Thankful Heart Thursday {3} :: Laughter and Ladybugs #tht

Thankful Heart Thursday is upon us again, and today I have been thinking a lot about my daughter. I worked all day, and then had a meeting this evening, so I only had an hour to play with her today. Therefore she was on my mind much more than normal (is that even possible?).

I'm so thankful to have a healthy and happy child. She laughs and sings and dances and tippy-toes. She loves her animals, hugs trees (literally), and kisses her family. She plays in dirt and water (sometimes at the same time), and climbs on everything, and picks tomatoes from the vine, and spanks me cause she sees me spank daddy playfully and thinks it's hilarious (oops!). Her sense of humor is mind boggling - she laughs at things that are funny, and she's not even two! This may be normal, but it absolutely floors me that she is so intuitive at this age.

I am thankful that my child is intelligent and curious. She can count to ten (but she usually skips 4 and repeats 8 and 9 twice), she knows her colors (red through purple, plus pink), she has a huge vocabulary, and she understands everything we ask of her (even if half the time her terrible two answer is NO!). I just feel so blessed to have an intelligent child who is interested in reading and playing make believe (what an imagination she has!) and is so interactive. She held her first ladybug today (she was wary of them until this morning).

Speaking of that ladybug, I am thankful that we found a beautiful bell pepper with 5 ladybugs in their little "cocoons" (pupae) at the Farmer's Market last weekend, and we were able to watch them hatch in our home this week. One hatched yesterday morning, the others this morning. Lily was fascinated, and wanted one on her hand. It was fantastic. I'm so happy that she is so brave.

What are you thankful for today?

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Thankful Heart Thursday {2} :: Autumn #tht

Time to slow down and take a few minutes to count my blessings. Today has been a whirlwind, so it's nice to have this weekly "deadline" of recording the things that make me thankful...

My office decided yesterday that they wanted to order pizza for lunch today (I love when they plan ahead). That meant I didn't have to pack myself a lunch this morning and had a few extra minutes to tickle Lily. It's the little things.

Fall/Autumn is in the air! As much as I love Summer, I'm totally ready for harvest festivals, cool days and sweaters, bike rides on cool afternoons, falling leaves and pumpkin spice everything - lattes, bagels, bread, cupcakes, oh my! Bring it! I have several harvest events on my calendar, and I hope to go to every one because I want Lily to really feel as connected as I do to the feeling of seasons and what makes them special. For me, harvest time is about working hard to prepare for winter and celebrating the bounty of the harvest and the last moments of mild weather, then tucking in and winding down for the long cold season full of indoor crafting and hot cocoa {and AWESOME seasonal beers!} and holidays. Fall is exciting and exhilarating, and I just love it.

I have a lunch date scheduled with a very dear friend tomorrow. This crazy life we lead keeps us from hooking up for girl time as much as we'd like, but I'm thankful for the times I do get to meet up with her because we are brain-twins and it's just so easy and effortless to be with her. We totally think on the same wavelength.  Our hubbies joke that we share a brain (and we don't argue!).

On that note, I am VERY thankful to have so many friendships that are solid regardless of how long it has been between phone calls or visits - when we eventually see each other, it's like no time has passed at all. Those are the friendships worth keeping, and I cherish them with all of my heart.

Cheers!


*linking to Thankful Heart Thursday on The SIMPLE Moms*

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Thankful Heart Thursday {1} #tht

I write for a blog called SIMPLE, and today is the inaugural day of a new project called Thankful Heart Thursday.  I like the idea of taking a few moments to really focus on what I am thankful for each week, so I am looking forward to taking on the challenge of remembering to do this every week!

I am thankful that Lily didn't break her nose when she hit her face on the couch arm last night - she sure does have a bruise though.  That child is a little daredevil, and my hubby has taken to calling her The Honey Badger because she's so tough!  She takes falls, bumps and bruises in stride and doesn't let them stop her!

This morning I am VERY thankful for coffee.  I don't think that my writing would be coherent without caffeine today.

I am thankful that we had such a great summer, and I'm looking forward to fall!

I am thankful for my health and the health of my family.  I have a dear friend whose mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer recently, and her father died of pancreatic cancer when we were in high school... I have been talking with her a lot about it, and I just pray for her sanity and serenity every day.

I am thankful that I have grapes in my lunch today.  Red ones.  I love red grapes.  Especially when they come in a bottle.  But not at work, obviously.

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