Today I am Thankful For time to play catch-up!

Man oh Man is blogging hard to do when you spend 95% of your time chasing around a toddler! Here we go with the last few days of Thankfulness:

Saturday, 11-12
Thankful for Target
For no other reason than I was able to pick up my Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 with no problems finding it, and at a discounted price. Happy girl over here!

Sunday, 11-13
Thankful for Rebecca Keenan
One of the best friends a girl could ever ask for!!! I got to spend a WHOLE day with her. We went to lunch, hung out, got nerdy over spreadsheets, talked Pampered Chef Parties, AND she came with us to help out on Abby’s 18 month Photo shoot. Plus, she got to have dinner with the whole family, INCLUDING my nephew, Max, who was here for a few days. Always a blessing to get time with him. The 13th was a pretty awesome day!

Monday, 11-14
Thankful for Monthly Pampered Chef Meetings
We meet as a team, once a month, at our director’s house. We have training, share stories, swap ideas, and get the motivation we need to keep on selling for the month ahead. It is always refreshing and always helpful. I’m thankful for my wonderful team!

Tuesday, 11-15
Thankful for Bedtime Routines
We had a big day to prepare for, and I’m so thankful that the bedtime routine we’ve implemented works! Abby went down for bed with no problems, and slept through the night. She was rested and ready for our special day!

Wednesday, 11-16
Thankful for Sandy and Peggy W.
We got to go to Disneyland today, because a very gracious and benevolent friend got us day passes through her family. Going to the Park these days isn’t high on the priority list as far as cost goes, and to be able to get in those gates and not have to worry about the ticket price was a blessing and a half! It was a VERY special day for all of us, and Abby had a blast. I’m thankful for people who are willing to give of themselves. Full post about our day very soon!

Thursday 11-17
Thankful for my SIL and her ‘flexible’ Thursday mornings
Had a doctor’s appointment that I really needed to go to. Which is SUPER hard to do with a toddler in tow. And Nana and Poppi weren’t available (because, you know… they have lives!) and it was E to the rescue! She has a flexible schedule on some Thursdays so she watched Abby for me in the waiting room for my appointment, and the team that delivered her and saved her life got to see her again a year later. They were thrilled!

Friday, 11-18
Thankful for extra work
I’m out of the office ALL week for Thanksgiving. Normally, that wouldn’t be a huge issue, but since I went down to part-time, I don’t get paid for vacation. Nature of the beast. So that is a week without pay. Worth it, for sure, but still… So I’m thankful that my Bosses are not just willing, but happy to give me extra hours here and there when needed to make up for lost time. Plus, it helps ensure they don’t fall behind while I’m gone. It’s a win-win!

Saturday, 11-19
Thankful for Feedback
This past October, I celebrated one year with The Pampered Chef. It’s been wonderful and only getting better. And this weekend, we celebrated that! My very first hosts threw another party in my honor and let me show my stuff. Many repeat clients over the last year showed up to support me, and we had a blast! But the best part was the feedback. Many guests have seen my shows in the past and every one of them said they were happily surprised at how much I’ve improved over time and how obvious it is that I love what I do. Hearing that was better than any profit that comes my way.

Sunday, 11-20
Thankful for Rain. Real Rain.
I have to apologize to my niece, L, because her very first Horse Riding show got rained out. Please know that I’m not happy about that. But I love the rain. So does Anthony. So to have some REAL rain pour down on us, and to be able to share that with Abigail was so fun. Thankful for little moments to share with her, like that.

Monday 11-21
Thankful for my In-Laws
Packing for a 5 day trip is not easy. And it is time-consuming. Throw an over-active toddler into the mix and lets just say I’m also thankful for baby gates that block her in! But our packing day went much more smoothly than anticipated… because my In-Laws were in town! And they took Abby for the afternoon to visit her great grand parents while we got our stuff done. And in no time flat, we had all of our errands run and all of our items packed (including getting laundry done) and she had a great day playing and getting spoiled by trying peppermint ice cream! Again, a win-win!

Tuesday 11-22
Thankful for Abby’s Easy-going attitude.
I don’t know. We must have done something fantastically humanitarian in a past life. Because on top of having your not-so-average miracle baby, she is one of the most mellow and easy-going babies I have ever encountered. She just makes it work. What ever it is. Today it was a 10 hour drive, plus encountering a lot of “new” family (people she doesn’t remember she’s met before) along the way, and then figuring out how to sleep in an unfamiliar place. And what does her attitude say to me, all day? No Big Deal, Mom. Stop worrying. She slept for half of the drive and played quietly for the rest. She talked to me all day and only cried once during the drive. She stuck close to me and Anthony during our family visits, but didn’t fuss at all. And bed time? Oh yea – she’s been sound asleep since 9 and went down with no issues. Again – no idea what I did to get this lucky, but whatever it was, I’M THANKFUL!

-Jen

Friday, I was Thankful For my Mom, and my hairdresser

As you will see below, this post is mostly about Abigail’s first hair cut. BUT I had to give a shout out to my Mom. As most of you know, my Mom (along with my Dad) watches Abby for me while I work during the afternoons at Charming. She and my Dad are amazing. They have sacrificed so much to help me (and Anthony) keep Abigail in a safe and happy environment. And they LOVE their job as grandparents/primary care givers. But what puts them over the top as shoe-ins for the grandparents of the year award are all the extras they do. It’s as if 20+ hours isn’t enough for them. Because on top of those hours, plus their jobs, plus their lives, they still manage to come through for me in a pinch.

I’ll be honest. I have a LOT of “New Mom” moments. Like, A. LOT. I’m pulling the “Still Learning” card here and saying that being a new Mom is pretty tough. And sometimes, what I think is a GREAT idea really actually sucks. Insert my sucky great idea: get my own hair cut at the same time as Abby. We’ll go together, make it one trip, and it will be all good! Hahahaha… yea. Didn’t think about a rowdy, energetic, MOBILE toddler in an area that is wonderful for adults but downright dangerous for kids. Go me. Mom to the rescue! Offered to help with Abby (i.e. sit in the car with said rowdy and energetic toddler for an hour) while I got my hair cut, and then come in and take pictures for me to remember the whole experience. Did I mention this was on her day off from Abby duty? A day that she had several appointments already scheduled? A day that this was probably going to be more of a headache than a leisure trip? But there she was, waiting for me in the parking lot, none the less. And the pictures (below) were great! Yup. Grandma of the year.

Both of my parents really are wonderful, for so many reasons. But on Friday, I was particularly thankful for my Mom. Thank you, Mama… for all you do. You’re the best.

Ok! On to the pictures! On Friday, I was also very thankful for the skills of my hairdresser, Lynn Hayes. She’s been cutting my hair, (plus my Mom’s, my Sister’s, my Sister-In-law’s, and my best friend’s hair) for years. She is VERY good, and it shows. Plus, she has extensive experience working with kids. So it was obvious who we chose to cut Abby’s hair for the first time.

Abby didn’t like it. She was confused as to who this stranger was touching her head. But she only cried a little, and was totally distracted by me singing her favorite tunes: The ABC’s, Twinkle Twinkle, Itsy Bisty Spider, and of course – The Hot Dog Dance!

When all was said and done, she did really well, and now her hair is cute and even and out of her eyes! Yippie! I’m thankful for the experienced hands of my hairdresser!

Getting Ready!Combing the hair out to see how long it really is.

Wet hair and the protective cape. We gave her the brush as a distraction.

Getting ready to make the first cut.

Snip snip!

High Five for Lynn after we were all done!

New Do’s! Ready for the holidays!

-Jen

Today, I’m Thankful For Pick-Me-UPs and Picture Texts.

I have no idea why, but I was in a BAD mood yesterday. No reason. Just everything from the baby crying, to the dog barking, to the guy who forgot his turn signal, irritated me to no end. I was crabby and snippy and had that “gloom and doom” cloud over my head. And I HATE being in that mood.

But there it was. I simply woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I mean, it could have something to do with Abby waking up at 4am and not going back to sleep, at all… but it could also have been me. BUT a little pick-me up turned my day around. My Mom was getting rid of some of her Thanksgiving Decorations to make way for new ones. And instead of just throwing them out, she saved them for me! A festive throw pillow, two adorable scarecrows, and a wall hanging wreath of fall leaves made me SUPER happy. And my day started to turn around. It’s amazing what one little positive gesture can do. I’m Thankful for Pick-Me-Ups.

And really, who isn’t thankful for picture texts? I mean, they are just awesome all the way around. But the best part is that my parents have become those technologically savvy parents everyone wants and dreads at the same time. Fortunately, mine fall into the “Cool” category. They text, which makes it so easy to talk to them all the time. But they don’t over do it, and they still call. And they send me pictures! Mostly of Abby when they watch her, but sometimes something funny that will make me laugh or smile.

Today’s text was both. I was worried about the doodle-bug because she curled up on the couch an hour and a half before her normal nap time and just passed out. Snoring even. Wouldn’t wake up if a Fog Horn blasted in the same room (She’s just like her Dad…). And she slept right through her normal lunch time. So when we had to pick her up to get in the car to go to Nana’s for the afternoon, she was less than pleased. Woken up out of a VERY deep sleep, and hungry. My poor parents had to deal with a screaming toddler in the back of the car and I had to deal with that Mommy guilt that makes me want to quit my job and stay home with her just so she never has to wake up from a nap like that again. Plus, I was worried she might be sick, or not feel top-notch and that just makes me nuts.

But to make me feel better, my dad sent a picture text of a very happy Abby in a Costco cart with a Veggie stick in hand, (they were giving them out as snacks) and quite the opposite of the screaming banshee we placed in their car an hour and a half prior. She seems fine. And she ate a large lunch, and is drinking her water. No indications that anything was off.

So we’ll chalk it up to the little princess being just that – a princess – who wanted to take a nap on her time. Not mine. So yes, I’m thankful for picture text messages. And the people who send them. 😉

-Jen

Today, I am Thankful For

It’s Baaaaaaaaaaaaack!

I always look forward to November and my “Today I’m Thankful For” series. I know I’m off to a late start here, as a week has already gone by with no posts. Sorry! Not to mention the 2 other posts I’m in the middle of that still need finishing and posting (I swear I’m working on it!!!) But I needed to get this one out there and off my list. I guess there will just have to be 2 (or maybe more) days that I double up on Posts. Yippie for you, right? 😉

Anywho – here are the first 7 “I am Thankful” posts, in short paragraph form. 17 to go! What are you Thankful for this holiday season?

1) Abby’s Immune System.

There is more information about this in the “October in a Flash” post coming…soon…ish… but the long and the short of it is that Abby got sick in Oct. And it was the first real test of her Immune System and what it is (and isn’t) capable of. I’m happy to say that it can do more than we thought it could, and with some rest, some breathing treatments, and a whole lot of Motts for Tots Apple juice, we are back to full health status. Amen!

2) 17 Months of memories.

I have a 17 month old. Less than a month from now, she will be One and a half. Hello? Am I the only one who thinks that is just crazy?! Less than 3 months ago she couldn’t even walk, and now she’s RUNNING and TALKING and learning at a pace that, quite frankly, scares the pants off of me. But Anthony and I have been diligent about writing, taking photos, and videoing everything we can. It’s all documented. And I now have 17 full months of those memories to look back on, and many, MANY more to come.

3) The Pampered Chef.

I had an AWESOME party to kick off my Holiday selling season, and am looking forward to a totally debt free Christmas. Which is totally needed these days. I’m all booked up for November (unless a catalog party is something anyone is interested in) and starting to fill up my December. I am so thankful for this opportunity and the freedom it brings me. Not to mention the joy – who is looking forward to holiday baking this year? THIS GIRL!

4) New Jeans!

“New Jeans Day” is always a good day in my book. Same with “New Undies Day” but that might be just slightly TMI. Oh well. 😉 Anywho – my body has changed so much over the last two years, and the bottom line is I’m just not as stick skinny as I used to be. This is great news. I have a REAL body! Hahaha. But it means that those super tight, super skinny J Crew jeans I loved so much just don’t work anymore. I got a fabulous pair of Ann Taylor Capri Jeans this summer and wore them more than I’d like to admit. But capris are out and full length jeans are in, now that the Fall weather has decided to join us. So, I got the same fabulous cut/style in Jeans and am….again… wearing them more than I’d like to admit. Hahaha. But they look great and they FIT. So whahoo to new jeans!

5) Days Off.

I got a “day off” to spend with my Mom and my Daughter. We had no plans, no rules, no restrictions. We played with Abby, then my Mom and I enjoyed a fantastic lunch while Abby slept in her stroller. (Shout out to Kurt, our Red Robin Server who was wonderful and made our lunch just that much more pleasant). We went shopping for us, then headed over to Toys R Us and let Abby tell us what she wanted for Christmas by writing down all the things she gravitated toward without assistance. She found the aisle with all the Elmo toys all by herself. Then we joined up with my Dad and had Chipotle dinner and more playtime before it was bath time and then bedtime. It was an awesome day. One that we don’t get to do often enough. I love true “Days Off.”

6) Our new Stroller.

The travel system was wonderful while we needed it. But our big girl doesn’t need the giant stroller anymore. So, we got a good old umbrella stroller to take its place. Well… sort of. “Good Old” would mean a thin frame with one piece of cloth acting as the seat and four wheels. Well, we have a thin frame and four wheels. But we also have a very nice padded seat that reclines. And there is a sun visor! Plus, it has padded handles and cup holders. But my favorite part is the little basket underneath to store things. It is awesome! It is lightweight and still folds up super small and it even has a heavy-duty handle on the side to make carrying easy when it is folded up. And the best part of it all??? It is a $50 stroller that I got on sale, plus 20% off! $30 for a $50 stroller! Love it! I’m thankful.

7) Space Heaters.

I am really happy that the weather has changed and the heat is gone. It’s great. I love wearing sweaters and scarves and socks… But I work in a very drafty warehouse. In the summer, it is hotter than hot. We have industrial fans blowing in all directions. And in the winter we get the exact opposite effect. Now, I work in the office, not the warehouse. But oddly enough, the heater is upstairs… and in case you missed that particular episode of Bill Ny the Science guy… heat rises! So my DOWNSTAIRS office is as cold as the warehouse! So I am super thankful for my little space heater that sits under my desk and keeps my work area workable.

There you have it! The first week of thankful! Thanks for reading!

-Jen

All the little things

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I hope each and every one of you enjoys today for what it is. A time to reflect on all the things we have to be thankful for.

I will be honest – this is the second time EVER that I have been away from my family for Thanksgiving. And I miss them. I miss my Dad and his amazing cook-by-science way of doing things. His grilled turkey simply cannot be beat. I miss my sister and her way with all the kids. She has a magic touch, and she makes them all so happy. But most of all, I miss my Mama. She taught me everything I need to know!! How to cook, how to pray, and most importantly  – how to be thankful for the little things! 😉

But as much as I miss my family, I am so thankful to be where I am this week. Anthony’s family has made me one of their own. And, as my Mama taught me how to be thankful for all the little things, being where Anthony is helps me notice them more and more.

I noticed today that the high 40’s, low 50’s weather doesn’t bother me anymore. In fact – I liked it! I’m loving that I can actually have a real conversation with my niece, Laila…At 2 and a half years old. She loves to talk. I can’t believe how well we have been rewarded with Abigail – keeping our faith has paid off BIG TIME. Do you know that she sleeps through the night? Yea – every night for about 2 weeks now. Even in a new environment. And she is so mellow. She doesn’t cry unless there is a reason. I love that.

I’m so excited about traditions, both old and new. An old tradition for me was “holiday outfits.” One grandmother bought our (my sister’s and my) Christmas outfits. The other grandmother bought us our Easter outfits. Every year until I was 18. It was something we looked forward to before every holiday. So, insert new tradition! Easter is an outfit I will be picking for Abigail every year. However, we alternate which family we are with each year for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. For example, last year we were with my family for Thanksgiving, and Anthony’s family for Christmas. This year, it is the opposite. So, each grandmother will be in charge of Abigail’s (and any siblings to follow) outfit for whatever holiday we spend with them that year. So Teta (Anthony’s Mom) picked out an adorable fall outfit this year. A pink long sleeve onsie covered by a brown corduroy jumper dress with matching pink flowers on it. So cute! And Nana (my Mama) picked out a precious red/white/black plaid dress with a little princess tulle and capped sleeves for Christmas. I’m in love with both outfits and I can’t tell you how happy and excited I am to pass this tradition on to my daughter. Yet another little thing to add my list of thankful things.

There are so many big things Anthony and I have to be thankful for this year. The most obvious of which is our daughter. She is here. She is alive. She is thriving and growing and an answer to so many prayers. She has no idea the huge impact her tiny little self has had on the world. But having so many big things to be thankful for can sometimes eclipse the little things. So today, while we are spending time with some family and thinking of others we can’t be with, I will be doing my best to remember all of the little things. There are so many and they are all so important!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Go enjoy all the little things!

-Jen

A Month Full of Thanks

Happy November everyone!!!

For those of you who have been following my blog before 2010, you will probably remember my ‘I am Thankful’ series last year. For those of you who don’t know, I wrote a blog post EVERY DAY in the month of November leading up to Thanksgiving. Each post was about something I was thankful for and why. It was so fun, and much more creative than one would think! I mean, I was thankful for all sorts of weird things! Socks, rolly chairs, popsicles, even the mail merge button in Word! But it was so worth the challenge and I wanted to do it again this year. I have A LOT to be thankful for.

BUT, the time to blog right now is…scarce.

I will admit to being one of those woman who thought, “Oh, I can do it while she sleeps.” I truly thought that I would be able to simply add Abigail to the list of my “To Do’s” and just keep chugging… yea right! When she sleeps, I sleep. And when she is awake (which is significantly longer than it used to be) we play! So getting things done just doesn’t happen like it used to. This crazy-efficient organizer has turned into a full-fledged, full-time Mom. And while I have ZERO qualms with that, it means that the documentation of our adventures has fallen by the wayside.

However, I made sure that today, while Abigail sleeps, I would be able to write something.

I will not be writing daily, as I had hoped. Instead I am going to make a list of many of the things I am thankful for by including one thing for each day of the month leading up to Thanksgiving. Since Thanksgiving is on the 25th this year so here is the list of at least 25 things I am thankful for this Holiday season. Enjoy!!!!

1) The most obvious: Abigail Jenifer Francis. There is no greater joy than having her in my life.

2) The second most obvious: Anthony – I still have THE BEST husband on the planet. Neener-Neener-Neener.

3) My Family – all of them. Every single, loud, crazy, loving, supportive, in-your-face, over the top, live-life-to-the-fullest, AMAZING one of them. Thanks for being there for us at rock bottom and helping to lift us back up. We love you.

4) The staff in the NICU at Los Robles hospital. You all literally saved Abigail’s life. Therefore, you saved mine. We will forever be in your debt, and we love you SO MUCH. I am so thankful for your compassion and your expertise.

5) My parents: for being my parents when I needed parents and for being my friends when I needed friends. I love you both.

6) My sister: There is no greater friend than one who can’t ever get away from you! Muahhaha! (I love you more than you know, Bug!)

7) My friends. You know who you are. And you know why I love you. I am thankful to have such a strong support system – couldn’t have come this far without you.

8 ) My In-Laws: Yes, I like them. In fact, I love them. I’m thankful to have a second set of parents that have my (and our) back at a moment’s notice. And I’m thankful for their unconditional love – because they kind of got a wild card with me as their daughter-in-law. Not gonna lie, I’m a little crazy. 😉

9) My computer. For those of you who didn’t know, I got a new one!!! And not only am I thankful for how speedy it is and how pretty it is, I’m thankful for how inexpensive it was, AND NO MORE VISTA!!! Thank the Lord!!

10) Dr. Pepper. It’s an addiction. I’m thankful that it is one that isn’t detrimental to my health.

11) My diaper bag. It’s my new purse. And while I know that it will need to be replaced by a larger model before a year is up, I love how cute and functional it is.

12) Abigail’s swing. For the moments when my arms might actually fall off.

13) Pampered Chef. A new adventure I’ve been wanting to start for some time. I can’t wait!

14) Captain Pup. No one can love you or comfort you like a dog can. And no one can match a Mother’s protective instincts like your dog can, either. Pup is our first baby. Our little boy. We love him.

15) My sewing machine. I can’t tell you how much time I’ve spent with it lately, or how many cool and special things I’ve made for Abby and others with it. Sewing is more than a hobby these days – it’s a passion. ❤

16) Ice Cream. Enough said.

17) Target. The magical wonderland of adorable clothes for Abby, every electronic Anthony can fathom, and any household item I could ever need, all at reasonable prices. Bliss.

18) Our own washer and dryer. After having to use communal laundry rooms for years, I can’t tell you what a blessing it is to be able to do Abby’s laundry at the drop of a hat.

19) Jacques the Peacock. Abby’s favorite toy. He provides much needed distraction from…whatever it was that was upsetting her a few minutes ago. *whew*

20) Socks. I was thankful for them last year, and I’m thankful for them still. Comfy, warm, and oh-so-festive!

21) Ascension Lutheran Church. Our home church has uplifted us in prayer for 5 months, and offered support in so many ways. It was an honor and a privilege to finally be able to bring Abigail for church to meet some of you. We are thankful that the Lord led us to you just in time.

22) Our Nikon D60. It takes AMAZING pictures of our family that we will treasure forever. Which leads me to…

23) Technology in general. So thankful for how easy life can be because of it. TV, the internet, DVR, my Cell phone, this blog… I really don’t know what I did before all of it!

24) Facebook!!! Hahaha – no, really! So Thankful for all of the friends I have there, and how easy it is to keep you all up to date on our little family. Facebook has proven to be a true blessing for me in the last year!

25) I am so Thankful to finally have all the titles I ever wanted. While Daughter and Sister came with the territory, Friend was the first that had to be earned. Last year, I finally got to add Wife to that list. And now, I am proud to be called Mommy. I am so Thankful that the Lord saw fit to give me a family of my own. THIS family. It’s been a long road, but I am so Thankful to be sitting here typing these words, knowing that my little angel and my best friend are here with me. I don’t know what I did to deserve such gifts, but I am so thankful to have them.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! And know that I am thankful for all of you that read this blog! Please leave comments about what you are thankful for, too!!

-Jen

Today, I am Thankful for: Today.

Once again, I just ran out of time to blog over the last two days. It is crazy how busy the last 48 hours got. Work was nuts both days, plus cleaning, packing, and traveling = tired Jen. But it was all sooooo worth it.

On Tuesday I was going to blog about being Thankful for my Dad and my sister. I know just how lucky I am to have the family I do. My father is my hero. I’m certainly Daddy’s little girl. He brought music into my life, and I can’t tell you how big of an impact that had. But more recently, my dad and I have found a communication groove that I just love. We talk tech. We talk sports. We talk world news. We discuss things I didn’t really appreciate when I was younger. And I love to hear about what he thinks – it always makes me think. I’m so thankful to have a father that I have a great relationship with. I’m so thankful that both of my parents are so much more – they are both my close friends.

And my sister – ha! Don’t even get me started. She’s amazing. I mean yea – she’s annoying as all get out sometimes. She’s super set in her ways and more stubborn than I am. But – she’s my sister. She’s so creative and so smart. She’s such a fighter – in a good way. She sticks to her guns and her beliefs, and she loves with all of her heart. She keeps me on my toes. As the big sister, I’m always worried about her, even when we both know I don’t need to be. But I’m lucky enough to have gotten along with her over the years, and because of that, she talks to me. She comes to me with things. I know things no one else knows about her because I’m her confidant. She’s a wonderful young woman that I love to hang out with. She’s got such a great sense of style and flair that I love to watch. And we have so much fun when we are together. We laugh. We sing. Sometimes we even dance! And who else can I do that with? Not many people, for sure. I’m so lucky to have her in my life. I’m thankful to have a great relationship with her. I’ve always said she was my first best friend. And she still is. I’m thankful for my sister.

Yesterday I was going to blog that I am thankful for my friends. All of you. You know who you are. I am so blessed to have such great friends. A group of girls that can’t be beat. Some great guys that are simply beyond compare. I’ve got friends that listen, friends that always say what I need to hear, friends that are always there (both metaphorically and physically) whenever I need them – without questioning why they are answering a phone call at 3am or standing in a parking lot 20 minutes from home in their PJ’s because my keys are locked in my car. I’m one of those people that is kind of fearless. And I think I have that part of me because I’ve never felt alone. I’ve always had good close friends nearby to back me up – forget about whether I’m right or wrong. (If I’m wrong, we’ll just have a chit-chat about it later, right?). I’m so thankful for your friendship. I am so thankful for your loyalty. I am so thankful for the warmth that you’ve wraped around me countless times. I can’t ever express to you how special each and every one of you are to me. It can’t be done. Just know that I love you, and thank God that He placed you in my life.

And today, I’m so Thankful for one thing. This:

I am so Thankful for my amazing and loving family. I couldn’t have asked for better people in my life. There is so much love in this group and I’m so lucky to be a part of it all. I’m thankful for our traditions. I’m thankful for the laughter. I’m thankful for the memories.

I’m thankful for my Family.

Thanks so much for reading! This was fun! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
-Jen

Today, I am Thankful for: Mail Merge

I remember about 5 years ago, now (the summer before Anthony and I started dating) I learned about this wonderful thing called “Mail Merge.”

For those of you who don’t know, as I didn’t back then, Mail Merge is this fabulous little device in Microsoft Excel. It is used to convert Excel Tables into working Word Docs. It’s great when you’ve got to duplicate sometime similar, but every one is still different. For example: when you are making hundreds of name tags that all look the same, have the same font, are all set up the same – but every name is, of course, different. You put all the names in order in excel, then you mail merge them to fit into your nifty pre-perforated template for name tags, hit print, and VOILA! You are in business. Saves SO MUCH TIME!!

I use it on more occasions than you would think. Most recently, we used it to print addresses on our wedding invitations. Super cool! Who needs a calligrapher when you’ve got mail merge?

And today, I used it again. I’m working on our Christmas Cards (I have this high flying goal of having them ready to mail on Dec. 11th – We’ll see.) and I have over 110 to send. I have no idea when our Christmas card list got so big! I mean, I only sent 70 last year! And I know I’m probably forgetting someone – sorry if it is you! I didn’t mean it, I promise!

But with the daunting task of addressing envelopes looming near, I am so relieved to know how to use mail merge. I will print beautifully written labels to put on envelops that the post office can easily read, and I won’t get a hand cramp! Yippie!

So, with so much to do this holiday season, I am so thankful for time savers like Mail Merge. Thank you Microsoft!

-Jen

Today, I am Thankful for: Sunday

And on the 7th day, God rested…

Boy did He have it right. It has been a super long week. And on top of it all, Anthony AND the dog got sick, so I’ve been doing all I can to care for them, and to keep the house together. Thank goodness Anthony is no where near as big a baby as I am when I’m sick!

The good news is that Pup is better. He’s much happier, and we aren’t dealing with the accidents or messes of a couple of days ago. And while Ant isn’t better yet, he’s on his way. He went to the doctor – of his own accord (miracle of miracles!) and got meds. He’s been on a codeine induced rest regimen since Friday. He should be good to go for our little trip on Wednesday. Woot! Now if I can only keep myself healthy, we will be right on track! Knock on wood and keep those fingers crossed!

One way I’m ensuring I stay well: resting.

I know that is such a simple concept, but it is so important. I know so many people out there, especially during this time of year, think they don’t have the time to rest. I keep saying it isn’t about “having” the time. It’s about “making” the time. Otherwise, you’ll get sick and your body will take you out of the game for much longer than you had anticipated in the first place.

So today, we are home. I’ve gotten several things done, most of which take more mental effort that physical effort. And Anthony is enjoying his video games and my company. We ran all of our errands for the weekend yesterday for the sole purpose of being able to stay home today. And while I have a lot to get done today, I’m doing it all from my couch.

And I think a nap will be in order later. Oh – forgot to blog yesterday, so there you go. Yesterday, I was Thankful for Naps, wishing I could have taken one. I’ll make up for it today!

I’m thankful for the down time. I’m thankful for the company. I’m thankful that my little family will be healthy and happy this Thanksgiving, and that is really all I can ask for. I’m thankful for restful Sundays.

-Jen

Today, I am Thankful for: My Mom

Again, I know I was going to wait until next week to be thankful for the people in my life, but once again, I find it hard to resist!

I had lunch today with my mom. And let me tell you – an hour is NEVER enough. She and I could litterally talk for hours. And we have! And I always realize way too late just how much I have to tell her when I see her. I need more hours in the day.

When I was younger, I definitely went through that whole “I don’t need anyone – including my Mom” phase. We had your typical arguments and miscommunications, as any teenager does with their mother. But I consider myself SO lucky. I know others who never moved out of that stage. Or worse, I know some who went from typical miscommunication to outright NO communication. But not me and my mom. We worked through that awkward phase of mine and now, she isn’t just my mom. She’s one of my best friends.

I can seriously tell her ANYTHING. And sometimes that is great, and sometimes, I have to remember, she’s still my mom. Haha. But she takes it all in stride and with a heck of a lot of grace.

Best of all, my mom has never been “Mom,” as so many others call their mothers. Nope, she hated that. And when I was younger that annoyed the crap out of me. But as time has gone on, I’m so thankful she never gave in. She’s MamaBear. Or Mama for short. And that title says so much about the kind of mom she is. She’s warm and compassionate. She’s protective and inclusive. No, she’s not fuzzy, but she certainly is cuddly! She gives great MamaBear hugs! She listens really well and always seems to say the right thing – even when the right thing is the LAST thing you wanted to hear. She’s got great judgment and she’s just so darn cute on top of it all!

My Mama has always been the proud type – proud of her husband, proud of her baby girls, proud of her family. She’s always encouraged both me and my sister in whatever it was we were taking on. And she never missed an opportunity to tell us just how proud of us she was. I think it was (and still is) a huge contributor to why we both succeeded in a lot of areas growing up. I owe a lot to my Mama. She believed in me and taught me to believe in myself. She sacrificed so much to give me everything she could. I’m super lucky to have someone like her looking out for me.

I tell people that if I end up being half the Mama she is, then I know I’m doing something right. She’ll be embarrassed that I said that on here, knowing that a whopping 2 dozen people read my blog now. But it’s true. She’s a really special woman and I’m so thankful God put the two of us together. He knew I needed a mom like her – He knew I needed a MamaBear.

I’m Thankful that I have always had someone looking out for me. I am thankful I have always had someone to turn to. I am thankful that I have always had someone there willing to pick up the pieces, even when the reason a situation was such a mess was totally my fault. I am thankful for her wisdom and her insight. OH! And a super big shout out to her home remedies, too! (Remember the pics of the tar on the entire Exec Cab’s feet my Senior year in college? Yea – MamBear to the rescue on that one!)

My mom is more than a mom to me. She’s an inspiration. She’s a goal of something to live up to. She’s an example worth following. And she’s such an amazing friend. I’m SUPER thankful for my MamaBear.

Love Jen
😉