thankful thought #2

Today I am so thankful for a warm house.

Yesterday afternoon and into the night, the wind was blowing like crazy. It sounded like a hurricane out there. I had to go out to take Eva to and from dance, and Max to and from special needs mutual. Each time, I was oh so happy to come back to my warm house.

Our power was out for a few hours, but others lost power for 36-48 hours. I've been without power for days on end in the winter, and it is not pretty. I was thinking about that yesterday.

Then I started thinking about people can't afford heat or a decent shelter, or are homeless. I can't even imagine.

I have a warm house, and good books to read, and a pretty Christmas tree to sit by, and herbal tea to drink! I feel so blessed.

thankful

Yesterday, I made the best pie crust of my life! (Recipe here.) It must be the chilling of the water and the dough that makes it roll out beautifully - no tearing! And delightfully flaky. I forgot to take a picture of the finished pumpkin pie.

While I was thus engaged, Eva decided to make a "thankful list," and then she went ahead and made blank ones for all of our family members, to be filled out after Thanksgiving dinner. I can't find it right now, but I know that it included family, Jack the dog, feet, and knees.

I sent Max to Target to look for chocolate stars so we could make our chocolate turkeys (I ran out of time on Wednesday), but they were closed. Drat! (But great for their employees.)

We went to Grandma & Grandpa's house for dinner (at noon). It's a bit strange, and also delightful, to not have a lot of cooking to do for Thanksgiving. We all ate too much - except for Lucas and Eva, who ate only cornbread muffins, fruit, and broccoli. Huh.

After dinner, Eva called us all in to watch her movie: Animal Life, The Life Cycle. It included this badger, who is apparently a fruitatarian.

And these squirrels in the Egg Forest. The movie dragged on rather long, and ended with all audience members sprawled on the floor and the couch. They may have been carrying on whispered conversations as well.

Then we all went to the Muppet movie! I have such nostalgia for the Muppets. I watched that show every week and had a Kermit the Frog puppet that I adored. I started to get a little misty during The Rainbow Connection! It felt very holidayish to go to a movie and it was one that all ages could enjoy (even though my kids didn't even know the Muppets).

After the movie, we had pumpkin pie and peanut butter chocolate torte (Marc's birthday dessert). Yes, it was his birthday on Thanksgiving this year. (Not his favorite, but we celebrated on Wednesday.)

The birthday hamster, who sings the Beatles' birthday song. A Winegar birthday tradition. Strangely, I didn't get any photos of the birthday bear and hat.

Bob and Mim had prepared soup and sandwiches for dinner! But none of us could eat another bite.

But there's always room for See's.

Here's what I wrote on my thankful for list:

indoor plumbing
a warm house
family
DVR
chocolate
peanut butter
conditioner
books
Amazon
dishwasher
iPod
socks
yarn
fabric
Pinterest
cameras
temple
soft sheets
tea
KitchenAid
nail polish
hugs
teachers
ice water
stretchy pants
homemade cookies

Eva laughed at many of the items on my list, but then she had to admit that they are all pretty great. So much to be thankful for.

thankful thought #1

So thankful for antibiotics.

This week is infinitely better than last week!

I am thankful for...

lemons & limes
the smell of Marc's new cologne
soft yarn on my knitting needles
free fonts
hugs from my kids
my parents
my in-laws
Creative Friday tomorrow, hooray!
homemade rolls
cozy socks
Bengal Spice tea w/coconut cream creamer
music
polka dots
a stack of books waiting to be read
blankets
my camera
UP rewards at RiteAid
Bananagrams
TV on DVD/streaming Netflix
my silicone rolling pin
the Conference issue of the Ensign
candied yams
leftovers
smooth-writing black pens
good vision
pretty accessories
good friends
butter
pretty papers and fabrics
inspiration at the click of a mouse
wrapping paper
ribbon
online banking
a furnace that works
a car that works
lime green
monograms
light
Advil
prayer
faith
the Atonement of Jesus Christ
purpose

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for...

warmth.

On Friday morning, I was actually cold, which is a rare occurrence for me.

I loved being able to make myself a bowl of hot oatmeal with brown sugar. I ate it while wearing a scarf.

In the warmer months, I'm never able to enjoy the delicious feeling of snuggling down into warmth. I'm always trying to figure out how to cool off. So today, I'm thankful for a cozy warm house, sweaters, socks, boots, jackets, scarves, and the cooler temperatures which allow me to wear them without overheating!

I am thankful for...

lunch with Jill!

On the first Saturday after she started her new job, we met up at Los Hermanos for a leisurely lunch. It was so nice to just be able to sit and talk and catch up. (It had only been a week, but it was a momentous week.)

Plus, it was interruption-free! Bonus.

Pebble ice! Another bonus.

We agreed we were glad we didn't get seated underneath this guy. That might have affected my appetite. (On second thought, maybe I should get one of these for my house...)

Yesterday, Eva and I met Jill at the Jr. High for some Cafe Rio in the car. It's possible, but not the easiest way to do it. It was well worth it, though, even for a short lunch break. I've been going through withdrawal. (Creative Friday withdrawal for sure, but just Jill withdrawal in general.)

Eva wanted to sit on my lap. And tell jokes and riddles and sing. So while it wasn't leisurely or interruption-free, at least we still had some much-needed face time.

I am thankful for...

free downloads! Hooray, instant decor!

I am thankful for...

This stuff rocks. (Thanks, Denise, for introducing it to me!) It's like pure essence of lime.

So far, it's a tie for my favorite use: in my diet pomegranate 7up, or in my Coke Zero (trust me, it's a million times better than lime-flavored cola). But I'm sure there's a whole world of uses left to discover.

I am thankful for...

thoughtful notes.

I received this card from Jill on our first missed Creative Friday and it brought tears to my eyes. The good kind.

Today I was putting clean sheets on Max's bed and noticed (not for the first time) the cards he has displayed around his bed with magnets.

He has cards from both sets of grandparents, Aunt Jessie, and his first cello teacher. I read through a few of them and I could see why he would want to put them where he can see them frequently!

Thoughtful notes are kindnesses of the best kind – they're not that difficult to write (with a little practice, anyway), hardly cost anything, and they have such a positive impact on the recipient. As a mother, I am grateful that my child has such an uplifting collection!

I am thankful for...

rainy days. Especially when I can (mostly) stay inside my warm, cozy house.

Love days like today.

I am thankful for...

I am oh so thankful for the 12-grain hazelnut bread from Kneaders. Oh, to have a recipe for this! I'm also thankful for my new favorite sandwich recipe.