Month of Gratitude: The End

Day 29:

Zoey (age 8) is grateful for...the Wii.

I am grateful for...a playful heart.

Pazely (age 6) is grateful for...colors.

 Day 30:

Zoey is grateful for...her games.

I am grateful for...a chance at lunch out. (Especially at my favorite Chinese joint--Wonderful House.)

Pazely is grateful... that we have feet.

Well, this is the end of our Month of Gratitude photo journey. Hope you enjoyed peeking in. When I did this project, I didn't want to state the obvious: I'm grateful for my family & friends & my relationship with Jesus Christ & food & a home. Those are like no-brainer things. But I realized, looking back through my photos, that a lot of what I am grateful for are all the things that spoil me really: eating out, crafting, presents, alone time....Non necessities. But of apparent value to me as well.

What was REALLY interesting was seeing what my girls were grateful for. They made me realize how much I take simple things for granted. Like feet. And toothbrushes. And doorknobs. And toilets.

It was a challenge on some days to think of what to be grateful for. But it got me in the practice of thinking about these things "on purpose".

To view all of our photos & collages, click HERE.

To view everyone's photos from the Month of Gratitude flickr group, click HERE.

And happy December to you all!!!

♥

Month of Gratitude: Day 27, 28

Day 27:

I am grateful for...laughter.

 

Zoey (age 8) is grateful for...the Christmas tree.

Pazely (age 6) is grateful for...the Christmas tree.

(We put up the Christmas tree. Can you tell?? And the girls are really, really happy about that. Can you tell that too??)

Day 28:

Zoey (age 8) is grateful for...the Christmas ornaments. Without them, "the tree would be naked!"

I am grateful for...my Etsy shop. Really, it is a chance for me to do what I love. An excuse to create. And it brings in a few dollars so I can spoil my girls.

Pazely (age 6) is grateful for...her toothbrush.

♥

Month of Gratitude: Day 24,25, 26

Coincidentally enough, the girls & I have been less vocal about our Month of Gratitude project right around this Thanksgiving holiday. Funny. We were busy on a trip! We hardly ever get out to take family trips, so this was a bonus for us. We went to Lincoln with some friends & spent the holiday with THEIR family. More about that later. But here are some thankful moments in our past few days. (The girls' grateful moments are sans photos.)

 Day 24:
I am grateful for...the chance to be with friends for a Turkey Day road trip.

Zoey is grateful for...Thanksgiving.

Pazely is grateful...that she was born so she could have a mommy & a daddy & a sister.

Day 25:

I am grateful for...a place. Just for me.

Zoey is grateful for...hanging out with new friends.

Pazely is grateful...that it was a celebration so we could have family & friends together.

 Day 26:

I am grateful for...a favorite moment rarely ever gotten anymore. A chai latte in one hand, crafty magazines in my lap & nesting in a cozy chair at Barnes & Noble. This is what heaven is like.

Zoey is grateful for...horses.

Pazely is grateful for...riding horses & jumping on trampolines.

♥

Month of Gratitude: Day 21, 22, & 23

Day 21: Click HERE.

 Day 22: Click HERE.

Day 23: Click HERE.

♥

Day 19: Month of Gratitude

Zoey (age 8) is grateful for...kleenex. "So we don't have to blow our noses on our hands."

I am grateful for...a weekly planner to keep me organized these past 2 weeks---& on into the busy holiday season!! It's really working. And I love lists anyway.

Pazely (age 6) is grateful for...her dad. "'Cause we don't have just one person taking care of us, we have two people to love us."

♥

Day 18: Month of Gratitude

I am grateful for...a day off. I headed to my friends' photo studio today. I visited & got lunch takeout from the diner & crafted & cozied on their couches & it was just real, real nice...

Zoey (age 8) is grateful for...her white board. It was a birthday gift from a friend this past September & one of the best she has ever gotten. She'll sit for long periods of time playing with that thing!

Pazely (age 6) is grateful for...the trash can. "So we don't have to litter all over the house."

♥

Day 15, 16, 17: Month of Gratitude

Day 15: Click HERE.

Day 16: Click HERE. 

Day 17: Click HERE

♥

Day 14: Month of Gratitude

Zoey (age 8) is grateful for...the ceiling fan. She said, "I'm serious mom, I'm not joking. I like the nights when it's hot & I can cool myself."

Pazely (age 6) is grateful for...her night-time pull-ups. I told her that this was going on the blog & that LOTS & LOTS of people would see it. She was ok with that. She knows other kids have trouble wetting their beds at night. And she says, "That's OK."

I am thankful for...Christmas coming!! Happy times are ahead. It's not only about the actual DAY of Christmas, but of the preparation & planning. I love it all! The girls helped decorate this gingerbread house that sits in the window of my friends' photo studio on Main Street. We had a messy good time that day!!

♥

Day 13: Month of Gratitude

Pazely (age 6) is grateful for...God. She drew a picture & wrote: "This is God. He is good to me." There's even a "bow...to hold up his pants." I love his toes too!

Zoey (age 8) is grateful for...food. I love the way the tinfoil covering the half eaten dessert glistens with that refrigerator gleam of light.

I am grateful for...pumpkin pie. Seriously, it is better than medicine sometimes--liftin' my spirits & making me happy! It's good to find those things in life that do that for you.

♥

Day 12: Month of Gratitude

Pazely (age 6) is grateful for...money.

I am gratetful for...friends who are awesome.

Zoey (age 8) is grateful for...herself.

Ok, so we're a little behind on our 'Month of Gratitude' blog postings. So, you're getting the last 3 days all in one swoop. And then there will be another day or 2 break as mommy gets to go out of town! I'll be going on a Pastor's Wives retreat. Never done anything like that before & (believe it or not) I'm really shy around groups of people I don't know. So, I'm a bit nervous. I'm really hoping to leave here without any expectation, spend time in Lexington, NE receiving loads of inspiration & return home with a new determiniation.

That's my plan anyway...

♥

Day 11: Month of Gratitude

We had our first snow of the season today.

Pazely (age 6) is grateful for...the snow. (That's a giant snowball she's holding in her hands.)

Zoey is grateful for...the snow. (The handprints she made are similar to the celebrity handprints seen outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Only these are made by an awesome 8 year old.  In snow. On "J" Street. In Nebraska.)

Though I think the snow is beautiful, & there is something especially magical about waking up to falling snow, I am grateful....to be indoors, watching from the cozy couch, while in my jammies & sipping something hot & tasty.

♥

(Oh, & Pazely's picture of the toilet she was thankful for on Day 5 made it to our local newspaper. I stuck it in my column when referencing her pilgrim potty story.)

Day 10: Month of Gratitude

Pazely (age 6) is grateful for...soap.

Zoey (age 8) is grateful for...her bed.

I am grateful for...finding toys mid-play. It means that "imagination" & "pretend" are still alive in my home.

♥

Day 9: Month of Gratitude

 I am grateful for... these random moments in life.

The girls & I were up in the church attic today looking for Fall & Thanksgiving decorations. It was my first time up there. We found costumes. And Pazely found this awesome sheep/ram attire. She totally reminds me of Max from "Where the Wild Things Are".

I'll eat you up I love you so...

Zoey is grateful for... the piano.

Pazely is grateful for... waffles. (She had me hold them while she took this picture.) Seriously, this kid loves waffles--& always has. She would eat them breakfast, lunch & dinner if we let her. And sometimes we do.

♥

Day 8: Month of Gratitude

Pazely is grateful for...her window. ("So I can look out & see stuff.")

Zoey is grateful for...crafty things.

Nikki is grateful for...the mornings I get to take the girls to school. Hubby & I have worked out a deal where he drops them off at school & I pick them up. When I drop them off, I can wear whatever I want, sport an awesome bed-head, no makeup & fuzzy teeth. There is no getting out of the car required. I pull up to the curb, the girls hop out & that's it. Duty done.

♥

Day 7: Month of Gratitude

Pazely is grateful for...her radio, that plays music while she falls asleep.

Nikki is grateful for...that extra hour of sleep!

Zoey is grateful for...our front door. (She says if it wasn't for our door, then all the bugs & wind & stuff & rain would get in.)

I take such things for granted...
♥

Day 6: Month of Gratitude

Zoey is grateful for...her library books. (I love how she sets up her photo shots every day. She even fanned out these books "just so" before taking the picture.)

Nikki is grateful for...those random moments when reminded that I am "Special Today".

Pazely is grateful for...her new light-up sock monkey snow globe.

A little side note:

I found myself starting to get involved with what my kids are grateful for. It's been interesting to see what they come up with everyday in our "Month of Gratitude" photo project. But it doesn't always make sense to me. At first I was like, "You're grateful for a toilet??" And I almost tried to take Pazely in a different direction--to give her some more meaningful things to be grateful for. I mean, seriously, a light-up sock monkey snow globe??

But, I decided to back off. I realized that, as long as the attitude of gratefulness is in them, I REALLY shouldn't be so picky about what they are thankful for. And of course the things that mean something to them are going to be different than what is important to me. I am now just grateful that they are grateful.

Just thought I'd share...

♥



Day 5: Month of Gratitude

Pazely is grateful for...a toilet. "Why?" I asked. She replied, "Because I can go potty in it!!! The pilgrims had to go potty in a bucket & then throw it out to sea!"

Zoey is grateful for...her dad.

I am grateful for...happy jelly belly mail from a friend. ♥ Seriously, happy mail is the best!!!

♥

Day 4: Month of Gratitude

Pazely is grateful for...her sister Zoey.

Zoey is grateful for...her dress up shoes. They are gold & vintage & have sparkly bits & heels. But she is grateful for them because..."I can pretend AND be high."

I am grateful for...that big sack of potatoes. Someone gave it to us a few days ago. But it really represents the numerous ways we have been blessed since moving to Nebraska 11 months ago. I cannot keep count of the many times people have dropped off food, meals, clothes for the girls, or any number of random things for our family. I am grateful for the generosity of my friends.

Join the Month of Gratitude flickr group HERE.

See our current set of Gratitude pics HERE.

♥

A Month of Gratitude: Day 3

Nikki is grateful for...a 6 year old, armed with a new diary. 

Zoey is grateful for...her American Girl doll.



Pazely is grateful for...the house she lives in.

♥

Join the Month of Gratitude flickr group HERE.

See our current set of Gratitude pics HERE.

A Month of Gratitude: Day 1 & 2

Day 1:

*Nikki is grateful for...quiet moments when I get to be creative & crafty. They are becoming more rare as life gets more & more busy. I appreciate them & am very thankful for those times when I do get them.

*Zoey is grateful for...her younger sister, Pazely.

*Pazely is grateful for...food.

I just joined the flickr group "A Month of Gratitude", hosted by Lisa of Polka Dot Cottage. I'm taking a picture every day in the month of November of something I am grateful for. Lisa & one of her son's are doing the project together & I thought it'd be fun to have my girls join along with me too! So, we are armed with my iphone & a polaroid-like application & are snapping photos every day. I'll be posting them on the blog here, but you can also click HERE for the whole set on flickr.

Come join in on the thankful fun!

Day 2:

*Pazely is grateful for...her mommy.

*Nikki is grateful for...the right & freedom to have a voice & vote.

*Zoey is grateful for...her mom.

(Total Nikki overload today! haha! And in all honesty, on Day 1 of our Gratitude Photo Adventure, Zoey told me she was grateful for me. I wasn't ready for a photo close-up though. I had no makeup on & I looked like poo. So, I said, "Why don't you be grateful for mommy on another day honey?")

♥