little Parties, Baby Cakes Cupcakes, Denisha Sproul Photography, Melanie Mauer Photography, Good Foods Coop, and Morris Book Shop.   Go out and support your local businesses.  You're their lifeblood! 

4.  Project Life.  Thanks to a fellow blogger who wants to send me to the poor house, I'm about to be the proud owner of one of these kits.  I hadn't heard of this product until I read about it on Black Tag Diaries yesterday.  Although I have seen plenty "Project Life - 365" blog posts floating around, I didn't realize they were loosely based on this kit.  It's basically a low-key scrapbook that allows you to just slide pictures into sleeves, do a little journaling on preprinted, precut cards, and have a really cool looking scrapbook when you're finished.  As much as I love the creativity and "stuff" that goes with a fully handmade scrapbook, this is much more efficient and realistic for me right now with my limited time. 

5.  Toothy grins (even though this picture doesn't show teeth).  Nothing more needs to be said about this.

 6.  Wedding festivities.  I thought I had graduated from this phase of my life but alas, I'm in one more wedding this weekend.  I love the anticipation, the fancy clothes, the after party, and seeing the groom's face as the bride walks down the aisle.  One of my friends parents' have a tradition where they hold hands during the nuptials and sort of recite them to themselves at every wedding they attend.  It's their own little way of renewing their vows over and over again.  How sweet!  What's better than a day that's all about love?

7.  Charleston, S.C.  This is one of my most favorite cities ever.  Wes and I hope to retire there someday or perhaps own a vacation home - hey, a girl can dream.  We'll be heading there in a little over a month and I can hardly wait.  I love the food, the shopping, the beach - all of it!

8.  Unexpected television programming.  That really should read, "Unexpectedly liking television programming."  Tuesday night I flipped over to the Voice, totally expecting to laugh, roll my eyes and change the channel but I somehow got sucked in.  I'm a sucker for reality tv but I thought the commercials for this show looked lame-o.  At least for the first night, I was entertained and was totally engrossed.  Oh and Christina Aguilera is a train wreck and Cee Lo has dwarf-like arms.

9.  Blog friends.  I used to make fun of Wes for his so-called "friends" on his sports chat forum but now I see that it is possible to meet normal, non-murderish people on the internet.  Not everyone is a candidate for To Catch A Predator.  I've actually met some of my "friends" in person and they are super nice girls.  Others have become household names and while we've never met, I feel like we're the best of friends.  Thanks to all of you, you making blogging more fun!

10.  Comfy, crisp, and cool sheets.  There's really nothing like your own bed and nothing like a little reminder of that when you spend the night away from home.  There's just something about crawling into your own bed and pulling the covers up to your chin.  My head seemingly melts into my pillow and fall right to sleep.  And when you're sick, somehow your bed is all you long for.  I need a nap now after this list.

Longest list/post ever.  Join in the fun, I'd love to read your list as well!

Thankful Thursday

This week's list is going to be all over the place.  I guess our thanks don't have to be packaged all neat and tidy.  That's a good thing because there's not much neat and tidiness in my world these days!

1)  Preschool.  Aside from the obvious attributes of school, i.e. learning, playing, and social interactions, there's some things you learn in school that are beneficial on a deeper level.  That is if your mother is O.C.D and appreciates lessons on these:

I literally jumped up and down in excitement when I pulled this beauty out of Colin's bag.  They're teaching him about germs?  Hallelujah!  Now I'm not the only one doling out the incessant hand-washing requests.  Kids (and adults) have a tendency to adhere to things better if it's not coming out of their parents mouths.  

I'm not sure all germs are this cute but I'm sure they're this hairy.

2)  Growing boys.  Last week was Sawyer's 9-month checkup and while he had put on a pound or two and grown an inch, he had dropped on the percentile chart.  Let it be known I am not a fan of that chart.  All it does is foster competition at an early age.  It's our nature to want your child to be in the highest percentile but do you really want your child to weigh more than 99% of his/her peers?  Some of us don't have a choice when our child eats more than we do (see Exhibit A on the far left) but others like to take it slow and steady (see Exhibit B on the far right).  

Yes, Sawyer was labeled as "Failure to Thrive" because of the aforementioned drop on the percentile chart.  After a round of blood work (poor little guy), he was given the all clear to eat until his little heart was content.  I'm sure the drop has nothing to do with the fact he's been sick 3 times this winter with croup-ish symptoms from his in-your-face older brother. 

3)  Teething biscuits.  To say Sawyer enjoys these would be the understatement of the century.  He devours them like a dog devours a pig's ear.  Wes said he gnaws on one end and just when he gets it good and saturated, he flips it around and starts gnawing on the other end.  I guess that's his way of keeping lurkers at bay.  He got a little choked on a piece and after he spit it out, he picked it right back up and ate it again.  Maybe he's part cow.  Or maybe he's just fascinated with something other than milk.  Whatever the case, look out mean old Mr. Percentile Chart, Sawyer is on the move!

Link up your thankful list with Black Tag Diaries.

Thankful Thursday

This is the Thankful Thursday updated post.  Remember last week's post about "Blue" and Wes' birthday?  Remember the week before that and my upcoming trip with the girls?  Well here's a continuation, if you will, of those 3 things.

1)  Progress.  When it comes to habits, baby steps are huge.  Colin set out to stop sucking his thumb one week ago today and I'm amazed at his progress.  He gladly takes it out when reminded and bless his heart, often hold his little thumb out in the air as if it's broken or something when he's trying diligently not to put it in his mouth.  He's trying and I can't ask for any more than that.  The picture below is obviously prior to big event but it gives you an idea what we were (are) dealing with.  Wherever "blue" goes, the thumb goes too!

2)  Cake!  We had a great time celebrating Wes' birthday last week.  So much so that we extended it for the duration of the week.  I made him some of his favorite meals throughout the week and capped it off with a delicious cake on Sunday.  More on the cake later and I hate to brag but it was seriously one of the best ever!  I surprised him with a Nook Color and it was worth every penny to see the look on his face and hear the excitement in his voice.  I'm frugal and an expense like that is totally uncharacteristic of me.  Add that to the fact that he had already seen one of his presents (who packages things in clear wrap to mail it?!) and thought that was it, and you get one surprised, happy boy.  He was like a kid on Christmas morning!

The birthday boy with his cake.

The Nook!

And the other gift that he liked almost as much, Bacon Popcorn!

3)  Friendships and good food.  My weekend getaway was great.  It was nice to get away and recharge but do it with some people I don't get to see very often.  These girls mean the world to me and we just picked up where we left off (for some of us that means 4 years!).  We enjoyed some great food and shopping and stayed at a really cool hotel.  We already have plans to make this a yearly event and hopefully we'll be able to keep it up.  

As a side note, distance sure does make the heart grow fonder.  It's amazing how much I missed my boys in such a short amount of time.  Then again, my patience level was recharged and I was able to deal with a lot more the rest of that day in terms of behavior.  Perhaps I should schedule one of these every month!  Kidding, Wes. 

Abbreviated Thankful Thursday

I had really high hopes of uploading some pictures from this weekend to include in my Thursday post but alas, I did not.  Somehow baking bread, cookies, and snuggling with my little ones after being gone for 2 days took precedence.  So I'll shoot for next Thursday for the pictures but I still have plenty of other things to be thankful for today.

1)  Blue.  Blue is the name Colin affectionately gave his blanket.  He has been with him from the beginning and is starting to show some signs of wear and tear.  He has dirty brown corners and holes here and there but there's no taking the blanket away from the boy.  In an effort to stop the thumb sucking, I gave him a choice of giving up the blanket or giving up the thumb.  That was a no-brainer, he decided to give up the thumb.  Today was the big day that we decided to start the 10-step process of giving it up.  I tried to put Band-aids on both thumbs this morning but I was met with a flood of tears.  On to the nagging step.  That's where we are now.  Blue in one hand and a heavy handed thumb in the other.  Here's hoping we all survive this one!

2)  Birthdays!  Tomorrow is Wes' birthday and I'm so excited.  We have a dinner date tomorrow night and we've had an entire week of special meals.  It's all about the food in our house!  He told Colin that birthdays were never a big deal for him until he met Mommy.  That's just so sad.  I'm glad he's learning now how special birthdays are and how they should be treated!  I may just have a few surprises up my sleeve...

3)  Target.  Pure and simple, this place is a little piece of heaven.  It's a rare occasion for me to walk in, head straight to what I came for, and leave.  Rare, I tell ya.  You never know when there might be a new have-to-have item in the $1 spot or perhaps they just got a new shipment in the clothing section.  Lord knows you better jump on that because the good stuff goes quickly!  I may have just made a small purchase online today that included these cute and cheap little sandals (I got them in pewter).

 

Thankful Thursday

I just realized it was already Thursday and I didn't have a post prepared.  Please tell me I'm not the only one who writes multiple posts in one day and schedules them to post on different days.  I just don't have time (or the mental capacity) to sit down on a daily basis and compose a post.  So when the iron's hot, I strike. 

This week's list:
1)  Tomorrow is Fri-e-day!  Sorry, Wes, I just had to and you only have yourself to blame for introducing me to this internet legend, Rebecca Black. 

WARNING:  This is highly addictive and very annoying.  Watch at your own risk.

2)  Getaways with friends.  Tomorrow I embark on a little journey with 3 of my sorority sisters to a nearby city.  We all have small children that make getting together next to impossible.  Somehow we've all managed to clear our schedules and are off for a fun weekend of shopping, eating, and cheering on our Cats.  Which brings me to...

3)  Kentucky Wildcats!  Woo-hoo!  I taught Colin the C-A-T-S cheer on Sunday after we earned our spot in the Final Four.  Although he couldn't seem to get past the C-A, he loved the singing and excitement in the house.  Wes insisted we get it on video - he's the nostalgic one. 

Wes told me that Cousins said he wished he was still at UK.  He said he loved college.  Kind of sad but it's also kind of fun knowing that we got to the Final Four with Jorts instead of a McDonald's All-American!

What are you thankful for?  Link up to Black Tag Diaries.

Thankful Thursday

Have I had a post everyday this week?  Why, I think I have!  Will wonders ever cease?

Without further ado, here's my Thankful Thursday list of 3.

1)  The innocence of kids.  Colin amazes me with the amount of knowledge he has already absorbed into that tiny (enormous) brain.  Some things are more textbook related, others are just sweet and tender.  I marvel at both but the sweet comments melt my heart.  Just last week I told him he'd always be my baby boy and he said, "But I have to grow up."

I told him I didn't want him to grow up and wanted him to stay my baby forever.

He said, "I have to."  Just matter of fact, that's the way it is.

I asked him if he thought he'd ever get married?

He squished up his nose and said, "No."

Are you going to live with Mommy forever?

"Yes."

And daddy?

Pause..."Yes."

Well at least I have that to look forward to!

2)  Wes.  Plain and simple this guy is amazing.  He is the best father I could have ever asked for for my children and he is a wonderful husband too.  Sometimes I catch a sweet, tender moment between him and the boys that melts my heart - are you seeing a pattern here?  I must be in a sappy mood.

Colin looks up to his daddy so much and things everything he does is great and he's so funny.  He is a funny guy.  We're lucky to have him.

Here's a picture I snapped last week.  I just love the simplicity of togetherness.

3)  This little guy.  He makes my heart smile every time I hear his voice.  He's really trying to crawl right now, so we always find him in the strangest locations.  His favorite spot is under something, whether it be a table, the bed, or a chair.  Here he is under the dining room table, chewing on a yummy table leg.  I do feed him.  Swear.

What are you thankful for?  If you'd like to share, link up to Black Tag Diaries.

Thankful Thursday

Today I wanted to highlight some fellow bloggers that I'm thankful for.  I have 9 different categories in my reader but I'm just going to highlight 3 today from 3 of the different categories.

1.  Food Category:
The Cooks Next Door - She does a monthly feature, "Off the Shelf" whereby she explores various cooking magazines.  She outlines which recipes sound good to her and then tries at least one from each magazine.  That in itself is amazing but I really appreciate her honesty.  If she tries a recipe and it fails or she just doesn't like it, she tells you.  Very matter of fact, I like that.


2.  Photography Category:
Grey Likes Baby - I find myself daydreaming with every post.  Her photography is so light and airy, it reminds me of springtime, sunshine, and lollipops.  She throws in an occasional craft project too, proving she multi-talented and artistic all the way around.



3.  Humor & Life Category:
For the Love - Melissa is one witty gal.  She is a lawyer by day, wife by night, and about to be a mom of, well, all the time.  She is adorable and always provides me with just the right amount of sarcasm - my kind of girl!  Oh and I'm just a tad jealous that she lives in FL, especially when it's a balmy 40 degrees in Kentucky.

Thankful Thursday...er Friday

So I missed yesterday but teacher I have a good excuse.  I could even provide a written doctor's excuse if need be.  I had a man down and I was playing nurse.  So today I'm thankful for phenergan!  That is seriously a miracle drug.  I am, by no means, a pill popper but I'll always make the exception for that little gem.  There's nothing worse than a tummy ache and I'm thankful that today my little guy feels much better!

And he's thankful for 2 treats he's never had until today, Sprite (well Whole Foods version) and Jell-O.  Right about now he thinks his doctor is the bees knees for suggesting them!

I hope you have a great, sick-free weekend!

Thankful Thursday

I find myself thinking about this post way before Thursday.  As I'm feeding Sawyer in the wee hours of the morning (5am!), my mind is free to think of whatever it wants.  And it chooses to think about this blog?  I need to get a life.  Really.  The problem is, most of the time I can't remember half of what I just transcribed in my head.  It sounds so good, I'm able to think of big words and everything.  Then life begins and just as quickly as the thoughts entered my brain, they've escaped.  Just like that.  Into thin air.  Oh brain, how I long for the days when I thought can enter and stay in my head for longer than 2.5 seconds.

To put an end to my bantering, I present this week's list.

1)  Green lights.  Isn't is awesome when you get to drive down a busy thoroughfare, hitting multiple green lights in a row?  I think it's awesome.  I think it's God's way of giving me a high five.  Don't knock my theory!

2)  Email.  In a day where most communication is electronic, I so appreciate when I get an actual substantive email.  I get upwards of 50-75 emails a day between my 2 accounts.  Of those, I'm lucky if 5 are from real people and actually contain contents I want to read!  Comments fall into this category too, just fyi (:

3)  Trader Joe's Quick-Cooking Steel Cut Oats.  I discovered these about a month ago on one of our monthly trips to TJ's in Cincinnati.  I love steel cut oats because they're less processed but I also enjoy the consistency.  These bad boys cook up in about 5 minutes in the microwave, shaving a good 15-20 minutes off traditional stove-top cooking.  Add a dollop of TJ's Almond Butter, a pinch of brown sugar, and a splash of almond milk and you've got one happy tummy!

 

Thankful Thursday

It's that time again, time for Thankful Thursday.  I'm just proud I managed to remember!

1.  3-day weekends!  Is there anything better than having a day off during the week?  Maybe having a day off during the week that not everyone else gets off.  Enter President's Day.  Sawyer and I enjoyed the day to ourselves, while Wes went to work and Colin went to school.  Our day consisted of making breakfast for my mom, visiting my Granny, a little shopping, catching up on a DVR'd show, and, gasp, a little rest!  I could definitely get used to 3 days weekends!!

2.  Mindless television.  It's something that I look forward to each week that doesn't require one ounce of brain power (it might actually kill a few brain cells according to Wes).  One of my favorites:

90210

 

3.  Dinner out with friends.  We got to enjoy a lovely, adult-only dinner out with 2 sets of dear friends this weekend.  It's a rare occurrence for us to get out (together) without the kids, so when we do it's extra special!  We had a great meal and actually got to carry on a conversation while we ate!  We're already looking forward to our next outing.  And bonus, the kids were both asleep when we got home!  Now that's a real treat - thanks mom!

Heirloom Restaurant, Midway, KY

What are you thankful for today?

Thankful Thursday

I have no idea where this idea originated but it's a great one.  I always enjoy reading other people's posts because it reminds me that I have a lot to be thankful for as well.  Sometimes it's hard in our face paced lives to stop and give thanks but sometimes something just hits you and you realize all the little things you've been blessed with.

I had one of these moments one night as I was feeding Sawyer.  It was a rare occurrence for me to not think about all that I have to do, didn't do, want to do, can't do, don't have time to do, and just let my mind absorb the innocence of the little being I'm nurturing.

That brings me to #1 - I am so amazed and grateful that I am able to be the sole source of nourishment for my child.  I have this special ability that I'm able to calm, satisfy, and comfort him by feeding him.  No one else can do that and no one can take that away.  And for that, I am thankful.

#2 - Sleep - one of the most underrated things in the world!  As the song goes, "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone."  Those words certainly rang true this week with our bout of illnesses.  Sawyer is not the best sleeper in the world but he's no where near the worst either.  We had just graduated from the sleep training and he was sleeping like a champ.  It's amazing how one little cold (turned pneumonia) can unravel all of that so quickly.  As I watched him fall asleep in my arms tonight as he ate, I knew he was feeling better.  He actually was able to lay calmly instead of flailing his arm about.  He was out like a light and willingly stayed down without being coddled.  Ah, relief!

#3 - End of the "no" phase.  It wasn't until a friend mentioned that her son was going through the "no," "I don't want to," "I can't" phase that I realized Colin has gotten much better in this regard.  It was a long battle and I guess where we fought it for so long, we didn't notice that he had actually stopped.  Don't get me wrong, we still hear all of them but not with the same frequency as before.

#4 - My loving husband.  I think this is the biggest one I take for granted.  He's been around longer though (:  He listens to my endless chatter about things he couldn't care less about.  He supports me and is my true parenting partner.  It makes parenting so much easier and smoother when both parents are on the same page.  He rarely complains about the things I do, the food I put in front of him, the money I spend, etc.  I could go on and on, but suffice to say he's really special and I'm thankful for him!

Just taking the time to write this short list has made me realize the importance of stopping to give thanks. I could easily go on and on but these are the things on the forefront of my mind tonight.  Maybe next week I'll have another moment of solidarity while feeding Sawyer where I can stop and smell the roses again.