I just thought I would share some quotes that I like about being thankful to end off the year. Enjoy!
Difficulties are opportunities to better things; they are stepping stones to greater experience. Perhaps someday you will be thankful for some temporary failure in a particular direction. When one door closes, another always opens.
-- Author Unknown
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.
-- Melody Beattie
Gratitude helps you to grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life and into the lives of all those around you.
-- Eileen Caddy
It isn't what you have in your pocket that makes you thankful, but what you have in your heart.
-- Author UnknownNone is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude. Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy.
-- Fred De Witt Van Amburgh There is always, always, always something to be thankful for.
-- Author Unknown Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out.
-- John Wooden
You won't be happy with more until you're happy with what you've got.
-- Viki King
Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone. ~G.B. Stern
Gratitude is an art of painting an adversity into a lovely picture. ~Kak Sri
He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has. ~Epictetus
Thou hast given so much to me,
Give one thing more, - a grateful heart;
Not thankful when it pleaseth me,
As if Thy blessings had spare days,
But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise.
~George Herbert
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it” - William Arthur Ward
Friday, December 31, 2010
Day 73: This past year
Hi again,
Today I am thankful for the past year or at least I am trying to be. The year started out poorly but by about February/March it started to look more promising and by about August it really started to go downhill again. During October I feel that I really hit rock bottom which is one of the major reasons I started this blog. I feel I have come a ways since October and I feel that I may be ending off the year in about the same position I was in when I started 2010 albeit a little stronger physically. I am not sure how many people follow this blog other than my mom, but to anyone still reading-it really means a lot to me that you feel it's worth your time. Through the ups and downs of this year, I think I have become a stronger person even though it doesn't feel that way sometimes. With what happened in October, I realized that you never know what is around the corner and even when it seems like you can't go on and it can't get better that it can. I am not saying that I no longer get to points in my life where I feel I can't go on but that I know there is the possibility it can get better. I have also learned to to look out for blessings in my life a lot more than I used to and it makes me feel better emotionally when I am always on the look out for blessings in my life no matter how small they may be. I am very grateful for the roof over my head this year, having enough food to eat, having clothes on my back, and all the other blessings I have mentioned. Sometimes my life can seem really bad because I look at what I don't have or can't do but when I look at what I do have, it really isn't so bad. I may deal with a lot of physical pain and I can't work or live on my own yet but I have a family that loves me and a place to call home and a bed to sleep in and food to eat which is not something a lot of people can say. I am hoping that 2011 is better than 2010. Lately I have looked at 2011 and seen it as another year that I have to make it through but maybe it won't be so bad. Maybe this year I will finally be able to start working again and be able to get back on my feet or begin to. Last year I hoped for the same things which causes me to lose some hope but last year I wasn't where I am now and I hadn't gone through a year like I just did if that makes sense. Maybe knowing what I know now and having experienced what I did in 2010 will help 2011 to go better. Anyways I hope that everyone has a Happy New Year and that 2011 is a great year for you!
Today I am thankful for the past year or at least I am trying to be. The year started out poorly but by about February/March it started to look more promising and by about August it really started to go downhill again. During October I feel that I really hit rock bottom which is one of the major reasons I started this blog. I feel I have come a ways since October and I feel that I may be ending off the year in about the same position I was in when I started 2010 albeit a little stronger physically. I am not sure how many people follow this blog other than my mom, but to anyone still reading-it really means a lot to me that you feel it's worth your time. Through the ups and downs of this year, I think I have become a stronger person even though it doesn't feel that way sometimes. With what happened in October, I realized that you never know what is around the corner and even when it seems like you can't go on and it can't get better that it can. I am not saying that I no longer get to points in my life where I feel I can't go on but that I know there is the possibility it can get better. I have also learned to to look out for blessings in my life a lot more than I used to and it makes me feel better emotionally when I am always on the look out for blessings in my life no matter how small they may be. I am very grateful for the roof over my head this year, having enough food to eat, having clothes on my back, and all the other blessings I have mentioned. Sometimes my life can seem really bad because I look at what I don't have or can't do but when I look at what I do have, it really isn't so bad. I may deal with a lot of physical pain and I can't work or live on my own yet but I have a family that loves me and a place to call home and a bed to sleep in and food to eat which is not something a lot of people can say. I am hoping that 2011 is better than 2010. Lately I have looked at 2011 and seen it as another year that I have to make it through but maybe it won't be so bad. Maybe this year I will finally be able to start working again and be able to get back on my feet or begin to. Last year I hoped for the same things which causes me to lose some hope but last year I wasn't where I am now and I hadn't gone through a year like I just did if that makes sense. Maybe knowing what I know now and having experienced what I did in 2010 will help 2011 to go better. Anyways I hope that everyone has a Happy New Year and that 2011 is a great year for you!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Day 72: Technology advancements
Hi again,
Today I got into a conversation with my mom about how far technology has come and how thankful I am for the technology we have today. When I was little we were so excited when we got to go over to someone's house who had a computer because we didn't have one yet and we played games like pac man and thought it was so cool. lol I was talking to my mom remembering the time that my parents had to get a bigger hard drive for their computer that they used for their business and it was a few hundred megabites and that seemed enormous to me and now some external hard drives are over 1Tb. I don't think you can even buy an sd card that is less than a gb anymore. lol It isn't even that long ago really. I am also extremely thankful that we now have mp3 players! I remember when I got my first personal cd player that I had saved up for and I thought that it was portable and I could walk around with it. But cd players had the problem of skipping and the songs not playing correctly but it was so neat to be able to have something portable still. In my lifetime (which isn't actually that long) just with music, we have gone from records and tapes to cds to music on mp3 players. With computers it has been quite drastic also from our old tandy computer with the dos prompt to the computers now that can have over 1tb hard drives and multiple gb of memory. Sorry it just amazes me how much technology has advanced even in the last 20yrs. It also keeps advancing which causes me to wonder what we will have access to in another 10yrs. Sometimes I feel that technology can be a hinderance that it gets in the way of us living our lives because we are able to be connected 24/7 if we want to be and it can cause us to not be as present as we should be with the people physically around us. But most of the time it is quite nice to have what we have now. One last thought before I go-I was looking at photos the other day that I took with a regular film camera about 10yrs ago and was amazed at the quality difference between those photos and the photos I can take with a digital camera now. I thought those photos were clear before but now I have a digital camera that takes MUCH better photos! I am so thankful for that as well!!! So this is why I am thankful for technology advancements. :)
Today I got into a conversation with my mom about how far technology has come and how thankful I am for the technology we have today. When I was little we were so excited when we got to go over to someone's house who had a computer because we didn't have one yet and we played games like pac man and thought it was so cool. lol I was talking to my mom remembering the time that my parents had to get a bigger hard drive for their computer that they used for their business and it was a few hundred megabites and that seemed enormous to me and now some external hard drives are over 1Tb. I don't think you can even buy an sd card that is less than a gb anymore. lol It isn't even that long ago really. I am also extremely thankful that we now have mp3 players! I remember when I got my first personal cd player that I had saved up for and I thought that it was portable and I could walk around with it. But cd players had the problem of skipping and the songs not playing correctly but it was so neat to be able to have something portable still. In my lifetime (which isn't actually that long) just with music, we have gone from records and tapes to cds to music on mp3 players. With computers it has been quite drastic also from our old tandy computer with the dos prompt to the computers now that can have over 1tb hard drives and multiple gb of memory. Sorry it just amazes me how much technology has advanced even in the last 20yrs. It also keeps advancing which causes me to wonder what we will have access to in another 10yrs. Sometimes I feel that technology can be a hinderance that it gets in the way of us living our lives because we are able to be connected 24/7 if we want to be and it can cause us to not be as present as we should be with the people physically around us. But most of the time it is quite nice to have what we have now. One last thought before I go-I was looking at photos the other day that I took with a regular film camera about 10yrs ago and was amazed at the quality difference between those photos and the photos I can take with a digital camera now. I thought those photos were clear before but now I have a digital camera that takes MUCH better photos! I am so thankful for that as well!!! So this is why I am thankful for technology advancements. :)
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Pictures of the Christmas Cactus as promised!
Here are a few photos of the Christmas cactus. the first one is a picture of the one side of the cactus to show how full of flowers it is. This is it's second time blooming this Christmas season(in the last couple of months). The second photo is a closeup of one of the flowers to show how beautiful they are.
Day 71: Surveys
Hi again,
Today I feel thankful for so many blessings but all of which are things I have already mentioned. I am thankful for a nice warm house because it is so cold outside today, a nice soft bed, food to eat, a heated home, a woodstove, etc. Aside from this, I have been having another rough day physically so it took some time for me to be able to come up with something to write about. I don't want to write about anything silly but something with real meaning but sometimes it seems as though it is all I can come up with. Today I came up with something that may or may not have much meaning or may seem silly to some but I am thankful for surveys. What I mean by this is that I am thankful for the ability to voice our opinion and to have our opinion counted and to affect the outcome of something. I am part of Ipsos Reid and the Angus Reid poll and these may or may not sound familiar but they are companies that do surveys for others (companies or whoever) that need the public's input. I think how it works is they select people from their members that may fit certain criteria needed to give an accurate opinion like a certain age group or people that like certain activities pertaining to the product that is part of the survey. Not that long ago, I did a survey where it was asking about pennies and whether I felt they should be taken out of circulation and then today the results were posted and it is really neat to be a part of that. I am not sure if the results will have much impact on the decision made on whether to keep pennies in circulation or not but it might. I just like the thought that my opinion matters and I can help companies (or the government) create products or services that better suit our needs or wants. It also isn't just my opinion but the opinion of many people so it is a good representation of how the general public feels. Sometimes I may not be on the side of how the majority of Canadians feel but none the less it helps give companies a better understanding what Canadians like or want to see. As you can tell, I love being able to give my opinion. lol So this is why I am thankful for surveys.
Today I feel thankful for so many blessings but all of which are things I have already mentioned. I am thankful for a nice warm house because it is so cold outside today, a nice soft bed, food to eat, a heated home, a woodstove, etc. Aside from this, I have been having another rough day physically so it took some time for me to be able to come up with something to write about. I don't want to write about anything silly but something with real meaning but sometimes it seems as though it is all I can come up with. Today I came up with something that may or may not have much meaning or may seem silly to some but I am thankful for surveys. What I mean by this is that I am thankful for the ability to voice our opinion and to have our opinion counted and to affect the outcome of something. I am part of Ipsos Reid and the Angus Reid poll and these may or may not sound familiar but they are companies that do surveys for others (companies or whoever) that need the public's input. I think how it works is they select people from their members that may fit certain criteria needed to give an accurate opinion like a certain age group or people that like certain activities pertaining to the product that is part of the survey. Not that long ago, I did a survey where it was asking about pennies and whether I felt they should be taken out of circulation and then today the results were posted and it is really neat to be a part of that. I am not sure if the results will have much impact on the decision made on whether to keep pennies in circulation or not but it might. I just like the thought that my opinion matters and I can help companies (or the government) create products or services that better suit our needs or wants. It also isn't just my opinion but the opinion of many people so it is a good representation of how the general public feels. Sometimes I may not be on the side of how the majority of Canadians feel but none the less it helps give companies a better understanding what Canadians like or want to see. As you can tell, I love being able to give my opinion. lol So this is why I am thankful for surveys.
Day 70: Weather forcasts
Hi again,
This post is for yesterday. To be honest I actually was so distracted by some great deals I got that I sort of forgot to post on here. Anyways yesterday I wanted to post that I am thankful for weather forcasts. Actually I am more thankful for accurate forcasts and yesterday made me think of this because it wasn't accurate. lol Weather is unpredictable at best it seems so it is pretty amazing that the forcasts are as accurate as they are. Then there are a few weather people who are more accurate than the rest and that makes my life even easier. The reason I am thankful for this is because weather greatly affects what we do here in Alberta and elsewhere, especially during the winter months. It is funny how much I plan what I am going to do based on what the weather will be doing. lol In the winter there are storms that greatly affect the the road conditions which can cause us to be stuck at home. If we know a bad storm is coming we can prepare and then stay home and stay off the roads to avoid an accident or getting stuck. During the rest of the year, it is very helpful to know if a day will be overcast and raining to know if you can plan to do stuff outside or not. Here in Alberta, forcasts are especially helpful because the weather can change so quickly that it isn't always useful to just look outside and think that it will stay that way. There is the famous saying around here "if you don't like the weather wait 5minutes" and people who visit here have told me that the weather can change very quickly. So as you can see, weather forcasts are very important and something to be very thankful for to avoid bad weather and also be able to enjoy the good weather. This is why I am thankful for weather forcasts and weatherpeople who take on the job of forcasting weather!
This post is for yesterday. To be honest I actually was so distracted by some great deals I got that I sort of forgot to post on here. Anyways yesterday I wanted to post that I am thankful for weather forcasts. Actually I am more thankful for accurate forcasts and yesterday made me think of this because it wasn't accurate. lol Weather is unpredictable at best it seems so it is pretty amazing that the forcasts are as accurate as they are. Then there are a few weather people who are more accurate than the rest and that makes my life even easier. The reason I am thankful for this is because weather greatly affects what we do here in Alberta and elsewhere, especially during the winter months. It is funny how much I plan what I am going to do based on what the weather will be doing. lol In the winter there are storms that greatly affect the the road conditions which can cause us to be stuck at home. If we know a bad storm is coming we can prepare and then stay home and stay off the roads to avoid an accident or getting stuck. During the rest of the year, it is very helpful to know if a day will be overcast and raining to know if you can plan to do stuff outside or not. Here in Alberta, forcasts are especially helpful because the weather can change so quickly that it isn't always useful to just look outside and think that it will stay that way. There is the famous saying around here "if you don't like the weather wait 5minutes" and people who visit here have told me that the weather can change very quickly. So as you can see, weather forcasts are very important and something to be very thankful for to avoid bad weather and also be able to enjoy the good weather. This is why I am thankful for weather forcasts and weatherpeople who take on the job of forcasting weather!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Day 69: Footprints Poem
To be honest, today was a pretty rough day physically so I was unable to do much today and it makes it hard sometimes to be positive when you can not move around too much. But there is always something to be thankful for and with my day the way it has been, I thought of the Footprints Poem :) I have always loved that poem because I feel I can relate to the author where I feel as if I am walking alone when things get really tough. Sometimes where people are concerned, I do basically walk by myself (my family is there for me) but it is a comfort to know that God is there even if I don't see Him or feel Him and especially at the times when I need God the most. I would like to share the poem now for anyone who is unfamiliar with it or maybe hasn't read it in awhile.
Footprints
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the shy flashed scenes of his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonging to him and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it. "Lord you said that once I decided to follow you, You'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most, You would leave me."
The Lord replied, "My precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."
Author unknown
I would like to mention that when I googled the poem, I noticed there is controversy over who actually wrote this poem and so I thought I would write Author unknown as it says on my poster. I would love to give credit to the author but I don't want to give credit to the wrong person. I also understand there is some controversy over what the poem says but to me I just feel it reminds me that I am not alone and I am thankful for this poem to remind me of that. Too many times, people let me down and I am left feeling as though I am going through stuff practically on my own (my family is there for me still) when I need support the most but God will never leave me and I can count on Him. I know that doesn't mean God will make everything better but He is there to help me through it. I am also thankful to my mom for giving me this poem many years ago when I felt I was going through bad stuff alone and needed to know that I wasn't. Thanks for reading this post.
Footprints
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the shy flashed scenes of his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonging to him and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it. "Lord you said that once I decided to follow you, You'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most, You would leave me."
The Lord replied, "My precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."
Author unknown
I would like to mention that when I googled the poem, I noticed there is controversy over who actually wrote this poem and so I thought I would write Author unknown as it says on my poster. I would love to give credit to the author but I don't want to give credit to the wrong person. I also understand there is some controversy over what the poem says but to me I just feel it reminds me that I am not alone and I am thankful for this poem to remind me of that. Too many times, people let me down and I am left feeling as though I am going through stuff practically on my own (my family is there for me still) when I need support the most but God will never leave me and I can count on Him. I know that doesn't mean God will make everything better but He is there to help me through it. I am also thankful to my mom for giving me this poem many years ago when I felt I was going through bad stuff alone and needed to know that I wasn't. Thanks for reading this post.
Day 68: Boxing Day Deals
Hi again,
This post is for yesterday and I was thankful for Boxing Day deals and while there was not alot of deals to be had, there was a few. I like to go boxing day shopping and I think this year is the first year in awhile that I have been able to go. I think the last time I went was boxing day in 2006 because Oct. 2007 is when I had my first back surgery and since then I haven't really been able to go due to pain. So this year I thought I have to go. lol Boxing day shopping sure isn't what it used to be when I was younger though. Already by 2006 it was getting less rewarding to go out. Now it seems like most people feel that way here where I live and it wasn't busy really at all so it was easy for me to get what I came for and go again. lol Or maybe we just chose the right moment to go where there were not many people shopping? It may have been quite busy at other times of the day but not when we went thankfully! I went in mainly for an sd card that was on sale for 6.00 which is a good price. Also there was some other items that I needed to get that were not boxing day deal related so I got it all done at once. :) It was actually surprisingly almost dead in some stores and on our way in there was very few cars on the road. Maybe people have caught on to buying stuff online and avoiding the line ups? Or like I mentioned before, maybe we chose the right time to go when it wasn't as busy. It made it great for me to go in especially after it has been so busy leading up to Christmas. :) I do sort of wish it was like it used to be where you could get really good deals and be rewarded for coming out and braving the lineups and crowds of people. I remember one year when I was young that we came to Future Shop and there was a line up outside the store and we came in the store and there was lots of items marked down really cheap. We got computer games for a few dollars and it was so exciting! None the less-this boxing day was fun even if there wasn't much on great deals. It was fun to remember the deals we have gotten on Boxing day in the past and spend time with my parents shopping even if I didn't buy much. My mom did get some really great deals on The Waltons dvds and we love that show so that was quite nice. Well this is why I am thankful for boxing day deals.
I did want to mention one other thing I am thankful for that I felt I just had to mention. I experienced a beautiful moment where I was watching the sun rise and the song The First Noel came on the radio and I can't really explain it but it was just such a beautiful moment. The sunrise was stunning and the song is so beautiful as well and it just seemed to fit together somehow. So I wanted to mention it.
This post is for yesterday and I was thankful for Boxing Day deals and while there was not alot of deals to be had, there was a few. I like to go boxing day shopping and I think this year is the first year in awhile that I have been able to go. I think the last time I went was boxing day in 2006 because Oct. 2007 is when I had my first back surgery and since then I haven't really been able to go due to pain. So this year I thought I have to go. lol Boxing day shopping sure isn't what it used to be when I was younger though. Already by 2006 it was getting less rewarding to go out. Now it seems like most people feel that way here where I live and it wasn't busy really at all so it was easy for me to get what I came for and go again. lol Or maybe we just chose the right moment to go where there were not many people shopping? It may have been quite busy at other times of the day but not when we went thankfully! I went in mainly for an sd card that was on sale for 6.00 which is a good price. Also there was some other items that I needed to get that were not boxing day deal related so I got it all done at once. :) It was actually surprisingly almost dead in some stores and on our way in there was very few cars on the road. Maybe people have caught on to buying stuff online and avoiding the line ups? Or like I mentioned before, maybe we chose the right time to go when it wasn't as busy. It made it great for me to go in especially after it has been so busy leading up to Christmas. :) I do sort of wish it was like it used to be where you could get really good deals and be rewarded for coming out and braving the lineups and crowds of people. I remember one year when I was young that we came to Future Shop and there was a line up outside the store and we came in the store and there was lots of items marked down really cheap. We got computer games for a few dollars and it was so exciting! None the less-this boxing day was fun even if there wasn't much on great deals. It was fun to remember the deals we have gotten on Boxing day in the past and spend time with my parents shopping even if I didn't buy much. My mom did get some really great deals on The Waltons dvds and we love that show so that was quite nice. Well this is why I am thankful for boxing day deals.
I did want to mention one other thing I am thankful for that I felt I just had to mention. I experienced a beautiful moment where I was watching the sun rise and the song The First Noel came on the radio and I can't really explain it but it was just such a beautiful moment. The sunrise was stunning and the song is so beautiful as well and it just seemed to fit together somehow. So I wanted to mention it.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Day 67: Christmas!
Hi again,
Today I am thankful for Christmas of course!!!! Whether you celebrate Christmas for spending time with family and friends or presents or Santa or Jesus' birth-it is a great day to be thankful for! I personally see Christmas as a day for Jesus' birth and time to spend with family and friends. Being a Christian, I believe in Jesus and that we celebrate His birth on this day and I am very thankful for this. For me it is quite amazing. I realize we don't all believe in the same thing and I respect that but I think it is ok to share this. I am just mentioning this because I know it can be a sensitive subject for some. Anyways back to what I am thankful for. I feel it is also a time to celebrate our family and friends and share what they mean to us and be thankful for them. I think we can all relate to the feeling that we don't say it enough how much we appreciate/love people in our lives. For my family and I, we are not really into presents for Christmas and the emphasis is more about spending time together which doesn't happen enough through out the year and reflecting on Jesus and His birth. We actually celebrated Christmas a week ago because that is the way it worked out but we still celebrated Christmas again today even though it felt a bit strange. Christmas 2 weekends in a row! lol It was fun though. For my family and I, we don't have the stress that comes with Christmas for other people and I like that and I am so very thankful for that also. Maybe a big part of it is that we are not really into presents which cuts out a big chunk of the stress over the holidays for people. Then for Christmas we have a tradition of eating Pizza by candle light which may sound weird and it is a long story but we do that every year which is fairly stress free also. That way we have more time to spend with each other and reflect on the reason for Christmas without having to spend half the day in the kitchen or alot of time running around for presents in the months leading up to Christmas. I am very thankful for Christmas at our house. That is why I am thankful for Christmas.
Today I am thankful for Christmas of course!!!! Whether you celebrate Christmas for spending time with family and friends or presents or Santa or Jesus' birth-it is a great day to be thankful for! I personally see Christmas as a day for Jesus' birth and time to spend with family and friends. Being a Christian, I believe in Jesus and that we celebrate His birth on this day and I am very thankful for this. For me it is quite amazing. I realize we don't all believe in the same thing and I respect that but I think it is ok to share this. I am just mentioning this because I know it can be a sensitive subject for some. Anyways back to what I am thankful for. I feel it is also a time to celebrate our family and friends and share what they mean to us and be thankful for them. I think we can all relate to the feeling that we don't say it enough how much we appreciate/love people in our lives. For my family and I, we are not really into presents for Christmas and the emphasis is more about spending time together which doesn't happen enough through out the year and reflecting on Jesus and His birth. We actually celebrated Christmas a week ago because that is the way it worked out but we still celebrated Christmas again today even though it felt a bit strange. Christmas 2 weekends in a row! lol It was fun though. For my family and I, we don't have the stress that comes with Christmas for other people and I like that and I am so very thankful for that also. Maybe a big part of it is that we are not really into presents which cuts out a big chunk of the stress over the holidays for people. Then for Christmas we have a tradition of eating Pizza by candle light which may sound weird and it is a long story but we do that every year which is fairly stress free also. That way we have more time to spend with each other and reflect on the reason for Christmas without having to spend half the day in the kitchen or alot of time running around for presents in the months leading up to Christmas. I am very thankful for Christmas at our house. That is why I am thankful for Christmas.
Day 66: Christmas Eve Service
Hi again,
This post is for yesterday and I was thankful for the Christmas Eve Service. This year we went to another church and we didn't feel it was the best service we have been to but it was nice none the less. I am thankful for the Christmas Eve service because it reminds us exactly why we celebrate Christmas and it always makes it feel so much more like Christmas after the service. This church didn't have the candle light part where all the lights are turned off and we sing by candle light and I love that part. It's always amazing to me how candles are never accidentally dropped and there are no incidents while dealing with so many candles. But it is really quite beautiful with all the candles creating this soft glow in the room while singing Christmas songs. I think that is partly why we didn't like the service so much last night because my family and I enjoy that part. But it was nice to go and the message was good and we were reminded of and brought back to the reason for Christmas which can sometimes get lost among everything else going on. We get sidetracked by preperations and gifts and stress and it is good to be reminded that it isn't about all that and it is about Jesus' birth.
As for how I am doing, for some reason I was having a rough day and I am not sure why because usually Christmas Eve is fun. But to get through it, I used the day to reflect on all the blessings in my life from the ones I have posted on here to others that I have not yet posted. I really wonder sometimes if anyone actually reads this or not but I reminded myself that the first purpose of this isn't other people but to help me see the blessings in my life more and to be more positive. The second purpose of posting on this blog is to hopefully help other people to count the blessings in their own life and to see how blessed we all are even when so much bad stuff is going on. But if that doesn't happen it won't stop me from attempting to fulfill the first reason that I do this. Thanks to anyone who reads my posts each day and Merry Christmas!
This post is for yesterday and I was thankful for the Christmas Eve Service. This year we went to another church and we didn't feel it was the best service we have been to but it was nice none the less. I am thankful for the Christmas Eve service because it reminds us exactly why we celebrate Christmas and it always makes it feel so much more like Christmas after the service. This church didn't have the candle light part where all the lights are turned off and we sing by candle light and I love that part. It's always amazing to me how candles are never accidentally dropped and there are no incidents while dealing with so many candles. But it is really quite beautiful with all the candles creating this soft glow in the room while singing Christmas songs. I think that is partly why we didn't like the service so much last night because my family and I enjoy that part. But it was nice to go and the message was good and we were reminded of and brought back to the reason for Christmas which can sometimes get lost among everything else going on. We get sidetracked by preperations and gifts and stress and it is good to be reminded that it isn't about all that and it is about Jesus' birth.
As for how I am doing, for some reason I was having a rough day and I am not sure why because usually Christmas Eve is fun. But to get through it, I used the day to reflect on all the blessings in my life from the ones I have posted on here to others that I have not yet posted. I really wonder sometimes if anyone actually reads this or not but I reminded myself that the first purpose of this isn't other people but to help me see the blessings in my life more and to be more positive. The second purpose of posting on this blog is to hopefully help other people to count the blessings in their own life and to see how blessed we all are even when so much bad stuff is going on. But if that doesn't happen it won't stop me from attempting to fulfill the first reason that I do this. Thanks to anyone who reads my posts each day and Merry Christmas!
Day 65: The Dog Whisperer
Hi again,
This post is for Thursday and I am thankful for the show the Dog Whisperer. Why? Well we have a puppy and she is more than a handful and someone pointed me to the Dog Whisperer show and so I got the first season from the library and started watching it. I have learned a few things from the show about dogs that I never knew before and I have had dogs most of my life. Not only that, I have learned more why dogs are behaving the way they do and how it is important to be "calm and assertive". I can't say that I have that down pat but I am trying. I don't know if I have the ability though to help Coco with the amount of knowledge I have. I think there is only so much I can learn from the show and I have never had a dog like her-all our other dogs were much more laid back. Anyways, I am learning alot from the show and whether I use what I learn on Coco or any other dog-it should be helpful.
I was thinking this week how I might want to change things a bit with the blog. I don't know if there are many people actually reading it so I don't think it matters too much. I want to add a bit on the bottom of some posts how my day or week is going in addition to what I write each day. I don't know if I will add to every post but I thought it would possibly be nice for people to know what else is going on. This way I can also add in what I am thankful for if I have already mentioned it on a previous day. :) For this post there isn't much to add because Thursday wasn't too eventful for me other than getting stuff done around the house. Thanks again to everyone who reads my blog! I know that my family reads it at least. :)
This post is for Thursday and I am thankful for the show the Dog Whisperer. Why? Well we have a puppy and she is more than a handful and someone pointed me to the Dog Whisperer show and so I got the first season from the library and started watching it. I have learned a few things from the show about dogs that I never knew before and I have had dogs most of my life. Not only that, I have learned more why dogs are behaving the way they do and how it is important to be "calm and assertive". I can't say that I have that down pat but I am trying. I don't know if I have the ability though to help Coco with the amount of knowledge I have. I think there is only so much I can learn from the show and I have never had a dog like her-all our other dogs were much more laid back. Anyways, I am learning alot from the show and whether I use what I learn on Coco or any other dog-it should be helpful.
I was thinking this week how I might want to change things a bit with the blog. I don't know if there are many people actually reading it so I don't think it matters too much. I want to add a bit on the bottom of some posts how my day or week is going in addition to what I write each day. I don't know if I will add to every post but I thought it would possibly be nice for people to know what else is going on. This way I can also add in what I am thankful for if I have already mentioned it on a previous day. :) For this post there isn't much to add because Thursday wasn't too eventful for me other than getting stuff done around the house. Thanks again to everyone who reads my blog! I know that my family reads it at least. :)
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Day 64: Potlucks
Hi again,
This will be a quick post because I have been up alot today and my back is in alot of pain. Today I am thankful for Potlucks because they are alot of fun and there is always good food and such a wonderful variety. People who know me, know that I love food and potlucks are amazing for me to be able to enjoy small amounts of alot of different food. Every Wednesday night I go to a bible study and tonight we all got together for a potluck and it was really alot of fun. There was great food and we had alot of fun talking and laughing and just having a good time. So this is why I am thankful for potlucks. Have a very Merry Christmas everyone!!!!
This will be a quick post because I have been up alot today and my back is in alot of pain. Today I am thankful for Potlucks because they are alot of fun and there is always good food and such a wonderful variety. People who know me, know that I love food and potlucks are amazing for me to be able to enjoy small amounts of alot of different food. Every Wednesday night I go to a bible study and tonight we all got together for a potluck and it was really alot of fun. There was great food and we had alot of fun talking and laughing and just having a good time. So this is why I am thankful for potlucks. Have a very Merry Christmas everyone!!!!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Day 63: The Shortest Day of the year
Hi again,
I suppose I am not thankful so much for the shortest day of the year as I am the fact that it means that the days start getting longer again. Today we only have 7 1/2hrs roughly of daylight and thankfully the days don't get any shorter than that here. Of course the further north one travels, the less daylight there is on the shortest day. Then if you travel to the arctic-there is no daylight at all. So when you think about that, 7 1/2hrs of daylight doesn't seem so bad right? lol I am also thankful that we have sunshine today and it isn't cloudy because then it is more difficult to take. When we already have so few precious hours of daylight, it isn't fun to have the sunshine blocked by clouds. So having the sun out today has been wonderful. Now we can look forward to the days getting longer again until we get to the longest day which has 17hrs of daylight!!! The weatherman Josh Classen on CTV news shared these stats on the noon news today and I couldn't believe how much difference there is between the shortest and longest day! No wonder it feels like we don't have much daylight because we really don't compared to the longest day. Anyways this is why I am thankful for the Shortest day of the year. :) Thanks for reading my blog and have a great Christmas!!!
I suppose I am not thankful so much for the shortest day of the year as I am the fact that it means that the days start getting longer again. Today we only have 7 1/2hrs roughly of daylight and thankfully the days don't get any shorter than that here. Of course the further north one travels, the less daylight there is on the shortest day. Then if you travel to the arctic-there is no daylight at all. So when you think about that, 7 1/2hrs of daylight doesn't seem so bad right? lol I am also thankful that we have sunshine today and it isn't cloudy because then it is more difficult to take. When we already have so few precious hours of daylight, it isn't fun to have the sunshine blocked by clouds. So having the sun out today has been wonderful. Now we can look forward to the days getting longer again until we get to the longest day which has 17hrs of daylight!!! The weatherman Josh Classen on CTV news shared these stats on the noon news today and I couldn't believe how much difference there is between the shortest and longest day! No wonder it feels like we don't have much daylight because we really don't compared to the longest day. Anyways this is why I am thankful for the Shortest day of the year. :) Thanks for reading my blog and have a great Christmas!!!
Day 62: Lunar Eclipse
Hi again,
This post is for yesterday but I am posting it today. I am thankful for the Lunar Eclipse that happened last night and being able to stay up to watch it! It is extremely rare to have a lunar eclipse on the Winter Solistice. The last time that one happened on this day was about 400 yrs ago and the next time that one will happen on this day isn't till the 25th century! Aside from how rare it is to see one on this day, it can be really difficult to be able to see a lunar eclipse when it happens because of clouds covering the moon or it isn't visible where you live. I have seen one other Lunar Eclipse in my life and that was when I was quite young and it was in the summer I believe. It is so fascinating to watch an eclipse. So this is why I am thankful for Lunar Eclipses. Thanks for reading my blog and have a very Merry Christmas!!!!
This post is for yesterday but I am posting it today. I am thankful for the Lunar Eclipse that happened last night and being able to stay up to watch it! It is extremely rare to have a lunar eclipse on the Winter Solistice. The last time that one happened on this day was about 400 yrs ago and the next time that one will happen on this day isn't till the 25th century! Aside from how rare it is to see one on this day, it can be really difficult to be able to see a lunar eclipse when it happens because of clouds covering the moon or it isn't visible where you live. I have seen one other Lunar Eclipse in my life and that was when I was quite young and it was in the summer I believe. It is so fascinating to watch an eclipse. So this is why I am thankful for Lunar Eclipses. Thanks for reading my blog and have a very Merry Christmas!!!!
Day 61: Rest
Hi again,
This post is for Sunday. For this day I am thankful for rest. The past few weeks I have had alot to do and have just gotten exhausted. I am sure many people can relate with Christmas approaching. When it is finally all done, it is so amazing to be able to take some time to rest and relax or even sleep. For me, I often push myself till I can't push myself anymore and I am in so much pain I just can't push myself to get up one more time. Sunday was one of those days and on these days I give in and allow myself to rest and I am so thankful for that rest. Some day I can be thankful for learning to pace myself but I am not there yet. lol But rest is quite wonderful because you feel so much better afterwards. I realize I am lucky to have the chance to rest when I need to and I am very grateful for that also. So this is why I am thankful for rest. Thanks for reading my blog and have a wonderful Christmas!!
This post is for Sunday. For this day I am thankful for rest. The past few weeks I have had alot to do and have just gotten exhausted. I am sure many people can relate with Christmas approaching. When it is finally all done, it is so amazing to be able to take some time to rest and relax or even sleep. For me, I often push myself till I can't push myself anymore and I am in so much pain I just can't push myself to get up one more time. Sunday was one of those days and on these days I give in and allow myself to rest and I am so thankful for that rest. Some day I can be thankful for learning to pace myself but I am not there yet. lol But rest is quite wonderful because you feel so much better afterwards. I realize I am lucky to have the chance to rest when I need to and I am very grateful for that also. So this is why I am thankful for rest. Thanks for reading my blog and have a wonderful Christmas!!
2 Months in and what I have learned
Hi again,
Well I have now been blogging for 2 months and I have noticed that I am seeing much more to be thankful for than before I started this project. I think it is partly due to watching more closely for things to be thankful for that I can post on my blog that I notice alot more blessings in my life. I find for the most part I am feeling happier than before also. I still have difficult days but doing this blog helps me through those days usually. Every day I am thankful for much more than what I post but for this project I am only choosing one each day to be thankful for and one blessing that I haven't wrote about previously. So when I am done at the end of the year, I should have 365 different blessings that I am thankful for. So far I have thought of 60 and there is still more to be thankful for! I am starting to have days here and there where I am having trouble finding blessings I haven't mentioned yet but there is always something even if it is small. Then I have other days where I have quite a few that I have noticed and could write about and I have trouble picking just one. But the best part of this blog is that it is helping me to keep more positive while I go through stuff that normally gets me very down. Something that is very difficult for me currently is my financial stuff and how close I could be to living on the streets if it wasn't for the help of my family and help I recieve from the government. I am not joking here or making light of the situation here. This is another reason I am so extremely grateful for my family. I am not lazy and I do not like the position I am in and I am trying to change it but my financial status does not have any bearing on how good or bad I am as a person. Being where I am has helped me realize how easy it is to lose material possessions and reinforce a belief I have that people who have no money are not neccessarily there because of something they did or didn't do. I see too often that people with money look down on people without money as if people without money are less of a person. That isn't the case neccessarily. I know that some are there because of bad choices but not everyone is. Anyways I apologize for going off track a bit but I felt the need to mention that. I have learned a fair bit through the past 2 months and I do not know if it is helping anyone else as well as me but I hope it is. Thanks for reading my blog and I hope you all have a Merry Christmas!
Well I have now been blogging for 2 months and I have noticed that I am seeing much more to be thankful for than before I started this project. I think it is partly due to watching more closely for things to be thankful for that I can post on my blog that I notice alot more blessings in my life. I find for the most part I am feeling happier than before also. I still have difficult days but doing this blog helps me through those days usually. Every day I am thankful for much more than what I post but for this project I am only choosing one each day to be thankful for and one blessing that I haven't wrote about previously. So when I am done at the end of the year, I should have 365 different blessings that I am thankful for. So far I have thought of 60 and there is still more to be thankful for! I am starting to have days here and there where I am having trouble finding blessings I haven't mentioned yet but there is always something even if it is small. Then I have other days where I have quite a few that I have noticed and could write about and I have trouble picking just one. But the best part of this blog is that it is helping me to keep more positive while I go through stuff that normally gets me very down. Something that is very difficult for me currently is my financial stuff and how close I could be to living on the streets if it wasn't for the help of my family and help I recieve from the government. I am not joking here or making light of the situation here. This is another reason I am so extremely grateful for my family. I am not lazy and I do not like the position I am in and I am trying to change it but my financial status does not have any bearing on how good or bad I am as a person. Being where I am has helped me realize how easy it is to lose material possessions and reinforce a belief I have that people who have no money are not neccessarily there because of something they did or didn't do. I see too often that people with money look down on people without money as if people without money are less of a person. That isn't the case neccessarily. I know that some are there because of bad choices but not everyone is. Anyways I apologize for going off track a bit but I felt the need to mention that. I have learned a fair bit through the past 2 months and I do not know if it is helping anyone else as well as me but I hope it is. Thanks for reading my blog and I hope you all have a Merry Christmas!
Day 60: Time with Family
Hi again,
This post is for Saturday because I didn't get to posting on Saturday. The reason is that we celebrated Christmas on Saturday because my family and I are unable to get together on the actual day of Christmas which brings me to why I am thankful for time with family. I am thankful for time with my family because it can be difficult to get together as often as we like so time we have together is special and I am thankful for every moment we have together. We don't have a big family and it is nice and simple for Christmas and now we have my nephew also and it is so much more fun. He is only a year old so he doesn't quite grasp the concept of unwrapping gifts or the excitement of Christmas yet but it is still fun to have him around and play with him and spend time with him. It is also so nice to spend time with my sister and her husband who we don't really get to see often enough as well with life getting in the way I guess. But it is great to see them when we do and to catch up in person vs the phone or email. So this is why I am thankful for time with Family.
This post is for Saturday because I didn't get to posting on Saturday. The reason is that we celebrated Christmas on Saturday because my family and I are unable to get together on the actual day of Christmas which brings me to why I am thankful for time with family. I am thankful for time with my family because it can be difficult to get together as often as we like so time we have together is special and I am thankful for every moment we have together. We don't have a big family and it is nice and simple for Christmas and now we have my nephew also and it is so much more fun. He is only a year old so he doesn't quite grasp the concept of unwrapping gifts or the excitement of Christmas yet but it is still fun to have him around and play with him and spend time with him. It is also so nice to spend time with my sister and her husband who we don't really get to see often enough as well with life getting in the way I guess. But it is great to see them when we do and to catch up in person vs the phone or email. So this is why I am thankful for time with Family.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Day 59: Sense of touch
Hi again,
Today has been a very long stressful tiring day and on days like this I like to think about the more meaningful blessings in my life. So today I am thankful for the sense of touch. With my surgeries, I lost feeling in my skin on my upper legs and back (not permanently). Before this happened, I never really thought about being thankful for the sense of touch or being without it. I have had to deal with being careful about spilling hot liquids on my lap because I don't feel it and it can burn my skin without me even knowing. The loss of feeling in the skin on my back was odd also and had it's issues as well. But what was really weird with my back was not feeling someone touching my back when they gave me a hug or something like that. If they pressed hard or patted my back then I would feel it beneath my skin and it would hurt because that area was healing. As I started to regain feeling in my back this year, I would feel sensations and not understand what was going on. It was scary when I first felt my hair brush against a spot on my back that was regaining feeling and I didn't know what was going on. lol It is like I had forgotten what it felt like. It has been interesting being without feeling because I touch my skin and it is like touching someone else's skin. That maybe doesn't seem like a big deal but it was really strange for me. I am regaining feeling in my legs much slower but it is returning. I don't want to ramble on too much on this because for others it may not be that interesting. But I have definitely missed the sense of touch/feeling where I lost it and it makes me so grateful for it where I do have it. I remember a couple months ago and someone gave me a hug and I felt it and I got all excited because I felt it and she didn't understand. lol I had to explain. lol There is a reason we have the sense of touch and I hope I get it all back again. Often I wished that the loss of feeling would have gone deeper than just my skin because I thought maybe I wouldn't have had to deal with the pain of my back healing but I suppose that would have caused other problems. Anyways I am very thankful for the sense of touch and this is why. I hope everyone has a great weekend!
Today has been a very long stressful tiring day and on days like this I like to think about the more meaningful blessings in my life. So today I am thankful for the sense of touch. With my surgeries, I lost feeling in my skin on my upper legs and back (not permanently). Before this happened, I never really thought about being thankful for the sense of touch or being without it. I have had to deal with being careful about spilling hot liquids on my lap because I don't feel it and it can burn my skin without me even knowing. The loss of feeling in the skin on my back was odd also and had it's issues as well. But what was really weird with my back was not feeling someone touching my back when they gave me a hug or something like that. If they pressed hard or patted my back then I would feel it beneath my skin and it would hurt because that area was healing. As I started to regain feeling in my back this year, I would feel sensations and not understand what was going on. It was scary when I first felt my hair brush against a spot on my back that was regaining feeling and I didn't know what was going on. lol It is like I had forgotten what it felt like. It has been interesting being without feeling because I touch my skin and it is like touching someone else's skin. That maybe doesn't seem like a big deal but it was really strange for me. I am regaining feeling in my legs much slower but it is returning. I don't want to ramble on too much on this because for others it may not be that interesting. But I have definitely missed the sense of touch/feeling where I lost it and it makes me so grateful for it where I do have it. I remember a couple months ago and someone gave me a hug and I felt it and I got all excited because I felt it and she didn't understand. lol I had to explain. lol There is a reason we have the sense of touch and I hope I get it all back again. Often I wished that the loss of feeling would have gone deeper than just my skin because I thought maybe I wouldn't have had to deal with the pain of my back healing but I suppose that would have caused other problems. Anyways I am very thankful for the sense of touch and this is why. I hope everyone has a great weekend!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Day 58: Snowflakes
Hi again,
Today I am thankful for snowflakes. This may seem odd so I will explain. :) Today it snowed a bit and I noticed the snowflakes were quite pretty so I grabbed my camera in an attempt to get a closeup photo. When I got the close ups (I took about 40 pictures in all) and I uploaded them, there were a few that were absolutely amazing and I noticed the detail in each snowflake was so intricate and beautiful. I never really knew snowflakes were quite that intricate and amazing and perfect. I have a new found appreciation for snowflakes. When I think about snow, I think about how cold it is and how it makes the roads yucky but I don't really think about the individual snowflakes. Today I did think about the snowflakes themselves and was amazed at how perfect and symmetrical each one is. I decided to share the best photo I got with other people who enjoyed it as well. It is neat how something so beautiful is formed on it's own up in the clouds above. I suppose a reason I am thankful for snowflakes is because I was able to enjoy something quite beautiful that I don't normally even think about and it made me smile. Anyways I thought it would be nice to post the photo on here as well since I have been rambling on about it. lol The actual size of the larger snowflake when it isn't magnified is probably only a couple millimetres so it is zoomed in alot. I hope you enjoy it and can enjoy it as much as I have. So this is why I am thankful for snowflakes.
Today I am thankful for snowflakes. This may seem odd so I will explain. :) Today it snowed a bit and I noticed the snowflakes were quite pretty so I grabbed my camera in an attempt to get a closeup photo. When I got the close ups (I took about 40 pictures in all) and I uploaded them, there were a few that were absolutely amazing and I noticed the detail in each snowflake was so intricate and beautiful. I never really knew snowflakes were quite that intricate and amazing and perfect. I have a new found appreciation for snowflakes. When I think about snow, I think about how cold it is and how it makes the roads yucky but I don't really think about the individual snowflakes. Today I did think about the snowflakes themselves and was amazed at how perfect and symmetrical each one is. I decided to share the best photo I got with other people who enjoyed it as well. It is neat how something so beautiful is formed on it's own up in the clouds above. I suppose a reason I am thankful for snowflakes is because I was able to enjoy something quite beautiful that I don't normally even think about and it made me smile. Anyways I thought it would be nice to post the photo on here as well since I have been rambling on about it. lol The actual size of the larger snowflake when it isn't magnified is probably only a couple millimetres so it is zoomed in alot. I hope you enjoy it and can enjoy it as much as I have. So this is why I am thankful for snowflakes.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Day 57: Christmas Cactus or Zygocactus
Hi again,
Today I am thankful for Christmas Cactus (aka Zygocactus). We have 4 if I am thinking correctly and they are so amazing because they flower in what seems to be the dead of winter when everything else is dormant. Each plant is a different colour in our house and they are so beautiful. Christmas Cactus just brighten up the room so nicely when it seems so devoid of colour in terms of flowers. I look forward to the plants flowering each time and what is also so nice is that they flower at Christmas and Easter so we get to enjoy flowers twice. One plant just finished flowering and it is getting more buds and I have no idea if this is normal but for our plants it is. So I was looking at them today and checking how big the buds are to see if they will be open for Christmas and I thought how thankful I am for the Christmas Cactus. When every plant outside is dormant and covered in a blanket of snow, there is not alot of colour or many places to go to experience colourful flowers other than the Christmas Cactus. For some reason we do not have alot of luck with other flowering plants here but the Christmas Cactus does really well. Also I am thankful that for some reason our plants seem to flower longer than they are supposed to. So this is why I am thankful for Christmas Cactus.
Today I am thankful for Christmas Cactus (aka Zygocactus). We have 4 if I am thinking correctly and they are so amazing because they flower in what seems to be the dead of winter when everything else is dormant. Each plant is a different colour in our house and they are so beautiful. Christmas Cactus just brighten up the room so nicely when it seems so devoid of colour in terms of flowers. I look forward to the plants flowering each time and what is also so nice is that they flower at Christmas and Easter so we get to enjoy flowers twice. One plant just finished flowering and it is getting more buds and I have no idea if this is normal but for our plants it is. So I was looking at them today and checking how big the buds are to see if they will be open for Christmas and I thought how thankful I am for the Christmas Cactus. When every plant outside is dormant and covered in a blanket of snow, there is not alot of colour or many places to go to experience colourful flowers other than the Christmas Cactus. For some reason we do not have alot of luck with other flowering plants here but the Christmas Cactus does really well. Also I am thankful that for some reason our plants seem to flower longer than they are supposed to. So this is why I am thankful for Christmas Cactus.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Day 56: Nana Mouskouri Christmas music
Hi again,
Today I am thankful for Nana Mouskari Christmas music. Ever since I was little we have listened to Nana Mouskouri at Christmas time. It used to be on a record but then cd players came out and we transfered it to cd so we could continue to listen to it. She has such a beautiful voice and the songs she sings are such wonderful songs. Again like the last post, I am thankful also for the memories I remember when I listen to her songs. I find it so neat how a song can evoke memories of events that happened while listening to that music. One in particular is when we were little and we all took part in putting up the Christmas tree and we would play Nana Mouskouri (and other songs) while we decorated the tree. Another memory would be when we opened Christmas presents and had her music playing softly in the background. Some very good memories. Also I enjoy the songs and the reminder of why we celebrate Christmas which can too often get lost among the hustle and bustle and stress of the season. So this is why I am thankful for Nana Mouskouri Christmas music.
Today I am thankful for Nana Mouskari Christmas music. Ever since I was little we have listened to Nana Mouskouri at Christmas time. It used to be on a record but then cd players came out and we transfered it to cd so we could continue to listen to it. She has such a beautiful voice and the songs she sings are such wonderful songs. Again like the last post, I am thankful also for the memories I remember when I listen to her songs. I find it so neat how a song can evoke memories of events that happened while listening to that music. One in particular is when we were little and we all took part in putting up the Christmas tree and we would play Nana Mouskouri (and other songs) while we decorated the tree. Another memory would be when we opened Christmas presents and had her music playing softly in the background. Some very good memories. Also I enjoy the songs and the reminder of why we celebrate Christmas which can too often get lost among the hustle and bustle and stress of the season. So this is why I am thankful for Nana Mouskouri Christmas music.
Day 55: Meteor Showers
Hi again,
This post is actually for yesterday and I meant to write it last night but it got too late.
Today I am thankful for meteor showers and maybe thankful more for the memories I have of my sister and I watching them. I went outside tonight to watch the Geminid meteor shower and even though I only saw one meteor, it was fun to remember the times my older sister and I would go out at night during a meteor shower and watch for meteors. One particular time stands out the most where our cat Ringo decided he wanted to join us and surprised us. He snuck up like cats do so we had no idea he was coming until he jumped on us. lol I can't remember if it was me or my sister that he jumped on but I think we both screamed and then laughed about it. Silly cat. Some meteor showers have been quite beautiful that I have seen multiple meteors at a time streak across the night sky and then others you go out and you see maybe one or two. Yet it doesn't really matter so much how many you see when you are with someone else and having fun and making memories that last a long time. Good times with my sister! So this is why I am thankful for meteor showers. :)
This post is actually for yesterday and I meant to write it last night but it got too late.
Today I am thankful for meteor showers and maybe thankful more for the memories I have of my sister and I watching them. I went outside tonight to watch the Geminid meteor shower and even though I only saw one meteor, it was fun to remember the times my older sister and I would go out at night during a meteor shower and watch for meteors. One particular time stands out the most where our cat Ringo decided he wanted to join us and surprised us. He snuck up like cats do so we had no idea he was coming until he jumped on us. lol I can't remember if it was me or my sister that he jumped on but I think we both screamed and then laughed about it. Silly cat. Some meteor showers have been quite beautiful that I have seen multiple meteors at a time streak across the night sky and then others you go out and you see maybe one or two. Yet it doesn't really matter so much how many you see when you are with someone else and having fun and making memories that last a long time. Good times with my sister! So this is why I am thankful for meteor showers. :)
Monday, December 13, 2010
Day 53:Streets and Trips software
Hi again,
This post is for Saturday.
Today I am thankful for the Streets and Trips software we have. Currently I am not sure what brand it is and can update this later but for tonight I do know that it is called Streets and Trips. It is a type of gps program that goes on a laptop and it helps you find your way like a gps does. There have been quite a few times that this software program has come in handy that I am very grateful for it. Today was one of those days I suppose. We had to go to Edmonton for my nephew's first birthday party and couldn't remember how to get to the house it was at and the program definitely helped us get there in my opinion. Even when you make a wrong turn, it figures out a new route to get there from where you are. The only thing that can get very annoying is when the computer figures we are off route because the road doesn't match up with where the road is on the map. lol I do not know how that is possible but I guess it is possible? Then the computer voice continually says "off Route" until we are apparently back on route again. so we mute her. lol I am not familiar really with an actual gps so I can't really compare the two but I hear a gps can get people lost and this program hasn't done that yet to my knowledge. So this is why I am thankful for Streets and Trips software.
This post is for Saturday.
Today I am thankful for the Streets and Trips software we have. Currently I am not sure what brand it is and can update this later but for tonight I do know that it is called Streets and Trips. It is a type of gps program that goes on a laptop and it helps you find your way like a gps does. There have been quite a few times that this software program has come in handy that I am very grateful for it. Today was one of those days I suppose. We had to go to Edmonton for my nephew's first birthday party and couldn't remember how to get to the house it was at and the program definitely helped us get there in my opinion. Even when you make a wrong turn, it figures out a new route to get there from where you are. The only thing that can get very annoying is when the computer figures we are off route because the road doesn't match up with where the road is on the map. lol I do not know how that is possible but I guess it is possible? Then the computer voice continually says "off Route" until we are apparently back on route again. so we mute her. lol I am not familiar really with an actual gps so I can't really compare the two but I hear a gps can get people lost and this program hasn't done that yet to my knowledge. So this is why I am thankful for Streets and Trips software.
Day 54: Naps
Hi again,
This post is for Sunday.
Today I am thankful for naps. :) Why you ask? Well on Saturday I had a very fun but very long day and the past week has been quite hectic also and then today I was finally able to rest. This is partially because my back got so bad also and I was more or less forced to rest and resting led to a nap or two. I am also thankful for my family that they took over taking Coco our puppy outside to go to the bathroom so I didn't have to attempt to do that with a very sore back. I am very grateful for that also. I am also thankful for my dad running books back to the library so I wouldn't have to pay a fine since I was unable to do so. Lots to be thankful for today. :) But back to the naps-it was so wonderful and needed to catch up on some rest that I really needed and now I don't feel so much like I need to sleep for a week. lol now maybe just half a week. lol this is why I am thankful for naps.
This post is for Sunday.
Today I am thankful for naps. :) Why you ask? Well on Saturday I had a very fun but very long day and the past week has been quite hectic also and then today I was finally able to rest. This is partially because my back got so bad also and I was more or less forced to rest and resting led to a nap or two. I am also thankful for my family that they took over taking Coco our puppy outside to go to the bathroom so I didn't have to attempt to do that with a very sore back. I am very grateful for that also. I am also thankful for my dad running books back to the library so I wouldn't have to pay a fine since I was unable to do so. Lots to be thankful for today. :) But back to the naps-it was so wonderful and needed to catch up on some rest that I really needed and now I don't feel so much like I need to sleep for a week. lol now maybe just half a week. lol this is why I am thankful for naps.
Day 52: My Nephew
Hi again,
Ok so I am quickly learning that the Christmas season is a difficult time to keep up with a blog. lol I am also quickly learning that I can get very behind in a very big hurry. So this post is for Friday December 10. I was wanting to post this on Friday but never got the chance so I am posting it today. :)
So today I am thankful for my nephew because it is his first birthday today and I am so blessed to know this sweet little boy and to have been a part of the first year of his life. I hope to be part of many many years of his life and be able to watch him grow and spend lots of time with him as he grows up. I am sitting here thinking about the last year and all the memories I have with him already and how much he has grown and changed in such a short amount of time. I think about the first time I met him in the hospital and his first Christmas last year and all the other firsts he has had this first year of his life. It is so amazing to see him walking now already and to be able to celebrate his first birthday. He is sweet and funny and you can't help but smile when you are around him even though he has his moments.... as we all do. :) My Sister and Brother in law are doing a great job at raising an amazing little boy. So this is why I am thankful for my nephew.
Ok so I am quickly learning that the Christmas season is a difficult time to keep up with a blog. lol I am also quickly learning that I can get very behind in a very big hurry. So this post is for Friday December 10. I was wanting to post this on Friday but never got the chance so I am posting it today. :)
So today I am thankful for my nephew because it is his first birthday today and I am so blessed to know this sweet little boy and to have been a part of the first year of his life. I hope to be part of many many years of his life and be able to watch him grow and spend lots of time with him as he grows up. I am sitting here thinking about the last year and all the memories I have with him already and how much he has grown and changed in such a short amount of time. I think about the first time I met him in the hospital and his first Christmas last year and all the other firsts he has had this first year of his life. It is so amazing to see him walking now already and to be able to celebrate his first birthday. He is sweet and funny and you can't help but smile when you are around him even though he has his moments.... as we all do. :) My Sister and Brother in law are doing a great job at raising an amazing little boy. So this is why I am thankful for my nephew.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Day 51: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Hi again,
Today I watched an episode of Extreme Makeover I had recorded on Sunday and I am thankful for this particular episode actually because it reminded me how much I have and even with my physical health problems, I can still do good stuff for others. Also it reminded me how much I have to be thankful for as every episode seems to do. Most episodes I watch also reminds me of the good people out there that do good for others with out asking for anything in return even though they could use so much help sometimes. It reminds me of how much I can do with how much I have even when it feels like I have so little. Sometimes it isn't clear to me what I can do specifically in my community but I know that there is stuff I can do. Watching this episode reminded me to get out of the mind set that if I had more that I could do more and to get back into the mind set of doing what I can with what I have. Because there will always be more I could have to give away to others and if I don't give what I can now then I won't give what I can when I have more. I may not have any extra money right now but I do have time and I know there is a lot I can do with my time. I may have restrictions physically which are what keeps me from being able to work right now but it doesn't mean I can't do anything. It may seem odd that a tv reality show would bring all this up but it did and I am grateful for it. I also love watching the family get a new home and they don't have to worry about their old broken down home any longer and it usually brings me to tears. But happy tears. :) So that is why I am thankful for Extreme Makeover Home Edition. :)
Today I watched an episode of Extreme Makeover I had recorded on Sunday and I am thankful for this particular episode actually because it reminded me how much I have and even with my physical health problems, I can still do good stuff for others. Also it reminded me how much I have to be thankful for as every episode seems to do. Most episodes I watch also reminds me of the good people out there that do good for others with out asking for anything in return even though they could use so much help sometimes. It reminds me of how much I can do with how much I have even when it feels like I have so little. Sometimes it isn't clear to me what I can do specifically in my community but I know that there is stuff I can do. Watching this episode reminded me to get out of the mind set that if I had more that I could do more and to get back into the mind set of doing what I can with what I have. Because there will always be more I could have to give away to others and if I don't give what I can now then I won't give what I can when I have more. I may not have any extra money right now but I do have time and I know there is a lot I can do with my time. I may have restrictions physically which are what keeps me from being able to work right now but it doesn't mean I can't do anything. It may seem odd that a tv reality show would bring all this up but it did and I am grateful for it. I also love watching the family get a new home and they don't have to worry about their old broken down home any longer and it usually brings me to tears. But happy tears. :) So that is why I am thankful for Extreme Makeover Home Edition. :)
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Day 50: Coco's kisses
Hi again,
This post is for yesterday (Wednesday Dec. 8) and I was having a very bad day because everything that could go wrong did go wrong. I ended up being in tears often through out the day because along with stuff going wrong, I was also extremely tired from lack of sleep the night before. Not a good combination. lol So it was really hard to think of anything positive and I wasn't sure I would be able to think of anything. Then when I went to see Coco my puppy, she came up to me and started licking my chin and my face and wagging her tail and it made me laugh. Whether or not she was attempting to cheer me up or not I am not sure but she definitely did. Of course I washed my face after because I know that she doesn't have the cleanest mouth but her actions were very sweet and made me smile. She can be so sweet sometimes and I am thankful for her and her love and her kisses even if they are not very clean kisses. lol So this is why I am thankful for her kisses. :)
This post is for yesterday (Wednesday Dec. 8) and I was having a very bad day because everything that could go wrong did go wrong. I ended up being in tears often through out the day because along with stuff going wrong, I was also extremely tired from lack of sleep the night before. Not a good combination. lol So it was really hard to think of anything positive and I wasn't sure I would be able to think of anything. Then when I went to see Coco my puppy, she came up to me and started licking my chin and my face and wagging her tail and it made me laugh. Whether or not she was attempting to cheer me up or not I am not sure but she definitely did. Of course I washed my face after because I know that she doesn't have the cleanest mouth but her actions were very sweet and made me smile. She can be so sweet sometimes and I am thankful for her and her love and her kisses even if they are not very clean kisses. lol So this is why I am thankful for her kisses. :)
Day 49: Lists
Hi again,
This post is for Tuesday December 7 and on this day I was and still am thankful for Lists. Tuesday was not a fun day-I was really stressed and really behind on a lot of stuff and ready to pull out my hair. That was when I found my pad of paper I make lists on (I had packed it away when my floor was redone) and I wrote down everything I needed to do and it was on paper and it seemed less stressful but still quite stressful because it was very long. Still I am very thankful for the list because it helps me to feel I am accomplishing stuff as I cross items off the list and I feel better. When I can cross a task off the list, it helps me feel more like I can get stuff done and it is less daunting. So sometimes I write something simple on the list so I can get it done quickly and I can cross it off so I feel more able to keep going. I also love lists because I can prioritize what needs to be accomplished first and what can wait till later. Another reason lists work well for me is that I have a terrible memory and I am always forgetting what needs to be done and it makes it very hard to prioritize when I am forgetting what has to be done. lol Then I remember at very inoportune times what needs to be done and it can be frustrating. So I make lists. Then I don't have to deal with all these tasks that have to be done floating in my head and I get stressed because there seems to be a whole lot more that needs to be done than there actually is. I can look at my list and how ever long it is and know that there is an end.... at least till I add more tasks. lol So this is why I love lists. Now I should go to bed and get some rest... once I finish the other posts. :)
This post is for Tuesday December 7 and on this day I was and still am thankful for Lists. Tuesday was not a fun day-I was really stressed and really behind on a lot of stuff and ready to pull out my hair. That was when I found my pad of paper I make lists on (I had packed it away when my floor was redone) and I wrote down everything I needed to do and it was on paper and it seemed less stressful but still quite stressful because it was very long. Still I am very thankful for the list because it helps me to feel I am accomplishing stuff as I cross items off the list and I feel better. When I can cross a task off the list, it helps me feel more like I can get stuff done and it is less daunting. So sometimes I write something simple on the list so I can get it done quickly and I can cross it off so I feel more able to keep going. I also love lists because I can prioritize what needs to be accomplished first and what can wait till later. Another reason lists work well for me is that I have a terrible memory and I am always forgetting what needs to be done and it makes it very hard to prioritize when I am forgetting what has to be done. lol Then I remember at very inoportune times what needs to be done and it can be frustrating. So I make lists. Then I don't have to deal with all these tasks that have to be done floating in my head and I get stressed because there seems to be a whole lot more that needs to be done than there actually is. I can look at my list and how ever long it is and know that there is an end.... at least till I add more tasks. lol So this is why I love lists. Now I should go to bed and get some rest... once I finish the other posts. :)
Day 48: Snow free roads in Winter
Hi again,
As you can see, I haven't been on here most of the week. I could offer a ton of reasons why but the reasons may or may not be important. I don't want to make excuses either as to why I have missed so many days. So I will just get right to it. This post is for Monday Dec.6.
Today I am thankful for snow free roads. What I mean is that the snow has melted off of the roads and the road conditions are not too bad again. We had some warmer temperatures where it got close to freezing and the snow on the roads melted as vehicles drove on it and it made for much better road conditions! We went to get groceries today (Monday) and it was so nice to not have to worry so much about slipping on the road. So that is why I am thankful for snow free roads in winter.
As you can see, I haven't been on here most of the week. I could offer a ton of reasons why but the reasons may or may not be important. I don't want to make excuses either as to why I have missed so many days. So I will just get right to it. This post is for Monday Dec.6.
Today I am thankful for snow free roads. What I mean is that the snow has melted off of the roads and the road conditions are not too bad again. We had some warmer temperatures where it got close to freezing and the snow on the roads melted as vehicles drove on it and it made for much better road conditions! We went to get groceries today (Monday) and it was so nice to not have to worry so much about slipping on the road. So that is why I am thankful for snow free roads in winter.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Day 47: In floor heating
Hi again,
Well today I am thankful for in floor heating. Well I suppose that is what I would call it. The floor was supposed to have in floor heating but something didn't work right and so my dad came up with a way to create in floor heating on top of the floor and under the laminate. It works the same way and it is so incredibly wonderful to get up in the morning and step onto a warm floor! Even through out the day it is so nice to walk on a warm floor instead of a cold floor which happens as soon as it gets cold outside. This is definitely something to be very thankful for. Also it is much better than forced air heating because there isn't that dust blowing around which is very difficult for me with my asthma. There are definitely alot of positives about in floor heating. I think it is also more efficient if I understand correctly which is really good. But the most wonderful thing about it is to walk around on a warm floor when it is -20 below outside. :) So this is why I am thankful for in floor heating!
Well today I am thankful for in floor heating. Well I suppose that is what I would call it. The floor was supposed to have in floor heating but something didn't work right and so my dad came up with a way to create in floor heating on top of the floor and under the laminate. It works the same way and it is so incredibly wonderful to get up in the morning and step onto a warm floor! Even through out the day it is so nice to walk on a warm floor instead of a cold floor which happens as soon as it gets cold outside. This is definitely something to be very thankful for. Also it is much better than forced air heating because there isn't that dust blowing around which is very difficult for me with my asthma. There are definitely alot of positives about in floor heating. I think it is also more efficient if I understand correctly which is really good. But the most wonderful thing about it is to walk around on a warm floor when it is -20 below outside. :) So this is why I am thankful for in floor heating!
Day 46: Cuddles from Felix
Hi again,
This post is for yesterday. I have been in the midst of having my floor redone and Friday I finished packing up my things and everything was moved out and yesterday I had no computer till close to midnight so I didn't get on here. Today I have been moving everything back in and it has been a long few days! So this is why I did not get to posting yesterday.
Today I am really really thankful for extra cuddles from my cat Felix. Usually he is not very much into cuddling and he prefers for me to pet him when he isn't in my arms or on my lap. But every once in awhile he surprises me with wanting to be picked up and held and he purrs away and it is so nice. So today he had one of those times and I really enjoyed that time with him because it is somewhat rare. I am not sure what makes him want to be held and cuddle but I enjoy it and I won't say no. It brightened my very long day and gave me something to smile about. So this is why I am thankful for cuddles from Felix.
This post is for yesterday. I have been in the midst of having my floor redone and Friday I finished packing up my things and everything was moved out and yesterday I had no computer till close to midnight so I didn't get on here. Today I have been moving everything back in and it has been a long few days! So this is why I did not get to posting yesterday.
Today I am really really thankful for extra cuddles from my cat Felix. Usually he is not very much into cuddling and he prefers for me to pet him when he isn't in my arms or on my lap. But every once in awhile he surprises me with wanting to be picked up and held and he purrs away and it is so nice. So today he had one of those times and I really enjoyed that time with him because it is somewhat rare. I am not sure what makes him want to be held and cuddle but I enjoy it and I won't say no. It brightened my very long day and gave me something to smile about. So this is why I am thankful for cuddles from Felix.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Day 45: www.godvine.com
Hi again.
Today I am thankful for http://www.godvine.com/ because it has a whole lot of neat stuff on it. A friend of mine actually mentioned it to me and so I visited it and I really enjoy the videos on there as well as other features on there. But I mostly visit the site for the videos. Today I saw this neat video of a flash mob bursting out in song in a food court. That was really fun to watch. The site also has an online bible with a search for those times when I remember a verse sort of but can't remember where it is in the bible. That has been quite helpful a few times because I don't always have the best memory. lol It is quite an interesting site. Anyways I will leave this post short and sweet because it's getting late and I am quite tired. Have a great weekend!
Today I am thankful for http://www.godvine.com/ because it has a whole lot of neat stuff on it. A friend of mine actually mentioned it to me and so I visited it and I really enjoy the videos on there as well as other features on there. But I mostly visit the site for the videos. Today I saw this neat video of a flash mob bursting out in song in a food court. That was really fun to watch. The site also has an online bible with a search for those times when I remember a verse sort of but can't remember where it is in the bible. That has been quite helpful a few times because I don't always have the best memory. lol It is quite an interesting site. Anyways I will leave this post short and sweet because it's getting late and I am quite tired. Have a great weekend!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Day 44: Pet Fish
Hi again,
Today I am thankful for pet fish. I have 3 of my own-one betta and 2 danios. The reason I am thankful for them is that they are so neat to watch and once I figured out how to work the filters and the air stones and all that so the environment was right for them, they were and are relatively easy to take care of. I thought about this today as I was dealing with my puppy who wasn't listening and doing stuff she shouldn't and I thought how fish don't need to be trained and they don't do anything bad that you need to discipline them. They just swim around happily in their tank and just exist. I am also thankful for them because I find watching them to be calming and interesting. I don't completely understand why watching fish swim around a tank is calming but it is for me somehow. Some days I really need that-especially when dealing with a puppy that just won't listen. lol So this is why I am thankful for pet fish. :)
Today I am thankful for pet fish. I have 3 of my own-one betta and 2 danios. The reason I am thankful for them is that they are so neat to watch and once I figured out how to work the filters and the air stones and all that so the environment was right for them, they were and are relatively easy to take care of. I thought about this today as I was dealing with my puppy who wasn't listening and doing stuff she shouldn't and I thought how fish don't need to be trained and they don't do anything bad that you need to discipline them. They just swim around happily in their tank and just exist. I am also thankful for them because I find watching them to be calming and interesting. I don't completely understand why watching fish swim around a tank is calming but it is for me somehow. Some days I really need that-especially when dealing with a puppy that just won't listen. lol So this is why I am thankful for pet fish. :)
Day 43: Lactaids
Hi again,
This post is for yesterday because I missed posting yesterday.
Today I am thankful for lactaids or the store brand of lactaids. I am lactose intolerant and lactaids have made it possible for me to eat food that contains dairy products. I haven't always been lactose intolerant so I know what I am missing out on if I don't get to eat it! lol Today we had Creamy Chicken Soup which is absolutely amazing (it's soup my mom makes) and it is mostly milk so I grab a lactaid and I don't have to miss out on something that is absolutely so incredibly good. When I became lactose intolerant I quickly realized that milk is in so many things I didn't think about. Sometimes bread even contains milk. It is so weird that such a little pill can make it possible for me to eat something that would normally make me very sick. Because of this little pill, I can consume milk, milk based sauces, ice cream, pancakes, pasta with cream sauces, pudding, pies that contain dairy products, etc. The list goes on and on. Even chocolate has milk in it. So I am incredibly thankful for the lactaids or the store brand version usually called dairy digestive pills or something to that extent. It even makes potlucks alot easier that I don't have to guess which food doesn't contain milk and hope I get it right. :) So this is why I am thankful for lactaids.
This post is for yesterday because I missed posting yesterday.
Today I am thankful for lactaids or the store brand of lactaids. I am lactose intolerant and lactaids have made it possible for me to eat food that contains dairy products. I haven't always been lactose intolerant so I know what I am missing out on if I don't get to eat it! lol Today we had Creamy Chicken Soup which is absolutely amazing (it's soup my mom makes) and it is mostly milk so I grab a lactaid and I don't have to miss out on something that is absolutely so incredibly good. When I became lactose intolerant I quickly realized that milk is in so many things I didn't think about. Sometimes bread even contains milk. It is so weird that such a little pill can make it possible for me to eat something that would normally make me very sick. Because of this little pill, I can consume milk, milk based sauces, ice cream, pancakes, pasta with cream sauces, pudding, pies that contain dairy products, etc. The list goes on and on. Even chocolate has milk in it. So I am incredibly thankful for the lactaids or the store brand version usually called dairy digestive pills or something to that extent. It even makes potlucks alot easier that I don't have to guess which food doesn't contain milk and hope I get it right. :) So this is why I am thankful for lactaids.
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