giving thanks - entirely

as usual, i'm behind. but i am determined not to quit something that i started [example - the giving thanks series that i stole from mandee!] let's recap, shall we?!
i've been thankful for: steph, my job, fridays, grandparents, laughter, husband, health, military/vets, hockey!, a handy-man hub, friends, sissy, internet, kullen and my life [in general].

sixteen - family.
i have always been thankful for my family but after spending time with most of them over the holiday, it just really reminded me how lucky that i am to have them. people who are very similar to me and that i can laugh and joke with and be totally comfortable with. it's like, we go a year or so without seeing each other but we have this instant bond of family-hood when we're together and it's indescribable. i love it, and them.

seventeen - kazi!
i love that little kitty girl! she may shed and puke on my carpet but i still love her. i miss her when i'm gone and i KNOW she misses me. she curls up at the foot of our bed every night and rubs against us every morning, as if saying 'have a good day, i'll miss ya but MIGHT puke on your carpet' ;] i got her back in 2003 when she was just 12 or so weeks old and she's been part of our family ever since!

eighteen - my house.
we were blessed in finding our home in 2008. our Realtors [which i'm also thankful for] called us and said we had to check the house out, even though it was just a little bit more expensive than what we wanted. we went to see and it knew we had to put an offer on the house. we did, bank accepted and it was done! although there are things i complain about, i am lucky to have such a beautiful house in a great neighborhood. it's a great feeling knowing that you have your own place to retire to every day!

nineteen - music.
i love love LOVE music. it's like food to my soul. when i'm sad, mad, happy, mellow - music always finds a way to nurture those feelings. i'm pretty open to all types of music - from rap to hard rock and pop to country. i love anything that tickles my fancy and i especially love anything i can belt along with! i listen to music all day at work [thank you pandora], as soon as i get in the car and usually when i'm cooking dinner [thanks mom for the kitchen radio!]. i don't know what i would do without music.

twenty - my parents.
i'm thankful that i was blessed with good parents. they raised me quite well, if i do say so myself. we didn't always get along but it made the relationships we have today much stronger. they were and are always there for me when i need them and they spoiled/spoil me with love and anything else i truly want/need. they are accepting of my husband and love him as if he were their own. they may not be together but they'll always have a common bond [their kids] and can put things aside to be there for us [like when kullen was born] and for that, i thank them!

twenty-one - my camera.
i'm sure you all remember the camera disaster, right? and how amazing it was that nikon was going to be fixing my camera. HA. a few days after that post - i got my camera back alright, NOT FIXED. after disputing it and having them send me pictures of my extremely RUINED camera ... i lost the battle and realized that my poor nikon was a lost cause :( so, off i went to purchase a NEW camera. i had full intentions of getting the same camera which was on sale but ended up getting a different camera in the end. after talking with the oh-so-helpful sales associate, i ended up purchasing the nikon3100. AND, i was able to use my 10% off coupon which brought the price to lower than the 5000sale price! and you BET i purchased the 3yr 'coversEVERYTHING - including coleslaw - warranty'. i know it seems impulsive [which should have been my middle name] but i absolutely LOVE my camera and just neeeeeeed it. i am so glad i did because i was able to capture some gorgeous pictures of my baby cousin and MY baby while in CT for thanksgiving.

twenty-two - modern day amenities.
washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, stove, microwave, hair dryer, straightener, shampoo, conditioner, soap, cable, tv, radio, dvr, gps, droiiiiiiid, BABY MONITORS, ceiling fans, heating, fridge .. and the list goes on and on. although i like to think that i could live back in those simple times [and possibly COULD if i didn't already know all the afore mentioned things] i am SO grateful that i live in the times of the savvy. could you imagine a world without all that? ick!

twenty-three - sales/coupons.
man, i LOVE a good sale. there are few things that make me happier than finding something marked down 40%, 50%, 60%. finding a great pair of jeans on sale for 10$! AH!
i especially love having a coupon for a really expensive item and getting it for remarkably less than someone who doesn't have a coupon! [haha, evil laughter]
i love using my bonus card at safeway and waiting until the very end and seeing that price go down and down, ahhhhh simple joys.

twenty-four - my car.
i'm thankful that i have something i can jump in and go if i need too. i've always had a car, since the day i began driving so it's something that i definitely take for granted. although sometimes i think about how nice it would be if i didn't have a car [wouldn't be able to go to work ... drats!] i know that i wouldn't be able to live without it. so very thankful for her!

twenty five - my inner strength.
i'm sure a lot of people consider themselves a strong person but i really consider myself one. i have been through numerous things that could/should break a person down, even for a bit, and i have managed to keep my composure [mostly].
even at times when i think i can't hold it together, somehow i do. i hold it together for my husband or for my son and even for myself. i don't want to let myself down.
right now, i'm especially thankful for it. trying to get pregnant and failing can and will break you down if you let it and i refuse. don't get me wrong - i complain and talk about it with my friends and even shed a tiny tear or two but i know, at the end of the day, there is a reason for it.
i'm thankful for the person i am and the strength God has given me.

... the end :)

cats and rabbits

would reside in fancy little houses, and be dressed in shoes and hats and trousers,  in a world of my own!

if i had a world of my own ...

... i would live in the cleanest of houses, i'm talkin no-dust EVER clean.

... i would have a financial advisor that handled every single penny, of which i'd have plenty, for me.

... i'd have a beach house in bora-bora, a villa in italty, a castle in scotland and a cozy cabin in canada.

... i'd be a stay at home mom and have all the time in the world to dress me and my babies up cute and do crafts, or draw with sidewalk chalk or even stay in PJs all day if we chose. [i've been reading too much kelle hampton!]

... people would just be NICE to people. rudeness would not exist.

... friends would gather together, as a whole, on a weekly basis just to catch up and have a great time.

... i'd have a photographer with my constantly to capture this perfect life i dream of.

... i would be able to pause the moment when kullen first wakes up from a nap and just wants to cuddle with me.

... all the raindrops WOULD be lemon drops and gum drops.

... the radio would play all my favorite songs, no commercials.

... i'd have a pet owl that looked like the cute cartoon ones. oh, and a pet chipmunk.

... i've had perfect skin and no baby weight to lose.

... my husband would be the hardest worker and make tons of money but always be home in time for dinner.

... death wouldn't exist.

... i'd be pregnant right now. with twins. a boy and a girl because i really can't decide which i want more [assuming i ever get pregnant]

... i'd have a robot, like bender on futurama.

... i'd never be cold. ugh, i hate being cold.

... i'd know all the right things to say.

... everything would be nonsense. nothing would be what it is because everything would be what it isn't. and contrary-wise; what it is it wouldn't be, and what it wouldn't be, it would. [quote - alice]

... i'd be a masssster at HTML.
  ... as well as photoshop!

... i'd have an interior designer. better yet - i'd just know how to decorate therefore not needing that I.D.

... my connecticut family would live near me. preferably we'd all be in the south.

... i'd have a business of my own. not sure what it would be, but i would totally enjoy it and be awesome at it.

... my toenails would stay painted and never chip!


i could totally go on for hours. but, i figured i'd quit while i was ahead.
and while i don't have all those things, i am content with it for now. in this moment though, i am thankful for what i do have. which is a great family, a job which allows me to have money, two cars, a house which is filllllled with a many things, a retirement fund, wonderful friends, a full kitchen, my health and happiness. [this totally counts for day fifteen btw]
overall, i am thankful for the life God has given me. i am blessed!

giving thanks - fourteen

kullen!

i thought about saving this thankful post until the very last one because after all, i am most thankful for him, but i decided tonight was a good night!

this little man has changed my life in SO many ways and all for the better. you always hear about kids changing people but until it actually happens to you, you won't understand. it's indescribable how you can love something SO much without even knowing them. typically, it takes months/years to fully know a person and proclaim true love, but not with a child. the second you first lay eyes on them, you know you're life will never be the same.

words can't even describe how thankful that i am for the blessing that is my son. he is perfect in every way to me. yeah, his poo stinks and his attitude sucks sometimes but at the end of the day, i can't imagine my life without him. in fact, it's hard to even remember my life before him.

as soon as i wake up every morning, i can't wait to get him and smell his cute morning breath and hear him say 'hiiiiii' [even if he cries for 15 minutes first]. no matter how crappy of a day that i have, i can hear his voice through the phone [when talking to adam] and i'm instantly in a better mood. watching him learn something is like winning the lottery, nothing makes me happier! and you thought holidays were fun BEFORE kids - oh my lord. just wait!

i'm thankful that he is healthy! he has all ten fingers and all ten toes. he is growing like crazy and 'off the charts' in my eyes :) his personality amazes me daily. i couldn't have asked God for a better kid.

 i have been SO blessed with him and i know and appreciate it. PTL!

giving thanks - thirteen

internet.

i am EXTREMELY thankful for the internet - thank you bill gates group of researchers and scientists at the Advanced Research Projects Agency. [and yes, i got that FROM the internet]

without the net, i would not be typing this blog. i guess i would be journaling, but not about the above mentioned topic hence the previous statement being true, i would NOT be typing this! phew.

i'm so thankful that if i don't know something [which happens often] i can whip out my fancy droiiiiiiid or the laptop and google to find the answer. it's especially handy because a lot of smarty pants people post informative things on the internet and it saves people like me from having to find a book or do TONS of research on my own. i like being able to go to the internet to find out about fertility AND be able to chart it there as well.

 i love that i can write and post about my sons life and if all goes accordingly, be able to go back to the site 30 years from now and read what i've wrote. same goes for pictures. there are numerous sites that allow for uploading, sharing, and ordering pictures. [shutterfly being the best!]

i'm thankful for social networking sites like blogspot and facebook that allow me to reconnect and stay connected with friends. i can show them my life in one site and vice versa. we can catch up without even talking if we feel like it.

all in all the internet is amazing and i am thankful for it! for without IT - so many things we enjoy today would not be possible!

giving thanks - twelve

sister!

i am SO thankful for my sister. i can't imagine a world without her.
she is the one person that i can be my total self around whether it's serious or silly - she understands me completely. she is someone to talk to and complain too whenever i need it.
more than a friend she often understands how i feel without me even having to explain myself. it's a bond and connection that only sisters have.
she is the only person i met when they were one day old and spent every day with growing up.

when we were younger, she was the thorn in my side [sorry zoo!] as a teenager, my parents sent her everywhere with me and i absolutely hated it. i was mean to her and subjected her to things that a kid her age shouldn't have been and i hate myself for it but i know that it made us the sisters/friends that we are today.

i wish i could go back to those days when she was always around. my, how i took those times for granted. what i wouldn't give to have my sister with me ALLLL the time now-a-days! luckily, i still get to see her quite often but it's never as much as i'd like!

i'm lucky to have such a beautiful sister and i only wish the best for her and her future. she may not be perfect, but she is my perfect sister ♥

from happy sissys

to crazy sissys

from sassy sissys

to touring sissys

from sad sissys

to crazy sissys

forever sissys :)

i love you zannie!

& i am thankful for you!

giving thanks - weekend edition

friends.

i am lucky to have a handful of great friends! we can get together and chat for hours on end about absolutely nothing! we laugh at the most stupid things and there is no judgement.

i have some friends that i can go weeks without talking to and when we get together it's like we never even missed a day. those are my amazing friendships. life can cause friends to be in different places in their lives but whenever we need each other, we're right there for one another.

friends make the world a better place. when you're upset or fighting with your husband, who do you go to? friends. when you need to bitch about a coworker, who do you go to? friends! when you've got GREAT news, who do you go to? FRIENDS.

i'm lucky enough to have a pretty large handful of wonderful girls in my life, some closer than others but they are all amazing none the less and i'm thankful for each and every one!

a handy husband.

i am lucky that i've been blessed with a 'handy man' husband. lord knows that i spend enough money as it is, could you imagine if i had to hire someone to do all the crap around my house?

this weekend alone, the hub has replaced our thermostat [with a fancy digital one], almost finished the bathroom ceiling, taught me how to removed OLD bathtub caulk and worked two side jobs! and that's just this weekend!

since we've bought our house he has put in recess lighting in our living room, put in two ceiling fans, painted the entire house, added a second sink to our master bathroom [creating a his and her style], hung tvs and pictures, built nursery furniture and replaced vanities just to name a few.

not only is he handy with the house but he also knows his way around a car. he's replaced brakes and batteries, plugs and oil.

the great thing about adam is that if he doesn't know how to do something, he will figure it out. whether he messes up 3940394923 times or looks up a 'how-to' on google.

i'm lucky to have someone like him because otherwise i'd be one broke girl - OR the girl with an ugly house!

hockey.

[specifically the caps!]

i used to say [and think] that football was my favorite sport. while i still enjoy it, it has definitely been replaced.

i remember when i first got into hockey. i was pregnant and adam had gone to a game with his buddy. i figured i might as well watch the game since he was there and all. i thought it was pretty neat to watch, so when adam came home RAVING about it, i knew i'd better get used to watching it.

it was shortly after that when i downloaded the caps update application on my phone so we could be updated during our child birth class! :)

i'm glad that i found a sport that i enjoy just as much [if not more] as my husband! while i liked football, i would still get slightly annoyed by four hour games back to back all day on sunday! it's like overkill!

hockey is right up my alley! quick paced, entertaining, full of cute guys and good fights :)

we enjoyed our first family CAPS hockey game this weekend! kullen was intrigued and seemed to love it just as much as his mama and daddy do!

giving thanks [day eight]

today, i am thankful for veterans.

i am thankful for those that serve, have served and have given their lives for us. it's amazing to me that people chose to go into the military and serve for a country full of people they don't know. the unselfishness is beautiful and for them, i am thankful.

there isn't much to say on this topic other than THANK YOU to ALL our vets ♥

giving thanks [day seven]

today, i am thankful for my health.
even though i'm feeling a bit under the weather this week, i am generally a healthy person. because of that, i am able to do things with my family as well as take care of them.
i have all five senses and they work great, with the exception of sight which is easily corrected by glasses/contacts!
i am able to hold my boys hands and feel it.
i am able to see their cute faces.
i am able to hear them call me 'babe' or 'mama'.
i am able to smell their cute breath.
i am able to taste the food they make me.

it's hard for me to imagine a family with a sick mother or sick father. missing out on so much of their kids lives and every day adventures. even worse, imagining a sick child. it just breaks my heart.

i'm thankful my husband and son are in great health as well. we could all use improvements in the poag household but over all we are a healthy bunch and i'm extremely thankful for that.

giving thanks [day six]

[disclaimer - might get two posts today as i missed yesterdays. with good reason]

we had a HORRIBLE night last night. kullen is not feeling good and neither am i. poor kid is snotty and congested and we spend half the night UNSUCCESSFULLY looking for the plug for his nebulizer. at one point, when kullen was repeatedly smacking me in the face, i smacked his hand and the tears poured from his eyes. i realized that i had smacked the hand he had burned the other night and i had truly hurt him. imagine the guilt :'[ later that night, kullen was extremely cranky so i decided to take him into his room and rock and read to him. as i sat down in the rocker, my shoulder felt extremely wet and as i looked down i realized i was covered in blood. my boy had blood pouring from his nose. i was FREAKING out. we got the blood to stop but my tears didn't. i felt like a horrible mother. adam assured me that i wasn't.]

 

i am thankful for my husband. GOD am i thankful. quite often, i want to strangle him or drive him to a far away place and leave him there without a cell phone or food [or maybe it's the other way around, hehe] but at the end of every day, i am one of the luckiest girls alive and i know it.

he is patient with me when i don't deserve it. he loves me unconditionally, when i'm at my absolute worst, which is often. he cares and provides for me and our son. when i need him, he is there to support me. even through his jokes of my inability to crochet or sew, he supports me and gives me a helping hand when i may need it.

adam was the last person i thought i'd ever marry. when i first met him, i thought he was cute and all but never thought of long-term. once we started dating and it became more serious, things changed. i knew i would spend forever with him.

not only did i not get sick of him after a few months - he wasn't sick of me either? call it what you want, i call it love :)

he has been my best friend for the last eight years and i know he will be for the rest of my life. it's a comforting feeling knowing that i will always have someone by my side for the rest of my life, no matter what circumstances i find myself in.

i'm thankful that i have a stand up man that can tell me when i'm being ridiculous and can praise me when i'm being the amazing person that i am. he doesn't run off when times get tough, he sticks it out with me. he RESPECTS me. 

i'm thankful that he is an amazing dad. i can't tell you how many times someone has pointed out how awesome adam is. things that i just expect from him are things that other mothers wish they had for their kids. i know that i am lucky and seriously thank God daily for him. 



don't forget to enter my giveaway
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giving thanks [weekend edition]

since i had a super busy day yesterday - shutterfly party, 2hr trip to baltimore [UGH] and tosh show - i didn't get a chance to blog, hence the weekend edition. this will be a two part blog.

[saturday]
i'm thankful for laughter.
laughter truly is medicine for the soul. not that i was in desperate need of soul healing yesterday - but i had A LOT of laughs.
i had a few of my girlfriends over for the shutterfly party, where laughs were abundant. it's great to sit around with your friends and laugh at each other and with each other. when laughter is plentiful, the day is good.

later that evening we went to a comedy show! [which was something on my 101 list - blog to follow] making some laugh is definitely a talent. some people do it without knowing and some people work hard at it but either way, the result is the same. laughter. and it's contagious!

i couldn't imagine a world without laughter. it's something we do as a reaction and comes so second nature to us but we still need to be appreciative of it. could you imagine, if laughter didn't exist. i couldn't which is why i decided to dedicate one post to laughter! :)

[sunday]
i'm thankful for my grandparents. i was lucky enough to get to know both sets of my grandparents but unfortunately, my moms parents passed away when i was young. i did know them and have some fond memories with them and definitely consider myself and know that i am lucky for that.

i'm extra lucky because my other set [my dads parents] are both still alive. in fact - my nana blogs :)
both my grandparents have been huge influences in my life and continue to be to this day. i can't even begin to express how thankful i am for them and everything they do, not only for me but our entire family.

their house is a place that i call home. nothing beats the smell of nana&grandy's house, probably because nana always has something ahhhh-mazing she's made for us! their house is FOUR stories. the addict has served as my grandy's study, a place to store my dads belongings and now my uncles. the third story has all the bedrooms, including my nana and grandys which is almost like a secret room ;] the main floor has a formal living room, a formal dining room, a kitchen and a HUGE HUGE HUGGGGEEE family room with a bathroom and dining room attached. you can exit through either dining area to the porch which is partially covers and currently holds my nana's 'things' [ehehe]. the basement is nana's sewing room. she used to teach sewing so she has like 5 sewing machines down there - plus enough fabric and patterns to fill a joanne's fabric ;] i love their home and they know it. they've often talked of selling it to get something smaller and any time i hear it - i immediately respond with 'NO WAY!'

i'm extra EXTRA thankful because they have gotten to meet and know my son. it's very rare for people to have kids and have their GRANDPARENTS there to meet them and i acknowledge and understand that and it makes me extra grateful.

i wish everyone had two amazing people in their lives like i do. i can look up to them for a multitude of reasons. obviously, they are my biggest role model when it comes to love and marriage. they have been married for over 50 years. they are high school sweethearts and have saw each other through everything. they have four kids, eight grandkids, 1 great-grandson and they are about to have their first great-granddaughter on thursday! [yep, my cousin amanda is having addison on thursday!!!]

i love that i can pick up the phone and call them whenever. i wish i could get in the car and drive to see them whenever i want but being they live 7+hours away, it makes it slightly difficult. but i still try to see them a couple times a year. i love them both SO much and i am MOST thankful for them.

giving thanks [day three]

ah, i am thankful for FRIDAYS.
i absolutely love a friday where i have no plans. there is really nothing that makes me happier than knowing i can do whatever i want needs to be done, stay up late and not have to worry about getting up early in the morning. [although, kullen usually wakes up around seven anyway!]

another thing i love is heading up to bed at 8:30 and knowing i don't even have to go to bed for hours!
we are currently in our bedroom :0 kullen is running around the bed, hub is watching the game [GO CAPS!] and i am at my desk and this is a perfect evening. we cleaned up a bit and had dinner at outback, where kullen was a terrrrrrror but overall - it was a perfect night. we even got dessert! :D

sometimes i'm so exhausted from the week that it's hard for me to enjoy these ahhhh-mazing friday nights but not tonight my friends. i had a day off yesterday and only worked a half day today so needless to say - i am READY for this friday.

once little gaahhh heads to bed and my caps DEFEAT boston [disclaimer - i typically love me some northern teams but NOT NOT NOTTTTTTTT when it comes to hockey!] the hub and i will be watching 'hot tub time machine' and enjoying our friday -nothavingtogetupandgotoworkinthemorning - night :)

so, here's to friday nights. i am thankful for thee!

giving thanks [two]

i know it's only day two, but i'm having trouble already trying to decide which ONE thing to choose. lord help me, i'm in for a longggg month.

i decided today that i'm thankful for my job. [disclaimer - probably the ONLY time you see these words being typed from my fingers] here is my reason why: i am home today. [HA!]

yesterday, while at work, my eyes started to feel really funny, i was seeing dark spots and grey shadows and had that 'omigoodness i might pass out' feeling. i went down to the nurse to make sure my eyes were functioning and that i wasn't going blind [which i wasn't] and although my blood pressure was high [what else is new] - there was nothing wrong with me or my eyes. throughout the day, i still felt funny and my head was beginning to hurt. as the evening when on, my headache began to grow. i ended up going to sleep around 8:30 but was up frequently due to this headache. when my alarm went off at 5:20, i knew there was no way that i was going into work especially in the rain.

so, i got to spend the day home with my little man. a lot of people don't have the freedom to take off whenever they want, and granted, i don't have THAT much freedom but i do have the freedom to take off here and there AND still get paid for it.
and since i have been working my BUTT off at my job, i don't feel guilty in the least bit. there used to be a time where i'd feel guilty for calling in sick, but not today. it was nice to spend the day resting and relaxing with my main [little] man.

so all in all, i'm thankful for my job. i would still prefer to be able to stay home with kullen but since i can't, i'm glad i have a job that gives me some freedom and pays well!

giving thanks

i stole this from Mandee over at the bear naked truth. Since it's November and Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, she had a great idea of blogging about what you are thankful for. why limit your gratefulness for only ONE day. i love the idea. there are SO many things to be thankful for and i think they get brushed under the rug and forgotten about so hopefully these posts will help me remember and be thankful more often.

today i am thankful for such a great sitter[for kullen]. i have good and bad days when i drop him off and today was a hard one. i couldn't even hang around and chat because i was heartbroken that i had to drop him and head into work for 8 LONGGG hours BUT i know that when i leave him with Stephanie, he is in good hands.

it's hard to think of someone else practically raising your kid but when you know the person and 100% trust them, it makes the thought a little easier. she has three great kids and i know she will treat my kid the same as she does her own. i also know that her kids love my son and treat him as if he were apart of their family, and that's comforting.

it seems as of late, kullen gets extremely upset when i leave him. it's like as soon as i set him down he runs back to me because he knows that i'm leaving. i know that it won't last long and within 20 minutes he will forget all about me leaving him but it doesn't make it any easier for me. what makes it easier is getting an email from stephanie saying that he cuddled with her and fell back asleep, or that he was in a fantastic mood after his morning nap. i know that he doesn't forget ABOUT me but he forgets that i LEAVE him.

another thing that makes stephanie so great is that she sends me pictures of my little man during the day. to some, it might make them miss their kid more but it actually helps me get through the day. she also sends me a daily recap of what he's eaten and anything in particular that i should know about [behavior/injuries]. she even feeds the boy when i forget to bring his food =X

i'm truly thankful to have such a great friend who enjoys watching my son. when i first became pregnant and we tossed the idea around i was worried it would affect our friendship if anything went wrong and boy was i WRONG. if anything, i think it had brought us closer together. i couldn't imagine taking kullen anywhere else and hope that i never do [well, i guess i will when he goes to SCHOOL - ah, don't want to think about it]

so, steph - whenever you read this - THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!