I am thankful for....popcorn

I LOVE popcorn. It brings me comfort. I love the texture. I love the taste. I love it almost anyway.

I consume far more popcorn than the average person. I can just eat and eat and eat more of it.

Thankfully it isn't the worst food in the world for me I guess since I do not load it with butter. Usually I just like it with spices.

So yummy!

What is your comfort food?

~A

I am thankful for....cyber Monday deals

I am usually not a huge cyber Monday shopper and its been close to a decade since I went out on black Friday. This year however I found a deal I really could not turn down. I really want to do an obstacle course 5k in 2013 and low and behold like a sign, there was a deal for a 2013 race. Guess who is officially signed up for Warrior Dash 2013?

This girl!

September 21, 2013.

I am excited, scared, anxious, ecstatic....so much. Scary to book so far in advance but damn it I need to start doing the things I want to but have been afraid to in the past.

Did you get any good cyber Monday deals?

~A

I am thankful for...reading

I took a couple days off again to unplug and I did a lot of reading. I had a very rough week last week and I think I may have hot the emotional equivalent of rock bottom (at least I hope anyway...I can not imagine much worse!).

So to cope, I did a huge amount of reading this weekend both on my own and with the Little.

I read "The Road", "City of Bones", & "Born to Run". I also read a couple magazines I had sitting around that I had not had a chance to get to.

The Little & I did lots of reading together as well. She is currently loving the Little Critter books which is fun.

I personally love reading since it transports me to another place. I love also showing my baby that reading can be so fun.

Have you read any good books lately?

~A

I am thankful for....farmers

I am lucky enough to live in a rural area with plenty of farm country. Add to that the fact that I was born and raised a country girl. Result - I appreciate the hard work it takes to put a meal on the table.

As part of my effort to shop local, I supported a local far, I love by buying my winter supply of ground beef. I love the fact that you can drive by the cows, see them happily grazing in the fields. I am by mo means a vegetarian, although I am trying to eat less meat these days, but I do want to make sure that the meat I eat came from animals that were treated as humanely as possible and that they got a chance to live.

So I drive past the fields of happily grazing cows to a local farm stand and purchase locally raised beef. And its deliciously awesome and priced better than it is at the big box market. It was $4.99/lb and its very lean....probably like 90-95%. Plus this weekend it was $5 off $50, so I bought 10 pounds to stock up and save a few dollars.

I am thankful for the farmers in our area and that they provide food for us. I am also thankful that I know how to garden and grow some of my own food thanks to my family.

~A

I am thankful for...traditions

Today the Little and I set up our Christmas tree. I am starting this as our Christmas tradition.

I decided to surprise her and I set up the tree while she was napping. I let her nap on the couch and set up the tree in the living room right behind her while she slept. I took her a while to notice the tree when she woke up, but when she did, she was sooooo excited. It was definitely my favorite moment of the day!

She kept saying things like, "Mommy, there's a Christmas tree in the living room. It's magic. It is so pretty!"

So today I am thankful for traditions with my family. They keep us grounded and remind us of the things that really matter in life.

What traditions do you have?

~A

I am thankful for...Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving this year had so many emotions for me. It was especially meaningful. I have really been reminded lately of the things I should be thankful for. So I am thankful for Thanksgiving this year to bring me back to center.

It has also been wonderful seeing so many others around me expressing their gratitude.

No matter how conventional (or unconventional) your day was, I hope you had a wonderful holiday!

My little says, "It is Happy Birthday Turkey Day today." Good thing we were unconventional and had spaghetti and meatballs right?

What memories from today make you smile?

~A

I am thankful for...days off blogging

Yep, I did not post yesterday. I took a day off. And I am thankful for that. I did other things instead and they helped my mental state immensely. So I will double up on my thankful posts today.

What?!? Are you the blog police or something?

~A

I am thankful for...sleep

I have trouble sleeping a lot. I do not think that will be the case tonight. It has been a rough few days for me and I am exhausted. Heading to bed now. I am thankful for sleep today!

~A

I am thankful for...my Little

Today I am so very thankful for my little. I love her more than words can describe. On especially tough days like today, sometimes thinking of her is what helps me through. So much of what I do is for her. She means the world to me. My G - Momma loves you!!!

~A

I am thankful for...movies

The Little and I watched 'Sofia the First" on Disney channel tonight when it premiered. It was a pretty cute movie, but the best part was that she watched almost all of it and we cuddled and giggled. It was so sweet. I am thankful for movies I can watch with my Little so I have moments like this to cherish.

Watched any good movies lately?

~A

I am thankful for...cinnamon

I love cinnamon in its various forms. Some of my favorite uses are in coffee, peanut butter toast, candy, and in smoothies. I very recently found a box of Hot Tamale candies at the store - so yummy! They are my favorite!

Lucky for me, cinnamon is also good for you (I know probably not in the hot tamale form as much as the ground cinnamon form, but cut a sister a break!). I have read some reports that it stifles appetite and helps your body metabolize sugar more efficiently. Sounds good to me.

Mostly though, I am just thankful for the smell and taste. It has such a comforting effect on me.

Do any spices have this effect on you?

~A

I am thankful for...socks

Socks? I know...and yes I am thankful for socks. Especially new socks.  My feet have a tendency to get cold, and socks help tremendously. So today I am thankful for my comfy socks that also keep my feet warm and serve as good sock puppets for fun.

What are your thoughts on socks?

~A

I am thankful for...giggles

Had quite the gigglefest with the Little tonight and it made me so thankful for the moment. We took turns spinning each other in our spinning chair....smiles turned to laughs, which became giggles, and culminated in belly laughs. I swear, there is nothing like toddler laughs! You have to feel happy when you see a toddler laugh! I am thankful for those moments.

~A

I am thankful for...music

I have been listening to more music of late than I typically have in the past and it made me realize how much I appreciate it. It can change your mood, help you cope, give you energy, or just make you  smile.

I am making quite the random list of songs I want to download. I will admit, I have quite the interesting tastes in music, but I am not a music connoisseur by any means. And I can not for the life of me remember music trivia for my life. Oh well. I enjoy it nonetheless.

What songs ate you digging right now?

~A

I am thankful for...sunshine

Sunshine makes so many things better. I got to sit in the sun for a few minutes with a friend today (Hi J!) and just enjoy the natural light and pleasant company.  As the days get shorter, it's especially nice to take a few minutes and just appreciate the sunshine and what it can provide.  I'm thankful for the sunshine, despite not always having time to appreciate it.

For the longest when the Little was a baby, I'd sing "You are my Sunshine" to her each night.  I loved singing it - it always reminds me of my Grandma.  The Little apparently doesn't share the same affinity for the song as I do yet though...in time perhaps, in time.

When was the last time you sat and enjoyed the sunshine for a few minutes?

~A

I am thankful for....strength

I am not going to lie...today was a rough day for so many reasons....cranky toddler, finding out some hard truths, and just general weird things happening (like getting a door to the eye socket...hopefully I do not get a black eye tomorrow).

At so many moments today did I get down and out and think of giving up...but I dug down deep and found my inner strength and relied on some brute force strength (plus some kind words and encouragement from friends reminding me I am indeed a strong person and a good person), and I persevered.

Today I am thankful for physical, internal, and emotional strength to help carry us through rough seas. Whether you discover it yourself, have others around you to remind you, or a guiding force that gives you what you need - however you stay strong, be thankful that you can.  Tough times mean good times are ahead I believe...a test to make sure you are ready.

Where do you find strength?

~A

I am thankful for...Indian summer days

We have an uncharacteristically warm day today for a New England November day.  It was in the 60's! I am very thankful for one more day to enjoy the wonderful outdoors.

So we took advantage!

First we went to the playground on a play date. An hour and a half later after lots of swinging, sliding, running, and general play we were pretty tuckered out.

But it was just so nice. So we went to the local trail (part of the East Coast Greenway) and walked close to 1.5 miles outside.

Then we headed to Bakers Dozen where we enjoyed a coffee treat (me) and a strawberry sprinkle donut (the Little).

Then we headed out, and the Little promptly fell asleep - nap time!!

I was lucky enough to be able to sneak out during the Little's nap to go for a run (thanks to a baby sitter! I am not that type of unfit mommy!). I have been eyeing the sports field track at my local school so I headed there.

Perfect temps for a run! And it was getting cooler as I started the run. I did not set a distance or pace, just ran. And it felt so good! At one point I held my arms out and felt like I was flying. I have not had a run as enjoyable in quite some time.

I think my Nike+ did not like my off track running at some points because each lap was a different distance, but in the end Nike+ said I did 3.26 miles in 31'06". I think it was closer to 3.5 miles or more.

But what mattered most was the feeling. The thankfulness for the moment.

Then I returned home to spend another wonderful night with my Little.

Perfect day. Thanks to an Indian summer day.

~A

I am thankful for...bedtime

I love my new bedtime routine with my little. She has just recently started liking longer stories, so each night we have been reading two by flashlight...mostly Dr. Seuss beginner books or some of the Little Critter series. She really likes The Little Critter books...especially "All By Myself" and "When I Get Bigger."

After we read the stories, the book goes out of bed, and the flashlight gets shut off. Then I ask her what song she wants me to sing her and it has been "The Wheels on the Bus" for quite some time. So I sing all the verses.

Them begins the tuck in ritual. Some cuddling and eskimo kisses. them she chooses the blankets for the night. Then I tuck her in - wishing her sweet dreams, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite...kiss her forehead, hugs, eskimo kisses, real kisses, and she returns my wishes and I love yous. Then I turn on her fan and leave the room to watch her fall asleep on the monitor.

Usually takes 15 minutes for the ritual and another 10-15 until she falls asleep. I cherish thus time though. Such sweet, innocent love. The cuddling, the sweetness. I am so thankful for each night I have her.

Whats your bedtime routine look like?

~A

I am thankful for...hugs

Along the lines of yesterday's post, I am thankful for hugs. I will confess...I am a hugger. I restrain myself quite a bit unless I know someone well because I do not want to offend anyone...but I love giving and receiving hugs. So comforting, so caring. Its communication without words in my opinion.

Who was the last person to hug you? Who did you last hug?

Lucky me, it is the same person...My little G. She is such a good hugger.

~A

I am thankful for...smiles

Smiles on those who love you or even the smile from a stranger can make even the worst day slightly better in my opinion. So that's why I am thankful for smiles. Especially when you are having a rough time or when you see someone you have not seen in a while (understanding a while is relative depending on the someone!).

I try to smile as often as I can...even when I do not feel like smiling and especially when smiling is the last thing on my mind. I think a smile can transform your day...maybe its yours or maybe it is someone else's...who knows....but a smile can put you on the path to "being the change you wish to see in the world."

What makes you smile?

~A