Saturday, June 13, 2015

Week In Review - Ten Things Of Thankful (104)


Ten Things of Thankful


According to Lizzi, today marks the second anniversary of the Ten Things Of Thankful. And I can't stress enough how much this weekly exercise of thankfulness has changed my life. Even in a bad week, I managed to focus on the good things, which made the bad ones pale in comparison. I learned to focus more on the small things in daily life which permeates everything else. My life is so much different now from 2 years ago. We added a new baby, I went from working 40 hours a week to being home to working part-time, Lily started 1st grade and Violet has started a comprehensive early intervention program to help her overcome her issues that stem from not being able to see properly for the first two years of her life and other underlying problems. Life has been good. On some days more than on others, but good. And I am incredibly thankful to Lizzi for starting this link-up to change so many lives for the better.

More Thankfuls for this week:

1. School being back in session, which means everything going back to normal. Somewhat. The first week is always a little stressful, but the girls are finding back to their routines and things are quieting down.

2. A summer hair cut and new pair of heels acquired during a fun trip into town with my mom, her neighbor, and little Calvin. Poor guy endured the shopping trip with only minimal protests.

3. Our front yard making a huge step towards looking how it's supposed to, after Calvin decides to take an extended nap in the stroller after arriving back home from a plant shopping trip.

4. Having two of our neighbors over for dinner twice this week. It is so nice to get to know them better and cook for more than 4 people.

5. Apple crumble with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Always makes memories of my summer in England come up.

6. A clean kitchen.

7. Eating the absolutely best wok noodle stir fry EVER. My neighbor is a genius and I'll definitely invite myself occasionally for dinner :-)

8. Violet earning the title sous-chef for helping our neighbor prepare said noodles. We definitely need to plan in more time for cooking on the weekends now so Violet can help. Love that she found a new hobby!

9. Nice summer weather during the last few days. Warm weather, cut-off shorts, and walking on grass without shoes just makes me happy!

10. My first run in over a year. I stopped when I was about 5 months pregnant with Calvin because my body burned through the magnesium faster than I could eat the pills. The run went better than I'd thought, and I'm already looking forward to my next outing!

What are you thankful for this week?

28 comments:

  1. Oh to me there is nothing better than a clean kitchen! I absolutely love it.

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  2. #10 intrigues me, based on the magnesium pills comment. I had to have magnesium sulfate (administered through IV) during one of my pregnancies, to prevent pre-term labor. Let me just say, that is not a fun medication. Does pregnancy deplete magnesium?

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    1. It's the cramping, Kristi. Obviously, the magnesium needs are higher during pregnancy, especially if the expecting mother is working out. One morning, I had simultaneous cramps in my calf and on my shin, I swear it was more painful than labor, and no matter which muscle I'd try to stretch out, the other would cramp even more painfully. Magnesium is generally administered to relax muscles. A friend of mine got an overdose after being pumped full of too much pitocin during an induction. For hours she was unable to hold her baby or even control her bladder, and that was in one of the more famous hospitals in Seattle..

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  3. Life is sounding great, Stephanie!! And to more of that in the week ahead!

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    1. It indeed is great, Michelle, and I know that next week will even be better! I hope yours is stellar as well!

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  4. so are you doing Clark's Two Mile Run? Do you run pushing Calvin? So is this just a return to school after a short break or is it a new school year? and man, clean kitchen...understatement of the month!

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    1. No, not doing Clark's 2-mile challenge, just starting to run again; aiming for 2 - 3 times per week, but it always depends on when the kids are in bed and how I feel at that point :-) I run by myself, it's almost like meditation for me. The girls have returned to school; in Germany, there are more frequent but shorter school breaks; their school year ends in early (Lily) and late August (Violet).

      The clean kitchen is awesome, even though it didn't last :-(

      Have a great week, Ivy!

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  5. Life is better in the summer. Is it summer where you are? Do your kids go to school year-round? Sharing food and cooking with family and friends is a very fun thing. And a clean kitchen afterwards. So is retail therapy with your Mom and apple crumble.

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    1. Yes, we have summer here right now, and even temperatures to match the season :-) The girls go to school year round. Germany has more frequent but shorter school breaks, usually a 1 to 2-week break every 6 weeks or so plus a 6-week summer break. Violet's still in kindergarten and has less school breaks.

      I absolutely love apple crumble. I had some topping left and made myself a yummie dessert with a apple cut in half and cored, filled with the streussel and baked; served with vanilla ice cream.. Delicious!!

      Have a great week, Val!

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  6. I can't stand a dirty kitchen so yes, a clean kitchen is a good thing!
    Oh and definitely apple crumble!
    So do your children go to school in the summer? My son is done school at the end of June but goes back at the beginning of September. He's actually not looking forward to it because he really loved his teacher and his classmates this year.
    I love neighbors that can cook. Ours is Italian and they've had us over for dinner numerous times. She's right from Italy so I'm talking traditional foods. It is so good. I think I weigh 10 pounds more after I'm done eating there!!!

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    1. Germany has more frequent, shorter school breaks throughout the year. The summer break is the longest and starts in early August until mid-September. Lily loves school as well, which I am really thankful for!

      In Germany, most Italian restaurants are run by Italians, and yes, traditional food is so, so delicious!

      Have a great week, Kimberly!

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  7. I'm imagining that Apple Crumble is probably similar to something I call Apple Crisp - which I love with vanilla ice cream.

    I'm curious about the school starting part of your post - here school ends at the end of June and doesn't go back until after Labour Day at the beginning of September.

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    1. Yes, I assume crisp and crumble is the same, and we also served it with vanilla ice cream. SO delicious :-)

      In Germany, we have more frequent but shorter breaks throughout the year, about every 6 weeks. The summer break is the longest and goes from early August to mid-September. I am glad they have shorter breaks, by the end of the school breaks, the kiddos are usually absolutely ready to go back to school.

      Have a great week, Vanessa!

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  8. #10 !! One word: '2 Mile Run'
    You totally need to join (Kristi and Val and Alex sometimes Christine!).... the only 'requirement' is to send in elapsed time. No 'hey its everyday'.... no competition... a number of other people who are trying the same thing (very likely for different reasons)

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    1. May send in the time next time I run, Clark. Ok, need to measure 2 miles then :-) I just want to get fit again, and maybe run this half marathon sometime next year :-)

      Have a great week, Clark, and thanks for helping getting my butt off the couch!

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  9. I really like how much this hop has supported us all and helped us all grow into more mindful, thankful people over these two years.

    YAY to the noodles and apple pie and being able to go barefoot in the grass :)

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    1. There's nothing better than feeling lush, green grass under my feet. While eating apple crumble :-)

      Have a great week, Lizzi!

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  10. From what I can see, this hop has changed many lives for the better. I don't know of any link up that can say that! I'm glad you've stuck with it all this time.
    Apple crumble and ice cream...yum. With a capital YUM.
    I love a clean anything. :)

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    1. Clean everything is awesome :-) Now on to defeat the clutter in all the other rooms :-)

      Hope you're having a great week!

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  11. I'm thankful for the TToT because I met YOU through it!
    Tell Calvin being a patient shopper is a real virtue and will come in handy when he's older.
    Mmmm. Apple crumble! Blueberries are ripe here, and I'm going to make fresh blueberry crumble when I get some picked.
    Love that Violet is having fun with cooking!
    I love walking barefoot through thick, lush grass!

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    1. Barefoot and grass is a perfect combo! Blueberry Crumble sounds simply delicious! I want to get a little blueberry plant, but I'll probably have to wait until next year. My garden will be an ongoing piece of work for the next years I suppose :-)

      Believe me, I'm really, really thankful, too, having met you through this link-up. Love to surround myself with positive people, and you are probably one of the most positive people I know :-) Hugs to you, Dyanne!

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  12. So many things on this list that I love! Think my favorite is your daughter's name, Violet <3

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    1. Thanks so much :-) She's truly a Violet, just as much as Lily is a Lily. Violet sometimes asks me why she can't be Lily, but it wouldn't be the same. She's my sweet little wildflower :-)

      I hope you have a great week!!

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  13. Yum apple crisp! Congrats on getting your run back on! I am in the midst of doing that as well. Boy it can be tough getting started again. Hope your coming week is as good as your last one was.

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    1. Thanks so much, Pattie! Yay for getting into running again yourself. Stick with it! Easiest way to get into shape :-)

      Have a wonderful rest of the week!

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  14. What you said about the TToT - absolutely to all of it. I love this linkup and this group more than anything about blogging that I can think of.
    Your run...saw that over on Clark's blog, too. I have been feeling so out of shape and so unmotivated to keep my exercise regular. I feel like I really need to get back on that wagon.
    And YES to a clean kitchen. Mine is in sad shape at the moment...needs a major top to bottom and I'm hoping to make that happen before the week is out!

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    1. I actually managed to keep the kitchen somewhat tidied up during the past week. Maybe I'm getting better at that adulting thing :-)

      The thing I'm most sad about is that the people of this linky are spread so far. I'd so love to meet so many people in person. Knowing that Dyanne lives just next state makes me almost regret leaving Kansas, and that means something :-)

      Hope you're having a great week!!

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