Reminder

I didn't post on Monday like I have been doing. Monday evening I felt a bit guilty. By Tuesday I was feeling like I wanted to post, but wasn't sure if had 'it' in me. By Tuesday night I knew why I hadn't done it yet. He wanted me to experience something first. He wanted me to see something first.
Last night Brandon and I had the most enjoyable evening. We went out on our back deck; me with my book and Brandon with his new work tool. We sat in silence and experienced one of the best evenings of the summer. The breeze was blowing through our tree and soothing us into a state of relaxation that was better than our vacation in March. The sun was warming and comforting, but not hot or burning.  It was the perfect temperature with the perfect breeze on a quiet evening with the perfect summer smells. Those smells of fields being harvested, irrigated or raked.  It was Heaven on Earth.
After Brandon went to bed I got back up and just stood on the back deck for another minute. It was perfect. I smelled those smells, soaked up the last of the sunset on the horizon and let my ears enjoy the silence.  I didn't want that moment to end. It was summer at its best.
141. The smells of last night.
142. Sitting on the deck with my husband last night.
143. Cooking a nice dinner for my husband last night.
144. Reading my book and enjoying it.
145. Dinner with friends from work Monday night.
146. Finishing our Mexico scrapbook Tuesday.
147. Coffee with Valerie this morning.
148. Celebrating with Kelly Friday.
149. Family time on Saturday.
150. Welcoming Brandon and Duke home on Sunday.

So thankful....

131. A nice visit with a friend at her new home.
132. A fantastic summer night with friends on our patio.
133. A lazy Sunday at home with my husband.
134. A great lunch date with a bestest friend.
135. Scrapping in my craft room - and feeling productive.
136. Ceiling fans.
137. Planting a new bush in our backyard...making it feel more and more like our own.
138. Finding new plants for the patio.
139. New puppies!
140. The laughter of kiddos at our home.

Fantastic summer days

121. Getting up and getting LOTS done around our house.
122. Friends stopping by to visit and help us.
123. Friends that knew us well enough to say--lets go to the river!
124. Friends that can just load up in our pickup and have fun with us.
125.  Using the treadmill again after a hiatus.
126. Picking up pictures from Costco.
127. Summer nights.
128. Good books.
129. Sweet tea.
130. The Internet.

Thankful Monday.

111.  Nice, sunny, warm weather this weekend.
112.  A good hair day (I know, it's probably bad to say, but I was thankful for it).
113.  Another week to enjoy summer. =)
114.  Looking forward to going home again this weekend.
115.  Seeing old friends Saturday night.
116.  Wonderful family.
117.  Meeting new people.

118.  Coming home yesterday and resting with my husband.

119.  A beautiful ceremony and reception.
120.  Fun pictures to remember the weekend with.

Today I am thankful for:

101. A morning visit with my Claire.
102. Lunch with Brock.
103. The opportunity to lay out in the sun (the sun!!).
104. Watching my cousin play All Stars basketball on Saturday.
105. Visiting with my family while watching my cousin play basketball.
106. Meeting baby Payton on Saturday. Love her!
107. Time outside with my husband.
108. Closing my classroom after another great year with kinders.
109. Looking forward to another great year next year!
110. Making my own curtains for my classroom (all by myself!).

Almost summer!

89. Tailgate conversations.
90. My husband!
91. Sunshine on the weekend.
92. Lunch at the Steelhead Brewery yesterday, sitting outside in the sun.
93. Finding the hardwood floors of my dreams.
94. Brandon and I staying up late dreaming about our dream house remodel.
95.Quick phone conversations with friends.
96. A day with my husband and nobody else.
97. A nice card from my mom in the mail.
98. Magazines in the mail.
99. A clean car.
100. 2 days left of school!

I'm back and I'm thankful.

79. A personal day during the last two weeks of school.
80. A fantastic weekend home.
81. Watching one of my favorite people graduate from high school with high honors and high hopes.
82. Sunshine on Saturday and today. =)
83. Getting our house to the beginning levels of clean and organized.
84. LOTS of laundry done: washed, folded and put away.
85. A $35.00 trip to the grocery store.
86. Smiles and friendly strangers.
87. Planting goodness in our garden.
88. Plans to make a homemade dinner for the one I {love}.

This Monday finds me in a whole new spot in life than I was a week ago.  Love and peace can be like the sun. It is always there....but sometimes you don't really see it.  This weekend I was able to see those two positive influences just as clearly as you can see the sunrise on a clear summer morning.  Before this weekend I was seeing them as you would on a cloudy winter morning...it was there, but unrecognizable until you really thought about it. 
69. Time to just 'be' this weekend.
70.  A finished craft project -using my new sewing machine!
71. An afternoon with a friend.
72. Two phone calls from wonderful friends!
73. A fantastic visit with family in Salem. Love those visits.
74. Hugs and kisses and laughter with 4 of my favorite kiddos in the world.
75. A surprise from my hubby.
76. Flowers and a sappy card from my hubby! ♥
77. Time to read and enjoy my book.
78. Hot baths and comfy jammies.

So many things...

58. Dancing with my husband at the Elks Saturday night.
59. A Fantastic band!
60. Dancing with one of my favorite brother in laws at the Elks last night.
61. A safe drive home from Heppner.
62. Talking with Brandons aunt on the phone last night.
63. A good day at school today.
64. A quiet evening at home.
65. Leaving school while it was still day light.
66. Sunshine.
67. Picking up pictures at Costco.
68. A husband who took it upon himself to check into my Valentines gift.

So thankful

48. A {great} weekend in Sunriver with 4 of our friends.

49. No broken bones after a day of skiing.

50. A surprise wedding invitation in the mail today.

51. The newest Cabela's 'bible' in the mail today - Brandon will be so happy!

52. Hanging out on the sofa last night with my husband.

53. Clean sheets on our bed.

54. A pedicure.

55. Good news for my pregnant friends.

56. Great kindergartners!

57. A quiet evening to get things back in order in my house, and to rest.

Mondays...

37. A safe drive home last night in the snow.

38. Patient friends.

39. Warm and welcoming family in Eastern Oregon.

40. Lots of laughs with friends.

41. A good day at school today.

42. Fun new cable on our TV that I hope works! haha

43. A few minutes in the evenings to relax and watch TV (hopefully).

44. A kindergarten meeting tomorrow to share ideas.

45. A staff meeting in the morning to reconnect with my friends at work.

46. Patient friends who 'get' what I'm rolling my eyes at.

47. A loving husband.

I am Thankful

25. Making cookies with two of our favorite people.
26. A quiet evening at home with Brandon
27. Productive evenings while Brandon is working out
28. Talking to my dad on the phone twice in one week
29. A great potluck at school today
30. Laughter
31. New sheets on our bed
32. A new paint color in my craft room
33. Cards in the mail to friends
34. A new book in the mail for me
35. Going home this weekend
36. This adorable face....

Thankful Mondays

12. Some energy after work this evening.
13. The automated mailing machine at the USPS, for late night mailings...
14. Friendly, helpful co-workers.
15. A dishwasher.
16. Sparkling dishes.
17. The Internet for visual inspiration.
18. My favorite blanket.
19. Cell phones.
20. Kinders and their cute little hugs even when they are being turds.
21. Friends that don't mind sharing their great ideas, inspirations, and motivators.
22. 4 wonderful 'cousin kids' Saturday night. Lots of smiles, hugs and warm cookies!
23. Bath and Body Works plug in scents
24. Dinner in the fridge.

This week.

This week I have worked really hard at a few things.

1. Remembering what I need to do. Each morning when I get to my classroom I write a 'To do' list. and I keep that list in my eyesight all day, and cross off things as I do them. It has worked great! For some reason I always think I can keep things in my head and I won't forget. It doesn't work. I forget things.

2. Remembering to be really grateful. In the moment, grateful. It has helped turn my attitude around more than once.

3. Posting to my blog. I like the idea of having a blog. and I like the results of having a blog. I don't always like the actual writing part, but I want to be better this year.

4. Journal. I dug my journals out and will start writing in them more. I am really excited to be inspired again.

5. Keeping my desk at work cleaned off. I am going to work hard to stay organized (hence the to do list) and keep my desk available. I am going to deal with things as they come up, put things away right away, etc. Wish me luck! haha

I am excited for this weekend, tomorrow is Friday and I am ready for a break. Brandon and I agreed to sleep in on Saturday and do some relaxing. I am hoping to try out my new sewing machine, cleaning, reading, etc. It is going to be great! =)

Gratitude....my word for the year.

1. Air fresheners in our home that smell good.

2. Homemade Taco soup. A recipe from friends, more friends to share it with.

3. Two wonderful hugs from kinders at school today.

4. Loving phone calls from my husband.

5. Quiet time at the end of day to calm down.

6. A new magazine in the mail.

7. Fresh sheets and a perfectly made bed.

8. A special keepsake arriving from Pottery Barn that I will get to give away next Christmas.

9. Decisions made: my word of the year and a paint color for my craft room.

10. Time with our family over Winter Break.

11. Long hugs from family before we left after two weeks of visits.