Thankful Thursday - THANKSGIVING EDITION!

Wow- it's already Thanksgiving, can you believe it?!  2009 is almost over...I just don't know where the time went!  Well, I've spent a lot of time lately worrying about bills and money, fretting the future and headache-inducing 'how did we get here?' questions, but now it's time to really stop -hand it all over to God - and consider the BLESSINGS in my life!  

1.  I'm thankful for my very own Renaissance Man!  I'm awed by my hubby's strength and endurance, and blessed by his partnership.

2.  I adore my kids' smiles and laughter.    It truly tickles my heart to watch them playing, laughing, and having fun together or with Daddy!

3.   Extremely thankful for the massage I had today!  I finally cashed in the birthday gift from my Mom (from March!!!  am i cwazy or what?!) and it was a much-needed hour of relaxation and tension-release!  THANKS, MOM, LUV YA!

4.  Incredibly grateful for the small, yet wonderfully significant, financial blessing we received this week that allowed us to make something happen that we feared we wouldn't be able to!

5.  This one's more of a praise/prayer.  They're words to an old Dennis Jernigan song: 

"For all that You've done I will thank You, and for all that You're going to do...For all that You've promised and all that You are, and all that has carried me thru, Jesus I thank You....Thank You for loving and setting me free, thank You for giving Your life just for me, how I thank You, Jesus I THANK YOU..."

HAVE A VERY BLESSED THANKSGIVING! 

Thanks for stopping by!

 Kristi  :-D

The Simple Woman's Daybook

  FOR TODAY...from Kristi's Daybook

November 23, 2009

Outside my window...is an absolutely beautiful, sunshiney Fall day

I am thinking...about things I need to try to get done today

I am thankful for...God's protection

From the kitchen...leftovers of Pasta Alla Marlboro Man!

I am wearing...a pink top and jeans

I am creating...new ideas for my blog

I am going...to be baking 'turkey' cookies later with my son for his PreK Thanksgiving 'Finger Feast' tomorrow

I am reading...new blogs I've found, The Pioneer Woman Cooks new cookbook

I am hoping...for God-given financial blessing/provision

Noticing that...time seems to RUN by faster the older I get

I am hearing...my son watching cartoons in the other room

Pondering these words..."Say HEY, it's a good day, even if things aren't goin' my way, Jesus is Lord and I am saved, so - SAY HEY -it's a good day!...Life is only as happy as you make your mind up to be, So I have just decided, that nothin's gonna take this joy from me...Say HEY...IT'S A GOOD DAY!"  (FFH lyrics, It's a Good Day)

Around the house...clutter, that I'm hoping to clean up before getting out the Christmas decorations later this week

One of my favorite things...is the warm hues of the late afternoon/evening sun this time of year

A few plans for the rest of the week:  Thanksgiving baking/cooking &  gathering with family, Christmas decorating, a long-overdue massage!

A photo thought... (my hubby took this!)

"Would you like to linger on the simple things...then join me and others in taking a little look into the day plans and thoughts of those who are focusing on simplicity...the beauty of the 'everyday moments'."  To create your own Simple Woman's Daybook, click here:  http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Thankful Thursday!

It's Thursday!  That means I'm starting my first Thankful Thursday post.  Each week, I'll share 5 things I'm thankful/grateful for.  Here we go:

1.  My hubby & my kiddos.  They enrich my life and are really good at making sure it's never boring!

2.  My hand-me-down iPhone.  Silly, I know!  Hubby got a new one, I got his old one.  It's not the latest & greatest version, but it's still an iPhone and it works.  And I'm hooked! 

3.  Internet TV!  Since losing our DVR (and cable), it's really nice to be able to turn to the Internet to catch shows I miss! 

4.  Facebook.  Via Facebook, a couple of days ago an old high school friend of mine posted a link to an old favorite song that had long slipped my mind.  Yes, it's just a song, but it spoke to my heart and my current circumstances.  It was right on time.  Thanks, Christi - I needed that!

5.  Pioneer Woman (Ree Drummond).  Thanks to her blog, (www.thepioneerwoman.com) among other things, that you'll probably hear about later, I've grown to love cooking for my family, and have discovered a growing interest in photography. (or photo editing, anyway!).  Well, these are two of my hubby's favorite pastimes, so he's thrilled about my piquing interest in them!  (Especially since he's having little success getting me on a bicycle - his other favorite hobby!)

That's my list for this week.  Seems to have a technology theme to it, doesn't it?!  I'm thankful for it today.  There are times when it can be an annoyance and distraction, but today, technology = GOOD!

Grateful Heart

The season of gratitude is upon us, so I wanted to share a few things from the last few weeks that I'm thankful for: 

These cutie-patootie trick-or-treaters:  (Need I say more?!)

The Pioneer Woman - Ree Drummond:  (http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/) I got to meet her at her book signing for her new cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks:  Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl.   (I would have posted a photo of me with her, but it's in my friend's camera, and she has the flu, so...I'll post it later!)  It was a fun, exciting night chatting with friends while waiting in line to meet her.  Luckily, we got there early enough for a spot in line that put us in front of PW within 45 minutes after the signing started - not bad!  (about a 2 hour total wait)  She was so sweet, taking the time to chat with each and every person.  (I hear she signed the last book around 12:30a.m.! Now that's love, devotion and gratitude for your fans - or 'friends' -as she calls them/us! Thanks, Ree!)  Great book, by the way - it's chock full of delicious, hearty, family-pleasing recipes,complete with step-by-step pictorial directions!  Also has some fabulous photography and stories about her family and ranch life, and how she became a 'ranch wife'.  Lovin' it! 

Old friends:  A friend we hadn't seen in several years came thru town with his band, Fundamental Elements. We were able to catch their show - which was AWESOME, by the way - and catch up a bit.  Stop in and check them out at http://www.fundamentalelements.net/ , you'll love 'em!  Great to see you again, Russ!

Then, there's the Leaf Monster!  (sorta!) While the trees in our neighborhood are quite picturesque (briefly) in the Fall, the blizzard of leaves that follows is quite the chore to clean up!  So, thankful for my Honey who gets out to tackle it with his Little Helper:

                                                              

And finally, A GOOD PROGNOSIS.  We found out last month that my Mom is fighting recurrent breast cancer.  After a successful battle 26 years ago, it's shown it's ugly head again.  But the doctors are very optimistic and have laid out a treatment plan currently consisting of (anti)hormone therapy and a round of radiation.  Then will retest and re-evaluate treatment as necessary.  This is fairly good news, considering, and we pray it's successful!  We are all so grateful for all the prayers and well wishes of others and continue to covet them!  Love you, Mom - you're one of my heroes!

                                               

GOD IS GOOD - ALL THE TIME, AND ALL THE TIME - GOD IS GOOD!