What are you grateful for? What's happening in your life that you are thankful for?
Let's give thanks for all of life's little (and big) blessings every day this month. Start a list on your blog and link up below! Each day add one thing to your list that you are thankful for. It can be as simple as nice weather or something bigger like a special person in your life. You can write a little or a lot - just show your thanks!
Also, don't limit yourself to one a day or even just the month of November. Count your blessings every day!
November 1, 2010: Preston and Steve
This is the best morning show ever. E-V-E-R. I've been listening to P&S for...well, forever. I can hardly remember what I listened to in the mornings before they came along. Any loyal P&S listener will tell you that when you listen to this show, it feels like you are hanging out with friends. They are intelligent, side-splitting funny, informative and at times touching. Aside from the laughs I get every morning, I love that P&S are involved in the community and how approachable they are. Every year C & I participate in the Camp Out for Hunger Food Drive. If you are local, I encourage you to participate. If you aren't local, please donate to your local food bank.
November 2, 2010: Folger's instant coffee
I love instant coffee. I'm sure people think that weird. I don't care. I like the taste, it doesn't give me heartburn and its way cheap in comparison to buying brewed coffee every day.
November 3, 2010: Nicole Richie
Because she brought these giant sunglasses back in style. I will never go back to average sunglasses ever again.
November 4, 2010: My Dad
Happy Birthday dad! Did you come by bus or bring your lunch?
November 5, 2010: Netflix Instant Play
At least 4-5 times a week, C and I will get in bed super early and watch a TV show or a movie on Netflix. It gives us a chance to relax and hang out together without a small creature climbing up our legs begging us for 'joooz'.
November 6, 2010: Google Chat
Not only has google chat allowed me to connect with new friends but it has also helped me reconnect with a few old friends. My friend Kiely and I have become so much closer since she started using gchat. We used to talk a few times a month and now we talk almost daily. Funny, we lived together for 2 years or so and we never knew each other as well as we do now.
November 7, 2010: Bad Roommates....and good ones too :)
I've had many roommates in my life. Many. Most of which I no longer speak to. Because once you start pissing me off, I start doing things like this:
But the bad housemate situation that photo was a product of produced two lasting friendships.
November 8, 2010: Match.com
Yup, my husband and I met on an online dating service. It was iffy at first but how could I let this hunk of man meat slip through my fingers? ;)
November 9, 2010: The ability to make a difference
Making a difference in someone's life isn't always about spending money. Being able to donate money is nice and I am thankful that we are in a position to give a little here and there. But its also about taking the time to listen to someone. Doing something sweet to make their day a little brighter or even just holding a door for someone. Little gestures can have a big impact on people.
November 10, 2010: The art of laughing at myself
I'm a character - let me tell you. There is nothing small about me. From my personality to my body type, its all very dramatic. I like it. I waver between absolute composure and being an hot mess. If I couldn't laugh at myself and my follies, I'd question whether I had a sense of humor at all.
November 11, 2010: America's Veterans
Whether or not you agree with what is going on in the world of politics, at the very least you have to give these people thanks for protecting your freedom to voice your opinions.
Thanks to all of those that served and the people that support them!
November 12, 2010: Office Birthdays
I've got one word for you. Cake.
November 13, 2010: Toddlers wearing adult shoes
Really, how can stuff like this not make you smile and brighten up your day?
November 14, 2010: Music that speaks to me
November 15, 2010: My Husband
I can write about a lot of things. I can do funny, heartfelt, emotional, angry, joyful. I can do it on just about any topic. The one place I seem to get stuck is when I talk about my husband. There's a lot to say about him. I have never known anyone like him in my life. He is sweet, kind, passionate about his opinions, he's funny, he seems to like me a whole lot (which earns him some bonus points) and he is an excellent father. So even though he is clearly so special....I am never really very good at using my words to tell him how I feel. All of the above just seems so cliche - because who doesn't say that stuff about their husbands?
So the other night I went to a Ben Folds concert and he played the song that I always think of when I think of my husband, The Luckiest. It pretty well sums up how I feel and how I have felt since our first date on November 15, 2003. So for now, until I come up with something on my own, I will use the lyrics.
November 16, 2010: Everyone I've ever met (or not)
Good or bad, I have a great appreciation for the fingerprints people have left on my life. Whether they are my real life friends or friends I have made online; I am thankful for what they have brought into my life and how they have helped me to grow as a person.
This is the best morning show ever. E-V-E-R. I've been listening to P&S for...well, forever. I can hardly remember what I listened to in the mornings before they came along. Any loyal P&S listener will tell you that when you listen to this show, it feels like you are hanging out with friends. They are intelligent, side-splitting funny, informative and at times touching. Aside from the laughs I get every morning, I love that P&S are involved in the community and how approachable they are. Every year C & I participate in the Camp Out for Hunger Food Drive. If you are local, I encourage you to participate. If you aren't local, please donate to your local food bank.
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| Izzy at the 2009 Camp Out For Hunger with Nick and Casey. |
November 2, 2010: Folger's instant coffee
I love instant coffee. I'm sure people think that weird. I don't care. I like the taste, it doesn't give me heartburn and its way cheap in comparison to buying brewed coffee every day.
November 3, 2010: Nicole Richie
Because she brought these giant sunglasses back in style. I will never go back to average sunglasses ever again.
November 4, 2010: My Dad
Happy Birthday dad! Did you come by bus or bring your lunch?
November 5, 2010: Netflix Instant Play
At least 4-5 times a week, C and I will get in bed super early and watch a TV show or a movie on Netflix. It gives us a chance to relax and hang out together without a small creature climbing up our legs begging us for 'joooz'.
November 6, 2010: Google Chat
Not only has google chat allowed me to connect with new friends but it has also helped me reconnect with a few old friends. My friend Kiely and I have become so much closer since she started using gchat. We used to talk a few times a month and now we talk almost daily. Funny, we lived together for 2 years or so and we never knew each other as well as we do now.
November 7, 2010: Bad Roommates....and good ones too :)
I've had many roommates in my life. Many. Most of which I no longer speak to. Because once you start pissing me off, I start doing things like this:
But the bad housemate situation that photo was a product of produced two lasting friendships.
November 8, 2010: Match.com
Yup, my husband and I met on an online dating service. It was iffy at first but how could I let this hunk of man meat slip through my fingers? ;)
November 9, 2010: The ability to make a difference
Making a difference in someone's life isn't always about spending money. Being able to donate money is nice and I am thankful that we are in a position to give a little here and there. But its also about taking the time to listen to someone. Doing something sweet to make their day a little brighter or even just holding a door for someone. Little gestures can have a big impact on people.
"If someone listens, or stretches out a hand, or whispers a kind word of encouragement, or attempts to understand, extraordinary things begin to happen."
- loretta Girzartis
November 10, 2010: The art of laughing at myself
I'm a character - let me tell you. There is nothing small about me. From my personality to my body type, its all very dramatic. I like it. I waver between absolute composure and being an hot mess. If I couldn't laugh at myself and my follies, I'd question whether I had a sense of humor at all.
November 11, 2010: America's Veterans
Whether or not you agree with what is going on in the world of politics, at the very least you have to give these people thanks for protecting your freedom to voice your opinions.
Thanks to all of those that served and the people that support them!
November 12, 2010: Office Birthdays
I've got one word for you. Cake.
Happy birthday, lindy!
November 13, 2010: Toddlers wearing adult shoes
Really, how can stuff like this not make you smile and brighten up your day?
November 14, 2010: Music that speaks to me
November 15, 2010: My Husband
I can write about a lot of things. I can do funny, heartfelt, emotional, angry, joyful. I can do it on just about any topic. The one place I seem to get stuck is when I talk about my husband. There's a lot to say about him. I have never known anyone like him in my life. He is sweet, kind, passionate about his opinions, he's funny, he seems to like me a whole lot (which earns him some bonus points) and he is an excellent father. So even though he is clearly so special....I am never really very good at using my words to tell him how I feel. All of the above just seems so cliche - because who doesn't say that stuff about their husbands?
So the other night I went to a Ben Folds concert and he played the song that I always think of when I think of my husband, The Luckiest. It pretty well sums up how I feel and how I have felt since our first date on November 15, 2003. So for now, until I come up with something on my own, I will use the lyrics.
I love you more than I have ever found a way to say to you
Next door there's an old man who lived to his nineties
And one day passed away in his sleep
And his wife; she stayed for a couple of days
And passed away
I'm sorry, I know that's a strange way to tell you that I know we belong
That I know
That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest
Next door there's an old man who lived to his nineties
And one day passed away in his sleep
And his wife; she stayed for a couple of days
And passed away
I'm sorry, I know that's a strange way to tell you that I know we belong
That I know
That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest
November 16, 2010: Everyone I've ever met (or not)
Good or bad, I have a great appreciation for the fingerprints people have left on my life. Whether they are my real life friends or friends I have made online; I am thankful for what they have brought into my life and how they have helped me to grow as a person.
November 17, 2010: The Stephanie Trifecta
I have many good friends in my life. But it always makes me smile when I think about the one I am closest to and the other two that I talk to almost daily all share the same name. However, that is where the similarities end. I love that they are each so different from each other and me.
While we have things in common, its the differences that I enjoy. Each of them has brought new perspectives into my life and helped me to see the world beyond myself.
Steph #1 is my oldest and greatest friend. She will probably get another nod on this list later. We have known each other since the 7th or 8th grade. I can't remember exactly where our friendship started. We weren't terribly close through school. She had her group of friends and I had mine and we were rarely in the same classes. But we had the bad fortune of riding the same bus together for a few years and that helped our friendship grow. Friendships through common misery are guaranteed to be a sure thing, I suppose. :)
She is always there to listen, give advice and at times give me the dose of reality that I often need. When others have faltered Steph has always been there. She is just an all around awesome person, smart, confident. sassy, thoughtful and always a lady. Steph has a great head on her shoulders and sometimes when I am on the verge of acting like an idiot, I think to myself WWSD? Then I act like an idiot anyway. It’s in my DNA, I can’t help it.
Steph and I have gone in and out of each others lives over the years. Nothing dramatic, just life taking us in separate directions. No matter how many miles came between us, we always seemed to come back together through job or family connections. Now with engagements, weddings and babies between us we are closer than ever and I'm fairly certain we won’t experience anymore lapses in our friendship.
Steph #2 I've known for almost 2 years. We met on a message board. It seemed to be an unlikely friendship at first. I think our personalities are pretty different (though as time goes on, I find we are more alike than I first thought). At first it didn’t seem that we had much to share other than a common friend. That common friendship eventually fizzled but Steph and I continued to chat with each other. Now two years later, I couldn’t get rid of her if I gave her a plane ticket to Aruba. Okay, she might actually take that - but then she’d be on her Blackberry telling me what a great time she is having. I also find that the biggest thing we have in common is a creative bond. We really enjoy bouncing ideas off of each other and critiquing one another’s projects. I can always count on her for some honest feedback. Stephanie is a tough cookie that could give two poops about what people think of her. Like, she really doesn’t care. I really like that about her and respect it a lot.
Steph #3 is another person I know from a message board. We are still getting to know each other and I have never met her in real life but we have so much in common. We like all the same weird crap that gets me funny looks from other people. The list goes on and on, zombie movies, giant gummie bears, mobster stories, weird stuff that I have been sworn to silence about but know that we were both stupid happy to know the other liked it too. I know that I am safe to geek out on random stuff and not feel like an idiot after I say it.
What I enjoy about Steph is that she tends to wear her heart on her sleeve. I think at times its very stressful for her. But I admire that despite how people have done her wrong, she still has an open heart. I find that to be very sweet that her kindness can persist despite the cards she is dealt.
I am so thankful for my Steph Trifecta. Everyone should have a collection of Stephanies. Like any collector’s item, they only become more valuable with age.
November 18, 2010: The Basement
Normally I curse the basement. Actually, I curse my pack-ratting ways. Thank goodness for the show Hoarders. I watch it to get inspired to throw crap away. But today I am thankful for the treasure trove that is my basement.
November 18, 2010: The Basement
Normally I curse the basement. Actually, I curse my pack-ratting ways. Thank goodness for the show Hoarders. I watch it to get inspired to throw crap away. But today I am thankful for the treasure trove that is my basement.
A few nights ago as we ate dinner, C and I stared at the blank wall next to the kitchen table. "Should we get a giant family portrait and hang it there?" he asks.
Insert me scrunching up my face and acting like I just took a bite from a booger sandwich.
"No. I don't like photos of people in the kitchen....watching us eat." I reply.
Dead eye stare response from my husband.
Then what should we do? I am not a fan of the generic coffee house art you can buy at Bed Bath and Beyond. Screen printed pictures of salt shakers and tomatoes don't do it for me.
After a few days of walking past this blank wall and contemplating what to do with it, I quietly decided to give up. After all, we've lived with a blank wall for nearly 4 years. What's another four?
This morning I was doing some cleaning in the basement and came across some old plates that belonged to C's Nan.
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| Plates similar to this |
Inspiration struck! We are going to a few flea markets this weekend and I will be scrounging for more interesting plates and we're going to so this:
My pack ratting finally paid off! ;)
November 19, 2010: My ADD Diagnosis
I’ll never forget the moment that I realized I had ADD. People joke all the time that they have ADD. When they can’t concentrate or they multitask or they can’t focus on a conversation. These were all issues (and more) that I’ve had for years. Most times I chalked it up to being too lazy to focus. I’ll have to write a big post about it at some point. But for the sake of brevity, I will just say that my diagnosis changed my life.
Last Spring I was listening to my favorite radio show (see #1) and they had a comedian on. During the course of the conversation it came up that he was diagnosed with ADD. This started an in depth conversation about Adult ADD on the show. EVERYTHING this person was saying was me. Every thought, every mannerism, every failure, it was me. All these years I thought I was depressed or lazy or not smart enough to figure out how to follow through. Hearing them talk about ADD on the radio made me realize I was none of those things. Finally, the lights were on and everything was clear. I have ADD.
After a long Spring and Summer of trying to get into a doctor that will diagnose and treat adults for ADD, I finally got my diagnosis in August. I started medication (a low dose of Adderall) and use different techniques to control my ADD. The difference in my life is night and day now. I can focus on my daughter, my husband and I have more fun together, I follow through on and finish projects, lists I make get completed, I make fewer mistakes at work. I still get overwhelmed but it no longer feels like the world is trying to crush me. Best of all I am happy.
November 20, 2010: My Mother in Law
She is awesome. She is sweet, kind, caring, thoughtful, a dedicated wife and is pretty much the kind of person most of us strive to be. And when I see what some other people got in the MIL lottery, let me tell you, I feel bad for them!
November 21, 2010: My Father in Law
November 22, 2010: Hope & Faith
I can be kind of a Negative Nancy. I’m always looking at both sides of everything and tend to focus on the bad stuff. So it seems sort of contradictory that I have an endless supply of hope and faith. I hope that people will do the right thing and have faith that they will and that I will do the same. I hope that there is a reason for everything that happens and I have faith that everyone will get their just rewards.
There is a lot of disappointment that comes with hope and faith. But when things turn out just the way they should, it’s worth the effort.
November 23, 2010: Indoor Plumbing
Izzy’s recent adventures in potty training have reminded me how much I value indoor plumbing. She uses her own little potty and I have to empty it. It caused me to recall a not so fun time from my childhood.
Most of us have used a port-o-potty at some point in our lives. When I was a kid, my parents moved me to the boonies. We were building a log house in the woods (the area is now bustling with activity and has McMansions popping up everywhere). We lived in a trailer while we built the bigger home. It wasn’t too bad except for the lack of space. The worst part was definitely the port-o-potty we had to endure while the septic tank was installed. If I recall correctly, we had cold, running water but no hot water and no sewage. And just when you think it couldn't get worse than having to walk out your back door in the middle of the night to pee, try doing it in the dead of winter. It was awesome. You also have to remember that I have a wickedly wild imagination. I was quite sure I would be axe murdered every time I went out to use the port-o-potty.
Oh yeah. I loves me some indoor plumbing!
November 24, 2010: My job
Well, I am grateful for the paycheck. :P
Really though, I may not have the most exciting job in the world and though its been very trying at times, I am grateful to have it. I am pretty much left to manage myself, the pay and benefits are awesome and the hours are great. More importantly, even though our office has seen a slump in business with the economy, we have been surviving while others are shuttering their doors.
Having spent much time in the unemployment line years ago, I am thankful for every day that I get to wake up at the butt crack of dawn and go work for the man.
November 25, 2010: Our Home
Our house,
Its a very, very, very small house
A few holes in the walls
not that much room at all
with dog poop in the yard
making ends meet is so hard
and I’m stuck picking up after youuuuuu
I kid. I love our old, tiny house. Cost-wise it’s manageable, the repairs we need to make are many but relatively easy and the contents inside are meager but satisfying to us. We often talk about getting a bigger house one day and I get super frustrated when yet another thing falls apart. Honestly though, the scuffed baseboards, that cracked basement window and that missing tile on the shower wall don’t mean a whole lot when I look at the home we’ve built.
November 26, 2010: My grandmom, my mom and my aunt gerry
Sorry y’all. You have to share a spot because November only has 30 days.
November 27, 2010: Izzy
How can I even begin to tell you what Izzy means to me. Every morning I get up to a smiling face with just a single dimple on her left cheek and the biggest, bluest eyes I’ve ever seen. She makes me laugh every day. She makes me want to be a better person. She makes me realize that all the things that we think are so important mean absolutely nothing at all.
She is my breath, my heartbeat and my reason for living.
I am beyond thankful for every second that I am blessed with being her mother.
November 28, 2010: That I don't live in North Korea
I've been interested in learning more about North Korea for a while but you know how it goes, never enough time. So while I was sitting around folding laundry I watched this documentary by Lisa Ling.
I'm not the type to spout off about being proud to be an American. We certainly have our moments that I am not so proud. But I never forget to remember how truly fortunate and privileged I am to have been born here and to live in this country.
If you need a reminder as to why you should count your fifty lucky stars that you live in the USA, watch this documentary.
November 29, 2010: Headphones at work
Anyone that knows me knows why I am SO thankful for this. ;)
November 30, 2010: My Beautiful Life
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| © Erin Farrell Photography (click on photo to go to her site) |
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I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you have a wonderful Christmas, Hanukkah or whatever you choose to celebrate (Festivus, maybe?). Don't forget to count your blessings year-round. Even on the worst day there is something to be thankful for. Challenge yourself to find the good in your world! 
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