Day 30:
Today I am thankful for.. Being able to keep up with this for the month. I’m super proud of myself, usually I have the best intentions but then I end up getting to caught up in life to finish. I’m very thankful for this opportunity to reflect on what I am happy and thankful for.
What are you thankful for??
Day 29:
Today I am thankful for… the talent of others, and their ability to share it. Today I spent with a friend, and she showed me how to sew really cute bags. It was way easier than I thought it would be.. and I finished two really cute bags for the girls for Christmas. Plus I think I might make Pj pants for everyone as well.
Day 28:
Today I’m thankful for… Scouts… I love the values they teach my kids. My girls have been in Girl Scouts for 3 yrs. In those 3 yrs I have been right beside them as a leader. Its our time together, as well as to make new friends, while learning to be strong young women. 
I’m also thankful for Cub Scouts, this year marks my sons 5th year. He has learned so many great things, and his confidence has doubled. I love watching him become a great young man. This year, he is also getting some great time with his dad (he is his leader this year).
They are great programs to help teach our young ones great values, and how to give back.
What are you grateful for??
We have been so busy with family the last couple days, so I haven’t had time to get online. So, I’m going to catch up with the last few days in this one post. 
Day 25:
Today I’m thankful for…. My Stepmom, my parents have been divorced for a long time, and both are remarried. I have to say that my stepmom is pretty cool, and has always given me my space, and let me get to know her on my terms. Today we went to there house for our 2nd Thanksgiving! It was so nice to spend the day with my dad, stepmom, her mom, and my dad’s mom… all people who we rarely get to see them. We had a wonderful time!
Day 26:
Today I’m thankful for… The beautiful weather. It was so gorgeous out today for being the end of November. It was 50! Can you believe that. We spent the whole day outside today, and so we are so thankful for the wonderful weather!
Day 27:
Today I’m thankful for…. my blog. It has been such a great things for me. I started it just for a way to keep in contact with my friends and family. It evolved into so much more than that. It has become my thing.. to call my own, and enjoy. I love to write, and share stories, share reviews, and giveaways. I am grateful for the opportunities it has given to me and my family. I also love the people I have meet through it, and hope that I get the chance to meet them in real life one day. There are some days that these peoples comments are the ones that keep me going, and inspire me to keep my faith. Thanks!
What are you grateful for??
Day 24:
Today I am thankful for.. So many things.. not just one thing in particular. I am thankful for the roof over our head, the fact that we were able to get wood in, so we are warm. I’m thankful for the food we are able to afford and cook, and put on our table. I am thankful for the fact that we are able to afford, clothes, and shoes to keep us warm. I’m thankful for the amazing people in my life, that even though I don’t talk to them everyday they know that I love them, and be there for them in a heartbeat. I’m thankful to have shared this wonderful holiday with my hubby, kids, mom, and grandmother. Remember to be thankful for the things that seem so small… as they can all be taken from us in a matter of seconds.
What are you grateful for today?
Day 23:
Today I am thankful for…
Facebook, yup you heard that right.. Why? Well, where else can you keep in close contact with your family and friends? Not many places. I love that I can post pictures of my kids, and my family can see and comment, or I can ask something and get everyone's opinion. There are many family members I would never get to talk to or stay in contact with if it wasn’t for Facebook. So for that I am grateful… cause in a busy world that we live in today, we need all the help we can get. 
What are you thankful for??
Day 22:
Today I’m thankful for… my cell phone. Yup, I know your going to call me crazy. But it is a one of my favorite gadgets. Really will you see me without it, and it is so helpful!! Not only is it a phone, message taker, and helps me keep in touch with people by email or facebook. It is my biggest helper.. Yup, that’s right, it is my calendar. Without it, I would be lost. Never knowing where and when I’m suppose to be somewhere. I love my phone!!! 
Are you thankful today???
Day 21:
Today I am thankful for… Homeschooling. Yup, it wasn’t an easy decision, and it went against a lot of what my family thought. Ruffled a few feathers, and caused a few issues here and there. However, in the end, I knew that this was the right decision for my kids.
Why did we start homeschooling? Well, I was tried of getting phone calls from the principle everyday telling me to come get my son. (Before you jump to the wrong conclusion let me finish) He was acting out terribly in class, cause he was BORED. He has always been a bright child. He loves to learn, and had attended Pre-k for 3 yrs. Naturally he was ahead of all the other kids. He was reading at a 6 grade level, and was doing science and math ahead of most kids in his class. But the schools were not willing to do anything about it.
Then my middle child, started having issues and begging me not to go to school in the morning. Begging me?? I mean I don’t remember every hating school that bad at the age of 6. I was heartbroken for her. She to was getting bored at school.
Then my littlest she was just starting school and I felt bad. She had wanted to go to school so bad. How could I take that opportunity away from here? So we sent her to Kindergarten. After 2 weeks of being there she came home and told me she didn’t really want to go back. She didn’t fight me, but was not excited at all about going. 
I decided at that point, they were not going back. I wasn’t going to make them dread and hate 6 hrs a day for 5 days a week, so they could come home and take it out on me, and make home life unbearable. We took the opportunity to just make the switch when we embarked on our moving trip a month into school. Once they left FL, they did not go back to a public school.
It has been a year now, and we love it. We love the flexibility, the ability for them to spend more time with their dad. Where if they were in public school they would never see him. Most of all we love the things we have been able to learn, and study longer cause we love it. Or the times we took a bit longer cause we had a hard time learning it. We love that we can learn Latin, Spanish, or electrical connections in elementary school. We are very happy with our decision, and we are blessed to be able to do it.
That is what I am thankful for today… What about you??
Day 20:
Today I am grateful for… Being able to be a SAHM. I know, I may complain sometimes, when I’m overtired, and under appreciated. But it truly is the best thing for me, and my family. I love that I get to see what my kids are doing everyday, and learning new. Not missing the big moments in their lives, and teaching them to be better people… while they teach me to be a better person and mom.
Things can get really crazy around here sometimes, but they certainly are a blessing in my life. My life would not be the same without them.
I don’t think I could work outside my home, cause when I’m away from them for more than a couple hours, I wander what they are doing, and if I should hurry back to them. I’d be a mess!
I’m truly lucky, and I try really hard not to take it for granted.
What are you thankful for??
Day 19:
Wow, the 19th day of November.
Today I am thankful for… The TOS Crew. I had been eyeing it over the last year, as I read reviews that a friend was doing. So I decided to be brave, and apply this year. I have to say it was the longest month of my life waiting for them to get back to me, and let me know if I was accepted. I checked my email EVERYDAY.. Yup I was that lame.
When they sent me my acceptance email into the crew, I was screaming and jumping up and down. I was beyond excited. May have even scared a few people in my house. Opps. 
It has been such a huge blessing for us. We have been able to try products that I may not have been able to try if not for this. We have found new curriculum that works great for our family, and things we love, that we never thought we would like. It has been amazing!
I’m so happy we have gotten this chance.
What are you thankful for?
Day 18:
Today I am thankful for… a good community in which we live. It is so nice to have a community that is willing to come together to help other people. Or to join together, to help each other.
Right now we are working together to help a friend, and classmate from school, that has cancer. She beat it once in school, and now is facing it again. The worse part is, she is a single mom of 2 boys with Autism and special needs. So as a community we have come together to raise money to help her through this time. So far we have gotten her gift cards, furniture, and money to help with gas cost to appointments. That makes me so very proud to be a part of this community.
Another great thing is we join together to do great things. Like today we are having an indoor Tag sale… to sell gently used items for people to buy for Christmas. What a great idea for those people who are struggling to have enough money for Christmas.
That is what I am thankful for today. What about you??
Day 17:
Wow, I’m going to tell you I’m surprised I’ve managed to keep up with this… I’m hoping to finish out the month. So proud of myself.
Ok… Today I am thankful for… Coupons. This might be silly to some of you. But I have to tell you it has saved me lots over the years. It can sometimes be a lot of work, but is worth it. Especially when I hit the right sales. Like this week, I went to Shaw’s, and saved 48% on one order, 49% on the second, 64% on another and 69% on my last. I call that pretty successful. Plus I am not very well stocked up on cereal, soups, cookie and cake mix (for those times when I need something quick), and biscuits.
What are you thankful for today?
Day 16:
Today I am thankful for my creativity. It gives me the freedom to come up with some great ideas. Whether it be for presents, school, decorations, or in other areas of our life.
I am hoping that some of my creativity gets passed along to my enthusiastic children. They love to do anything that is a craft project.
Are you creative? How does it help you?
Day 15:
Today I am grateful, for a variety of stores. I love that I have the option to shop around, to find the best price on some of the items we need/want.
I’m not as good at couponing as I would like, but I am getting better as the months go on. Sometimes its is hard, and I struggle with it. Since shopping with 3 kids can be very challenging at times. However, I have started to include them on my shopping trips, and they help with finding deals, or figuring out if things are a good buy.
That is where we are off to today, so that is what I am thankful for. 
Day 14:
Today I am thankful for… our garden this past summer. Not only did I get to teach my kids the value of hard work, and what you can get from it. We also got some amazing produce from it. We had 7 gardens, all varying in size around our yard.
The kids had their own square foot gardens, that really did amazing! Plus we had a few extra gardens for peas, green beans, cucumbers & squash, and tomatoes. We also had some container gardens for our pepper plants, which we just got the last of the peppers off.
This year we were able to can some green beans, which I love to eat all year long, and canned some tomato sauce. Plus we had onions, carrots (which we are still harvesting), cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, spinach, and beets! Great food. We are already planning for next year.
What are you thankful for today??
Day 13:
Today I am thankful for Family… While we may not always get along, or see eye to eye they are Family. So we see often, some we only see once every 5 years or more.
Today we visited with my sister-in-law and my little niece, and nephew. I don’t see them everyday but am thankful for seeing them a few times a month. I love that I get to watch my niece grow up, and that my kids can be close to their cousins.
I think there is lots to be said for family that grows up together. When I was a kid, we used to have thanksgiving, and Christmas every year at my grandmother’s house. We would all gather around the table, and eat. Catch up on the time we had not seen each other, and us kids would watch movies, or play games, and go outside and go sledding. Not enough families do that anymore. Including us, and that I am sad about. I want my kids to experience those memories like I did. 
Are you close to your family??
Day 12:
Today I am thankful for my youngest, or as I call her my baby. You know her better as Little Monkey.
This one was a bit of a surprise, but a great addition to our family. She reminds me so much of her brother, they are very similar in actions, and their medical history is very much alike.
Yet is more like my dad’s side of the family. She looks just like my cousin when she was little, its almost scary how much. Especially with that bleach blonde hair!
She is a feisty, yet loving, laid back child. She just rolls with the punches, and doesn’t stress about what is next. (which is so different from her sister)
There is not a day in this house that goes by without her making everyone laugh. She loves to be the clown of the family, and that just shows you who she is. She doesn’t stay mad long, she doesn’t know how. She misbehaves like any child, but doesn’t like being punished, so she doesn’t test you often.
She loves people, and to talk (just like her mom) and is always telling you about something or a story. She is just plain a delight to be around.
Like her brother she is always up for helping, and that one, even as little as she is, can work circles around most of us. She tries with everything she has!
Despite a few set backs, she has come back swinging on her school work. Learned to read in no time, and works hard to get right up there where the others are. (I hope she keeps this attitude all her life)
She may drive me crazy, but I can’t imagine my life without her. I’m thankful for all the time I get to spend with her..
I love you Little Monkey! Don’t ever change!
Day 11:
Today I’m thankful for my oldest daughter, or Middle Monkey (as you would know her). My first daughter, and boy she doesn’t let me forget that.
She is full of energy, life, love, and attitude. This one keeps me on my feet. SO different from the other two. She loves everyone, and constantly wants to show them.
Her attitude, while can be a great asset once she learns how to control it, can be very difficult to deal with right now. I’m scared what the teen years will show. I call her my firecracker. You just never know what your going to get from her.
She has a hard time being in the middle. She loves to draw, and that is her best release when she is upset. She also loves to dance and sing. A day would not be complete in this house, without hearing her singing something!
Loves to help, if it is something she wants to do. Does a great job at helping when she puts her heart into it.
Enjoys being around others, but has hard time expressing herself.
Very smart, and loves to learn, but is not a big fan of reading (yet, I will get her to see that differently). She amazes me daily with her ability to catch on to new things.
She is my hugger, and when you need one she is always their waiting to give you one!
(another one courtesy of my friend Lisa from The Berry Patch)
My life would be incomplete without her… I love you Middle Monkey!
Day 10:
Today I am grateful for my son, or as you know him.. Monkey man. He is my first born, and my only son. He showed me what a wonderful thing motherhood could be. I would be so lost without him.
While he is entering the tween stage early.. He has an amazing heart, and always wants to help someone. (except maybe his sisters)
He has a warm, caring, happy personality. He loves with all his heart, so is easily let down sometimes. Put lots of faith in others, and thinks that everyone is going to do the right thing. I love that he wants to see the best in everyone.
Unfortunately sometimes has a quick temper (like his mom) and is working very hard on changing that.
He is an amazingly hard worker most of the time, has his days just like anyone else. This summer he helped a lot in the gardens, and truly carried his weight. I’m very proud of him..and the person he is becoming.
Very smart boy, and does fantastic at school. His love for knowledge inspires me to learn more everyday. He is like a sponge… I love it!
I hope that he continues to be a good role model, and help the world be a better place as he grows!
Very proud of you Monkey Man, and love you lots!
Day 9:
Today I am grateful for pictures. I love that one of my hobbies is to take pictures. I know for many this seems silly. When I say I like to take pictures, I mean lots. Probably upwards of 500 or more on a normal week. When I have something special going on?? I can take more than 700 a day!
Thankfully they converted to mostly digital now. So I don’t have to waste the money to print and see what kind of shots I got. That saves me lots of money. 
My mom used to ask me why I liked to take so many. Besides it being my passion? I love that I can go back and my kids will literally have a photo to show them their life. From walking, to playing, and special holidays.. or just those precious moments you capture, and can never get back. I could look at my pictures for hours. Plus in the end, a photo is sometimes all you have left to remember someone.
I try to get them all in scrapbooks, however, I have fallen short on this lately. I just don’t have time to dig all my supplies out and sit for hours. So, even though I swore I would never do it, I’m thinking of going digital with that too. Only time will tell… but I know they will be in books somehow!!
For now, I hope you all enjoy the photo’s I slip in now and then.
