crashed and burned

So, my November thankful post experiment crashed and burned. Big surprise! If you knew what life was like right now I hope you'd understand and not judge. It's just CRAP! Without all my drama to cloud things, here's the things I am most grateful for:
1. my family...all of 'em. Especially the ones that love and support me even when I'm CRAP. I am missing my far away family right now....I could really use a hug....send me one from far away will ya? I am super bummed that I can't have everyone over like I use to. I don't have any room to put overnight guests now! Major downer!
2. the gospel. SO necessary.
3. the beach. It's very theraputic. I go down there almost every day just to get a fresh breath of air.
4. my friends. Near and far, I couldn't do anything with out ya.
5. life. I struggled with weather to list this one or not. Because you know, sometimes life is really hard, and sometimes I wonder if it'd be easier without it or if you just have to take your same crap with you. Either way, someday I'll be stronger for all this CRAP, so... I'm even thankful for life. Without it I wouldn't be able to enjoy the other four things listed.

Wednesday

Yesterday was a nice easy vacation day. Slept in, no one bothered me. We went to my mom's house in the afternoon and hung out. It was nice and relaxing. We played a game, chatted, Mom made us all dinner, and Holly made chocolate chip cookies. For this, I am thankful.

Mary Meppy Melon

TUESDAY
Mary's b-day was yesterday and today she is the subject of my thankful posts. I love my baby sis for so many reasons and have posted them before. But now, I look up to her. (not just height wise) After her epic battle last year, she has proven to be optimistic, tenacious, motivated, full of endurance, a self starter, and above all-a fighter. Don't tell her she can't do something. She'll do it just to prove you wrong (it's a strong trait in our family). Right now the the thing that is impressing me the most is her optimism. I like to think that I use to be like her, but in recent years that has changed. When I am around Mary, I think some of that rubs off on me. I feel better, younger, and always have a good time. Who else could convince me to play spoons with the twist that the loser gets shot with an airsoft gun? My bruises are just now going away (I defiantely lost more than everyone else). I am so thankful for my baby sis, Mary Meppy Melon:)

Monday

Today I am grateful that I didn't hear "Are you up yet?!?" this morning. Not even one time.

If you get this, then you know how this made today a good day.

The Weekend

Busy weekend. Had to think hard about what I was grateful for. I think that says something for my frame of mind. Especially considering how blessed I am. There is the ususal list of family, home, food, etc.; but I want this to be something unique about each day. Still, it shouldn't be hard, but for some reason it's not coming easy. Man, my head is screwed up! I don't have health insurance til Dec1, so that won't be medically fixed anytime soon........ this is going the wrong direction.:(

Okay, start over. Saturday I was thankful for my sweet daughter, Rebekah. After doing her mountain of dishes, she stuck around and helped me core, peel, and slice TONS of apples for the apple crisp I had to make. I had to make enough for 50 people for a church function on Sunday night. It took us 4 hours, and she helped the whole time, even with my quick temper, without being asked. It is so nice to have a 14 year old daughter without the usual teenage attitude! I am sure it won't last forever that way, but for now..... I am SO grateful for her. I call her a little MIT (Mom-in-Training) and she has surpassed my ability, a long time ago!

On Sunday I was thankful for the cute girls that came over on Saturday night. Two of the girls from church, Eric's age, came over and asked if Rebekah was here. She was out to dinner and a movie with a friend of hers. They stayed and just chatted for a long time. I ended up feeding them and then we watched a movie. I love impromptu movie nights! It was fun to chat and laugh with them. I hope they were as entertained as I was. When Rebekah came home she was a little surprised to see her mom and two girls watching a movie.... but when Eric came home and saw two of his friends 'hanging out' with his mom; that face was priceless. (the movie had ended by then).

When I look at my small 'list' of things I am grateful for each day, they are pretty simple. Not sure what that says about me yet.

The Oven

I know it's a stretch, but, today I am grateful that my oven is fixed. Since we moved in, everything in the oven has gone wrong. Crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside-but not in a good way. Cupcakes were misshapen, cakes were crooked, cookies were disasterous. The home warranty people came out and fixed it. Hooray! I made brownies the same night and they were perfection. Whew.... I thought I lost my touch or something.

Now if we can get the dishwasher working right...........

The Husband

Of course the husband is always tops on my grateful list. But today, especially. Eric texted me this morning to tell me that a new Sonic opened in Vista. HOORAY! That is enough to be grateful.... but Jay took the afternoon off to go to Sonic with me and then the beach. He surfed, I read while sipping my Route 44 Diet Coke. The ocean does something to my psyche (spelling?). I am now so nice and relaxed and stress-free now. I love the husband and am so grateful for him! The list of why is long and extremely cheesy, so I'll spare you that:)

bike helmets

Ahhhh, the bike helmet. Today I am grateful for this wonderful piece of foam and plastic because it saved me from yet another concussion. While I love my road bike, I seem to crash a lot.... and that I do not like. Before I became a 'roadie', I would have never been caught dead in a helmet. Bad hair, dorky lookin', etc. However, I now swear by the helmet. I have clipless pedals, which basically means that my bike shoes are attached to the pedal. When you stop, you have to clip your shoe out of the pedal by twisting your ankle and yanking. The bottom of the bike shoe is slick, so if you try to pedal while not clipped in, your foot is gonna slip right off. This contraption gets some getting use to. It took me about a month..... and a lot of falls. Now it's no problem (it's been almost 2 years I think), but... every once in a while something wacky happens and boom-I'm on the pavement again.

Today I went out for a ride with Jay (the 2nd ride since we moved here.... and he forced me to go-I was SO not in the mood). It's REALLY hilly around here. Really, really hilly. We had to stop at a stoplight. Okay, no problem. When the light turned green, I started to go but before I got my foot clipped in, I started to slow WAY down.... uh oh. The street was going uphill and I didn't have enough momentum and couldn't downstroke again and before I know it, in slow-mo, I was tipping over. Landed on my knee and wrist first (as usual) then the noggin. In the middle of the street! SO lame. SOOOOOOO lame.

Anyway, today I am grateful for bike helmets. I'm dingy enough these days without concussions to make it worse. Sheesh.

(Oh, and Holly-yes, I know I was suppose to be running, and if I had been running I wouldn't have this problem. However, I was in a mood and we're lucky I even left the house. I can hardly walk up these damn hills, let alone run up them. Can you tell I'm a little frustrated!!!!!

Friends

Today I am thankful for FRIENDS. Near and far, new and old. This particular category of friends includes family members who are also friends.....like sisters, my mom, cousins. You know who you are. You probably read my blog:)

Leaving my AZ friends & family network proved much harder than anticipated. I miss them and am thankful for them every day. I am so glad that I had a friend here already when we moved in. My good friend Kami is just 9 miles away, and is such a comfort to me. I have been very blessed to make new friends who have proved to 'have my back' already. Thank you, thank you, thank you! (I guess I'm also thankful for my big mouth:) My CA family-friends of my mom, Holly, Mary, and now Heidi have proved invaluable. I NEED them, and am SO grateful for them. I have reconnected with old friends and hope to renew some old friendships with more family. This network building stuff is hard work!, but so necessary for my mental well-being. It is taking a freaking village to raise my kids, so the more in my network the better.

Without rambling further..... I am grateful for my friends, all of you.

November = Giving Thanks

I am going to copy my sister, Julianne's idea from last year and post something I am thankful for each day in November. My attitude is pretty crappy lately and hopefully this will help turn my frown upside down and get me ready for the quickly approaching holidays.

November 1st (yesterday)
I am thankful for medicine. Lots of it. Excedrin Migraine to be exact. The spook-alley on my parent's street was AWESOME, but the strobe lights left me in pain the next morning. SO thankful for my meds:)

November 2nd (today)
I am thankful for Diet Coke. Yep. Silly, I know. But really, sometimes that's what it takes to get the job done. It's a Monday afterall, and I am truly, from the bottom of my heart, no kidding, seriously, SO thankful for my evil nectar. I happen to consider it part of my meds:)

Happy November, all! Give Thanks!