Saved by Silence

I remember moaning when Mom wanted to turn the radio off in the car when she was taxiing me from one place to another.  Now, I'm the mom.  And sometimes I turn the radio off.  Sometimes I leave the television off.  Sometimes I go in my room, shut my door and pray that my kids will give me time to rest in silence, since I can't turn them off.  It's good for all of us.  I promise you that. 

What Makes Me Awesome

So, there I was innocently minding my own business on facebook.  When suddenly Smrt Mama posted all sorts of things that I found interesting and possibly even important.  In the midst of all the things she shared was something she put on her blog back in November.  It was an exercise in realizing how incredible you are.  I didn't do it then.  I was busy, tired, had all sorts of excuses.  But today I decided I'd take a crack at it.  What about you?  Are you ready to see how awesome you are?

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 30

 

Today is the last official day of 30 Days of Thankfulness.  That doesn't mean that you or I have to stop being thankful.  So keep at it.  The next few weeks are often a combination of excitement and stress for many people.  Try to find the time to be thankful for what you have and even what you don't.  Chances are good that if you look around you, you probably have more than you need.  I know I do.

 

In fact, that's what I'm thankful for today...that we have all we need, more than we really need.  I hope I can keep sight of that during the holiday season when the kids are attracted to bigger and better toys everywhere they turn.  I'm sure they're a few years from recognizing that they've got a good life...so I'll try to keep it fresh in my mind for them!

 

Jace is thankful for himself.

 

Gracie is thankful for M&M's.

 

Tyler's thankful for me. 

 

I have to say I agree with all of their thankful things too!  And here's a quick list of all the other things I've been thankful for this month.  If you're counting I missed one day!  I was at the movies with friends that night...and I'm thankful for that time away.

-Scott

-cuddly kids

-nature

-beautiful fall weather

-being a supportive wife

-mindless TV

-old and new friends

-relaxing days with no commitments

-Internet

-massages, and other soothing and relaxing things

-laughter

-the military

-weekends

-chocolate

-my sisters

-blankets

-possibilities

-silence

-Scott spending a night in bed next to me

-libraries

-potato chips and ice cream

-Costco

-well-behaved kids

-extended family

-the chance to homeschool

-inspiration

-faith

 

Thanks for tagging along. 

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 29

 

 

Jace is thankful for Kick Buttowski, a favorite cartoon where the main character is a dare devil, currently one of Jace's possible career paths.

 

Gracie is thankful for things that make us healthy, like chewy vitamins.

 

Tyler is thankful for me...I think it's a game now.  He's not thankful for Dada, only Mama (giggles).

 

I'm thankful for faith...with all it's assurances, questions, uncertainty, love...especially the love.

 

 

30 Days of Thankfulness - Days 27 and 28

 

It's definitely not that I wasn't thankful yesterday, that's why I didn't post.  In fact I was very thankful...I got a night out with a few friends.  We went to the movies and out for snacks and chit chat after.  It was a great couple of kid-free hours.  I was out having fun during my normal blogging hours and that's why I didn't post yesterday. 

 

Today I'm back home and we had a nice family dinner.   We lit our advent candle for the day and talked about hope (which is rather tricky to explain to kids) and what we're thankful for. 

 

Jace is thankful for Dada, who takes him hiking, and his new sour gummy vitamins.

 

Gracie is thankful for food, so we can live, and candles and fire, so we can have light and stay warm when there's no electricity.

 

Tyler is thankful for me, Jace and Gracie.  However, he did stick his tongue out at Jace and blow a raspberry at him across the table after saying he was thankful for him.  Brotherly love, I guess!

 

I'm thankful for inspiration and the ability to see it every now and then.  I'm sure I've missed quite a bit through the years, but I try to recognize intangible gifts and be thankful for them when I do notice.

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 26

 

You might be wondering the same thing as the kids..."Thanksgiving is over, why do we still have to be thankful?"  The easy answer is that we're participating in 30 days of thankfulness and we're only on day 26.  The longer answer is that it's nice to be thankful.  Wouldn't it be nice to think of something you're blessed with each and every day?  The kids didn't think so.  And, after a few more days, I'll stop posting my daily thanks on here.  But I do think it's nice to remind myself of all the things in my that are great and good in my life.  I might continue that privately and let you in on a few of the good ones!

 

 

But for today...

 

Tyler is thankful for water.  Gracie is thankful for babies (real ones and dolls).  Jace is thankful for sparkling cider.  I gotta say that I'm pretty thankful for all three too! 

 

Officially, though, I'm going to say that I'm thankful for the chance to homeschool.  Gebel Family Homeschool is great for our family...weird, huh?  LOL  It's like it's made to fit! 

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 25

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

 

Jace is thankful for the Mythbusters marathon on TV today. 

 

Gracie and Tyler are both thankful for her toy phone, which, as you may imagine, means a little arguing.  I don't know why, though...there are at least two other toy phones roaming around.  Kids will be kids!

 

Scott is thankful for Thanksgiving.  And I agree.  I'm also thankful for my extended family.  As a traditionally family oriented holiday, it's appropriate to think about parents, grandparents, siblings, nieces and nephews, aunt and uncles, cousins...the whole lot of 'em!  And of course, I miss them all.  For those reading that aren't relatives of mine or didn't already know, we're a military family and don't live near extended family.  We talk to them on occasion, email, facebook and send letters.  But we miss them too.  Love you guys!  I'm also thankful for the family that isn't with me any longer.  My grandparents were special people, as evidenced by the special people they left behind when they passed. 

 

So, to Thanksgiving and family, Mythbusters and toy phones...today I'll raise a glass of sparkling apple cider and say a little prayer of thanks. 

30 Days of Thankfulness - Days 22, 23, and 24

You might have thought I stopped being thankful, but that's not the case.  I've just been in the dark!  We had snow on Monday, which we were all thankful for!  The kids had a great time!  (Gracie was not, however, thankful that gymnastics got cancelled because of the weather.  On Tuesday, when karate was cancelled, Jace was not thankful for that either.)  Monday afternoon and night we got a lot, as in a lot of wind.  That knocked our electric out, along with several thousands of others in the county. 

 

We were out of power for 36 hours!  During that time, the kids and I were thankful for the snow, flash lights, natural gas (fire place and stove), and board games!  We really had a fine time.  But we were all thankful when the lights worked this morning!  Well, the kids cared less about the lights than the television, but they're thankful anyway.  I wanted to go one step further.  I noticed when the lights came on.  I was sleeping, mind you, but in the living room and heard a click that woke me.  I looked up and the cable box was just booting up (or whatever cable boxes do).  It was 5:36 am.  I am rarely awake at this time of day.  But I said a little thank you to those who must have been working through the night to give power back to those of us who'd had it knocked out.  With temps in the teens last night...thank you!

 

Today I'm thankful for my kids.  Not only have they been pretty good over the past few days, but they were really good today too, which we spent at a car dealership, the mall, and the grocery store.  It was a really long day, but we had fun with it and were glad to cuddle up in front of the Dukes tonight!  Now, if only we could get Dada home...

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 21

 

Jace has no idea what he's thankful for tonight.  He's being a grump because we're watching the Radio City Christmas Spectacular on televsion and he's not impressed by the cute outfits and incredible dancing.

 

Tyler is thankful for me!  I love that he says that practically every night!  Earlier we watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and he was walking around singing, "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, I love you!"  So adorable!

 

Knowing what we're watching on TV, you might not be surprised that Gracie is thankful for dancing!

 

I'm thankful for Costco...it's a great place to waste an hour on the weekends!  Samples galore, toys to see, and a little shopping too! 

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 20

 

Jace and Tyler are both thankful for ice cream, particularly peanut butter cup with cookie dough!

 

Gracie is thankful for fanciness!

 

Scott is not thankful for anything.  I don't think this is true...but I won't push it.  I think, at the very least, he's thankful for ice cream too!

 

I'm thankful for cookies dough wrapped in chocolate, BBQ Ruffles chips, and ice cream...we took today off from eating well!  YUM!

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 19

 

Jace  "I'm thankful for myself today."

Me   "Really?  You're going with that?"

Jace  "OK.  And, my sidekick over there."

Me   "Tyler?"

Jace  "Yup, him."

Me    "And, why, may I ask, are you so thankful for yourself?"

Jace   "Because I'm going to be a famous stunt biker!"

 

Gracie - thankful for almond milk and Jace, "Because I love him!"

 

Tyler - thankful for Mama and Buzz Light again

 

Me - I'm thankful for libraries, and all that they offer.

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 18

Jace - his motion detector

Gracie - her sparkly shoes

Tyler - his rawr light (a tiger flashlight)

Scott - for the prospect of sleeping in his own bed, in the dark, at night, next to me...

Me - "What Scott said!"

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 17

I completely forgot to ask everyone what they're thankful for today.  I was just playing on facebook and saw a friend's status, where she said what she's thankful for.  So, you only get my thankfulness tonight.  And I'm thankful for silence.  There doesn't seem to be enough of it around sometimes.  And lately my thoughts have been quite active as well...which means there's not even silence in my head.  But when I do get it, I appreciate it more the older I get.  I think I understand why mom used to turn off the radio in the van sometimes.  

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 16

Over half way through the month.  Just over a week from Thanksgiving.  Time sure flies...

Jace is thankful for Top Truck Challenge, which I'm going to assume is the show on TV right now...some 4 wheeler review show.

Gracie is thankful for nail polish.

Tyler - "I'm thankful for...um...YOU!" 

Scott - patience.

Me - I'm thankful for possibilities.

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 15

Jace - books.  After all, he did tell me that reading is his job.  And, it turns out that he likes Little House on the Prairie.  That's the first book I've picked out for him that he's enjoyed!  (Can I get a little "woo hoo?")

Gracie - the computer. 

Tyler - cars.

Scott - his new memory foam mattress on his rack on the sub...he got five whole hours of sleep last night!  "And, actually," he says, "They (the people he works with who can't seem to do their jobs right) should be thankful.  If I'd woken up this morning grumpy, it would not have been pretty."

Annie - blankets.  I like feeling warm and it's getting a little cooler outside these days.  We're lucky enough to not only have heat and money to pay to use it, but blankets to cuddle in.

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 14

Gracie is thankful for cartoons today. 

Jace is thankful for Dukes of Hazzard.

Tyler is thankful for Buzz Lightyear, again.  I asked him if there was anything different he might be thankful for.  He said, "Hmmm...no.  Thankful Buzz Light." 

Scott didn't say what he was thankful for before leaving for work...but I'm sure it wasn't going into work.  Hopefully he's thankful for the time he got to relax at home this weekend. 

I'm thankful for my sisters. 

Jody, getting her 1st tattoo, corrupted by her younger siblings!

Mary and Lu, chilling at Jace's birthday party

I could write pages about what incredible sisters they are, but I'll try to keep it short and sweet.  It should be noted that we're three different generations.  Our ages span 15 years.   We're all mothers now, married and living our lives with the strength modeled by our parents.  We all have a little of Mom in us and a little of Dad.  We probably also have a little of each other...and I think our influence on each other will only grow as we do.  Not only are Mary and Jody sisters and friends, but they are inspirations to me.  I love them dearly.  And, for them, I am thankful.

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 13

 

Jace is thankful for the movie "Beer For My Horses," that we watched before, during, and after dinner tonight.  I know, quality TV for their still forming minds.

 

Gracie is thankful for hot dogs and hamburgers.

 

Tyler, like his sister but with his own twist, is thankful for cheesburgers and ketchup.

 

Scott is thankful for having a watch that tells him what day of the week it is.

 

And I am thankful for chocolate.  It really does make me happy. 

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 12

 

Tonight I remembered to ask the kids what they're thankful for.  Here's our list...

 

Gracie insisted on having two things, to make up for yesterday.  They are cheese and clothes, pretty clothes.

 

Jace - "Sandwiches.  That gave me the idea to make sausage and pancakes sandwiches.  They were good!"  That's what we had for dinner last night.  They were good!

 

Tyler - books

 

Me - I'm thankful for plumbers, and other skilled workers, who work hard to take care of the things we can't or don't want to.  I'm especially thankful when they're efficient and don't cost an arm and a leg!

 

I'm also thankful for the weekend.  Scott's worked some insane hours this week and I'm looking forward to having him home a little.  So are the kids.  They cheered when I said he should be around, and awake, on Sunday.  I can't ask him what he's thankful for today because he's at work still, going on 21 hours!  I hope he got a nap. 

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 10

 

 

So, I figured out what happened with my titles...I labeled two at day #7.  Whew!  Glad that's all taken care of.

 

On to today's thankful thoughts....

 

After Tyler asked if Dukes of Hazzard was on yet, Scott decided that today he's thankful that the children have such love for one of his childhood favorites. 

 

I'm thankful for laughter today.  There's nothing quite like a child's joy and I'm lucky enough to have it all around me.  Their laughter is contagious and makes me smile and giggle and belly-laugh too! 

 

Jace - thankful that he's a dork!  Me too, they're kind of endearing, don't you think? 

 

Tyler - Buzz Lightyear, again...maybe I'll have to rethink what we were going to get him for Christmas! 

 

Gracie - colors! 

 

 

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 9

 

Did I miss a day?  I thought I'd been pretty on top of things, but I just realized it's the 9th and I only have 7 Thankful posts...hmmm.  Oh well.  We're going to call this one day 9 and tell you what we're thankful for today.

 

Jace and Tyler are both thankful for fish sticks.  Yes, I asked during dinner.

 

Gracie is thankful for Dada.  She popped out with that earlier today, when we weren't even talking about Dada or being thankful.  Brought tears to my eyes. 

 

Dada says he's not thankful for anything.  Jace even offered a suggestion.  "Work?"  His response was clear, "No."  I softened it a little, saying he's probably thankful for work, just not this week. 

 

I'm thankful for things that soothe and relax.  I got a massage today.  I feel a little guilty that I got a massage while Scott was home with the kids after being at work for almost 24 hours.  He did not say anything about being left with the monkeys.  Good man (or just too tired to carry on a conversation).