I AM THANKFUL!

I am thankful! 

I am thankful for:

pay at the pump gas stations

cars with butt warmers and great heaters and air conditioning - can you imagine being a pioneer?!

stadium theatre seating at the movies

movie theatre popcorn

gorgeous tropical islands (where I wish I were right now)

my swimming pool

paper clips

chinese food (americanized, of course)

incandescent light bulbs - I don't want to have to switch to flourescent

microwaves

hot showers and baths (I take about 2 baths a year - but I do love them)

computers and blogs

books - I love to read... LOVE to read!

Plain White T's - a newish band I decided I like

other great music

no snow on the ground - SO thankful!

Christmas lights - they should be mandatory from Nov to March because they take the gloom and make it bloom!

hair dryers

California in the winter

the ocean - anytime

But mostly I am thankful for my life and health.  I am thankful for my boys - they give meaning to my life. I am thankful for the gospel and my Savior, and the Plan of Salvation.  I am thankful for my family, for my dad and my mom, and brother and sisters.  I am thankful for my healthy body and mind and that my children are healthy - in mind, body, and spirit.  I am thankful for my little dog, she is a joy. I am thankful for the lessons I have learned.  I am thankful to be an American, and I am thankful for those who sacrifice to keep our country's ideals.  I am thankful for all those who came before me and paved the way.  I am thankful for the very nice roof over my head, a closet full of clothes, a pantry and fridge full of food, and heat and shelter.  My needs are met, and for that I am thankful.  I am truly blessed, and I am thankful for my multitudes of blessings.

I am thankful!

Someday...

This is One Foot Island, Aitutaki, in the Cook Islands. 

I want to go here.  I want to lie on the beach and read and feel the hot sand between my toes and listen to the waves lap at the shore.  I want to walk on the sand, right where it can't make up it's mind whether to be hard or soft, because of the incoming waves.  I want to stand in one place and feel my feet sink slowly deeper and deeper as the out going water gently carries away the sand beneath my soles.

I need this.  Really, it is a need.  Not a want.  I need this time to be rejuvinated.  I need the healing warmth, the sounds that soothe and the calm that comes through staring out at clear blue water as it touches a deep blue sky.  The ocean is healing to me.  Sand is my physician. 

For over ten years I haven't been whole, and now, I am moving out of that time and space.  But I am not yet healed.  I may never be healed, but I can improve.  If I could do any one thing for myself, it would be to take a tropical vacation, and just breathe. 

Just be. 

Maybe someday...

Ugly Shoes

I need help.  I want to be fashionable, really, I do.  But I have always valued comfort over fashion, and most of the time I can manage to get both in the same item.  But I'm telling you, I really am struggling with the shoe thing.  Classic black shoes - that don't pinch, aren't too high heeled, and aren't matronly seem to be in short supply.  I really need some cute black shoes that are super comfortable, and I just can't seem to find any unless I want to spend $80 or more.   Which would be fine, except with getting laid off and divorced and everything else, I'm more in the $30 or less budget.

Now when I say they need to be comfortable, I am so serious!  I will wear them all the time in the winter.  I will wear them at Conventions when I am doing a Scentsy booth, and I will be standing for up to 12 hours at a time, often on concrete.  These shoes need to be mega comforatable!

I have some that fit the comfort requirement, but they are old.  And they are freakin' ugly.  FUGLY!  At one time they were cute, not any more.  I have tried black marker and shoe polish, but neither are effective weapons against the extreme fugliness of these shoes. 

Diane over at "Little Bits Of Nothing" is doing a fugly shoe contest, and I'm pretty sure I can win it, except for the fact that the day I took these pictures I wasn't too bloated so my ankles don't look as bad as they might otherwise (I think that would boost the fugliness factor of the shoes if I had big bloated cankles).  But they can probably win the fugly contest in their own right, see what I mean?

They do nothing for me.  They make me look old and frumpy.  Please help me find new cute shoes.  Please?!  I wear a size 9.5.  Remember, they must be comfortable!

So post your suggestions, stores and costs and when I get a chance I will go shopping for some new cute black shoes.

A Wild Witches Night Out

I took the idea from Emily, and decided to have a witches party.  It was a lot of fun. 

Pulling from my last post about giving people the benefit of the doubt, that if you ask them, they will say yes, I invited a bunch of my favorite people.  Probably the hardest part was knowing how many to invite and who to leave off the invite list.  That was hard.  When you want to include everyone, but you don't want a super huge party, it is hard to narrow the list down.  If I didn't invite you, and you are reading this... I am sorry.  I am going to have another party soon though. 

I've decided it is critical that I have parties.  Otherwise my house will never be clean.  I was super bummed though that I really did an amazing cleaning job in the bathroom - and not a single one of my guests even used it!  What!?  I guess that's what happens when you serve hot cider - people just don't drink a lot of it.

Here are some fun pictures of the party.

My little green witch, and orange and black jelly beans. 

Cindy, Carole, Miriam, and Cameo

Deviled Egg Eyeballs... ick.

Same crew, + Pam

Pam, Mary, Me, Carole, Cameo, Cindy, and Miriam

Me, Miriam, Cindy, and Cameo wearing our witchy tights and shoes.

The ever elegant Miriam.

Tentacled Carmel Corn... yum, yum.

Want a witchy kiss?

I think my next party will be a "Cabin Fever" party.  I will do it when we are having a miserable inversion and need some joy in our lives.  I will light the house up like mid-day in Mazatlan, and play island music and eat tropical food.  I am excited.  I know my house will get clean at least once more this winter.  yay!