Tea and Honey and Seeds and Shows.

Project 365 * 4
Day 516

     It was a long, but fun day. Addy's friend from school came over to play. They had so much fun together. All I could hear was screams and giggles. Not much talking. Just a lot of running around, and screaming and giggling. They watched a movie together. Not sure which was more entertaining. The movie or the giggles from Adelyn and Briggs. Glad my girl got to play with her good friend today.

     Thankful now for some quiet time. Thankful for tea and honey and sunflower seeds and shows. Right now I'm on a, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, kick. Thankful for time to lay in bed, and relax, and laugh.

List.

Project 365 * 4
Day 515

     Thankful for:

-Adelyn and Tobin. The days have been hard around here lately. They've both got the fussy bug. But there isn't anywhere I'd rather be than with them.

-Roxy. She's so loyal. She stays up with me every night until my blog post is done. She warms my feet while I write.

-Matt. My sweet angel of a man.

-It's almost summer. That means Addy will be out of school and home with us. And there are a whole three months until I start working. I've got a lot of cuddling and playing and relaxing to do. I've also got a lot of memories to make.

-Roasted chicken and carrots for dinner. There is no better flavor than carrots that have been roasted with a chicken. I could eat pounds of them.

-A quiet, peaceful home. And peacefully sleeping children.

Fancy Shoes and Curious George.

Project 365 * 4
Day 514

     Thankful for a rainy day spent inside with my little ones. Thankful for time spent with my mom this evening. Sipping lattes and chatting. Thankful that my little girl wears fancy shoes to bed. And frilly dresses. She makes me smile. Thankful that my little boy loves to cuddle with stuffed animals. Right now, he's really into Curious George. He makes me smile. Thankful that it's time for bed. I'm exhausted. I love going to bed when I'm exhausted. It makes me feel so much more accomplished.

Nine things on a bad day.

Project 365 * 4
Day 513

     It's hard to admit the truth sometimes. I'd like nothing more than to write about how my day was all sunshine and roses. I was the perfect mom, with the perfect kids, and the perfect house. I'd like to say that I was all I could be and more today, but I wasn't. My kids were naughty. I yelled. And my house is an atrocious mess.

     And yet, even on the toughest day, I find that there are literally dozens of things to be thankful for. Dozens. It's funny how people focus on the negative first. Above all else. It's like something we're born with. This terrible trait that prevents us from seeing the good that is there everyday.

     Today, I found these things to be thankful for:

1. Time alone this morning. Patty watched Tobin while I took Adelyn and Casey to school.

2. Time to relax and cuddle on the couch and eat popcorn with Addy. Thanks to Tobin's nap and a thunderstorm.

3. Waffles for dinner. Does it get any better than breakfast food for dinner?

4. More time to cuddle with Addy and Tobin. We watched a show in my bed after bath time. There is something so wonderful about crawling into bed after a bath.

5. A sweet pup to cuddle with. I love having an animal to love.

6. Talking with my mom on the phone. I love that when I call, she answers. I love that we can talk for hours.

7. Talking with my dad this morning. We talked about snakes and work out plans.

8. The fact that my daughter is the most incredible little person I've ever met. After I asked her to forgive me for yelling at her, she answered like this, "I forgive you, Mama. I love you forever!" Then she hugged me for a long time. Then she went on to say, "you just made a mistake...everyone makes mistakes."

9. Thankful for cuddles with my Tobin boy before bed. Thankful for his jibber-jabber language. It makes conversations with him so much more interesting. And sweet.

     Thankful for good things on hard days. Thankful that tomorrow is a fresh start.

A girl could get used to this...

Project 365 * 4
Day 512

     Thankful for my husband who helps me. Thankful for my little helpers. Like I said...a girl could get used to this!

Thank goodness for blue jays.

Project 365 * 4
Day 511

 The snake below first visited our yard yesterday, and within a few minutes of it slithering through the yard, the blue jay started going crazy. It would fly wherever the snake went, and make a loud screech. I mean it followed the snake for hours. And today, he was back at it. Whenever the blue jay was, we knew the snake was there. And sure enough, when the blue jay flew into our yard and started screeching, there was the snake. It was really amazing. 

     Thankful for a good day with family. Thankful for pools in the backyard. Thankful for hamburgers and hot dogs. And bbq chicken. And ice cream with strawberries. Thankful for days spent entirely outside. Thankful for blue jays. Never knew one could be so helpful. Thankful that our snake visitor was just a harmless black rat snake. Thankful that he didn't really bother us too much. Thankful for time spent with those I love.

"I really like power washing."

Project 365 * 4
Day 510

52 Kind Things

     I'm not really sure if this counts as something kind because my parents do so many incredibly nice and generous things for us, but today, my sister and I power washed my parent's deck and patio. And a few other things. I'm also not sure if this counts as something kind because power washing is so fun. It's like, strangely satisfying. After each project was done, one of us would say, "man, I really like power washing!"

52 People I Love

     I know I've written about her before in my, 52 People I Love. But I love my mom so much. Honestly, she's incredible. She teaches me more and more as the years go on, and I'm always amazed at her ability to work so tirelessly for those she loves. Her preschool students included. She's always there for me when I need her. She's happy when I'm happy. She's sad when I'm sad. She lets me be myself. And she always has. I love that I can call her mama, and best friend. I love that she loves to have fun. She loves to laugh. The thing I love most about her is this: she makes everything better. She is the living embodiment of the word, home. Her presence brings me comfort and peace. I'd be so lost and lonely without her. So thankful for my mom. Thankful that she's the kind of mom that never stops being a mom. Thankful that we are so close. Thankful I can call her mom and best friend.

     Thankful for a day spent outside. Thankful for my family. Thankful for the opportunity to help my parents. They do so much for me, so it felt nice to do something for them. Thankful for my mama. She's the best. Literally. I feel bad for all the people out there who don't know her.

This was an incredible Saturday.

Project 365 * 4
Day 509

     We spent the entire day outside. Getting dirty. Playing ball. Swinging in a hammock. Swinging in a hammock while sipping on Heineken. Swinging from the tree swing. Eating watermelon on a blanket outside. Eating burgers and hot dogs. Eating dessert outside. Running in the grass in our bare feet. Watching the trees. Playing on a new playground. I am not exaggerating when I say this: this day could not have been better. Fresh, cool air paired with big trees and blue sky...those are the things that are good for the soul. That and the company of all the people you love.

     So thankful for this glorious, incredible Saturday spent outside with my favorite people.

When I opened the window this morning, there was a squirrel, a rabbit, and so many birds enjoying breakfast in our yard. I felt like a Disney princess! Ha!

I went to the doctor's today and cried just about the whole time.

Project 365 * 4
Day 508

     My kids hate going to the doctor. And frankly, I don't blame them. So do I. I had to go to the doctor today, and I literally cried, no sobbed, multiple times. Also, I almost fainted. They had to bring in water and ice packs for me after I had my blood taken. Probably didn't help that I have been eating nothing but raw vegetables and protein shakes since Monday, but I hate getting my blood taken, so I probably would have almost fainted no matter what I had been eating. I came to a conclusion today. I am never, not for any reason, going to any doctor appointment alone, for the rest of my life. I mean, just waiting in that room in nothing but a paper cape is enough to drive any person mad.

     I'm not the kind of person that has a lot of patience for crying. I mean crying here and there, of course. But Addy crying because there aren't any pink straws left, nope. Tobin crying and kicking and hitting me because I have to change his poopy diaper, nope. But crying because you have to go to the doctor...now, that I understand. Sometimes, you just have to cry about things. Like doctor's appointments.

     Thankful that when things get rough, when life gets heavy, when we have to do things we are terrified of doing, we can just cry about it. Thankful for tears. They're kind of like a reset button.

Holding Tobin.

Project 365 * 4
Day 507

     I'm not going to lie... At first, when I heard his cries, I was put out. I had a lot to do. I still have a lot to do. But when I went up to hold Tobin for the third time since I put him to bed tonight, I put my to do list out of my mind. I sat with Tobin. I held him. I rocked him. I tickled his sweet face. He fell asleep in my arms, and it made me feel two ways. One, it made me miss the days when he was a baby. He fell asleep in my arms multiple times a day. And two, it made me realize that there is no to do list more important than being there for my children when they need me. Tonight, for whatever reason, Tobin needed some extra snuggles. And that is perfectly okay with me.

     Thankful for Tobin. Thankful for the extra time to hold him, and hug him, and kiss his little cheeks. Thankful for the extra time to do nothing but stare at his face. It's perfect.

Dirty Windows.

Project 365 * 4
Day 506

     Thankful today and everyday for things like dirty windows. Windows covered in sticky, peanut butter puff cereal hand prints. Thankful for things like empty toilet paper rolls because all the paper has been rolled off into one big pile on the floor. And then slowly dissected piece by piece resulting in a million little balls to pick up. Thankful for babies and stuffed animals set up, just so, on the window sill. Thankful for sticky lolly-pop kisses. Thankful for rooms completely destroyed and torn apart by furiously fast little hands. As I'm picking up one mess, they're making another. Thankful for expensive hand soap that doesn't last more than two days because it's just so fun to pump. Thankful for blue eyes. Thankful for blue eyes with tears in them. They make for very salty kisses. Thankful I get to clean the kitchen at least three times a day. And even though I clean it, there is somehow always, always, sunflower seeds everywhere. Sunflower seeds are a staple in our home. Thankful for cups I find hidden under the sofa that have been missing for a few days. With milk in them. Thankful that our house will always look just a little bit messy. It's lived in. Thankful that the floor of my bedroom is constantly, no lie, constantly filled with giant piles of laundry. Mt. Laundry, I like to call it. And much like Mt. Everest, I will never conquer it. Thankful for tiny toothbrushes. I love the way the bristles are all splayed open. Thankful most of all for two little people named Adelyn and Tobin. Who came into my life and turned it upside down. Made it messy. Made it loud. Made it busy. And better than anything I ever could have imagined.