Gratitude on the 29th

Gratitude? Huh?

Yes, I know Thanksgiving - the national holiday - is over. But that doesn't mean the gratitude has got to stop, right?

I saw an article from last Wednesday's paper, entitled "It's a Good Time to Feel Better". It discusses a study done by the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, which asserts that happy people are more successful and effective, and anyone can learn to be happy. What a great epiphany, huh?

While the study is kind of like a "no-duh!" exercise, I appreciated these ideas/quotes:

• Happiness doesn't mean giddiness, or gratification, but feeling any of the positive emotions, such as optimism, hope, compassion, love, or gratitude.
• No one can be happy all the time - life is full of adversities - but people with sound skills deal better with hardship.
• Simple things work well; go around the table at mealtime and have each family member count their blessings - and do it all year round, rather than saving the practice for Thanksgiving only.

However, my favorite quote is so beautiful in its simplicity: "when people practice being grateful, they 'become considerably happier and more satisfied with their lives'." Funny how that sounds so much like a little gratitude talk by President Monson.

Anyway... here is my post-Thanksgiving, "giving-thanks-for-all-of-the-crazy-good-food-from-our-spread", List. It may be silly to list all of the food from our dinner, but when we can even find gratitude for such little things, it truly makes life that much sweeter:

1. Turkey - tender, juicy and flavorful
2. Fresh green salad - mixed greens, red onions, feta cheese, asian pears, cranberries, sunflower seeds & poppyseed dressing
3. Mashed potatoes - non-instant variety
4. Gravy - a little goes a long way
5. Stuffing - from stove-top to homemade varieties, it's all works
6. Pink lemonade - tart, sweet and pink goodness
7. Green bean casserole - good-old fashioned Americana dish
8. Warm rolls - melt in your mouth, yeasty and you can't just eat one
9. Pies - my personal favorite was chocolate meringue, but pumpkin, razzleberry and banana cream were also quite good
10. Krispy Creme donuts - I grabbed a couple of donut holes before dinner, but the two big boxes were devoured by the horde of little kiddlings at the house. But, you know, the adults were just as happy to be left with the pies.

The Seattle Deep Freeze

"Snowpocalypse 2010"

Well, as would be expected, the weathermen played down the little snow event that turned into Snowpocalypse 2010. They were pretty close on the amounts; forecasts predicted 2-4" in the Metro area, which, depending on your location, was spot on. However, the temperatures dropped so drastically and so quickly, that all of the roads (including freeways) flash froze before any plows could be deployed to treat the roads.

Horror stories of 8-12 hour commutes have been flying around Facebook. Carnage from wrecked, stranded and abandoned cars was everywhere (including the hill down to our house). Warnings to stay indoors have been given by weathermen, neighbors and worried parents.

Truth to be told, my bus was only 2 minutes late and it got me to my Park & Ride on time. Dave picked me up there and we were home fairly quickly. But, we were off the roads before the real commute - and subsequent traffic nightmares - began.

I know people say that people in Seattle don't know how to drive in snow. And, to an extent, I agree; they have little to no experience driving in the stuff, so when the white stuff comes along, the conditions cause debilitating anxiety and panicked drivers. But, I'd like to see some of those well-seasoned snow drivers try their hand at maneuvering on icy hills that have not been plowed, salted OR sanded. Even going slowly, you can sometimes lose control - or the car next to you does, and it's difficult to get out of the way. I'm not a fan of driving in it, so I tend to defer to Dave as our snow driver, unless I absolutely must go out on my own. I've done it, and I've survived... but it doesn't mean I like it.

Anyway, jumping off my soap box now. Despite the driving aspect, the snow has been beautiful and fun to have around - it's a rarity, especially at this time of year. My favorite moment of the storm was watching Benjamin experience snow for the first time. As we were driving, he just stared intently out the window at this strange stuff. Then, when I got him out of the car at home, I just stood there while his eyes went wide with equal parts excitement and intrigue. He stretched his little hand out and caught a few flakes. It would be so cool if he could tell us what he was thinking, but watching him was just as fun.

Anyway, here are some photos. Like I said, it was not an intensely heavy storm, in terms of accumulation. I think we probably got about 2" at our place. The bigger deal was the ice and the extreme cold. Since Monday, the temperature has not risen above freezing; in fact, last night Seattle hit a record low of 14 degrees. We've been toasty warm in our house, but you step outside for just a moment and the biting cold takes your breath away.

These are photos from Monday night, around 7pm. It continued to snow throughout the night and into the early morning. We woke up to blue skies and very crisp, freezing temps - but wow, what a beautiful day with the newly-white mountains glistening in the morning sun.

Benjamin was constantly looking out the window, trying to figure out what that weird, white stuff was that clung to the bushes and frosted the deck. Fortunately, I picked up a warm jacket at Costco on our way home Monday night. The fleece jackets we have for him have been sufficient to this point, but would not be enough in the cold this week. After bundling him up, Dave, who had a Snow Day from work, took him out to explore this brave new world. He was wearing some overalls (not snow pants) and decided to take a roll on the snowy sidewalk. You'll notice, the picture above right, the pants are gaping open and some snow snuck in to kiss him warm skin. Still, he loved it and was very vocal about us deciding to cut his outdoor adventure short so we could head to the store.

From what we hear, thanks to the La Nina Effect, the Pacific Northwest is in for a long, cold winter with the potential for much more icy precipitation and pretty snowflakes. Thank goodness for warm coats and a husband with a keen understanding of good outdoor gear that will keep us warm!

Happy Snow Day!

Gratitude on the 24th

"Lord of all, to thee we raise/This our grateful hymn of praise."

Thanks to the ice and snow, we have been homebodies over the last couple of days. So, with that, here's my list:

1. On-Demand exercise videos - didn't want to chance it, trying to drive to the gym. So, I did a little Jillian Michaels' Kettle Bell Cardio, followed by a "Dancing With the Stars" Jive workout; both were loads of fun!
2. For The beauty of the earth - besides loving this hymn, the view of snowy-white mountains set against vibrant blue skies was like a postcard from Heavenly Father. Loved it.
3. Benjamin's kisses - even open-mouthed and slobbery, they are the best.
4. Benjamin's laughter - he constantly cracks himself up in the car, and on occasion - or, erhm, all the time, we tickle him to the point of crazy laughter.
5. Homemade soup - we have become huge fans of the church's soup starter from our food storage; lentils, alphabet pasta, rice and dried carrots are the start of something great.
6. Warm coats - think you can guess why
7. A strong body that allows me to exercise, walk up stairs, carry Benjamin and hug Dave.
8. Dave's desire to be our new handyman - he learned all about texture and painting today. Fun stuff.
9. Unpacking - even if it's just one box a day, it's so nice to get reacquainted with our stuff that has been in storage for the past year. Dear Laminator... I have missed you dearly.
10. Little Caesars - thank you for choosing to build a store that is less than a mile from our house. A quick drive up the hill and $5 gets us a warm dinner of cheesy, tomato-y pizza goodness.

Gratitude on the 22nd

"Oh, the weather outside is frightful... and I chose leather flats?"

I never believe the forecasters when they say it will snow. Because, usually, it is just a lot of wishing and hoping, nothing else. So, when I saw the forecast predicted a *slight* chance of 1-2" in the Metro area, I thought, "not gonna' happen". I did bundle up because it was chilly outside when I left for work at 5:50am: hat -- check; scarf -- check; wool coat -- check; gloves -- check; sturdy, warm boots -- nah, who needs 'em?

Well, as it turns out, I do! Below is a recent snapshot of my evening route home. And yes, folks, that is snow - sticking - on the ground. It's a freak occurrence when we get it during our Seattle winters, but I can't recall the last time it snowed and stuck prior to Thanksgiving. Wild stuff... darn global warming.

I've been going back at forth on this one, but although I'll be wet and cold on the way to the bus and the whole way home, the white stuff tops today's gratitude list:

1. Snow - pretty, white and fluffy brilliance
2. WE. HAVE. INTERNET. AT. HOME. - WAHOO!
3. Ice water - weird with the chill & snow, I realize, but love it nonetheless
4. Feeling the spirit - yesterday, my friend, Rochelle taught about the simple principle of baptism in Relief Society. It touched my heart... and I haven't had that feeling so strongly in quite a while.
5. Orbit gum - the spicy cinnamon variety
6. Gray tights - kept me relatively warm on the biting cold walk from the bus this morning (darn wind chill)
7. New insulated, polka-dot lunch bag - it's insulated to keep my salad from flash freezing in the negative bazillion-degree wind chill.
8. Broken refrigerator has been fixed - yeah, it was only 2-weeks old
9. Broken microwave will be fixed tomorrow - who knew that brand new appliances would have such a short life span?
10. Date night: Harry Potter & Dave... doesn't get much better than that!

Gratitude on the 17th

Too long without a gratitude entry - can't wait until internet arrives at our humble abode...

Anyway, until then, here is my list today:

1. Thanksgiving is a week away - can't wait to enjoy all of the good foods of the season
2. A rainy deluge - makes me feel warm and cozy insidd
3. Dinner with the Asbells - it was wild, crazy and absolutely fun to have them over to share good food and couch-jumping adventures
4. Albertson's M&M cookies
5. Quiet solitude

Gratitude on the 11th

My mind is in a million different places this morning, but my heart is full of gratitude so I have to share my list of lovely things:

1. Men and women who serve our country and put themselves in harm's way to protect our warm homes, our sweet families and all that we hold dear. I have many dear friends in the military and wish I could give all of them a huge hug today. So very thankful for a day set aside each year to help us remember their love and service.
2. Warm, whole wheat bagels and cream cheese
3. Going for a run under a cool, star-filled sky
4. Sipping cocoa on the couch with Dave, in front of the fire while gazing out on the quiet Snohomish valley
5. Orbit gum
6. My iPod playlist: currently at the end of the 'S's - "Stand By" (Dance Hall Crashers), "Standard Lines" (Dashboard Confessional), "Standing Outside the Fire" (Garth Brooks), "Star" (Erasure), "Stars Fell on Alabama" (Harry Connick Jr)
7. Wearing my stripey tights and black/white polka-dot scarf
8. Walking on a clean floor
9. No TV means being free from the constant barrage of bad & upsetting news stories
10. Playing volleyball again - it's been too long!

Gratitude on the 10th

Part of the reason I have not done a daily gratitude journal is that, since moving, we have yet to get internet installed at the new house. So, as I find access to the internet, I jump on and make a quick list. Today, I find myself working remotely, thanks to my mother-in-law's laptop and wireless connection (definitely grateful for that one!), so here is my quick list:

1. A new washer and dryer (living without these for the last week has been quite the challenge, especially with a very active and messy 14-month-old)
2. Ice scrapers - can't believe I had to use them this morning!
3. Forgiveness
4. Good bread - Dave's Killer Bread is a personal favorite
5. A heavy rainstorm - especially watching it from inside a cozy house
6. Pepperidge Farm Nantucket Dark Chocolate Chip cookies
7. Winco's Grand Opening - free diapers, and a bazillion other amazing deals
8. Helpful customer service people
9. A heartfelt prayer
10. Crisp and crunchy grapes

Gratitude on the 4th

With an aching arm as my inspiration for today's gratitude journal entry, here is my little list of lovely things:

*Flu shots - I think...
*The Sharpie® Pen - fine pt, black pen & won't bleed through paper!
*Sweet yellow, cherry tomatoes - yum
*Mini ice pellets in my water
*Another beautiful day in sunny Seattle
*Listening to Christmas music
*Just-right, barely-ripe bananas
*Feeling loved
*50 Days, 11 Hours & 33 Minutes until Christmas - go here for an update (add 3 hours for Pacific Time Zone)
*Argyle tights

Gratitude on the 3rd

Thank goodness it's Wednesday!

The sun is shining in Seattle and that is a special treat; for November, it's a rarity! Days like this remind me to be grateful to live in such a beautiful part of the country. And, that gratitude spurned another list, as I try to become more conscious and expressive of the blessings in my life:

1. Waking to a glistening Mt. Baker out our bedroom window
2. Raisin cinnamon toast with a quick smear of butter
3. Warmth rushing in from the heater, warming little toes
4. Mom's birthday... wouldn't be here if she wasn't too!
5. Fog blanketing the valley
6. Thick running socks
7. Receiving two refund checks and two rebate cards in the mail - much needed!
8. Lipgloss
9. The lost art of a handwritten letter
10. Unplugging and relishing the silence

Thanks for reading my little list of thanks; I challenge you to make your own list of life's blessings. Happy 'Thanks Giving'!

The Divine Gift of Gratitude

"Count your many blessings, name them one by one..."

President Monson delivered a beautiful talk in last month's General Conference on a topic for which I often need a refresher course - gratitude. He shares some words that resonated with me:

A grateful heart, then, comes through expressing gratitude to our
Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring
into our lives. This requires conscious effort—at least until we have truly
learned and cultivated an attitude of gratitude. Often we feel grateful and
intend to express our thanks but forget to do so or just don’t get around to it.
Someone has said that "feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping
a present and not giving it."12 When we encounter challenges and problems in our
lives, it is often difficult for us to focus on our blessings. However, if we
reach deep enough and look hard enough, we will be able to feel and recognize
just how much we have been given.

With everything that has happened in our lives lately, I feel like I've taken a lot of our blessings, both big and small, for granted.

Last year, I counted down the days of November with things for which I was thankful. In a similar vein, I wanted to do something that I used to do with great regularity before I was married - keep a gratitude journal... at least until Thanksgiving. I found that when I kept a gratitude journal, it helped me reflect on the daily, little blessings that I often overlook.

So, with that, today is Day #1 in my journey to increase my gratitude and awareness of those many blessings. As President Monson admonished us, I am choosing to make a conscious effort to remember - and give thanks. Below are some things that I, for one reason or another, am grateful for today - it may be a bit random (and is not listed in the order of importance), but that is how it works for me:

1. Sleep
2. Stormy days
3. My mom
4. My husband
5. My son
6. Jesus Christ
7. Peach cobbler
8. Good friends
9. The yellow scarf
10. Our new home

Also, I saw a fun idea on a blog (sorry that I can't reference it) for a way to integrate the whole family in giving thanks during November. At the beginning of the month, each family member is given a number of colorful strips of paper, and is asked to write one blessing per slip, per day. The slips are deposited in a jar throughout the month. On Thanksgiving, the jar is passed around during dinner and read aloud by the family members. I really like this idea because we try to say the "one thing we are thankful" for at Thanksgiving dinner, but doing it this way allows for more time to think and make the list more meaningful. I plan to do this for FHE this week... and Benjamin's gratitude slips (transcribed by the parents) should be particularly entertaining, I'm sure.

Speaking of gratitude, I'm thankful for those of you who still stop by to read my ramblings. Although I don't post as frequently as I would like, I appreciate those of you who have stayed with me and stop in from time-to-time to see how life is in our neck of the woods. Happy Thanksgiving Countdown to you!