Thankfulness, daily list for 30 days of November.

I am grateful for a DVR. I grew up with TV yes, but not videos or any on demand type of viewing. If you wanted to watch a show that came on Wednesday evening, you needed to be parked on the couch on Wednesday evening.

I am grateful for siblings in such a quantity of ways that I can’t even list.

I am grateful for best friends (yes, plural). Couldn’t live without them.

I am grateful for postage stamps. For the mere cost of 55 cents, I can send an envelope to anyone I know anywhere in our country.

I am grateful for nearby hiking trails. Today I spent 90 minutes alone in the beautiful desert winter air, listened to 2 podcasts and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

I am grateful for “This American Life” podcast. My favorite.

I am grateful for a super hard working husband who occasionally can slow down and enjoy a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle all day long.

I am grateful for a very comfortable mattress. I realize how comfortable our bed is when I get to a hotel with a hard stiff mattress.

I am grateful for bags of ready made salad in the grocery store. Prepping vegetables keeps me from eating enough salad.

I am grateful for a fresh Christmas Tree in our living room. I love the smell of the greenery and I love the collection of family memory ornaments on it.

I am grateful for old friends. I recently attended a high school reunion. Winslow Arizona produced some good people.

I am grateful for our church family. I love the feeling of community when I walk in the doors of our church.

I am grateful I can play the organ (although I don’t play well and I consider myself a ‘fake’ organist). I recently attended church with Rachel and watched her play the organ. I smiled as I realized that my mother and my daughter and I have been able to play the organ for our church congregations. I love that connection.

I am grateful for a flexible work schedule that allows me to get away on quick road trips. I often sit at my desk doing invoicing at midnight so I can sometimes play during the day, but it’s worth it.

I am grateful for the accessibility of books - audiobooks, hardback books, Kindle books. I love being introduced to an enticing new novel or author in our bookclub that I might never have chosen myself.

I am grateful for a well stocked house. “Hey mom, do you happen to have a set of index cards that have graphing lines on them?” “Well, that’s an oddly specific question, but yes, … yes I do!”

I am grateful for a good set of markers and colored pencils and paints. I love a creative project and having colors handy makes a fun project even more fun.

I am grateful for our air conditioning and heater. I touch a button once every season or so and then never think about it again. Our home just magically stays at a wonderfully comfortable temperature.

I am grateful for game apps on my phone. What did I ever do in years gone by to utilize my moments of downtime?

I am grateful we have been able to run our business from our home. The costs of running an office are lower and our schedules stay more flexible.

I am grateful for friends who enjoy the same TV shows as me and we can text each other on Wednesday nights “Oh my gosh! What just happened? Did you see that coming?”

I am grateful that our kids and their spouses are good people, good citizens, good employees, good parents. I love each of them dearly.

I am grateful for Pinterest. I find most of my recipes and creative projects there.

I am grateful for our very creatively built home (a term a repairman used recently). I look at old videos of our home when we purchased it and during all the construction projects we’ve lived through. A majority of our walls have been moved around over the years.

I am grateful for a stove, oven, microwave, refrigerator, crockpot, blender, bread machine etc. Food preparation really is easy.

I am grateful for sharp knives in the kitchen. (I just wish I always had sharp knives in my kitchen)

I am grateful for an orange tree in our front yard. It is heavy with fruit this year and it won’t be long until the fruit is ready to enjoy.

I am grateful for the wedding invitations that are displayed on our refrigerator door. I love celebrating life events with loved ones near and far.

I am grateful for date nights with Dave. We run opposite schedules so often so I love having some dedicated time to spend with my handsome husband. 

I am grateful for Christmas cards. I got our first one in the mail today. Sending and receiving Christmas cards makes me happy.

Overheard on Vacation

Cynthia: "This valley is so green and pretty, I love how gorgeous this canyon is. 

Oh, wait, my new sunglasses are making everything look doubly green. Dang, everything just looks normal now."

"You watched all the Star Wars? even every single sequel? ALL the quels?"

"Let's get together for church early tomorrow morning."

"Church at 7? It’s going to be a lonely devotional. Jesus and me will be showing up at 9:30."

Dave: "Look at that woman's toe nail polish - it's so bright!"

Cynthia: "And she's so young that all her toes point daintily in the same direction!"

"Who did this and left it here??" 

Dave: "At some point on my mission, I was hungry to roast some hot dogs."

"They have hot dogs in Japan?"

"Of course! But they're made out of fish."

"You liked them?"

"Yeah, after you eat a few."

"How many few do you have to eat before they are good?"

Playing Chinese Checkers: 

"Kyle has definitely played this before."

Kyle: (after first two turns) "I’m about to win this game."

Melanie: "I’ll have to sacrifice."

Jonny: "You know, you can’t spell sacrifice without team."

Harvey, sitting at the breakfast table, hearing someone come down the stairs in the morning. 

Cynthia: "Who is it, Harvey? Maybe it’s Melanie? Maybe it’s Brady? Let’s see."

Jonny: "or maybe it’s Chris, but I 100% guarantee this early in the morning, it’s not Roxanne."

"There’s a difference between micro sweat and macro sweat."

Brady: "Did you ever play Oregon trail?"

Jonny: "yeah"

Brady: "Did you ever get to Oregon?"

Jonny: "Yes. The highlight of my life!"

Brady: "I always got malaria along the way."

Dave: "More cilantro, please... and more cowbell!"

Brady: (taking video for Chris who was hopping into a FREEZING COLD river). "I took a picture of the snow in the background for perspective.  I almost dropped your phone in the river, but I definitely got your footage."

Harvey: "Agua!"

Dave: "Did you ask for ABBA?"

Jonny : "NOBODY asks for ABBA"

Melanie: "Wait, has this pan already been washed?"

Brady: "Just put it in. The Dishwasher will decide what it will clean!"

Savvy: "MEL!"  

Roxanne: "Melanie, Savvy is calling you. You’re the only aunt she knows how to pronounce."

Dave: "No matter how many times you blow your nose, it’s still full of boogers."

Mel: "Sometimes I think I have jaundice. My feet look yellow. Can adults get jaundice?"

Chris: "Are the whites of your eyes yellow?  I really don’t think you’d want jaundice."

Mel: "Why is yellow the color of jaundice? I’d choose violet as the preferred color."

Melanie: "Did you ever put hand sanitizer on your hands and light them on fire?"

Brady:  "OF COURSE!!"

Mel: "I’m going to draw Savannah next to your picture to put the picture in context."

Roxanne: "Make sure you draw her with a mullet."

Cynthia: "What's a story you've never told your parents?"

Jonny: "My mom was usually with me for all my crazy stories."

Mel: (talking about a nasal spray) "It’s just that it tastes like Vaseline."

Jonny: "Petroleum never hurt anyone."

Squishing into a back seat of a RZR off road vehicle. 

Kyle: "This feels like sitting in an airplane."

Jonny:  "THIS is what an airplane feels like to you? Sorry Dude."

The Love shack 

"If the shack is a-rocking, don’t come a-knocking."

"If the shack is rocking, you’ve probably got foundation problems."

Melanie: "Is this a rich candle?"

Brady: (smelling it) "Yes, definitely rich. It’s in the $9-$14 range."

Everyone to Melanie – “You don’t use a microwave????”

Roxanne – (playing cards) "After this hand I’m going to bed. Oh, wait, ….. it’s only 8:30."

Jonny – "Who still looks at catalogs? Well, who under 75 years old still looks at catalogs?"

Cynthia: "Umm,  I have an LL Bean catalog waiting at home on my desk."

"Glitter is the STD of crafting. You can never get rid of it. "

Melanie: (roasting marshmallows for s'mores) "The biggest bummer of a camping trip is when the graham cracker breaks at the 1/4  and 3/4 ratio instead of in half. "

During a LONG card game

Melanie: "Can I take a break and go to the bathroom?"

Jonny: "Depends"

Reasons that one year olds cry: 

I threw the stick over the balcony and I want it back.
Because my cousin has to take a nap but it’s not time for mine yet.

Because I just ate 17 M&Ms, and I still want more.

My mom won't let me walk on the gravel barefoot. 

Because I want to go outside.

Because I want to go inside.