11.11.2011

A Minute to Remember

It's been one of THOSE weeks, so this post is more for me than anyone else.
Being November, and with Thanksgiving coming up, I figure I need a little memory jog of some of the things I am thankful for...so here goes (in no particular order):
Good health, healthy kids, beautiful vivacious kids, a hard working husband, a job for my hard working husband, a home, heat, my Church, working cars, friends who watch my kids when the need arises, friends, family (even if nowhere near me), amazingly awesome nine west boots, a fridge and shelves full of food to eat, candy cane hot cocoa, sesame street, my Blendtec, little hugs and kisses, the Internet, Costco, Target, Amazon.com, Saturday mail delivery, schwan's caramel apple pops, dishwashers, cupcakes, friends who will eat those cupcakes, holidays, a fantastic hairstylist, wonderful neighbors, no sales tax on shoes and clothes, DSW, online shopping, Caribou Coffee's milk hot chocolate with raspberry, the sparkle in my kids eyes, our Wii and playing Just Dance with the family, toilet paper and paper towels, options -even if I disagree with them, my education, cheesy dance music, key lime pie, coconut ice cream, French macarons, outings as a family, piece and quiet, checking in on sleeping children, medical technology, Skype/FaceTime, digital cameras, new opportunities, meeting new people, electricity, Joann's, books, Allrecipes.com, friends that love my kids, peanut M&Ms, catching up with old friends, opportunities to serve others...
Some of the list is obviously light hearted and whimsical, but I truly am grateful for everything I have in my life, good and bad. And on those days when it is so hard to crack a smile, it is those little things that can help get us back on track. Can you really eat a bag of peanut M&M's and not smile? I can't. So there is my reminder for today. Fittingly, today being Remembrance Day/Veteran's Day, I am thankful for being able to live in countries that give me the freedom to practice the religion I choose, live the life I choose, drive, vote, work...all the little things that we take for granted in Canada and the U.S. Thank you to those who made it possible!

11.01.2011

Redo!

Ever wish you could just wipe the slate clean and start again?  Not with you life and the choices you've made, but with your living area? House, apartment, room, condo...whatever.
We've been in our house four years now and I wish I could just un-paint, un-decorate (not that we did a lot), un-curtain, un-choose furnishings and just start again.  The only problem is...I don't have a clue what I would pick if I could do it all over again.  I am currently trying to paint the bedroom, but seeing as it is still the horrid grey colour (with the exception of the 8 squares of potential new shades), I have not gotten very far.  It is much easier to choose when there is just one person, but when you have the opinion of another, it just makes it harder.  Especially since we don't seem to agree on too many things!  I have a blank slate but I can not decide what to do.  Just as I think we've decided, I can not commit to buying the paint in fear that one of us will dislike it once it gets on the wall, and I am not going to have another experience like the bathroom again!  How to decide?? And then how to decorate?  I have pictures piled away that I thought I would like up on the walls, but no, they just lean lovingly against the wall underneath the stairs. 
I suppose the upside to living somewhere with the basics (bed, couch, table) is there wouldn't be too much for the kids to destroy!! 
But, if anyone has any tips, ideas or advice for me...help!!  I really want my bedroom done, it's the last room in the house to have anything done to it!!