TToT – Welcome, Spring. I guess.
I’d love to tell you that I feel happy and light this first day of spring.
But huge piles of snow and ice outside make that whole “happy spring” thing kind of hard to digest.
To tell you the truth, I don’t really feel like writing this post at all. I’m restless and irritable for a number of reasons, so I can’t promise you that I will be positive or inspirational here today. But I will be completely honest, and the truth is I’m only writing this because I know it’s times likes these that it is important to look at what is good in life. And while I generally don’t enjoy doing just a list of things, I’m going for expediency here, so creativity loses today.
I suppose I’m thankful for somewhat warmer temps to melt the snow. That stuff needs to go. At least there’s nothing new falling from the sky. And the truth is – as someone pointed out to me this weekend – that we haven’t really had all that much snow and winter weather this year at all. True. It’s really one this one whopper storm that has caused disruption. True. I still really hate measurable snow that gets in the way and I don’t have to like it.
Yes, the snow did give my little family some time off to just hang out and be together. That’s absolutely a good thing and we took full advantage of it. But I’m thankful we’re back to school and work and normal routines, too. It’s good for all of us. I’m also glad for the opportunity to spend time with other family this weekend and to support fundraising for some worthwhile causes/organizations. Gotta love when the fundraising event allows for time spent together while participating.
That all said, I am truly thankful for the love of my husband and daughter. No matter what is going on in our lives, they are supportive and understanding and I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have in my corner.
I am thankful for opportunity in life. The potential for growth and change is a wonderful, powerful thing.
I am really thankful for nose spray right now. And that’s all I’m going to say on that subject.
And naps. Long Saturday afternoon naps are the best.
I am thankful for simplicity. This week I found that in the kitchen in a meal of mixed beans, broth, and cream. Simple. Easy. Wow. And my meat-loving Husband not only liked it, but requested we have it again this week. I really love this kind of food – basic, simple, hearty, healthy. Want to try it? Recipe here.
Some days (a lot of days) I am very thankful for leftovers. So much so that I plan them intentionally. They make life easy.
Speaking of the kitchen, I’m glad I did not lose my rings down the sink last night. I rarely wear my rings in the house and if I do, I take them off to work in the kitchen. But for some reason I had them on last night when I was transferring homemade chicken broth from the slow cooker to freezer containers and then washing the remaining dishes. At one point, I noticed that they were slipping off my fingers. Some of that is purely from being in soapy water. But 25 pounds of weight loss probably has a little to do with it as well. Funny, though, I still weigh quite a bit more than I did on my wedding day and I don’t recall my rings being that loose that many pounds ago…odd.
I am thankful for church, even if it’s difficult to get out of a warm bed to go early on a Sunday morning. This week I got to hear the voices of Zilla’s choir sing and it was a good thing. I am thankful for God, my faith, my church community, and the absolute gifts of having those things in my life.
I’m thankful that my family understands that I will very likely never be successful at my yearly effort to give up swearing for Lent. They know me so well.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Click on the image below and follow the link to the blog.
Love this? Share the love and tell someone!
22 Comments
Comments are closed.
First off, I love, LOVE the new look of your blog! Classy! Second, there is nothing I like better than people who are real, whatever form that takes at the moment. I didn’t find this post grumpy, you found some silver linings in situations that just aren’t all that fun! I am totally with you on snow accumulation, and it’s one of the things I am most thankful for here, in our very ugly brown part of the country. (See, I am not thankful for the brown part, but I am thankful for the lack of white stuff 😉
I am with you on simple, healthy cooking plans too, and leftovers. Papa Bear is always content with whatever I serve, and requests I make extras of his favorites like meatloaf, so he can have it again soon. Your bean dish looked yummy!
Having family together time is nice, and having Monday to yourself again is nice too! I’m sure the Rottens agree, so they can catch up on their naps. 🙂
I still remember singing in the “cherub choir” in our church, and I know that the parents and elders enjoyed it every bit as much as we did, even if at times we grew a bit wiggly before the end of the service.
I am happy that you didn’t lose your rings down the sink too! I live in fear of dropping one of my hearing aids and accidentally stepping on it, or having one fall out and not noticing. They are hugely expensive, like wedding rings.
You are so right about the opportunities we have here to create our own lives, follow our own dreams, learn what we are interested in, and speak our minds freely. Those are tremendous gifts, and we would be miserable if we were to lose them. Thank you so much for taking the time and making the effort to put this great post together today, may the rest of your week be warm and smooth sailing! XOXO
I’m short on time here – in the throes of after school busy-ness. But I just wanted to say YES to Monday alone. 😀 Last Monday was largely spent in preparation for the snow that kept us in for the next three days. I was fairly productive, if nothing else. I’ll come back later.
right there with you. I’m told it got warmer today, but haven’t been outside since this morning…and it was damn cold
Jeremy, I picked up my daughter from school at 3PM and it was mighty chilly then, despite claims of “warmer.” Mid-50s here tomorrow. Maybe. Has to get warmer eventually – hang in there!
50s yesterday, back to 20 today. Just make up your mind!
Laughing because guess what? Feels like 12 here, according to the weather app. By Saturday? Upper 60s, then back to chily temps. So I’ll have another cold by Monday.
Was this the day you nearly bit someone? Hope the snow goes soon.
Heheh. No, that was Saturday. 😀
You have a good list. Some days/weeks are harder than others but you know what’s important and you have expressed it well. The hardest thing I ever gave up for Lent was TV. I did not watch one program…never turned the TV on. Turns out I didn’t miss it and cancelled my cable. That was seven or eight years ago. A couple of years ago I got Netflix but don’t watch everyday and some times not all week. But don’t ask me to give up the computer!
I could give up TV, Patricia. There is very little on TV that I find interesting. Lately, though, I do like Designated Survivor and Madam Secretary quite a bit. Usually end up watching them in streaming later, though.
Some weeks are tougher than others – very true. I guess that’s why I figured it was wise to get in here and remember that. Have a great week!
I’ve always loved those photos of snow on spring flowers. Yours is lovely. I’m thankful this winter was relatively low on snow. We did not even get the predicted 8-12 (it rained instead), which unfortunately you did. Family makes life worthwhile. I am often thankful for leftovers that my hub can take to work for lunch. A break from the obligatory sandwich, if only he had a microwave on the job, we’d really be cooking. Wishing you a good week.
It is a lovely photo – can’t take credit, though. That’s a Pixabay find.
Yeah, we definitely got the snow. I will say this – it’s melting at a pretty good clip right now. And warmer temps today mean that should continue. Yay. Believe it or not, I can actually see a couple of patches of ground poking through. Not really sure how that happened considering we had over a foot. I guess enough days above freezing have helped.
I’m so glad my family has no problem with leftovers. I honestly never understood why some people do. I rarely send them to work with them, though. Zilla can’t microwave, of course, and while the Hub can he nearly always gets a salad from the salad bar at the school where he works. It’s provided complimentary for faculty and staff, which is really nice.
Have a good week, too!
Came back to blog after a long while and I see an updated meaning of me! Glad that you’re having a great week, and yes, I can’t give up swearing for Lent either!
Haha – so glad I’m not the only one in the swearing boat, Michelle! 😀
Good to see you back and yes, I’ve been updating here. More changes to come, too…
Thank you for being real. And I could never give up swearing for lent either!!
So hard! I’m sure it has everything to do with my ADHD and impulsivity. An uphill battle.
Well, we certainly did share a similar, “Let’s just get on with it, shall we?” intro to our lists, didn’t we? Hope your snow has melted, that the week was brighter, and that the need for nasal spray has left! 🙂
I noticed that! Sometimes that’s the only way it gets done.
The snow is melting very nicely. Sadly, I am still congested. At this point I can’t tell if it’s a cold or allergies. Either way, I’d like it to stop.
Hope your week’s been good!
Glad you made it, though you were feeling rough. I see there have been a few changes to the blog, which I can tell by trying to add this comment, late. I hope it works. I am sure your blog looks beautiful but that part I miss out on. It’s great having a blog and being able to make changes to it, to other parts of life, when we feel like doing so. I am considering learning yoga, to help with the strain from playing violin.
I know that feeling of panic when you realize you have lost something precious. I am glad your rings are safe. Downside of weight loss, but you seem to eat fairly healthy, as a family, which is most important, other than a treat now and then.
Today was days into spring, but today felt like the first real day of spring.
Your comment worked! Lots of regular readers have been going to spam lately – not sure if it’s because I changed theme or plugins or what. But you’re freed now!
I always think I want to like yoga and then I honestly find it just too still for me. Stillness is good, don’t get me wrong, and I certainly could use more of it in my life. But I need something a little different, I guess. Yoga just doesn’t do it for me. I really admire those who do, though, because they seem to love it.
My rings were fine. A good reminder why I don’t wear them in the house or to do any work in the kitchen. Still trying to figure out how they were so loose when I still weigh quite a bit more than when I was married and I don’t recall them being loose then. So odd.
Been cold here most of the week, but I hear 70s over the weekend. I’m all for the warm weather but the sudden jumps in temp back back and forth is just crazy.
Hope your week has been a good one!
And I’m thankful for reading your post here. 🙂 A little late, I know.
In any case, I’m *always* thankful when winter’s season begins to sleep and a new spring awakens. I’m not so keen on the cold. I feel ya there.
And it’s neat to read about your family and the things you do. So sweet!
I’m thankful that you came over to read and comment! It’s supposed to be warmer today. I’m not holding my breath about it staying that way. I’m obviously skeptical…