A Year of Gratitudes

So much to be grateful for.
(Part one is here).

11. Chocolate. Obviously.

12. Finding new tank tops, on sale no less, to replace some well worn camisoles. And! - I bought a couple that were not just black or white. V v excited!

13. Sitting at the window with my husband and all three kiddo's watching the birds at out bird feeder, with binoculars, identification guides and a song bird app. Perfect Sunday morning.

14. Spending time with My Good Man and having that sudden  happy realization that I really really like him. More than love him; I LIKE him. He's a great person to be around.

15. Found all three kiddos in our newly created homeschool/work office, busy busy busy with projects.

16. Podcasts. I can't tell you how much podcasts have changed my relationship with chores for the better. (I could do a post just on my podcast listening ... there are a lot of them!)

17. Homemade crumpets. With butter. And jam. So good.

18. Finding just the thing I wanted, on sale during the Black Friday weekend, without a lot of hunting and searching. And free shipping.

19. The Facebook Groups App, which has allowed me to remove the Facebook App from my phone and helped me take a big step away from FB.

20. Gilmore Girls. Don't judge; its the perfect fun, and not too heavy Netflix binge fodder.

A Year of Gratitudes

I've been actively working this year, on gratitude, on being more grateful, and slowing down to say thank you more. All good things.

I recently heard about a different way of looking at gratitudes from Julie Bogart (the owner of Brave Writer, and all around homeschool advocate and Wonder Woman). Her advice was to look for the surprise of happy each day - the little things that make us happy. Isn't that lovely?!!

One of the things Julie Bogart mentioned was that finding things each day to be grateful for can start to be a burden ... "oooh! the stress of finding three things to be grateful for today ... "

So! It's Thanksgiving! Perfect time to be thankful, look for gratitudes, and start paying more attention to those Surprises of Happy!

1. Dinner ready in the crock pot at the end of a long and busy day.

2. Being invited to the museum that The Little Guy had set up in his bedroom ... it was pretty amazing! He set up different exhibits and artifacts, created a tour guide brochure and a map. It, and he, are pretty awesome <3

3. Sunday night with my Scholé Sisters; wonderful friends who amazingly share my love of things literary, cerebral, goofy, raucous and irreverent. They're wonderful.

4. Children old enough to do painting projects without making a huge mess. 

5. Moby Dick. 

Yes - I'm reading Moby Dick (well, technically, I'm listening to it on Audible), and so far I'm enjoying it. Let's see if it lasts. 

6. Being mostly caught up with laundry. 

7. Half an hour at Target. Alone. It was pretty glorious. 

8. Having friends who challenge me to think outside my box, push me to go beyond my own preconceived ideas. 

9. Branston pickle. 

10. Scalding hot showers.

And you?! What is on your Gratitude List these days?

I'd love to hear from you!