Friday, November 18, 2011

November 16-17-18

I am thankful for friends I have not seen in FOREVER! It was so nice to see Becky and catch up with her. It feels good to have friends that can pick up where they left off. A little stressful when you come home and your husband doesn't follow any of the "house" rules, but I guess I have to take the good with the bad. We are hoping to get together once a month.

Bonus...yummy dessert at Applebee's!!! Anything involving a chocolate chip cookie, ice cream, oreos and chocolate sauce is 1000% terrific by me!!


November 17

Today I am thankful for my health. I do currently feel like I am am swallowing hot razor blades, but it could be way worse and I do have health insurance that allows me to go to the doctor...just to tell me I have a virus!

Bonus...Sam's Club has take and bake meals. Wonderful. Food that makes me think I am a cook. Could it really get any better?

November 18

I am thankful to be going on another date with my husband today. I get to have the a great babysitter come back over to play with the kids and enjoy some adult conversation with the Raeths at the Melting Pot. Love adult dates!!!!

Bonus..Paul Mitchell's new line awapuhi ginger. Love the whole line and it makes my hair smell very good. Yes, it is the little things!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

November 14-15

November 14...
I am thankful for Shelly. Poor girl thought she was getting rid of the Camp Chaos:)...no such luck!! It is so nice to drop my kids off and not worry. Eight years later, they still love going there!!! Very nice for a working mama who can not be ALL places at all times!! To be fair, I should include Aunt Steph in this thankful post as well:)!

Bonus...A kick ass DVD that literally kicked my ass. Lots of fun doing, bordering the line of death and excitement for actually doing it. Let see if I can get fit enough to actually do the full routine in its entirety and correctly!!!


November 15, 2011

I am thankful for friends who are there for me and let me rant and rave about things that effect my family (and life in general). As Mr. Hundt has said in the past, I am a verbal processor and I need to get it ALL out of my head. It is nice to have people who listen, don't judge and let me have my "crazy moment". Don't think for a second I don't appreciate it!!!

Bonus...getting my paycheck early because I have over spent...oops:)...this time of the year ALWAYS kills me. Need to budget better. Love to shop, love Christmas...the two together VERY bad news!!!!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Novemebr 12-13

November 12...

I am thankful for FABULOUS babysitters. I have been beyond blessed to always have a mom that will take my kids, but there are times when I just want to go out to dinner with my husband and have a conversation...just a few hours...not my mom's job to raise another set of kids...DONT get me wrong, I will still use my mom:)! Friday we had out very first "real" babysitter, not a family member or close personal friend, a real girl!! She was wonderful!! I walked in the house and Isaac came running up to me..."Mom, pay her extra. She was GREAT!" They bugged me all day Saturday wondering when she could come back...Friday is another date night:)!!

extra...haircare products...
I love the smell of my new shampoo and shopping at Ulta for a new curling iron and hairdryer (that are on sale!) are always a bonus!!!

November 13
I am thankful for family date nights with GREAT friends. Six kids, 4 adults going to BW's and Puss in Boots was a wonderful evening!!! I didn't get to talk to Brent or Kara very much. Hopefully, our next date we can actually have a conversation:)!

bonus...Ashley actually caring about gymnastics and kicking butt at it!!! Doing her valdez, back walk over and back handspring in progression was awesome to see!! Way to go babe!!!

Friday, November 11, 2011

Novemebr 11, 2011

Today I am thankful (well all days!) for freedom and people who graciously serve to protect that! I am proud to be a daughter of a veteran. I drove by his home today to see a US flag and an Air Force flag flying high and proud. I, too, felt the same way!! I was a little unnerved when my dad told me the story about buying the flags and how amazon had them for sale made in ANOTHER country. What? How could anyone own an American flag made in China? It is the one thing that should be American made!!!

Bonus...new babysitters and date night!!! Tonight I am having my very first, non-relative, non-friend babysitter. I hope the kids are good. I am excited to have a conversation with my husband without being interrupted 1000 times. Sometimes that is all you need. Dinner out with a great guy, catching up on our week. Kids get to be home, watching tv...everyone is happy!!!!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Novmeber 10, 2011

I am thankful for family. I am thankful for Jared and Kate having a baby. I am super excited to hold a baby again:)! I thankful that Keith can text me, and I quote, "Ur the shit girlfriend!" I am thankful that Jodi and I can work together and live next to each other and still mange to be friends:)!

bonus: Seeing my husband unexpectedly...even if it is just a drive by. I saw him driving down the road on his way to work and after all of these years, still brings a smile to my face when I get to see him!!!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

November 7-8

November 7...
I am thankful for healthy active kids...who actually listened! It was kind of a crazy day driving to Muskegon twice in a few hours. Allison's spacer fell out AGAIN and had to be recemented in. I guess to be truthful, I have to be thankful for health insurance as well:)! Got her back to school for a few hours just to turn around and pick them all up. All of them were super good in the morning and at Northland. That never happens!! Left work early to get Isaac to soccer. I love to watch him play. He is such a fun kids to watch. So determined! Left the game a little early to drive back (shoot, maybe I should be thankful for my car!) to Whitehall to drop Tude off at dance. I really like that they all have their own thing and they are good at their own thing. The smile on their faces makes it worth the price and time spent on these things!

"Bonus thankful"...G&L. Isaac's team lost 28-0, bad I know!!! Nothing dinner with Dad at G&L couldn't fix :)!

November 8

I am thankful my my life group at church. It has been really enjoyable getting to know people better and feeling really good when I leave!!

Bonus...my mom is taking my kids on a school night next month so I can go with my husband to T.C. for a night and pretend like we are in love:)!

November 9

I am thankful for GREAT schools. I got to help in Ashley's class today, minus her crying (that really, sad trying not to cry, but crying). It was a lot of fun to see her in "action". It is SO TRUE...everyday that girl is a little bit more her mom!!!!

bonus...weight loss. I started my "weight loss journey" early this summer and I am currently down 39.3 pounds!!! Clothes not fitting sounds like a good thing, but when you really need everything and you have no money...things get difficult...oh well, I am happy!!!

Monday, November 7, 2011

Thankful Cont.

Update, I also decided to be thankful for something "silly"...you know something that you really like, but could do without...challenge myself a little :)

November 5... I am thankful for unexpected friends. Friends you never knew you would "end up" being friends with, but are. Who knew the girl holding my other leg while pushing out the twins would end up being such a great friend!!! Thanks for being my"good" friend and for letting Jimmy come crash your bachelorette party!!

I am also thankful for s'mores at Bonfire. Our food was not so tasty, but the s'more and the FIRE were wonderful!! I also have to include moscato. Super yummy!!!

November 6... I am thankful for church that fits my family. It was a big change/choice to change churches back in March. Once we did, we have never looked back!!! It is a great place for my family!! It is especially wonderful that my parents and my sister (and her family) go there! We walked in yesterday to Keith and Kyle sitting there without Jodi. She was sitting in the front of the church going over the verse for call to worship. I realize she was the one reading, but somehow I felt more connected to the church. As she began reading, she said Psalms 100...Allison got a huge smile on her face, stared at me and starting reciting it to me. She had to memorize that verse for Awana. I was very proud and thankful for both of them!!!

Christmas trees on November 6th!! Maybe I should be thankful for Jimmy for letting me be the crazy girl that put up 4 trees on the 6th of November! too bad, 3 out of the 4 prelit lights didn't work. Good thing I have time to correct that!!!

Friday, November 4, 2011

Thankful

What if today you only woke up with the things you thanked God for yesterday...

My mom had this on her facebook page a few weeks ago and every night I think about it. I am so busy with my day to day that I forget to be thankful for my day to day. I figured (with the help of reading it on Kate's facebook) that I am going to be thankful for something new each day this month. I am a little behind so I will catch up...

November 1st...I am thankful for my job. A place where I feel at home. I like the people I work with and I like the job I do. I like the added "bonuses" of picking up my kids from school and getting to help in their class. I like that for birthdays we go out to lunch.

November 2nd...I am thankful for my mom. First, I have to be thankful to any lady who is 5 feet all and has a 24" baby. Not sure how I managed to fit into such small quarters. Probably why I hate being in tight spots now!!! I was a little sad about my birthday. I had the day off and nothing to do. No one to spend it with. I really didn't want to stay home and clean my house and I didn't want to shop or eat alone. My mom said she would be "my friend" and spent the day with me. It was so nice getting coffee, shopping, having lunch, shopping :). I take my mom for granted. She helps me out with a lot of jams that I get in. I am VERY thankful for her.

November 3rd...I am thankful for "smart" kids. I was a little concerned about having parent teacher conferences on my birthday. I love my kids and I know them very well, so I had the right to be a little concerned:)! It usually goes something like this...Allison is a very good student, does really well in class, a joy to have around, but she needs to understand it is ok to make a mistake and not be so hard on herself. Isaac is a smart boy, VERY BUSY, tends to not sit still, needs to have "jobs" to keep him busy, talks a lot, but does the work well. Ashley is a joy to have in class, everyone is her friend, very bright girl if she applies herself.
The twins conferences went really well. Better than I expected. Both of them tested in the 5th grade vocabulary level. Allison is reading at 4.5 level and Isaac 3.8. Both of them tested very well on their math. The goal is 10/20. Isaac did 20/20 and 16/20 and Alli 20/20 and 14/20. Crazy enough Allison is starting advanced math and Isaac is not. Thank goodness for Jimmy abd his "politically correct" ways to ask why Isaac didn't get asked to join the advanced math group with better test scores...could it be because he is busy?!?!? Long story short, both kids get to be in advanced math and Tude will start advanced reading this week. I am very thankful for their ability to do their best in school. Even better, Isaac is following the rules, making huge improvements on not being so busy. Allison has only cried one time at school and is learning to calm herself down. Ashley is doing great...everyone's friend, following the rules and she is reading in class. I was a happy to hear that. I spend a lot of time with Al and Iz and Ash gets what's left over which is not enough. I am going to try to do better with that.

November 4th...Getting two loads of laundry done before work this morning...thanks again to my mom for taking the kids last night...and for getting to go to my husband's soccer game last night. It is nice to be the wife. He did really well and I enjoy watching him play.