Gratitude Challenge Day 7

"Take a picture of one thing, person, place or specific moment that makes you fell grateful. Share it"



This is one of my favorite pictures of Gary. Our Wedding, outside at Snowy Leavenworth, WA. I am so happy that I was lucky enough to stumble across this guy and that he was excited about me and loves me.

Gary and I have had so many adventures together, both good and bad. I love this guy and I feel fortunate to have him as part of my life. Sharing your life with someone you love makes everyday better.

Gratitude Challenge Day 6

"Take a few minutes to call someone you haven't talked to in a while. Tell them how much you appreciate them"

Called my sister. I love my sister and her kids are my kids best friends.

Gratitude Challenge, Day 5

"Take five minutes to write about how grateful you are for all the wonderful things that you currently have in your life. Don't long for what you don't posess-instead, take stock of all the blessings you already enjoy."

I am thankful that I have a house and and family and enough money to vacation and do fun things that enhance our lifes.

I am thankful that both Gary and I have jobs that work well with having a family.

I am thankful that Gary and I have "us" time at least two weekends a month.

I am thankful our kids are healthy and intelligent and that they all get along so well together.

I am thankful we live in the area we do. We are a 20 minute drive from the city, and major sports teams, zoos, museums, and aquariums, theater, ballet and resturants -we have farmers markets near us and great selections in our grocery stores. We are a few minutes drive from beaches and tide pools and couple hours drive to good surf. I am so thankful to live where I do.

I am thankful that I have a son that is witty. He cracks me up.

I am thankful to be married to a man that I enjoy being with and is my friend.

I am thankful that my parents are so awesome. :) I am thankful my baby sister and I are good friends and that we talk so often.

I am thankful for my friends. They are wonderful, all very different from eachother, but they are all very important to me.

Gratitude Challenge Day 4

I am two days behind on my gratitude challenge. Been having too much fun with my husband this weekend.

So Day 3 "Write a short message of thanks for some of the negative things in your life."

Holy smokes- really?

Thank you cancer(with a little c) I kicked your ass.

Really the two years when I was fighting cancer or having surgery was tough. It was the most difficult time in my life. My cancer was caused by a Molar Pregnancy, Gary and I were trying to have a baby together. Opps- the mole turned to cancer -10% of the time it does. The treatments I started with worked 90% of the time..but not on me. I did get it in the end. After it returned and I did chemo again and decided to have my uterus and an ovary removed. That sucked and accepting that I could no longer have a child with my husband and give my son a blood related sibling was harder than I thought it would be.

Thank you for teaching me to "let go" of things I can not change. And to let go in general. I had some control over my treatment, I have control over my attitude, but I did not have control over that.


Thank you for making me aware of my strength and my will power. The cancer treatment itself made me realize how strong I actually was and I that all my clean living paid off in the end. It encouraged me to be even more aware of what I put in my body.

I also appreciate the energy and strength I am finally getting back. Yay!

Thank you for showing me who I can rely on in my life. All my friends and family had two years to show me that. Those that ignored my condition for whatever reason, I knew that I no longer wished to waste my time on those "friendships". I don't say that with any bitterness or anomosity. It just is and that is okay. Energy and time are priceless to me and I want to spend it on people and things that I matter to and that matter to me.

Thank you for all of the ways I have grown and changed because of the experience.

There are other negative things I could write and write a thanks to, but this is the biggie, so we will leave it at that.

Day 3- Gratitude Challenge

I am suppose to write about something I feel grateful about in my life today. Am I suppose to only pick one thing....
..........okay then, in this moment I am grateful for a quite house and some "me" time. That is not something that happens often. I love being a wife and a mother and having friends to do things with, but I love having quite alone time. Time to gather my thoughts, or work on a project that I have been wanting to.
I have the day to myself today, the house is cleaned and laundry caught up, so I will spend most of my day in the yard, playing in the dirt, not feeling hurried to get anything done, but enjoying the time I have to tend to the earth.

Day 2 Gratitude Challenge - A to Z of Gratitude

Day 2 - A to Z of Gratitude


Art- Art museums, my kids fridge art, music, the ballet. Art is awesome

Books- want to know about something, it is easy, read. I have books on tons of different things…too many books that now I try to just check them out from the library.

Coconuts. Coconut milk, coconut sorbet, coconut meat, coconut martinis, coconut candles and lotion….I love me some coconut.

Dogs, a (wo)mans best friend. River (my dog) is always happy to see me. He is thankful for everything, loves everyone, living in the moment at all times. I can learn much from him.


Emergency services and all those that chose to help others as a profession. Firemen, Policemen, Lifeguards, EMT’s, and ER doctors, etc…

Friends, they make everything a little better, a little funnier, a bit more meaningful. I have a couple great ones in my life.

Gardening. It gets me back to the earth. Digging in the soil, cultivating, and I always have something to show for it, a weed free bed, a flower patch, or fresh vegetables ready to be harvested. It is also a good form of mediation for me..

Hawaii- How could I not feel grateful that such a place exists and I don’t need a passport to go there.

Ice skating at Seattle Center every winter. I love that family tradition.

Jonah- he is the best little guy. I feel lucky to have him.



Kisses.


Library- where else can you borrow a book and the fifth season of Weeds. I can request what I want online and the library sends me an email when it is ready to be picked up. Thank you King County Library!

Marriage. I love coming home to my husband. I love having someone to share my life and my experiences with. Gary is a great husband for me!


New Stuff. Trying it. Being a little frightened at first about making a fool out of myself or not being able to do it at all….and feeling so awesome that I took a chance and had an experience


Ocean, the sea, the salt water, the surf, the smell of the air, the amazing creatures that live there. Where would we be without the ocean.

Parents- I have the best. I didn’t realize how great they were until I grew up and heard stories of others upbringing.

Quilts, or any snuggly blanket really. I get cold and I like the read or watch a movie under a nice warm blanket.

Romance. Not the trashy novel, but real life romance.

Siblings- What would I have done without my sisters growing up.

Tulip festival, it is a tradition for Gary and I, I love it and look forward to it every year.


Uncles and Aunts – and extended family in general. You may not see them very often, but you know they are always there if you need them.

Vacations! Showing the kids there is something besides Disneyland and video games.


Work. I like my work and I feel very fortunate to work with the people I do, doing what I love. Really who doesn’t like a great smile!

Xrays- they have saved my life more than once…

Yoga- it makes me feel better, it is exercise for my body and calms my spirit. I don’t practice nearly as often as I would like, but when I do, my world is better.

Zoo- One of my favorite places.

21 day Gratitude Challenge.

My cousin is doing a gratitude challenge and has challenged others to do it also. I accept. Day one- sign the gratitude pledge. DONE.
Looking forward to looking on the bright side more often.