Last day of thanksgiving challenge. #30.

This exercise has made me realize how much I take for granted. I have had to think hard about what to be thankful for every day. The big things I am so obviously thankful for. I wanted to be poetic like some other creative blogs I read. But I am in a different spot it life...no small children to force me to realize the small wonders of every day. Neither am I on a farm so that I have much of nature and animals to make me see the beauty and be thankful for the beauty in rural life. I live in a typical neighborhood. I have been here for 28 1/2 years. For that I AM thankful. I am thankful for the good job that has afforded us a comfortable living. I am thankful for the familiar. Every day I try to follow Sheryl Crow's advice and remember "it isn't having what you want - it is wanting what you have."
I am thankful that this challenge has come to and end. Time to celebrate! Put your happy Hanukah pants on, turn up the Christmas music and let's get jiggy. Open your heart and let love in.

In the short rows...#29!

Today I am thankful for:
smiles created by Christmas greetings
familiar mail clerks that ask about my parents
last few Belgian waffles (just in time to make another batch)
hair appointments
warm socks
clean sheets
glad heart.

Twenty eighth day.

I am thankful for online shopping today. Lands End made me very happy with their 30% off and free shipping!!! Just click the online chat and ask for a promo code. I mean 30% is terrific! And I didn't have to drive around town and shop. It was so easy. Whew. One Christmas present accounted for. Check.

Day 27.

I am thankful that my Christmas tree is up and I am getting that Christmas feeling. The weather outside is frightful. My throat is getting a little scratchy. And still. Turn off all your lights except the ones on the Christmas tree. See what I mean?
The  angels and Santas on the mantel keep a cheerful watch over my living room this time of year. The frozen faces of my Nativity assure me that what they are seeing is extraordinary. Can peace on earth really begin with me? Of course it can.

Days 25 and 26.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving day with Mr. Macho's Dad joining us, along with Number One Daughter and her family. We all enjoyed a large meal giving thanks that we were together. Number One's husband returned home at the end of the day to attend to some estate matters of his late father. #1 Daughter and three children stayed until today before returning home. On Friday the rest of our crew arrived and celebrated Thanksgiving by helping us eat the leftovers, which are actually what most prefer...an open face sandwich with turkey, ham and cheese. We call them New Yorkers. It is beyond any measure to have all the family gathered. It is noisy and busy and a little crazy, and at the same time it is zest and glue and icing in my life. The house gets too quiet when the time is over. Here are some snaps from our time together...

 T-bone and Super Carrot striking a pose.

 Cousins, cousins! Sweet Pea didn't realize she was sitting on Super Carrot while big sister looks on laughing.

 The backyard football game. 

 Son in the middle styling his muscle pose. Out of town Son sporting this "No shave November" whiskers.

 T-bone in his tree spot during a quick game of hide-and-seek.

 Mr. Macho helps Sweet Pea with her hiding spot.

Big sister did a great job decorating her cookies. 

 She had even more fun eating them. Then she zoned into a sugar coma for the remainder of the morning.

 

 T-bone was serious about his decorating. You can tell by the position of his tongue. 

The grown ups added their flare to the process. 

This accident is currently being investigated. No crime scene tape could be seen before press time. We are pretty sure the kid-who-climbed the fence had something to do with it, though. 

I hope you all had a fun and eventful Thanksgiving, too.

Thanksgiving Day!

I am thankful for good health and family. I am so happy and thankful that Number One Daughter and family will be here to share the day!

#23.

In this quiet moment I am thankful, with all my heart, for a really great husband. For all the things he leaves unsaid, for his steadfastness, for his certainty, for his fierce love - I am ever thankful. He is the love of my life.

Day 22.

Oh, I am thankful today! Let me just tell you what. I am thankful that I didn't have to go to Wal-Mart and that my closer grocery store DOES have tahini paste. Color me happy! I am thankful for friendly faces of old friends in the grocery store. I am thankful for the weather warning from my friendly local restauranteur that happened to be grocery shopping, also.  I am thankful that Triscuts do not have milk in them. I am thankful to have my congealed salad made. I am thankful that my floor is mopped and clean sheets are on the bed and, and, and that I am going to get my broccoli/rice casserole finished this afternoon AND some hummus made to boot.
Feeling full of thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving challenge #21.

Someone is not holding up her end of the bargain. No names mentioned.
Today I am thankful that I have gotten things accomplished. Exercise. Done. Oil changed in car along with a recall update. Done. Picture to frame shop. done. Clothes dropped off at Palmer Home Thrift Shop. Done. Grocery shopping. Done. Sheets changed on guest bed. Done. Clothes washed. Done.
And I am on to the next thing. Making cookie dough so that we can decorate them on Friday when L, T, Super Carrot and Sweet Pea are here.
Yes, I am thankful for all that. Today.

NUMBER 20!

I am thankful for comfortable pants. Sadly I had to throw away a pair today that I was very fond of. I bought them circa 2000 when Son in the Middle was in junior college - now referred to as 'community college'. Number One Daughter had helped me pick out a pair of dance pants. They were black, loose and oh-so-comfy. I put them on this morning and wore them around until I went to the bathroom and realized that there was a group of holes in the seat of the pants. So I quickly changed into some black sweat pants (nearly as comfy) and played taps as I threw away the dance pants in the kitchen garbage. Sunday is such a good veg-out kind of day and comfy pants are a necessity for the dedicated Sunday snoozer. When my children were little I remember asking them, "When you get to be President, please make sweat suits the national uniform." A simple request from a loving mother.  I will be in the market for another pair of comfy dance pants. Until then the sweats will have to do.

Day 19.

I am thankful for the ability to commit small acts of generosity.

Thank heavens #18.

I am thankful to be home. I had a really good trip to the coast to see the folks. They are both 91. On Wednesday one of my Dad's cousins from New Jersey came for a planned visit. While I was growing up Dad didn't have much contact with his Dad's family. In the last 5 years several of his cousins have contacted him and visited by computer, phone and in person.  They are a lovely, interesting bunch.
Wednesday several of my siblings were also present and we delighted in hearing stories and connecting the family dots. There may have been as many as 20 siblings in my Grandfather's family. Not sure. It is a good story of immigrants and doing well in this country. They came through Ellis Island. Thankful for newfound cousins, good travel weather and no speeding tickets.
I am also thankful that Mr. Macho is taking me out to eat tonight. Whew.

#14, #15, #16 and #17.

14. Today I am thankful for left over grits. And salsa. It made a yummy lunch.
I will be out of pocket until, at least, Friday. So here are some more things I am ever thankful for...
15. Thankful that my Mom and Dad are alive and still able to live at their home. (Both are 91 years old.)
16. I am thankful for hot showers. They are in my top 10 most favorite luxuries.
17. I am thankful for a good, reliable car that takes me where I want to go.

Today I am trying to get cookies made for decorating when all the fam is home for Thanksgiving. The last few years I have bought one of those gingerbread house kits where all you have to do is "glue" the pieces together and eat the stale candy. The kids liked it, but I never really have any place to put it when we finish. So, after some 'successful fun' decorating Easter cookies I decided that we would repeat that activity and decorate Christmas cookies while we are all here at Thanksgiving. If the cookies don't get eaten - they will travel home with the decorators. I don't know if I have a gingerbread man cookie cutter so I need to go check out my supplies. If I don't we will just use round cookies and tree-shaped cookies. I think I have a star-shaped cutter, too.
Happy week to evah-body!

Promised pics and day 13.

Isn't this fun?! I really like the set with the circles. It was my favorite until I made the set with the teardrop fabric. Now I think I like that one better. I can hardly wait to go shopping with Number One Daughter again to let her pick out more fabric for us! 

Today I am thankful for my Tom's shoes. They are so easy to wear around the house and they remind me of my very own Granny B. She wore soft, fabric shoes around her house, too. Sometime I will write more about my Granny, she was the best. I am also glad that every time someone buys a pair of Tom's shoes the company will donate a pair to someone in the world that NEEDS a pair of shoes. You can find them on the internet - and some local stores carry them. Do yourself a favor and go order a pair. Then sit back and be happy for yourself and the recipient of your generosity. 

Last year when I ordered my Tom's  I gave my Mom a pair of Tom's for her 90th birthday - and two people in the world, that I don't even know,  received a pair of shoes! Here we are wearing our Tom's, hanging out. I like being a "good deed doer". 

Day 12 of thanksgiving challenge.

I am thankful that I have a sewing machine and know how to use it. Thank you Mrs. Putnam. I know you didn't think I was paying attention in Home Economics in the 7th grade - but I am transported back to the Home Ec. room above the stage in the gym every time I iron new fabric - it smells just like your classroom. You thought that just because the only test I really did well on that year was sex ed. I wasn't getting it, but I did absorb some other useful information. I am no expert seamstress by any means, but I can put a simple pattern together and even create simple things on my own. And it feels really good to be able to do that.
Number One Daughter picked out some fabulous fabric yesterday (she has a great eye for the retro prints) and today I am sewing matching bibs and burp cloths - backed with terry cloth. I had hoped to buy some chenille to use for backing but Hancock Fabrics only had hot pink and blue chenille. Not my color preferences for this project.
I would post some pictures of what I have finished so far, but I left my camera in my car yesterday and Mr. Macho has the car. Oi vey. Will try to post some tomorrow.
Got to baby sit Sweet Pea today. She is easy to sit on, only she doesn't like to go to sleep. Ever. Today I learned that she does like chicken noodle soup. Better than banana and apple mixed with rice cereal.
An altogether satisfying day. For that I am thankful.

Getting ahead. #11.

Since I will be out of pocket tomorrow - I am thankful that my cornbread dressing is made!! Oh yea. Boom.

Day 10.

My thanks today will be in the form of a big shout to Cindy Lauper. I am forever grateful that she provided my daughter with fun aspirations . When Number One Daughter was little she wanted to be Cindy Lauper. I mean, come on. That is so far above cool it is in the stratosphere. 

I do love new version of "Time after Time" that Cindy sings with another of my favorites, Sarah Mclachlan. 

Here's to you Number One Daughter - "If your lost you can look - and you will find me time after time." All my love, Mom.

Number 9.

I am thankful for the gifts that arrive every day. Yesterday it was a lovely box of fruit that sister and brother-in-law, Steph and Harry, delivered to me. It was filled with grapefruit, oranges, lemons, satsumas and kumquats. They grew all the fruit themselves. I was glad I got to visit with them while they were traveling back home after their granddaughter's wedding. 

Some days the gifts that present themselves are not as tangible as a box of home grown fruit. Some days are so ordinary that I have to think real hard about what I am thankful for. Some days I have to remind myself that it's not about having what you want, rather it is about wanting what you have. Keep it simple and keep a thankful heart. That is my mantra for today. 

The 8th thanksgiving post.

I am ever so thankful for the right to vote. It makes me feel very patriotic. I want to wear red, white and blue and sing the national anthem and hug trees and tell everybody how much I love my country and my state. Even with the flaws I do love my country and my state. I can go to the polls and vote. I think it is pretty huge. It is my honor, duty and privilege to vote. Yea me! Yea for the US of A! Yea for Mississippi!

Seventh day thanksgiving.

I am so thankful that I get to work once a month with some terrific ladies and gentlemen at our Loaves and Fishes Ministry. Two churches pair up every Monday, Friday and third Thursday to feed people. Today we fed 208. Our current menu is simple - ham, macaroni and cheese, green beans, mixed fruit, a roll and two cookies. Next month we will change to chili, cheese and cornbread. My church, in cooperation with another area church, takes the first Monday of the month and we feed anyone who finds their way to our locale. No questions asked. I have come to really love the ladies from the other church, too. It is humbling to serve hungry people. Some of the people are smelly. Some are high. The come in all shapes and colors and ages. Most all are hungry. Some more than others. But they all get fed. Many are thankful and gracious in accepting the food we have prepared for them. Some are so profuse with their blessings and thanks that it just warms my heart.
I am thankful that I have food on my table. I am thankful that I am able to humbly serve. I pray blessings on each man, woman and child that eats at our table.

#6.

At church this morning one of the little long blonde haired girls ran up to us pointing to the gap in her lower front teeth. Her eyes were popping. She didn't even say one word, just shook her head when I asked if the tooth fairy had visited last night. Wow. I am so thankful for the joy that children exude. It is infectious.
Our Sweet Pea was over last night to watch the football game with us. She is almost 11 months old and already loves the things she sees on the computer. She claps when she sees her cousins, L and T, pictured on my screen saver. The grown ups were checking out some funny YouTube videos and when we were watching the cute, funny twins "talking" in their kitchen, it was like she understood the language and started chatting just like them! It was so funny. I love the picture posted of our newest grandbaby, M,  in her Alabama cheerleader uniform. OOOhhh she is so sweet.
So thankful for the children and the joy they inject into my life.

Mambo number 5.

I am soooooooo thankful for Saturday mornings when the alarm does not go off. I like the slow wake up. Roll over and catch a few more zzzzzzzz's. Don't rush through breakfast. Mr. Macho even asked me to make extra coffee this morning. This is the life.

Day 4 of The Challenge.

Today I am feeling nostalgic. Above is a picture of the house where I grew up. It was sort of a magical place to grow up in. Many an hour was passed on that screened in front porch you see. Sisters would sit out in the rockers passing the time together. We played many a game of 'devil in the ditch' on that front sidewalk. Tons of cousins would come to visit in the summer and games of 'kick the can' would ensure in the backyard and across the neighborhood. An old boyfriend scribbled his name in the wet cement of the driveway when we were in high school. Dad made him scratch it out. We had neighbors with names like Bertucci, Hiederhoff, Garguilo and even a bald neighbor with the first name of 'Curly'. We were in walking distance of the library. It was probably a mile, but going there was like a religious experience. It was quiet and air conditioned.  Down the block, around the corner and across the railroad tracks there was a little grocery where we would spend our allowance on candy. In the summer we drank Barq's root beer. In a bottle. Oh, there is a difference. When I was in 6th grade one of my classmate's lived a few blocks away. Her name was Janice Zalotta. I  thought she was exotic. Also in the sixth grade my friend, Maynelle Harshberger, gave me a yellow tabby cat. His name was Charlie Brown. He died the summer of 1969 while I was visiting my oldest sister in Houston, Texas. The same month we landed on the moon. I didn't find out Charlie Brown died until I got home. I heaved and cried for a while. In August of that year Camille came to visit. My grandmother's first house was whisked away, for the most part. My uncle spent many hours treasure hunting for any of their possessions he could rescue.  

My grandmother and uncle had lived across the street. We would cross the street, walk through their yard and go to the beach. After Camille they bought a house down the street from us but eventually rebuilt on the spot across the street from us. Every 4th of July we would walk through their yard and sit on the sea wall at the beach and watch the fireworks display. The display was shot at the harbor but could be seen for miles and miles. We had the perfect front row seats. Every year. Wow. 

Yep. It was pretty fabulous living that close to the beach. Heaven. My thankful thoughts today are gravitating toward the place where I grew up, even though the actual house that you see in the picture no longer exists (it was erased by Katrina). 

Thanks for the memories. 

#3 of Thanksgiving challenge.

Hot coffee and conversation at the breakfast table. I do like my one cup in the morning to get my motor running. Right now we are working on a big red plastic container of Folger's coffee. I do like the fancier varieties - but have to keep it simple 'cause Mr. Macho does not go for the flavors. Me, I can drink some of those good flavors. We are both coffee purists - no milk, no sugar.
Sometimes we share a comfortable quiet at the breakfast table. Mr. Macho likes his radio playing early in the morning. I prefer to wake up to quiet most mornings. Today we had lots of chatter that was pleasant and work related. Light fare for the start of the day. Good times man.

Old pic.

One of my old favorites from last summer.

Thanksgiving challenge #2.

It is a good day. Am going to drive over to visit with Number One Daughter and her new baby. It is pretty wonderful that she lives a short drive away.
I also got to talk to sister, Mimi, who is down in the islands preparing for her daughter's wedding. Wow. Seeing her on skype with coconut trees in the background made me long to be there.
I am thankful for family connections. I am thankful that my two sons want to talk to me frequently. Son In the Middle calls almost every day and brings his little Sweet Pea over for a visit as much as he can. Out of Town Son checks in at least once a week. I am thankful that I can talk to my 91 year old parents every day on skype. Thankful that I can drive over and be with my daughter and kiss my granddaughter's sweet cheeks. Thankful that when I come home Mr. Macho is here and glad to see me.
It makes me feel all wrapped up in cotton candy emotions. It is good to be connected.

Answer to a challenge.

Number One Daughter has challenged me to post 30 days of Thanksgiving during this month. I have graciously accepted the challenge. And so here goes my first giving thanks post....

#1. For a husband that sometimes goes way out of his comfort zone to do a thing that pleases me. Thanks Mr. Macho. I make you dance. You make me happy.

This is fun.

I am having fun learning to maneuver around this blog thang. It is surprising how much I have learned in just the few minutes I have done this. I see that it can be addictive.
Anyway. Today. My last fall art class at the local YMCA. I love taking art. I think that is what I really wanted to be when I grew up. An art student. This morning we worked on a water color painting. I wasn't totally happy with what I did, but I sooooo enjoyed painting it. I guess sometimes it is about the process and not the product. And, sometimes I surprise myself with satisfaction.
One of my favorites art techniques is block printing (with linoleum bocks). Yesterday I went to Office Depot and bought myself a paper cuter. I am going to print and cut my own Christmas cards this year. Fun times, man.

Love the fall changes. 

This is us. Celebrating Mr. Macho's 35 years of employment. 

First try.

New at the blog thang. Am usually open to trying new things, so here goes. Will try to keep it current. Hello to anyone who reads this. Lets see where it takes me!