Thanksday #30

Did you realize Christmas is just 5 months away? I have no additional commentary for this statement. Just wanted to freak a few of you out a little bit.

My life is currently in the throes of many, many events. My brother-in-law's 40th birthday celebration is in a week. My in-law's 50th wedding anniversary party is in two weeks. I'm helping coordinate our church's Missions Festival, which is in three weeks. School starts in three weeks. College football starts in five weeks, and don't be fooled...planning has begun. And in seven weeks, we head to MAUI for my brother's wedding. And the itinerary is confirmed. And excitement has befallen the Steely household. (Including one seven-year-old who is counting down the minutes to hula dancing lessons.)

I look over the calendar and all that's a-comin'...and for all intents and purposes, it's already October in my mind.

And time to start planning Christmas.

(I lied. I did have commentary for my opening statement.)

Craziness of life aside, there is gratitude to be given. Let's begin.

This week I'm thankful for:

1) Buy One Get One Free. My favoritest snack, Emerald's Salt & Pepper Cashews, were B1G1 on Monday. I have no idea how long it will last. So I stocked up.

2) Date Night. After living here close to two years, Greg & I finally had a date night in Asheville that included dinner AND a movie. The movie wasn't great, and for fear of judgment I'll spare you the title. I have bad luck with choosing movies at this particular theater. Regardless, it was a kid-free night out that included heels, make up AND a clutch purse.

3) Running. I'm embarrassed to say I hadn't run in like two months. We moved, we went to Boliva...whine, whine, whine. Anyway, I jumped back on the treadmill this week and did a couple miles and it felt like old times. Complete with endorphins that carried me through the rest of the day and allowed me to clean the house AND take the kids to the pool AND shower AND have a long night at church. Amazing what exercise can do for you. Why doesn't anyone ever TALK about this?!?

4) Parlay. It seems to have become the word of the week, and using it in a sentence, or hearing someone else use it in a sentence makes me smile. (And makes me feel so very smart and worldly.)

5) Candlesticks. I bought these two large candlesticks the other day from a great home decor shop in town, and I love them on my built-in's next to the fireplace. However, as I slowly figure out what I want to do with those built-ins (it's a hodge-podge of randomness right now), the candlesticks have confirmed I need to paint the back walls of the shelves. I'm thinking a warm brown. Thoughts? Suggestions? (And the bright glow to the left is the angel of the Lord, not a lamp. Just so you know.)

6) Prayer Requests. I put this post out there on Monday, which is going to be a new weekly feature. I'm excited about the people wanting to jump on board the prayer train! I can't wait to see what God wants to do in and through us as we help carry each other's burdens.

7) Kid's Singing. Since I'm in the choir now (un-mic'd and probably going to be told to mouth the words soon), I'm practicing in the car with the music each week, singing at the top of my lungs since the two in the back have no idea if I'm good or not (not). Now they love singing along and learning with me. Paxton picks up the words very quickly, and will say "song!" if I'm too slow to move to the next one. Just raising the next generation of joyful noisers, people.

8) Alone Time. I tweeted this week that I've reached the point of summer where I need alone time, school to start, a long run or a nanny. Sadly, that wasn't supposed to be funny. I'm so very busy and can't go anywhere without a perpetually-talking little person with me. I had a meeting the other morning at the coffee shop, and Greg offered to stay home with the kids. Not being any kind of a fool, I jumped on the opportunity to high-tail it out of the house an hour before the meeting to sit at the coffee shop like a real-life grown up. It was just an hour...but it was a good, good hour.

9) DVR. Let's be honest, I have no time to watch all the stuff I record. (And that should be a capital ALL, but I'm afraid I'm overdoing the capitalizations today.) Elmo? Thomas? Phinneas and Ferb? Seen every one of them. But the shows I speak-not-of-for-fear-of-judgment are all taunting me from their little folders in my List. I'm grateful they're there, though. For when I do find a half hour here or there, I can slowly and secretly catch up and indulge.

10) Fruit Ninja. I mocked this game for months. "How ridiculous!" and "You slice fruit? That's it?" and "It doesn't make sense to me." were the party lines. I'm not a gamer, so people telling me "It's so addicting, you'll love it!" didn't compute. But I gave in on the way to Bolivia and spent the whopping 99-cents for the app. And now I'm eating humble pie and crow. (A la mode, natch.)

Your turn! Let me know what you're thankful for this week. Leave a comment or link up with Candra and share the love. It'll warm the cockles of your heart and make you start singing Jingle Bells in July.