Thankfulness Month: Day 29

The last day! And Leap Day, at that.

Today I'm thankful for:
-remembering to post every single day this month. I'm pretty sure this is a record for me.
-a programmable thermostat
-fun with Curious George this past week. So far we have had him hanging out of the Boogie's drawer with her socks on his arms; perched on top of the curtain rod; wedged into the dollhouse; "wearing" the Boogie's snow boots. Here's what Eric did with him tonight:

Oh George, you curious monkey, you.

-a new nephew due any day. Although I know my anticipation is nowhere near BIL/SIL2's, or the grandparents' for that matter, I do look forward to holding a brand-new sweet baby! Peabody was the last baby born so it's been almost two years since we've had an addition to the family. I wonder what the Pheebs will think of him?
-God's unconditional, unwavering love. I simply cannot fathom the depths of it!

What are you thankful for today?

Thankfulness Month: Day 28

Today I am thankful for:

-MIL coming to my rescue yesterday when I could not find my car key; bless her heart, she came to my house to watch the girls AND let me take her car to work.
-finding the missing key last night (thank You, Lord!)
-me NOT being the one to misplace the key -- it's a little thing, but you know how some things happen and you simply cannot understand how you did that? I wracked my brain all afternoon yesterday trying to remember what in the world I did with my key ... and then it turned out that it wasn't me at all. Whew. I know that these children suck brain cells out of my head but it is a relief to discover that I'm not missing as many as I thought.
-finding something else that has been missing for several weeks (bonus!)

-on a separate note, I am thankful for my husband's faithfulness to me. I was struck this morning by the thought that I definitely take that for granted. When Eric and I got married we vowed to be faithful to each other; we believe that God has commanded this, so not only do we want to keep our promise to each other but we desire to be obedient to God. I expect to be faithful to my husband and I expect the same from him ... but we are sinful humans and NO ONE is exempt from temptation. I am so thankful that Eric practices this, showing me daily of his regard for me and his obedience to God, and setting an example to our daughters of how a godly man should love his wife.

What are you thankful for today?

Thankfulness Month: Day 27

Today I'm thankful for:

-disposable diapers. I often entertain the notion of cloth diapers. I like the idea, and almost every mom I know who does or has done cloth diapering really likes it. And seriously, how cute are these???

www.thirstiesbaby.com

Maybe I'll try it with the next baby. For now it is awfully convenient to use disposable, and I must once again proclaim my love for Target: one big box of Target-brand diapers runs about twenty bucks, and Peabody's hiney is covered for about a month. I do get a slight twinge of guilt when I think of our contribution to landfills ... that will probably be the driving force behind me ever using cloth since I am all about things that make my life easy!
-a waffle maker received when we got married but not taken out of the box until today. I was sure we had used it before but it was still all wrapped up in plastic so we must have had another one that bit the dust a while ago. The pathetic part is that I always have frozen waffles on hand. It's the easiest thing for Eric to have for breakfast at 4:15 in the morning. I'm sure it would be healthier and probably cheaper if I would make and freeze my own. I should do that one of these days ...
-a dry-erase board -- the perfect tool for my list-making obsession
-Skype. We don't use it all that often but it's nice for the occasional chat with Warshington grandparents, and some friends too!

The Boogie got to Skype with Ace and Tootie Specktacular today. For some reason our computers hate each other via Skype so we have to mute the mics and use a phone for audio, but it works.

What are you thankful for?

Thankfulness Month: Day 26

Today I'm thankful for:

-an extended expiration date on a car seat
-popcorn!
-new Sunday school curriculum (for this I'm sure my students are thankful as well.)
-clean laundry
-Peabody's adorable prayer at dinner tonight that went something like this: "Ah wawawawa day, ah wawawawa foo', ah wawawawa Lela, amen." Since the Boogie's prayers are consistently "We thank You for this day, and bless for our food," I think the Pheebs was mimicking her sister. But the fact that she threw in a thank you for her Lela just melted my heart!

What are you thankful for today?

Thankfulness Month: Day 25

Today I'm thankful for:

-a lovely relaxing and restful day

-a trustworthy babysitter
-our little cars that get great gas mileage (has anyone else heard rumors of gas prices reaching $5.00/gallon this summer? Ack.)
-the interwebz
-a fun evening with the Boogie and her daddy at a local school's performance of Oklahoma! The Boogie thinks that it was called Ohio. Well, whatever. Tomayto, tomahto. We didn't tell her where we were going, of course. Once we got there I explained that we were going to see a show. She was very excited and couldn't sit still in her seat. Granted, those folding seats are not too comfortable for a 4-year-old. Thankfully we were the only ones in our row and could shift around as needed so that she could see (and not totally annoy the people behind and in front of us.) Her enthusiasm quickly waned during the first half of the show. At one point she complained to Eric, "This is a really long movie." But when intermission came she said excitedly, "I really like this show!" The second half was not as long and had more action and she seemed to enjoy it. Overall I think she had a good time. Eric and I both enjoyed it too -- I thought the high school students did a nice job.

What are you thankful for today?

Thankfulness Month: Day 24

The last several days I've been forgetting to post until evening. Last night I was on my way to bed when I suddenly remembered, "My blog!"

Today I'm thankful for:
-that horrible dream I had last night being just a dream and NOT reality
-leftover home-made mac & cheese for lunch
-rain today and NOT snow
-vanilla bean cheesecake
-literacy

What are you thankful for?

Thankfulness Month: Day 23

Almost forgot today's!

Today I'm thankful for:
-Two gorgeous days back-to-back
-Outside play time
-Grocery shopping accomplished in record time with both kids in tow ... and they were both very well-behaved!
-Bottled drinking water
-Google

What are you thankful for?

Thankfulness Month: Day 22

Today I'm thankful for:
-making it through the day without any great disasters. It wasn't the most productive day I've ever had.
-no more shredding with Jillian!!! I did it! It took me five weeks but I completed the 30 Day Shred. Now I'm going to pack that DVD away so I don't have to look at it for a long, long time.
-remembering to post every day this month.
-all of you who have told me that you are enjoying my posts this month! It was truly intended as an exercise for myself but I'm glad if it's been a blessing to others.
-and lastly -- this is a tough one to admit to, but "in every thing give thanks" right? -- most of my family and a few close friends know that I am kinda sorta anti-Walmart. Not enough to actually boycott the place, but enough to avoid shopping there whenever possible. However I must say that I am thankful for the Walmart that is ten minutes from our house. It is awfully convenient for a quick trip when one is loathe to go grocery shopping yet the household is completely out of eggs, milk, bread, and bananas. If only it were Target instead of Walmart! Actually if Target were only ten minutes from my house I would probably be in biiiiiig trouble. I do love that red bull's-eye.

Yesterday morning while I was shredding the Boogie laid on the couch looking through a book. As I neared the end of my work-out she said, while completely reclined on the couch, "Are you exhausted, Honey?"
"Yes," I panted, sweating profusely.
"Me too," she said, "I'm really exhausted." Late in the afternoon I had her do some pages in her preschool workbook. She balked at my instructions for her to color the last page. "I can't do this, Honey. I'm just really exhausted."

At lunchtime today Peabody went to her seat and said, "Honey, hung'y! I wa' eat!"

It was GORGEOUS today. The girls got to play outside at 52. MIL sent me this picture.

Look, her hair is blowing in the breeze!

What are you thankful for today?

Thankfulness Month: Day 21

Today I'm thankful for:
-a balanced checkbook
-paid bills
-Triple-Double Oreos

www.amazon.com

-twistable crayons. Those things are so cool!

www.amazon.com

-this cupie-doll face

What are you thankful for?

Thankfulness Month: Day 20

Today I'm thankful for:
-28 days of shredding done, only 2 to go
-the new words Peabody is saying every day (last night she told me her cup was "enty.")
-home-made lumpia brought to me by my lovely MIL -- so very yummy! I love being the recipient when she tries out new recipes.

-a well-meaning neighbor who, being considerate, trimmed back the branches of his butterfly bush that were hanging over the fence into our driveway because he thought they were in our way. If only he had talked to me first -- I would have told him that I loved the bush and it wasn't in our way at all! Oh well. Hopefully it will grow back quickly.
-my bed which is calling my name right this minute ...

What are you thankful for?

Thankfulness Month: Day 19

Today I'm thankful for:
-a lazy Sunday afternoon
-a dreaded and long put-off task accomplished
-this very mild weather we've been having
-daylight at almost 6 p.m.! Come on, spring!
-a cousin sleepover

We did NOT allow them to all sleep together in the same bed. As it was it took them over an hour to go to sleep. Peabody is the worst offender -- we can always hear her chattering away long after the others have gone silent!

What are you thankful for today?

Thankfulness Month: Day 18

Today I'm thankful for:
-a day off for Eric
-trim around my bedroom windows, at long last
-this adorable little "helper" to her daddy

-a break from shredding with Jillian
and
-no-bake chocolate cookies ... although I doubt that I'll be thankful when the number on the scale goes up

What are you thankful for?

Thankfulness Month: Day 17

Today I'm thankful for:
-girls NOT waking me up the last few nights
-candy conversation hearts from my Mom. Okay, so they aren't gourmet or anything, but she ALWAYS has given each of us a little box of them on Valentine's Day; now she mails them to us!
-my Nook and
-downloadable books from our library system that return automatically so I never have to pay a late fee
-these two wonderful people. I surely do love them a lot.

What are you thankful for?

Thankfulness Month: Day 16

Today I'm thankful for:
-a day at home with my girls
-only four days left to shred with Jillian. I realize I am being repetitious but I need the accountability, people. I don't want to shred anymore. *whine whine whine* I'm this close, though. I can't quit now.
-our playroom. I've decided that no matter how many children we have, we'll just stack 'em up like cordwood in one bedroom so we can always have a playroom!
-digital cameras
-my roses. They are gorgeous. Who knew that a $3 bouquet would last so long and bring such pleasure?

What are you thankful for?

Thankfulness Month: Day 15

Today I'm thankful for:
-happy Peabody despite no nap
-only five days left to shred with Jillian
-a coworker sharing her coffee stash with me when I forgot mine at home
-my vacuum
-clean laundry

What are you thankful for?

Thankfulness Month: Day 14

Happy Valentine's Day!

Today I'm thankful for:
-this Valentine

-and this Valentine

-and this Valentine

-and take-out for dinner

-and curls!

-and pictures like this

What are you thankful for?

Thankfulness Month: Day 13

Today I'm thankful for:
-getting through 23 days of shredding with Jillian. Only seven more to go. Hallelujah.
-my microwave. I can cook a bowl of oatmeal -- real oatmeal, not instant -- in about three minutes.
-my dishwasher! I am so thankful that I don't have to hand wash all of our dishes anymore.
-a thoughtful hubby who warms my side of the bed every night while I'm brushing my teeth
-Warm Woolen Mittens scented Yankee Candle

On a totally unrelated note, Peabody is getting into everything these days. EVERYTHING. She opens drawers and pulls things out. She clears shelves. She empties bins. She gets into cabinets. She climbs onto the table. As soon as we take one thing from her she is into something else. I don't remember the Boogie ever being like this -- she's always been fairly content to pull out a few things and happily play with them for a long time. Pheeboo is like a tornado. It's a good thing she's cute. Thankfully she is still fairly easily distracted and if we can tempt her with something new-ish she will settle down to play with that for a bit. And she still loves to play with baby dolls. Right now she is pushing one around in a stroller and telling it to "Wake up, beebee, wake up! Beebee, wake up!"

She's been doing this funny thing every night after we pray. Usually Eric prays and then the Pheebs makes the rounds and kisses all of us, gets a clean burpie for her sister and tries to tuck her in which is really cute. But the past week or so after she kisses everyone, she then makes a fist with one hand and holds it up to each of our mouths so we will kiss it. She never hits or anything, and after we've all kissed her hand she kisses it herself. We haven't been able to figure out where she picked it up from but it makes me laugh every time! What a weird kid.

What are you thankful for today?

Thankfulness Month: Day 12

Today I'm thankful for:
-lots of visitors at church this morning
-a young man's public testimony of salvation and his baptism
-yummy pie and coffee
-sunshine
-even more time with Reenie! She is such a wonderful friend. She's so much fun!

She treated us to lunch yesterday and was planning to come home with us afterward, but had something to do at the last minute, so she came over today for the afternoon and went to church with us tonight. We always laugh so much when we're with her -- she is hilarious!

And speaking of laughing, tonight when we stopped for gas the attendant washed the windshield. "Look!" the Boogie exclaimed, "he's shaving our window with that shaver!"

Thankfulness Month: Day 11

Today I'm thankful for:
-a lazy morning
-the perfect snow -- big fat flakes that melt when they land
-freezer cookie dough
-lunch with my friend Reenie!
-flowers

What are you thankful for?

Thankfulness Month: Day 10

Today I'm thankful for:
-the sound of birds outside
-my husband who works hard to provide for us
-Netflix
-the camera on my cell phone which has often come in very handy -- for example, yesterday when I came into the living room and saw this I was able to pull my phone out of my pocket and capture the moment.

This is NOT to say that I like this new development. Peabody realized yesterday that she could get up onto the chairs, and this soon followed. The "safe" place of the table, where we could put anything we didn't want her to get, has now been compromised. *sigh*

To look on the positive side, I'm thankful that Pheeboo is healthy and has the physical ability to climb, whether I like her doing it or not!

What are you thankful for today?

Thankfulness Month: Day Nine

Today I'm thankful for:
-melted snow
-good fellowship with a lovely friend
-a phone call from my BFF Mrs. Cowboy
-Facebook
-my chair

The doctor gave me this chair when I was pregnant with the Pheebs. I love it so much. It fits me just right. It rocks so nicely. It's where I sit for my devotions, and where we go in the middle of the night when someone small needs some mama time. It's my happy place.

What are you thankful for?

Thankfulness Month: Day Eight

Today I'm thankful for:
-outside playtime yesterday
-a profitable day off
-cold medicine
-a good nap for the Pheebs
-my crock pot

What are you thankful for?

Thankfulness Month: Day Seven

Hey, whaddaya know, I've posted every day for a week.

Today I'm thankful for:
-a forecast of 50 degrees. I'll take it, and thank You Lord.
-very, very, very little snow so far this winter
-my washer & dryer
-liquid fabric softener
-toddler bodies! Soft baby skin, a little round belly, the sturdy legs, those chubby hands and cheeks, knuckles that still dimple and little wrists that still crease, toddler feet. I love baby and toddler feet. When I'm dressing the Pheebs fresh out of a bath I just want to eat her up!

What are you thankful for?

Thankfulness Month: Day Six

Today I'm thankful for:
-answered prayers, even the teeny tiny important-only-to-me ones
-God's faithfulness
-good friends
-Pandora
-Peabody's hair being long enough for her to have bedhead!

What are you thankful for?

Thankfulness Month: Day Five

I almost forgot to post today!

Today I'm thankful for:
-our church
-my Sunday school class
-a nap
-leftovers for lunch
-a restful afternoon

What are you thankful for?

Thankfulness Month: Day Four

Today I'm thankful for:
-old movies on Netflix
-take-out tiramisu from a local diner
-the courage to do something hard
-gift cards
-and last but definitely not least, my Pops (who is the reason why I love old movies, especially ones that make me laugh.)

Happy birthday to a really swell fellow! Wish you were here watching Calamity Jane and drinking coffee with me.

What are you thankful for?

Thankfulness Month: Day Three

Today I'm thankful for:
-safety on the road when other drivers are being idiots
-sunshine
-a washable slipcover for our very used couch
-sidewalks to use when walking around our block
-seeing (and hearing) my girls interact.

The Boogie likes to tell knock-knock jokes. She doesn't know any real ones, so she just makes them up. Of course they aren't even remotely funny, although she thinks they are, and laughs hysterically over every "punch line" she delivers. The Pheebs has picked up on this and likes to tell her own knock-knock joke. Yes, there's only one. It goes like this:
P: "Kno'-kno'."
Us: "Who's there?"
P: "'anana."
Us: "Banana who?
P: "'anana you! Hahahahaha!"

She performed it repeatedly in the car on the way to church last night. The Boogie began getting frustrated.
"Ugh!" she exclaimed, "Peabody is telling the same joke over and over!"
"That's because she doesn't know any other ones," I said. "You should teach her a new one."
"Peabody," we heard her say, "you don't have to say banana every time. You could say grape, or strawberry!"

"Why don't you teach her the one about the orange?" I said. "Like this: 'knock-knock.'"
"Who's there?" asked the Boogie.
"Orange."
"Orange who?"
"Orange you glad I didn't say banana?"

She was delighted with that and tried it herself. "Peabody! Knock-knock!"
P: "Who deeer?"
"Orange."
"Oh-jee who?"
"Orange ... um ... orange I'm glad you didn't say banana!" Eric and I thought that was funny.

I sure love those girls. What are you thankful for?

Thankfulness Month: Day Two

Today I'm thankful for:
-a working (though ancient!) furnace
-pancakes for breakfast
-cell phones
-my in-laws
-cousins who are also friends, and who can come over to play almost anytime!

We never lived near any of my cousins when I was growing up. I am so glad that my kids get to see their cousins (at least some of them) all the time!

What are you thankful for today?

Thankfulness Month: Day One

A while ago a blogger friend would list five things she was thankful for in every blog entry she would post. I was so impressed by that that I started listing things I was thankful for during my devotions, and I'm still doing it. It's so easy to take things for granted, especially the little things. This forces me to think about those things and acknowledge them. Sometimes I see a lot of repeats in my lists, like my family, or our jobs, or our home, or *ahem* morning coffee. Usually I'm thankful for good things, but when I'm going through a trying time I am reminded "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

On Sunday night we had what our pastor calls "popcorn preaching" where several men preach for just a few minutes each. This time he had several teens taking their turn. One of them said, "What if you woke up tomorrow with only the things you were thankful for today?" I've heard that before and as always it really struck me. That's one thing I'm thankful for, that I do have more than just the things I thanked God for yesterday!

So, in a combined effort to be thankful and to get back in the habit of blogging more, I am having a self-proclaimed Thankfulness Month here. I may not write every day ... well, okay, to be realistic, I probably won't post every day ... but I'm going to try to write several times a week.

Today I'm thankful for:
-the opportunity to sleep in after a restless night
-a full pantry and fridge
-health insurance
-a healthy family
-Eric's job

What are you thankful for?