Thursday Thankfulls & Hot dogs in the snow!

Wow...either I have a had a crazy busy last few months, or lacking some caffeinated creativity. I think it's a mixture of both! It's fall now...and things are winding down..well kinda. I really miss reading and writing my Blogs...so here I am..kicking it off with some Thursday Thankfulls:


1. God and his forgiveness


2. 2nd chances


3. My wonderful..rockin awesome 3 kids


4. Egg nogg lattes from Starbucks..had my first one of the season yesterday...yummo


5. Snuggling with my girls in my bed at night reading good books


6. Art and books


7. the fact that the older i get..the more silly i get!! =p


8. prayer


9. Friends


10. Snow days...me and the kids grilled out hot dogs IN THE BLIZZARD....so much fun!




Oh how I mis blogging....I hope everyone has a great day..and a blessed week!

Thursday Thankfulls...better late than never!

Okay so....I know it's Monday, but I was out of town last Thursday...and there is just know way that I cannot do a final Thursday thankful for the last Thursday of November Thankfulls! Especially since last Thursday was THE day of all Thankfullness!!

1. God...my faith in God is always number one

2. My husband. He is such a hard worker, and he sacrifices so much for me and the kids. He loves me more than anything, and he is a wonderful dad. I thank god for him each and every day.

3. My kids...but on this special edition of Thursday Thankfulls...I am going to do my kids all separate.

Michael: I am so thankful for my son Michael. He has always been so affectionate (even now in the midst of his "challenging" 13 yr old "pre teen" attitude). He is super talented, he has been in over 15 professional plays. He is a straight A student, and he is in Honors math. He spent ALL his money on his sister Anna last year on a new bike for Christmas. He is so caring, I love him so much and I thank God for him every day.

Anna: I am so very Thank full for my Anna Banana. She is so loving, caring and so dang Funny. She loves to cuddle with me, and I just adore her sensitive heart. I love her girly girl thing that she has going on...when I was a kid, I was so not like that. She makes me smile everyday. I thank God for her everyday.

Allie: I am so very thankful for my Allie Bug. I will admit she is a handful.....but I really would not have it any other way. She is stubborn, and she goes after what she wants! She is hilarious, she already loves to make people laugh. I cannot wait to watch her grow in the next year. For Allie I thank God everyday!

4. My sister. She is the most caring, loving person I know. She is always there for me and I love that I can act like a complete idiot with her and she still loves me just as much!! She is my best friend, I am so thank full to be able to ALWAYS have her in my life. She just got married last August and I am also very thankful for my new fun loving brother in law. He treats my sister like a princess, and I am very thank full for him

5. My madre and my padre. They are incredibly supportive. I love them both so much...and I am so thankful for them everyday.

6. My dog Denali. He is so lovable to me and the kids. He will also bite the head off of a stranger if they broke in...for that I am very Thank full.

7. I am Thankful that we were able to fly to Iowa and spend Thanksgiving with my in laws. We ate Thanksgiving dinner at a casino buffet that was awesome!! lol. We did have the "real dinner" on Saturday.

8. I am thank full for my house! I bought this house from my parents. It was the house that i lived in as a kid. It may be an 1980's house with popcorn ceilings...and it defiantly is not big enough. BUT....I love this house, and me and my husband have been making in our own for the past 6 yrs.

9. On a lighter note....I am thank full for coffee, candles, flannel pants, clean surfaces, clean sheets, Twilight series books, holidays, the mountains, traveling, shopping, Christmas decorations, Christmas music and movies, Twilight (oh..i already said that...well I am VERY thank full for those books!) Low gas prices, the craft show this weekend that I am in!!!

10. Kind and giving people. I strive to be more kind and giving EVERYDAY.

11. I am so thankfull for my blogging. It is such a wonderful outlet, and I love all the friends that I make. I am so thankful for my JennyKate and Lisa. I cannot imagine my life without them!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Remember to be Thank full year round everyday. It is extremely to focus on what you DO HAVE oppose to what you DO NOT have!!

Thursday Thankfulls....

1. God

2. My husband Randy

3. My three brilliant kids

4. My sister, brother in law, mom and dad

5. I am so thankful that my husband will be home from work tonight until Sunday!! woo hoo

6. For the day with my sister tomorrow...watching Twilight...i seriously just started wiggling in my chair with excitement!!

7. My ability to stay focused and positive. I had a really bad day yesterday...and today...i am only looking forward and I am happy.

8. For my candle store. Making candles (quality awesome) candles is a new found passion of mine.

9. for coffee...always thankful for my coffee. Speaking of coffee...has anyone tried the new Hazelnut Biscotti coffee mate creamer?? Oh my goodness...it so yummy!

10. For salted caramel hot chocolates with a shot of espresso from Starbucks....i will be getting one today! This will also be on my confessions again tomorrow!!

11. For blogging...it is so awesome to interact with all of you, I am so very thankful for it!!

12. I am so thankful that I talked my husband into putting ALL of our Christmas decorations out this weekend!!! I cannot wait!!!

13. For this coming Sunday. My family is all coming over and we are going to EAT and play Wii ! That's what we do people...we EAT ...and we burn it off with the Wii !!! I love it

14. really good kisses

15. For KIND people

I hope that all of you have the most wonderful Thursday!!! SMILE

Thursday Thank fulls

What I am Thankful for on this beautiful Thursday:



My faith in God

Soul Mates and unconditional LoVe

Husband

My kids

My family

My dog Denali

for completely perfect beautiful Fall days like today

Lisa and JennyKate

This BlOg....and all of you that visit me

For coffee

For my candle business

clean sheets...is it normal that I wash them EVERY SINGLE DAY? Or is that my OCD?

Kindness....because JennyKate is so right in her Thursday Thankfulls....Kindness is HUGE

For the Twilight books.....oh man...I will be forever thankful for them. Oh get this you guys....Last night there was this perfect breeze coming in through my window....it wasn't even cold...so i opened it further and laid in bed and watched my curtain blow and i was imagining Edward coming through it!!! Seriously....I need some therapy right???? Oh ya....and it's only SEVEN days until the movie......I cannot wait!!!!!



Have a brilliant Thursday everyone! I will be back tomorrow for Friday confessions!!! I am off to do what I do.....play with my girls....clean....make candles.....play....clean!!!!!



xoxo

Thursday Thank fulls

Wow...Is it already Time for Thursday thank fulls?? Sweeeet... Okay...here are my blessings for the day:






*God...again...he is ALWAYS #1

* My husband, he will always be #2

* My kids and my family....I am so totally blessed to have my kids and my wonderful supportive family.

* I forgot this one last week...I am so SUPER THANKFUL that my dad is done with his radiation treatments. Now we just pray that when he goes for his scan on Jan 15 (day before my bday) that his cancer is ALL GONE! That would be the best bday present EVER!!


* For the epiphany that I had in the bath tub last night. As I was saying my blessings in the bath..as i always do....It hit me that I can be doing MORE for Jesus daily. I thank him every night...but I really need to start thinking about him all through the day. I know that I can be a better Cristian...I just needed to realize it.


*For coffee I am thankful...i really love my coffee


*For the 4 candle sales this morning! I was so excited!! It makes me so proud of myself to be helping out financially. Every time I make a sale...I just cannot wait until the customer burns my candles...as I know they will LOVE them (I don't mean to brag...but I am 110% mega proud of my candles)


* For DVR...I know this is lame...but I really am grateful for it!


* For the utterly creative mind and sheer brilliance of the author Stephanie Meyer! Seriously....I am sure you are all so over me bragging about these books of hers....but Really, reading this amazing series has given me a wonderful escape from reality each night!!


* I am thankful for this beautiful Fall day....I plan to make the very most of it!!!

Have a brilliant day everyone!! Don't forget to SMILE......It can change the entire day for someone...I'm so serious....the power of a simple SMILE is amazing!!

What I am doing to help my family through this economic hardship...

Okay wow....I just noticed that It's 11:45pm...wayyy past my bedtime! But I just felt like reaching out to others who are going through hard times with this crazy economy. I am a stay at home mom (a domestic goddess I say) and my husband is gone so much working so hard. Don't get me wrong...I work my butt off too...as all you stay at home mom's do. But I just want to help financially....I feel the need to take some of the burden off my amazing husband. He is in the trucking industry and it slows down quiet a bit in the winter...and with the way the economy is we are a little scared. So what am I doing to pitch in? Here is a list...and hey....maybe you guys can take away some tips for your family:



1. First and foremost, I have FINALLY been taught by my husband how to SAVE money. It has taken me about 6 yrs with him to FINALLY get it!! I was not taught to save...just spend! So in this pastyear or so, I put a certain amount of money each week in savings regardless of anything. I just do it...I tell myself that money is not mine..I don't even consider it...it just goes in savings. PERIOD. Now, like i said it took me 6 YEARS to get it....but boy oh boy I am so grateful that I did. Now we have savings to always fall back on through tough times. Savings...is just overall good for your health....seriously!



2. I thought about what it is that I love. I love candles!!! I love the way they smell and soothe me...I love everything about them. Even sitting reading, looking at the flame relaxes me. So...I opened my own candle shop on Etsy.com. It has taken some money here and there to get started....But it's starting to really pay off. I love making them...absolutely love it, and I am putting some money into savings as well, and that makes me feel so proud.



3. Okay...seriously...I NEVER thought I would clip coupons!!! But I am to the point now where I look forward to my coffee on Sunday morning with ALL my ad's and I clip...clip away!! My husband so gets a kick out of it! I now make grocery shopping a huge game for me. I LOVE IT!!! I found this site (it was actually on Oprah the other day) it's http://www.couponmom.com/ it is awesome!! She teaches you how to save money...i mean save BIG money!! I went from spending 150.00 A WEEK to about 79.00 a week! I was so mad today because i really wanted to be under 70.00. Next week is another challenge! I also add things up mentally in my head as I go through the store. I tried a calculator...but with a 18mon old in the seat in front of me...that did not work out so well! But adding it in my head really helps me to know where I am at..and what I can get and CANNOT get (those are typically the wants..not needs). I have really spent time figuring out healthy meals that are cheaper. I will start posting some of those meal ideas often. Saving money grocery shopping is really a huge way that I feel that I can help out and make an impact. So as the CEO of my household....I am taking charge!!



4. We use to eat out sooo much. Now we NEVER do!! It took some adjusting for the kids...but they are over it now. We did get Taco Bell tonight.....It only cost 14.00...but I was still mad at myself for caving!! I cannot believe how much we have saved by cutting all the eating out OUT!!



5. CASH....I only use cash. I give myself an allowance for the week, when it's gone....IT'S GONE.



6. Finally...I just really try and recite this word to myself constantly, "SIMPLICITY". I try so hard to focus on what is important. My answer is always the same, "Time...time with the one's I love". Quality time that is. When someone dies....it's not the materials they own that anyone will give a crap about, it's the memories that they leave behind. It's the TIME. So in all the madness...Just breathe....i mean breathe deep (right now) and be happy for your family and what you DO have.



Anyway....wow....If you made it this far...I hope you got something out of it!!!



love....love....love

Friday Confessions.....

Here are my Friday Confessions for the week:


1. I let Allie (my 18 Mon old) sleep with me twice this week.

2. I stayed up one night until 2am watching 4 episodes of prison break. I get the seasons from Net Flix

3. I have not done laundry since Tuesday!!

4. I got the kids Wendy's last night

5. When Allie is napping...i should be cleaning...although this week I was on the computer every chance i got to myself! Which means I have a ton of cleaning to do today!!

6. On Sunday I completely spaced out Michael's confirmation class at church...I am still so mad at myself for this one!

7. I had a coke (coke cola that is) That is my biggest weakness...i love pop and its just horrible! I only had one for the week though...i guess that's okay.


Things That I am proud of this week:


1. I managed to loose 4 lbs...Mostly by NOT eating past 6pm (which is SO DANG HARD)

2. When I took Anna to Ice skating lessons last night...i walked right past the coffee shop and DID NOT go in and get a rice crispy treat made with peanut butter and choc chips!!

3. I had to practice skating with Anna before her lesson and I did not fall ONCE!!

4. I only spent $80.00 for groceries yesterday....I have started calculating mentally in the store and clipping coupons. Those two things have got my bill down from 150.00 a week to 80.00!!

5. I cleaned out my car...the whole nine yards...vacume..windex...armoral wipes!!

6. I helped a girl in the Walmart parking lot who claimed she ran out of gas. She looked homeless to me...I gave her money and said a quick prayer as she walked off.

7. I went on a bargain mission and managed to buy treat bags and stuff to fill them for Anna's Halloween party at school for like 12.00!

I hope everyone had a good week....and I wish you all a wonderful weekend ahead!! Remember to count your blessings!!!

First day of PRE K

"It's not pre school....it's PRE K!" That's what Anna will be quick to tell anyone who dares call it pre school! Yesterday was her first day and she was so excited...not to mention so adorable! She is such a girly girl...it cracks me up! She had her clothes ready the night before, and everything has to match!! I just take so much joy every single day being a mom....watching my kids grow is just an amazing journey. Thank you God for my three children!!

Harvest Fest

Oh how I love the Fall! This past weekend me and my husband took the kids to the local Harvest Fest. It was such a great day; watching Anna on the ponies, seeing Allie's face light up in the petting zoo, seeing Michael's face light up when he saw the kettle corn booth (so yummy)! The best part of the day was when we got ready to leave and instead crying for more, Anna looked up and said, "Thank you mommy and daddy for taking us today". **sigh** Me and my husband must be doing something right!! Days like these remind me what's important to me in life....My family and enjoying the simplicity of life!




I asked my husband, "Please honey can I get a baby goat?"

Anna looking so proud on the pony ride, with her daddy by her side!

Of course she had to go for the pink bucket!

Michael is the ultimate big brother!

Remember to count your blessings and enjoy the simple things in life!