365 Gratitude Project- Week 5

Grateful Week 5

Day 27:

I am grateful for texts from an amazing friend who I can share whatever I am feeling, without ever feeling judged, and hear back nothing but support and encouragement. Sometimes that support is calling me out, telling me I'm wrong and that I need to change. Sometimes it's just listening and validating. Sometimes it's holding on to reminders/experiences/previous conversations to bring up again at the perfect time when I need that encouragement most. This morning I was venting my concerns and how discouraged I am about being sick, which is putting me behind in training for my half marathon goal. The response in the screenshot below was that reminder, as well as the encouragement I needed today.

Now I actually have to believe it, but that's a different blog topic altogether... 

Day 28:

I am grateful for the ease of making coffee in the morning with the Keurig. I'm barely functioning in the morning on a good day, and functioning even less when I'm sick and exhausted. And, I'm grateful for nice large coffee mugs.... (I'm seriously supposed to be cutting caffeine out of my diet....tomorrow....)

Day 29:

I am grateful for the opportunities my son gives me to teach or reinforce life lessons now, when the situations are so small, and when he's still so young.

I walked into the playroom to find Bryce had knocked everything off the shelves, just for fun, just to make a mess. Why? Why does he want to be destructive sometimes? I seriously did not need this extra work today. I could have cleaned it pretty quickly, yet I decided to take the tougher, longer, (and more work for me) route. I can't help but think it's worth it to stand firm and give myself more work now, to be able to reinforce a lesson to Bryce (and hope standing firm now will make things easier and stick more later when the situations are more serious).

All I said was, "Oh my gosh, it looks like you have a mess to clean up."

His response, "but spaceship....I mean airplane was..."

"No, sweetie, spaceship did not knock this stuff off the shelf. Airplane did not knock this stuff off the shelf. Bryce did. And now Bryce gets to pick it all back up, clean up the mess HE made and take responsibility for his actions." (we did have a nice talk about "responsibility" later).

There was some complaining, crying, asking for teamwork, and trying whatever he could to get out of it for a long time at first. So much that I began to completely doubt my decision and if he could even get it done, thinking, oh no...what now??
But, he did it! After some encouragement, he finished the job, which admittedly was a pretty big job for a 4 year old. 

The best part? He always processes things aloud as they are happening, so I was listening from the other room and overheard him say during his cleaning, "Oh. My. Gosh. It takes a LOOONNGGG time to clean things up when I knock everything off the shelves."
Yes, yes it does. (lesson learned, or at the very least a lesson seed planted??)
He's such a good kid.

Day 30:

 I am grateful for homemade chicken noodle soup! This was my best batch yet!

The base recipe I used was here. I like the slow cooker recipes because it's easy to toss in and then I smell it all day. I changed it quite a bit and couldn't tell you exactly what I did differently, and I try to use fresh herbs when I can, but I like this recipe to begin, and it turned out very yummy this time!

 

  Day 31:

I am grateful for new cookbooks, especially ones with amazing layouts and photos! Seriously, EVERY cookbook should use photos for the table of contents. I learned something new about myself as well. Apparently, I enjoy reading cookbooks cover to cover when I first get them.
Although I haven't tasted the recipes yet, so can't give anywhere close to a full review, at first glance (and cover to cover read through), I already love this cookbook.

Amazon link for the book Make Ahead Paleo if you are interested.

 

 Day 32:

I am grateful for my son's brilliant blue eyes. It warms my heart that he may keep that little piece of me.
(and because I couldn't go the whole week without including at least one photo of one of the boys....)

Day 33:

I am grateful for a husband who dives right into home projects when I mention something I'd like. Yesterday I mentioned I wanted a corner bench in the playroom with a space for storage for toy bins underneath so I could get rid of the ugly bookshelf there. I gave him my idea, he went in the garage to grab wood, said, "would this work?", then started sketching out the ideas. Then today, Daddy and Bryce have already started building it!
I guess I now need to decide what color to paint it... and learn how to sew the cushion that will go on the top....

This is one piece. They will make another just like it to create a whole corner piece, do final touches, and then I will paint it and figure out how to make a cushion for the top. It's so simple, yet I love it!