Blessings

Seems like forever ago that I started the 1000 Blessings challenge. It's been so long that I would have to dig too far to link to the original challenge. It's been over a year since I last mentioned any blessings. Oops. Here goes. (and there may be repeats, as it's been 14 months... but a blessing is a blessing, and *for me* the important thing is to remember them... even if I'm repeating)

#67 - my sister

#68 - peach cobbler from Schoepf's BBQ

#69 - Andy's patience with me while I struggle through this rough patch of exhaustion

#70 - the dairy that sells raw milk

#71 - steak ala Andy. That boy can cook, but man oh man, that boy can really grill.

#72 - Aubrey's thoughtfulness

#73 - Lauren's imagination

#74 - Sasha's determination and vocabulary

#75 - my Jaimie. Haven't seen her in almost 2 years, and we can go months without talking, but that doesn't matter. She's my Jaimie. And I'm gonna see her soon!!! :-)

blessings

#59 ~ homemade tomato soup. This soup is so yummy, it deserves it's own post.. I'll work on that.

#60 ~ long walks around the neighborhood.

#61 ~ nice old men (anyone, really, but most rececntly it's been an older gentleman) who talk to us on said walks around the neighborhood.

#62 ~ teensy, tiny wildflowers just emerging, reminding us that spring will be here soon.

#63 ~ angels watching over us (this deserves it's own post, as well... I'm on it).

#64 ~ book fairs. Oh my, I'd spend $100 before blinking if I knew Andy would never know. Good thing he's around to keep my feet on the ground - or close to it!

#65 ~ cucumber-lemon water. So refreshing and calming.

#66 ~ SmartDogs Synergy flip flop slippers - super duper comfy, I go everywhere in mine. And, ~$16 at Sam's Club (different style than the link).

blessings

#49 ~ books that make my girls want to read more and more

#50 ~ new friendships growing deeper

#51 ~ a t.v. free week

#52 ~ in-laws that are going out of their way to bring me stuff from my Grandma's

#53 ~ taco night

#54 ~ lap cats

#55 ~ seed catalogs inspiring big plans

#56 ~ girl scout cookies

#57 ~ playdough

#58 ~ great-aunts that write letters

blessings

#42 ~ gingerbread house kits on clearance. we're gonna have some fun tonight!

#43 ~ Twinnings Lady Grey tea. I know I've mentioned it before, I'll try to not mention it again.

#44 ~ tabletop centerpieces created by 3 year olds. our current centerpiece is a pewter goblet holding clearance candycanes (nick jr, of course!) and two pheasant feathers. one of a kind, no doubt!

#45 ~ homemade split pea soup.

#46 ~ my nest planner. one of the things I asked for for Christmas. so far I love it. this week's menu is in there, along with the grocery list. and some crafty ideas, and a lofty to do list (mostly invloving the crafty ideas). :-)

#47 ~ $0.44 avocados.

#48 ~ my church. as Dorothy once said, "There's no place like home."

more and more and more blessings

#33 ~ Sasha's raspberry concerts, performed several times a day.

#34 ~ my car, that safely carried us 1500-ish miles in the last 16 days.

#35 ~ my sister-in-law, Dolores. I've always liked her, but getting to spend so much time with her, I really got to know her better. She does such an amazing job taking care of her family, and she helped me fold clothes. That may sound petty and inconsequential, and, in the big picture, it is. But I HATE folding laundry. HATE it. And I know hate is a strong word, but seriously, anyone who wants to fold my laundry is on my WOOHOO I LOVE YOU list, regardless of anything else they do or don't do. (psst - think Andy would fold all the laundry if he never had to do the litter box again? I think I'll find out!)

#36 ~ old friends. I was able to have breakfast with my childhood best friend, after 11 years of not seeing her. It was great. She's great. And, a peanut butter malt at Owl Cafe is part of a healthy breakfast. Right? Right?!?

#37 ~ neighbors. Our neighbors, my in-laws' neighbors, my parents' neighbors. There are some awesome neighbors out there.

#38 ~ New Year's Eve parades. Especially the homemade variety. 6 of us paraded up my parents' street, blowing horns, clanging wind chimes, puffing train whistles, and streaming homemade streamers. With a blue moon lighting the way. perfection.

#39 ~ tea parties with far away cousins, using Great Aunt Ibby's hand painted china. more perfection.

#40 ~ Grandma Marg's piano sitting in my mom's living room, being gently (and not so gently) pounded on. And, my mom's beautiful piano playing amid the pounding. pa-rum-pum-pum-BANG-rum-pum-BLAM-pum-BANGBANGBANG

#41 ~ my camera.

blessings 5

#30 ~ being able to stay home with my girls. It's been almost painfully obviouis how blessed I am that I can do this the past few months... up and drive to NM to visit a dying Grandmother without a thought... make it to every school performance, no matter how small... coordinate class parties, and not have to miss work to attend said parties... along with getting to spend my days cuddling with Baby Sasha, reading to and playing with Lauren and taxi-ing Aubrey to and fro.

#31 ~ Andy's fish fry. My hubby can fry, really well. Might explain, just a bit, why I need to lose some weight, huh?

#32 ~ Valvoline Instant Oil Change. When they say instant, they mean instant. awesome.

more blessings

So now that I am conciously thinking of my blessings, it's painfully obvious that I am not always as nice as I could be. It's very tempting to be sarcastic, but that's really not what I want to accomplish in acknowledging my blessings, so I'm reminding myself to take deep breaths. Also, sometimes it's hard to think of my blessings... all the more reason to do this, I think!

#23 ~ Great Grandmother Kailey's sugar cookie recipe, as recorded by Grandma Ruthie in our family cookbook. My new favorite sugar cookie recipe, with just a touch of family history.

#24 ~ Aubrey's honesty. Without hesitation that girl will tell me that my belly is kind of fat. Granted, that's not what I want to hear, but it's undeniable all the same. But she also tells me when my jeans make me look skinny. Also, she raved about the above sugar cookies, "What did you put in these, mom, they are GREAT!" (the answer was vanilla, by the way, it's not some secret, obscure ingredient)

#25 ~ Our cat Oscar. As I type this, he is filling in as 'warm body' next to Sasha.... she's still asleep and I get to be up, moving around. Or sitting down, blogging. But you know what I mean. :-)

#26 ~ Andy's co-workers and their families that we are getting to know better and better.

#27 ~ my creativity. I know there are others out there way more creative than I, but I *love* making pretty things, it makes me feel good.

#28 ~ church breakfast potlucks. Yum.

#29 ~ wii boxing

blessings 3

#15 ~ my kitchenaid mixer (and the oh-so-delicious chocolate cookies with peanut butter chips that said mixer mixed yesterday!)

#16 ~ friends at church who are always ready with a smile and hug, and who worry about me when they don't see me every Sunday

#17 ~ Santa, Mrs. Claus and their many helpers who spent their Friday evening here in our little town, entertaining so many little ones

#18 ~ Mother Earth News magazine. Their website is pretty cool, too.

#19 ~ my body, and all the amazing things it is capable of

#20 ~ Ragu. For years we made our own spaghetti sauce, but right now we are really enjoying the sweet flavor, not to mention the extreme simplicity of just popping open the jar!

#21 ~ Christmas carols

#22 ~ homemade bread

blessings 2

#10 ~ my in-laws, who drove 3 hours and spent a night in a hotel to attend my Grandma Marg's funeral

#11 ~ dental insurance

#12 ~ pie. buttermilk, or pumpkin, or cherry, or apple. mmmmm

#13 ~ St. Luke's. My grandparents married there in 1944. 4 of 5 of their children were baptized there (the oldest was baptized in Pennsylvania, where they lived for a short time), all 5 confirmed there. Two of their children were married there. One of their granddaughters was baptized there. And now their ashes rest there, as their souls rejoice in heaven.

#14 ~ my washing machine and dryer

Blessings

I stumbled upon this cool idea, thought I'd give it a go. :-) My goal is to list 1000 blessings. Not today, or next week or next month, but bit by bit. On Mondays, if all goes according to plan.

#1 ~ wiggly, sleepy baby cuddled in my arms

#2 ~ acorn tops aka fairy hats in assorted sizes, adorning my windowsill, hidden in the doll house, fallen behind the loveseat, forgotten in pants pockets

#3 ~ my Grandma Marg, and all the beautiful lessons she quietly taught by her example

#4 ~ the smell of cold in the morning

#5 ~ pink sunsets in New Mexico

#6 ~ my sister, arguably the coolest sister anyone, anywhere, could hope for

#7 ~ finger nails (and sometimes toe nails) painted 6 different colors

#8 ~ snores down the hall

#9 ~ toasted lentil soup, and a husband who does the dishes