Day 7

1. Rick was tricky; he ran the dishwasher last night while I was sleeping.  Then, while I was sleeping in this morning he emptied the dishwasher.  I was completely confused when I opened the cupboard this morning to find things that I was sure were dirty but apparently had already been washed.  Thanks Rick for a lovely surprise.
2. A kid-less brunch and shopping trip with my mom.  She'll be gone on my birthday next week so this was our celebration.  We never shop, let alone together, so it was quick and enjoyable.
3. A short but necessary trip to the playground with friends this afternoon.  Piper had to do her homework quickly for us to go quickly but she didn't have to discuss it too long to be convinced. The kids got out some good energy and they didn't fight and argue at home.
4. The prayers of children.  Yesterday a girl in Piper's class wrote her a note and asked her to be her best friend.  Piper debated what to tell her since she has two very close friends and didn't want to hurt their feelings.  She is so sensitive.  Then she told me after school that she told the girl that she would be her best friend.  In her prayer tonight, she thanked her Heavenly Father for helping her decide what to tell the girl.
5. Butter pecan ice cream

11.6.12

1. The election is over.  I voted but I was ambivalent about the results.  I'm just glad it's done with.
2. Vanilla yogurt
3. Baby kicks
4. Comfy pants
5. Watching the kids play soccer

Stayin' Alive with 5!

1. I finally took Halloween down and put up Thanksgiving.  I don't have a lot of Thanksgiving/autumn decorations so the house looks almost empty with all of the Halloween stuff put away.  It feels good to be a little less cluttered.
2. A great family home evening with my kids.  Piper was in a grumpy mood at the start but it turned out well and we had some great discussion about the sacrament and the gift of the Holy Ghost.
3. Good books.  I'm currently reading a classic Anne of Green Gables book, but one that I've never read before.  Good literature feeds the soul.
4. I volunteer at Piper's school for half an hour on Monday mornings.  Today I went in a little early, before the kids were in the class.  Piper's teacher chose to tell me how great she's doing.  She's making huge strides in her reading and things have just clicked for her.  She understands and retains what she reads.  Her teacher said that she's a natural-born storyteller too.  Nice to hear that others recognize her growth and progress.  Piper has really adjusted well to school life.  For that, I am grateful.
5. Still looking fairly small for being 21/22 weeks pregnant.  I lost 11 pounds in my first trimester which was not fun to experience but I needed to lose some weight to begin with.  That gives me more room to grow.

11.4.12

Today's grateful list:

1. Hot roast beef dinners with awesome gravy.
2. The safety of our friends on the East Coast.
3. The prospect of lots of family visiting at Thanksgiving.
4. The end is nearing of the political season.
5. The beginning of a new week.

Days 2 & 3

Being down in San Diego for part of yesterday and most of today affected my plans to post.  So here are some things I'm grateful for, in particular:

1. My friend Chellese.  Chellese is a dear friend.  She is visiting us this weekend to participate in  my first "race" ever.  Along with my mom and a lot of her friends from church, we did the Color Run in San Diego.  It was a blast and I'm especially grateful that they walked with me seeing as how I'm not supposed to run because of the pregnancy.  (BTW, my friend Heidi that I grew up with, though she's a few years younger than me, she and her husband are the founders of the Color Run.  So cool.)
2. My mom, Vicki.  If you know her, then you know what I'm talking about.  If you don't know her, you wish you did.  She is fun, funny, smart, adventurous, humble, and just a blast to be around.  When I was younger, I was a bit jealous because my friends always seemed to like her more than they liked me.  Now that I've matured (HA!) I can appreciate how awesome she is.
3. Little kids dancing.  My kids did a lot of dancing and jumping today at the Color Run.  Their enthusiasm is captivating and life-affirming.
4. The Eggery.  This is Rick's second most favorite breakfast place in the world.  I've never eaten something there that I didn't love.  You truly need to order multiple things on their menu in one sitting to understand its greatness.  I believe this place began Rick's love of granola pancakes.
5. Our glorious bed.  You know how you stay at a fancy hotel and just revel in how wonderful their beds are.  I now long for our bed at home no matter where I'm staying.  It's that nice.  It's a Kluft, look it up.  And no, we did NOT pay full price for ours, not even close.

The Month of Gratitude Begins

Today I am thankful for...

1. My health and the health of my family.  We're pretty hardy stock and although I have the normal aches and pains of pregnancy, we all are happy without snotty noses.
2. Naps - both for Simon and for me.  This one will be a frequent flier on the thanks list.  I get a rest in the middle of the day, most days, and I need it to keep up with the energy in the house.
3. Rick's good job.  He doesn't have to work too many hours and he enjoys what he does.
4. Piper's ease with homework.  Although I do supervise her and check her work, she is pretty self-sufficient.  She's a whiz at math.  Her teacher even made a note on her math work that she's "quick and accurate."
5. Our nice home.  We may rent but it's nice to have a fairly large space to call our own and make more personal.  It's the first time in seven years that we've spent more than one year consecutively in the same house.

Adventures of a Passive Agressive Blogger

I do have updates, and I mean, lots of updates.  This is what you have to look forward to seeing and reading about:

• Piper's 6th birthday
• Kindergarten field trip
• A visit from Grandma Ann & Grandpa Rich
• Last day of kindergarten
• End of school party
• A visit to the firehouse with Papa
• Swimming lessons
• 4th of July AKA Rick's birthday
• Ward BBQs
• Berry picking
• Dodger games
• Chilling at the Grove
• Lemonade stand
• It's a baby!
• Island Park
• Simon's 3rd birthday
• Piper starts first grade
• Piper gets strep throat
• Simon starts Joy School
• Asthma attack!!  Ahhh!
• A visit to the pumpkin farm
• Halloween