The little things...the REALLY little things

Dear Hooker-in-Charlie-Sheen's-hotel-closet:
He's a complete drug-addicted nut bag and you were in his closet. It doesn't bode well for either of you. No one cares about you or your lawsuit. We're barely curious when his karma is going to catch up with him and he's the one with a show that a bunch of people must like based on the fact that his network hasn't fired his crazy ass yet. Find a new hobby. Buh-bye.

Today, I am thankful I am not Charlie Sheen or a hooker who takes shelter from him in his hotel closet. Add to that list a wife, ex-wife, girlfriend or ex-girlfriend of Charlie Sheen.

Happy Tuesday before Turkey Day!

Thankful that we are nearing the end of this Thankful month?

Wow...I didn't foresee how challenging it would be to remember that I need to blog thanks each day this  month. I suppose I am busy doing and not so busy writing about the goodness of it. And I am happy that this thankful month is coming to a close...only b/c I don't enjoy the inadequacy I feel when I realize I have forgotten to blog my thanks for another few days.

Friday:  Bug wasn't feeling himself and he was warning me all day that his stomach was sick. Finally, around 4pm, when Big had been home for a bit, it came on strong. Bug said my tummy feels funny. Big asked if he thought he needed to throw up and Bug's face said it all...out it came! All the chunky, vomit-glory in a lovely hue of lavender-ish mauve thanks to the blueberry applesauce he had eaten for dessert at lunch. Bless his tiny heart and sick belly, I hurt for him. Big got busy cleaning the floor. I stripped Bug and tossed gross clothes into the laundry and shuttled the little man into the shower. He felt much better after the puke...don't we all? After his shower, we all took it easy and lounged at home for the evening. As crazy as it sounds, I was so glad that we got that first BIG puke out of the way. He had thrown up a little bit once before but this was a DOOZY! Throwing up is pretty traumatic for little people since they have no idea what is going on...and he made it through and felt better afterward. What a relief that it wasn't a stomach bug that kept him feeling bad after he threw up. Now, he thinks throwing up is the light at the end of the sick-belly tunnel. So yes, I am thankful that Bug threw up a boatload and bounced back nicely. At least, vomit is the big problem and nothing more serious. We are a lucky crew!

Saturday: We got to see the local high school band parade through our neighborhood. They are practicing for their appearance at the Fiesta Bowl and we had the good fortune to enjoy their practice. Bug hadn't seen a band before and he loves to groove. He and his little friends were dancing up a streak. They had such a great time! And after a brief crying spell, Bub enjoyed it too. At first, it was a little loud but he got used to it and bounced along in his Ergo. I posted the video that my girlfriend took on my face.book...if you happen to be a fb friend, check it out. It was a unique treat and I am thankful to see my little guy rocking out to a high school marching band without wandering far from home.

Sunday: I am beyond appreciative of all that we are able to provide our kids and the challenges they have (so far) been able to avoid knowing. We 'adopted' a child to get a Christmas gift for at our church yesterday...and will probably 'adopt' a few more before the end of the season. The 15-year-old boy we picked asked for a basketball OR a football. That just crushes me. I always associate such magic with the Christmas season and this young man is asking for something as simple as a football or basketball. I wish so much more for his life and his future. It isn't about gifts...I get that. The difficult part for me is imagining what his life must be like on any given day. It makes me sad and I wish I could do more. I am thankful for the financial hardships we haven't experienced and the ability to provide the basics and much more to our children.

Monday: We will be loading up shortly to head over to a birthday party. Bug's best buddy at school, Dylan, is having his party today at a bouncy house. It will be a wonderful way to spend the end of the day and we all get cupcakes. Any day that includes a cupcake is a day worthy of thanks! Plus, Dylan's mom is a gifted baker and cake/cupcake decorator. I can't wait to see what she has come up with for us to enjoy. Should be a hoot!

Wishing you an abundance of things to be thankful for in your own life.

Hope you're thankful for another 3 thanks

In the few minutes I manage to get to myself in these past several evenings, is it any wonder blogging doesn't even make it on my radar? I have been slaving away trying to get a year's worth of kid pictures condensed, captioned, edited and sensibly placed in that Shutter.fly photo book I was raving about the other day. And yes, I still adore the photo books...they are undeniably a labor of love and time consuming if you happen to be an OCD perfectionist, as I am.

SO, here we go again with 3 days worth of thanks...

Tuesday: I was thankful for a resilient and happy Bub as he got his second dose of flu shot that morning. Had things gotten frustrating, it was going to be an unbearably LONG day and night as Big was traveling. But as it happened, no trouble at all...save for a quick sniffle at the time he felt the shot.

My boys don't get too bothered by shots thankfully. That still gives me no peace with Bug's 4 year well-check approaching and his resulting anxiety regarding the 4 shots. He will be largely unaffected at the appointment but in the months leading up, I hear it about almost daily.

Wednesday: I was thankful to be mom to two such patient and well-behaved little guys. Our morning took a turn. Our original plan of going to a local little kids amusement park was sidelined and we wound up at the outlet mall to get Bug some new shoes. It was a breeze! Bub didn't give any fuss about riding in the stroller but seemed to enjoy all the stuff he was getting to see. Bug tried on several pairs of shoes and was a great listener. This isn't a boast...b/c this is not his normal, everyday behavior...he decided to roll with it and not get all kinds of crazy and rambunctious. Ah, what a blessing...Thank you, boys!!!

Thursday: Today...I am thankful for the hilarious and sweet statements from Bug every single day. Just this morning there were a few things. About his new sneakers: "These shoes are so fast. I am going to race Dylan and win. These shoes are so fast even-I will probably run into the walls since they (the shoes) only run and don't stop." On his thankful turkey at school: (No, Big and I didn't even get a shared mention on one thankful feather) He is thankful for 'going peepee and washing hands alone, playing with Bub, playing in his playroom, using his stool to open the window shades in his playroom' and a couple other things. It touches me that he appreciates his independence b/c we do a lot to foster that around here. And most importantly, I don't mind if I never make it on his list of things to be thankful for as long as his brother always makes it. That was my dream in having a second child...that they be a buddy to each other. Yes, it is early and we will have many battles ahead. Still, it bodes well in my opinion that Bub got his first thankful feather.

Still ahead tonight, girls night with my mom friends from church. Hoping for fun since I will be exhausted by that time! Oh, and wine. Did I mention wine? There will be wine. I am thankful for wine. Very thankful for wine. Jesus clearly hit on something good with wine.

Three days o' Thanks

Saturday was a day of Fall festivals...we only made it to one b/c Bug had his last soccer game of the season right in the middle of the afternoon. Plus, it was cool weather so it actually felt like a Fall festival. What a treat! I am thankful to live in a small enough town that we enjoy little street festivals a few times throughout the year. I grew up in Miami, FL and we had no such little festivals...the festivals we had were quite large and more hectic than enjoyable, in my opinion. I am glad to be bringing my boys up in this small town.

Sunday was cloudy, cold, and drizzly. A perfect day to be indoors working on our lazy. And we didn't have anything outside the house to do after church and grocery shopping...so we stayed in and hung out together. Lazy-ish! I did a few loads of laundry, made a big batch of baby food and just watched football with my fellas. I am thankful to have a lazy day every now and then when the weather forces us...and might even enjoy a lazy day indoors when the weather is perfectly wonderful.

Today, Big set off on another work trip. That's nothing unusual or anything to be thankful about. What I am thankful for is that he delayed leaving on his trip so he could come with us to Bug's swim lesson. Having him there was a huge deal to Bug and he enjoyed it every bit as much as Bug. It is a blessing to have a husband who takes his fatherhood so seriously and makes time every chance he gets to be a part of Bug's day-to-day life. He travels and has so much calling his time but he makes a point to stop and enjoy daddy time. Not many fathers seem to do that...maybe more than I think...but I am thankful, in any case.

Big, Bug hugs

So, it is easier to 'thankfully blog' daily with one kid than two kids as evidenced by my success last year compared to this year. I am sure plenty of people pull it off simply and I am equally sure that I am not one of them.

I will not miss a day of thanks even though I may not blog them daily.

Yesterday, Big made it home from his trip and it was a HUGE relief to have another hand to help out around here last night. I am thankful for Big's timely return and the chance to get a few more things done in preparation for my Polar TEXpress train ride for the kids in early December.

Today, I am thankful to have gotten quiet snuggle time with Bug this morning before we jumped into our day. So often lately, I feel like I am barking out directions and being an unhappy mom. It is rare that I get to just enjoy time with him alone without anything else pulling me away. Twenty minutes of hugging it out is just the way to start the day.

Swinging and Adult Conversation

Things have been a little hectic...

Bug has strep and Big is traveling and Bub is crawling and I need a nap. So I am a day late again posting but am doubling up my thanks.

Yesterday, I was extraordinarily appreciative to have some adult conversation after 2 days stuck in the house with a sick Strep kid and his incredible, crawling baby brother. It was a girls-night-in to be shared with a few of my girlfriends. Unfortunately, two of them were down sick and another was wiped out after a day of work...in the end, two of us chatted, drank wine and watched a little Dancing program on ABC. I needed that time with a grown-up...and a glass of wine.

Today, I thank my lucky stars that Bug has just figured out how to swing by himself. Ah, all the time I will have to myself now that he won't require my arms to do the work for him. It's already paying off as I prepped tomorrow night's dinner while he is out there swinging himself senseless and the little Bub is tucked safely in a Sesame Street activity center. So, I also toss out a little thanks for containment!

These things are what get me through the rough days!

Shutterfly Photo Books

Shutterfly photo books are the single greatest gift for grandparents 'evah' and I am thankful to have found them and made them our signature gift for Christmas.

They do take time to put together but are so easy to design and a treat to give to your kids as well. The photo book we made for Bug last Christmas of all his big events in 2009 is still his favorite book to read at bedtime. Looking forward to continuing the tradition with both boys this year.

Check them out if you haven't already...they have a variety of themes and a huge selection of page backgrounds that you can mix and match into every themed book.

On all fours

Today I am thankful and celebrating that Bub is crawling.

He has been on all fours and rocking for just over a week so I was somewhat mentally prepared for this to happen.

It may be less than 24 hours until I am cursing this same milestone. At that time, I will completely deny ever appreciating Bub crawling and will clarify that today I am thankful for the back-to-back showings of "Anchorman" on TBS.

Sweet sleep and Little Stingers

Evidently, yesterday I was thankful for my bed as I fell fast asleep around 7:45 after I tucked Bug into bed. It seems to always happen on Friday nights that I am asleep before Bug.That bed is a welcoming haven at the end of a long week...and this week Big didn't even travel.

Today, my thanks is more thought out.
It is our second to last Stingers game this season. The Stingers are Bug's soccer team and Big is their coach. We have had practices every Thursday and games every Saturday for the past 9 weeks. We have a great bunch of little guys and Big is infinitely more patient than any person in the world when he is coaching. What started as a mish-mash of fussy 3-year-olds clustered around a ball on the field has become almost an organized game with everyone having a blast while points are being scored frequently...in our own goal.

As we near the end of the Stingers season, I appreciate all that team sports teach the kids. These are lessons that kids and even some adults seem to have never learned...work together, finish what you start, do what you say you are going to do b/c people are counting on you, roll with the punches and move on when something bad happens or you miss a chance for something great. Thank you soccer (and Big as the coach) for helping to teach our kids important lessons that will make them kids (and one day adults) with sense.

Mom friends

I am very thankful for the mom friends I have made in our mom's group at church. There are only a few of us but the older moms (grandmoms and great-grandmoms) who have visited our group as speakers are wonderful, too.

I have recently learned there is a common thread between mothers regardless of age or experience. I am surprised when these older women who I consider to be very 'churchy' (for lack of a better word) turn out to be women that I can relate to as mothers and as friends. I am far from what I would consider 'churchy' so I often feel quite flawed when first interacting with these older women. But, in spending time with them, I am discovering that we are all flawed and each deal with things in our own ways. They are not better mothers, friends, wives or women than I am...we are all just doing our own thing and doubting ourselves. We just have different areas of focus and doubt.

Today, an older woman from church joined us to share an idea that she is using with her grandsons during Advent this year. During her visit, she praised us for coming together for support and friendship and shared some of her most pressing struggles presently and from her past. Her husband (of 45-ish years) was diagnosed with Alzheimers 3 years ago and it is beginning to change him into a different person. She is having a terrible time with that. She also shared that she had a 5 week old daughter who died of spinal meningitis between her first and second boys...she has 3 boys. She cried about both of these situations with us. She hardly knows us...2 of our moms are casual acquaintances of hers from church and myself and the other mom are complete strangers to her. (Well, she and I recognize each other from services but nothing more than smiles and nods at that.) Her candor was surprising but perfectly understandable because she realizes what I am just learning...that we are all the same in more ways than we are different and we all care.

Of course, we care...we are mothers.

Modern Family

So thankful for Modern Family after a way too long day. Phil Dunphy cracks my ass up.

And as luck would have it...I'm kinda married to him. Big has some stuff in common with Phil. He cracks my ass up, too.

Back in the sad-dle...or should I say glad-dle?

It is November and last year I blogged each day about something I am thankful for and I plan to do it again this year. It feels good to count my blessings...and sometimes be thankful in writing after a great or not-so-great day.

Today I am being thankful for 2 things since I missed my chance yesterday.

Yesterday, in the car with the boys heading through the toll and the people in front of us are going ridiculously S-L-O-W so I sigh loudly...Bug says, "Mommy, now is when you call him an idiot!"

That is my boy! And I love him...especially when he recognizes what a sigh really means. And it must be noted...he said idiot not any form of fuck. And I might have tossed out a 'Fuck!' had the day been more hectic before we encountered their snail-ish pace. So, yes, he says inappropriate words but chose to keep it more kid-friendly...perhaps b/c there is a baby in the car these days.
I am grateful to have a son who keeps me on my toes and cracks me up...A LOT!

Today I am thankful that I can vote. Sure, I m WAY out-voted and negated here in Texas but I still plan to exercise this right and chalk one up for the liberals! At least, we live in the most liberal part of Texas.

Go ahead and get your grateful on too...