30 Days of Thanks!

Sydney dressed up as a zebra this year. We went to the Fall Festival at our church on Monday night and trick or treated at my mom's house and a few friends. There is way more candy than necessary in my house now!

I am going to post what I am thankful for each day this month! As usual, I am 3 days behind already so I will post the first three today. My hope is that this series will help me get back to blogging on a regular basis. The real problem is that I hate my desk. Someday I hope to have a new one built by Jason...someday!

1.  God...I have had a relationship with my creator since I was very young, for this I thank my parents, especially my mom for making this a priority in my early childhood. This relationship has changed through the years and I am especially thankful for a God who has never forsaken me even when I tried to ignore him

2. .I am thankful for my family...husband who takes care of us and works hard to keep my dreams a reality,a daughter who adores me...really...we'll see if I can still say that when she is 13; parents who love me, a mother-in-law and sister-in-law who I can call my friend. My sister who is my dearest friend and two of the sweetest brothers a girl could ask for. Two step-daughters who have taught me more lessons of unconditional love that I can count.

3. I am able to stay at home with my daughter and be at home with her all day while homeschooling her. This has been such an unexpected blessing because I worked outside the home until she was nearly 6 and never dreamed that would change.


There! That's my first three days! It's hard to stop but I will continue tomorrow.  I have been keeping a gratitude journal for a couple of months and I am amazed at how blessed I am. In good times and bad.

Happy October!

October is finally here!  I don't know why but to me this is when fall really begins.  It is really nice and cool this morning...very appropriate.  Texas sometimes this season change has a really hard time taking hold so when it gets here it is truly cause for rejoice.   It is also the time for homeschool activities to really get going. For instance, our homeschool group has 3 field trips planned for us this month plus regular church activities and dance, we will be heading to Mainstay Farms to the pumpkin patch, Mrs. Baird's bakery for a tour and Casa Manana for a play Oliver!   In addition to these, I would also like to plan a trip to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History as well as the Fort Worth Zoo.  Then we all know what happens on the 31st!  This year we will be heading to church for our annual fall party which is "Trunk or Treat".   We also have shoe boxes to get ready to be sent with the Haiti missionaries.  We also have 3 birthdays this month beginning today with Shelby Anderson!  I should have plenty to blog about this month huh?  Well, we will see.

Here is a quick look at my own daughter's 11th birthday back in July...yes, really July!  Blogging just hasn't been a priority this year but I hope to do better because I am not a scrap booky type person and if I don't record it here it just may be forgotten!

This is how the princess looks first thing in the morning! 

Robin and Preston Anderson and the back of hubby Kevin's head!  Doesn't Robin have the most infectious smile?  Oh, you can see part of my remodeled laundry room in the background as well...

 Sydney celebrating with a few friends...She wanted a western theme this year to honor  her love of Bonanza!  That's an entire story in itself.

 Here is the whole gang Emma, Taryn, Griffin (holding Charlie) Sydney, Shelby, Brooke, Carter and Preston...all such a sweet blessing!

Rick, my hubby, his sister Donna and my soon to be brother in law Tommie.  Her husband died 3 years ago and Tommie was her high school sweetheart...how cool is that?  Do you see Bonanza in the background?

 This is my laid back cat Noel stretched out in the floor with all of these people and loud kids running every where.  Here are my new hardwood floors, aren't they awesome!  We decided to put them in every room except bathrooms, kitchen and laundry room.  I am in love with them.

 Jason my is my best friend Jill's husband and our awesome contractor with baby Charlie!  Hmm, sadly I will probably have to quit calling him baby Charlie in the near future!

Here is my BFF Jill and her boybarians plus Sydney!  The two big boys Carter and Griffin are having birthdays this month!  Baby Charlie is a July baby like Sydney.

The following week, we went to Fun Valley, Colorado for a week and next year Jill, Jason and the boys will be joining us...can't wait!

Also, last month I lost my Aunt Kay.  We all went to east Texas for her funeral and to celebrate her life! That meant that I was with all of my tons of cousins, aunts and uncles for the first time in many years.  Do you think I brought my camera? Nope! I will always regret that.