Pressure

Now that I’m back, I feel this immense pressure to write something great.  I was looking back over the blog (good times there, folks!) and decided to re-start the way that I first got started.

Thankfulness.

In my first post, I listed 25 things that I was thankful for. It ranged from my family all the way to Words with Friends, which I no longer play by the way. With the exception of my family, because we should all be thankful for our families all the time, I am going to make a new list (only 20 this time) with things that pertain to my life now. My how times have changed!

1.      My Family. I’ll keep it small here and only talk about my hubby and son. Although they both can push my buttons some days, I am so thankful that God has blessed me with them both! I am thankful that David enjoys spending his days off with us and realize that not all dads like to do that. I’m thankful that JD is still at the age where he likes to hug and kiss and snuggle. I’m thankful that he still needs me, and wants me. I better stop here. Maybe another post on them another day!

2.      Sunshine. Oh blessed Sunshine!! I am thankful for the warmer and longer days that come with spring and summer! Winter is my least favorite season with all the cold and dreariness. As soon as the sun starts warming things up, my whole attitude changes! I love seeing things grow (though I’m seriously not a fan of the cursed pollen!). I love being outside. I love the sun!

3.      Warm Weather Activities. Following the sunshine, would be the activities that warm weather brings. I’m not just talking swimming, though I am thankful for that. I’m talking markets and festivals and parks and walks and all outside fun. I seriously love spring and summer, and even fall. It’s that crazy cold winter that I’m not too fond of.

4.      Alavert. I am loving all this warm weather, but my sinuses aren’t loving all the pollen. Thankfully, there are tiny orange dissolvable tablets that help with that. Best find ever.

5.      Netflix. You know you all feel the same way! David and I decided years ago to do away with our cable. It was an adjustment at first since we were use to having all those channels at our finger tips. When we moved to the river (the boondocks that I told you about in the last post), we literally only got like 3 channels. We get all the basic channels on our tv now, but it is so nice to have Netflix available as well. The movies aren’t always the greatest, but I have been able to watch a lot of shows that I either missed when they originally aired (Lost), watched part of but not all the way (Gilmore Girls), or had never even heard of (Heartland). Plus, the old faithful that are just fun to watch over and over (Friends).  

6.      My Screened-In Porch. Seriously the best feature in this house. Not only does it keep the bugs out, but it also keeps JD in. Some days you just need that. It also allows us to play outside, even when it is raining. If you don’t have one of these, I suggest you add one on!

7.      Text messaging. There is definitely something to be said for having a real conversation with another person, but at this stage in my life, I love the art of text messaging. It is so nice to send a simple message to someone when you have a question or comment but don’t have time for the niceties that come with a phone call. It is also nice to be able to read and respond to a text when you get a free minute to do so. Plus, the pictures and videos that my sisters send me of my niece and nephew…priceless!

8.      Baby Monitors. When JD was born, we decided to get one of the video monitors. Best decision ever! It was really nice when he was little to be able to check on him without taking the chance of waking him up by going into his room. It was nice when we were sleep training so that I could see there wasn’t anything seriously wrong while I let him cry it out. (Yes, I am that mom. I’m sure there will be a post or two on that later on too. Another of the best decisions that I’ve made!) And now, it is nice to be able to watch JD when he isn’t wanting to nap and have the ability to talk to him through the monitor without having to go into his room to do so. If you are thinking about baby monitors, seriously, go for the video monitor! You will not regret it!

9.      Days Off. I mean, not for me. I’m a mom. Moms don’t get days off. I’m talking about David’s days off. He works a crazy shift that keeps him away from us for most of the day several days in a row. That being said, his days off are like a breath of fresh air. We love spending time together as a family and try to do fun things together as much as we can. I like that we can share meals together. I like having someone to help with the chaos of having a toddler. I like that we can carry on real conversations instead of short phone calls or text messages. I especially like when those days off are during the week so that everything isn’t as crowded when we do go out.

10.   Stickers. JD is really into stickers right now. He likes wearing them. He likes putting them on you to wear. He likes to playing with them. He likes decorating with them. So far, we haven’t had any major incidents with stickers being stuck where they shouldn’t be. I’m sure those days will come. For now, I like that he wants to decorate pictures for people. And I especially like that I can give him a few stickers when we are in the car, and he can entertain himself with them for quite a while.

11.   The Dollar Store. Speaking of stickers, I am very thankful for dollar stores. It really is crazy the stuff that you can find in there for only a dollar. I’m not crazy enough to think that everything is a good deal, but a lot of it is. I buy all kinds of stuff in there – toys, baskets, craft supplies, teaching materials, paper products, party supplies, food, candy, etc. I like to swing in there every few weeks since their shipment of stuff changes so much. If you haven’t been in a while, go!!

12.   The CBS and NBC app. Similar to Netflix but different. Why does it seem like all the good shows come on late? I don’t like that. Some nights I don’t/can’t stay up long enough to watch those shows, and it is nice to be able to watch them on another day when I get time to. This is pretty much the only way that I can keep up with current tv shows. Without it, I’d have no hope!

13.   Nap Time. Can I get an “AMEN” from all the moms out there?! I’m so grateful that we put in the effort to sleep train JD when he was a baby. It was tough for a few weeks, but it was so worth it! Even though we are down to only one nap now, it is still my time of sanity. It’s my time to get things done around the house, take a shower, catch up on some of those tv shows that I’ve missed, etc. I love those 2 hours in the middle of the day!!

14.   My “New To Us” car. It isn’t brand new. It isn’t top of the line. It isn’t the best car on the road. It is, however, paid for, bigger than our last car, meets all of our needs, and even has a lot of the extra “bells and whistles” that we weren’t planning on.

15.   New Experiences. I get bored with the same-ole-same-ole. I need change and I need new experiences. I know that not everyone is like that, but I sure am. I like not knowing what life is going to bring. I like meeting new people. I like experiencing all that life has to offer.

16.   December. It’s hard to believe that my parents have been gone since 2008. On one hand, it feels like yesterday, and on the other, it feels like it’s been forever. I’m so proud of the ministry that they have had in Guatemala over the past several years, but it will be so nice to have them back on American soil. I’ve missed hopping the car and going to visit them, and I’ll be glad when we can do that again.

17.   The Microwave. I’ve always thought that it was a great invention, but as a mom I appreciate it even more. Some days I heat up my coffee multiple times before I can finish the cup. We all know how important that morning cup of coffee can be!

18.   The Area Where We Live. Not only are the views great around here, but there really is so much to do, especially in the warmer months. We have great parks, outdoor markets, lots of festivals, amazing restaurants, mountains, lakes, rivers, water parks and even a zoo! I have loved this area from day one and that hasn’t changed! Now if my family would just get the hint and all move here, it would be even better!

19.   A Happy and Healthy Boy. I am constantly reminded how blessed we are with JD. In the past two years, we have only battled a few colds. There are so many children in our world that are battling serious diseases and illnesses. I am not naive enough to think that he won’t ever experience anything worse than the common cold, but for now,

20.   Pinterest. When I first started this blog, I had just discovered Pinterest and was making it my own personal mission to get everyone else hooked. I think it is safe to say that everyone loves Pinterest! It’s amazing that we ever had our own ideas before this fabulous website was created!

Now that I’m back, do any of you have post ideas for me?