It's A Wrap!

Today is my last day of Thanksgiving. Blogging my daily thanksgiving anyways. And I want to end it by saying I'm thankful for YOU! Some of you I've known since birth. Some of you I've known as an adult. Some of you I may not have met in person yet. But I'm thankful for each and every one of you. You've offered support in every way possible- physically, spiritually, financially, mentally. You've made me laugh, held me when I've cried, listened when I've vented. There have been times when I couldn't have gottten through the day without you. No matter what part you've played in my journey of life, I thank you. You've been important to me and I'll be eternally grateful for that!

Diaper Rash Cream

On my second to last day of sharing my thankfulness with you kind folks, I am thankful for diaper rash cream. P got his first taste-literally and figuratively-of undiluted apple juice yesterday. Oh wow is all I have to say! Now I understand why our pediatrician has told us not to give him straight apple juice. The poor boy's butt is raw and I've lost my sense of smell due to all the poopy diapers in the past 24 hours. I finally lathered him up with Happy Tails Diaper Rash Cream and let him run around half naked for awhile this afternoon in hopes of it helping. Luckily he hasn't had a poopy diaper for a couple hours so I'm hoping that'll help his diaper rash go away faster. It's got to be painful because I cringe just looking at it. So, if you have not learned anything else from my 2 years of blogging, you have now learned that it is NOT good to give a baby/toddler undiluted apple juice! IF you're not a fast learner let me know and I'll email ya pictures so you'll have a visual to help you remember. :)

Magic Tree

Today was a grumpy day for me so our Christmas tree put me in a better mood. Today I'm thankful for fresh cut Christmas trees. After living up in the mountains and being surrounded by various pine trees, I figured I'd be tired of them. But there's something magical about the smell of a Christmas tree, something magical about the ornaments and lights. It makes Christmas that much more real to me.
My plan was to get a small tree for various reasons. But, after going to 5 lots, I chose one that was about 5 feet tall. It was still small enough to only need one strand of lights. It's still small enough that it fits snugly in a corner, making it less of a temptation for P and Ruby. In fact, after P touched the lights once and grabbed the basketball ornament, proudly saying, "Baaa" he hasn't acknowledged the tree. That didn't stop me from putting most of the ornaments up high because you never know. But so far, so good!
Other than a couple more gifts coming in the mail and a couple more gifts that I need to go buy, the Herringtons are officially ready for Christmas. Tis the season!

People

Saturdays I'm always thankful for my People magazine that comes in the mail. When I had P, instead of sending flowers, my inlaws got me a subscription to People magazine. I've enjoyed it so much that they renewed my subscription this Summer when they were here. Every Saturday I beat Rob to the mailbox to get the mail. If I don't, he hides my People magazine and makes me try to find it. He thinks it's fun. I think it's frustrating. But, either way, I get my magazine and count down til P's bed time. Once he goes to bed, I run a hot bath and read the magazine cover to cover. It's my weekly "ME" time that I look forward to. Today I'm thankful for my weekly People magazine that gives me my ME time.

A Great Week

I feel like my days of blogging thanks should be over since Thanksgiving is over, but the month isn't done. So I will continue blogging my daily thankfulness until the end of November, as promised. Today I'm thankful for this week. After having Rob gone for 4 months, it's been REALLY nice having us together as a family this week. I've enjoyed having Rob around to help, lots of laughter together, memories and quality family time. Today we woke up early, hit some Black Friday sales, had breakfast with my parents, did things around the house and napped. We just got done having pizza and are getting ready to watch the UNR football game. This week has reminded me of what marriage is supposed to be like...a partnership with fun family time.

THANKSGIVING

well, another thanksgiving has come and gone. i fried a thunder chicken and jen made all the wonderful sides. thankfully she substituted yams for mashed potatoes to offset the dirty rice, buttered rolls, and fried turkey! ha! bob and glenda came over the hill to join us here at the house for turkey day. it meant alot to me for them to come here cause it allowed me to earn vacation time by being on pager. its always hard to be away from my folks, the holidays are that much harder. im very thankful for the in-laws cause they are the only family i got out here. preston was spoiled with love as always by bob bob and grandma and jen and i enjoyed watching him make everyone laugh. after dinner we sat around and watched football and took a nap or 2. this morning we all went to cabelas and breakfast and then saw bob and glenda back to sacramento. i know its tough for them to be away from her just as it is for me and my family. thankfully we will be doing Christmas with them at their place in just a couple more weeks! hope everyone had a great thanksgiving and has a wonderful holiday season!

Count Our Blessings

Today I'm thankful for EVERYTHING.......... good health, family, friends, a loving husband, the best toddler (who is healthy- PTL!), financial stability, snow, a warm house, two crazy dogs, good running SUVs/trucks, People Magazine, memories, lots of great food, nap time.....

Fun Education

This evening, after a long day of fun, I'm thankful for my students and the learning that takes place in the classroom. This month we've really focused on Native Americans and Pilgrims, how life used to be. Today we had a culminating luncheon celebrating community. Some students made Native American head pieces to wear while others wore Pilgrim hats. The students made butter by hand and loved shaking the cream in baby food jars, seeing the transformation. They enjoyed doing "Pennsylvania Dutch Art" and asked if they could do that instead of playing in the snow! At the end of the day I was cleaning the room and was going to throw out 3 pieces of chart paper that had all the info we've been learning. A few students asked if they could have the papers instead of throwing them away. I asked how many students wanted one of the pieces of chart paper and all but 2 students raised their hands. We did a "Guess My Number" to "auction" them off. The 3 students were so happy to get the papers and the others groaned their disappointment. I love that the students enjoy learning so much! They are sponges and take it all in. To me, that's the greatest joy of teaching!

Helpful Hubby

Today I'm very thankful that Rob is home. I'm thankful to have him around to talk to and to cuddle with as I fall asleep at night. He has been so incredibly helpful the past couple days, today especially! It started this morning when Rob helped me and P get out the door on time. It was snowing pretty good so I knew the commute would take longer than usual. As I was trying to leave I got stuck in the driveway. Rob came out and helped me get free. Then he traded vehicles later in the day so he could get P from daycare. I was able to get some errands run instead of going straight from school to get the lil guy. After we all went to dinner and got home Rob helped by doing some things around the house and then giving P a bath so I could get some school stuff done. It's been nice having the extra set of hands!

mule deer hunt

this year i was fortunate enough to draw a late archery mule deer tag for area 10, which is the ruby mountains. its a really great tag to have cause thats where the muleys migrate to and its home to the largest mule deer herd in nevada. its also great cause its during the rut and the big boys are really on the prowl looking for love. my hunt started on wednesday, november 10th. i set out for lamoille canyon where i had scouted the week before and found some nice bucks. the big one was there! he is about 33 or 34 inches wide, really heavy, tall, and would score close to 200"! well, the wind wasnt in my favor that day so i started after another buck. this really nice 4x3 came out and i shot. i must have just given him a haircut cause he ran off unharmed. i misjudged the distance so that one was on me. the next day i got 30 yards from the giant buck, also referred to as the "houdini buck". however right before he came out where i could get a shot, the wind swirled and he was gone. it was pretty disappointing since i had been stalking him for 5 hours. the next day went about the same. however, sunday i got really close! i made a 3 1/2 hour climb up the mountain and came down on the houdini buck in some aspens. he started up the hill towards me and it was a sight to behold. his horns were so big he kept getting them hung up on the trees as he walked. anyway, he came 42 yards from me and i was at full draw. however, there were too many willows in the way for a clean shot. its a big responsability to take an animals life and as any hunter knows, a clean, quick, ethical kill is the only way. he deserved better than to get wounded so i let him walk. believe me, my heart sank. it was back to work the next week. finally saturday came and the hunt for the houdini buck continued. however, he was gone! hence the name, houdini buck! so, we spent the rest of the day looking for other bucks in ruby valley. i tried to put a stalk on a nice 4x4 but the wind was swirling so i decided to back out and not spook him. sunday morning i awoke to a blizzard. i told my buddy i was going to use the cover of the storm to get into the trees where i saw the buck the night before and when the storm lifted id be there ready to hunt. so, i started up the hill. it was 16 to 18 degrees, 60 mph winds, blinding snow, and 50 ft visability. i had ice in my beard and eye brows! i made it to the first batch of aspens and decided i would sit against a willow tree and wait till the storm lifted some, cause i could no longer see. i hadnt sat down 5 minutes when i saw deer behind me, like 10 yards away. i grabbed my bow and as i was doing so i could see a good rack. the deer saw me and didnt know what i was so he started grunting and ran towards me. when he stopped, he was 3 yards from me! i was at full draw then and squeezed it off. i made a bad shot but it proved to be fatal. it was a success! he isnt a big buck by any means, but with the weather conditions i faced, the hours spent hiking the mountains, and time invested, i am proud of him. i love my whitetails, but the physical challenge of hunting western mule deer with archery tackle is something i always want to do. ill never forget my first muley. the end!

It's Back!

Today I'm super thankful to have my camera back! Rob had it on his hunt (Stay tuned for his blog about that) and I felt lost without it. I used my phone to take some pictures but it just wasn't the same. P and the dogs are always doing something cute (That is when Ruby decides to stick around the house and Holly isn't too grumpy). This afternoon, in between running a bazillion errands and cleaning the house, I was able to get a few memorable moments on film. P truly loves "his" dogs and Ruby loves him (Holly's not 100% sure of him). P and Ruby are the destructive duo most of the times but they have fun. And I love when I can capture it all on film.

Friends as Family

Growing up, my brother and I did not have family close by. But we weren't short on love by any means. We grew up in a small church full of elders that wanted to "adopt" us, which I am so thankful for. I remember Grandma Clara and Grandpa Bob, Uncle Roy and Aunt Francis, and Nana Thelma all making a special place in their hearts for us. My brother and I would go to their homes and all I really remember about our visits is that none of the homes had a lot of knick knacks and they were all dark inside. But, all of them had fun backyards. Looking back as an adult, I realize all of my "grandparents" grew up during the Depression so worldly things didn't matter much. They kept their homes dark to save money on their electric bill. It's funny how perspective changes as you grow older and mature. One thing that stands out more than that was how they went above and beyond for our family. Grandpa Bob and Grandma Clara had us over for picnics and Grandpa Bob would take me to his work shed to show us projects. Aunt Francis always seemed to have something baking when we went to their house. Nana Thelma had me over for special lunches and would give us pomegranates from her tree. Even today when I see pomegranates in the store I think about her and what a special treat it was when she gave them to us. Another thing I remember is how all of them were so strong in their faith. They were in church every time the doors were open, never worried about death because they knew without a shadow of a doubt where they were going. That's a good thing because Nana Thelma, the last of my grandparents went to be with the Lord today. Towards the end of her life she was in a nursing home and had dementia. We'd laugh when we went to visit her because it was like "50 First Dates". She never really grasped the concept of who Preston was but it didn't stop her from making things for him.
You know I've said that I had such a special Nana and Papa (my mom's parents) that I don't want P to have a Nana and a Papa. But, after reflecting today, I realized that it would be an honor for P to have a Nana and Papa as special as mine. We didn't just have two sets of grandparents. I'm thankful that we had a whole slew of them that loved us unconditionally. P has LOTS of "aunts" and "uncles" here, in CA and in MS but he doesn't have any grandparent type figures other than mine and Rob's parents. So I pray that he will have those special relationships with grandparent type folks because it's nice to have loved ones close when other family doesn't live close by.

Tis the Season...

for cheesy Hallmark movies, which is what I'm thankful for today. I've been beyond exhausted this week from lack of sleep. Usually I read when P goes to bed, relishing the silence and calmness. But this week I've just wanted to veg in front of the TV and computer. Friday nights are notorious for bad TV so I was planning on putting in a movie once P was down. Instead I turned on the Hallmark channel and watched one of their movies that I've seen before. Then, when I couldn't sleep at 2:30 this morning, I turned on the Hallmark channel again. I set the sleep timer and fell back to sleep during another one of their Christmas movies. I like that they premiere new movies around the holidays. Yes, most are cheesy but something about them lures me in. I'm thankful that I have the option of watching them when I want.

Resolve It Out

Today I'm grateful for Resolve. You know, the carpet stain remover? Yeah, that's what I'm tahnkful for because I've had to use it 6 times in the past 2 days! We've had fruit punch type juice spills all the way to dog messes. I appreciate that Holly doesn't want to disturb my sleep just to let her out but I'd rather do that than have to clean up messes first thing in the morning. Anyway, I'm thankful that, until we put in hardwood floors someday, we have a way to get out stains. Thanks to Resolve!

Book Club

Today I'm ultra thankful for my neighborhood Book Club. There are about 7-8 local ladies that get together once a month or every other month to have dinner and discuss the book we all read. We swap houses and the person that hosts gets to choose the book. It's opened my mind to different genres and authors. We just finished which was very good, but very different than what I'd usually read. I look forward to this time of female bonding, catching up on everyone's lives and eating great food. In fact it's so important and I enjoy it so much that P will be with his first (paid) babysitter tonight. Luckily, I'll be about a mile away in case I need to get home. But, it'll be a fun night for him and me so on that note......Off to Book Club!

Answer to prayers

I'm also thankful for answers to prayers, no matter how big or small, especially this week. Earlier today I looked down and saw the diamond missing out of my wedding band. Luckily I hadn't really left the house at this point so I didn't have a lot of places to retrace my steps. Just as I said a prayer to find it I saw my diamond. It had somehow gotten under the cushion of P's car seat so I must've lost it when I strapped him in. When I say we didn't really go anywhere I meant that we hadn't gone to other places. We did, however, drive around for a half hour this morning looking for Ruby. As I was pulling back into the driveway, discouraged that I hadn't found her, she came bounding toward the car. Then later, P and I had to go down the hill to take my ring in and go to Wally World. I called and called for Ruby but she never responded. I left, praying that she'd find her way back to the house if she was gone. After a few hours down the hill, I turned the corner on our street and saw her running toward my car once again. She followed me up the street and went straight in the house. Whatever she did while we were gone wore her out because she's been sleeping ever since we got home.

Energy Boost

This one may be pretty short seeing as how my lil guy has more energy than all of us combined. Anyway, today I'm thankful for caffeine! 4 out of the last 5 nights I've had nightmares and/or weird dreams, two of which P was taken. I haven't done anything different after dinner so I don't know where they're coming from. But I usually wake up around 4:30am and can't get back to sleep. I would love to nap when P is down but I've only had that luxury once this week. Today I needed to get some manuscripts finished to send off. So, needless to say, caffeine has been my good friend starting first thing this morning with my cup of java. Now if I can only make it til bedtime tonight...zzzzzzzzzzz!

Special Date

OK, I told you I love my flexible schedule but I have a confession.....I despise the first hour and a half of the day, every day I don't work. P wakes up a ball of energy as does Ruby. All I want to do is slowing wake up, enjoy my coffee and catch up with the national news on the Today Show. But a puppy and a toddler keep that from happening! So my vocabulary is limited to, "Stop!", "No!" "Don't", "Go". I've confused the creatures of the house by my simple one word commands. My voice raises several octaves and my stress level does too. BUT, right before P's nap time the creatures calm down and all is good in the world. Then I decide I can get through rest of the day. This morning, while P was sleeping, I decided that he and I needed a date. It's been awhile since I've gone on a date, one on one with one of the men in my life. So, when he woke up, we went to Olive Garden for lunch. I'd love to say that everything was great but with all dates, there were a few (funny) glitches. As soon as my iced tea was brought to the table, I knocked it over all over the floor. Lunch went smooth but as I was getting up to leave the restaurant, I tripped and plowed into a waiter carrying a platter of food. Luckily, he was more coordinated than me because he didn't even flinch. Then, a few seconds later, P went running by tables, tripped and landed flat on his face. He started crying, more out of embarrassment than pain. After lunch we ran a few errands then we went to meet friends at the park. As we were feeding the birds a goose came out of nowhere, which scared me. I screamed and picked up P quickly, which in turn caused him to get scared and cry. After my initial panic we fed the birds 3 loaves of bread! My friend and I took the boys for a walk around the lake because it was almost 70 degrees....in mid November....in Nevada!! By the time we ended the walk I was pretty tired so P and I ended our date. He talked on his "phone" most of the way up the hill, telling whoever he was talking to about our date. It's time like these that I cherish, that can't be replaced, ones that will last me a lifetime. I am blessed to have such a wonderful son that makes life so much more exciting and fun!

Working Mom

Today I am extremely thankful for my flexible schedule. I tell people all the time that I don't know how moms can work full time and keep things going on the home front. Millions do it. I'm just glad I'm not one of them. The first couple days of the week are filled with cleaning the house, groceries, laundry....and special time with P!! No matter how busy my days get I always make special time for P. We go exploring, go for walks, look at tractors, go horse hunting, feed birds, play at the park, etc. I cherish this special time, the memories we create. I'm very thankful that I have the best of both worlds!

Beautiful Day!

When we woke up to the sun shining and the birds chirping I knew it was going to be a great day! Since the weather was picture perfect, my parents and I decided we'd meet in Truckee for lunch. It's a drive for both of us but it's so beautiful and scenic that it's not torture to drive the distance. Plus we all got to be together which is a bonus. Having our families far away gets to Rob and me at times so we always cherish the times spent together. Anyways, we had lunch then went to a local bakery. P was so excited to see they had fish cookies. They were a little on the harder side which worked out perfectly because he was only able to eat a portion of the gigantic Nemo type cookie. After filling up we had to work it off by exploring. We found a grassy area that had an old wagon on it. Between that and a stump and big boulders, P was having a hayday! He probably could've stayed there all day exploring if we had let him. But alas it was time to head home. We said our goodbyes and I thought P would fall asleep instantly. But he was too wound up and had to talk on his "phone" (His fist to his ear) most of the way home. Once we got home he didn't take a nap....but I did! I fell asleep listening to him in the baby monitor, telling his cow and horse all about the fun he had had. Now the beautiful day is drawing to an end. As much as I love the snow I'm glad it's held off a little longer because it makes it easier to get over the hill to see my parents. The beautiful Fall weather can stick around a little longer as far as I'm concerned!

Books Galore

I don't sit down for long periods of time during the day but I try to take a hour break every day when P naps. I use that time to run on the treadmill, do schoolwork, nap or.....READ! Today I'm thankful for the many books that fill our house. I love that P loves having books read to him. I love it even more that he "reads" books to himself every day. As soon as he woke up this morning he immediately ran to his tractor book and asked me to read it to him. I love reading romance (not the half naked man on a stallion gracing the cover kind), some biographies and anything someone recommends. The only genre I have a hard time reading is mystery because I do most of my reading at night. Reading mysteries usually give me nightmares and I'm not willing to sacrifice sleep for a scary book. I thoroughly enjoy the neighborhood book club I'm a part of and (most of) the books we read each month. After a long day my favorite thing to do is soak in a hot bubble bath with a good book or my People magazine. I usually carry a book with me everywhere I go because you never know you'll have a few free minutes to read. I love letting my mind wander into a different world, with different people, at least for a few minutes. I love everything about reading books and am so glad we have a variety of books in our house!

Belly Laughs

I am so thankful for P's sense of humor and imagination. I am in stitches at several points during the day thanks to him! Sometimes I try not to laugh because it's a situation where he needs to be disciplined but it's just too hard with that cute little face. Last night he kept "honking" my nose then laughing hysterically. He also pushes my belly button now, at which point I yell. He thinks his is hilarious and does it until my belly button seriously hurts. He's really into phones right now and thinks everything, including his hand, is a phone. He has quite the animated conversations, waving his free hand and glaring if need be. He thinks the monitor that's in our room is a phone so he'll put it up to his ear and listen intently. I, then, sneak away and go to his room where the base is located. I start talking in the base like we're having a phone conversation. I can hear him in our room, talking up a storm. Last night I asked him about his tractor. When I went back in our room he had found one during our conversation and was playing with it. Today I made grilled cheese and sliced cucumbers for lunch. I had the same exact thing on my plate except I had mustard on mine. He really wanted a taste of mine but when I gave him some mustard he made a horrid face. This made me laugh so hard! After that the few bites he took he tried to imitate the same face. When he discovered this was not his lunch of choice he proceeded to "slyly" feed Ruby his lunch. I kept telling him no but he didn't put too much stock in my discipline since I was laughing as I said it. I'm glad for the belly laughs he provides. Overall he is a very well behaved toddler so if I laugh when I tell him no once in awhile and it takes a little longer to learn that specific lesson I'm ok with that.

Nice Peeps

There were moments yesterday when I seriously thought I was going to end up in the insane asylum. I am overwhelmed with taking care of 2 dogs, a toddler, keeping the house clean, teaching, cooking, running errands, etc. So when Ruby ran away for the 4th time in 2 weeks I almost lost it. I drove around looking for her 3 times to no avail. I posted a request on our community chat board but it didn't get posted until 3 hours later. At that point I was in bed, as was P. One neighbor had wrote on the board that she had seen Ruby running around their property but when I called her number I just got the answering machine. To my surprise she called back at 10pm, said that they had Ruby and that I could pick her up this morning. I was so relieved to know that Ruby was safe and not becoming coyote food. She's such a friendly dog that she has been seen hanging out with coyote packs. A few days ago when she ran off the guy that called to tell me he had her said he used his pellet gun to shoot at the coyotes that she was with. I'm thankful that Ruby is home safe and sound and am equally thankful for helpful people, especially the ones that live up here.

Mi Vida Loca!

Today I'm truly thankful for the craziness of our household. I've been a "single mom" A LOT lately and the experience has made me learn to go with the flow, don't sweat the small stuff and choose my battles. Yesterday a group of teachers were going to grab a bite to eat and asked if I would join them. Instead of being able to accept their offer to enjoy a nice calm adult meal, I came home to a dog covered in poop and a toddler wanting to constantly "honk" my nose. As Ruby was whining and barking at the kitchen door, not understanding why she wasn't allowed in, P was chasing after me with his latest tractor book, wanting me to read it. After only getting 4 hours of sleep the night before, all I really wanted to do was veg in front of the TV. Luckily, P was super tired so he went to bed early. When he went down I gave Ruby a bath....and prayed I'd never have to do this again! While giving her a bath, the phone rang, waking P up. After her bath, Ruby ran upstairs at lightning speed, waking P up again. As I closed the garage for the night after trying to scrub Ruby's crate, the garage door woke P up yet again. He finally went to sleep for the night after all the commotion and I figured I'd take a hot, relaxing bath before going to bed early. WRONG! I didn't latch the bathroom door tight so Ruby made her way in, sitting at the tub, trying to lick bubbles off my arm. There truly is NEVER a relaxing moment around here! Even as I write this, the dogs are fighting over the leftover Applejacks P threw on the ground from breakfast and a bone. P is running circles between them, with a spoon in hand, yelling in their faces, which Holly isn't particulary fond of. I take that back. Now P's on his dump truck, chasing after Ruby. And me? I'm ignoring it all and blogging. Like I said.....I love my life!!!

Technology

I was going to blog about being the joys of motherhood and how thankful I am to be blessed with an awesome child. I love 98% of being a mom (When we get past the temper tantrum phase it'll be 100%)! But as I was looking at pictures my dad had sent me via email and I was uploading some of the pictures to FB, I realized today I'm thankful for technology. Rob and I don't have the luxury of living close to our families so we (and they) rely on technology to share in so much of our life. I can take 1000 pictures and send them all over the US to different family members. We can Skype the Herringtons so they get a chance to see P in action. I can text all my family daily and take pictures with my phone to email later. I can't imagine what it would be like if our families didn't get to share our experiences with us. So, today I'm thankful for the luxuries and advantages of technology.

Happy Veterans Day

Today I'm thankful for the freedom I take for granted on a daily basis. The sun is shining this morning so I figured P and I would go Christmas shopping, feed the birds and get his hair cut. All because some man or woman is away from their family, fighting for our daily freedom. I know that THANK YOU isn't enough. Veterans signed their life on the dotted line to make sure we stay safe, something that I can never repay. Thank you veterans, old and young, for keeping our country safe and fighting for our freedom. Your services will forever be appreciated!

New Discoveries

So, tonight was a fun night of discovering. P started saying "ball" but he only says it when he wants a ball. If he has it and I ask what it is he just says "this", something he's said for awhile. He also learned that his fingers fit nicely in the VCR. It's the coming back out part that is challenging. We had several moments of frustration as he'd stick his hand in the slot but was not be able to get it back out. The best discovery tonight was MY belly button. He became obsessed with it and didn't like when my shirt was covering it. He kept lifting my shirt over my belly button, putting his finger in it then putting his head on my belly. It was REALLY cute! He didn't grasp the concept, however, that he has one too. Or maybe he did but he just likes mine better. Either way it was really cute. The final, and not so fun, discovery is that climbing up onto the toilet makes it easier to flush it. While brushing his teeth, he climbed onto the toilet and realized he was that much closer to the handle. There's never a dull moment at our house these days with all the fun discoveries!

Family

The snow is falling. There's a fire burning. I have a hot cup of delicious coffee in my hand. And I'm ready to be thankful.

Last night as I was saying my prayers I thanked the Lord for blessing me with the family I married into. You may think it's funny but I often worried about the family I was marrying into more than the guy back when I was dating. But the first time I met Mom and Dad Herrington I knew I didn't have to worry. I can't laugh at inlaw jokes because my inlaws are beyond awesome! Every time I see them Dad gives me a big bear hug. Mom and I have heart to heart conversations. Jay and I joke like we grew up in the same house. The Herringtons have made me feel like part of the family since Day 1. They've spoiled me beyond belief and Mom Herrington gave me one of the greatest gifts possible. She quit smoking a month after I found out I was pregnant! She accomplished this cold turkey, after being a smoker for over 40 years!!!! I am truly blessed to have married into such a loving, wonderful, giving family. I'm so thankful they're part of our lives!

Bitter to Bliss

I woke up feeling rather bitter this morning because of Rob's job schedule. I decided I didn't want to do anything or see anyone so I declared it a PJ Day. But once P went down for his nap (He slept almost 3 hours!) I was able to run on the treadmill and get some things done. When he woke up I decided that going down the hill and enjoying what sunshine we had wouldn't be so bad after all. We went to one of our favorite parks in the area. It has the springy play area, an area for toddlers and big kids and a huge grassy hill area. P immediately made a beeline for the toddler play area when we arrived. Soon after two adorable little girls joined in on the fun. One girl, the 13 mo old, took to me and P right away. When I wasn't holding her (Her mom was right there) she and P were chasing after each other around the equipment. The clouds started rolling in and it was getting too cold for me, despite my UGGS and two layers. So we ran a few errands then headed home. Once we got home we went to visit the chickens and horse before going in for the night. We Skyped Rob's parents and now P is happily splashing in the tub. I'm thankful I changed my attitude so I could enjoy the day with my lil man.

Warmth

Today is one of those days that I woke up not feeling thankful. But as I looked outside I suddenly became very thankful! I'm thankful for the means to keep warm. While I was in Sac I saw quite a few homeless people trying to keep dry during the storm. Last night when I got home I saw the remnants of the storm at our house- a thin layer of snow. It was the first snow of the season, a month later than usual. This morning we have frost on one balcony and snow on the other. But P and I are nice and toasty. I built a fire in the fireplace, made a big pot of coffee and made oatmeal for P. We are happily playing, keeping nice and warm by the fire. I'm thankful that I don't have to worry about finding warmth for my family.

*This is an old snow pic from last season*

Being Cynical

I had a beautiful 2 1/2 hour drive this afternoon that got me thinking. For those of you that know me well know I analyze EVERYTHING and overthink the smallest things. So it's no surprise that I did that during the drive home. The sad part is that instead of enjoying the beautiful scenery I became cynical. Before I give away what I'm being cynical about let me say that my friends mean the world to me. I get way more protective of them than myself just because.....well, for more reasons than I want to write about. That being said, I'm being cynical about my friends. Two of my friends are in fairly new relationships. I truly, with all my heart, want both of them to work out so my wonderful friends can be married to great guys. However, one of my friends texted me today (which got the whirlwind thoughts brewing) that it looks like she and the guy she's dating are about to end things. Then my other friend is in a similar situation to one I was in right before I met Rob. I REALLY hope hers has a different outcome so she doesn't get hurt! I'm also being cynical about friends dropping off the face of the Earth. I will be the first to admit that I'm not the best with corresponding these days, except via Cyberspace. But, I've called, emailed and texted a friend that never responded. I even left a message telling her I was sorry if I had done anything to upset her. I called another other friend after she had been in a horrible accident last week. I have yet to hear back from her. This isn't uncommon for her because she tells me that she can't find the peace and quiet to talk on the phone anymore with 2 kids but a return phone call would be nice. I have a lot of opinions on her not calling but I will keep them to myself (I'm learning to keep me mouth quiet). So, while I took in the beautiful Sierras that surrounded me, I got lost in thought and prayer. I hope that everything works out so all of us can be one big happy family! :)

Gratitude 7 and 8

I didn't blog yesterday. It was one of those rare lazy days full of stormy weather, time with family and catching up with friends. So yesterday I was thankful for the rain. Something about the rain is soothing to me....in small doses. I appreciate the rain now that I don't live in a place where it rains continually. When it rains I find myself slowing down, relaxing more, hurrying less. It gives me reason to lay around, read, watch TV (Gasp!), eat comfort food and play with P. Yesterday, in between the storms, P put on his new rain boots (Thanks Grandma and BobBob) and went to play in the puddles. I always love exploring with P because he makes the world more interesting. But, yesterday I enjoyed it even more than usual. He played in rain puddles, splashing and stomping til his little heart was content. He picked up leaves and stared at worms wiggling around the sidewalk. The sun is out today so it makes me appreciate the rain that we had yesterday that much more!
Day 8:
The other thing I'm thankful for is friends. Every time I'm in Sac. I scramble to see as many friends as possible. Yesterday I got to catch up with a friend that I've known since birth. We haven't been able to talk much (other than FB) since Mother's Day weekend. But with her we always pick up exactly where we left off. Our friendship is one of honesty, sometimes brutal truths and lots of love! Last night, after P was down, I met up with another close friend for dinner. We got caught up on jobs, family life, mutual friends, etc. As with most of my Sac friends, we don't talk as often anymore, but we never skip a beat when we're together. I am thankful for ALL of my friendships that I've been blessed with. Some are for a season of life and others are lifelong friends. No matter what category you fit into in my/our life, I appreciate your friendship for what it is and what it means to me!

scouting report

i headed out to area 10, which is the ruby mountains where i drew a mule deer tag. the ruby mountains are the most rugged, nasty, tough, most beautiful landmark in nevada. there are tons of mountain goats, bighorn sheep, mule deer, mountain lion, and elk. at any rate i arrived late friday night and slept in my truck till an hour before daybreak. when i got up i started hiking deep into the back country in search of my muley. i spent the whole day glassing the basins and mountainsides. i saw a lot of does, and a few small bucks. biggest i saw was about 22" wide. pretty small for a mule deer. sunday found me in lamoille canyon. probably the most scenic area of the ruby mountains. there are huge waterfalls and tons of trees and snow. after glassing one hillside for almost 2 hours, the bucks started popping out. 2 deer were about 26" wide and one was 28"! ill be going after him wednesday morning. the bucks are just now starting to rut but the does arent quite ready. this week the temps are going to drop a lot and the snow is about to start flying starting tonight. this should push more bucks down to lower elevation and trigger the does into estrous. this is going to be a really tough, physical hunt with a lot of patience and focus. then again, ive never gotten anything ive ever wanted by doing nothing so hopefully it will pay off. rather i get a buck or not, it will be a succesful, and fun hunt. the second greatest bowhunter of all time, ( my grandpa was the best) once said, " go afield with a good attitude with respect for the wildlife you hunt, and the forest and fields in which you walk. it will cleanse your soul and make you a better person." no truer words were ever spoken. ive always lived by that when im out in the woods or mountains. while just being out there is my favorite place to be, i sure hope i have a photo of a sad daddy to post with my final blog of the hunt! wish me luck!

Home is Where the Heart is

I want to make sure I write something I'm thankful for every day. But this one probably won't be as long since I'm doing it from my phone. Today I'm thankful for my parents and my childhood home. I call my parents at a moment's notice and tell them I want to come visit. They never turn me away and they always go above and beyond to make my stay special. My mom cooks all my favorites and my dad does projects to help me and/or P.
My parents are in the midst of finding a new house. I am so thankful they have te means to move out of this neighborhood. They have had this house since I wad in 3rd grade so it's full of memories! But my theory is "Home is where the heart is". It's time for a change and I'm looking forward to many new memories in their new home.

*I will edit and make changes to this when I have access to a computer.*

The Way to Start and End

The nice thing about the shorter days of Fall is that I get to enjoy the sunrises and sunsets. I love seeing all the colors fill the sky to create a masterpiece. God is the only artist I know that could put orange, blue, purple and pink together and make it look breath-taking. I don't always enjoy getting up to an alarm or before the sun comes up, but I sure am thankful for the beauty that surrounds me on my way to work....and on my way home if it's been a long day like today. On that note, I'm keeping it short and sweet.......................

God's Blessings

Today my gratitude is two-fold. Last year at this time I was a stay at home mom. I felt very fortunate to stay home, especially with P's health concerns. But, Rob and I started to really get on each other's nerves. Between that and finances I decided it was best to go back to work part time. I didn't necessarily want to go back to the classroom because I'm a control freak, which doesn't work well in a job share...usually. Fortunately for me God knew the perfect match. I am at a school that I LOVE, with a teaching partner that I LOVE, with a class that I LOVE, with a schedule that I LOVE.
My teaching partner and I have meshed well, both relinquishing control of the little things. Our students have adjusted and, up until today, the parents have been happy. Even though I had a parent complain that I was mean this afternoon (heaven forbid I hold her son accountable), I think I set a new record. I've never gone 4 months without getting complaints.
Working part time has been a blessing as well. I have 2-3 days during the week to spend time with P, do housework and run errands. It makes me appreciate my time in the classroom and my time with P even more.
By going back to work part time we had to find a daycare for P. We toured a few and found the one we liked best. I was not completely sold on one of P's teachers but it sure beat the alternative. About a month ago the teacher I wasn't overly fond of left and a new- WONDERFUL!!-teacher took her place. Now I LOVE both of his teachers. They take the kids outside every day and do projects a couple times a week. So, instead of sitting there like being at a babysitter's I now feel like P is at "school", learning and having much more fun. I don't dread taking him to daycare, nor do I rush out the door every day to be there ASAP to get him. Don't get me wrong, I don't dilly-dally but if I'm a little late because of a meeting or an errand I don't stress now.
God knew what He was doing when all this came together. I am hoping that I'll be able to stay at the school, with my teaching partner, with P at the same daycare for awhile because it's a win-win situation!

friends

well, i am once again at it alone this hunting season. i had a couple guys lined up to go hunting with me. help me scout, spot, stalk, pack in/out. ect... at any rate, my buddies had to cancel. it is times like this i really miss home. i know if i were there i could count on my dad, brother, mom, larry, jeff, jimmy, greg, or walt. i know im where i need to be for my family's sake, with work and all. it is just hard to accept the fact that i have without a doubt the greatest folks and friends a man could ever have and they are 2500 miles from here. nevada is a beautiful place with breathtaking mountains that touch the sky, clean, clear rivers and streams, and a hunters dreamland. however, when things like this happen, it really makes ya realize that land and beauty mean little when your heart isnt there.

Blessings

This morning, after not getting a good night's sleep, I thought, "What am I thankful for today?" I logged onto Facebook and knew immediately one thing I was thankful for. One of my good friends and bridesmaids, Betsy, was in a roll over accident on the freeway yesterday. She had both of her young kids in the SUV and all 3 were able to walk away from the accident. The CHP officer told her that people don't just walk away from accidents like the one she was in. I thought about how thankful I was that angels were surrounding her on the road. Although we don't talk as often, I can't imagine life without her. (Sorry mom for forgetting to tell you earlier when we talked)
On the way to school I was still in a funk though. I was thinking about Betsy and how close I came to losing a close friend. I was also bummed that I had to put Ruby in a crate all day because we (ie. Rob) need to fix part of the kennel. The past several days with Preston have been a lot of fun so I was bummed to be leaving him for the day. He talked all the way to daycare and didn't even cry when I left, another thing to be thankful for because the no crying was a first.
I saw a beautiful sunrise on the way to school, another thing to be thankful for. The morning went well with my students, yet another good thing. Then at lunch I was called into the office by the secretary. I walked in and saw a beautiful bouquet of flowers sent from Rob. At that point I was completely out of my funk. The flowers put a huge smile on my face and I realized I had a lot to be thankful for, especially today.
So, what started as a "blue funk" day became one full of many blessings!

Rights and Rejection

I'm loving this month of gratitude because it helps me to be more thankful for things. Yesterday I was exploring with Preston, thankful for seeing the world through his eyes. This morning when I woke up I was thankful for the heater keeping us warm.
But today's blog is going to focus on two opposite things I'm thankful for. The first thing I'm thankful for is my right to vote. When I was younger I didn't take it seriously. I didn't read up on issues and candidates. I'd jump on the bandwagon and vote for the person/issues everyone else was voting for. In college I voted for Ross Perot because I had met him at the university. I didn't know much about where he stood on issues. I just thought he was a cool lil dude. But now that I'm older and wiser (HA!) I take my right to vote seriously. I felt like my voice wasn't heard at the last election for both local and national candidates so I'm hoping this year will be different. Another thing I'm thankful for when it comes to the elections is that by tonight I will no longer have to suffer through those HORRIBLE political commercials, especially the Harry Reid/Sharon Angle ones.
Another thing I'm thankful for is rejection because it's so humbling. I was talking to a good friend of mine yesterday about how easy it is to be cocky. P LOVES books (another thing I'm VERY thankful for) so I read quite a few books to him. Some of them are pretty bad and it makes me think, "If this author can get things printed then I can." Yesterday when I opened the mailbox I saw an envelope from a magazine I had submitted a manuscript at, a story that I was told by my editor/instructor had a lot of potential. So, I was a little bummed when I saw a, "Thanks, but no thanks" letter enclosed. I know it will take A LOT of rejection to get a piece accepted but it still doesn't take away the sting every time I get a "Thanks but no thanks" letter or email.
So, today I don't take my rights or rejection for granted. I'm thankful that God and man uses the opportunity to humble me yet make me appreciate little things even more.

A Month of Gratitude

I'm going to be a copy cat, if that's alright with you, and copy a friend's idea (which she copied as well). With the holidays all around us this time of year it's easy to take things for granted. So for the month of November I'm going to focus my blogs on things I'm grateful for. I'll also blog about our everyday lives so be sure to scroll down and make sure you've read all the blogs for each day. On my busy days I may only write a sentence or two about things I'm thankful for but I'll try to blog daily because 1) It helps me realize all the things I have to be grateful for and 2) You're part of my blessings so I want you to know it.

So, today, Nov. 1st, I am thankful for Preston's belly laughs and sweet personality. He is such a "go with the flow" kid and laughs at the drop of a hat. His contagious laughter always makes my day, no matter how grumpy I am. We are so truly blessed to have such a great kid!