zzzzz...

the thankfulness continues with:

-z

why ask 'y'

-y

x

-x

w

-wine
-water
-warmth
-white christmases

the secret of 'v'

i am thankful for:

-v

only 'u'

-u

t

-tinfoil
-tea with milk and a dash of honey
-tapioca pudding
-tulips
-taxes
-teachers
-trash collectors (what a horrible, thankless job)
-traditions
-tabletop decorations (i love them!)

s

-shelter
-seasons (well, spring, summer and fall anyway)
-sunrise
-sweet potato fries
-space/stars
-sunflowers
-sting rays
-skiing in the black hills
-stationary/school supplies

rollin', rollin', rollin', keep those r's a-rollin'

-raspberries
-redemption

remembering may 20th

today is the 6-month anniversary of my dad's death. each day with him gone, means i have to let go of a plan i had for my dad. he will not play catch with the boys in the backyard; he will not watch the boys play football; he will not be there when the boys hit a homerun for the first time; he will not help design and build the boys a fort; he will not advise me on the tools i need to construct furniture; he will not fix my electrical problem in the laundry room; he will not be there when we build above the garage. i relied on his guidance and expertise a lot. i miss you daddy.

i finally sent in the paperwork for my insurance inheritance. i have no idea what i am going to do with it. ideas i am toying with are lasik eye surgery, landscaping our yard, family vacation on a disney cruise, savings bonds for the boys' college, adopting a girl...

i want to do something that he would approve of.

minding my pea's and q's

can i find anything that starts with 'q' to be thankful for? i'm not sure, but i'll give it a try:

-quality time with the people i love
-quotes that make you think
-quiet/harmony

p

-photography
-pinesol
-pansies and poppies
-peaches
-peppermint
-police (THANK YOU for helping to keep our streets safe)
-philanthropy and generosity
-purpose
-prayer
-pedicures
-pillows
-perfume, specifically the smell of cashmere mist
-praise

two things i despise: prostate cancer and pedophiles

o

i have deep gratitude for:

-ordinary people who do heroic things
-obedience from my children
-oak trees
-order and organization

n

-nuts, especially cashews
-new life
-noticing you have grown up

m

things that i am grateful for include:

-music
-military (THANK YOU for your service to our country)
-mushrooms (they make most meal better)
-mashed potatoes
-messiah
-metal that i am not allergic to and can wear (aka my new wedding ring)
-memories
-midwest work ethic
-moonlit nights spent on the back porch with bfp

la, la, la, la 'l' words

-lilacs
-laughter
-lullabies
-living on a lake
-light and heat from the sun
-lazy sundays spent lounging in bed
-lip balm (no seriously, without this i'd be hurtin')
-lobster (oh yeah baby!)
-loyalty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ3eiaK6LAU

oh-'k', doh-'k'

-knee-high boots
-kissing
-kitchen appliances
-kuchen (it tastes so good it's magical)
-knitting

jack-in-the-'j'

-joy
-jelly (homemade, of course)
-jewelry

i

you can never have too much of this:

-iris
-imagination or intelligence
-incredible, incurable, indestructible love
-inner strength to overcome obstacles

h

-hot water for showering
-hospice volunteers and workers
-hgtv
-heaven
-hors d'oeuvres
-honey
-health
-honesty, honor, humility, happiness, hope

golly 'g'

appreciating the large and small things in my world:

-God
-grandparents
-girly, flirty, enticing dresses (aka gowns)
-glitter
-garage sales
-gifts (both giving and receiving)
-globes, especially vintage
-gloves
-gardening
-garlic
-grilled cheese sandwiches (yum!)
-granola on yogurt (double yum!)
-gleeful giggling full of goofiness
-gratitude

'f' it

-football (NOT the sport, my oldest son)
-forgiveness
-frogs (so many childhood memories involve these amphibians)
-fairs (i love the carnival rides... and the fried food... and the craft booths... and the people-watching)
-fireworks
-fleece blankets
-'french' anything (french kiss, french wine, french fries)
-fridays

oh you rascally 'e'

i am grateful for:

-elections
-electricity
-eggs
-elipticals
-evergreens
-erections (sorry, tmi)
-eyes
-elegance

d

today i am thankful for:

-daisies and daffodils
-donating to charity
-dreams
-dancing
-dishes (i have a china and platter addiction)
-dogs, specifically my dog
-deodorant (what a smelly world we'd be without this)

i see, you see, we all see 'c'

-CHEESE!!! (stop by my blog http://www.everythingisbetterwithcheese.blogspot.com for recipes involving cheese)
-crisp fall weather
-caramel apples
-cherries
-colors, specifically turquoise
-calla lilies
-church
-certainty
-card games
-contacts (so i can see without wearing glasses)
-chandeliers (and other thing sparkly, pretty, shiny)
-cameras
-clean houses
-crockpot cooking
-comfortable friendships (and furniture!)
-cuddling with the hubster

4 = b

-bfp
-books (of course)
-bible (which is technically a book, but i thought it rated its own entry)
-blogging
-balance (i mean the life thing, but not falling over is pretty nice too)
-basil pesto
-barbeque chips
-bacon
-butterflies (but i hate actual bees)

brought to you by the letter 'a'

i got up this morning (reluctantly) and realized that it is already the THIRD of november. (no one can accuse me of not being quick!) i want to take the month of novemeber to make a list (me and lists, sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g...) of the things i am grateful for. this list is brought to you by the letter 'a'.

-advent (it might be too early to bring christmas preparation into the discussion, but that's how i roll)
-angels
-artwork from my son, artist
-adhesive (yes, i could just say 'tape' but that isn't as much fun, plus it starts with the wrong letter)
-adoption
-alphabet (yay for spelling! and words!)
-adjectives
-archs in architecture
-aprons
-asparagus and avocados
-affection

one thing i am not grateful for and think may be evil: alarm clocks

**what are you grateful for?

number fifty!!!

this is my 50th post! whoever would have thought that one new year's resolution would have had such an impact? crazy!

poodle princess in the driver's seat

i'm doing nano again this year. last year i wrote 30,000 words and this year my goal is 40,000. i have a great idea for a children's novel. wish me luck!

you can join me at www.nanowrimo.com.