A Top 10 Thanks

We have moved!  Yep, I finally have internet at my new house and I have soooooooooo much to say and share.

Before we get to all of that... I'd like to share a few things that I am thankful for this year.

I am most thankful...

1.   for an awesome husband who is so much more awesome than I thought that he was... maybe earning him the blog name "super hero" for the next few months.
2. for a great supportive family who has supported me through the ups and downs  (more of the 'downs' than the 'ups') of this move.  Honestly, just "thanks" for putting up with me.
3. for freakin' phenomenol children who have embraced the new home and loved it and are just too wonderful for words.  Honestly, just "thanks" for putting up with me.
4.  for a steady job... seriously folks, I am grateful every-single-day for the opportunity to go to work and earn a paycheck.
5.  for health care...
6.  for a warm and safe place to call home.
7.  for awesome neighbors (the old ones - haven't really met the new ones) who have really been a shoulder to cry on (literally) over the past few days.
8.  that the holiday season is upon us... a season of giving thanks, reflecting, and visiting with friends and family.
9. for health... so many have lost loved ones over the course of the last year.  All of my loved ones are with me... and for that... I am most truly, truly blessed.
10....              


And now for the top 10 most recent things that I am thankful for...

1.  A basement that is dry (this time) despite the days of rain (I'll post more about this later... don't you worry).
2.  A dryer.
3.  A working toaster oven.. or just working appliances in general.
4.  That I finally have my deodorant back.
5.  That the leaky dish washer didn't ruin the floors.
6.  Access to my dishes.
7.  Taking a shower.
8.  Internet access.
9.  Internet acccess. (Did I mention that already???)
10.  Crockpot - I have a cherry cake cooking in it... as we speak!

 What is the silliest thing that you are thankful for this year?

Thanksgiving

I'd hate to start off with this picture, but here goes. See anything different? My hair -- it's black! I did ask the hair dresser to get my hair back to its original color (whatever that may be), but I was not thinking black. Maybe it wouldn't be so shocking if I hadn't been nearly blond for the past few years. Will anyone at work even recognize me? By the way, she (the hair dresser) also noted that my hair is more than 20% gray. Isn't that a bit much for someone who has only been around the sun a mere 33 times????????

Here is Lulu showing off her new manicure. That is, if she would just stop biting her nails (where have I heard THAT before) then she could have nice and pretty real nails that don't fall off.

Luvs2Boat snagging a few calamata olives while his sisters aren't looking!

Fairy Grandmother, spending some quality time with Bro.

Yes, it was a most wonderful Thanksgiving indeed! Oddly enough, I did not over stuff my stomach with fall harvest this year. Don't know why. The food was delicious!!!!! I made my famous corn casserole and Aunt Mitzi's cranberry salad. (recipes in separate post -- coming soon). It was wonderful to visit with everyone and catch up on the goings-ons!

After dinner we did get to go outside and watch...

this beautiful sunset.

Lulu showed off her one-handed cartwheel.

At last count, I think that we had some 20+ family members at Grammy's house for our festive turkey feast. Just the way I like it!

While we were there, Bro discovered Gramm's rocking chair.

And he had a great time visiting with cousin J again. (I know that this isn't the best picture but it is extremely difficult to get a good picture of these fast-moving tots)

Remember that we were going to create a 'thankful tree' on Thanksgiving? We cut out leaf shapes and asked everyone to write one note of thanks on each leaf and attach it to the branch. It was a big hit. I haven't quite decided on how to preserve the leaves from this year. Any ideas?

We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is “good,” because is it good, if “bad” because it works in us patience, humility, and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.~ C. S. Lewis

What are you thankful for?

Lulu and I saw this Thankful Tree in a recent Family Fun magazine. We decided that we will bring a similar branch tree and accompanying cards leaves to our family Thanksgiving this year as an activity.

Napmom (that’s me) decided to take it a step further and to turn the month of November into a thankful month for our family. Last night Lulu and I used these leaves as templates to trace and cut leaves from red/green/brown paper. Then, during dinner each of us wrote down one thing that we were thankful for on a leaf. It has been raining so we have not had a chance to find the perfect branch/tree. When we do, we will hang our leaves of thanks on our tree.

What are you thankful for this year? Does you family have any festive Thanksgiving traditions that you look forward to each year? Please share - so that I don't feel like I'm talking to myself!