Giving Thanks

I wanted to write an awesome blog update, but I'm afraid I got nothin'!  But I am going to give it a go anyway, maybe it will come to me as I write.

I am working on some Christmas presents, but can't blog about those just yet.  Let's just say that I love to create, but I am not always certain that my recipients will love what I create.  Nonetheless, if you are a female member of my family and you are getting a Christmas present from me it will likely be homemade. 

If you are a male member of my family you are less likely to receive something homemade, but then again you are less likely to receive anything at all.  Men are hard to buy for.  And harder to make for.  Sorry.

I want to share at least one thing I made recently, so here are a couple of pictures of another sweatshirt I embellished.  Fun?  I think so.

These sweatshirts were $8 each on sale at Joanns, so I thought I would try embellishing them, and they would be so much more economical than buying the sweatshirts at Disney.  But will I have the self control to not buy one anyway?  We will see.  I will offer Jamie the choice of one of them ( I posted the other one here) and keep the other one for myself.

Lastly, but most importantly, I want to write about what I am most thankful for. Because it is the season for that.   Most of it is obvious I suppose, and hasn't really changed much from year to year, but I want to document it anyway, mostly to remind myself how good I have it when on occasion it may not feel that way.

My top 5 things to be thankful for in 2010:

1. My husband.  He is the most loving, caring, thoughtful, easy going, hard working, patient person I know.  And I am so lucky to have him.
2. Our 5 boys.  They have all grown into fine upstanding young men.  And they all continue to grow, and I love watching it all happen.
3. Our jobs.  I don't really love my job these days, but I am so lucky to have it.  My day job supports my other loves.  It allows me to create and give, and it allows me to vacation and spend more time with family.  All of my favorite things to do.
4. My Mom's health.  I am so thankful that they found the problem early and were able to take care of it and there were no complications.  After losing my father to pancreatic cancer, I know what can happen if things grow unnoticed inside of you.
5. Our simple life.  I have watched my sister and her family move multiple times this year, change jobs, change schools, drive over an hour each way to work, work 14 - 16 hour days, and I know that we have it really easy here.  Short commutes, 8 hour days, no traffic.  Life is good.

I am so incredibly blessed.