BBQ

Am I really grateful for BBQ?  Not really, but I do love to cook on a BBQ.  But that is another blog.

I am grateful for my sister's ability to throw a BBQ together and gather the family for a fun and relaxing time.  No pressure.  Just fun. 

I am grateful that she feels comfortable enough to host a party.  Not to mention that the food was fabulous and her table-scape was super cute! 

(Note to self...bring toys for the little boys) 
Grown-up house does not have things for little guy.  Thank goodness for Erica! 

Thanks seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeestor for a fun evening.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

We will see...my hubby, sons and I put in some raised bed today.  It was a lot of work.  But I am so grateful for the time, THE SUN and the ability for all of us to work hard and work together to get the job done! 

Yeah!

Date Night

Enough said.

HA!

Love it,  cherish it. 

Love my husband, cherish him.

Grateful for my mom for taking the kids overnight.

Grateful X2.

Old Friends

Even if it has been weeks, month or even years since I have seen certain friends, I love (and am truly grateful) that these types of friends allow the friendship to pick up right where you left off.  It is comforting.  It is nice.  It is a real and true friendship.

New Strategies

In the Power Strageties class I am taking I not only am learning some new ways to teach...I am learning new ways to learn, for that I am grateful.

Pollyanna

I had a friend call me Pollyanna.  I think it was meant as a "you need to see the reality side of life and not be so "everything is great'" (yes, double quotes) Anyway, I am grateful that I AM considered to be a bit of a Pollyanna.  It makes me feel good that I can see the sunny side of life. 

So Many Things...

I am grateful for many things...and I am glad that I started on the journey of a 365 blog.  It has been fun and rewarding to look at my day from a perspective that well, makes me do it and that even after a very hard day I can still find something to be grateful for and for that I am grateful.

Teamwork

"What kind of work? Teamwork". To quote one of my new favorite shows (from Zac), The Wonder Pets, it takes teamwork. Sometimes it is good to remember (or be gently and respectfully reminded) to give and take.

Naps

I am soooo very grateful my family likes to take naps. It makes for a very nice relaxing Sunday.

I am grateful for my family for being ok with me working late, I can work late safely and that I like that working late makes me feel ready for the week.

Working Late

It would sound weird if I said I am grateful to be able to work late, but I am grateful that my family is supportive when I need to work late and that I can work late to get stuff done.

Helpful

I am so grateful I have a helpful husband. He is always willing to help others.

Comfort

I am grateful for the comfort of my home with family.

Rotary

I love Rotary's youth exchange program. I was an exchange student back in 87-88. It was an amazing year.

Now over 20 years later I am on the team that does interviews for students wanting to be outbound students.

I am grateful for all the Rotary has done for me.

B

I am grateful for my aunt Vicki (who Zac calls B). She is so loving and fits in with our family perfectly. She loves coming to watch Zac and we love having her.

Breakfast Buddies

I am so very grateful for CJ's buddies. Five if his closest friends spent the night and my wonderful hubby made them all breakfast.

I am grateful CJ has friends that he can have fun with, hang out with, trust and that are great kids.

Taylor and Cole

Cole came over for CJ's birthday and Taylor came over too to hang out with her cousin Zac. It was a delightful and wonderful 24 hours with two great kids.

I am so very grateful for those two...love ya!

CJ

Happy birthday to my oldest son. 10 years ago you came onto the scene with so much joy and love.

Love you, love, love you!

Nine Months and Nine Years

Nine months and nine years ago our first bundle of joy was in my arms...I am so very grateful for his sense of humor, love of reading, ability to zone out, sense of fairness and how much he deeply loves his brother. He makes my life better each day. Love you CJ!

Mimi

Zac loves hanging with my mom, he calls her Mimi (all the grandkids do) and he loves her home, garden and all the things he gets to do with her...I am grateful for their relationship.

Volunteers

I am so grateful for all those who volunteer...give their time and energy for others.

Sun on the Way

I am grateful for a hopeful forecast. Sun is on the way...but more importantly, sun lasting longer than a "sun break" is on the way...sun with warm air and blue skies is on the way! Yeah!

Mother's Day

I am grateful for all the mothers out there...doing what they want to do, need to do and doing their best at being mothers. 

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

Love ya!

Teamwork

I am grateful for my friend Allison and her awesome ability to work as a team-member.  It is fun because she is well, funny...and honest and listens and works hard and does her job and well, she makes it easy...and did I mention fun? 

(This is no-way, not even one bit a ploy-blog-post to get her to stay on one more year!)

Marley

He was a good pooch. He was a good pooch to our poochy friend. He had great, super soft and vibrant gold coat...the kind you couldn't help but pet. He was awesome! He went peacefully.

Letting Go

Not sure if I am grateful I am learning to let go or if learning to let go provided me more opportunities to be grateful...either way, letting go (just a bit) feels good.

What am I letting go of? Well that would be a bit of cynicisim. It got the best of me these last few years. The rose colored glasses have been off for quite a while now and I need to put them back on...enjoy a free-er life, full of possibilites.

The glass is half-full.

Insurance

It does come in handy when you need it. I am grateful that we have it.

Blast From the Past

Today my past caught up with me, quite literally. I got to chat with a former student of mine from my first year teaching.

It was fabulous!

Forever Young

I had the pleasure of having a great yoing person job shadow mw today.

She was great.

Helpful, kind and sweet. She was also curious, asked questions and was inquisitive about the class. She was positive and friendly too.

See why I think she was great?

I loved her young and cheery outlook on life. It made me realize how I can improve on being more "young" at time and more cheery. Sometimes it is easy to get caught in the cynical trap...and cynisism only comes from age.

Forever young...at heart.

The Very Busy Family

My baby loves the book The Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Well, who am I kidding...we all love that book!

Anywayn today we were all very busy! We did laundrey, planted flowers from my mom's garden (which means we had to go to her house and dig them up first), we took a nap in the sunporch and watched squirrels eat birdseed, we cleaned the garage (perfectly), we cleaned the house (including both bathrooms, we practiced baseball, we did dishes and made meals, we ran errands and we all took showers and we are all now in bed.

I am grateful for the teamwork and love it takes to make a family work.

Grandma Sophie

I am grateful for the times I got to spend with her...she died too young, at 54. I was just barely a teen. We did not get to spend enought time together, but I remember her fondly and with a lot of love.

Today would be her birthday. May Day.