October…

It’s been awhile since I have visited my own blog.  Life has been good, but busy.  Blessed in many ways.

A few moments I don’t want to forget ~ summer vacation in St Louis…

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20{4}40

191. birthday wishes from so many people who I care about ~ some even with beautiful voices to make my birthday fabulous!

192. a Holy Week that reminds me and brings me closer to the pain that Our Lord went through for me

193. snuggling with a cute little 5 year old, but don’t tell him I called him little

194. a sister in law who is quick to step in when I have a kiddo that needs to go to the dr

195. missing my husband

196. flower snowball fight on my birthday

197. shelves full of good books

198. listening to my daughter’s dreams for her future

199. reading about the Saints ~ these are the true heroes for our children and ourselves to look up to

200. reading with my daughter as she chooses a Saint for Confirmation that feels good to her ~ Saint Catherine of Alexandria

201. sharing recipes with my sister

202. delicious looking chocolate poundcake appearing at my doorstep from my “big sister” although I have to admit I am saving it until Easter Sunday

203. passing on eating my poundcake (see #202) as we are in Holy Week

204. 7lbs lost since Ash Wednesday…when you stop drinking pepsi, snacking between meals, and not eating sweets that is what happens

205. not having a scale so that I only just found out that I lost 7lbs

206. sacrificing even when it is difficult

207. the strength to have difficult talks

208. realizing how different a pepsi tastes when I drink it on Sundays (not as good as when I was gulping it down all day every day)

209. Counting all the wonderful things in my life

210. Looking forward to Holy Thursday Mass, Good Friday, and Easter Vigil

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20{4}40

I started counting with my sister to make it to 800 things in my life that I am grateful for. It’s Lent, and it has been a tough Lent for part of it. I say tough, but when I think about what this week was leading up to for Our Lord, I have it easy because of him. The weeks went on from Ash Wednesday, my days get busy, my evenings get busy, and then I need sleep so I can start again. I look that I am only on #181 and I sigh. But then I smile and laugh at myself to think how silly that I am disappointed in myself for only getting to #181. 181 thoughts that I am grateful for. 181! That’s alot of typed out things to be grateful for. I won’t stop at Easter Sunday.

181. my husband
181. my children
183. living a Catholic life
184. a great book and people to talk about with ~

The Friendship of Christ is the current book that I am reading. I was slow in starting, I was laughing that my priest is at a way different reading level than I am (I’m sure he is), but then ladies from our Parish met with our priest to talk about reading the book. I left excited to read it, and I am enjoying it!

185. i’m grateful that when Tanner decided to use the blade on the finger nail clippers to carve into the face of our bathroom cabinet that the first thing in his mind to carve was a cross. Sometimes you just have to look at the bright side.
186. a daughter that has faith in me to make her Confirmation dress
187. knitting time
188. inspiring knitting posts ~
Ginny Sheller with Elizabeth Dehority
Elizabeth Foss

189. Stations of the Cross this evening
190. so very thankful for safety of my family during spring storms

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20{4}40

“behind” on where I wanted to be, but counting none the less.
161. spring weather
162. sunshine on our faces
163. dirt on kids from playing outside
164. helping others with their knitting projects
165. pulling back out my own knitting projects and planning the next
166. hearing my children’s voices pray the Rosary
167. reality that not every night the Rosary will flow as smooth as others
168. friends
169. talks of books, prayers, kids, and not using shampoo
170. thinking about planting
171. my hardworking husband who does so without complaint
172. dinner on the patio with Emily and Tanner
173. beer in a frosty mug
174. Emily asking for birthday and mother’s day ideas
175. folded laundry waiting to be put away
176. pattern and fabric shopping for Emily’s confirmation dress
177. trying to teach lessons to a 5 year old of how to stay out of his sister’s room
178. boys playing together
179. Tanner putting on shows for us ~ Leggo Star Wars is the show for this week
180. spring air coming in through windows

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20{4}40

Taking the thyme to be grateful…

141. pulling weeds out of the flower bed

142. Tanner spotting the 1st butterfly of the year

143. a cold beer in the driveway

144. a hardworking husband

145. an anxious daughter to be out and driving

146. a daughter that is daring enough to drive to other parts of town

147. cell phones

148. my dishwasher running

149. clean tile floors

150. the sun shining through to remind me to clean the tile floors

151. eating leftovers

152. staying on budget for groceries ~ see # 151

153. enjoying the season change

154. my mephisto shoes ~ this is my 2nd year wearing them and I love them!

155. dirt on my feet

156. hearing my daughter’s voice Pray along with the Rosary

157. ceramic pieces Emily made in class

158. drop leaf table…love love love

159. hearing the piano being played, it’s not a song, but I am still enjoying it

160. hot tea in the morning with agave nectar

Lenten Challenge

 

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20{4}40

Working on counting the things I am grateful for, 20 things a day for 40 days…I am not always right at 20 things, and I certainly am not perfect about listing every day, but I am grateful ~ so very grateful!

113. towels hanging on the line

114. finding that our new drop leaf table is perfect for working in the evening time

115. St Joseph’s dinner at Church

116. sweaty boy in the van after the dinner

117. Emily so ready to help out

118. a driving daughter

119. using a hoe to weed the flower bed

120. seeing how the ordinary things in my day truly are extraordinary

121. work

122. plucking eyebrows and laughing

123. water ~ who knew that I would be grateful for that

124. being tired at night

125. looking forward to family coming for the weekend

126. a hardworking husband who doesn’t complain

127. having a Priest give a homily that is good for our souls

128. having a Priest

129. my home

130. daffodils

131. Tanner collecting worms

132. little girls playing with hand shovels in the dirt

133. fresh eggs, smoked turkey, and zuchinni for lunch

134. learning to plan better ~ I am trying to take after my husband

135. the want for a great book ~ Nourishing Traditions

136. playing science over the phone with my sister

137. my green dining room walls

138. Emily’s long hair

139. a tired boy after a morning of playing outside

140. finally beating Tanner at Trouble after his long winning streak

 

Lenten Challenge

 

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20{4}40

My list is longer than 20 as I try to remember all the things over the past few days that I am grateful for. Even when I have been too busy to stop and write down the things that I am grateful for, knowing that I am writing down my grateful thoughts, has kept the little things that have brought joy to my days in the front of my mind. So my list continues…
81. a date with my husband
82. music outside and a margarita
83. Tanner’s clean room
84. bags of stuff being donated
85. praying the Rosary
86. Friday night Mass that speaks to my heart
87. daffodils and hyacinths blooming
88. smelling hyacinths in the kitchen
89. celebrating St Patrick’s day with friends
90. cabbage on the gril
91. corned beef
92. potatoes with rosemary and olive oil
93. quiet evenings
94. water ~ I had no idea I would drink so much of it
95. Pepsi as a treat rather than my drink
96. having barbecue chips with my stir fry dinner – not eating between meals creates some crazy meals at times
97. a glass of wine
98. long talks with an old friend
99. the Catholic faith
100. playing with budgets
101. returning unused things that add up to $65
102. planning
103. blankets folded and put away for awhile (hopefully)
104. Chris cleaning the kitchen while I give Tanner a bath
105. a husband that will clean the kitchen
106. hearing our windchime
107. boys playing together, bumps and bruises and all
108. laughing at buying 16lbs of butter
109. a trip to Sam’s and not giving in to eating a pretzel that I normally splurge on, even when we got Tanner one
110. Sacrificing in such little ways when Our Lord sacrificed so much more than I ever could
111. Baked Soaked Oatmeal ~ YUM!
112. Counting all these little things that have created such happiness
Lenten Challenge

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