Thankful Thursday: October 22, 2015

The midday sun is shining,

the bright yellow leaves are dancing a jig in the trees,

our windows are open, inviting in the breeze

and it is THURSDAY!

Thursday, my dear, and I am grateful!

I'm Thankful For:



-bright sunshiny October days
-open windows in the afternoon (and hearing my children play outside on the north side and the elementary school children on the south side)
-family walks & crunching leaves
-this gorgeous state
-park play time (as the sun goes down)
-my new camera & lens (clickity click click!)
-legos & all the "lego creations" that pop up around my house
-pumpkins & all things pumpkin flavored (okay--truth--I did sugar free for 11 days! I'm currently on a break)
-the latest news from Portugal: LDS TEMPLE GROUNDBREAKING will be in December (5 years after the temple was first announced!)
-those machines that clean the roads (spiffing up before winter)
-our cars that work (even though the kids leaving the lights on get the batteries run down sometimes!)
-Mr. H's home weeks (always!)
-walks around the block
-amazing fall colors (we made a rainbow with the leaves we collected!)
-Thursdays that the boys are in their homeschool co-op "school" (karate, music, art, & science!)
-Thursdays that Miss C is here to play with us (It's a GIRL DAY!)
-our brand new **KING** sized mattress
-the master bedroom upgrades that Mr. H is working ALL of his free time on this week (new trim, new baseboards, new paints, painted doors, wainscoating, new light fixture...all for the new bed, and a chance to create a new, relaxing space!)
-silly songs with my crew
-our little "chefies" (Mr. N makes a mad pan of scrambled eggs & J has got the quesadilla flip down!)
-remembering to take videos of these fleeting moments
-the chance to photograph other families' smiles
-our swingset (hours of endless entertainment) & new pulley!
-new sheets
-forgiving children
-little lunchboxes
-honey from our local beekeeper
-freshly baked bread (even at midnight!)
-folded laundry (oh how I hate doing it but love it when it's done!)
-the chance to prepare lessons together
-our "ponderizing" scripture this week: Moroni 10:32--which both J & Miss N have memorized on their own
-Miss A's room-lighting smiles (except for when she's crying, but then she still lights it up!)
-Miss N's gentleness with her play dolls (working on it with the real baby...)
-Mr. N's generosity in sharing (when he wants to)
-Mr. J's willingness to jump in (99% of the time)
-my Mr. for giving his all to making this thing work and be beautiful along the way
-red lentil soup
-all the things

And truly, there is always more.

That's it for now, folks!