Thanks(and)Giving

We all have much to be thankful for every day of the month... this will be my reminder for the rest of the year when I need it.
November 1st - I am thankful for the change in seasons. Though the plants and trees are 'going to sleep' around me - they do so with such dramatic flair. I love the Fall colors found in the leaves, the harvest and the mountains that surround our city.
November 2nd - I am thankful for the technology we have to help women find early stages of Breast Cancer.
November 3rd - I'm thankful for my day off work and the chance to sleep away the weariness I feel.
November 4th - I'm thankful for the smiles on our youngest grandson's face.
November 5th - I'm thankful to have a job... though I'd rather have the day off!
November 6th - I'm thankful for FRIDAY! Wahooooo!
November 7th-8th - I'm thankful for the weekend and the opportunity to work on some overdue projects around the house.
November 9th - It's Monday. I find myself struggling to be thankful and giving when patients come in late and want it to be my fault. I guess I'm thankful for patience and a filter to my thoughts.
November 10th - I'm thankful for hugs that 2-1/2 year old boys share. (Warm Fuzzies)
November 11th - I'm thankful for our active duty service members, law enforcement and Veterans - who, through their dedication and devotion to duty, provide the freedoms we all enjoy.
November 12th - I'm thankful for my sister Diana. Happy Birthday-Love you Sis! Wish I were able to spend the day with you.November 13th - I'm thankful I'm not superstitious... I love Friday the 13th!
November 14th - I'm thankful for a quiet evening, slippers and the fireplace.November 15th - I'm thankful for our older grands. Despite the fact Kalen cheers for a losing football team and Naidia worked a long day, they still text and IM their Gramma Deb.November 16th - I'm thankful to be able to plan a trip to San Diego in March to visit friends and watch UI lacrosse.
November 17th - I'm thankful for my husband who gets up with me in the morning (though he doesn't have to) despite the fact I'm not a morning person. I have a ten hour day and the coffee tastes divine!
November 18th - I'm thankful to be part of a team which provides mammograms in rural communities. The women we meet are all so appreciative. Me hace felicidad a formar parte de este grupo.
November 19th - I am thankful for sunshine, cartoons with Taten and the time at home to enjoy it all.
November 20th - I am thankful our youngest son is coming home today to spend Thanksgiving week in Boise. We will have all of our family together.

November 21st - I am thankful for doctors who work on Saturday and fast working antibiotics!

November 22nd - I am thankful for the opportunity to share Sunday night Mass with Mike and our youngest son Krieg.

November 23rd - I am thankful for a relaxing weekend, enjoying time spent with our sons - while Brit and I anxiously await the arrival of Erin to even the gender scale!

November 24th - I am thankful our daughter Erin and Chris arrived safe today. Let the festivities begin!

November 25th - I am thankful! Our home is full. Erin & Brit were prepping the side dishes today while I work - so we may all relax tonight!

November 26th - I am so thankful to be blessed with such a special family... Our children, Mike's children, our daughters-in-law, grands, my parents, siblings and family! It's been a rocky year - a few health issues, relationship struggles and tests of our strength and beliefs but with the love and support of our close family and friends we've endured. We really enjoyed our family date - watching "New Moon".

November 27th - I am thankful to have the opportunity to see Black Friday for myself - with Krieg and Brit. We are downsizing gift giving and had three things we hoped to find and afford. We were successful!

November 28th - I am thankful we've had such a special Thanksgiving weekend with Erin, Krieg and Chris. Our time together went entirely too fast. We are also very thankful for neighbors who still smile and wave while trying to back out of their driveways and manuever through our street corner, despite our small parking lot while everyone was home.

November 29th - I am thankful for a day of rest.

November 30th - I am thankful to have had the past 30 days to stop long enough to remind myself all I have to be thankful for - especially when I need the nudge.

Tis the season - Trick or Treat

For many years, Halloween season began with a trip to the pumpkin patch. I do miss the trips to the farms in the Midwest where we were treated to horse driven hay rides, endless fields of pumpkins, hot apple cider and caramel apples to die for...

Fortunately we've adapted to our environment and located an Idaho version - complete with Corn Maze, tractor pulled wagons and pumpkins in a large field. Taten enjoyed a tent filled with farm animals to feed (and a camel?). We came home with a porch full of Fall color.

Finally the night comes to show Taten how to carve the pumpkins. Matt & Brit are creative souls with ideas (and an internet website with designs). By the time Grammy is going to put the knife to a pumpkin she's thinking past creative to clean-up, hot shower and bed. The kids made these delightfully adorable faces - I managed to come up with a large spider.

Halloween night arrived with cooler temperatures but that did not deter the trick or treaters. Taten wasn't a happy camper when he departed the house but I was confident once he figured out the whole candy routine he'd be up and running - and he was literally running from house to house with his parents and friends in tow.

Matt & Brit even took advantage of Halloween and attended a going away party in costume. They were quite a stunning pair. Of course Erin (and her roommates) and Krieg in Moscow were not to be outdone. Just Papa and Grammy home holding down the fort!