Thankfulness - Week 3, better late than never

I am thankful for being inspired to try to do better every day; to be a better wife, a better person, to keep trying to keep my goals and not give up when I forget or have a bad day.  Being driven and motivated is something I am very grateful for, otherwise I would never get anything done.

I am grateful for the awesome Motorola Xoom Keith got me for my birthday.  It’s the coolest, most fun thing ever!  I can work on it, play games, browse the net, read books, take pictures or HD video (yes, HD), it’s just so cool!

Last, but not least, I am thankful for family and friends who love and support me.  I had my 30^th birthday party on March 19^th and I really appreciate everyone who came and who made it one of the best parties I’ve had in a long time.  Thank you and I love you all!

Thankfulness, week 2

This is week 2 of my list of things I’m thankful for.

1. I want to start with my husband: Keith is my best friend. He's my #1 fan.  From him, I get unconditional love and acceptance, and he always makes me feel like I'm special and loved.  I'm the luckiest girl in the world for having found him.

2.  Sunshine, doesn't it feel good? I know, too much isn't such a good thing, but, ooh, just to soak it up for a while, either outside or in a sunny window, is one of my favorite things.

3. Tents.  I love sleeping in them, not to mention that I love camping, period.  It's fun to try out a new tent, and crawl into an old, well-used one.  Something about being in the outdoors just makes me smile.

4.  Digital cameras are a sincere love of mine.  You gotta admit it beats having to spend tons of money to develop film. And I can delete and retake pictures where I look hideous.

5.  The hard times we’ve been through, because they've made me stronger and wiser, and it makes me appreciate the good times even better.

What are things you're grateful for?  Why are you grateful for them?  Come on, respond everyone!

Birthday Parties and Playlists

My 30^th birthday party is on Saturday and I made a playlist for the party, but while I was making it I thought why not make it a combined playlist for Keith that has a lot of ‘our songs’ on it?  Songs that remind me of him, songs that we both enjoy, and a few ‘party’ songs.  I am not completely sure that it qualifies as the nice thing for Keith this month, but I think that doing the dishes since pretty much since we’ve moved in counts.  I don’t think he’s really filled or washed dishes at all in the past 3 weeks.  He may have emptied, but not filled, and since I haven’t ever complained about it it counts, right?  Right?  *Sigh, fine, maybe not.  Guess I need to come up with a nice thing to do for Keith for this month. 

Here is the play list, in case anyone is interested in what I put on the CD’s and playlist.  I already downloaded it onto Keith’s phone.  :)

1.)     Rolling in the Deep                             Adele

2.)     Wanted Dead or Alive                       Bon Jovi (yes, from Deadliest Catch, love that show)

3.)     Fix You                                                  Coldplay

4.)     Times Like These                                 Foo Fighters

5.)     You and Me                                          Dave Matthews Band

6.)     Uprising                                                Muse

7.)     Love Song                                              The Cure

8.)     Taking Chances                                   Glee Cast Version

9.)     Out Tonight                                          RENT soundtrack (Rosario Dawson singing)

10.)  Lucky                                                     Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat

11.)  Need You Now                                     Lady Antebellum (yes, Country – can you believe it?)

12.)  Good Times Bad Times                      Led Zeppelin

13.)  Beside You                                           Marianas Trench

14.)  I Love You                                             Martina McBride

15.)  Everything                                            Michael Buble

16.)  Chances                                                Five for Fighting

17.)  Down and Out                                     Tantric (awesome rock)

18.)  Supermassive Black Hole                  Muse     

19.)  Endless Love                                         Glee Cast, yes again

20.)  Brown Eyed Girl                                   Van Morrison

21.)  The Way You Move                              Outkast

22.)  Raise Your Glass                                  P!nk

23.)  Kiss                                                         Prince

24.)  Bless the Broken Road                        Rascal Flatts

25.)  Apologize                                              One Republic

26.)   Gravity                                                   Sara Bareilles (has anyone seen the Mia Michaels choreographed dance to this?  It was on So You Think You Can Dance a few years ago?  Amazingness!)

27.)  Careless Whisper                                Seether

28.)  Secret Smile                                          Semisonic

29.)  Mercury Blues                                      Steve Miller Band

30.)  Breakdown                                            Tantric

Simple Living Media

One of my greatest sources of inspiration on the Simple Living Idea is found here: http://www.simplelivingmedia.com/our-mission/

Their Mission

The Simple Living Media Mission:

To help people live more simply.

What We Believe:

• People and families can live on and with far less than mainstream cultural norms lead us to believe.

• Debt is not a tool, and instead puts people into needless bondage. Therefore, we believe that everyone should live within or below their means.

• Life is not about consumption, and we can make a difference by wise stewardship of our resources, time, energy, money, and environment.

• We value quality over quantity in all facets of life, from tangible items, to relationships, to aesthetics.

• People are more important than things.

Our Goal

To encourage and equip people with what they need to simply their lives.

Tsh Oxenreider - SimpleMom
founder, Simple Living Media, LLC
October 2009

Thankfulness

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson


As you know expressing Thankfulness is my number one goal.  I've decided that I will make a list each week of things I am Thankful for.

1.) I am Thankful for family and friends.  Even though they know everything there is to know about you, they still love you.
2.) I am Thankful for the sunrise each day.  It's a sign of beginnings, a new day to make choices and to learn and grow as individuals. 

3.) I am Thankful for the earth.  Everything we need to survive is at our fingertips, we just need to remember how to use it.  I am Thankful for plants to eat, for air to breathe, clean water to drink, and being able to afford to buy all the food I need and not have to grow it myself.  (Not sure the not having to grow it myself is actually a blessing and not a curse.....thoughts??)

4.) I am Thankful for a comfortable place to live.  There are many others right now, worldwide, that don't have homes, that don't have beds and blankets and a roof over their heads.  I am very very thankful that I do.

5.) I am Thankful for simple living.  One of my goals is going back to a simpler, more natural and homemade lifestyle.  Eating organic foods, less meat (do we need to eat meat with every meal?), more fruits/vegetables, and more whole grains.  Just simplify, organize, and cut out all the junk.  I want to be do more crafts and make things myself, not store buy every little thing.  I guess just go back to the basics.  More needs, less wants, with a few exceptions.  :D 

Butternut Squash and Tomato Soup Recipe

Ingredients

2 tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1/2 large butternut squash, seeded, peeled and cubed (about 3-4 cups)
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 (32-oz.) container reduced-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes (or two 14.5 oz cans petite diced tomatoes)
1/2 cup Julienne Cut Sun-Dried Tomatoes

1½ tsp. dried basil
Directions

Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 1 hour Serves: 8

1. Melt butter in a large stockpot. Add onion and squash; sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add celery and cook for 5 minutes more.
2. Add stock and both kinds of tomatoes to pot and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 35 minutes.
3. Let mixture cool slightly; transfer to a blender container and puree until smooth. (Or use a stick blender to puree directly in the pot.) Return to pot and add basil, salt and pepper; simmer for 10 minutes more.

Makes 8 servings. Only 3 points....but who's counting?  

Alright, alright, here's the nutritional breakdown.

 

Nutritional Information:

Nutrition per serving: 170 calories, 7 g protein, 4.5 g total fat (2 g sat.), 28 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 10 mg cholesterol, 420 mg sodium.

30 for 5 days, and counting....

So, I finished one book, the Work and the Glory #9.  I am almost done with Savor the Moment, and I have Healthy at 100 on my counter.  I normally read pretty fast, but it seems that once you move into a new apartment you have to actually like organize, and decorate, and clean and do laundry and stuff.  Whoda thought?  *sigh

I am doing alright on the eating healthy, but since I don't own a scale, its hard to say what my actual weight loss is.  Guess I should buy one??  I was going to try to judge off clothes size and fit, but maybe that's cheating?  What are your thoughts?  Oh, I made this awesomely awesome butternut squash and tomato soup last night for dinner.  It's amazingness in a bowl.  I'll be sure to post it later, hopefully with a picture!

Exercise - well, lets just say I suck and call it good.  Lol, I really need to do the Tuesday, Thursday and either Saturday or Sunday thing, and I need to just 'man-up' and make Keith get out of bed too!  He says he wants to go, but once he says 'I'm too tired' then I lay back down too...just for a minute of course....and then its too late!  AHHH.  Okay, tomorrow morning it is!  No slacking off.

Guess I better get back to work.  Please feel free to share this blog link with your other friends, etc.  The more people that comment and talk to me, the more motivated I feel!