the simple things - 4th edition.

once again, i am linking up with jesslyn amber to appreciate all of the simple things in life that i am thankful for this week...

♥ breakfast. i make adam & the kids breakfast every {weekday} morning. lately, i've been on an omelet kick. whipping the eggs with some half & half makes a difference. 

♥ awesome, awesome friends. seriously, y'all. they know who they are. in fact, i get to hang out with one of them this weekend {cough*rb*cough}.

♥ silk almond milk - dark chocolate. it's stupid good.

♥ seeing my pups snuggled up together in their 'house.'

♥ strawberries topped with freshly whipped cream. if you don't already whip your own, you should. trust me. 

♥ live music. i can't wait to see jackass flats this saturday!

♥ watching harry potter movies with my son. i love that he's as much of a fan as i am.

♥ being on the ball with school supply shopping. thanks to the tax holiday last weekend both of my children already have the school supplies they need for the 3rd & 5th grades.

♥ gutting our garden. it was time. it was also a lot of hard work. but, it looks so much better now.

♥ convincing adam that i needed more flowers in the backyard. 

♥ my keurig & iced tea {half tea-half lemonade} portion packs that i'm currently obsessing over.

♥ new followers to my blog. hello! i'm a bad comment responder, but i will write back...soon. promise.

♥ receiving my first birchbox. love, love, love! want to try it? let me know & i'll email you a referral.
♥ getting another klout goodie in the mail.

there's so much more to be thankful for. it's amazing how the last couple of years have really changed my perspective and outlook about things. i never once used to appreciate things the way that i do now.

what kind of simple things are you celebrating this week? 

link up with jesslyn amber & let us know!

the simple things - third time's a charm.

it's been a couple weeks since i last participated. and, considering i've been kind of mopey & down in the dumps lately, i feel the need to do this. i have to do this. after all, there is so much to be thankful for, right?

as jesslyn amber says...

"let's forget the hustle and bustle.
let's put away our troubles and worries.
let's be thankful for our life.

and the simple things."

so what have i appreciated this week?

• breakfast for dinner. mmm, maple pancakes & bacon!
• old school 90210 reruns. 
• a job interview.*
• snuggles with the pups.
• coffee with two amazing friends - my favorite beach bum & my favorite trucker wife
• listening to back to black. may amy rest in peace.
• losing just our electricity during monday night's crazy storms.
• spending time at my mother in law's house on sunday & monday.
• looking forward to a weekend filled with friends.
• having a date night with the hubby. tonight. even if we're going to a 311 concert. 
• guest posting for a friend while she's out of town.
• saving $81 at the grocery store...and i only used one coupon.
• and, speaking of groceries, i learned just this morning that whole foods is opening a store in my area!!
  
  
  what are you appreciative for this week?
  it's all about the simple things. remember to link up with jesslyn amber, too!

* about that job interview: that was monday. i received a call yesterday. it's a no go. apparently, i don't have experience with children. unfortunately, years of education classes {i started my graduate degree five years ago, folks, taking classes here & there}, nearly 100 observation hours AND being the parent of two children doesn't count for much...if anything, at all. i understand the requirements, but it's extremely frustrating when you can't get a job to get you the experience needed in the first place. que sera sera. i'm okay with their decision. and, for now, i'll just enjoy the rest of summer vacation with my children until school starts up again...for the both of us.

the simple things - part deux.

happy thursday, y'all.  it's time - once again - to link up with jesslyn amber & remember what matters the most...




simple, lovely things i'm celebrating this week...

• the short week. even though long, holiday weekends seem to make tuesdays feel like mondays, it's always nice to wake up knowing that you're one day closer to another weekend.
• having my kids home. they had a GREAT time traveling with their grandparents, but our home is definitely a home once again. 
• heading to the beach on a rainy sunday morning only to have the clouds part, the sun come out & catch a cooler full of these guys & gals:

• spending a very BUSY fourth of july weekend with friends & family.
• having a date night with my husband...and knowing that in a few weeks we'll be having another date night.
• listening to this cd:

{source}

• fresh veggies from the garden, especially yellow squash & zucchini {i love cucumbers, but thank goodness our other veggies are producing some goodies!}.
• squeaky tight finances. yep. it really puts into perspective what you have & what you really don't need to have. 
• black-eyed susans {or rudbeckia}...need i say more?

• shakeology. because not only do i enjoy drinking it, but my eight year old son does, too. 
• being amused by the fact that one of my garden shoes is currently in the process of being buried by one of our two boston terriers:

• lazy summer days. seriously. i'm talking l-a-z-y. i didn't change out of my jammies on tuesday. 
• an early bedtime. for once in my life, i seem to have amended my night owl ways. i'm more of an early riser now. weird.
• going soda-free. okay, so it's only been one day. but, i think i've got this. i already cut back my soda consumption to just one a day, but now that all we have in the house is mountain dew, well, i have no choice but to quit!
• sprouting flowers from seeds:

{yes, these three sunflowers were sprouted from seeds & yes, one is a couple feet shy of the peak of our neighbor's roof}

• listening to my children giggle.
• the excitement that comes from knowing that i'll have feathers in my hair next week {i'm getting them done with this fun gal!}.
• making red, white & blue strawberries for the fourth of july:

{a phone pic that i took of the berries - while chilling - in the freezer!}

• going ga-ga over my new blog layout thanks to this gal.
• {barely} catching buxton in the act of 'smelling' the zinnias we sprouted:

• having a roof over our head & food to eat.
• seeing the joy in my husband's eyes as he hugged & chatted with friends of his family that he hasn't seen in years.
• talking about plants & crafts with adam's aunt.
• watching the $2.50 dahlias that i bought from wal-mart come to life:

what simple things are you celebrating this week?

be sure to link up with jesslyn amber!

the simple things - 1st edition.

i'm following my favorite workaholic momma's lead & linking up with jesslyn amber to share with you all some of the things that i'm appreciative for this week.  sometimes in life, we need to slow down & realize that it's the simple things in life that really matter the most.


this week i'm appreciative for...

• a quiet, semi-clean home. that will all change this weekend...
• phone calls from my kids oozing with excitement about standing on the hurricane deck at niagara falls during the cave of the winds tour.
• my awesome parents who have not only kept my children for the last two weeks, but have also traveled with them to boston & toronto.
• walks on the beach with this guy & these two pups:

• meeting new friends & having the opportunity to spend time with a good friend.
• hearing color me badd on the radio {really, i did!}
• catching up on three weeks worth of laundry {never mind that some of it needs to be put away}.
• the bounty of cucumbers from our garden & the satisfaction that comes from NOT having to wash layers of wax or chemicals off of them before we eat them.
• knowing that our patio is alllllllllmost finished:

{there's efflorescence in the brick - they were factory seconds - and my bricklayer husband doesn't mind it.}

• snuggles with the pups.
• gloomy, rainy mornings...
• having the television set to a channel other than nickelodeon or disney.
• running into my former {now retired} boss from my first big girl job after college {he was behind me in the checkout line at target}.
• free froyo for two thanks to a coupon & menchie's money.
• this guy...even though he ate a pair of my shoes last week {my lily mckim's} & completely destroyed our okra plants yesterday:

what simple things are you appreciative for?

link up with jesslyn amber.