missing my little brother

*please turn off my music playlist before watching this video*

i heard this song today and i broke down into tears.  while listening to the words i thought of my brother, jeremy.  i realized how much i love him and miss him.  thank you for serving our country little brother.  i know what a sacrifice it is to serve.  i know the choices you make are bettering you and your family.  you are such a hard worker and it shows.  you are always thinking of others and trying to make their lives easier.  know that i love you and i'm grateful for all the things you do to make this life a better place for all.

all. most. caught. up.

i have been journaling my attitudes of gratitude but have not gotten them up on my blog. 
gosh it's been really hard to catch up. 
i am doing it though!
it is one thing i feel strongly about. 
sometimes it's just the smallest simplest things you have or do that you should be grateful for.

today i realized i am truly grateful for the internet. 
it has blessed my life in more ways than i can count. 
i am grateful for my blog as well. 
i started it way back in 2007 as a {21 day challenge} i took from {rhonna farrer}. 
since then i have been blogging now for 4 years. 
i may not be faithful in doing it every day but i try. 
my blog is for mE. 
a place to write about my everyday doings,
what my kiddos and family are up to,
memories i want to share and keep,
my attitudes of gratitudes,
birthdays,
friends,
retreats,
a quote or two,
a trial i may be going through,
a heartache i am dealing with,
a wish,
a prayer,
just the every day joy rides of my life! 

wishing you a fabulous day my friends. 
you are amaZing and thanks for blessing my life.

{{hugs}}

attitude of gratitude

day 13:

i am grateful for my circle of friends.

i am truly blessed to have good, true, REAL friends in my life. 

friends ~
...who lift me up when i fall.
...hold my hand when i am scared.
...that love me unconditionally.
...who don't judge me.
...who are good examples in my life.
...that are honest and don't lie to me.
...that pray for me.
...who constantly check on me.
...that laugh with me not at me.
...who cry with me.
...who shop with me.
...who believe in God.
...who uplift my soul.
...that listen to me.
...that know my inner secrets and don't share them with other.
...that give me wonderful advice.
...who live their truths.
...who make mistakes.

friends that know my heart & soul!

i know that YOU know who YOU are.  if not...i am telling YOU now. 
THANK YOU for being my friend.
YOU  brighten my life and leave footprints in my heart.

“many people will walk in and out of your life,

but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart”

~eleanor roosevelt

day 13:  what are you grateful for tOdaY?

attitude of gratitude

day 12:

grateful for food that nourishes and heals my body.


tomato basil bisque soup & salad

ok, so maybe not the bread sticks but my meal was YUMMY!!  i am trying to still figure this whole food thing out.  baby steps.  i know that even the simplest thing can throw me into a serious headache and the shakes.  i am trying really hard to adjust to my hypoglycemic diagnose.  i am truly grateful i can still eat these wonderful foods, as many others can not.

day 12: what food are you grateful for? 

attitude of gratitude

day 11:

today is veteran's day and oh how grateful i am. 

my attitude towards all veterans past and present is so overwhelming.  my heart is so full.  i have had many of my family members serve this great country of ours. thank you is not enough!  yet, the words must be said.  take time today {and every day} to salute them and tell them "thank you".  they really do allow us to live free and are so, so BRAVE!


my brother on leave 2010 with my boys



DAY 11:  PLEASE thank a vet today!

atitude of gratitude

day 10:

today i am grateful for airplanes.  yes, i said airplanes!

isn't it amaZing how far we have come with our ways of transportation?  we can now get to places all over the world so much faster than horse and buggy, lol.  i have been blessed with having no fear of flying.  to me it is relaxing and pretty cool.  i have gone many places, seen many places and eNjoYed many people, family and friends just by walking onto a plane.  i am grateful for the many pilots as well who have devoted many hours of learning and flying to make me have no fear and eNjoY my little trips.

day 10:  what are you grateful for?

attitude of gratitude

day 9:

i am so grateful for {rhonda}.

rhonda has been doing my hair for about 10-11 years now. she knows me! she gets me! i went to cosmetology school and have no fear of change when it comes to my hair. i know i can go to rhonda and trust her to make me beautiful!  she is not only my friend, she has taken my family's pictures as well {great photographer}.  she is one great friend to have in my life!!  i love getting my hair done because as she washes it, you receive a mini neck rub.  seriously the BEST part!!  jk, but it is a wonderful relaxing rub to a great hair do.  i am blessed that you allow me to chat with you about my life and all the good {sometimes the not so good} that i deal with on a daily bases.  i guess i could say you are a great counselor too! 

thanks rhonda cook solomon for not only making me look good... but feel good as well.  i love you and i am so grateful to have you in my life.  YOU seriously make me smile.

day 9: what simple pleasure are you grateful for?

attitude of gratitude

day 8:

today i am very grateful for prayers.

i know they are heard.
i know they are answered.
i know that through prayers all things are possible.
i know that no matter what the answer may be, it is what God has in store for me at that time.
i know that through prayer we may help others, comforted others as well as ourselves.
i am thankful and truly grateful for the POWER of prayer.
i know that prayers have truly blessed my life.
i know that even though i don't feel like praying, God knows my heart.
i know i am very grateful today for God hearing and answering my prayers.

day 8:  how has prayer blessed your life?

attitude of gratitude

day 7:

patience!

today was a long busy day.  i am grateful for the knowledge i have, as i learn patience.  it's not always easy to wait...

day 7:  what are you grateful for today?

attitude of gratitude

day 6:

i am grateful to give service.  i am truly blessed that i was taught to serve others.  not only are you helping others but you are helping yourself.  you are giving selfishly to someone who is asking for nothing in return.  i love the feeling i get when i am in service to others.


taking down wallpaper border



day 6:  what service have you done lately?

attitude of gratitude

day 5:

i am so very grateful for music.  for me, music touches my soul!  in my time of need, sadness or loss, my favorite times, happy ones, movie soundtracks, parties, cleaning the house, creating, weddings, retreats and so on...music just gets me!

i know that music is something that i will always cherish.  no matter my mood {or the mood i'm trying to get into}, somehow, music will always just live right in my soul!

day 5: what are you grateful for today?

attitude of gratitude

day 4:

grateful for a "new start", when i will try again. 

i had been off dr. pepper for 4 days and finally broke today.  tomorrow is a new day!  i will try again.

day 4: what new start are you grateful for?

attitude of gratitude

day 3:

grateful for the talks I get to share with my children. I love you austin, trevor, dallin & haleigh. {{hugs}}



{trevor.19, austin.20, dallin.16, haleigh.14}
2010



i never know when these talks are going to talk place but i sure do love them.  sometimes it's when one of them have a bad day, and argument with a friend, bad day at school or late at night.  i always want to be aware of them and their need to talk.  i never say i'm too busy at that moment for it may never come again.  i always stay up as late as i need to for them.  i always end it with a huge hug and an i love you. 

 

these are the days i live for.  these are the moments i am grateful for.  the memories that i am making with them.  theses moments... i will treasure for a lifetime!

 

day 3:  what are you grateful for today?

attitude of gratitude

day 2:

today i am grateful for my "to do list".  why?  having things to do, things to accomplish is living!  today was truly full from start to finish.  i accomplished loads of laundry, 2 loads of dishes, balanced my check book, paid bills, did my part time job run, made many needed phone calls, sent emails and visited my mom for over 2 hours.  there is probably many more things i did today but these are the ones i can remember at 11:45 pm, lol,

i live by a "to do list" and i am grateful to stay busy with many things to do.  though not too busy to let satan work his magic and get me stressed out. as my friend kristan once reminded me b.u.s,y standing for {being under satan's yoke} is not good.  it's not ok to keep adding things to a list that is totally unreachable.  it's not good to always say "yes" to everyone and everything.  it is a choice to do things that need to be done and that you want to do.  it's a choice each day to decide what YOU want to accomplish with your 24 hours.

day 2...what are you grateful for? 

{{hugs}}

attitude of gratitude

day 1:

grateful my mom is now in rehab and doing better!! what a blessing for me and my family to have her close to us. i'm so honored to be her daughter.

who are you grateful for today?

{{hugs}}

connie

i'm never going to catch up...

i will never catch up on my blog posts for the past few weeks.  so i have decide to just start with today.  it's hard to believe that it is already NOVEMBER!  where has 2011 gone???  i feel like it should be spring not fall already. 

as you know last year i took the attitude of gratitude challenge for the month of november.  each day i will post {i will try my best} what i am grateful for that day.  it may me something really big in my life at that moment or something as simple as my favorite warm drink.  it's a simple challenge and i wondered if you would join in.  you can post your attitude of gratitude on your blog, facebook, in a journal, your website or just in your heart.  if you do post them please let me know the link as i would love to follow. 

this time of year i am reminded of all the things i am grateful for, big and small.  it's a time where i want to become better, do better, give more and appreciate more.  a time where i can feel love and give love.  it's a time to reflect on all that i am blessed with.  it also helps me journal more and document those day to day things that often get over looked and forgotten.   

so...will YOU join in?

{{hugs}}

connie