I'm Thankful for...

Since Monday I have been thinking about the things in my life that I am thankful for. All too often, we don't outwardly acknowledge our blessings, and we sometimes take life's little things for granted. Today, I wanted to just put in writing some of the things that keep me grounded when my world spins out of control...

1. A warm, loving, and stress-free home where we respect one another and maintain peace.
2. Sincere and caring friends, who honestly help me to be a better person.
3. A loving, smart, and beautiful child, inside and out.
4. A family that, although completely dysfunctional, tries to make the best of what God has given us to work with...
5. A (somewhat) secure job where I am respected for my knowledge, experience, and friendliness.
6. A supportive husband that has stuck by me in our lowest times, and continues to love me in spite of my flaws.

These are just some of the things for which I am thankful, as I have been thinking about them all week. Sure, I could list all the material things in my life that make everyday easier and more convenient, but somehow those things are not as important to me as the real "meat" of my life. Especially right now. So, what are you thankful for? Maybe you should start a list...

Bring on the rain!

So, this weekend I had some repairs done to my vehicle. It recieved an oil change, 4 new tires, new brakes, an alignment, and new windshield wipers. I knew all of these things needed to be done, I was just trying to put it off until we had some more money to work with. However, I had a huge fight with my mom about it friday morning, ending with me scheduling an appointment at the car place for the work to be done. Now, I'm actually looking forward to the rain today so I can test out my new Michelin Aqua-tread tires and $40 windshield wipers. I can totally tell a difference already in my vehicle's response and grip to the road, as well as the alignment so the car doesn't pull to the left anymore. This morning in traffic I liked slamming on my new brakes and feeling how well they stopped with no squealing. As you can tell, I take delight in the smallest insignificant things in life!

Our Thanksgiving Tree

So, Stephen's sister and brother-in-law have updated the tree farm website. They chose to put a picture of me, Stephen, and Sarah as the front of the "Tradition" section! We're famous now! Not really, but its funny anyway. The picture of our family is from last Thanksgiving Day. Our annual tradition is to eat Thanksgiving dinner, then head out back to the farm to pick out a Christmas tree before it gets dark. Then we go back to the house, eat dessert, and then travel back home to set up and decrate our tree. Stephen and I have done this ritual for as long as I can remember (and remember, we've been together for 14 years!). This past year was made even more special, because it was Sarah's first time ever helping to pick out a tree. :) We asked Suzie to take some photos, and ended up using the family photo as our Christmas card, which we are planning to do again this year. You all probably know I'm not one that is big on traditions or rituals, but this is one tradition I really enjoy. I love Christmas, I love Christmas trees, and in general I love this time of year.

If you want to check out the website, here it is. Please feel free to pass it on to anyone you know of in the area who might enjoy getting a fresh-cut tree from the farm!
http://www.sleepyhollowtrees.com/

Tailgating pics

A few weeks ago we were invited to go tailgating with one of Stephen's coworkers. At first we were hesitant about it, but we went and ended up having a great time. Here are a few photos of the guys, and the kids playing...

Go Dawgs!

I love this photo and the wind blowing the kids!

We're going tailgating again in a few weeks for the Georgia-Georgia Tech game. I just hope it isn't too cold for the kids! This time, we'll make chili to keep us warm!

Family time for Sarah

So, this saturday Sarah got to see both sides of the family! She spent saturday morning and afternoon with the DeWeese's and then we headed to have dinner with my sister's family and mom. It was a tiring day, but Sarah seemed to enjoy every minute of it! My most favorite thing about this weekend was watching Sarah enjoy the outdoors. She loves walking in leaves and exploring outside. Here are some pics of her (taken by Aunt Suzie saturday afternoon). Sweet little girl!
Chrissy commented about how Sarah no longer looks or acts like a baby, and how she is such a "little girl" now! And its true!
This is Sarah exploring (I cannot figure out how to turn the photo-sorry!)

This is Sarah, totally exhausted, and about to fall asleep in her chair after playing all morning and finishing lunch.