Wednesday, November 17, 2010

This Thanksgiving I am Thankful For...

So I've been really down lately thanks to the awful things that have been going on in my life- like my garage being broken into and the numerous other things that have gone wrong this year.

But in honor of Thanksgiving and the other upcoming holidays I am trying to be positive for my family and my own well being.

Instead of concentrating on the things that have gone wrong and what I don't have, I am going to focus on the things that have gone right and what I do have and after sitting down and thinking about it- I have a lot to be thankful for.

For one, I have an awesome family.

I am thankful that I have a wonderful husband who works his butt off everyday going to a job that he sometimes likes and sometimes hates (its not his dream job), but he does it to take care of our family and for me so I can stay at home with our children and write- which is my dream job.

I am thankful that I have a mother who lives right next door to me and adores her grandchildren. And I'm still her little girl and she still tries to take care of me as much as possible, even if I don't think I need it.

I am thankful for my teenage son who just graduated from high school and started college this year. He's a good boy who stays out of trouble, works hard and goes to school every day. He turns 19 on Thanksgiving.

I am thankful for my beautiful daughter who gets straight A's in school, loves to read (like her mom) and is a budding artist. She is also a wonderful big sister who helps take care of her active and sometimes troublesome little brother everyday.

I am also thankful for my adorable little demon child who drives me crazy everyday but looks so damn cute while he's doing it I can't stay mad at him for too long.

Not everyone has such a wonderful family, some don't have families at all. So more than anything I am thankful for them.

And I am glad that it was just our garage that was broken into and not our home- because if it had been our home someone could have been hurt. So I am thankful no one in my family was hurt and that we have our health and we have each other.

To celebrate this year I am making plans on having the best Thanksgiving ever.

I will be making a big dinner with turkey, my homemade stuffing made from scratch, real mashed potatoes, yams, squash, green bean casserole, baked beans, cornbread muffins, sweet rolls and assorted pies and baked goods including a cake for my birthday boy.

I think I might make cute little table place cards with a special note for each family member that tells them why I am so thankful they are my family.

Oh and I can't forget the hand-turkeys.

Hand turkeys are a family tradition in my home. Everyone makes them- adults and kids too.

I especially love the ones my kids make because every year their little hands get bigger and it's a recording of their lives and how they grow. It's a little sad to see the little hands get bigger and bigger every year but I love having the sweet memories of when they were so small.

After hand turkeys and dinner we'll sit around looking at Black Friday ads while watching a Christmas movie. This is our official way to kick off the holiday season, another family tradition.

Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions?

How do you celebrate Thanksgiving and what do have to be most thankful for this year?

I would love to hear heartfelt comments to cheer me up and make me feel all sappy.

This is the only time of year when I enjoy being emotional and sappy. It just fits.

Disclaimer: This post is an entry for the “Plan it, Blog it! 2010 Thanksgiving Blog Writing Contest” sponsored by www.uprinting.com

29 comments:

Wenona said...

I am thankful for my fabulous family

Anonymous said...

I am thankful for my health and my kids

Anonymous said...

I am thankful for my daughter and grandkids

Anonymous said...

Every year my mother and I cook dinner, well she cooks and I mostly supervise... you know just to make sure she does it right. lol. But I cook at least one dessert. Then once everything is done, we cover everything up, and then go over my grandmother's house because she cooks a larger dinner for the whole family. Then the whole family sits down to eat and my aunt says grace. Then after my leave my grandmother's house, we go back home and later on in the day if we get hungry again, or even next day, we eat what was cooked at our house.

This year I am thankful that even though not everyone can be with us, that we have family that can, and everyone is healthy.

Jen said...

turkey- lots of turkey and all the goodies homemade by me

Unknown said...

I'm so sorry to hear about your garage getting broken into. I've been meaning to write you when I read your post but I got so busy at work & by the time I got home I forgot ;( until now.
I had a little knowledge that may or may not have helped you the other day but I'll offer it now just in case you are still unsure & plus this ties into your, What I'm thankful for post.
By now you probably already know what to do. The insurance company is going to want a police report. The police are going to want to know WHAT was taken & if any of those items had serial numbers. (Unless you're familiar with theft & crimes, most people don't know this: You should always keep a list & add to that list any bought items w/serial numbers. This will help you more then you will ever know, even if you start the list w/today & future purchases. Most people don't keep receipts, so go take pics of rooms (not pics of each item but pics of whole rooms. Ins companies contest claims less when they see pics, even though they will still depreciate the cost of items at least you'll get something) I live within 15 mins of a very high theft/crime area. You mentioned that they cleaned out both new & old tools & stuff. I hate to be the one to cast any suspicion, on anyone but the type of items stolen, without a known time span matters alot to the detective in charge. The circumstances will lead to a decision whether to determine if this was possibly an inside job. I'm not saying to charge the kids, hubby, cat &/or dog guilty unless you already suspect this BUT more likely someone you or the kids do know & trust. It can even be a neighbor. (I hate to write this, around here, it's sorta common to look at the kids & their friends they've been hanging out with)
You may want to search area pawn shops within 10-20 miles or so, Teens don't usually travel further than this. It's a way to get cash fast. Pawn shops sometimes even have video of purchase/rs & I know in my area, the local PD's get faxed a list of pawned items, from who and what. If a serial number exists then the items also get searched in the NCIC/IDAC's system that is if the owner reported it stolen w/a serial number. The pawn shops around here will sit on items until the checks are made or if the PD says nothings coming up. Also,once a year our PD's will hold an auction from of seized & unclaimed property. Sometimes you can find your items here when no serial numbers are available. It's to late to check the scrap yards. Anything of value is either melted or squashed already. I know this is alot of info but I hope some of this helps you even though I know it doesn't. You've been violated & the suspect is unknown. Good luck trying to recover your items.
One thing I can share w/you to be thankful for is possessions can be replaced. Remember I said I lived within 15 mins of a bad area? It is also a known area for homicides. My mother, 10 years ago was shot 6 times for no other reason, then a gang initiation. She's a manager for newspaper delivery which is done during the night. Oct 31st, a stupid idiot shot her while she was delivering a 40 cent newspaper. I'm Thankful EVERY SINGLE DAY that she is still here with us. Being stolen from is awful & having to spend any money to replace your possessions sucks!
But you guys are also lucky you weren't home during the theft because someone could have been hurt or killed.
Stephmartin71(at)yahoo(dot)com

Caffey said...

Beautiful reading on how proud you are of your family! They sound like a awesome group and with your traditions you will so have a great time! I too have so much to be thankful for and mostly for my children and hubby that bring so much laughter every day in this home even with the difficult financial hardships this year. Laughter is the best medicine (and love)

With our kids older and my daughter going to her fiance's this year, second year in row, that my son is planning with my hubby for the dinner this year. I get stuck with their mess but its worth it. They haven't found the perfect stuffing (they loved my mom's and hers was all from scratch) so they make the usual stuffing but make a second stuffing to try each year! I can't wait to see what it is. Its always a treat.
cathiecaffey @ gmail.com

booklover0226 said...

I'm fixing dinner for six this year. Last year, I was unable to do so because I had started a new job (after being jobless for about 7 months).

This year, I'm thankful for having my parents healthy and sound, especially my father. He had major surgery in July and is recovering quite nicely. He's not 100% but he's close and he's happy and encouraging.

Best of holidays to all.

Thanks,
Tracey D

Victoria Roder said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
katsrus said...

Sorry about your bad year. Hope next year is better for you. I am thankful for my online friends. And my kitties who give me joy each day. And a wonderful son who helps me get through bad days.
Sue B
katsrus(at)gmail(dot)com

Victoria Roder said...

We'll try this again. By the way I'm thankful for spell check in my documents.
I'm also thankful for the arrival of my first grandchild during the holidays.
planecrz@frontier.com

Roxanne Rhoads said...

thank you all for posting what you're thankful for and thoughts and advice about my hard times

thank you especially to stephanie for sharing your thoughts and advice it is helpful to know all these things and yeah we're already looking towards some unruly teens in the area

Johanna said...

I'm thankful for my beautiful kids and and wonderful family. because at the end of the day thats all that really matters! I hope you all have a happy holiday season!

Kim @ This Belle Rocks said...

That's a lot of wonderful stuff to be thankful for, indeed!

I am thankful for so, so much! Mainly my wonderful family and friends, and that my teen sons don't give me anymore trouble than they do.

Good to meet you!

CalliesMom03 said...

I am thankful for my wonderful family and boyfriend.

And I am thankful for Scentsy Candles, who provide a product line I believe in and can sell with pride.

Lastly I am thankful for all my customers and hosts, who will make my business grow so I can support my family:)
http://barbaracraig.scentsy.us

P.L. Parker said...

I have so many "thankfuls." They get me through the hard times. My family, my friends, my job, the list is endless. I will be cooking for the family again and I enjoy it. My mother's health is such she can't do it anymore. But I am thankful she is here to enjoy my "not as good as hers" Thanksgiving dinner.

ladydi6497 said...

I am thankful for my husband and son. My husband understands my difficulty with the holidays. He tries to help me make it through without completely breaking down.

I am thankful for the new traditions that we are setting for our family. My stepdaughter and her family live just five doors away and we are going to be celebrating the holidays together.

I am going to be cooking our Thanksgiving dinner in my new home.

Heather B. said...

What a wonderful post. I love the holidays and family get togethers. Sometimes it's the only time a year we get to spend time with some of them.

We always have thanksgiving at my mom's. She does most of the cooking but I make my grandma's chocolate pie (it's a must) and baked beans usually. Mom already has the house decorated for Xmas when everyone comes to eat.

At Christmas we have a big Christmas Eve celebration at mom's with all our family coming in. We eat and exchange presents.

I am so thankful for my family, especially my little Granddaughter. She has CF and we have to be careful and make sure that she doesn't get colds and stuff cause she can end up in the hospital. She is doing so well now and it has been a year since she has had to be in the hospital so I am very Thankful for her health.

Happy Holidays everyone.

Roxanne Rhoads said...

Thank you for sharing everyone- I am thankful thank my situation is about things. Things can be replaced, money comes and goes but it's my family who means the most and I am glad to have them all here with me for the holidays, that is what I am truly thankful for.

Gemini said...

I am thankful for legs to run, warm hugs from my daughter and a cozy home. Just read about how on a single night in the US over a million people are homeless. I am thankful I am not one of them. Let's be sappy!

Jeremy said...

I am thankful for the time I have with my family. My mother n law is dying from stage 4 breast cancer and she is leaving us any day now and I'm thankful for the time we have been able to spend with her saying our goodbyes. On a lighter note I'm thankful for all the gifted authors that write the books I escape into.

I hope you holiday season get better for you and stay positive thats all you can do.

Danielle @ Romance Book Junkies

Debby said...

This is the first Thanksgiving that all three of my girls with be together with my husband and I. We are doing the traveling down to virginia. Hope the traffic is not too bad.
debby236 at att dot net

Asylumgirl said...

Yep, I celebrate and I'm thankful for getting to go back to school this year.

Deidre
deidre_durance at hotmail dot com

Witchy Woman said...

I'm thankful my husband is home from the hospital, that although many loved ones are gone-I haven't forgotten the ones here are equally special, that we celebrated my daughter's b-day the right way (with dad back home), and I'm thankful that my 83 yr. old grandfather spent Thanksgiving with me. And I'm grateful for our soldiers, who help our country have peace of mind.

Unknown said...

I am thankful for my amazing daughters!

Val
lastnerve2000@gmail.com

Gabrielle Lee said...

I am thankful to still have a job and my children and family around to share my life with.


Gabrielle
meingee@yahoo.com

orelukjp0 said...

I am thankful that my family is doing good. They are all pretty healthy now. No one is in the hospital at the present time. We have a place to live, food to eat and our health. That's all you can ask for :)

maggiemay said...

Sorry to hear that you were broken into.

I'm thankful that my mom is still with us, considering we recently lost my stepdad a couple of months ago to pancreatic cancer (they had been married for 38 years. When they went mall walking they still held hands, who does that anymore?). I'm thankful that the rest of my family, my brother and sister-in-law were able to come up and visit and share Thanksgiving with us so she wouldn't be totally alone. I live nearby and was coming but them coming make it extra special.

I'm thankful for all the plants that we brought over from their own house to their new house (which they moved into before my stepfather passed away) are sprouting new growth and letting my mom know, in their own way that no matter how bad things get life does go on. Even her Don Juan rose which she feared would die, is now sprouting new growth (it had special meaning to her as it was one of the first plants she planted over at the old house).

I'm thankful for my job which I know a lot of people still don't have, I'm praying next year that won't be the case, that a lot more people can say they have jobs. I'm thankful for the most part, even though my son doesn't have a job, that he stays out of trouble and helps me.

And last but certainly not least, that we have people such as yourself and your friends that take us on flights of fantasy through your written works that take us away momentarily from the "real world", that remind us that TV is not, and will not EVER be the only thing to keep our interests. That sometimes sticking your nose in a book, going places you couldn't go otherwise is so much better than staring at a box for a couple of hours.

I have much more to be thankful for but won't bore you. Hope that everyone's Thanksgiving is what they hoped for.

Roxanne Rhoads said...

Thank you for all the wonderful posts.

It turns out I had one of the best Thanksgivings ever. No one faught, everyone was happy, the food was excellent and everyone pitched in to help cook and clean up.

Even my son was happy for his birthday.

It was for once a picture perfect holiday and that I am so very thankful for.

 
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