wacky wednesday waffs

To honor and cherish the upcoming holiday:

wacky wednesday waffs

wacky wednesday waffs

Happy December 1st

Hope your 1st of December is extra sweet!

And as the old cliche goes:  ONLY 24 more shopping days til Christmas!

December also means that we are on the downhill slide to an end of another year.  2011 will be closing another chapter in everyone's personal book of life.  I want to cherish the memories.  The laughter.  The love.  Because in 20 years time, I don't know if I will remember the "little things" that make each day special.  And frankly, that makes me want to cry.  The kind of crying that can only make one look absolutely and dreadfully UGLY. 

So, there are also plenty of moments I don't want to remember either or for you to remember.   Like the time I had surgery.  Three surgeries, to be exact.  Just 6 weeks ago.  Three incisions.  This was so NOT elective.  I had two hernia repairs and another prolapsed something or other.  For some unknown reason, my 45 minute surgery was 180 minutes in length.   And my wakeup was not easy.  In fact, I did not want to wake up.  The recovery nurse spent five hours trying to get me to wake-up and go home.  Apparently, I had overstayed my welcome.  Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that I only slept three hours the night before surgery.  I sure was tired! 

Now that I am somewhat healed.  I ventured out on a 5K with my family.  The Turkey Trot was a great way to begin the Thanksgiving holiday -- running before a day of feasting.  It was a beautiful morning and I believe that is what the other 11,995 people were thinking too as they donned their running shoes.  The crowd!  I don't believe the streets in my city are wide enough for that many people.  Perhaps, 2000 runners wore chips to actually try and compete... while the other 10,000 runners were just there for the *fun*.

At the race's end, my darling husband and elated eldest daughter were waiting for me and my two riding littles to cross the *finish* line. 

Me:  "How did you do?"

DH:  "We did okay, but there were a lot of people to *run* around?  How was your run?"

Me:  "I don't know... WHY don't you try SHOVING 120 POUNDS UP SIX HILLS?  Oh, and did I mention that the front wheel sprung off its quick release hinge and I had to carry the wheel while balancing those 120 pounds of children and stroller?"

Other than the mishaps and the hills, it was a great run.  Luckily, the endorphins were kicked in and I was just happy!  And then the results:  My eldest placed in her age group.  I am so proud of her. 

What I Have Realized

...that on school holidays, when all 5.3 of us exist in one common area called the "home", I have realized this:

There is NOT enough CAFFEINE in the house to get me through a day!  Coffee, hot tea, iced tea, diet coke... really, it's just NOT enough!   My body does not even respond to anything less than 52 ounces of some sort of caffeine. 

But on the flip side, my bladder is probably thankful.

wacky wednesday waffs

Happy Thanksgiving

What we're really talking about is

a wonderful day set aside on the fourth

Thursday of November when

no one diets.  I mean, why else

would they call it THANKSGIVING?

{Erma Bombeck}

wacky wednesday waffs

give.thanks.seven

Today I am thankful for sounds.  The gift of hearing.  Selective or Not. 

*I am thankful for the humming of purrs. 

*The gentle breathing of children and pets. 

*The music streaming from the radio.  Well, preferably my radio and not the radio of the car who is three lanes over.

*The ringing of the telephone.  The consistent tone that reminds you to give a silent nod of thanks to Alexander Graham Bell.  With all the texting going on, one can forget to be thankful for the simple non-ring-tone telephone rings.

*The familiar sound of the garage door opening.  It tells me that my husband is home.  Family time begins.  The memories flow as we sit down to dine together and share our day.  I am thankful for the garage doors.  And particularly thankful that I have only hit two out of three. 

*The pitter patter sound of rain on the rooftop. 

Today, I am thankful.

Only two more days until Thanksgiving Day!
And only three more days until BLACK FRIDAY!!
{Is your shopping list ready?}

give.thanks.six

Because life is so busy ... and my kitchen floor ALWAYS has *stuff* on it from every meal, every in-between meal, every pre-meal and every post-meal.  I am THANKFUL for SWIFFER.  The quicker mopper.  Because God and I know that it is impossible to spend three hours thoroughly-on-my-hands-and-knees mopping every day!

One day, not that long ago... I used 24 Swiffers in one mopping.  Is that a record?  It should be a record!!  It's not like I used 24 Swiffers in an entire 5,000 square foot, all-tiled, home.  It was in ONE room; the kitchen, with 24 Swiffers, and the Mother. 

{CLUE should have a new domesticated theme for MOMMIES!}

I am also thankful for the smooth, rich, creamy, warm taste of Nestle Hot Chocolate.  Hot Chocolate is a great beginning to any day.  Add a handful of mini marshmallows.  Ahhh!  Perfect.

GU is a great addition to any length of run.  GU gets me through when my legs feel like running home.  And my feet grow heavy.  And my knees start shaking.  And my lungs are exhaling faster.  And my head shouts NO.  But remember:  It's the run that counts!  A run to start your day.  Or evening.  I am thankful for GU! 

I love LED.  Love, love, love.  LED lights up my life!  These wireless LED portrait lights are a fantastic invention.   No more cords hanging above/below your beloved portraits or paintings or pictures.  {I found these on Amazon.com!!}  I am thankful for LED. 

And I am thankful for Kayak.com.  They are so sweet to send enticing travel adventures to my *inbox*.  Adventures I consider, contemplate, and dream about.  Did you know I can fly to Madrid for roughly the same price that I can fly to Milwaukee??  Madrid is sounding like an excellent travel destination.  I love Madrid.  Hmmm.... maybe I can take my daughter to Madrid for her birthday?!   And as a close second, Milwaukee would be *fun* too!

give.thanks.five

Giving thanks. 
There may be days that it seems difficult to come with just one reason to be thankful.  Especially if a person is going through a difficult time.  A death?  An illness?  A divorce?  A funk?  A depression?  A hangover?

Or perhaps a dryspell.  Anonalcoholickindofdryspell.

So for day 5, I give thanks for laughter.   The sound of laughter.  The teary-eyed-effects of laughter.  The look of laughter. 

A:  What are you wearing?
B:  Shorts.
A:  What kind of shorts are those?  A brown kind?
B:  They are shorts.
A:  The UGLY kind?
B:  What?
A:  Well, they sure are AWFUL?
A:  Is AWFUL a naughty word?  Can I use that word?
***
B:  These shorts are also called 'hand-me-downs' AND you will see these in your room someday.

My youngest started walking at a very young age.  10 months.  Fluent walking.  And we find her in the strangest places on an hourly basis.  The bathroom sink.  The desk top.  The cat tower.  The fireplace hearth.  The beds.  The workbench.  The patio table.  The mini trampoline which is on top of the patio table (we moved it up there so the littlest little would not be tempted to jump on it after she escaped through the cat door).  And we laugh.  And take photos.

And if finding humor is a bit of a chore today... watch TV... the laugh tracks may MAKE YOUR DAY!!

HAPPY DAY FIVE OF GIVING THANKS!
FIND THE PIECE OF HUMOR IN YOUR DAY TODAY!!

give.thanks.four

Today I give thanks for number Four... the oil rigs that create our skyline. 

Oil drilling is new to me.  It is not something I am familiar with since I grew up in a state that did not drill for oil in my neighborhood.  Oil rigs are fascinating because you do not have to drive far to see one or even, twenty-five. 

We can drive to Target, Costco, Chili's, McDonalds, WalMart, Sam's, and Taco Bell -- all in a two mile radius.  In that two mile radius, there are four oil rigs.  Neighborhood, Oil rig, Neighborhood, Target, Oil rig, Neighborhood, Long Horns, Apartments, Chilis, Oil rig, Neighborhood, WalMart, Sam's, Cattle, Neighborhood, Oil rig...

Giving thanks for the new skyline.  And the Long Horns (the cattle)!  For This is Home. 

Give Thanks for the place you call home.