A Month of Being Thankful "N" is for Nature

Nature, pure unadulterated nature, it clears my mind, frees my spirit and grounds me. Our family loves to be out in it, breath it in and enjoy it's smells and colors. Though I love nature and need it, I find it's something that I take for granted during the business of the week when I rushing from here to there racing the ever present clock.

These days with work and other responsibilities I find that I'm getting out in nature less than my body needs and I can feel it in my soul. My goal for myself for the rest of this year and next, to start building a pattern, is to get out in it again, revel in it, soak it up, get dirty, feed my spirit and feel it in my core. I feel so blessed to live in San Diego, a 10 minute run to the beach and a 1 hour drive to the mountains, it's time to get out and get going.

A Month of Being Thankful "M" is for Mia

There isn't a day or even a minute that goes by that I'm not thankful for having been blessed with Mia. Mia is the embodiment of love, joy, kindness, curiosity, adventure, and energy all rolled up into one exuberant little girl who has a verve for life like no other. She is a tom boy one day digging in the mud and a very girlie girl the next dressed in one of her many princess dresses. She is always asking questions and desires to know and learn all she can. Mia is a great big sister that thrives in teaching Wyatt how to do something. Mia is just Mia and we love her so much.

Now, don't get me wrong, we have our rough moments for sure, times when she hears you but doesn't move a muscle, times when she's just not going to budge when all you really want is an inch but the sweet moments wash all bad ones aside like a wave washes the beach clean everyday. There were footprints or anger there one moment and with one wave of water or emotion, they are gone and the moment is new again.

Mia is amazing in every sense of the word and Cary and I can't really remember life in such bright color before August 1, 2005.

I love you Mia!!

A Month of Being Thankful "L" is for Lollypop

There is just something magical about a lollypop. They are sweet, they last forever and they usually appear after you do something good. Wyatt and Mia love lollypops. The mere mention of one will make the books that have been pulled off the shelf get put back almost as quickly as they were pulled down. Wyatt got this cherry lollypop after being a champ getting his haircut.

Have you had a lollypop lately? If not, what are you waiting for?

Yummmmmmmm.

A Month of Being Thankful "K" is for Kindness

Nothing makes our home warmer than when our two darlings show kindness towards one another. It's pure, it's sweet and it melts my heart. Kids are honest and you know just where you stand with them every minute of the day. When Mia and Wyatt are being kind toward one another, towards their friends and to Cary and me, I have to pause and soak it up...it's those moments that remind me how truly blessed I am be able to share my life with them. The moments of true kindness make the rough moments that much more tolerable and remind me what kind of an example I need to be to them not just when I feel like being kind, but all the time.

A Month of Being Thankful "J" is for Jumping for Joy

My friend Melissa came to visit and we were being goofy (what's new?). Cary was taking pictures of us on one of her last days here and he said to do something fun...and we both jumped. Unplanned...natural. Jumping is a release of a lot of energy and it just feels good. Hard to explain why, but try it, it does. Everyday when I'm watching the kids be, well, kids, they are almost always running and jumping....it's a natural expression of joy. Jumping is how our bodies says "yes!!".

We should all be kids again, at least once in a while, and try it jumping.

A Month of Being Thankful "I" is for I Love You

"I love you" are 3 little words that make me smile. Last week Cary was away for a night on business and as I got into to bed after a long day I pulled the covers back to find an "I love you" note...unexpected. Oh I was so happy. What a perfect way to end my day.

I love when my kids say I love you...my heart melts....instantly. I can remember the 1st time I heard those 3 little words from each of them...so sweet and so pure.

Cary, Mia and Wyatt....I love you!!

A Month of Being Thankful "H" is for Health

When it comes to my health I find I take it for granted until the second I don't have it. When I'm healthy, which thankfully is most of the time, it's not top of mind. But, the second my throat starts to tickle or I get an ache somewhere it's all I can think about.

Now, when it comes to my kids, it's a completely different story. For Mia and Wyatt, I think of their health night and day, getting them their vaccines on time (when I heard the medical office had the H1N1 vaccine in stock I dropped everything and took them, sooooo thankful for that), taking them to their well-checks like clockwork, and when there is a child with a runny nose in the room I have to admit I do keep them a bit closer to me. We are so lucky in the US to have such a great healthcare system I am reminded of that very often because as a Mom of 2 young kiddos I unfortunately visit the doctor more than I care to admit.

I need to make a conscious effort to be thankful for my health daily. I'll start today!

A Month of Being Thankful "G" is for Good People

I am thankful for good people. Good people can really make your day. Every day there are people out in public doing good deeds, helping people out of the kindness of their hearts, many times without anything in return. Good people doing good things help make the world go around.

In my little world one day about 7 or so years ago, one good people really changed my day. Did you ever hear about the time I left my purse hanging on the hook in a bathroom stall in Japan - in Shabooya no less. I didn't realize it until about 30 minutes or an hour later when Cary and I were across the street shopping in a 7 story mall and I reached for my purse to get some Hello Kitty gum and it wasn't there. I instantly remembered what I did and in a panic I said "excuse me" over and over again in my best Japanese and rushed across the street straight to the bathroom stall where a line was now formed. When I finally made it to the stall door it wasn't hanging there anymore...ugh...my heart sank and I felt a cold sweat break out all over. I went to the cashier asking about it and in seconds she came back with my purse, all contents still inside and handed it over to me like it was no big deal. WOW. Good people!!

Good people are amazing and you feel the impact of their kindness instantly.

Thank you to all the good people out there. Keep up the good work, we thank you.

A Month of Being Thankful "F" is for Family & Friends

Disneyland August 10, 2009

Thanksgiving 2008

August 2009 - Grandma, Grandpa with Mia and Wyatt

I am thankful for my family, today and everyday. I've been blessed with 2 very loving, selfless and amazingly generous parents and 2 sets of grandparents that we still get to spend time with, an aunt and uncle who had 11 kids giving me 11 amazing cousins who I was able to spend many summers with. When I was away at UCSD I met Cary and 5 years after that day we got married in 1999. The day we were married my family grew quite a bit and I received 2 sister-in-laws, a brother-in-law and 2 parent-in-laws. Six years after getting married we welcomed Mia into our lives in 2005 and 2 years after that we had Wyatt in 2007. I feel so blessed to be surrounded by love daily.

My parents have taught me thorough example to be a patient parent to my kids, to listen to what they are telling me, to always react with kindness, to appreciate every moment as they pass by so quickly and to love no matter how angry a situation might make me feel.

Cary has taught me to express my creativity, always ask questions, to be open to ideas, to be compassionate, to take a chance and to embrace change. Cary is kind hearted in all situations and I love his honesty. He exercises his honesty even in situations when what he has to say isn't exactly what I want to hear and I love him for that.

Mia has taught me to dance even if everyone is watching, wear whatever makes me feel good (for those of you who know her, she has quite a flair for fashion :)) and to always ask "why?". Mis is a free spirit that will spin like a ballerina one second and jump off heights that make my toes tingle the next. She has no fear and has a passion to explore the unknown. She is a fiery Leo and we definitely have a lot in common. I love her view on the world and her insight even at 4.

Wyatt has taught me to hug always, be optimistic with all situations (he has this mastered...I'm still working on it) and to go with the flow (again...I'm working on that). He is the most patient, loving and kind-hearted human I know always ready to do what's needed of him. He is the embodiment of peace and love on earth. I love his utter curiosity and give-you-the-benefit-of-the-doubt disposition. I am excited for all I have to learn from him in the years to come.

It is my hope that I be the kind of parent to Mia and Wyatt that my parents were to me.

Now...."F" also starts another very important word in my getting by day-by-day....friends. I love my friends. I believe friends help build your personality, your experience and in some ways help shape how you see the world. Life is unpredictable filled with extreme ups, days where it's feels a bit like groundhog day, and at times extreme lows. Friends (and it goes without saying, family) are always there to pull you through or to celebrate depending on the situation. What would we do without that one friend who we can call at 3 in the morning and know they will be there for you, no matter what? I have friends like that and love them for there love.

Now, on to another F that is far less important but a fun indulgence on more occasions than likely necessary. Fro Yo (frozen yogurt). I live in Encinitas, CA and for those of you who haven't experienced Berry Happy on the 101, you must. Tell them Kim sent you :).

A Month of Being Thankful "E" is for Exercise

Oh how I love exercise. Talk about a great way to give your energy a jolt and feel fresh and alive. I love running, biking, walking, kicking the soccer ball, anything that gets the heart rate up. This year I became a Mad Dog certified Spin Instructor and have had the best time motivating people to keep going even when all they really want to do is stop their legs and take a long drink of water. I was raised to love sport and hope to pass that passion on to my kids. Maybe Cary and I subconsciously named our daughter Mia thinking it would make her a world class soccer star, who knows.

Today at lunch I was reminded of just how much I need to burn energy when the pressure of the day is getting to me. I went to the gym at work and the class I wanted to take was full and what a huge let down that was and it was amazing just how it impacted my next few minutes.

This weekend I need to get outside and play!! Join me!!

A Month of Being Thankful "D" is for Date Night

10 year anniversary date night photo during dinner

Oh how I love date night. It's a single night that renews the spirit and refreshes the oneness of Cary and Me. When we go too long without a date night we can feel it...the pressure of work, responsibilities and life in general start to weigh on us and shorten our fuses. On date night we can connect, actually have a conversation without the interruption of the kiddos and talk without constantly re-starting our sentence with "What were we talking about?" Don't get me wrong, our nights together as a family are so very precious and moments often happen that I hope I'll never forget, but a night out with just Cary, my best friend, is amazing.

Funny side note, I'm home alone with the kiddos as I write this and they've called me from writing this no less than 10 times. God bless them. I hope they never change.

A Month of Being Thankful "C" is for Cary

"C" is for Cary and for him I am very thankful. I am so lucky to have him in my life, to share my everyday with. Cary is the most gracious husband and a very loving father. I love watching him with Mia and Wyatt and I love to see them learn from him. He is patient, loving, caring, honest and funny. He makes us laugh daily. Cary is creative and I admire his free spirit. I can't imagine a day without him and pray never to. After 10 years together it feels like I still learn something new about him all the time. To him I am very thankful.

Now, there are other C's I'm thankful for like chocolate, cycling, church, and let's not forget coffee (especially on the day's my kids decide 5:45 is a good time to get up) but nothing holds a candle to Cary. I love you sweets!!

A Month of Being Thankful "B" is for the Beach"

Although we don't take advantage of it enough, we love living at the beach. Last Christmas we took our photo at the beach. We have so many fun memories of the beach. Mia's 3rd birthday celebration was at the beach. We've celebrated the majority of the last 10 4th of July gatherings at the beach. In college I used to run on the beach. Audrey loves to play at dog beach. The beach always brings a smile to my face...just not when I forget my sunscreen.

A Month of Being Thankful "A" is for Audrey

We've had Audrey in our lives for 81/2 years now and she's still the same playful dog that she was at 3 when this photo was taken. Audrey loves to run, fetch, play and a good belly rub. She's the most loyal friend you could ask for and she always happy to see you. She's the 1st person to greet you when you get home and the last to nuzzle her nose under your arm to say goodnight. She loves fun. Audrey is 100% love. Audrey is so gentle to Mia and Wyatt and wouldn't hurt a fly although she belts out a heart stopping bark in the night at the slightest sound, so she a great burglar alarm too (she's all bark, no bite, don't tell). We all love Audrey. Today, we are reminded how thankful we are that Audrey is in our lives.

A Month of Being Thankful

Tis the month for being thankful and as I think of all my blessings I realize just how thankful I am for my life and the people in it. Everyday I'll chose one thing I'm thankful for as I walk my way though the alphabet. Today I'm thankful for my dog, Audrey, our first baby.

Overheard In The Backseat

Yesterday we were on our way to the doctor to get the kids the Swine Flu immunization. Mia was pretty OK with the idea because she knows she always gets a treat after. Wyatt is just 2 now and knows that shot = poke = ouch...so he's wasn't quite as willing. What was overheard..."Wyatt, I'll go first so I can show you how to be brave". My heart melted and I gave Mia a big thank you. So, now both kids are pretty ready for where the car is headed. We arrive, I get them out of their car seats, we walk in to the office just to hear these words, "we're out". UGH! Back to the car with big hugs for being so brave and an extra special thanks to Mia for being such a BIG big sister.

I hope this trip plays out so nicely in 2 weeks :)

Goodnight Sugar, Goodnight Plum

At night after reading to Mia I say "Goodnight Sugarplum", I tuck her in and she drifts off to sleep. One night I just said "Goodnight Sugar" and she followed with "Goodnight Plum"....we laughed. That night inspired how we say goodnight now. Mia inspired the name of this blog. I hope this is a place that inspires laughter and ideas for you and your family.

Goodnight Plum.
Love,
mom