Grateful for the Peace of Painting

I am grateful to be able to take the time to paint and explore my creative side. Grateful for a family that supports this. Grateful for a husband and daughter who encourage me and think all my art is amazing. They are fantastic for my self-esteem. 

Still Blessed

I don't have photos to post to accompany this post but was thinking of blessings today.

I have noticed an increase in the number of panhandlers lately. They seem to be moving out into more and more suburban communities as well. This is not meant as a social commentary, or the start of a discussion on the economy. Merely an observation.

It puts into perspective what is important and forces me to re-consider what "broke" is. Despite some months being leaner than others, I am grateful that we are able to provide our children with a home, food to eat, the opportunity to participate in sports, and the absence of fear from any of the above. My heart breaks for those who struggle with the basics and the children who wonder what each day will bring.

I am grateful for having a husband who supports my need for creativity. For friends who love me even when I fall off the planet, caught up in my projects.

I am grateful for so much more but that is what is on my mind today.

We have been blessed and I truly believe the Lord provides what we need. Not always what we want, but always what we need.

Beyond Blessed

Grateful for the last day of work. Grateful for the fantastic friends I've made over the past 10 years. Great co-workers, great bosses! I felt very loved today. Going to miss everyone! 

Thankful for friends who offer to babysit with a seconds notice (even though I think she was joking). Recovering from surgery on Wednesday but still spent the day with a 9 year old. And it sounds like they both enjoyed it. 

Play-Doh Princess

Anique said she was so tired she needed to go lay down and sleep. So I went down to check on her after a bit and what do I find...

She found all her play doh and has whipped up a meal if noodles and dessert. 

I was just wondering last week if we should clean out and get rid of the play doh because no one uses it...I guess she's not too grown up yet. Thank goodness. 

Rainbow

Grateful for unexpected beauty. 

Huge rainbow across the road on the way home. 

Day 98

 

I'm grateful to have a child who loves to read. She's really into her Judy Moody books right now and reads and re-reads them whenever she is between other books.

 

I walked in to tuck her in for bed and she was sprawled on Peter (giant Costco moose).

Day 97

Today we braved the downpour and went up north to see the tulips in bloom. This was the first weekend of the tulip festival and the fields were in bloom.

 

I'm grateful for Ken for driving up there in the driving rain and suffering silently while I took pictures. We didn't stay too long because we were drenched so quickly but it was fun spending time with him, Anique and Chayton today.

Day 89

 

Once again I'm all mixed up on my days.

Bailey really, really wanted to take Ellie to the beach on Saturday. So we picked her up from dance that afternoon and headed to Picnic Point Park. The weather was warm (over 50 degrees is considered warm) and the beach was beautiful.

The beach is quite rocky but is the perfect spot for walking and talking. Of course, I was the third wheel so they wandered off and I took pictures like bad paparazzi. Okay, I limited myself to just a couple.

I am grateful for the time to enjoy the beach and a relaxing day spent reading and soaking up the sun.

Day 92

Yesterday was Anique's 9th birthday. I can't believe she is so big already. I'll be doing a full post over on my regular Whimsy and Life blog but wanted to put a little something here as well.

I am grateful I was able to take a day off and spend her birthday with her. I'm grateful my husband was able to be home with us too. I'm grateful for her kind, sweet and loving nature. I'm grateful we have her in our lives.

 

 

Day 86

This week the elementary school has been celebrating Spirit Week. They get out early everyday this week for Parent-Teacher conferences. Each day has a theme. Today was Twin Day. Anique and her best friend, Maddy, were so excited to dress up. They really, really wanted to make it inot the yearbook.

 

Maddy's mom picked them up matching t-shirts and they each wore their gray jeans and black boots. Maddy came over this morning before school and I put a waterfall braid in each of the girl's hair.

 

I'm grateful that the girls have each other and I'm grateful they can have fun together. Don't they look cute. I took a picture of the Maddy's hair but Anique just couldn't be left out. Hilarious!

 

 

 

 

 

Day 85

 

Sadly, I don't have a picture to back up my gratitude post this time. However, I am grateful for the sunshine we had yesterday. I am also grateful that I have an employer who is flexible enough to let me out early to attend a soccer game.

I was able to leave a couple hours early to see Bailey play in one of his school soccer games. They are all scheduled so early and many of them are quite a drive away so this may have been the only one I will get to.

The weather was beautiful and it was great to be able to see them all play and see the team relationships.

Day 79

 

Little Miss Anique wasn't feeling well this week. She toughed it out through school on Monday because she didn't want to miss American Girl Club and because of our TV rule. (If you don't go to school, then there is no video games or Netflix/TV). Sleeping and reading or other non-electronic choices are it.

 

She stayed home with my mom on Tuesday and with me on Wednesday (Day 79). While I'm sorry she wasn't feeling well, I'm grateful we were able to get some one on one time. She finished up Holes and in the afternoon I decided to let her watch the movie. I decided it was educational since it was related to the book. Okay, maybe that was a stretch to console my guilty conscience.

Reading her Nook

 

 

 

Day 78

 

I'm grateful that spring is here. I love the bright colors, everything seems happier and warmer. The tree in the front yard is beginning to bud. Everything is coming alive again.

 

The displays of tulips are spectacular. Yes, it's still cold out and there has been snow and hail the past few days but the sun is shining too.

 

 

 

Day 63

Anique is participating in her schools American Girl club this month. The club meets once a week and they learn about one of the girls. This includes learning about the time period, culture, food or whatever else might be relevant. There is generally a project or reading that goes along with the lesson.

Girls bring their dolls if they have them and introduce them on the first day. Anique's birthday isn't until April but my mom decided to take her shopping a little early. Anique was very excited to receive her very first American Girl doll and was so excited to take her to school on Monday. She picked out Saige.

I'm grateful for my mom (who spoils my daughter beyond belief) and for the fact that Anique is still in an age of play and not rushing to grow up too fast.

Day 60 & 62

Sorry I'm a little mixed up with my posts. I've been alternating back and forth between memory cards so I keep skipping days and then finding my pictures again.

 

I fell off the wagon. I am a huge Coca-Cola addict but like all addicts, once I start drinking it, I seem to drink more and more. I had been soda free since the beginning of the year but was neeeeeeeding a Coke.

 

I am grateful for Ken for indulging me and getting me such a pretty bottle too. Tasty aesthetically pleasing. 

I'm so excited my orchids are blooming. I was given this plant  as a gift a couple of months ago. I watered it a few times and all of my blooms fell off. I then had a plant with two sticks growing out of the dirt. But, they were healthy looking sticks. I kept watering it intermittently and now one of my "sticks" has a branch of buds and so far two new blooms.

I am grateful for the friend who gave me the gift and for the delicate beauty it brings to my windowsill.

Day 59 & 61

 

 

I'm grateful for a sweet co-worker who brought in sweet treats on Friday. Frost Doughnuts in Mill Creek has some of the best doughnuts around. Not only do they have traditional flavors, such as this jelly filled one but they also offer some custom flavors as well. They are especially known for thier delicious smokey bacon maple bar. The salted caramel is yummy too.

 

 

Ken and I participated in the Hot Chocolate run this morning. This was our first 5K. I was so, so nervous because I thought someone was going to have to drag me across the finish line. But we both finished and it was a nice feeling of accomplishment. Ken not only finished but also ran the entire thing (unlike his out of shape wife who had to do some power walking on the hills--maybe it was the doughnuts). I'm very proud of him.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to share this event and time with Ken.

Days Behind

I've fallen behind listing my gratitude. It has been a chaotic and challenging couple of weeks. As I told Ken, I'm looking on the positive side, but it would be nice if I had less challenges to explore the good side of.

Sorry, some of these pictures aren't very good. I shot the ones of the fridge with my cell phone in the dark using only the flash to provide light because I didn't want to wake anyone up and I was on my way to the hospital to see my grandma.

I'm behind on days, so here goes a general summary:

Fridge: I'm grateful we had a mini fridge to use when ours went kaput. And grateful for a husband who lugged it upstairs from the garage so it was more convenient to use. I'm grateful that it was delivered successfully and hey now I have a super clean fridge!

Hot Water Heater: I'm grateful that I have a hubby and father-in-law who are experienced with pipe and who were able to replace the hot water heater without having to hire someone. I'm also grateful that hot water heaters are reasonably priced (never in the budget, but so much less than a fridge). Who knew!

Grandma: I'm grateful my grandma won't need any facial surgery following her fall a week and a half ago. I'm grateful my grandma made it through her unexpected surgery (different problem) successfully and while still facing some challenges is recovering. I'm so, so, so thankful to my mom who takes such good care of her (and all of us).

Kids: I'm grateful that Anique has a friend she can giggle with and hide out in her temporary fort (fridge box=over-sized fort). I'm grateful (and proud) that Bailey works so hard on his soccer and took the risk to tryout for his school team. Double practices on some days but he's doing a great job.

I'm grateful for the time I got to spend in Anique's classroom teaching an art lesson. It's fun to see the kids try out new things and see how their individual personalities come out in their pieces.

Car: I'm grateful that our mechanic didn't charge anything to run a diagnostic test on my car when the engine light came on and gave me some tips to try to resolve the problem. Unfortunately, the light is back on and I'll be visiting him again soon but I'm grateful to have a mechanic we can trust.

I'm grateful that the thief who got into my car only took the Sirius radio (which I hadn't activated in a couple of years) and left everything else mostly alone.

I have a sign down in my office that says, "I know God wouldn't give me more than I can handle, I just wish he didn't trust me so much." I'm definitely feeling that sentiment about now.

Despite the challenges of the past couple of weeks, I am so fortunate to have a strong support system around us and a mostly healthy family (colds don't count in February right?)

Day 49

Anique and Maddy have been wanting to start a book club for the past couple of weeks. They changed their mind about the book they originally chose. I arranged to take them both to the library on Monday. Of course, I forgot they would be closed for President's Day.

 

So, I took them to Flirt instead. Flirt is a frozen yogurt place tucked inside a local gas station. So it's not fancy but it's so, so good! They have several different flavors of frozen yogurt to choose from and lots and lots of toppings.

 

The girls were very excited and it was great to see them together and listen to all their stories.

 

I'm grateful for the time spent with them and their youthful openness.

Day 45

 

Ken and I bought our first house about 11 1/2 years ago. It was a little big for us but we added another child, and of course somehow it gets full. Do we really need all this stuff. The first few years we had very nice neighbors, but they also were adding a child and moved to a larger home.

 

Our sweet neighbor moved in and has been a blessing! Anique loves here. She is a dedicated gardener and lets Anique assist with planting, weeding or whatever she might be working on. They just chat and chat. Anique and Bailey water her flowers when she is on vacation.

 

We try to help out whenever she asks and she shares our green bin (for yard waste). We never fill it and are more than happy to let her add her clippings and leaves. We exchange small gifts at the holidays and show each other our project successes.

 

The day before Valentine's Day she dropped off a sweet treat for the family tied with a ribbon.

 

We are so grateful that we have been blessed with such a generous and special neighbor. In past years we have considered moving occassionally but I don't think we could find a better neighbor. We are truly lucky!

 

Day 44

 

She's just so darn cute. This week she tried for a "love" theme several days in a row in observation of Valentine's Day. This was Wednesday's outfit. Pink leggings, denim ruffle skirt, and panda love shirt. And, of course, her purple monster bag.

 

I'm grateful that she is a mostly a good natured child and she still has excitement for the little things in life.

 

Day 40 &43

 

 

Sunday evening Ken and I left the kids at home and headed to Mill Creek for a grown up dinner. What made it a grown up dinner, you ask? Well, we chose a restaurant that we both enjoy and the kids don't. No mac and cheese, grilled cheese or chicken strips on the menu. Kafe Neo is a very small chain (3 locations) of Greek restaurants. We have now been to all of their locations. The Mill Creek one is definitely the nicest. Small but has a great atmosphere. I was coveting the chandeliers.

 

 I had a grown up drink (Ken was driving). It was an ouzotini. I had forgotten what ouzo was. Holy moley, the  licorice flavoring was strong! We both had gyros and salads. And of course the skordalia is a must to try! I need to experiment and learn to make it myself.

 

I am thankful for the opportunity to spend grown up time with Ken. It was a nice night of catching up without interuptions. A true treat.

 

One of the radiologists I have worked with is leaving the company after this week. We are holding a potluck tomorrow for her and we always sign a card for someone when they are leaving. Or coming. Or celebrating a birthday. Or...you get the point.

Anyhow, we didn't have any going away cards in our handy card binder so I volunteered to make one. Normally, I make something with paper, die cuts, etc but I thought it would be fun to make a more graphic card this time. I put this together in Photoshop and am really pleased with how it came out.

I am grateful for the years working with this provider and the opportunity to get to know her. Also, for getting a chance to do a more creative project with my Photoshop skills. Granted it was a simple one, but fun.