Thankfulness Days 17-22

There is so much to be thankful for now and always.  Here are my lists for November 17th through today :)

November 17:

1. For finally figuring out (it only has taken 2 and a half years, haha) how to use my time wisely while sitting at the dance studio watching Jaden and Sienna's classes.  I've used my time sitting there to catch up on some stories in the journals I keep for each of them and I love that I can be productive now while sitting there quietly for 90 minutes.
2. That Scott can be home in time for us to leave for dance each Thursday, which means I don't have to take Bristol to the studio where she'd be bored.  Instead B gets some special time with her Daddy and he always tires her out, then puts her to bed before we get home.
3. For getting clementines at the grocery store tonight; they might be the one and only thing I like about wintertime besides family holiday traditions. 
4. For stores, like Kohls, which allow you to pay your bill right at the store register--so convenient!
5. For Bristol's newest "tricks"--peek-a-boo and "soooooo" big!  She looks adorable when she does both, and gets such a kick out of being able to do them.
6. That Jaden being in school all day on Thursday and Sienna not having any school / activities during the day means that I can just stay home all day and not rush out anywhere.
7. For hot showers to warm up.  I needed that warm up today!
8. That I've figured out how to get Bristol to still enjoy her exersaucer even though she just wants to be on the floor all the time now.
9. That my girls are so good about letting me brush / style their hair. 
10. That Scott gave ALL THREE girls a bath tonight after a long evening for me of dance / running errands....it provided me with a moment of quiet that I really needed!

November 18

1. For the humbling mistake I made this morning, and for vowing to be even more organized and "together" as a result. 
2. For my wonderful husband who literally SAVED MY DAY when he was able to pick up Sienna so that I could clean up a mess after I dropped a glass bottle on my kitchen floor...
3. For finally, after 5 years, figuring out how to brew a cup of coffee in our tassimo machine (um, I'm not a coffee drinker!).
4. For a nice morning visit with a friend from our former neighborhood.
5. That the kids all played well together while my friend and I visited, and didn't make much of a mess in the playroom at all.
6. For Scott & Jaden's decision to go out to dinner tonight--it was a nice break since I didn't have to play waitress AND busboy at home for a change :)
7. For how good our girls are when we go out to eat.  They amaze me every time!
8. For how much Jaden and Sienna LOVE their baby sister.  They are SO good with her.
9. For warm socks.
10. For how well Bristol is eating cheerios now--it's fun to watch her and she is so happy to feed something to herself!

November 19

1. For getting the kitchen island cleared of school papers / mail / random other junk.
2. For how cute my new little turkey canvases look (photo to come soon).  Each girl's handprint is making the perfect turkey!
3. For the unexpectedly delicious dinner we had tonight out at Quaker Steak.
4. For finding my ipod cord to charge it--FINALLY--I've been missing my music!
5. For living so close to the CVSR.
6. For the Polar Express event and how much joy it brought to the children this evening.
7. For a nice evening spent with family.
8. For the blessing my sister Lindsey and her husband Chris are to our nephews--Parker and Preston are SO FORTUNATE to have you both!!
9. For Bristol not being afraid of Santa!  Woohoo, should get a good pic this year :)
10. For my storybook creater plus software and how easily I can create so many cool things with photos using it such as the Polar Express collage w/ the kids each holding their bells).

November 20

1. For an afternoon filled with nothing but relaxation...just what I needed to finally start kicking my illness to the curb!
2. For being able to almost copy the Panera lemon chicken orzo soup that I enjoyed over the summer.  Mine made today was delish!
3. For my mom's love for her granddaughters.
4. For the halloween chocolate being almost gone...I need it out of the house so that I can stop being tempted!
5. For getting all of the laundry folded.  I conquered Mount Washmore AND Mount Foldmore!  ha!
6. For the new fall shows that I'm loving (which make folding laundry all the better).
7. For the mild temps today.
8. For the beautiful view we now have out our back windows of the leaf-less trees.  I love our view no matter the season!  It's fun to watch it change.
9. That I got the entire upstairs vacuumed tonight, and two beds freshly made.
10. That the girls went to bed so easily after a very busy weekend!

November 21

1. For starting the day with a workout on my treadmill!
2. For the nice brunch we had with with moms from our church and their children.
3. For a nice dinner with my sister Kim and her FIANCE Jason :)
4. For the fun plans I get to help with in helping w/ Kim's future nuptials / bridal shower / bachelorette party--I can't wait to get started!
5. For how sweet it is that Kim is including all three of our girls (and me!) in her wedding.  We can't wait to all stand beside you on your special day Kim!
6. For being able to run errands last night after dinner by myself...I even squeezed in some window shopping for a possible new bag for Christmas.  Now I just need to get Santa on over to the store to get it.
7. For the good feeling of all the laundry being CLEAN.
8. For my amazing husband who is the best daddy to our children that I could possibly imagine.  I'm fortunate to be able to get out of the house some evenings like this one knowing that he can handle finishing dinner, bathing one of the girls and getting them all into bed.
9. For finally feeling like I'm getting over this cold / laryngitis madness.
10. For being the featured blogger on our local family magazine's facebook page today!

November 22:

1. For the sweet mothers of the other children in Sienna's preschool class;  I enjoyed talking with them all at her school Thanksgiving feast this morning!
2. For Bristol being able to take a shorter morning nap than normal and still being as happy as can be.
3. For the smell of my house right now after baking pumpkin cookies early this morning!
4. For the delicious recipe I have for pumpkin cookies from Inez, my college sorority house mom (all of her recipes that I have are HERE!).
5. That my Iphone is IN :)  I can pick it up at our local wireless store anytime!
6. That Jaden's bus always drives past our house, turns around and then comes back; it's a nice warning that it's time to walk outside.
7. For our town's library which has a wonderful children's area--we're heading there tonight to return books and to check out some more!
8. For only having to make cookies plus two hot dishes for Thanksgiving--easy, peasy and the grocery shopping is already done :)
9. For Bristol sleeping through the night many nights in a row now.  We no longer hear her fussing at 5am and have to go to give her a pacifier and get her back to sleep--yay!
10. For how sweet my girls look today in their turkey shirts and clips that I made (I took all of the photos from this post this morning before school!)