Shared Fresh Green Beans!

A friend of mine is out of town and invited us to pick green beans from their garden so they wouldn't go to waste (or get overly ripe). 

I had a mental image of, you know, maybe a jar's worth of green beans.

Wowzers!  Let's just say I was pleasantly overwhelmed! 

I could have continued picking, but having a toddler who is past nap-time sometimes cuts time short.  But we definitely have a lot of lovely fresh green beans!  And now I can look forward to using these lovely fresh beans in some yummy meals!

Some people are the awesomest.... :).

What are you grateful for today?

THRIVE Seasoned Chicken Strips

I have tried to keep my enthusiasm for THRIVE to a minimum on my "regular" blogs, simply because I don't want to drown everyone in it.  (I have another blog for that...  Feel free to visit there -- or join my facebook group "THRIVEing with Nilla" if you are interested in more THRIVE stuff like recipes and my experiences with the products).  The truth is, I think the stuff is awesome.  I'm loving doing the consultant thing.  I'd love to help you out if you're interested.  But I don't want anyone to feel like I'm shoving it down their throats.  It's not the Nilla way ;).

Even so, I am totally uber-grateful for the THRIVE Seasoned Chicken Strips.  So I'm going to be grateful for them here today.  Because they helped make dinner yummy -- and easier and quicker.  In the last couple of weeks, I've made 3 different dishes which call for cubed chicken.  I have a whole lot of frozen raw chicken breasts in my chest freezer.  And yet, in each instance I have turned to the THRIVE strips. Here's why:

1.  I can wait until the last minute to decide I want to make a chicken dish and not have to worry about the meat thawing (which I did today).  All I have to do is measure out my strips and either add warm water to them or throw them into the pot I'm cooking stuff in (which I did today).

2.  I don't have to mess with raw chicken.  I always clean my chicken well (leaving the fat on there grosses me out), so this takes time.  And gets (or at least has the potential to get) my kitchen counter all germy.  Which takes more time for me to disinfect (I just assume there are germs when I'm playing with raw chicken).

3.  I don't have to cut the chicken (whether before or after cooking, depending on the recipe).  These strips are, well... strips.  Again a time saver.

4.  I think they blend well and taste good in the dishes in which I've used them.  The seasoning isn't over-powering (in fact, I barely notice it).  So these strips work for a variety of things!

5.  They have a great shelf-life.  Even opened, they will last a year.  So they are a great way to have chicken in my food storage.

As we were eating dinner tonight, my husband turned to me and said, "You really like these THRIVE chicken strips, don't you?"  Hahaha.  YEP!  And I plan to buy more :)!

Seriously, these chicken strips have just made my dinner-making easier.  I'm sure I'll use my frozen fresh chicken breasts at times...  But I'm loving these strips for pasta salads and, after tonight, in my broccoli, chicken, cheese skillet (recipe to be posted on my foodie blog shortly).  They are just so convenient.

What are you grateful for today?

Ice Cream

Because it's just good stuff!  Especially on hot days.  Like today.  I could seriously eat the whole pint by myself.  But I didn't.  It wouldn't be wise :).

Even so, I enjoyed every. single. delicious. bite.

What are you grateful for today?

Wal-Mart

It's funny...  There was a time when I looked forward to a day when I could afford not to shop at Wal-Mart. 

Don't get me wrong, I love the one-stop shopping thing.  And sometimes it really irks me that there isn't a Super Wal-Mart closer to me.  But still...  Sometimes Wal-Mart can be highly annoying.  Like when you wait 15 or 20 minutes for someone to show up at the fabric counter to help you. 

But, recently, we've been in the market for toddler shoes.  Like we were way overdue on getting some.  I'd looked at Target a few weeks ago and didn't find any shoes small enough for munchkin -- that weren't some exorbitant price.  I mean, I just don't think I want to pay $20 for shoes my munchkin won't wear for more than a couple months.

So today I made the trek to Wal-Mart.  Yeah, laugh...  But 15 or 20 minutes is a trek for me around here ;).  Haha.  But we went.  And we found shoes!  Granted, our selection was a little limited still.  Not because Wal-Mart's selection was small, but because my little girl has some thick feet.  I tried to put her feet in some cute sparkly shoes.  No dice.  So we ended up with a couple more plain pairs...  But it's all good.  She won't wear them long anyway, I'm sure :). 

Thus, today I was grateful for Wal-Mart.  Grateful they exist, that they have low prices, and that they had shoes I could get my sweet baby girl's feet into :).

What are you grateful for today?

Reminders That Heavenly Father Knows Me

Well, I'll admit I didn't start the day in the best of moods...  I had a hard time falling asleep last night and didn't manage to until after midnight (though I had lain there for over an hour trying to -- which is incredibly frustrating to me).  And then, of course, the munchkin gets up around 7, so I was up with her.  She got ready to go down for her morning nap, so I put her in her crib and then climbed into bed myself -- I needed a nap too! 

But then my husband (who has a cold) got up and blew his nose.  Which made the toddler think she was missing out on some good times.  So she started fussing to get up.  So I went back in and snuggled her for a bit until she was willing to go back down.  Then I went and slept.  Until 11:30 (thankfully, my sweetie got up with the munchkin after her nap). 

But then I felt rushed trying to get everything and everyone ready for church:  lunch, diaper bag packed, toddler changed (trust me, this is a feat), me changed, teeth brushed, contacts in, husband encouraged.  So I was kind of grumpy.  All the way to church.  Thinking about how I'd rather stay at home and relax.  And how I hoped there would be a good talk in Sacrament meeting that would be uplifting and inspirational for me on this grumpy day (yes, clearly I spent my morning thinking it's all about me...).  In fact, though I didn't say this part out loud (I did voice my hope about an uplifting speaker and talk), I had in my mind who I felt usually gave great talks that uplifted and inspired me and helped me feel good feelings.  And I hoped that, by some chance, he might be speaking today.

And then we got to church.  And I saw him sitting in the row for the meeting's speakers.  And I smiled -- and immediately was reminded that Heavenly Father does know me.  He is aware of me.  And He knows we have rough days where we just need a little pick-me-up.  And He loves me.  And so, I believe, He orchestrates such events to give us a little help when we need it.

And I left church feeling 100% better.  The talk was awesome -- a talk about the ability to change and be better.  I appreciated the parallels he drew between his life experiences and spiritual lessons we can learn from them.  I think that's my favorite part of talks.  Anyway, for me, this was just one of those tender mercies I believe Heavenly Father sends my way -- probably more than I notice them.  And I was grateful today for that.

What are you grateful for today?

Sippy Cups

I have to say:  whoever invented sippy cups was a genius. 

My munchkin actually doesn't do half bad drinking from a real cup.  But that is always closely supervised.  With a sippy cup, she can walk around the house with it, dropping it on the floor here and there or wherever she feels like.  And she does...  In fact, some days she carries it around for a really long time.  We've jokingly compared her to that character in the Dilbert comics who always has a coffee cup in his hands. 

Anyway, it's just nice that she is able to have her sippy cup with her pretty much at all times, when she's awake.  That way she has access to water when she's thirsty.  She can learn how to quench her thirst when she feels it, and she is able to be more independent in this small way.

So I'm grateful for sippy cups.  And I'm particularly fond of the ones with two handles -- like that above.  Those seem to be the better for toddler learning :).  At least in our household.

What are you grateful for today?

My Strainer

Well, I've been working on getting things prepped for Monday Meals :).  Mostly because I don't want to make the house hotter once it warms up again.  Which brought me to my strainer :).  All those yummy blackberries growing wild were picked by our family earlier and then it was time to cook them and strain them -- so as not to get the pulp and seeds for the juice I'll be making on Monday :).

I totally would have been up a creek without this strainer!  It definitely helped me tonight :).

What are you grateful for today?

Monica W

I've been thinking for quite some time that I need to do a "grateful for Monica" post.  And so I decided today is the day!

Monica is one of my awesome sisters-in-law.  One I married into :).  And she is amazing.  She reminds me a lot of my mom because of her personality.  And that is a good thing.  I think my mom is amazing in so many ways, and I want to be more like my mom:  more patient, compassionate, forgiving, laid-back...  I see those same qualities in Monica.

She doesn't know this, but I actually have written in my journal (from 2011) just how grateful I was for her back then.  I went to a family gathering that Fall for the first time (I wasn't officially part of the family yet at that point), and she made sure I stuck with her and she introduced me to everyone while our husbands (well, mine was a boyfriend back then) were off playing with the apple cider press.  I appreciated that more than she can possibly know... I was the "new" person and felt incredibly self-conscious.  She put me at ease and stuck by me.  Not that others weren't there to talk to too...  But family gatherings have lots of visiting going on -- and sometimes a lot of chaos with the little munchkins running around.  So I was just grateful that Monica was pretty much always by my side whenever my sweetie wasn't.

I've appreciated Monica for her listening ear and her compassion and understanding with me when I've gone through tough times. 

I've appreciated her sacrifices on my (and our) behalf -- like driving 2 hours to attend a baby shower at night, knowing she wouldn't get home until late.  And like fixing up the RV thingamabob that we always sleep in when we go to visit -- making sure all the sheets are clean and the bed is made, etc.  And insisting that we not worry about stripping it all when we leave.

And how she always welcomes us when we do come visit.  With open arms and lots of excitement. 

I appreciate deeply the way she loves my little girl. 

And I appreciate that she knows how to make some yummy good food. :).

And I appreciate how thoughtful she is.  For Christmas, she ordered me a book (or maybe it's for the munchkin) full of pictures of our little girl each month and the letter I wrote for my baby girl each month (and posted on another blog).  It was a complete surprise -- and what a treasure it is!  

There's a lot to love and appreciate about Monica...  And I definitely consider it a blessing that I married into a family with someone as awesome as she is :). 

What are you grateful for today?

Blackberry Season

It's blackberry season in the Pacific Northwest...  I love the fresh blackberries that grow in abundance with no effort required by me! 

This evening, Munchkin and I took a walk with our friend Sue.  And I realized there were some ripe blackberries on bushes as we walked.  So we picked some and I let her try them out for the first time.

I'm pretty sure she loved them.  Wouldn't you agree :)?

Now I'm looking forward to going out and picking some for use in some recipes :). And for eating.  Mostly for eating.

P.S...  Little Miss has learned how to smile for the camera...  As soon as she suspects someone is taking her picture, she smiles really big (like above) and gets all excited.  She's been doing that since yesterday.  I think it's awesome -- and way cute.
 
What are you grateful for today?

Opportunities to Learn

I am learning every day.  And I love that.  One of the things I was able to start learning today was how to make a rag bag.  My wonderful friend Wendy (who is a woman of many talents) set up a class to teach pretty much anyone interested just how to make these bags.  (The above is my unfinished product.)

I am grateful that we have opportunities to learn and grow every single day.  True, I'm done with school.  At least, formal schooling.  I did my time and now I'm done.  But I'm not done learning.  And I think that is amazing.  I definitely know I have continued to learn and grow and develop skills since my college days ended -- like planting a garden, being able to make entire quilts by myself, and now learning how to make a rag bag!  I'm grateful for these things.

And I'm grateful for talented people like Wendy who take the time to mentor others in this way.  What a great service -- and what a great blessing to me (and others, I'm sure :)).

What are you grateful for today?

My Rotary Cutter

So, procrastinator that I am...

I waited until tonight to cut all my fabrics for a rag bag class I'm going to attend tomorrow.  To learn how to make rag bags :).

Let's just say I always think things will be easier and faster than they turn out being...

But thank goodness for my rotary cutter!  I got it while making I Spy quilts a decade ago with Donna.  And tonight, it helped me immensely.  Because I can only imagine how long all that cutting would have taken with only scissors...

What are you grateful for today?

An Unseasonably Cool Day (and Upcoming Week :))

Here we are, mid-July, and the high temperature wasn't even out of the 60s.  A Nilla could get used to this!

Which is good news, because, if the weather prediction is correct, this week will be full of 60s to mid-70s.

It's pretty much the perfect weather for me!  I'll be baking some cookies tomorrow (trying out the THRIVE Butter Powder, because I'm really wanting to get some experience with it -- and what better way than chocolate chip cookies!?!).  And maybe baking a meal or two this week, too. 

Yep, cool days in summer make me happy.  (Although, I really haven't been miserable this summer, what with the bought air and all ;)...).

What are you grateful for today?

Dollar Store Cayenne Pepper

Let me preface this post with this statement:  we don't hate animals.  We aren't really inclined toward having our own pets...  But we don't hate animals.

So we have a wooden front walkway out front of our apartment.  And it's elevated above the ground.  And the neighbor's cat (not in the same complex -- the complex next door) has decided that under our walkway is a great place to poop. 

We do not like the smell of fresh cat poop.  We don't like it.  We think it's not healthy.  We aren't happy about it.

So my sweetie did some research and found that cayenne pepper is a great deterrent to cats -- since, when they scratch the ground, the pepper is flung into the air and they breathe it in and it irritates them.  So, we got some cayenne pepper and tried it.  And it worked.  For like a month or two.  No more cat poop under the walkway for us to breathe in every time we go out front. 

But today, we noticed the smell was back.  We think the leaf blower guy disturbed our last cayenne pepper layer.  So...  Since I was near the Dollar Store (because who wants to pay a lot of money for cayenne pepper for this project?) today, I stopped in and got two bottles of it.  There may not be a happy cat tomorrow...  But we'll be happier.  And we're hoping eventually the cat will get the clue and never come back (we were hoping that had happened already, but I guess not...)

So I'm grateful for Dollar Store Cayenne Pepper.  And yeah, it may not seem nice.  Sorry if this offends anyone.  But we aren't going to have the cat using our area as its litter box -- there are toxins in that poop, and it smells bad.

What are you grateful for today?

Impromptu Dinner With a Great Friend

This morning I got a text from one of my favorite people.  She said she had a free evening and wondered if I did too.

And since my sweetie is on swing shift...  Well, I did :)! 

So she came over, our kiddos played, and we ate dinner.  And vented.  And talked.  And laughed.  And did some long-needed catching up.

It seriously made my day -- from the minute I found out we'd be hangin' until she left.  Because sometimes you just need some girl time :).

What are you grateful for today?

A THRIVEing Work Lunch

Today, I enjoyed a delicious lunch (a THRIVE Express lunch -- Creamy Garden Vegetable Chowder, which I will definitely will be getting for my family!) with a couple of new friends:  Rebekah and Terrie.  Rebekah introduced both Terrie and me to THRIVE, and we both decided to sign up as consultants.  So today was sort a team meeting lunch.

And maybe it's really dorky of me, but I was excited about it all week.  And I had a really great time!  It's fun to share ideas and experiences and to help each other learn.

And even cooler?  It's a small world after all!  Terrie and I realized we used to be in the same Stake (Bessemer Alabama Stake) from 2006 to 2008!!  So there we were, going to some of the same meetings in the same building -- and we never knew each other then (we lived an hour away from each other, so went to different Wards -- church congregations)...  But now we do!  How crazy cool is that?!?  We realized we knew some of the same people.  And I just think that's super cool that we both ended up in the same place!  And now working together. 

Anyway, it was a good day, but this was just a highlight of it for me.  Something that just makes me happy.  So it's my grateful for the day!

What are you grateful for today?

Nice Cold Root Beer

I guess, during the summer, I'm grateful for a lot of yummy cold things :).  This evening, I was looking forward to drinking this refreshing soda after I finished working on another batch of jelly.  I don't drink soda often, but when I do...  Lately root beer is my soda of choice :).

I have always enjoyed a good root beer.  It's pretty much the only soda my mom will ever drink, and she really prefers A&W brand.  So I have grown up liking it.  But then, while I was pregnant and about 2/3 of the way through the pregnancy, I suddenly started having this serious hankering for a root beer.  So much so that I splurged on one at Walgreen's (making a special stop there, just for the soda).

And ever since then, I've had a craving for one every now and again, so I decided, when there was a seriously awesome sale once (buy 2 12-packs get 3 free!)...  Well, I decided to stock up for those cravings :).  And now I have a year's supply of root beer under the bed (because I don't go through them that fast) :).

Anyway, sometimes you just need something you're craving.  And tonight is a root beer kind of night.

What are you grateful for today?

Facebook

I am one of those people who likes to spout off about things and declare boldly that I will never do such and such...  And then, one day, I do what I said I never would.  And I have to eat crow.

I think I've gotten better about not pontificating so much... In an effort to eat less of the nasty black bird.

But once upon a time, when Facebook and MySpace were new (and rivals), I swore up and down I'd never use them.  I even had opinions about those who did.  (Yes, totally lacking in humility.)  In my defense, I never did have a MySpace account... ;).

Clearly...  Clearly...  I've since eaten crow on this one.  I joined Facebook.  And guess what?  I like it *gasp!!!* 

I like being in touch with people from my past and seeing the wonderful things that have happened in their lives:  their children, their adventures.  It helps me feel connected, not just to those people in a small way, but to my past.  Because my memories are jogged as I remember those individuals. 

And the truth is, I've been inspired and uplifted by so many through Facebook.  There is one gal I knew way back in Panama.  She found me on Facebook several years ago, and something I have consistently noticed with her is how positive and optimistic she is -- about everything.  I admire that, and I feel like she is a really great example to me.  And I wouldn't have the opportunity to have that experience without Facebook. 

And I have many such examples.

So anyway, I guess the Facebook crow was worth the eating :).  Because not only do I like Facebook...  I'm even grateful for it :). 

What are you grateful for today?

Surprise Mail -- With Surprises Inside!

Today, after we finished tending the garden and returned home, I checked the mail.  I had jokingly told my husband I was going to check and see if we got any love notes.  And then told him I'm sure we hadn't.  He said, "Unless you mean bills."  Well, I wasn't expecting any of those either.  And, quite honestly, I wasn't expecting anything at all.

So what a surprise it was to find a piece of mail for me!  From my dear friend Donna.  It was a treat, and I was excited to get inside and open the card and see what she had to say.

And then I was surprised again!  Inside, she had taped two little tags -- for adding to my quilts!  How cute is that?!?  So, as I put the binding on, I just sew those in as I do the label, and my quilt has a little tag with more love on it :).  I am beyond excited to use them!

And, honestly, I'm touched that Donna thinks of me across the miles.  That she still is my quilting mentor and friend.  And I'm grateful that these quilts will have another little piece of her in them...  Because I'll see that tag and remember how good she has always been to me -- and how blessed I am to know her and call her my friend.

Yep, this surprise mail -- with these surprise little taggies -- just totally made my day and made me smile :).  (And it was a pretty awesome day all the way around, too :)).

Bibs

So back when our munchkin was just learning how to eat solid foods, I used bibs religiously.  We anticipated her being messy while grasping the whole "eating" concept.

But then she got really good at eating off a spoon (held by me, of course) and the messes were pretty non-existent.  So I got lazy (and forgetful) about the bibs.

Until she started staining her clothes -- now that she feeds herself almost everything.  (I still do most spoon feeding, but am starting to let her practice, since she needs to learn some time!)  And now I'm trying to retrain myself to remember to put her bib on for every meal.  Because even the foods you wouldn't think could be messy...  A toddler can show you how they can be ;).

So I'm thankful for bibs.  And thankful we have many of them!  Because they are definitely saving her pretty clothes :).

What are you grateful for today?

Road Signs

...I think road signs are among those items you only realize how grateful you are for them... when there aren't any.

So...

This afternoon, I rode with one of the other Young Women leaders up a mountain.  The Young Women (and some other leaders) were coming down from there 3-day camp, and we were meeting them at the trail head with cold watermelon, frozen popsicles, cold Powerade, and cold water.  We figured they'd be happy to meet us. 

I was navigating.  With a map that was -- according to both the man who explained our route to me and my husband -- easy to use and plenty accurate and able to get us to where we needed to be.

...As long as you know how to read hair-pin turns and ess curves as indicators...

Because, guess what?  There were no road signs.  Or, I guess I should say, there were no road signs down the wrong road we took first...  For about 20 minutes.  Until I finally saw a road sign.  And five minutes later was finally able to find it on the map. 

Let's just say we were a little off course.  Because, let's just say we took the wrong tine of the fork -- at our very first fork.

Anyway, thankfully we found our mistake, made our way back, and were only about 20 minutes late to meet up with the girls.  And, thankfully, even though we were lost for a time, I eventually figured out how to read that stinkin' map.  Including the hair-pin turns and ess curves.

But I'd still have preferred more road signs.  They are good stuff :).

P.S....  Never send your kids into the wilderness with me... ;).

What are you grateful for today?

Our Vacuum Cleaner

This is one of the many things in our household that my husband got from someone because it was "broken"...  and then he fixed it.  Hence the bright pink tape :).  I told you, he's sort of like Macgyver.

Anyway, I never had as much appreciation for a vacuum cleaner until my munchkin (who also likes this thing -- that's her head in the foreground) started feeding herself at her high chair.  And everywhere else...  You can pretty much tell everywhere she's been with food.  She leaves a trail like a slug ;).

So I'm grateful to have a vacuum cleaner that can suck up all her crumbs.  You know, just to keep the house looking somewhat presentable.  Especially when we're going to have company ;).

What are you grateful for today?

The Heat

Well, since I spend so much time complaining about the heat (every year)...  I decided to acknowledge the good points about it -- and be grateful for them -- and (to a lesser degree) for the heat itself as a result.

Because there are good things about it warming up every year. 

First of all, my garden loves the heat.  And I love the harvest.  And my harvest wouldn't be nearly as good if it weren't for the heat.  Squash plants, tomatoes, peppers...  They all want it hot hot hot.  (Even if I don't ;)).  So, when it's hot as blazes out...  Well, my garden is just soaking it up.  And pumping out the good stuff that makes the fruits and veggies grow grow grow. 

Another plus is that we no longer need to run the heaters.  The heaters (our apartment is all electric) really really jump up our electric bill.  We got our most recent bill, and let's just say it was phenomenal the difference between when we run the heaters (at all) and when we don't.

And in other news about saving money...  My clothes hang out on the line -- even under a covered porch -- and dry.  For free.  Not too shabby, if you ask me.

I'm probably never going to yearn for the heat of summer.  It's just not Nilla-like.  But it's bound to come every year.  And I do think there are good things to almost every situation (if not every one).  And so I figure I might as well make the effort to focus on those :).

What are you grateful for today?

Watermelon

It's true, I may not look forward to summer for many reasons.  But there is one thing I do look forward to about summer...  all. year. long.

Watermelon.  Ripe, red, juicy, sweet watermelon.


I actually spend a lot of the rest of the year craving it.  Being that we live in the times we do, I'm pretty sure I could manage to get a watermelon most of the year.  But somehow, the knowledge that they aren't "in season" ruins it for me.  And I pretty much assume they wouldn't be delicious enough to justify the cost.

So I wait.  For summer.  And then I buy watermelon.  A lot.  Because it's just so darn good.

You can ask my munchkin.  She pretty much devours an entire quarter of a slice (bigger than that pictured) all by herself.  And then she smiles with a red, sticky face.  And it's pretty much the greatest.

What are you grateful for today?

Squash... In Abundance

Harvest time is already here for our squash plants.  The crookneck are looking a little puny, but I think my husband picked these to encourage the other 8 on the plants to get bigger.

But our zucchini (both yellow and green) are producing like gangbusters!  Today I shredded 4 yellows and 5 greens.  And these were on my counter when I got home from Young Women's activity tonight (hubby went to the garden without me, because I ran out of time).

I am grateful, though, for this huge abundance.  The zucchini lasts me all year in the freezer, and I make zucchini bread and zucchini brownies year-round.  I'll need to try to find some other baked-goods using zucchini, just to change up the routine this year... 

Of course, we also eat stuff fresh.  For example, we had a yellow zucchini pasta in a cream sauce tonight.  I thought it was pretty good -- and I'll make it again before summer is out, I'm sure :).

Anyway, I love having a garden.  The harvest time is such a boost -- and such a blessing.  Even when you end up with zucchini coming out your ears ;)!

(We're happy to share, by the way, if there's anyone interested.)

What are you grateful for today?

Bought Air

...It's just a fancy Southern term for air conditioning.  But I think it's hilarious.

Yeah, I know I was grateful for a/c in the van the other day.  And then I was thankful for Melanie and Bob who lent us a portable air conditioning unit. 

But today, we needed that bought air.  And it was worth every penny.  And so I'm grateful for it.  Times three.

And, as far as The Nilla is concerned, one can never show too much gratitude for air conditioning on a hot day.  It's just that awesome.

What are you grateful for today?

Barrettes for Little Girl Hair

So my munchkin was born with a lot of hair.  I got comments on it all the time.  For the first 3 months or so, it was poof.  It just stuck up all over her head.  It was pretty stinkin' cute, if you ask me.

In hind-sight, I realize I probably should have put more stuff on her head back then -- when she couldn't remove it.  But I didn't.  I gave myself a gold star for just making it through the day some days, so I didn't expect myself to do hair.  Haha.  But, as a result, she doesn't like anything on her head.  At all.

And I learned today that she doesn't sit still for me to put little piggies in it -- or anything else requiring an elastic band.  

So, barrettes it is!  

It's the only way -- at least for now -- I can help her not look quite so raggamuffin while her hair is growing out ;).  And also make her a little more girlie.  Because, though I am not exactly the epitome of all things fru-fru (quite the opposite, honestly), I do want my baby girl to be able to choose to be and to be introduced to it all.  I want her to embrace girly things and be able to be girly -- even if sometimes she wants to hike through the jungle with her daddy. 

And I suppose I can hold out hope that one day, she'll ask me to do cute hair.  (And hopefully I'll be able to deliver!)  Until then, I'll be grateful for barrettes!

What are you grateful for today?

That I Live a 5-Minute Walk From My Mom

Having my mom live very nearby has been a great blessing.

For one thing, that's where we have our garden.  And we are already harvesting zucchini -- green and yellow.  To date, I think we've picked 4 yellows and 6 green.  I'm excited.

But it has also been a boon, because I often get in the middle of making a meal and discover I am lacking one ingredient.  Don't you hate that?

About a month ago, that ingredient was sour cream.  Today, it was soy sauce.  (Too bad THRIVE doesn't have a soy sauce...  I'd definitely be investing in that!  But they do have sour cream.  So guess what I won't be lacking in the future...). 

I was prepped to make my stir fry veggies.  I'd already finished chopping all the vegetables up -- and they were sitting on the cutting board, waiting for some pan action.  And then I remembered I hadn't been to WinCo yet.  Which was where I was planning to purchase that soy sauce (since I used up the rest of what we had for Monday Meals this past Monday). 

So I pondered going to the store...  But I hadn't even put in my contacts today, since I wasn't planning to go anywhere (driving... I prefer to drive with contacts instead of glasses).  And, frankly, I didn't feel like packing the baby into the van (Hubby's on swings again this weekend) and driving to the store -- just for some soy sauce. 

And then I thought of my mommy...  Who lives down the lane :).  And I texted her.  And yes, she had soy sauce.  And yes, I could use it.  And so, for the second time today, Munchkin got a stroller ride to Grandma's (the first time was this morning when we all went to work in the garden and pick more raspberries :)).  And she's pretty okay with that.  She loves going to Grandma's.  And I loved that I didn't have to go to the store -- or find a different vegetable plan. 

What are you grateful for today?

Liberty

It was probably easy to guess that I would be grateful for liberty -- freedom -- today.  But it's a beautiful thing.  An important thing.  One I've never had to do without.  And for that, I am grateful.

I don't claim to be a history buff.  But I have watched (multiple times, as I love it) the musical 1776.  I'll be borrowing it from my mom tomorrow to watch it -- as per my annual tradition.  (Eventually I'll buy a copy for myself so I can watch it on Independence Day...)  I know some of the movie may not be entirely accurate (except all those guys singing in the Continental Congress... I'm absolutely positive that really happened ;)).  But I feel like a lot of it probably is.  Like the description of the "soldiers" fighting under the direction of General George Washington.  They were a rag-tag band of young men -- many of them merely boys -- who fought against the world's greatest military force (at the time).  The odds were against them.  And though the words had not yet been penned, surely they felt in their hearts the words of The Star Spangled Banner that "conquer [they] must, [for their] cause it [was] just."  And though the odds were against them, I truly believe the Lord was with them.  This "heav'n rescued land" was "preserved and made [a] nation" by Him.  He intended it to be a blessed land -- a land of liberty.  And He helped those fighting for that cause to succeed.  I believe in a God who desires that all men be free.

I think it is miraculous.  And a great blessing.

I will admit to not realizing as much as I should, possibly, that it truly is a blessing to live in this land of liberty.  This land where I have the right to choose so many things.  And the freedom to enjoy them.  I take for granted that others are not afforded that same opportunity. 

I will never forget the moment it really hit me that that is true.  I was sitting in church, listening to a talk by the man who is currently called to serve as the Bishop of our congregation.  He wasn't our Bishop at the time.  But I'll never forget part of what his message was (though some of the details may be inaccurate).  He spoke of an opportunity he had to live abroad for a short time while in school.  I think he went to China on this particular occasion.  During a meal-time, the students would sit together and visit and talk.  And a young Chinese woman asked him some questions about his family.  Asked him if he had siblings.  As they spoke, it came out that she was an only child, and I guess she longed to know what it was like to have siblings.  She was an only child, not by the choice of her parents, but by the law of the land.  Her parents were denied the blessing of other children.  She was denied the blessing of siblings.  As their conversation continued, I guess they discussed some of the things he enjoyed doing back home (in the States).  He talked of mountain climbing (I think it was) and how he and some friends had decided one time to go a few cities over and climb this mountain on the spur of the moment.  Listening to this story, the woman was shocked.  Shocked that he could pick up and leave the city in which he was living at the drop of a hat to go climb a mountain in another city.  She told him that, if she wanted to leave her city, she had to apply well in advance for permission to travel to another city. 

Like I said, my memory of the stories details may be a little hazy, but I'll never forget the realization that hit me as I listened to him that day:  I am blessed to live in a free land. 

I am so grateful that I do.  I am so grateful that I've always been free.  Free to choose my faith, my job, the number of children I want to have.  Free to share my opinions, to travel across the entire country in a plane in one day, if I so desire -- without having to ask anyone (I've done it).  I am grateful for those young men who fought to make this nation free.  And I'm grateful for those who still do.

I am also grateful to my Heavenly Father that He also gives me liberty.  Agency.  The freedom and right to choose for myself.

I am blessed.

What are you grateful for today?

Our Dining Table

Please excuse the clutter...  That's what happens when you have a table like this one ;). 

Because not only is this our dining table, it's also my project table.  And those boxes are full of 200 leetle jelly jars that will be filled with apple jelly for wedding favors.  Eventually.  Until then...  They'll probably be sitting on my table ;).  (Not really... every 4 weeks we have Monday Meals here, so I will have to clear them off before then if they aren't already gone.)

Anyway... yeah.  Also my project table.  For things like quilting.  And creating cookbooks.  It's definitely multi-useful. 

I love it for all the practical uses it offers me.  Like the ability to get even bigger than this.  (I think it pulls out to a total of 8 feet.)  Great for dinner parties (not that we have many, but still...). 

But I also love it for the history it carries with it.  This table belonged to my husband's great-grandmother.  And he tells me he can remember his mom making bread on it on many occasions.  It may not be a fancy table...  But it holds so many memories.  And that, I think, is awesome.  (But I do love my memories...) 

I will confess, though...  There is one area I'm not so fond of this table:  it's a behemoth.  So when we move from here...  We'll need some man-power for this baby!  Because I don't think I want to help lift it next time ;).  (Sturdy, we'll call it sturdy :).)  But even so...  I'm grateful for this table -- and I'm glad we have it in our family to pass it down in the years ahead.  And to have it carry new memories we will make with it... 

What are you grateful for today?

Melanie R. (and Bob Too!)

Ridiculous sideways picture...  But whatever.  It still makes me do the happy dance.

So what does that have to do with Melanie and Bob?  Well, they have loaned us their portable a/c for the summer (they are some happy campers with a new heat pump, so this was just hanging around and she offered to let us use it...  And how can a Nilla resist?).

The truth is, there are a lot of reasons I am grateful for Bob and Melanie.  And today, I added two new ones to the list:  the air conditioner -- which will keep me smiling big all summer; and a now-long-arm-quilted quilt.  Melanie knows a lady who is very reasonable in price (like I was beyond shocked at the cost -- in a really good way).  And does amazing work.  And Melanie got me the hook up.  And my quilt is amazing.  Absolutely amazing.  I am so excited.  (I have to do the binding, but I promise I'll post a picture soon...  once it's all done). 

So I met Melanie through her husband Bob.  And I met Bob through working at the funeral home.  Bob has two nicknames:  Crossword puzzle Bob and Alligator Bob.  And here's why:  at the time, there was another Bob working at the funeral home as well.  And so, when I would tell my friends about funeral home stories, I'd have to specify which Bob.  He got the nickname Crossword Puzzle Bob because he and I would work on the crossword puzzle every day at work.  He'd keep it in his office, which I passed by frequently on my way to the music box; so I'd stop in and fill in a few words or letters... then he'd stop in and fill in some, etc. (He isn't often in his office, because it's not that kind of job.)  We completed many puzzles that way.  And sometimes even the hard one!  As for how he got the Alligator Bob name...  Well, one time I went to Florida to visit Julie.  Bob requested that I bring back an alligator for him.  More specifically, an alligator that was missing a toe.  That way, when he was taking it for a walk down the street, the missing toe would be a conversation starter.  Hahaha.  Oh Bob.  He cracks me up.  Anyway, so I started calling him Alligator Bob because of that.  In case you were wondering, I didn't manage to bring back an alligator with a missing toe...  But I did manage to bring back an alligator-shaped chocolate.  He said it was an acceptable substitution ;).

So that's Bob.  He's awesome.  He has a great sense of humor and he made working at the funeral home even more fun than it already was.  He understands conversations about kegels.  And he was always up for taking me on a "field trip" out on the grounds when I wanted to do a visual check on information in a file I was working on. (I called them field trips because I was getting out of the office.)   Ahhh... some days I really miss that job.

Anyway, we'd have lots of functions.  Christmas parties, a decades party, an 80s party...  And Bob would bring Melanie.  And so I met his awesome wife.  And she is definitely amazing.  Very talented with quilting.  Very fun.  I used to house-sit for them often, before I moved out of my grandmother's house and got married.  I don't know if they realize or not how much I appreciated those opportunities.  I was glad to help them out, of course.  But even more... I was so grateful for little pockets of time where I was "on my own."  And it was always nice to keep company with their cats.  Especially Max.  He is one cool cat.  And there were also times when just Bob would be out of town, and Melanie would invite me to stay to keep her company.  Those were awesome times too.  We'd hang out until late at night watching TV together and visiting.  Those are more really good memories.

So, though today, Melanie has given me two more reasons to be incredibly grateful to know her and Bob...  The truth is, that list was pretty extensive already.  They have both blessed my life immensely.  And I know I'll never forget them and all they've done for me.  Including keeping me from melting this summer :).

What are you grateful for today?

A/C in the Van

Today was a record-breaking day in this area of Washington.  And not in a good way.  Apparently the temperature climbed to 90.  As far as the Nilla is concerned:  no bueno.

But fortunately, our van has a working air conditioning unit.  And I used it today.  A lot.  I turned that dial as far to "cold" as it would go.  Which, it turns out, is 60 degrees. 

Trust me:  I wilt in anything above 75.

So today, I was beyond grateful for a/c in the van.  I'm still bummed that we don't have it in our house.  But I'm glad we can always escape to the van.  And burn up some gas, but who cares ;) -- at least I'm not burning up... ;).

Cold air... it's a beautiful thing.

What are you grateful for today?