Gratitude Monday

Since it's the day after Mother's Day I'll start off by saying I'm grateful I'm a mother of two healthy children.  It can be the most stressful role in life. but also the most rewarding.  I brought my daughter into this world 13 years ago today.  She makes me want to scream at the top of my lungs sometimes, but I wouldn't change a thing about her. However, I'd be grateful if she kept her room neater.  I'm just saying! (which is a phrase she likes to use) Truth be told she probably got it from me.

I'm also grateful that my mother and mother-in-law are still living and that we're able to spend time with them at least a few times a year.   My parents are currently in Costa Rica and I'm grateful my Dad sent me an email to say they were doing okay.  It has been quite the adventure for them.  I'm happy he has been able to experience some of the things he wanted to do like zip lining.  I'm also grateful my mother didn't have a heart attack after taking a 2 1/2 mile hike and walking across hanging bridges. That is truly a miracle.

I'm grateful I finally got my flowers planted and my patio cleaned off with my husbands help yesterday.  I'm ready for summer and sipping cocktails on my patio with friends.  I'm grateful for the endless supply of recipes that are on pinterest.  Can you tell I'm just slightly addicted to that website?  

Sweet 13

The Candy Bar

The Dessert Table

I had a surprise birthday party for my daughter this week.  The planning, shopping, crafting and baking has occupied my thoughts and time for the past several weeks.  I am happy I can move on to other things now.  I'm finding I really enjoy the planning process of things, but not the actual execution of them.  Many of my ideas and recipes I found on the website pinterest or I got from Tori Spellings new book Celebratori.  I also wouldn't have been able to decorate and set up my dessert and candy table without the help of my friend.  She helps to keep me on task and has a good eye for staging things.  I also wish I could take credit for the cake, but I'm not nearly patient enough for cake decorating.  My talented friend and neighbor made it. It was also inspired by an image from pinterest.

My daughter loves sweets and the color turquoise so that was my theme.  She and her friends are into looking at the many hairstyling tips on pinterest like waterfall braids, etc. A good family friend that is a hair stylist and her friend braided and curled the girls hair.  They had a choice of styles from pinterest.  I also had a make up station set up for the girls and a photo booth.

I wasn't quite sure the girls would appreciate all of the little details I put into the party.  I made sugar scrubs as a take home gift and they drank  pink lemonade out of little mason jars rimmed with sugar.
Several of the girls took pictures of the decorations and one posted her photos on instagram.  My daughter came home from school the next day and said everyone loved the decorations and we got 33 likes.  I guess that's how today's generation shows their appreciation.  It made me feel like the extra effort was well spent.  I sometimes have to remind myself I am doing things out of love and because I enjoy the creative process.  Not everyone notices the little details, but it sure feels great when they do!

Gratitude Monday

I'm grateful for a clean house, a good nights sleep without having to get up and go to the bathroom, friends who I can discuss my anxieties with and help put me at ease by looking at things from a different perspective and friends who share their talents with me.

I'm also extremely grateful we didn't have a tornado touch down in our town last night.  The tornado sirens went off and there were some funnel clouds, but they never touched land.  It's that time of year in Kansas when the weather can be very unpredictable.  I'm thankful for the technology meteorologists have access to that can help them predict storms approaching.  Unfortunately, I don't always react to the warnings as urgently as I should.  Some people in my town like to look outside the window or stand on their front porch and take pictures.  I wish I had one to share with you, but I'm not one of those people.

 "Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." - Marcel Proust

Clinton Kelly's Sandwich

 

I like to watch the show The Chew every now and then while I'm eating lunch.  I really like the mix of hosts Mario Batali, Clinton Kelly, Michael Symon, Daphne Oz and Carla Hall.  They each bring something different to the table.  Clinton Kelly shared one of his favorite sandwiches that he likes to pack for a picnic lunch.   I decided to try it out on my family last weekend and everyone loved it.  

The ingredients are: a good loaf of baguette bread, roast beef (I love Boars Head.  It's pricey, but worth it.), cheddar cheese and mango chutney.  Pair it with a dill pickle from the deli and pretend your in Napa Valley overlooking vineyards.  The perfect lunch!  What is one of your favorite sandwiches? 

Gratitude Monday

It has been a full week since my last post and blogger has made a few changes.  I will start by saying I'm grateful I figured out how to write a post with their new design because I'm not too computer savvy.  I'm also happy I figured out how to restart my IPhone 4 after it locked up on me today.

My daughter broke her wrist last week at track practice after jumping a hurdle.  We almost made it through the season without an injury, but I'm thankful it was a clean break.  It could have been a lot worse and I'm grateful it wasn't. I should also add I'm grateful my husband got the call from the school before me.  He is more level headed and not as reactive as I am in stressful situations.

I'm grateful for the show Game of Thrones.  I just finished watching season one with my husband on demand.  We rarely watch television series together. He likes to channel surf and we don't always like the same shows.  I love the story line of the show and the acting.  However,  I could do without some of the graphic violence and sex scenes.  They don't leave too much to the imagination.

Although I've started making it a point to list random things I'm grateful for on Mondays it was pointed out to me by my daughter that I could use the book 14,000 Things To Be Happy About.  I guess it's time to start a daily gratitude journal again.  

Gratitude Monday

I haven't been very good about writing posts lately.  I'm sort of in an inspiration lull and my parents are visiting right now.  I'm grateful that my parents are still living, and I've had the opportunity to spend time with them.  I've also been busy planning a surprise birthday party for my daughter.  I'm grateful for the book Celebratori by Tori Spelling. The book has some great ideas.  More than anything though it has motivated and inspired me to pay attention to the details.  If you are in need of motivation to jump start your party planning process I highly suggest checking it out.  The allergy season is in full force, and I'm grateful my symptoms have been improving since last week. 

I received some sad news over the weekend.  A friend from high school's 15 year old daughter was killed in a car accident.  She was wearing her seat belt and sober, but the person that hit her was going 80-90 mph in a 30mph zone in the pouring rain.  As a parent of a 16 year old, I worry whenever my son is driving.  It makes you realize how precious life is and things can change in the blink of an eye.  I am grateful for life and every day I get to spend it with my family.

Must Do

I consider myself a pretty loyal person.  I don't change friends, doctors, hair stylists or dentists on a regular basis.  Someone either has to move far away or offend me repeatedly before I make a change.  To be honest I don't know if you'd call that loyalty or stupidity with a side of laziness.  For years I have been unhappy with my primary care doctor.  There have been signs along the way that made me think I should look into changing doctors.  Friends even encouraged me to make a change.  She doesn't have the greatest bedside manner and she made comments about my weight if I was up 5 pounds even though I'm in a healthy weight range.  She also dismissed any questions I had when it came to being proactive about my health.  I have gone to her for roughly 20 years, and she delivered both of my children.  We have a long history, and I guess I imagined some close bond as well.

As I grow older,  I have questions about menopause and taking supplements.  I am wanting to take more of a preventative approach rather than just treating the symptoms. This last visit I was told to save it for my next appointment.  God has given me signs all along, but this time I finally decided to not just take notice, but take action.  I'm grateful for her lack of enthusiasm to answer my question because it caused me to finally make an appointment with a new doctor.

I watched Oprah's interview with Tony Robbins on the OWN network shortly after my doctors appointment.  Tony said, "If you want to take the island you need to burn the fricking boats.  If you want to make real change you need to switch from saying I should to I must.  I'm notorious for being a I should person.  My doctor situation finally became frustrating enough for me to finally say I must.  I must make sure my health needs are being met.  I hope by sharing my experience it will help you change your should to a must.   If there is something you know you need to change get rid of the things standing in your way.  For me it was the fear of starting over with someone new, laziness and that I was being unloyal.