Countdown to Thanksgiving...

#1 - the list. Okay, so it's cheating a little. But, I've been a little worried about what to make #1 on my thankfulness countdown - I mean I've already covered my three boys, my hubby, etc. But, then I checked out Jill's great list and thought - oooh, fun. So, here goes - a simple list of simple things for which I am so thankful...

*toothless baby smiles
*the perfect rollerball pen
*hot chocolate made with milk
*a pair of crazy comfortable casual boots
*sleeping in
*cuddles from sweet little boys
*a great bargain
*bedtime after a long day
*dark nail polish
*curling up on the couch with a book and two little boys
*parents who love my kiddos
*my oldest and dearest friend
*overpriced mochas
*a sister who makes me laugh
*chocolate, preferably dark
*a new recipe that turns out just right
*pictures
*an old movie I've seen 50 times but still love
*fuzzy slipper socks
*a new scrapbook magazine in the mail
*awesome customer service
*a shared laugh with my husband
*a big hug from an old friend
*an old song on the radio
*giving the perfect gift
*letting the boys be creative
*doing something I didn't think I could do
*saying something out loud that needed to be said
*cuddling my baby as he falls asleep
*getting dressed up

Countdown to Thanksgiving

#2 - my sweet sweet Seth. I love this little guy. Sometimes I feel bad that he was the first baby to a clueless mom - but I'm pretty sure that plays into all that birth order personality thing. He's a bit high strung, like me. He likes to do what he likes to do, when he likes to do it. Maybe a little bit like me, too.

I was really worried about school because of those less than flexible characterstics, but not only does he love it, he's learning SO much. He loves to point out what letter a word starts with or show me letters on signs. He counted to 99 a couple of days ago. And he loves his teacher and the assistant and has made lots of friends.

I got to go to the Thanksigiving party at school. A teacher (other than Seth's teacher) stopped me and said he is the smiliest little boy. I keep hearing that from people at school. It makes me wonder a little if he's just so happy to be away from me? When I told Dave about the teacher stopping me, I looked at Seth and told him how happy I was that he loved school so much and that it was making him happy to be there. He looked at me and said, "Moooommmm, I smile for the ladies." HUH?

And finally, Seth loves his brothers. I love to watch him and Luke from a distance. Unfortunately, they can downward spiral into a fight in so little as a blink of an eye, but when it's good, it's adorable. I also love to see him interact with Max. If prompted, he'll tell him about his day or about his toys or whatever else pops into his head. He's very sweet to Max.

Countdown to Thanksgiving

#3 - bread. Okay, after "yesterday's" more serious post, you had to know today's was going to be silly. And, I've spent my day with flour and yeast, making bread and rolls so it was a logical pick. This could have been a fairly painless experience, but for the part where, in the midst of trying to form cloverleaf dinner rolls and roll out the dough for these sweet rolls, Luke got out of his bed 7 times. It wasn't pretty. I plan these things for naptime so I can try to knock them out quickly. Luke was having none of it today! But, I digress...

Back to the thankfulness! I do love bread. I know, that's not a good thing. But, I do. It's who I am. I also love my bread machine. I was reminded of that today, as today's recipe was not a bread machine recipe. Bummer. But, I do feel a sense of accomplishment when I succeed at non-bread machine bread. This one recipe of dough made 24 dinner rolls (for Thanksgiving) and about 18 sweet rolls (for who knows what).

Rolled out, sugared and chocolated up, and ready to form into rolls. Mmm, yummy. I will tell you though, that if you decide to make these rolls, ease up on the salt. They're a bit too salty for my liking (and I like salt, too). The finished product, with some icing.

I mean, who wouldn't be thankful for these?

Countdown to Thanksgiving

[Okay, so I was on such a roll of keeping up with my thankful posts (so rare for me) and then I got bogged down and started feeling more frazzled and frumpy than thankful. That said, I'm cheating and backdating this one so it looks like I still kept up.]

#4 - God's plan. I'm thankful to live where I live and have the freedoms that I am privileged to have. I could go on and on here about not taking things for granted, but this is supposed to be about thankfulness, not whining. The specific freedom I'm thinking of today is that of religious freedom. I'm thankful that we can go to church wherever we want. There was a guest speaker at church a few weeks ago and I find myself still thinking about his message.

This gentleman was from another part of the world. The thing that really struck me was how he was able to put together a timeline of his life and corresponding things that were happening here, halfway around the world, that would impact him later. I don't really remember specifics, but it was something like, when he was 3 or 4, an American couple went to Bible school with the intention of translating a portion of the Bible into his language. Of course, this couple didn't know him, but God did and had a plan.

That's the part of the message that I keep going back to. I know God knows me and has a plan for me. So, why, oh why, do I whine about certain things so much? I love love love being at home with my boys. But it's lonely and exhausting and not so glamorous. I had a very social work environment - friends I loved sharing my life with and could laugh with; lunches out; a grasp on current events. I got dressed up every day and put on makeup and nice clothes and shoes that made me feel pretty. Now, there are days where my slippers are the only shoes I wear (and some of you know how NOT pretty those are!). There's a lot of snot and spit up and raised voices and whining.

BUT, I keep remembering the message and thinking, "THIS is where God has placed me. And, knowing that, am I using this time the way that He would have me?" I'm not sure what it all means to me right now, but God keeps bringing it to my mind. And I know He has a plan for me!

Countdown to Thanksgiving

#5 - Max! Today, Max is 6 months old. I won't go on and on about how time flies. Because, frankly, I want to cry each and every time I think about how fast this half of a year has gone.

So, what's Max up to these days? Eating! Max seems to really enjoy most of the food he has tried. He started with rice cereal, then green beans, later peas, some butternut squash, a little applesauce, and most recently sweet potatoes. The only one he doesn't seem to love is squash. We've been making the veggies ourselves (well, not growing them, but cooking them and blending them up and freezing them) so I'm excited to see what fun combos he might enjoy after he's tried everything individually. Max loves his thumb. It really is cute. But, I know that when he's four and still doing it, it won't be nearly as sweet. However, at 6 months old, when he puts his head on my shoulder and grabs my sweater collar and sucks his thumb, I melt. He loves to have something in his hand while he sucks his thumb - burp cloth, blanket, my shirt collar, etc. But we don't put him in bed with anything at all, so today he reached an all new level of pitiful. I went to get him up from his nap and he had managed to wad up enough of his sheet to get it into his hand while sucking his thumb.

He doesn't quite sit up on his own, but rather folds in half if we try. He does roll front to back and back to front, and has started to push himself up on his arms a little. None of my boys have enjoyed 'tummy time' so I think they're a little slow to do much once they get to their bell(ies), other than scream.

And his brothers still adore him. I think they might be asking to hold him more now than before. And Max gets so excited to see both of them too. He's a hair grabber though so we have to remind the older boys that this will happen if they get their hair too close to his little hands.

He's a perfect addition to our family, and we are all so very thankful for him.

Oooh, a tag to chew!

Countdown to Thanksgiving...

#6 - Humor! Yes, you need a sense of humor to do this "job." Things I've laughed at recently:

*Lynette, calling our babies, one born in May of this year and one born in August of this year, "2010 models."

*Overheard today - My husband, "Luke, it's great that you wiped your booger on toilet paper. Next time, take that sheet off the roll and throw it in the trash."

*Luke, mostly nude, running from the bathroom, down the very short hallway and knocking Seth flat in the middle of the bedroom.

*On the way home from school recently, Seth informed me that he just "needed a break" and didn't want to answer anymore of my questions. Once we started talking again, Luke yelled, "Stop talking you two. I'm taking a break."

*Max's apparent enjoyment of sweet potatoes, which causes him to open his mouth and yelp as the spoon approaches.

Countdown to Thanksgiving

#7 - Today I have guest bloggers. I asked the boys what they were thankful for a few days ago, and then again this morning.

Luke: God and Jesus. At 2, I'm pretty sure he doesn't quite understand what he's saying, but he knows we pray and he hears Seth and I talk when he comes home from school, so it's a wonderful start to helping him learn.

Seth: My dog (his favorite stuffed animal in all the world), our Baby [Max], and Daddy. Also, that I learn Bible stories at church and school.

Max: My blue fuzzy blanket, my warm sleep sacks, and my yummy thumb. And that Mommy and Daddy protect me from my crazy brothers. Okay, of course he couldn't really respond, but I'm just sure that's what he would say.