Once again, it is Thankful Thursday!

Do we really take the time we should to reflect on the things that we are thankful for? I know I don't, so on Thursdays, I am going to think about the things in my life that I should appreciate more. I am thankful for the big things - a loving family, good health and a job in this tough economy but I also want to focus on the little things that we often overlook.

I am VERY thankful that tonight is Girl's Night Out and I get to spend time with two of my favorite ladies. We have been friends for years and I am lucky to know both of them.

I am thankful that my son is doing well at his first job. He gets paid today. He has shown a lot of interest in the job (he calls in every day to see if they need him as a fill-in!) and he has gotten to work a lot of extra shifts. I am so proud of him.

I am thankful that I found a way to save money on one of the excursions on our cruise. Don't you just love the internet and how people post suggestions and don't you just love saving money?

I am thankful that my hubby was willing to work with me last night on some of my karate exercises.

I am thankful that I have reconnected with some of my high school friends on facebook. I made tentative plans to get together with one of them when my son and I go on our "road trip" this October.

I am thankful that my son knows what his summer assignment is for English. Now, I can order the book for him.

I am thankful that my hubby chased the bat out of our bedroom the other night.

I am thankful that I was able to go off my medicine and not have a relapse.

I am thankful that Hallie's raffle drawing is coming up soon. It's not too late, however, to get in on the fun. You can still donate over at http://www.firstgiving.com/hallietwomey. Not only is it a fantastic cause, but you can win lots of really cool prizes.

Finally, I am thankful that my vacation is only 22 days away! Yee Hah!

What are you thankful for today?

Here's to appreciating the little things we have going for us.

Wordless Wednesday

Sara over at http://www.ordinaryandawesome.com/ hosts Mostly Wordless Wednesday where participants post a photo. Make sure you check out her blog to get links for all of the other photos. My photo offering fulfills the ordinary side of things and the others fulfill the awesome side of things!



My photo is from a park a few miles from our house. This old fort overlooks Portsmouth Harbor and this tree has always appealed to me. It reminds me of a giant bonsi tree!

Decisions, decisions, decisions.....

I had an epiphany today. I have a hard time making decisions. Now, you may ask, why did it take me so long to come to this self-realization? Well, perhaps I am not as in touch with myself as I should be. Also, it isn't all decisions that I have a hard time with. It is only the relatively small decisions that I beat myself up over so it isn't really ALL that obvious. That is what I am hoping, anyway.

Yup, you got it. The big life-changing decisions - I make those with nary a hesitation. I investigate, learn everything I can, follow my gut and charge forward. I don't second guess my decisions either. When I got married 25 years ago, I didn't think twice. When we decided to start our family, I knew it was time. When we built our house, I knew exactly what I wanted.

Other decisions like which political candidate to support or how to vote on a bond issue, I also find easy to make. I know where I stand and tend to take sides early.

It is the small decisions that make me agonize. What color to paint our downstairs bathroom took multiple trips to a paint store to collect paint chips. I thought I had a vision but wasn't sure if it was right. I FINALLY picked out a paint and my hubby painted. Now, I am still not sure it was the right choice. Seriously. I am still checking out colors when I visit other people's homes or offices. I decide what vacation I want to book (IE a cruise) but worry that I might be making the wrong choices when it comes to the final details. My husband will ask me what I want to do on Saturday and my usual answer is "I don't know." This is a typical conversation between me and my (very patient) hubby. Me "I think we should paint the upstairs bathroom yellow." Him "Sounds good to me." Me "I was thinking a pale but somewhat bright yellow." Him "Fine." "Do you think a more golden yellow would be better?" Him. "Whatever you think is fine with me." Me: "I don't know. Maybe a blue would go with the tiles better." Him (obviously having tuned me out by now) "Hmmmm." Me: "But I don't want it to be like a baby's room so maybe the yellow would contrast nicely with the tiles." Him:"Hmmmm. Yeah." Me - "Or maybe another color." and so on and so forth.



If you asked me what you should do with your life or, even what color you should paint your bathroom, I could give you an answer in a short amount of time. I have no idea why I can't make these minor decisions for myself. I am going to try to be better. Stay tuned for the decision on what color to paint the upstairs bathroom. I hope to have an answer before 2010... but I won't promise. Don't want to make the wrong choice, you know?



Here's to decisions.

It is Friday and another shot of of Friday Fragments. Friday Fragments is where we bloggers have permission to be as random as we want to. Why? Because Mrs. 4444 over at http://www.halfpastkissintime.com/ says we can! Make sure you check out Mrs. 444's site to see what everyone else is pondering about today.

On my way to work, I pass under an electrical wire that suddenly has a pair of sneakers hanging off of it. You know how people tie them together and they hang off the wire by their laces? What amazes me, however, is that these sneakers appear to be brand new leather sneakers. What would possess someone to do that? "Gee, I just spent $80. on these sneakers. Why don't I throw them up on this wire so everyone can enjoy them?" What is up with that?

It is another rainy day in Maine. Today's rain, however, is not a gentle rain that makes is sometimes enjoyable on hot summer days. No, today the heavens have taken their hose and put it on "hard rain" and pointed it towards Maine. They are forecasting 3 inches of rain today. Three inches!! We are going to be floating away. I walked the 200 feet from my car to the office at 8:30 and I am still damp 90 minutes later. I got soaked in the 2 minutes it took me to get into the office. The parking lot has such a large puddle in it that I warned my boss that the tax assessor will probably start taxing him on "waterfront property". Yee gads. Will it ever end?

My son is going to be entering his sophomore year in high school in September. He loves music and plays the bass clarinet. Our high school band has been in a rebuilding process for the past several years. We were thrilled last fall when the band director announced that the band would be participating in the Christmas parade for Portsmouth NH - and that they were going to be paid! We were further impressed that the band director decided that the band members needed to purchase jackets so they would look more professional. I wrote the check and waited excitedly to see my son's new jacket. The day he got it, he called and seemed down. I asked about his new jacket and got an "it's ok". Hmmm. What was with that? When I got home, I immediately saw the problem. The band director had picked out a jacket that is virtually identical to a jacket that I own. Mine has my employers name on it and his has the school name on it. I could easily wear mine to band functions and people would think I was "with the band". What high school boy wants to have matching jackets with his mother? What are the odds that the band director would pick out that particular style?

My son is many things but organized isn't one of them. Last night, we spent time looking for the paperwork on his summer reading project for English. It is nowhere.to.be.found. He sent a message to a friend to get the details because he needs to read a book and write a paper. Any suggestions on how to get a teenage boy more organized?

What random thoughts are keeping you up at night?

Here's to fragments!

Another Thursday to be thankful for

Do we really take the time we should to reflect on the things that we are thankful for? I know I don't, so on Thursdays, I am going to think about the things in my life that I should appreciate more. I am thankful for the big things - a loving family, relatively good health and amazing friends but I also want to focus on the little things that we often overlook.

I am thankful that my son did well his first day at his first job. He got to work 30 minutes longer than expected and is working tonight and one day this weekend. He will be able to put money in the bank for his trip to Germany next spring!

I am thankful that my karate class went so well this week. After getting sick in class (yuck!) last week, I was a little apprehensive about going this week. I had a great time! I am looking forward to my class tonight too.

I am thankful that I got to go to the Macaroni Grill last Friday night. Penne Rustica is still one of my favorite dishes ever.

I am thankful that my son had a great time at "band camp". The two concerts we went to absolutely rocked the house. Wow. What talent. It was amazing.

I am thankful that my son is home now. I missed him!

I am thankful that I am somewhat caught up at work right now. I have no idea how it happened (LOL) but I am really enjoying it. It is much less stressful. I am going to enjoy it while I have it because it isn't a usual situation.

I am thankful that my friend Mary Ellen had a job interview yesterday and has one tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed for her. She deserves our good wishes and a dash of good luck. Any employer would be lucky to have her.

I am thankful that my vacation is less than 30 days away. Sorry to mention that again, but I need a vacation and counting down is the only thing keeping me sane.

I am thankful that I have a husband who noticed that I sounded tired yesterday when I left him voicemail and called to check to make sure I was OK.

I am very very thankful that my co-worker found out that the lump she found was just fluid that formed after her breast cancer surgery. We were all scared for her as she had just finished her treatment a few short months ago.

What are you thankful for today?

Here's to appreciation of all of the good things in life.

Another (Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

Sara over at www.ordinaryandawesome.com hosts a gathering every Wednesday for all of the talented photographers in Bloggyland to showcase their pictures. Shhhh. Don't tell anyone but I tag along. They haven't figured out that I don't belong. Go over to her site and check out the really talented people and, please keep my secret!!

Today I am posting a photo that I didn't take but it is an old family photo of my grandmother. She was a very strong and elegant English lady who lived to her nineties. Her husband died very young and left her with 10 children to raise. With the help of the older boys, she did a wonderful job.

Here's to strong women!

Ch - Ch - Changes!

Today my son starts working for a real paycheck. His first day at his first job. Yikes, he is growing up.

In less than two weeks, he starts driver's ed. That means in less than a year, he will be getting his driver's license and driving away by himself. Yikes, he is growing up.

In less than two months, he starts his sophomore year in high school. He will be taking courses that I have no chance to be able to help him with. Yikes, he is growing up.

In three years, I will be sitting here in shock because he will be getting ready to go to college. Yikes, he is growing up.

What happened to that little boy who loved to snuggle and didn't want to go away to college because it meant sleeping somewhere else? Wasn't that just a month or two ago? What happened to the little boy who I had to strap into a car seat? Or the young lad who was so excited that he could finally sit in the front seat? That couldn't have been that long ago! I remember the little boy who was studying multiplication tables and talking about them during baseball games. Where is he now?

The next few years are going to be so exciting for my son - and an emotional rollercoaster for me. I can't wait to see where life takes him even though part of me still wants to hug him and whisper "don't grow up". Ahh, the life of a parent. I wouldn't change a thing.

Here's to changes.