Day 15 a day later...

Yesterday I was thankful I was able to get my family Christmas Town tickets to Busch Gardens.  The last two years I was able to score some for $5 during special deals, but this year they announced they would not have that, and the best deal was a buy one for half off get one free (still a great deal).  It was a limited offer on Wednesday, and I tried for hours, but their website was wonky and wouldn't complete my order.  I was sad as with a family of 5 I don't feel like it's wise spending a lot on an outing that close to Christmas at full price, especially since mine usually only last an hour or two outside in the cold there.

Luckily the next day they extended the offer and I was able to get out tickets!  I know we will have a great time together as a family!

Thankfulness catch up...

I am sooo behind.... sorry about that.   I am going to do a quick catch up.  I have been crazy stick with apparently food poisoning from eating chicken wings at a restaurant.  You just don't even want to know what my poor daughter and I went through these last few days.

Day 7: I am thankful for my job.  It's not perfect, and it drives me crazy, but the bottom line is, I am thankful to have one, and I am thankful to work with good people.

Day 8: I am thankful for coffee.  Sometimes a coffee break, or just having one in the morning on my way to work is just what I need to relax, and wake up.

Day 9: I am thankful for new tires for my cars.  Both of my cars needed them, and let's face it they are not cheap, and I am thankful my hubby took care of getting them put on to keep us all safe.

Day 10: I am thankful for the new shop near my house called Clothes Mentor.  This is a great consignment shop that recently openend and I love it!  I got a dress from there that I wore to my husbands police awards dinner, some great Stella and Dot jewelry,  some jeans, and a few other odds and ends.  Great prices!  I also took a few of my own items in and got cash on the spot and was pleased with what they gave me.  I love a bargain!

Day 11: I am grateful that my children have such great friends.  On November 11th we went to two fun birthday parties for some sweet kiddos that my kids play with .  I love seeing my children laughing and playing with their buds.  Sometimes I feel like all we do is go to birthday parties, but it's a blessing that my children have so many good friends.

Day 12:  I am thankful for a new hair product I got when I got my hair done last week called Crack.  It puts Moroccan Oil to shame, and that was my great love for the longest time.  Great product and an appropriate name.

Day 13: I am thankful that all of my girls have great teachers this year.  We have usually been very lucky in this area,  but last year we had a doozy of an experience with my youngest that has me all kinds of amped up still.  So thankful that our children are in great hands this year.

Day 14:  I am thankful that my older children go to St. Andrews.  This school is just amazing.  The teachers and staff are so caring.  A little girl in 5th grade lost her father to cancer this fall, and the care that the school took in comforting this little girl and her family was just amazing.   For the funeral they did a half day so the faculty could attend.  Where else would that happen at???  I love everything that this school stands for, and for what they are teaching out kids.

Day 6 of Thankfulness...

Today I am thankful for the right to vote!    We all rocked the vote in my family!  Go Romney!!!

Day five of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for my children.   I have three beautiful, healthy girls.  I never in my life pictured myself having three kids, but I would not change it for the world.   Shoot, I even worried that I would never be able to have children, and then look who was pregnant for basically three years straight.....  The happiest days of my life were the days that each of them were born.  There is no love, like the love for a child.  Being a mom is tough, but it's also the most amazing job in the world.  I am so proud of them, and just want to do what's best for them.  I panic and stress over the smallest things, but it's all for them, and me just caring about how it could impact them.   My children hold me together without even knowing it.  When I am down, and think I can't go on, they are what makes me.  You just don't know unconditional love, until you look in your child's eyes.

All I can hope for is, that I raise happy, confident children, who know without a doubt that their mom and dad love them, and would give them the world if I could.

Day Four of Thankfulness....

Today I am thankful for the fact that my husband, myself, and children are healthy.  I stress about their every move.  Get worried over anything, but the fact is we are so lucky to have our health.  Even though in the winter it feels like someone always has a cold, ear ache, fever, cough, etc etc, we are still in good health.  I feel for the family who have had to have battles serious illnesses, or live with every day chronic illnesses.  Makes everything seem so small.

Day three of Thankfulness....

Today I am thankful for my amazing husband.  We have been married for 9 years this past September, and have been together since December 2000, when we starting dating in college.  Dave is an amazing father and husband.  He is always there for myself the kiddos.  He coaches them in sports when he's able (coaching tball is no easy feat.  I rather do manual labor then do that), he arranges his schedule to make it or at least give every effort to make it to school conferences, activities, etc.   He even puts up with me which I know isn't easy.  I can be terribly selfish, needy, and demanding, and he deals with it, and brings me back to reality when I need it.  He just completes me, and my girls are so lucky to have such a loving daddy.

Day 2

Today I am thankful for my parents.  They help out so much with the girls when we are working, and spoil them silly.  My girls are so lucky that we live so close to them (next door =) ).  My mom acts as a carpool driver for the kids for school most days, runs Emily to her speech therapy,  and anything else that goes on during working hours so we can pay the bills and put food on the table =)   We couldn't do it without their help!

30 days of Thankfulness...

My friend Grace is doing a 30 days of Thankful on her blog and invited others to play along.
Click here to check out her blog!  I think this would be great for me, as I really need this.  Life gets so crazy and overwhelming, and we all need to slow down and focus on what really matters.  Also, it seems like these days everyone skips over Thanksgiving just goes from Halloween straight to Christmas.  I want to slow time down a little, and enjoy every moment of the season.

For Day 1 I am thankful for my close friend Polly.  She has three kiddos just like myself, and she's just one of those people who is accepting and real, and never judges anyone.  I don't have to stress if she or her family is coming by about cleaning my house, and our families really enjoy hanging out and enjoying each others company.

(Polly normally isn't dressed up like a vampire, but hey it was Halloween)

Another reason her friendship sticks out with me is because she helped talk me "down" Tuesday evening.  I have been super stressed lately, the last week I was trying my best to get everything done, attempt to be a super mom and have a pumpkin party for my kids, run everyone to their needed appointments, while being overwhelmed with work, and attempting to get ready for a hurricane.  I also knew I had a UTI, but kept trying to deal with it or put off, or tell myself it was in my head.  Not the best thing to do.  I would up at Urgent Care Sunday, and it turned into a kidney infection as I let it go on way too long.  Not a good thing to do.  Despite putting my own health at risk, I was feeling exhausted but accomplished, and so at the end of my work day Tuesday, when I find out that a coworker was mad that I wasn't at work on Friday, on a schedule day off of mine that I needed to be off to take my daughter to an eye specialist let's just say I lost it.  I felt like I had busted my butt all week with work, went beyond the call of duty on several things, and still couldn't make everyone happy.  I bawled at work.  I walked to my car still crying and drove my hour commute home still ballistic. Polly called me, and talked some sense into me.  She helped by telling me that I am a awesome mom, and proof that I was so upset and cared enough to be upset was just another reason why I am an awesome mom and worker.  After talking to her I felt so much better, and was able to clearly examine the situation, and realize I did nothing wrong and just need to continue to take care of what's important and just ignore the others.  Not rocket science, but when your a stress ball like me, I found the talk pretty encouraging considering how bonkers I was feeling.  Friendships are super important, and for hers I am thankful!