TMD28: The Last Day

Today the Boogie is thankful for elements. As in, periodic table of. Don't even ask. I have no idea.
Peabody is thankful for light.

I'm thankful:
-for posting every single day for a whole month! I've long passed my posting total for the entirety of last year.
-for others who took my challenge and posted along with me. I really enjoyed reading your thankfulnesses.
-that February is O-V-E-R. Spring is right around the corner! Only 20 days to go!
-being able to celebrate the arrival of a friend's baby today (he didn't arrive today, but we finally were able to celebrate today!) It was a very nice time and the baby slept through the whole thing.
-for God's Word and knowing that every bit of it is true.
-for Jesus dying on the cross FOR ME. For ME. What incredible love that is, I can't even fully comprehend it. But I am grateful!
-that God cares about me as well as the things that concern me.

TMD27

Today the Boogie is thankful for blankets.
Peabody is thankful for her stuffed puppy.
Mr. A is thankful for bottles. They are his new favorite thing. He is temporarily getting them a couple of times a day this week, and you should see his face when he sees a bottle coming his way. Ha!  

I'm thankful for:
-our library.
-Aldi, and this is why: I don't like shopping. Therefore to go to the grocery store and only have one kind of eggs available? Three options for milk: skim, 2%, and whole? One brand of refried beans to choose from? That is my kind of shopping. I don't want to make decisions. I don't want to try to figure out if the store brand is actually cheaper than the name brand with a coupon. I don't want to clip coupons. I just want to put food in my cart and pay for it and bring it home. So, while shopping at Aldi probably saves us money, the real reason I shop there is because it saves me from spending any more time than absolutely necessary on one of my least favorite tasks. Now, if only Aldi employees would come dust my furniture ...
-my husband. :) Why don't I have a recent picture of me and him together? He works so hard to provide for us. Every day he comes home to us. He tells me he loves me all the time. He's a good daddy. Tonight he not only cleaned the kitchen but he then prepped some food I need for tomorrow ... and that was after working 10 hours and a post-work run at the gym. I'm so thankful for him.

TMD26

Gonna be a short one today. Forgot to ask the girls. Need to get to bed. Mostly writing incomplete sentences.

Today I'm thankful for friendship, not only with friends, but with family as well. It's nice to like to hang out with the people you are obligated to be around on a regular basis!

TMD25

Goodness, I can't believe this month is almost over. I am so looking forward to spring.

Today the Boogie is thankful for our snow shovel.
Peabody tried to say that she is thankful for her lally but I reminded her that she said that another time. She had to think for a bit and I was pretty sure she was going to say she was thankful for her thumb, but she said clothes instead.

I'm thankful for:
-this:

This kid is decidedly not a snuggler. I'm lucky if I get 3 minute stretches when he wakes in the morning and after his naps. It is super rare for him to fall asleep while I'm holding him. So I try to take advantage of it when it happens.
-and also this:

It's hard to see but the leggings are also striped. Stripes are in right now in the Jersey Mama household.
-voluntary, unsolicited kisses from Mr. A.
-little sewing projects that don't take too long. They make me happy, and I feel like I accomplished something.
-Mama Dog. I know, I know ... she's not my favorite living thing. After a certain happening last summer I really couldn't even look at her without loathing for several months (no exaggeration.) And I'm sure that she probably thinks her name is actually Stupid Dog (although I really try to only mutter it under my breath lest my children reprove me for using the forbidden word stupid.) But the kids love her, I do like the watch dog aspect, and as dogs go she's not so bad, I guess, especially since she puts up with this kind of thing ...

TMD24

I almost forgot to post today's.

I'm thankful for God's provision. He never fails to provide just what we need right when we need it. Of course, that doesn't stop me from worrying about things (though I know I'm not supposed to worry.) But He reminds me again and again that He is faithful and I am so grateful.

What are you thankful for today? What has God done for you lately?

TMD23

Today the Boogie is thankful for her teeth.
Peabody is thankful for water to drink.

I'm thankful for:
-Mr. A sleeping alllll night long last night. Here's hoping for another one tonight. It seems that as soon as I get him sleep-trained he cuts a huge molar or has the sniffles or something that sets us back, and my resolve to let him fuss is very weak in the wee hours of the morning plus I don't like him to bother Eric during the week, so once he's regressed it takes a while to find a couple of nights in a row to do it all over again!
-chocolate granola.
-lint rollers to remove the accursed dog fur that.is.everywhere.
-these shenanigans that go on almost every night after dinner. Usually Peabody is in the thick of things as well, I don't know why she wasn't a part of it now. Check out the crazy hair Mr. A is sporting. That boy needs a haircut.



I had a fifth thing but I can't remember it now ... What are you thankful for today?

TMD22

Today the Boogie is thankful that she wasn't nervous during the junior choir song at church.
Peabody is thankful for a super hero toy in her kid's meal.

I'm thankful for:
-my Sunday school class. I only have two students but they are both pretty great.
-an unexpected lazy morning.
-a sunny, 45-degree day, renewing hope that spring will actually come this year.
-fast-food drive-thrus.
-remembering to take pictures of Peabody in this dress that was made for my sister, and that all of the girl cousins (my nieces and daughters) have worn at some point. It's nice to continue little traditions. It barely fits her, too! Another month and it will be too small.

TMD21

Welp, forgot to ask the girls again. Also forgot to get a picture of the spectacular outfit Peabody was wearing: brown & tan striped turtleneck under red & white striped jumper with gray & white striped leggings, teal & white striped socks, and a blue & pink striped headband. The girl's got class, I'm telling you.

As for me, I'm thankful for:
-the physical ability to shovel snow. Now I don't feel one bit of guilt about the calories in that snow ice cream I ate earlier.
-Mr. A learning how to give kisses. It's so cute, I can hardly stand it.
-selling some things and getting the price I'd prayed for.
-my Nook. It is so nice to lay in bed and read until I am sleepy.
-leftovers for dinner.

Mr. A got to play with snow for the first time today. He doesn't have any snow gear so I didn't want to take him outside, but I brought some in for him and he played with it until it was just a slushy puddle on his tray and then he got mad when I took him out of his seat.

TMD20

Today the Boogie is thankful for movie night with her friends.
Peabody is thankful for her "bathrope" to keep her warm.

I'm thankful for:
-a day off from school.
-a very nice Valentine's banquet at church tonight. Good food, delicious dessert, nice fellowship, and fun games. And, bonus, on-site babysitting!
-the chance to hold a new baby. So sweet, so tiny.
-our van. We're the third owners, and it has a LOT of miles on it, but it just keeps going and going. I used to be anti-minivan, but way back when the Boogie was a toddler and I was still working, there was a nasty winter day when I carried her, her stuff, and my stuff out to my car, opened one door and tossed her in, went around to the other side and put the stuff in, went back around and got in the driver's seat and started the car, got out and went around to the other side and climbed in the back so I could close the door behind me while I buckled her into her seat, got out and went back around to get into the driver's seat again ... and I decided then and there that I wanted a minivan so that everyone and everything could get into one door and I could close the door behind me and move around and buckle people and then get right into the driver's seat without ever getting back out. And I can totally do that now. And it's awesome. (Though climbing over the center console can be a little awkward.) Especially on these freezing (and I do mean that literally) winter days like today.

Also, the other night I was leaving the grocery store and some little sporty hatchback tried to come up from behind and pass me and I totally didn't let it. That's right, Infiniti, you were bested by a mom driving a Toyota minivan with 280,000 miles on it.

So, what are you thankful for today?

TMD19

Today the Boogie is thankful for our kitchen.
Peabody is thankful for the earth because "it makes us food, like turkey, and cow, and even chicken."

I'm thankful for:
-the fact that I vacuumed before Mr. A dumped an entire load of clean laundry plus the contents of the scarf basket all over the living room floor including the entryway. I did take a picture to post but then realized that I don't really care to put a picture of our family's underwear on the internet for all to see.
-how willingly the Boogie worked to do double her school today so that we can take tomorrow off.
-our dishwasher. I just put stuff in there, add some detergent, and turn it on and an hour later, clean dishes. I love that.
-Batbaby!

-only 28 days till spring.

TMD18

Today the Boogie is thankful for Busy Books. They have a few but I just picked this one up last night so they were playing with it all day.

Peabody is thankful for vitamins. Huh. That kid is random.

I'm thankful for:
-my washer and dryer. How do five people generate SO MUCH LAUNDRY? I'm very very glad that I don't have to wash it all by hand and then go hang it outside in the freezing cold, or hang it all over inside my house.
-the Boogie's great attitude about school this year. There was much kvetching last year and honestly I was dreading the 2nd grade edition but it has hardly been an issue at all.
-the heat wave we had today. It must have gotten all the way up to 30 degrees.
-a backyard for kids to play in.


I saw this sentiment in a coffee shop the other day:

 

and I've been thinking about how true it is. So my last thankfulness is for coffee, and more coffee, good strong coffee, and half-and-half to go in it. 

TMD17

I forgot to ask the girls again. I went grocery shopping after dinner and got home right as they were going to bed and that just completely threw me off my groove, man.

Although I don't know what my excuse was for all of the other times I forgot.

I'm thankful for:
-how pretty the snow looked this morning.
-township trucks that plow our roads.
-some help with shoveling from our friend and neighbor.
-a certificate for a free adjustment from my chiropractor that came in the mail today (timely, don't you think? After I'd been shoveling snow?)
-finding some good deals at the grocery store. Why, yes, I did buy eight pounds of butter. They weren't all for us ... but most of them were!
-the fact that the sky was still light at 6 p.m.
-these!

They make me think of spring.

What are you thankful for?

TMD16

Today the Boogie is thankful for the freedom to worship however we choose (why, yes, we have been studying the history of the United States in school.)

Peabody is thankful for the little box I gave her today to hold her teeny tiny plastic snake, her even tinier plastic lizard, an eraser, and an itsy-bitsy rock. (Please note that these are all things that a baby can swallow and/or choke on, hence the little box.) Anyway I think this proves that even almost-five-year-olds are more excited about boxes than toys.

I'm thankful for:
-a nice long chat with my mom today!
-my doctor's office for just sending a script to the pharmacy instead of telling me I had to come in for an appointment. Seriously, that turned a Monday into ... a much better Monday.
-my husband picking up the prescription so that I didn't have to take three kids to the pharmacy in 15 degree weather.
-my slow-cooker.
-cookies.

TMD15

Today the Boogie is thankful for ... um ... uh ... drat. I can't remember. I asked her and she kept trying to say that she was thankful for Mr. A, but Peabody already said she was thankful for him and no copying is allowed. Eventually the Boogie came up with something else but by then I was confused and bewildered and unable to retain what she said.

Anyway. Peabody said she is thankful for her baby brother.

I'm thankful for:
-reliable babysitters.
-a short date with Eric, despite the very very very VERY COLD and windy weather.
-gift cards.
-happy things happening to friends. :)
-my bed.

Your turn!

TMD14

Today the Boogie is thankful for the Lego people Eric bought for each of the girls.
Peabody is thankful for a Daddy/daughters date.

I'm thankful for:

-my SIL Ashley! Today is her birthday. I got to spend quite a bit of time with her when Mr. A and I went to WA back in December. It was so nice to sit around and chat and get to know her better. She is a lovely person inside and out, and a wonderful addition to our family.
-the house allllll to myself for 3 blissful hours while Eric & the girls were out and Mr. A was napping.
-nice hot showers to warm me up right before I go to bed.
-my four valentines!
-the sn ... the sno ... the s ... I can't say it. I'm thankful that there are only 30 days 20 hours and 52 minutes left until it is spring.

TMD13

Today the Boogie is thankful for our presidents. (I asked and she clarified that she meant all of our previous presidents as well as the current one. Then she asked, "Who is our president now?" So yeah ... current events haven't exactly been covered in school lately.)

Peabody. Oh, Peabody. Peabody is thankful that she gets to wear this (minus the hat) to bed.

I think this requires a little explanation.

When I was a little girl, my mom made this dress for me. I think it was for Easter or something. It was long and satiny and I felt like a princess in it. A few years ago when we were in WA Mom pulled out a box of dresses that she and Mamaw had made for me and my sister, and I chose several to bring home with me. Most of them ended up in the dress-up bin, including this one. Now, it's been in there ever since, and somehow has escaped Peabody's full attention. But this afternoon she found it and put it on over her clothes and wore it for the rest of the day. After wearing it for a bit she asked if she could sleep in it tonight, "like a nightgown!" she said.
"I don't know," I said, "it's not very warm. It will probably feel cold on your skin. I don't think it's a very good idea."
A little while again she asked again. "Did you decide?" she asked. "Did you say you would think about it?"
"Boy, Pheebs, I don't know," I said again, "I'm afraid you'll be too cold."
"I won't be cold," she insisted, "maybe you can think about it some more."

I didn't understand why she was being so persistent ... until Eric came home and she immediately showed him her dress.
"See my dress, Daddy? It's so long!" she exclaimed, "And silky ..."

And that cartoon lightbulb went on over my head right before she continued, "... it feels like a lally."

Of course. The dress is satiny. It feels like her lallies, her loveys, her blankies. Her beloved blankies that are silky on one side and around all of the edges, the blankies that are supposed to stay on her bed during the day so that she is not tempted to suck her thumb while snuggling with them. No wonder she wanted to wear the dress all day and then sleep in it.

So, in the end, a compromise was struck. She could wear it, as long as she put on pajamas underneath. When I was tucking her in I teased, "I guess you don't need your lally now. Maybe I'll sleep with it."
"No!" she said, alarmed, "I still need it. See, I have two hands!" and she demonstrated how she could stroke the dress fabric with one hand while snuggling her blankie with the other.

Oh, that girl. She is too funny. I love her.

So, today I'm thankful for:
-the way my kids make me laugh.
-Mr. A's hugs around my neck and sloppy wet open-mouth kisses.
-the unexpected dinner that Eric brought home -- does that man know me or what? Forget flowers and candy: not having to make dinner is the best day-before-Valentine's gift EVER.

And that's all I've got for today. I'm two thankfulnesses short but I think my brain has shut down for the night. So, what are you thankful for?

TMD12

On the way home from church tonight I asked the girls what they are thankful for. I said, "Try to think of something that you think is really important."
Peabody said, "I'm thankful for rain. Rain is important."
The Boogie said, "It's between science, DNA, and my siblings. And I don't know which one to pick."

DNA? For serious?

"Tell me why you think DNA is important," I said.
"I don't know," she replied.
"Well, do you know what DNA is?" I asked.
"It's something inside cells," she said.
"What does it do? Why is it important?" I persisted.
"I don't know!" she said, exasperated. "I guess it's just between science and my siblings, then. And ... I pick my siblings. They're more important than science."

As for me, I'm thankful for:
-being able to borrow MIL's KitchenAid stand mixer. One of these days when I have a bigger kitchen I may get one of my own, but for the two times a year that I actually need one at this point in my life, it's very convenient to borrow MIL's.
-a mini-playdate today with Mrs. Chief's niece and nephews. 
-cheese and crackers, my favorite evening snack. Also one of my favorites pretty much any other time of the day, though sometimes popcorn takes precedence.
-hearing how God is blessing someone in unexpected ways.
-this computer. I'm pretty sure it's on its last legs and will need to be replaced soon, but I'm thankful that it is working for now!

TMD11

I remembered to ask the girls! Of course, I forgot until they were in bed, but I remembered before they fell asleep, so that's improvement.

The Boogie is thankful for gardens in which to grow food.
Peabody is thankful for blankets -- she specified blankets to keep her warm, but I have a sneaking suspicion that her beloved "lallies" are included.

I'm thankful for:
-a nice chat with my Mamaw today.
-my Fiestaware (sometimes I stack it up like this just to look at how pretty it is. It makes me happy.)

-A couple of good Mr. A naps which meant ...
-FINALLY getting caught up on laundry. It's one chore I don't mind doing, usually, but party prep last week put me way behind. Getting it into the washer and switched to the dryer is no big deal; it's the folding that I struggle to get to. Thankfully the girls are getting more and more helpful, though Peabody complains every time that she really doesn't like folding "washcloth-es."
-Also finally getting caught up with school. Everything is graded, and the next week-and-a-half is scheduled. Whew.

What are you thankful for?

TMD10

I forgot to ask the girls again! We usually discuss it at breakfast but we were rushing to get to Mr. A's well-check.

I'm thankful for:
-answered prayer & God's protection for our loved ones
-dinner in the freezer
-a good check-up for Mr. A -- he is 22 lbs. (41st percentile) and 29.5 inches (40th percentile.) His head is 19 inches (96th percentile!) He has an enormous noggin.
-Target
-Mama Dog's unending patience with Mr. A. Seriously, I don't know how she puts up with him. He crawls on her, lays across her, "pats" her none too gently, pulls her fur, and yanks on her ears. Yet she will stay on the other side of the gate while he reaches through and pokes her in the eye. I guess she figures the extra Cheerios and hot dog pieces that come her way make it all worth it.

 

TMD9

I forgot to ask the girls what they are thankful for today.

I'm thankful for:
-a friend to do a month-long challenge with (you know who you are!)
-monthly ladies' meetings and the lovely lady who opens her home to host them and also often teaches the devotional.
-bottled drinking water.
-indoor plumbing -- it's been pretty cold lately and ... well, I think you get my gist. Especially after that water reference.
-occasional visits from Batprincess.

Your turn!

TMD8

Today the Boogie is thankful that we weren't in an accident (there was no narrow miss or anything but there was an accident in front of the church right before we left.)
Peabody is thankful that we drove the "fun way" home from church.

I'm thankful for:
-homeschooling which means I don't have to get up and go anywhere tomorrow or get anyone else ready to go anywhere tomorrow.
-"I Love Lucy" ... we've been buying the seasons and watching them together. I forgot how funny it is.

-funny Boogie-isms. She doesn't come up with them as often as she used to, but sometimes we hear things like this: "Honey, when I exhale all the way and relax my body, I weigh more. And when I breathe in, I get lighter. I just figured that out!" I guess she must breathe helium instead of oxygen.
-party food leftovers for lunch today.
-hardly any cake leftovers, thanks to Mr. A's Birthday Party 2.0, which was really just cake at church tonight, which in all honesty was actually just me trying to get rid of the rest of the cake since we only ate the top tier at yesterday's party. And he was called up to the front so everyone could sing to him. I wish we'd gotten video because when everyone started singing he got a big smile on his face, and then he got embarrassed and buried his face in FIL's shoulder, but he couldn't resist looking out at everyone again.

TMD7, or Mr. A Has a Party

Today the Boogie is thankful for aquariums.
Peabody is thankful for water to drink.

I'm thankful for:
-family who took the time today to celebrate Mr. A's birthday.

-my ILs opening up their home for us to have the party, since squeezing 20 people into our house would have been quite a feat.
-for a happy birthday boy! He won't let me look in his mouth but maybe that molar is finally all the way through.
-cameras and phones with which to take lots and lots of pictures!
-having the party I wanted for Mr. A. Normally I have a laid-back attitude about birthdays, but I've been thinking about and planning this one for a while, and I'm thankful that God allowed it to come together the way I'd hoped.

And now ... the pictures. I did, wonder of wonders, remember to take the camera with me AND remember to take batteries AND remember to actually take pictures. Then I left it at 52. So I'll add those pictures later. But MIL sent me some that she took and Eric took a lot with his phone. 

I spent hours and hours this past week working on stuff like these crab cookies,

fondant crab cake toppers,

 

a birthday cake,

 

 

and a smash cake.

I was really happy with how everything turned out, especially since I'd never worked with fondant before. There were, however, multiple times during the process when I thought, "What is wrong with me?! Why did I decide to do this?!"

MIL and I (and Costco and Chikfila) collaborated on food.

And a friend made the birthday boy's shirt! 

Both sets of great-grandparents came over the river from Delaware, which was so nice of them.

 

And there were lots of cousins.

 

Reenie came too! I told her she is family, whether she likes it or not. Ha!

He got lots of gifts. Mostly he was interested in the wrapping and packaging, and would cheer for himself when he pulled tissue paper out of a bag or wrapping paper off of a box ...

 

... but occasionally a toy would grab his interest and he would start to wander off with it

or sit down and start playing with it. He got lots of things with buttons to push, which are his favorite.

 

Then it was time for cake.

He wasn't very sure about all of those people singing to him.

 

Then he started hamming it up

and digging in.

 

It was quite a satisfactory day!