2 Weeks til Thanksgiving!

{our thankful tree}
As Charlie Brown's Christmas song is playing in the background I write this blog. "Christmas Time is Here" I do want to make sure I don't forget a very important holiday before Christmas and no it isn't my birthday *wink* its thanksgiving. I am always trying to find something new and special to do with the kids almost everyday. I scower pinterest and other blog favorites to find new things. And something I found is a thanksgiving tree. It's a fun learning activity and cute holiday decoration. SCORE! Gigi was practicing her scissor skills on something other than her hair and tracing the leaves she pulled off my house plant. (I told her we were going to make leaves for our tree and she came to me with a handful of my heuchera leaves -- "like these, Mom?") After being pulled off the plant, I guess they made good stencils. Oh, well.

{the supplies for our project}

{tracing with alot of focus}

{Li Miss kept busy during the project having her first taste of oreos}

People on facebook have been posting what they are thankful for on their status everyday up to thanksgiving. I thought I would consolidate mine on the blog. The first thing I am thankful for and utterly blessed beyond belief is to have my wonderful husband. This man is my best friend and knows me better than I know myself. Last Tuesday night as I was running out the door to bring bubba to Tae Kwon Do & just catching my breath from running the girls home from swimming lessons, and making sure everyone's bellys were full not to mention make sure homework was completed and put away in their folders to go back to school -- Nate stops me and asks if I would want to call a babysitter for the weekend and go out on a date. I was stopped suddenly in my tracks. I think I had to check if my shoes made blackies on the kitchen floor. "Really?" I respond and before he could answer me back I am dialing the babysitter's number. We were both in need of some one on one time. We get so busy and we don't always get to talk like we want to and staying up lately to talk hasn't been an option because one of us are usually passed out soon after the kids bed time. So a date night was music to my ears. We were only out from 6 - 8:30 and spent the last hour at Toys R Us buying Christmas gifts, but it was "Us" time. That time is very rare with four little kids running under our feet constantly. Literally, I think I tripped head over heels over Gigi this morning as I was rushing everyone out the door to school. I had a basket full of dirty clothes in my hands and I am sure it was a sight as I fell (it felt like slow motion) flat on face in the foyer. I have such a wonderful husband that when I sent him to the store yesterday to pick up brown rice and pork sausage, he comes home with flowers. So sweet!! I know I don't tell him enough but he is amazing and I am one lucky girl!! So I am eternally thankful that the Lord put him in my life.

{the first leaf on our thankful tree}

{my flowers from my husband -- cyclamen}
{Gigi's first leaf}

I asked what Gigi is thankful for ... and after much deliberation and asking what that means.... she said she was thankful for Hugs. I love the mind of a child. Describing what "thankful" means we talked about things that God put in our lives that we are so glad he did, things we don't want to live without. I told her my first leaf is Daddy. She said Hugs... she likes hugs. Don't you just love her! She likes mommy hugs, daddy hugs, sissy hugs, and puppy hugs. Heart warming!!! And that brings me to the second thing I am thankful for is my children. I couldn't imagine life without any of them. They have brought meaning to my life and I waited my whole life to be a mom and while not ever day is exactly as I had planned, I wouldn't trade the day for the world. The kids have a piece of my heart and I ache when they ache. This week all of them have been sick and when they can't sleep, mommy can't sleep because I am running through my head if there is anything I can do to make them feel better. They make our life so much more colorful. Can a girl be this blessed?? Another thing I am thankful for is my family. Both my immediate family and my husband's family are the most kind and thoughtful people you could ever meet. The way they have supported Nate and I the last 2 years is beyond amazing and we are a stronger family because of them. We miss you all and can't wait to spend time at the holidays with you.

So there is 3 of my thankful leaves... the next 7 are as follows:

4) my friends -- we have some amazing friends who have become like family

5) my new town -- I really am thankful to have moved to a place where it is so convenient to get to anywhere... and a little closer to "home." Because "home" will always be where my mom is.

6) Starbucks -- I know this is so artificial, but where would I be without Starbucks somedays? On the couch exhausted beyond belief is where!

7) my iPhone -- this is my connection to the outside world. My grip to adult conversation even if it is through texting. I resisted against the iPhone a long time just because Nate was obsessed with it, but now I see why.

8) my puppies -- Dodger and Archie, my first babies. They always know when I need a cuddle and the kids have fallen so deeply in love with each of them. I was so distraught when we couldn't find Archie before Lil Miss's party but luckily our neighbor had found him and heard me outside shouting for his name. Lord help me when anything happens to either of them.

9) the YMCA -- this has become my home away from home. I have been going there at least 3 days a week to work out and the kids take their swimming lessons there, tae kwon do, cheerleading, and drum class and just Tuesday night I took my first Zumba class. What Fun!!! We spend alot of time at our local YMCA.

10) my crafting nook -- I am so thankful to have an area where I can keep my mountains of crafting supplies and that they are at my finger tips for a quick project like the thankful tree. It makes me a happier mommy when I get to have a outlet for my creative side!

Well, that is 10 of the thankful leaves for this month.... more to come. Now I am off to listen to some beautiful music provided by Gigi. She just loves to peck away at the ivory keys. Me and Lil Miss are in for a concert... be jealous!