4 little hits of gratitude

in the spirit of thanksgiving i’ve been reading several blogs on gratitude (and anything with pumpkin).  most of the posts i've read speak to the benefits of gratitude and how to harness it for a better quality of life, improved happiness …blah, blah, blah.  while that's all well and good that’s not what i was looking for.  what i was looking for was something more… inspirational.  something that would shift my focus from the possibility of what things can / should be or what's missing in my life to what things are and what i have to be thankful for, which is a lot!  i was looking for a fresh perspective on gratitude.

when i got to this particular post i found that inspiration!  the author takes you on a journey through her somewhat messy and dated kitchen, yes a kitchen, wearing fresh ‘perspectacles’ and shares a unique lesson in gratitude.  her ability to see beauty and significance in the mundane is exactly what i needed.  it’s a fantastic reminder that we all have something to be thankful for this holiday. 

and with that here are my hits of gratitude; the things i’m enjoyng this season to keep me mindful of what i have that makes me happy and the days more meaningful. 

1.       working it out – believe it or not a good sweat sesh keeps me grounded and makes me appreciate my body and all that it can do.  it's the realization that I’m not marion jones (damn!) that has me loving what i am healthy enough to do and satisfied that it’s enough.

2.       getting together – our family and friends (and little Allie) mean the world to us.  spending time together has me appreciating a job with paid holidays and the ability to travel without much limitation. 

3.       leaving it at the door – for the past several weeks we have both been checking e-mail at night and bringing work home on the weekends; blurring the lines between work and home.  this month (and maybe all of January too) i’m leaving it at the office. 

4.       giving thanks for the simple things – having 4-wheel drive vehicles, listening to my music choice on the way to work, the keurig on my counter (mercy!  i can’t even imagine functioning without a cup of joe these days!), snuggling with my loves each morning, lighting a candle at night - these are the things that keep me sane day to day.  

happy thanksgiving!

all that chatter: 29

the other day i came across this hilarious list of things that are true by age 29 and was shocked by just how ridiculously accurate it was.   yes, it is socially acceptable to go to bed early (as in 10:30 is past my bedtime now).  and yes, a memory foam pillow purchase has been one of my best to date!

if you've past the 2-9 mark then you can relate and if you haven't well, open the link for more information on what's to come.  this is quite possibly the most relatable list i've ever read.

29 awesome things about being 29

this november i'm dating my husband

how is it we can live in such a connected world yet have so much distance? 

i've been asking myself that question since Cody and i started getting noticeably busier a few months back.  we’ve been going non-stop since last spring and to be honest it’s made us more mechanical.  we go through the motions just to get through the days and weeks, eager and excited about the next ‘big thing’ while making a conscious effort to enjoy the moment.  sure, we don’t have kids but, all of that concentration and planning, our work demands, the chores, errands, and life in general have led us to many nights of plugging in and tuning out any moment we get the chance.  that chance is usually in the evening, which used to be ‘our time.’  

this month though i decided enough was enough and made a plan to ‘date’ my husband.  while I won’t go as far as to demand a complete disconnect at night i’m planning ‘dates’ that will help us to reconnect and tune back into our relationship without making it a chore.  we have so much going on that sometimes it’s easier to be at home with the other and just ‘be’ but, in order to be stronger and better we have to go out of our comfort zone.  we have to challenge ourselves to have more conversations, to be more engaged in each other’s lives, and to share experiences that will continue to keep us close.   

we’ve already gone on a few ‘dates’ and i’ve definitely noticed a difference!  we’re talking more, being more playful, and solving new problems.  we’re developing our own sense of resiliency. we flirt, touch, and love up on each other constantly these days.  i continue to learn about how complex a creature my husband is; he’s just so fascinating!  and through our experiences i appreciate his candor, humor, and wittiness more now than i did when i met him.   i don’t think you should ever stop dating your spouse.  i’d be missing out on so much if i did!

so now I challenge you to do the same – date your spouse!  connect, reconnect, explore, experience, and challenge each other – see where it takes you. 

for ideas here’s our 'date' list:

go for a hike

work on a home improvement project (or two)

attend a local football game

do a photo shoot

workout together / run a race

try a new recipe

enjoy a candlelit dinner at home

vote together (yep! turned that into a date!)

visit the library and enjoy a hot beverage

cuddle up on the couch and watch a movie

go to a late movie