24 Days of Thanksgiving Days 14-23

Sooo, my computer went completely ka-put. This is the reason for my lack of Thanksgiving posts. However, a few days ago, Troy's carpool partner/coworker/friend gave us his iPhone because he got a new one. It really was generous of him! Now, I can communicate via Facebook and blogging again, plus, I can post photos and videos of the kids so much easier! Yea! So, needless to say, I am thankful for John's generosity and his gracious gift of an iPhone that I can use as an iPod! And in honor of that, here is a photo I took of Owen on the iPhone eating rice and bananas for breakfast this morning:

24 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 13

Today my little Owen turned six months old.  That is half a year!  I don't know where the time has gone, but I am so thankful for these last six months.  Owen is such a happy baby (during the day), which helps because is practically a sleepless baby at night!  I love the way he has a smile for everyone he comes across!  He has such a sweet little personality.  Even at six months, I can tell he wants to be "in the mix" of things when he is with his brother and sister.  He watches them and wants to be right there with them, playing just like they do!  I am so thankful for the last six months with this precious boy and I hope the next six months don't go as fast!  (Six month update coming soon!)

~Late night snuggle.~

Talking to his mommy! :)

24 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 12

There are some things that are seemingly "small" that I am thankful for.  Here are a few random things I am thankful for:
{A few of my favorite things}
* Amazon Prime.  Free two-day shipping.  All the time.  Do I need to say more?
*Trader Joe's dark chocolate bar with caramel and black sea salt.  YUM!
*The beach.  I can't imagine my life without it.  I've lived in Southern California all my life, so the beach has always been a quick get-away.  I look forward to a get-away with my hubby to the beach in the near future!
*Leggings.  In the late 90's I wouldn't be caught dead in them.  Now, I think they are quite comfortable.  And that isn't just because I'm a mom!
*Micro-fiber cleaning cloths.  They are great for everything from dusting to wiping down a stove to cleaning spots on the floor!  Even glass!
*The Gap.  LOVE their clearance section!  They closed the one in our mall.  BOooo!
*Peanut M&Ms.  They are good.  Too good.
*My mattress.  It's so stinking comfortable.  It is a Sealy Beautyrest with a pillow top...well worth the money!

*Subway's Chicken Marinara Melt.  I did this sandwich at Subway before it even existed.  Now it is officially a sandwich there AND its the 5 dollar sub for November!  Wooohooo!
*Fluffy, Cumulus clouds and blue skies---like we had today.  Southern California fall is simply beautiful!
Yup.  I said the list was random! :)

24 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 11

Photo Credit: http://lynnkerewchiropractic.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/flu.jpg

I am thankful that my family and I have stayed well (so far) this Fall.  By this time last year, we had passed a variety of illnesses around already.  From the early fall of 2010 to late spring of 2011, our family experienced the flu/stomach virus, conjunctivitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, sinus infections, and the common cold----all of those at least twice.  Health will never be something I take for granted again!  Thank you, Lord, for the health you have granted my family so far this season!  I pray we stay well through the holidays!

24 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 10

Today I am thankful for a friend, April, who, I am sad to say, I will be saying goodbye to tonight because she is moving to Michigan.  April and her family have lived near us for several years now.  She lived in the same apartment complex we did a few years back, and now she lives about a quarter of a mile down the street.  I will always remember the number of ways she selflessly served my family and I over the years.  She has brought us many meals, helped us pack when we were moving, and even has done laundry for us when I was on bed rest.  Even when she was very busy with a new baby, she found a way to help us when we most needed it.  She is the kind of friend who will pray for you when you need it.  God has used her to bless us many times, especially in the last year.  Although I haven't been able to see her as much as I wanted to socially, due to both of us having a new baby and my family being sick the first half of the year, she still found ways to bless us.  I will miss her and her family, but I am happy for them and the new journey are about to embark on.  I thank God for the several years he has given my family with April's family!

24 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 9

(I'm the one on the right...all 185 pounds of me!)

Last week, my scale finally budged to 135 lbs.  So, today, I want to say how thankful I am to have lost 50 lbs since having Jackson 4 years ago.  50 lbs may not sound like much to loose in three years, but I have done that through two pregnancies as well!  I am finally fitting into clothes that I fit into before my first pregnancy!  I am wearing clothes I wore on my honeymoon!!!  I'm wearing clothes I wore before I got married.

(This picture was taken two weeks ago...will take a more recent "after" photo and post on my fitness blog)  I'm not sure why I'm not smiling in this photo!

In the last forty-five days, I have been doing a 90 day program called Supreme 90 Day.  Let me tell you...it works!  I have gone from a size 11 jeans to...well...I fit into all my 7's, some of my 5's, and even some of my 4's.  SIZE 4????  I NEVER thought that was possible!  THANK YOU LORD for giving me the perseverance to get  through the struggles of weight gain and weight loss!  It takes a lot of work, but it is well worth it!  It feels so good to be healthy!

24 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 8

I am thankful for the Autumn.  I like some things about every season, but I LOVE the Fall!  I love the sights (although leaves don't get as pretty here), tastes and smells!  I love the way the sun sheds light differently this time of year---at a different angle, and, seemingly a different golden hue.  I love the dry winds that stir up and the sound of the leaves swishing in the trees and skittering across the street.  I love the smell of the fuji, gala, and honey crisp apples on my kitchen counter.  The spices of fall---the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamon---fill my nostrils with happiness!  And then, there are the tastes of fall---the pumpkin and apple laced with the mentioned spices---oh!  There are no words!  For Jackson's birthday, I made Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.  I love the recipe, but I do have to give credit to my sister-in-law, Robyn, for finding the recipe!  (Click here for recipe.) I'm not that big on pumpkin in things that do not bake in an oven.   I can do without pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin pancakes, but there is something special about a fluffy pumpkin muffin, bread, or cupcake.  Now, if you pair the baked pumpkin fluffiness with cream cheese, forget about it!!!  All I need to pair that with is a hot Chai Tea Latte!