Gratitude Monday

Our old next door neighbors are visiting, and I'm thankful we didn't have to make the 6 hour drive to see them.  They came to us.  She also brought along her homemade chocolate chip cookies which we miss almost as much as we miss them.  I'm also thankful I get to visit an old friend this week in Connecticut. I will be spending next Monday in New York City.   I can't seem to get enough of that city.  I have been several times and there is always something new to see.

On a different note back to school shopping is right around the corner.  I love all of the fun notebooks, pens and markers.  I'm always grateful for a new journal or cute folder even though I'm not going back to school.   I will always be a student in some way.  I'm always taking some sort of on line course and  I love learning new things.   I'm also loving all of the dorm room items that are on sale this time of year.  It takes me back to my college years.  

Gratitude Monday

My husband and I saw the new Batman movie Dark Knight over the weekend.  At one point during the movie I became a little anxious when several gunmen opened fire in the stock exchange building.  I thought of the gunman in Colorado who randomly shot over 70 people at a midnight showing of the movie just two days before. I choose not to watch the news much anymore.  They can be masters at repeating the same story 50 different ways.  The nail place I go to has a television and normally Ellen or some game show is being televised.  This time it was a news stations and for the entire hour I was there all they talked about was the Colorado shooting.  Unless there is new information to report I don't see the point in endlessly rehashing this tragic story. What is normally a pleasurable experience,  left me feeling sick and stressed out. I can't imagine how those who were present must be feeling.

Gratitude Mondays are about making a conscious effort to focus on the positive things in life.  It's something I try to do every day, but can easily forget.  I have a natural inclination to gravitate to the negative. I'm thankful for the flowers, plants and trees that are still thriving despite the heat wave we're experiencing.  I'm grateful there are more sane people than insane people in this world.  I'm grateful for the many people who choose to do good in this world and help instead of harming others.  I'm grateful for people who use their extraordinary God given talents to make this world a better place.  Batman would be one of those people if he were real.    

Gratitude Monday

Hubby with Baby Charlie

I'm grateful for visits from friends who have moved away.  I've had several good friends move out of state over the years.  This past weekend my friend was in town with her six week old baby boy, and I got to hold him for the first time.  I'm also thankful we made it safely home in time to see them from our 12 hour road trip to South Dakota.  We had a great time on our trip, but I am even more grateful for my morning cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee.  We had a hard time getting a good cup of coffee in South Dakota.  I love traveling, but I enjoy my little comforts of home.

I'm also glad the ten loads of laundry we had are washed and put away.  I've even printed my pictures from the trip which is record time for me.  It's usually a good six months by the time I get around to printing pictures.  Last but not least, I'm grateful I had the opportunity to meet a woman who is an inspiration to me.  It was totally by chance while browsing in the gift shop at the Crazy Horse Memorial.  For those of you that know me well, it wasn't Oprah.  I'll post more on our serendipitous meeting later this week.

Gratitude Monday

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

I'm extremely grateful for air conditioning on these 100 degree hot summer days and when my husband grills dinner and I don't have to prepare a main dish.  Meat just tastes so much better when it's grilled.  Last week was my birthday week and I'm grateful my friends could help me celebrate. If they weren't able to help me celebrate they still remembered me.  Having a summer birthday can be a catch 22.  You can have fun pool parties, but alot of times your friends are on vacation.  As a kid it was also sometimes hard to get in touch with friends.  There was no such thing as facebook, cell phones or twitter back in the 70's.  The mailman, telephone or physically going to someone's house were how you communicated.  As much as I sometimes get annoyed with new technology, I'm grateful there are easier ways to reach people.

I discovered an ecourse on blogging through the website www.abeautifulmess.typepad.com.  I am so grateful I came across this class because it has had some great blogging tips.  I'm excited to implement some of the ideas Elsie has shared.  I'm also grateful for lists because they help keep me on task, and I honestly just love making them for the heck of it.

As the Fourth of July approaches and the fireworks begin to scare my dog, I'm grateful for the freedoms I enjoy living in the USA.

Gratitude Monday

I'm not a very consistent person and I've had a hard time getting into a routine with my blog.  The one thing I've tried to be consistent about is blogging things I'm grateful for on Mondays.  I actually wrote this post yesterday, but the day got away from me and I forgot to post it.  So here it goes gratitude Monday posted on Tuesday.

I love a fresh pedicure.  My feet are the neutral ones and my friend has the bling sandals with the bright polish.  I prefer reds or neutral colors.  In the Fall I step out of my box a little with a black or brownish polish.  I think the yellow, blues and greens are fun, but they just aren't me.  I'm grateful to have the opportunity to get an occasional spa pedicure.  It's one of those little treats in life I immensely enjoy.  The first time I had one I was in my early 20's.  It was a gift from my husband.  I thought it would be weird to have someone work on my feet, but I quickly got over the awkwardness.

I'm grateful for time spent with friends.  We had a lot of friend time this past weekend at a Royals baseball game, dinner and cocktails and shopping.  Paul Rudd, Eric Stonestreet and several other celebrities were in town for a charity event.  They came out on the Royals baseball field during the 7th inning stretch to sing "Take Me Out To the Ballgame." I didn't realize Jon Hamm was part of the crew so that was a pleasant surprise (even thought it was short lived).   What is it about getting the glimpse of a celebrity that can make a heart sing?

I'm also grateful for all of the ripe, juicy peaches I've been getting off my peach tree.  Happy summer!  

Gratitude Monday

I'm grateful for the relaxing weekend we had at our friends lake house this past weekend.  We had beautiful weather, lots of laughs, a great time swimming off their dock and boating, great food and summer refreshments.  I'm grateful no one was injured other than a few scrapes, a bug bite, and sore necks and shoulders from tubing.  It was the perfect summer weekend.  I'm grateful I was able to wish my husband and father well on father's day.  Not everyone can say that. 

Gratitude Monday

I'm grateful my family and I are healthy and for the rain we had earlier this morning which means I didn't have to water my flowers today.  The summer heat has arrived, but I'm grateful there is a breeze in the air.
I'm grateful we made it home safe and sound from our trip to New Orleans and for all of the local delicacies we tasted.  I'll be sure to write more on that later this week.  I'm grateful for kind gestures from strangers and friends, summer BBQ's, casual summer skirts and a swimsuit I feel halfway comfortable in.  It's sort of a strange list of things, but it's important to remember the little things in life.   It's the little things that fill each day and are also sometimes the most memorable.  

Gratitude Monday

I'm grateful for the lazy days of summer.  Today was the first day where I felt like I could relax, do a little reading, and take a 10 min. nap.  Sometimes it's hard for me to transition from running around all day and having company to just relaxing.  I'm also grateful for the fact that I can enjoy the summer months and don't have to report to an office.

 I'm grateful for the opportunity to travel to New Orleans in a few days.  I haven't been there before, and I'm excited to experience the sights, sounds and tastes of the city.   I also welcome the opportunity to just sit by a roof top pool for a few hours with a mojito and a good book.

There is so much to be grateful for in life.  Some days it's easier to list things than others, especially when things are going well.  Even if life may not be presently ideal for you there is usually someone you can think of who is in worse circumstances.  Whenever my mind starts to focus on the negative, I try to switch it to something positive.  Taking the time to be grateful and thinking about the good in my life has been a great way to start the week.  I may not always make it through the whole week, but Monday always comes around again for me to start over.  

Gratitude Monday

I almost let this Monday pass by without posting.  It is Memorial Day and my husbands 77 and 80 year old aunts are visiting.  They drove all the way from Arizona.  I'm grateful they had a safe trip and we've had a nice visit with them.

I am reminded this Memorial Day of all the soldiers who have died for the country I live in.  I'm grateful for their bravery and courage and for all the soldiers who are still fighting.  I hope that one day we can all  live in peace.  I saw a quote on pinterest that said "Home of the Free, Because of the Brave."  Of course it was in a really cute font in red, white and blue, but I haven't quite figured out all of the short cuts to pasting images on my blog.  For now, I'm just grateful I took the time to write these few sentences. 

Gratitude Monday

I'm grateful that inspiration can be found everywhere not just on pinterest, but in the little things that make up our everyday life.  I'm going to do a better job of posting the little things I'm referring to by taking more photos and posting images of them this summer.  One of the things I'm grateful for are sea shells.  They are treasures from the depths of the ocean each unique in their own way.  The sound of crashing waves is one of the most calming sounds to me.  I'm also grateful for lunch dates with friends, shopping and catching up on each others lives.  I'm grateful I don't have to cook dinner much this week.  I love to collect recipes and the idea of cooking.  On the health front, I'm grateful my allergies are getting better and my eye is no longer swollen.  It finally looks as if the Sandman has stopped paying me a visit.  For those of you who never grew up with the Sandman.  He is a fairy tale character who sprinkled sand in children's eyes to get them to go to sleep.  As an adult I can't say that is much of a problem for me anymore. 

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?  

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

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.

Gratitude Monday

• I am grateful for blue skies and 70 degree weather and that we weren't in the path of the tornadoes that came through Kansas over the weekend.
• A good doughnut even though I often regret eating it later.
• Random acts of kindness.  My neighbor gave me a picture she came across that she bought me awhile back. 
• Hydrangeas.  I just love them and I bought myself one today.
• The wonderful cheese aged in balsamic vinegar I sampled at Hen House.  It's called Balsamic BellaVitano Sartori.   Now all I need is a glass of wine and some Italian bread! 
• Spell check on my computer.  I am a horrible speller.

What's something your grateful for today?

Gratitude

There has been a lot written on the positive effects of being grateful.  I have tried keeping a grateful journal on and off over the years after reading about the idea in the book Simple Abundance many years ago.  Oprah has also talked about how being grateful every day has made a huge impact on her life. Oprah has said, "The single greatest thing you can do to change your life today would be to start being grateful for what you have right now. And the more grateful you are, the more you get."  I also think gratitude helps you to live in the present.  Even though your present circumstances may not be your ideal wish, you can always find something to be grateful about.  I've decided to post a few things I'm grateful for on Mondays.  Monday's tend to get a bad rap since they are the start of a new work week for a lot of people.  There have even been song lyrics written about Mondays- rainy days and Mondays always get me down and manic Mondays to name a few. So moving forward I'm creating grateful Mondays where you can comment on what brings you gratitude.  

•  I'm grateful for a hot cup of coffee in the morning especially when my husband makes it.
•  I was able to cross off everything on my to do list today.  I hoped to get a few more things done, but I finished the priorities.
• I was able to finish watching the Ten Commandments this Easter.  That is one long movie, and I haven't seen the whole thing since I was a kid.
• My daughter didn't fall jumping the hurdles at her track meet today.

What brought you gratitude today?