Giving {Half} the Thanks

It's true...we are half-way through November already...I'm not sure I can believe it, but the calendar is proof.  It's going so fast!  But because it's going so fast...I've decided to take the challenge and stop for a moment to be thankful each day.  It's not that much of a challenge...I feel so blessed...but it certainly feels good to stop and take a second to actually consider what I am thankful for to start the day of right!

{ 1.}
Family.  Of course!  I am thankful that I have Dan and three unique and caring kiddos to get me through every day!  Some days are hard...but I'm pretty sure I laugh at least once every day!  I love seeing things through their eyes...they honestly make me stop what I am doing to appreciate something as minimal as a cloud or leaf or one of Emily's dance moves!  It definitely makes it not so minimal any more when you cherish those moments!

{ 2.}
My MOPS group.  I have loved MOPS from the first day!  It has been a wonderful place to interact with other moms sharing the same experiences as me...good and not so good!  I feel that I will always have friends to count on and turn to for advice!  It has made a great impact in my life...as well as for my kids!  They still refer to MOPS and ask when they get to go back.  I wish they could...if only they would stop growing up! 

{ 3.}
A warm and cozy bed.  It's easy to take for granted at night...I get tired, I turn out the lights...and I go to bed.  When we say our prayers at night, we pray for those who do not have a safe and warm place to go...and we give thanks for our safety and always pray for a good-night's sleep so that we can have a good morning!  It really seems simple...but sleep truly holds the key to whether my day will be good...or not so much!  ha!  And I love those mornings when the kids come in and pile up in bed and laugh and snuggle!  I will never get tired of that!

{ 4.}
School.  I love when Alex and Emily are excited about school!  Emily is always excited to take something to share with her class, she loves to read and continues to stay at the top of  her class for AR!  They both love helping out in their previous classes with the other students' morning work and with their reading.  They recieve Smil-o-grams when they exhibit one of the school's values and it makes them proud and can't wait to tell us when they bring one home! 

{ 5.}
Our pets.  Skipper has been with us since Dan and I were married...and he is really showing his age...just like Dan and I!  He has been the best dog we could ask for and has been so great with our growing family!  He has always been protective of our house and has always made us feel safe...and a little nervous about biting the neighbors!  And we've loved adding Whiskers and Snowball a couple years ago!  They are so sweet {and so rotten when their curiosity gets the best of them!}  But we can always count on our pets to love us, never judge us, and be a soft head to pat!

{ 6.}
Snuggle time.  I am thankful that I still get snuggle time with the kids!  Even though Alex is 9 {gulp! doesn't that sound old?!} he still wants me to lay with him at night and scratch his back and talk...and sometimes Elizabeth just needs all my attention and I can tell he's upset when I can't tuck him in at night.  I know there will come a day when they will be too old to be tucked in at night and too busy...so I am truly thankful for these moments and try to cherish each snuggle, hug and kiss I get!

{ 7.}
Uneventful days.  Last year I felt like we were living in our car after school and on the weekends...and this year I have been thankful for more evenings at home.  I love when the kids are involved in fun activities and watching them learn and excel at something they enjoy...but this year I've only let them commit to one after-school sport...Emily continues ice-skating and Alex plays basketball...and they have occasional after-school acitivities at their school.  It has been much more tolerable for me and more relaxing when we aren't rushing around trying to fit homework, dinner, activities among doctor appointments into an already busy day.  There is time to spend on homework...third grade has proved to more time-consuming...and time for the kids to play with their friends, take walks after dinner...and actually eat dinner at the table, not with our seatbelts on going from one place to another! 

{ 8.}
Alex and Emily's differences.  One day I asked each of them what they were thankful for...Emily said she was thankful for school and learning new things...Alex is thankful for video games!  Emily is my sweet and kind, 'follow the rules' little girl...Alex is sweet, quiet and sneaky, and tries to find a way around the rules!  ha!  He is so smart and he has a great sense of humor...I love that about him, he doesn't take things too seriously...but knows how to push all our buttons!  ha! 

Emily is helpful, a good friend and has an independence and fashion sense all her own!  I love it!

{ 9.}

My camera!  {I know...this should've been number one!}  I don't know if I could get through the day without my camera!  okay...I could, and I have...but I love to take pictures!  I absolutely love going back to see how much the kids have changed and to have those captured memories of all the things we've done! 

How can I miss a single day without taking a picture of these sweet cheeks?!

...or miss a beautiful sunrise...

{ 10.}

Prayer.  I think it is the most powerful thing...it can bring so many people together...and they may not even know it.  It not only is a gift to someone in need of it...but it is a gift to those praying.  God only wants us to come to Him with our worries and thanksgivings...and to keep a relationship with Him.  If it is His will...it will be done. I don't always feel like I have the right words to pray...but He already knows them.  I love to hear Emily's prayers too.  It is so heart-warming and precious!

{ 11.}

Weekends!  We all look forward to Fridays...it means no homework, time to relax and movie night!  And this time of year it can mean some IU basketball for Dan and the kids!  He only has two tickets to each game and he used to take Alex, but he now shares his time with Emily too!  They each feel so special and love their time with Daddy...and that means Mommy time too...they get to pick where to eat and what to do!  I love having individual time to spend with each of them!  I can never have enough of it! 

Slow-paced weekends are even better!  The holidays can mean lots of busy things going on...so last weekend we stayed in our jammies...watched Harry Potter movies all day long...and...

...yes, it's true...we put our Christmas tree up!  Because y'know Harry Potter and Christmas go hand-in-hand?!  Really...it just seemed like a great day to get started...and the kids were so thrilled!  We all get a little excited when the sparkly lights go up!

I love getting the handmade ornaments out every year...look how much Alex's hand has grown...

{ sniff...sniff }

{...and that he's wearing his Halloween shirt...haha!}

{ 12.}

Home improvements.  We have lived in our home now for a little over eight years...and we {Dan} are slowly making some updates!  I am thankful for Dan's motivation and hard work to do most of the work himself!  Someday we will have all new carpet, furniture and all the rooms painted...but while the kids are still little...we will enjoy having marks on the walls, stains on the carpet and a few pieces of broken furniture...because it proves that an active family lives here!  I will keep dreaming while looking through catalogs and magazines in the meantime!

{ 13.}

Creativity.  I feel like as an adult I have lost some of my creativity and imagination...so I am very thankful to watch the kids' imaginations at work! 

All they need are cardboard boxes...

{who needs toys?  ha!}

...paper and scissors...

Last weekend we had no plans...{besides putting up the Christmas tree}...so Alex and Emily wanted to make paper snowflakes.  It was a big mess...but so fun!

He also looked up how to make holiday origami...

...and we used lots and lots of glitter...

{I think I'll be cleaning up glitter until next Christmas!}

{ 14.}

Our backyard.  I am thankful that we have a big backyard surrounded by beautiful woods and lakes...which brings lots of fun visitors...

George is back!  {Well...any deer that hangs out in our yard is George!}

He just made himself right at home...for about an hour-and-a-half! 

I've told the kids that he is checking on them for Santa...so they better behave because we don't know when he'll be back!  I'm not sure if they entirely believe me...but they go with it...and for that I'm thankful too! 

{ 15.}

Coffee and health.  I didn't use to be much of a coffee drinker...but thanks to the Keurig...I don't go a day without it!  It just starts my morning off right...and if I miss it...I will drink it in the afternoon!  My day just seems off if I don't have my cup {or two} of coffee!

I'm also thankful for our health.  It's that time of year where runny noses and coughs are endless...but I'm so thankful that we don't have more serious health concerns to worry us.  Emily was so sick last year with pneumonia and missed so much school...I'm so thankful that she has had a much better year...so far!  And we keep those friends, family members and people we don't even know in our prayers who are battling more serious health issues like cancer and even the loss of a loved one.  I can't even imagine what it is like to go through something like that...and I try hard to be thankful every single day that I get the chance to spend with my family as a healthy mom! 

Whew...I know that was a l.o.n.g list...and if you're still with me...I thank you! 

It's important to be thankful for the little things...and I want to be able to go back and remember what I was thankful for today...because it can all change so quickly! 

And that was only {half} the month...

...I will continue being thankful each day...

{to be continued!}