Nov 30

Today I am grateful for Advent- the opportunity to prepare for Christs coming at Christmas.  I am also grateful that God does not care that my hair was washed yesterday, that I did not put makeup on, or that I spilled coffee on my sweater and did not notice until I sat down in the pew.  He was happy that I was there to begin my advent season and welcome his presence into my life, so that this years advent will have the potential to be more joyous and Christ focused than last.  This time of year it is dark more than light.  I am finding that this makes me less energetic and I need to find ways to circumvent it.  This will help me to keep my focus where it needs to be.  My plan- during my lunch break at work, step outside for at least 5 min in the daylight- to acknowledge that I need even cloudy daylight for my body to function and stave depression or status quo away.  I have the opportunity to use my time for creativity and giving, not stuffing and sloughing the evenings away.

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Nov 29

Today I am grateful for sunshine, being home again after a short overnight trip to see my eldest, and choices- some times too many choices.  I’ll leave you with some photos from Amish country as we drove through yesterday.

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Nov 28

Today I am grateful  for friends- friends help you keep your perspective, they inspire you and they just plain make you feel good!

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Nov 27

Today is Thanksgiving- a national US holiday to commemorate the day the pilgrims and Indians (not pc I know) shared a meal together.  That is the way I learned it, and that is how I will remember it.  I remember this as the most special holiday in my house growing up, with the dining room so full of people- there were 11 living brothers and sisters not to mention and Aunt, Uncle and cousin.  Food lots of it, family and in my memory- fun of having desserts and foods we did not have the rest of the year.  I love winter squash and we would have it on Thanksgiving.  I will have to delve into my photo archive and scan a photo of my Thanksgivings as a child, and of my last Thanksgiving that I shared with my siblings.

After my mom passed away, my brother and I shared the holiday and the work that went with it, but eventually it became my holiday.  I cooked for my family the year before we moved away.  In my small 1 1/2 story house with a dining/craft room I served 26 people.  Now today it will be 3.  I am grateful for my sister, Gloria who knows and understands how moving affects holidays.  Much of my family has lived in the same area for years.  The first few years were very difficult. This year is another year of change- only 3 people.  Just a turkey breast.  But, much to be thankful for, health, husband and sons, God, and possibly future family members.  I shall post the recipe for Aunt Laura’s fruit salad- which I have not found a way to make for 1 or 2 and the story that goes with that later on.  If I forget, please remind me gently!

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Nov 26

Today I am grateful for waking up in a toasty warm bed on a cold morning, for coffee, for flylady and her “I can do anything in 15 minutes” mantra and for $1.58 per gallon gas!  So much to be grateful for.

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Nov 25

Today I am grateful for another day off from work.  I really need it as the project I am working on is taking much longer than I anticipated.  Oh and check out this wristband and story.  I am not an Ohio State football fan (sorry Susan) but I did have to purchase this item that the football team wears.  It fits my month of gratitude theme!

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Nov 24

Today I am grateful for beautiful sunsets in the winter- even though it was very cold out, the colors made me feel warm.  I took this photo from the deck.  The same deck I accessed the hot tub from later in the evening.  I wore my faux crocs out and took the lid off, jumped in and enjoyed the warmth.  Later when I got out, I discovered that my crocs had frozen to the deck from the water that came off the lid when I moved it.  Too funny!

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Nov 23

today I am grateful for my creativity- I am making a project for an apartment building- it needed to be non holiday specific, but wintery- the apartment liked this card but in place of the skaters wanted the apartment name.  Once I received the stamp with the apartment name, I had to come up with a slightly different layout- and needed to find a way to add a small cello bag with kisses in it!

Here is what I came up with- obviously I have blocked the apartment name which is why the bottom tag looks so funny!

The warm winter wishes stamp is from PapertreyInks holiday tag collection.  Don’t miss the chance to be inspired both at Papertrey Inks website, and Mary Fish’s Stampin’ Pretty website- there are lots of ideas and tutorials to get your creative juices flowing!  Oh and if you are wondering where the kisses are- they are attached in the middle of the card, held on with the bright orange ribbon!

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Nov 22

Today I am grateful for sunshine! I normally leave for work before the sunshine streams in the basement window and shines on my face.  I always feel so much more energetic when I can see and feel the sunshine.  Where I work in a clinic the only way I see the outside is when I get up to the front where the patients come in and glimpse through the front doors- sad this time of year when the days are short the light is gone by the time I leave work.  I now hear streams of John Denver singing- “sunshine on my shoulder makes me happy”  Have a great day!

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Nov 21

Today I am grateful that I could set up the new router and have the internet work upstairs on the laptop, and down here on the desktop! Now dh can sit and surf and watch tv- he is the ultimate multi tasker!

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