With gratitude

Thankfulness Challenge Day 20.

I had the good fortune of dancing as I grew up. My mom spent hours in the car driving me, waiting for me and sewing/altering costumes, pointe shoes, etc. Thanks Mom!

Now its my turn. The girls both dance and its been so much fun. They both started when they were about 18 months old. Mommy & Me classes started and I got to dance with them. It was such a joy! Even dancing on stage for the recitals (the only requirement for the mommy costumes were all black!).

This year Miss K is on her own. No more Mommy & Me. I just get to watch now and its great and awful all at once. She can do it by herself now...she doesn't need me anymore. This growing up stuff is  for the birds!

Then there is Miss A. She has dancing in her soul. I've gotten compliments on her dancing since she started and she continues to prove herself all the time. She'll soon be dancing with the Moscow Ballet in the Nutcracker. She's a french girl. We'll see how it all turns out!

Dance as if no one is watching!

With gratitude,

With gratitude

Thankfulness Challenge Day 19.

Yesterday's candle post reminded me of something I am very, very thankful for. It's been a place for me to go with a sleeping, quiet baby and stroll around. It's been an escape from my house after a crazy day with kids. There have been a few nights when Mr. M has walked through the door and I've quickly said I'm heading here for awhile. I've run into many a fellow mom strolling the aisles picking up what they need or browsing. I've spent hours there looking at everything. I've been asked, on more than one occasion, where something in the house has come from. The answer is often...

Target!

I'm thankful its there. I can pickup groceries, diapers, clothes, toys or whatever I may need in one stop when I have kids with me. I can grab a diet coke at the snack bar and stroll the aisles for an hour now and again just to look or get ideas. It's almost meditative...you will understand that if you need an escape but also have errands to run! It may be strange but I'm very thankful for that place.

With gratitude,

With gratitude

Thankfulness Challenge Day 18.

Candles. I have a thing for candles. I don't know why or where it came from. I just love them! My favorites are apple scented or citrus. My current favorites are the Harvest Apple from Bath and Body Works. I've gone through a few of these babies between our house and the lake.

Next is a very recent find. It's Clementine and Clove. Citrus is my other favorite. I love anything orange, tangerine or the like. So I came across this at Target. It smells like something I call 'Russian Tea'. You may have another name for it...a mixture of Nestea, Tang, cloves and a few other spices. Anyway, it cures any cold you have or at least is hot and tastes good on a sore throat. Bonus: it comes in a mercury glass container (I have a collection!).

The picture wouldn't work but click here!

Then there is this little wonder. I've long since burned it up but I loved, loved, loved it. I can't really describe what moss smelled like but it was wonderful. I was more than a little sad when it was gone. Part of the charm was the quaint little shop I got it in last winter. Charleston, South Carolina. So beautiful, so fun!

I just love when the house smells wonderful when I walk in the door!


With gratitude,

With gratitude

Thankfulness Challenge Day 17.

I'm thinking about hobbies today and I'm grateful. I have several I suppose but currently I really enjoy photography (some day I'll master photoshop). I also love to sit down and 'tinkle the ivories'. In fact, I'm waiting for a new Lorie Line book to arrive shortly and watch out Christmas carols! I love to go to movies. There's something about a movie theater (smile!).

I hope you have one or darn it get busy and figure one out! Someday you'll have free time and you might as well spend it productively! (double smile!)

With gratitude,

With gratitude

Thankfulness Challenge Day 14, 15 & 16.

A little behind but I'm still here. We've been getting ready for a little adventure so you'll have to excuse me. Other things were more pressing. I have found it fun though that throughout the days I am always thinking of things I am thankful for. Much better than thinking about the things I could complain about on a daily basis.

Friends. New, long-time, young, old I'm thankful for you all. I've been blessed with so many wonderful friends over the years. Some of you I've known for years and we've been through many of the same experiences. Some I've met through strange twists of fate and we've stayed connected for some reason or another. I love that there are many of you I can meet up with once or twice a year and its as though we've never been apart. Thank you for your friendship!

Family. I have a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful family. Immediate and distant you are all so fantastic. Thank you for your laughter, tears, help, support, prayers, lessons and smiles. This past year has proven to me once again how necessary a great support system is. I'm thankful for terrific people who help us through.

Parents. Kind of the same as family but a special 'thankful' to them. Ours have helped us out more than any four people probably should. They are always there though and thank goodness! It even means that occasionally Mr. M and I get to travel and the kiddos get to have 'sleepovers' with grandparents. Thankful!

With gratitude

It was a great day! Mr. M and I got to go on a date this evening. I must say I'm very thankful for those rare moments when the two of us can sneak away for a few hours. We have a chance to talk or even sit in silence for awhile. We got to enjoy a quiet dinner. OK, not totally quiet as there were a few little kiddos belonging to others running around and chatting it up. It's actually enjoyable when others kids are doing that! Then a movie in a full theater which is always fun. I love to hear the audience reaction to things. Makes the funny points even funnier.

Anyway, I'm thankful for quiet date nights that are complete with dinner and a movie!

With gratitude,

With gratitude

Thankfulness Challenge Day 12.

This whole blogging thing is relatively new to me. I have to say I've loved it and am glad I began. Hopefully it will be a record of things we've done, said or enjoyed. I'll be able to look back one day and remember (something that seems harder to do these days).

I began my own blog only after spending many, many hours looking at those of others. I'm thankful to all these amazing people who blog about things that inspire them, things they do, things their families or kids say and all the other wonderful between.

Here are a few pictures from recent favorite posts.

What a cute little girl's room, right?!?!?! Holly at Life in the Fun Lane refinishes furniture. She also love white and has a nearly all white house. If I didn't think everything would turn black or shades of chocolate (thanks to Miss K) quickly I'd do it at home.

What do these ingredients make??? Apparently cheap dry shampoo. I have yet to try it but Allison at Petit Elefant has tried it and says it works! Allison loves to travel and can describe a hotel like no other. She also has great ideas for beauty products, clothes and kid-friendly projects. I'll let you know if and when I get around to trying said shampoo idea.

So she is a-d-o-r-a-b-l-e. This is Leslie from a room somewhere. This picture is one of her 'what I wore Wednesday' posts. These posts seem to be popping up all oer! Anyway, she's got a great sense of style in clothes (check out many, many more pictures on her blog), home furnishings and all other things cute.

So...I'm thankful for blogs. There are many, many more that I read when I have a chance. What blogs do you follow?