Yes, it's three-day's worth of thanks!

1. Girl's night out with a friend to see Catching Fire
2. Rick's great job
3. Children who go to sleep easily
4. Simon repeating "I love you" a few times in the car after he and I had butted heads about something
5. Visiting with my cousin LaRea and meeting her husband. She'd never met Rick before. 
6. Piper's selflessness in her Primary class at church
7. A new brunch spot
8. My study of humanities in college which helps me better understand the deeper meaning of art and things
9. Daphne's tooth finally broke through
10. My big brother, Mark. It's his birthday today and I'm so glad that we are such good friends. I look up to him, appreciate his counsel, and love having him as a friend, as well as a brother.  His wife, Kristen, is awesome too. 
11. Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins
12. Piper's teacher and Simon's teachers. I know that while they are at school, that they are being taught and guided by people who love them. 
13. Daphne falling asleep in my arms this afternoon and having a short snooze together
14. Our wonderful landlords
15. Online shopping

Thanks Two-fer

1. Playroom sort - I was able to clean out and sort a bunch of the kid's toys today, not as much as I wanted to do but domething is better than nothing.
2. Grilled cheese & tomato soup
3. RS sisterhood, specifically the women I work with in the Relief Society presidency
4. Simon's preschool - it's where Piper went to preschool too and I just love his teachers. 
5. McDonald's ice cream cones
6. My niece Emma's birthday today. She's 19, how did that happen?!  She's leaving on a mission in February. We miss her already. 
7. Headphones - Simon has recently discovered the joy of headphones. He watched a movie this morning with headphones on next to me and I was able to get a quick nap. 
8. Rick came home early because I had a migraine. I think it may have had more to do with the KU game but I appreciated it just the same. 
9. Early bedtime - I conked out at 9:30.  
10. Mallomars

Today's Gratitude List

1. A walk down memory lane.  Somehow tonight I was surfing the internet when I started looking up old TV shows I used to watch as a kid, specifically cartoons.  I found YouTube had almost all of them in full episodes.  It was amusing, to say the least, to see shows like Thundercats, Kissyfur, Bionic Six, Today's Special, Turkey Television, the Polka Dot Door, and Beverly Hills Teen.  I was surprised at how much I could remember of them.  Ahh, the good old days.  Oh, and I also found Australia's version of Play School which brought back great memories of Piper as a baby; we used to watch it together.
2. Modern technology.  This morning over breakfast the kids and I were able to have family scripture study with Rick even though he was in Las Vegas.
3. I woke to a clean kitchen.  It was a rare but pleasant experience to wake up this morning without any dishes in the sink or on the counter.  This is fully in my control but it doesn't happen that much.
4. It started raining this evening.  I love to be home and hear the rain outside.  I don't like going out in it that much but it is such a lovely background noise.
5. Exciting Christmas gifts for friends and family.  How is it December next week already?!

Thanks for a Tuesday

1. A great report card and parent/teacher conference with Piper's teacher.  She's doing great and her teacher recognizes her kindness and honesty.  No problems to speak of and her reading and vocabulary are stellar.
2. Easy mornings.  The kids went to bed way too late last night but I let them sleep in this morning.  They were much more amenable to waking up since I let them rest a little longer AND I heated up some chocolate/chocolate chip muffins from Costco for breakfast.  Daphne slept until 8:15!!
3. Cozy jammies and slippers
4. Always having enough food.  I put together two boxes of extra food to give to the food bank drive at Piper's school.  It's not a lot but I'm grateful that we have enough for ourselves and enough that we can share.
5. Book fairs.  Piper and I went shopping at her school book fair today.  I remember how much I loved my school's book fair.  It's fun sharing that experience with her.

Monday's Musings on Thanks - Day #18

1. I'm grateful that my children ate hearty dinners tonight.  They tend to be picky, light eaters, which is why they're as skinny as they are.  They ate second helpings, and did so neatly, despite the meal being pasta.
2. Costco.  I don't go that often and when I do, I don't buy a lot.  But it's nice to have a lot of good things in one place.  It's one store where I do tend to buy a lot more healthy produce.
3. Subway.  Simon and I like to go to Subway together.  He picks out the chips he knows I like and we often share a cookie or two.
4. Beginning a new book.  (Thanks Chellese!!)
5. Thanksgiving is next week.  How did that happen?!  I love the holiday though and wish it could last longer than an afternoon.

Sabbath Day Thanks

1. We made it through church today.  It started poorly with us being late.  Then Simon spent most of sacrament meeting in the hall with either Rick or me because he was being so disruptive and grumpy.  Then I had to conduct Relief Society and he managed to sit quietly most of the time.  He was one tired boy.  So I'm thankful that we made it through church today despite difficult children and other stresses.
2. Beautiful cake Rick made me for my birthday today.  
3. Unexpected gifts.  Rick got me a gift card for a massage (which is what I had asked for) and some great kitchen towels from William-Sonoma.  Simon got me some shea butter from L'Occitane and Piper got me my favorite chocolate peanut bar from Vosges.
4. Daphne's smiles
5. No unfolded laundry waiting for me.  I did it earlier this week!

Saturday Gratitude - Day 16

1. Sleeping in
2. A fun Relief Society activity
3. 1-on-1 time with Piper
4. See's candy (and free samples too)
5. A lovely Japanese birthday dinner with Rick.  My parents were surprise guests.  I was so blown away that they were there.  It was a really nice time with good food, though Daphne was so tired.  Poor girl.
6. Bonus thanks: my niece Louisa has her birthday today.  #15, wow!  She is very talented and beautiful too.  It's also my brother, Rob's, birthday today too.  We miss having him close now that he's moved to Arizona.  He's a great big brother too.