One Step at a Time

 

          So often it is hard to see anything but the big picture and get overwhelmed. I do that all the time. I have a goal, but it seems so hard to achieve that I give up before even trying because it is just too much. I need to work on taking the big goal and breaking it down into small little teeny tiny baby steps LOL The most overwhelming goal is becoming less fluffy so I can move more freely. I am finding it harder and harder to get around.  The biggest challenge is my diet. I have no self-control LOL.  My kids have superior control. They have set times that they eat LOL 11am, 5pm, and 10pm. I would follow that too if we kept the same hours. I usually am up by 7am and asleep by 10pm, so I end up having an extra meal with them at 11am. Maybe that is the one goal I can work on, not eating when I wake up, but wait for them. Anyway, the point of this post is to remind myself to not focus on the overwhelming big picture, but instead on the little stuff I can easily do, until the big is not so overwhelming.

Happy Thanksgiving

 

          Today is Thanksgiving and I am pretty much grateful for everything in general. My son and I are both off work so we get to stay home and celebrate with Staci. I worked last night and made a bit of extra money, but got to go in later so was able to get me some ice tea before the stores closed down LOL I also got some of my cooking prep done so I am ahead of the game today. Weather outside is gorgeous. My neighborhood is lit up in Christmas lights. I got to watch a bit of the parade before I fell asleep LOL. I have lots of yummy food to cook today and nothing pressing I have to do. So all in all I am just very thankful for everything.

Thankful for My Healthy Family

 

          Today I am thankful for my healthy family. My kids and I might not look it, but we are all very healthy LOL no multiple doctor visits for us. I think my daughter has been to the doctor once in the past thirteen years and my son has not had to go since he got out of his teens. I have not had to go to an actual doctor in who knows how long LOL. My blood pressure used to be high, but now it is totally normal. None of us need any daily medications to function, though we take a bunch of vitamins LOL. I am so very grateful and thankful that we are all healthy and happy. 

Thankful for My Brother

 

          Today I am thankful for my brother. If you had asked me that forty years ago, I would have laughed and said no way!!! He used to drive me crazy when we were kids. It wasn't until he was a senior in high school that I figured out he was a great guy LOL he is funny, intelligent, charismatic, adventurous, caring, and so confident. 

          He is retired military now, but before he did he got to travel all over the world and met world leaders in his job. Now he just works when he wants to and still meets celebrities LOL he is always there for his friends. He is a person you can count on when you need something. If you are down, he can always make you laugh. He might have been an annoying little brother, but he has become and amazing man who I am thankful to have for a brother.

Thankful for Comfort and Joy

 

          Today I am thankful for the things that bring me comfort and joy. Of course, top of the list is my kids LOL below them are my pets. All of those characters always bring me comfort and joy every day. Other things that do that are my home. I have made it my little haven. I have a comfy chair I fall asleep in all the time with a cozy blanket to keep me warm. My backyard and all my solar lights there make me smile every night. A good cup of coffee in the morning and a cup of tea at night are wonderful.  A brisk Autumn morning or a cool summer's night is also very nice. So many simple things bring me comfort and joy and for that I am thankful.

Thankful My Kids Take Care of Me

 

          I have been working past few days, so I really didn't have the mental energy to post LOL so this is a general thank you shout out to me being thankful that my kids always take care of me when I work. They make me coffee and dinner, get me up, and encourage me. They also will put up with my phone calls at night when I need some energy LOL my son even brought me coffee at 2am because I was so tired LOL so for them I am thankful.

Thankful for My Community

 

           Today I am thankful for my community. I think it is great. This neighborhood was began just eight years ago, it was completed in 2018. I have lived here since 2017. I have loved every minute of it. It is funny to me that I know a lot of my neighbors' names LOL before here I never even was aware of my neighbors. There is a sense of community that has been fostered by our HOA and it members. We have yard of the month competitions that keep everything looking pretty, at Halloween we get hundreds of kids trick-or-treating, and at Christmas, I swear planes can see our neighborhood as they fly by because of all the lights and decorations displayed LOL. If I have a question about anything related to my home, I can ask and always get help with any issue I am facing. The people here seem to care about each other and making this a great place to live. For that, I am so very thankful for my community. 

        

Thankful for Sweater Weather

 

          Today I am thankful we finally have sweater weather. I woke up today and it was only 66 degrees outside. I love this type of weather in the morning, my pets love it as well because I get to open up the back door and let the cool air inside. They love getting to go out on the patio. I like the chilled air with a cup of coffee as I listen to the world wake up. Tomorrow is supposed to only get into the sixties, so today I am making some chicken noodle soup in anticipation LOL. I finally get to cuddle up under a blanket without multiple fans on me LOL sweater weather is awesome and I am thankful it is finally here.

Thankful for Coffee

 

          Today I am thankful for coffee LOL not because I am particularly tired, but just because of it. No drink has made such an impact on people's lives (aside from alcohol). It is so easy to say "want to get a coffee?" with a person and then they become closer, bonding over a hot cup of coffee. My addiction started in nursing school. We were all so tired in the morning, so before class, we all went and got a coffee and a bagel, to get us through lectures. Standing in line, yawning and laughing, commiserating, we all bonded over our lattes. So, I am sitting here now, sipping my coffee, and planning out my day. It is the best part of my day and coffee is a major necessity to starting my day LOL so for today, I am thankful for coffee.  

Thankful for My Pets

 

           Today I am thankful for my pets. I have five of them LOL I have two dogs (a corgi and a chihuahua) and three cats (all rescues). All of them have very unique personalities. The corgi follows me everywhere LOL she is never too far from my side when I am home. The chihuahua is the little protector. She guards the house from everything LOL. The big fluffy cat is lazy and loveable. The sleek gray cat is playful, and the little calico is shy but sweet and cuddly at times. The one thing they all have in common is they love us unconditionally and are always so happy to see us. I can be gone for less than five minutes and they will all run to meet me as soon as I come back in LOL. They are all right there waiting for me when I get off work. They keep us laughing with their antics. The zoomies are the best LOL. They help make my house feel like a home. I am very thankful for them every day.

Thankful for My Home

 

          Today, I am thankful for my home. Growing up, we always lived in cheap apartments, the idea of owning a home just never occurred to me. Then one day, in the Spring of 2017, I was driving back from the store, and on a whim, I decided to just play and go look at these homes that were being built. I left as a homeowner LOL. I was so excited.

          My home is totally me. I have gotten to decorate it just how I like LOL the walls are all white, but my decorations are all very colorful primary colors. It makes me happy just looking around it. I feel very comfortable in my home. I have made it so comfy, that I can't get my kids to go on vacation LOL they would rather just stay home.  My home is a place of refuge for my kids and me. For that I am thankful. 

Thankful for Traditions

 

          Today I am thankful for traditions. They keep you connected to your past. My family is small, just my kids and me for the most part, and we do not have a lot of fancy traditions LOL just some silly ones. From my family, the only tradition I can remember from my childhood is my nanny always made sausage balls for holidays (Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas) so now I do that for the holidays. A tradition in my family now is because my kids are just about grown, so we do not do lots of presents under the tree, instead for the past few years, I have bought advent calendars that we open daily instead. We have an escape room type that has a clue for us to solve daily, which is so much fun, and then whatever other type of calendars I can find LOL  usually a mix of treats and trinkets to open. So every afternoon, all through December, my son, daughter, and I get together to open the calendars and solve the puzzle LOL. It is a lot of fun and brings my family closer together, which is a tradition I am thankful for.

Thankful for My Kids' Talents

 

          Today I am thankful for my kids' talents. I know every mom thinks their kids are special, but mine really are LOL while both are amazing, they really do have a talent for writing. 

         Leland has an unbelievably vast vocabulary and knows how to use it in his writing. When I read his college papers, he would just blow me away. He would be perfect as a political speech writer. Staci's skill lies in her imagination. She writes in her mind and the stories she comes up with for her characters are so detailed and interesting. I keep begging her to type them into a computer so they can be saved. She would make a fortune as a fiction writer LOL she could even do the illustrations as they are the inspiration for her backstories.  So today I am thankful for my kids and their amazing talents.

Thankful for My Organizational Skills

 

          Today I am thankful for my organizational skills. They have served me very well in many areas of my life. At times I refer to it as my OCD LOL I just can't relax until everything is done. I have learned I feel better if I have accomplished something. So, my home stays neater because I am always making sure it is taken care of. My school work gets done early so that I can relax before next semester. At work I have realized that my patients can wait while I get my night organized, that way it goes smoother, plus there I really like to get everything done as quickly as possible so I can troubleshoot any issues that happen overnight. Everyday I make a To Do list, either at work or home, and then I start crossing off things as I accomplish them. It makes sure everything gets done in a timely manner and I can relax, which makes me feel very thankful for my Organizational Compulsive Disorder LOL.

Thankful for America

 

         Today I am thankful I live in America. These days a lot of people are not happy with our country and how it is going. I am not one of them. I am thankful I live in America and all the privileges it gives me. I have freedom to do what I want, when I want, and how I want as long as I don't break the law LOL I don't have to worry about food, clean water, electricity, sanitation. I have access to all sorts of entertainment, education, recreation. I do not constantly have to worry about my family's or my safety. I do realize that America is not perfect and there are people in this country that are not as blessed as me, but that is not what this post is about. It is about me being thankful I was born in America. People all over the world want to come here, and I am here. So for that I am thankful.

Thankful for Unexpected Gifts

 

         Today I am thankful for unexpected gifts. I do not normally get gifts, I am the one who likes to give gifts. Getting them always throws me off balance LOL I am not a fan of surprises. I still like them. Unexpected gifts show somebody that another was thinking about them and wanted to show them how special they are. It might be something small, but those are the best kinds. It means that in their normal day to day life, they saw something that reminded them of you and they wanted to get it for you because you meant something to them. This weekend a friend gave me a Christmas shirt as a surprise. It was so nice of them. I love the holidays and this will be a fun thing to wear. The gift was unexpected and made me feel so much better after my work weekend. Unexpected gifts are something to be treasured and thankful for.

Thankful for Nature

 

          Today's prompt is to be thankful for nature. Now I could talk about gorgeous skies, beautiful beaches, lush greenery and lovely flowers, but instead I am choosing lizards LOL I have them all around my house, hundreds of them I think. Some even get onto my patio and the cats chase and catch them, bringing me little gifts YUCK, but thanks to all those lizards, I do not have a pest problem LOL they eat all the bugs so my place stays safe from creepy crawlies. For that I am very thankful. I would much rather deal with lizards over bugs any day LOL.

Thankful for the Holidays

 

          Today I am thankful for the winter holidays that are coming up. They are all about family and that means a lot to me. I love the anticipation and planning. The bustle of trying to find just the right present for somebody. The aromas of spices baking. I love the decorations all over my neighborhood, it is so fun driving up my street when all the displays are lit up. Holiday movies to watch under a comfy blanket while sipping cocoa or tea. It also means my family and I made it through another year safe and sound. There is just so much to be thankful for.

Thankful for My Past

 

          Today I am thankful for my past. Sure, some of it was VERY challenging to get through, but I would not go back and change a thing for fear it would change my present LOL. I grew up with a mom who loved me and a hilarious brother I loved to pick on LOL we might not have had much, but we had enough. I got to live in lots of different places which was fun. Now, I have even lived through historic times LOL. So, I am thankful for the past, and glad it is all in the past LOL.

Thankful for the Bare Necessities

 

          Today I am thankful that I have easy access to the bare necessities of life: food, clean water, and a home. So many people in the world don't have those things. They have to make due with whatever they can. Even during the pandemic, when things were scarce, my family had what they needed. So for that, I am very thankful to be blessed by the bare necessities.

Thankful for Autumn

 

          Today I am thankful for Autumn. It is my favorite season. The weather starts to cool off and it signals the beginning of the holiday season. I get to bake and make soups LOL and I get my Autumn refresh vacation. That is the best part LOL.

          Yesterday was election day and Trump became president again. Oh boy LOL it will be interesting to see what he does this time. At least my coworker will be happy LOL which will make my life easier tomorrow when I have to go back :( I am not ready for work yet.

Thankful for Technology

 

          Today's prompt is being thankful for technology. When you pause and think about it, technology is awesome. It makes our lives so much easier. If I have a question, I can just ask my Alexa, and she will find me the answer. My car handles the directions for me so I do not get lost. My iphone is a supercomputer in the palm of my hand. Because of technology we can talk to people across the world a multitude of ways instantly. It enhances most every industry, and it is just fun to have. Still waiting on my flying car though LOL.

Thankful for Knowledge

 

          Today I am thankful for knowledge. My mind has served me well my whole life. I have always been smart, in school I was smarter than most LOL it was the one thing that made me special. I have always been a quick learner, so I pick up things quickly. Sometimes I over think though LOL even in daydreams. I will get stuck on trying to make something plausible, instead of just letting my mind wander.

            These days though my mind is taking a bit to access information. I am slower to find the words I want. It is very frustrating. As someone who has prided themself on their vocabulary, not being able to find the words I want quickly is scaring me a bit. So, I try to keep exercising my mind, I play puzzle games on my phone and am still taking college courses. I do not ever want to lose my knowledge. It has served me well and I want it to continue to do so.

Thankful for Colors

 

          Today I am thankful for colors. At first I thought this was a weird prompt, but after thinking about it, I realized the ability to see colors is amazing. How boring life would be without colors. Primary, secondary, tertiary, Neons, pastels, electrics, so many different colors to bring our world to life. Colors are actually a great thing.

          Lazy Sunday planned. Nothing that I have to do, just enjoying the day.

           

Thankful for My Hobby - Creating Recipes

 

          Today I am thankful for my hobby of creating recipes LOL okay this one was a tough one to come up with. I realized I do not really have a hobby LOL I thought perhaps gardening, but all I do is mow my grass, I am awful at getting something to actually grow. I thought maybe school would count, but that is not relaxing. I asked my daughter and she suggested it was baking. Since I do that when I am stressed.

           I never follow a recipe, I prefer to just add what I am feeling at the moment LOL I like creating cookies and soups the best. I have even had two of my recipes put into Gooseberry Patch cookbooks. I am very proud of that. Since I am relaxed after cooking, I guess that counts as a hobby LOL. Last night I came up with spiced apple peanut butter cookies and the day before I brewed up my own version of pazole soup. Both turned out yummy. 

A November to be Thankful

 

          This month is the month for thankfulness. I always see people doing these types of posts, and I want to be doing them as well, but I am reminded too late. Not this month LOL I am already on it. I have my list of inspiration list of stuff to be thankful for everyday. Today I am to be thankful for someone.

          I choose two someones LOL my kids. They are amazing and the best blessing I could ever have. They are fun, smart, loving, kind, and caring. Last night was Halloween and watching them interact with all the kids was so heartwarming. My son was so gentle with all the trick or treaters as he gave them candy. My daughter was more shy, but she made sure to tell people that she really liked their costumes. There was one girl who got so excited to see my daughter's costume LOL she recognized the character and asked Staci for a hug. I could almost see my daughter just burst with pride LOL it was so incredible. My daughter graciously gave the girl a hug. For those few moments, Staci was that girl's hero. I loved it.