...Thawing

Day 96
Thank goodness we went back to school today!! Today I am thankful for thawing because I don't think I could have taken another day at home!

...Good Doctors

Day 95
Today was another day at home because of our ice/snow storm. I was supposed to have a doctor's appointment in Birmingham but I called the office and they said they were closed. But, we were able to get around Tuscaloosa so I took Mason to the pediatrician because he has been sick and I was tired of trying to treat it over the counter. While we were waiting on his prescription at Target, my doctor called. My appointment was just going to be a talk appointment so I was thrilled that she called because I really wanted my results! I'm so thankful for good doctors that really concentrate on patient care and patient relationships because it really does make a difference.

...Being Under One Roof

Day 94
I mentioned yesterday that we were hit suddenly with a snow/ice storm. Conditions continued to worsen as the day and night went on. I had many, many friends that spent the night in their cars trapped on the interstate. I had many, many friends that abandoned their cars and walked to the nearest shelter to spend the night. Friends of mine also boarded buses, four wheelers, hummers, and even got in the car with complete strangers because they could take them to the nearest shelter and sometimes they were even taken home. There were hundreds of kids and teachers that spent the night in their schools because their parents couldn't get to them to pick them up because they were the ones that were stranded in their cars! Obviously it is a mess here! Today the temperature is not supposed to get above freezing so the conditions aren't going to get much better. Around ten o'clock last night, the city school system where I live announced that all of the schools were clear of kids and teachers and that the last bus had just pulled in to the garage.

So, today, I am thankful that all four of us were under one roof as of two o'clock yesterday afternoon. Danny came home early and we were all together. I didn't have to worry about how I was going to keep my family warm or fed. I am extremely thankful for all of that because I know that it could have ended up differently.

...Snow Days

Day 93
As if this week wasn't busy enough, it started snowing today. Living in Alabama we don't get a lot of snow. Maybe once a year. Today, we weren't supposed to get any snow. It was all supposed to go south of us which was weird because south of us is close to the beach. Anyway, it started snowing and it got bad quick! The schools finally decided to release early and as of right now there are still people trying to get home. The governor just issued a state of emergency and said there were some schools that still had kids and that they would take care of those kids. Can you imagine not being able to get to your kid? It really is that bad here though. All of this for a region that wasn't supposed to get any snow.

At any rate, we came home. After driving about 10mph the whole way home we were home in about an hour. Everyone was moving that slow which helped because no one felt rushed. Of course as soon as we got home, the kids wanted to go outside and play. They had such a great time and we really only stayed out about half an hour but it meant the world to them.

picking them up from school, snow hitting them in the face

just wiped the snow off and there is a big pile on the hood.
hard to see but the car thermometer says 25 degrees

i've never had this happen to my car before

happy, happy kids

...Sleep

Day 92
I am not the best sleeper. Sometimes the medication I take makes me stay awake and so I have a hard time getting sleep. Today was extremely busy and the whole week will be actually but once I finally got home tonight, I sat down to watch TV and fell right to sleep. Sometimes those little cat naps feel like a lifetime! Tonight, I am thankful for unexpected sleep!

...Tennis Shoes

Day 91
We had a very busy day beginning with church and ending with our weekly shopping trip to Target. I wore dress shoes to church. After church we had Open House at school and stayed longer than we planned. During our Target trip, I had enough! My knee was killing me. I wanted to cry. That made me think about how grateful I am for tennis shoes. Usually when I wear my tennis shoes, my knee doesn't bother me as much but if I wear any other shoe or even if I go barefoot, I am in a lot of pain. So today, I am thankful for my tennis shoes.

...Downton Abbey

Day 90
I can't believe I love a show on PBS but I do! Downton Abbey is such a little gem. It is a charming show set in old England right after the Titanic sank. I love the way they talk, I love the way they dress. I love everything about this show. It is my Sunday night escape before I begin the work week. I had heard people talk about the show and I always thought I would like it but I didn't think I got the channel that it came on. I ended up binge watching the first three seasons in one weekend because I got so hooked! The fourth season started a few weeks ago and I am hooked again.

...Devil's Advocate

Day 89
I think it is very important to have a devil's advocate. You always need that person that will make you think about more than one way that something can happen. I play the devil's advocate a lot and sometimes I think I make people mad when I do it. But, if I hadn't done it, then horrible decisions could have been made. I don't always like it when people play devil's advocate to me but I am thankful for them because they make me think outside the box.

...Common Sense

Day 88
I am thankful for people that use common sense and I am thankful that I have common sense. I get so frustrated throughout my day because of the lack of common sense. I wish people would just take time to think things through and make sure they have all the information and they talk to the right people so they can make informed decisions and decisions that make sense.

Sometimes, I feel like I am surrounded by people that don't care enough to think. They don't think about what they are doing and they don't think about the big picture. They don't think about the people that are involved and how it might affect people. I'm not by any means saying that I always make smart decisions. There are definitely times when I make stupid decisions but I do try to think about what I'm doing.

...Reality TV

Day 87
I love reality tv! It all started with the Real World and Road Rules on MTV when I was younger and it morphed into so much more. I think what I love about it is that I don't have to think while I'm watching it. I get a glimpse into other peoples lives and I actually feel like my family is functional and normal. Now that I think about it, I think all I watch is reality tv with the exception of Downton Abbey.

I am thankful that at the end of a long day at work, I can curl up in my bed or on the couch with a glass of sweet tea and escape to another world.

...Modern Family

Day 86
I like a lot of shows. There are shows that I definitely make sure I watch and then there are others that I catch up on in reruns. Modern Family is one of those shows. I love this show! I rarely laugh out loud during comedies but this show really does that to me. It comes on a station now at least three times a week and during those times it shows at least six episodes. Three hours of pure enjoyment for me. I look forward to the nights that I can sit and watch this show and not worry about anything else.

...Martin Luther King, Jr.

Day 85
We do not live in a perfect world. There are a lot of things that I wish my children didn't have to see but I am very thankful that my children did not have to witness the Civil Rights Movement. This is especially true because we live in Alabama. I can't imagine growing up in this state during that time and witnessing the horrible things that happened. I am thankful for people like Martin Luther King, Jr. who fought so that everyone could have the same freedoms. Sure, there are still problems in this country but we are all better people because of him.

...Alone Time

Day 84
My husband and kids are at the movies and I can't help but be jealous. Since the surgery I had on Thursday was abdominal I am trying not to sit upright for too long so that I don't bust an incision. Danny and Mindy came home from basketball practice and said that some of the other girls were going to meet at the movies to see "The Nut Job" so of course Mindy wanted to go. Danny decided to take Mason too and asked if I wanted to go. Yes! I want to go. I will see just about anything at the movies because I love going. But I said no because I wasn't sure how I would feel sitting up for two hours and once I'm there, I'm there.

I just cried because I feel like I have been missing everything because of my knee surgery and now because of this other surgery. But I am reminded that I need to be thankful for something every day. So today, I am thankful for alone time. I am thankful for quiet time where I don't have to answer any questions and I don't have to do anything for anyone. I have actually gotten a little too much alone time lately but that doesn't mean I don't need to be grateful for it.

...My Parents

Day 83
There have been plenty of times in my life where my parents have annoyed me. There have been many more times in my life where I've needed my parents and they have been there to help. The past couple of months haven't been the easiest and I've been struggling mentally and emotionally. I've felt inadequate because I haven't been able to pull my own weight around the house and even at work. When I found out I would be having this surgery to remove a cyst from my ovary I knew it was time to call my parents. Danny has been doing such a great job of juggling it all but I wanted him to have a little break and of course my kids always enjoy a visit from my parents.

Isn't it funny how a visit from your parents can instantly put you into kid mode even when you are an adult with kids of your own, you can suddenly feel like you don't have any responsibilities anymore. My parents got here yesterday and it has been so nice to have them around. They have occupied the kids so I could rest. My mom made dinner last night and today they attended a basketball game. Even if all they did was come and sit around, I still would have felt like a kid again.

Tomorrow they will head home but I am thankful for the time that we got to spend with them this weekend. Even in my thirties, it feels good to have my parents take care of me.

...Bundt Cakes

Day 82
My sister used to make this delicious pound cake. I could have eaten the whole thing if my parents would have let me. I have always enjoyed cake. I can be a little picky about what kind of cake but I like most of them. I read a blog by a woman who has new recipes up all the time but what I noticed about her blog was that she had a link to 100 Bundt Cake Recipes. I thought how in the world could you make so many different kinds! I decided I would try to make one. I had to buy a pan first but I decided to make an apple cinnamon bundt cake and it was delicious! My family loved it and my friends loved it. I can't wait to make more!

...Friends in High Places

Day 81
I had surgery...again. Today they were supposed to take out a big cyst on my ovary. When I woke up after surgery, I found out they took the whole ovary and the fallopian tube. I haven't actually gotten to talk to the doctor yet but I will see her in about a week or so and find out exactly what happened.

One of my very best friends happened to be working in the women's center today and she hooked me up with all of the good nurses and doctors and I felt very well taken care of. It is nice to have friends in high places.

...Doc in the Box

Day 80
I have many doctors and I really like them but it always seems like I need the doctors after hours. My daughter came home sick today and I was having a hard time telling whether she was really sick or whether she was just having a day where she wasn't herself. By the time Danny got home, we decided she needed to go to the doctor but of course by then the pediatrician was closed. This is when I am thankful for what people call the "doc in the box". They were in and out of the doctor's office and had her prescriptions in about 2 hours. Without these doctors we would end up at the emergency room which would cost a lot more!

...Google

Day 79
I love Google. It has saved me so many times over the years and I love that I can type anything in and usually I can find a match. Today we had a problem at work with some computer software and as usually our IT guy couldn't seem to help me. I just typed in what I wanted to do and all sorts of options popped up and I got the job done. I am thankful that there is such a thing and it is so much more informative than an encyclopedia used to be or even an instruction booklet.

...Target Pharmacy

Day 78
Because I overdid it over the weekend, I was in a lot of pain. If I had known that the most painful part about this surgery would be after I came off the crutches, I would have rationed my pain meds a little better. So I was out of pain meds and because I am having surgery on Thursday, I couldn't take ibuprofen. I called my knee doctor to get a refill. Which brings me to Target Pharmacy. I have had problems with every pharmacy I have ever used but I rarely ever experience any problem with Target. The thing I love most about them though is their texting. I love that when my medicine is ready, I get a text message letting me know that. It saves me so much time!

...Feeling Normal

Day 77
Today was a little good and a little bad. I felt great because I was able to get up and go to Target with the family to do our weekly grocery shopping. It actually made me feel normal! After about an hour in Target, I was in tears and went to sit in the car. I was just in a lot of pain and I probably shouldn't have moved as fast as I did.

After Target, we were at home for a couple of hours and then it was time for Mason's basketball practice. This is a weekly thing and I was finally able to take him again so I felt like things were back to normal again and it felt so good. Until I had to get up. I was still in a little bit of pain from our morning Target trip but I had errands I needed to run. Errands that I have wanted to do for weeks but I haven't been able to do them. Once we got home, I was exhausted and in a lot of pain.

It was nice to feel normal for awhile but I have learned that I need to step back a little bit.

...My Husband

Day 76
I think I have used this one already but my husband is so wonderful that he deserves another post and he will probably get more as the days go on. I have mentioned before that my husband is helping to coach Mindy's basketball team. Mindy has been playing since she was 5 and each year she gets better and better.

In the past, Mindy's team usually doesn't have a whole lot of wins but so far this season they are undefeated. Some of that is experience but they also owe some of that to Danny and the other two dads. I have been so proud of both of my kids this season. It's Mason's first time to play and he seems to be grasping the idea and Mindy is a force to be reckoned with but I am also proud of my husband. He is so great with the girls and knowledgable about the sport. Watching him coach really makes me love him even more. I am so thankful to have a husband that is involved with his family.

 

...My Car History

Day 75
Since I graduated from college I have always had a relatively new car. I usually don't keep one for longer than 5 years. I don't know why this happens but it does and I'm ok with that. With every car the bells and whistles get better and better.

My first car was a 2-D Honda Civic with a sunroof. It was the first time in my life that I had a sunroof and I loved it. I always felt so cool in that car. I had just graduated from college and gotten a new job and I felt like an adult. My car was my first real adult purchase. It sounds crazy but I enjoyed making the payments on it too because I felt like I was becoming an adult. About three years later we found out we were going to have a baby so we sold my 2-D car because we knew we would need something bigger and more practical.

 

I don't have a picture of my car but this is what it looked like

My husband owned a used car lot at the time so while I was pregnant and even the first few months after we had Mindy I drove several different cars from the lot but the main one was a Honda CR-V and I really liked that one. I didn't like the year because it was older than the car I had just sold but I knew it was a temporary thing and I really liked being up a little higher while I was driving.

 

I didn't have a picture of the CR-V either but this is what mine looked like

After Mindy was born we shopped around and lo and behold ended up with a Honda again! It was a 4-D Honda Accord. It was probably the most practical car for a new little family. I really liked the car and we still have it but my husband drives it. It is 8 years old now and still going strong.

 

what my accord looks like...it stills looks this good

I don't really know the reason why but when we found out we were pregnant with Mason, Danny went looking at jeeps. He was working for Mercedes at the time and could get a discount on any Mercedes or Dodge vehicle. We ended up with a Jeep Commander and at the time it was my favorite car of all time! The main thing I loved about it was the heated seats. I have a lot of back pain and turning those things on was like having a heating pad in the car. It especially felt good during the winter time too. I also loved being high above the ground again. As the kids got older it made me feel like a soccer Mom too because we had all of the sports stuff in the back and I was driving them all over the place. It was my first real "Mom" car. As gas prices rose Danny started looking at selling my Jeep. At first I wasn't very happy about it but I came around and I was glad I did.

A few months ago, we drove to Georgia and got my current car, a 4-D Honda Civic. I love this !thing. I've never had so many features in a car. The best thing is the bluetooth. When I get in the car it automatically syncs with my phone. I can answer the phone by pushing a button on the steering wheel and just talk without ever touching my phone. It is so nice having that hands-free feature! I might look a little funny at a red light but it is so much safer. Not only can I talk hands-free but when I receive a text message, all I have to do is push a button and the car will read it to me. After that it will offer me a view standard responses like 'Yes' or 'No' that I can choose from if I want to respond at that time. I think it will even let me do speech to text but I've never tried it. The feature that I just figured out the other day is that I can choose the bluetooth source for my radio and listen to music that's on my cell or pandora radio and the other day I was listening to podcasts. I LOVE this car! I do miss the "soccer Mom" feel of the Jeep but I kind of feel like the "cool Mom" in this car.

this is the lowest mileage I have ever had on a car

I know I sound spoiled. And I really am! But when I first got my license I drove a mini-van. Not just any mini-van but a 1987 Dodge Caravan with wood side paneling. The year I got my license was 1996 so it was already almost 10 years old. When I would cut the car off, it would keep running and then the tailpipe would sputter and smoke would come out. I was the only Varsity cheerleader with a mini-van. Once I graduated high school I drove a couple of different Saturns. My Dad was on a Saturn kick at the time and eventually ended up owning 3 of them. When I graduated from college, he gave me the Pontiac Sunbird that they had bought brand new when I was younger. I really liked that car even though it was older. I felt a connection with it because I remember my Mom got it for her birthday but we picked it up after my birthday party so I always felt like it should be mine eventually. Like I've mentioned my husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, had a used car lot and he sold my Sunbird and helped me get my first car. He knew people and helped me get the best car for the best deal.

I have had many cars and I am so thankful that I have had such good cars overall. With the exception of the mini-van I have always felt safe in my cars and I always felt like they were reliable.

...Needlepoint Stockings

Day 74
Weird thing to be thankful for but I am! I can't tell you how long I have wanted these stockings. I think it started at Mason's first Christmas so probably about five years. I knew there wouldn't be anymore of us so I wanted to get permanent stockings for us with our names on them. Everytime I would look no matter what time of the year it was, the stockings were always $25-$30. I couldn't justify spending that much. Even after Christmas the price wouldn't drop.

This year, I almost purchased them at full price but I held back. Two days after Christmas I checked the website and they were $15 each with free monogramming!! I ordered them immediately and they came in yesterday. I could not be more satisfied with how they turned out. I can't wait until Christmas when I can hang them on the mantle. It's going to look so good!

...the End of Holiday Vacations

Day 73
By the time, Thanksgiving rolls around I am ready for a break. I really enjoy my week at Thanksgiving that I get to lounge around, eat good food and visit with family. That's about all I can handle though. By the end of the week, I am ready to go back to work and get back into my normal routine. I think I've said this before but I am a creature of habit and I don't like it when my schedule is disturbed for too long.

After Thanksgiving we have about three weeks at school before we get out for Christmas and by then I am ready for another vacation. We usually get about 2 1/2 weeks at Christmas and again after a week I really am ready to go back to work! Usually I go into work for an hour here and there just to feel sane but this year I couldn't really do that as much as I needed to. I was going crazy!

I've mentioned that our retreat was cancelled due to the cold weather. That was the day I was going back to work but the temperature was about 18 degrees when we got up that morning. We were supposed to go in the next day but two hours late. By the end of Monday, they announced that they were going to cancel school for Tuesday too! I wanted to cry! Tuesday morning it was 9 degrees when I went out to my car at 8am. I had to haul the kids with me to Birmingham to the knee doctor in the freezing cold but we made it and had a good day. Today we went in two hours late but we still went in. I was so relieved. I felt normal again especially since I could even use both legs! I love a holiday but I am thankful when they come to an end.

...Healing

Day 72
Today was the big day! I went back to my knee surgeon and he told me to start coming off the crutches! After six weeks of basically being one legged, I was finally able to put weight on both feet. I was scared but thankful too since I just found out I have to have surgery next week to remove a 5cm cyst from my ovary.

Walking hurt but I know that I have to work through it in order to heal. I have six weeks of physical therapy ahead of me but I'm ok with that because it will help me get prepared to get back in the gym and I desparately need that.

...Cancelled Retreats

Day 71
Today I was supposed to go back to work . the kids don't return to school until tomorrow but we were coming back today for a "retreat". I love going to conferences where there are break-out sessions and we don't get bogged down on one topic for three hours. Today though we were having a speaker come in and speak for 3 1/2 hours! That is a long time to sit in a room and listen to one person. We probably would have gotten a break but only one.

However, our retreat was cancelled! We had a cold front move in and it was actually colder in Alabama than it was at the North Pole today and God forbid we get out in any weather below freezing. Anyway, our speaker was traveling from Nashville so there was no way with all the frozen roads that she could make it down so the retreat was cancelled and we got another day at home. I wasn't too thrilled about not going back to work but I was okay with their being no retreat.

...Days to Myself

Day 70
We have been home for about 2 1/2 weeks now for Christmas holidays. I think every single day I have had the kids with me or the kids and Danny. This afternoon, the kids had basketball practice and I got the afternoon to myself. I had at least a good 5 hours because each kid's practice is an hour long and then they went to the grocery store. I had peace and quiet and this is the last day for awhile that that will happen.

...Ice Skating

Day 69
My kids are spoiled. I will admit it. I'm glad that we are able to provide things for them that we didn't have when we were growing up. They don't get everything they want and I don't think they are brats but they do have a lot more than they probably should.

Any opportunity they have to do something different I try to take advantage of. Last year, Tuscaloosa opened an outdoor ice skating rink from Thanksgiving to New Years. What an awesome opportunity for them! Living in the south, there aren't too many places where you can go ice skating, let alone go ice skating outdoors. The kids went last year and loved it so I wanted to make sure they got to do it again this year. Unfortunately I didn't get to take them due to my knee but my husband did and they had such a great time. It was an awesome time for them to spend time with Dad and I think all three of them had a great time.

 

 

 

...Good Books

Day 68
I love a good book. I have always loved reading and I am a very fast reader so I go through a lot of books. I find it very relaxing to sit in my recliner or lay in my bathtub and read my book. I read all different kinds of books. I love mysteries, fiction, biographies and basically any kind of book except for romance novels. I'm not a huge fan of those.

...Long, Hot Baths

Day 67
I love a good, long, hot bath. I always have. I can remember growing up and running a hot bubble bath and lighting candles all over the bathroom at my parents house. It was so relaxing! I look back on those days and I wonder how I could even relax since the tub was so shallow and small but somehow I did it. When I was in college we didn't really have a bathtub per se but we had a triangle shaped sort of tub and I would use it in an extreme emergency but for the most part I had to take showers.

After I graduated and moved to Tuscaloosa, I started lighting the candles and taking baths again and I wonder how I enjoyed those baths as much as I did since the tub was small.

But now, I have a huge, deep tub. I can lie down in it and my feet don't touch the other end. I could probably doggie paddle in this thing. I use it all the time! I don't use the candles like I used to but I do run a deep, hot bubble bath at least once a week. Sometimes I use bath salts instead of bubbles but either way it is relaxing. My favorite thing to do is read in the tub and whenever I start a new book, I always start it in the bathtub because I know I will be there long enough to really get into the story line.

Baths are one of my absolute most favorite thing and I am so thankful that my husband built me a big bathroom with a huge bathtub.

...New Beginnings

Day 66
Happy New Year! It is 2014 and I honestly have nothing to show for it today but I have plans for this year. I love that every 365 days we get a fresh start. This year I would love to exercise more, eat better and all of the normal things that everyone swears they will do. But I also want to develop a better relationship with my kids and with my husband. I want to do whatever I can to become a better mother and wife.

I hope that by the end of the year I will feel more stable with my job. I want to cook more and try more complicated dishes. I want to travel more and to places we haven't been. I want to do so many things and that is what is so great about new beginnings! You feel hopeful and you have a positive attitude! I have so many goals for this year and I can't wait to try to reach them. And of course one of those goals is to continue to try to become more thankful every day.