Ridiculous

Uncle Scotty and Gavin being silly.

And this is before Uncle Scotty brought over his presents.

Stinky diaper face

Sir Hammy the McHamster! I have no idea where he gets it from.

Stupified. This is merely revenge for all the terrible pictures Ben has put up of me on his blog.

Christmas was ridiculous. My parents bought a bunch of presents for the kids and Uncle Scotty bought a bunch of presents for the kids and Uncle Dawson brought some too! There were so many presents, Tiny got tired of unwrapping.

Also, here's some good news for my field of study. And, if you get bored and have hours of spare time on your hands, watch this.

End of the Semester Celebration

Boys get to sit in Daddy's chair and watch a movie on Daddy's computer when Mommy must write papers and finish up all her last minute work for the semester. If you are wondering why Tiny is all sweaty (notice the wet hair), it is because instead of lying down and going to sleep at bedtime, he decided to scream at the top of his lungs and stomp his feet for 20+ minutes. Some might be disheartened by the fact that their kid is exhausted, but refuses to sleep. I see it more as a beneficial personality characteristic: incredible stamina. Let's hope he channels some of this energy into his school work and career when he gets older. We'll see. Ben seems to be able to channel most of his unbridled raging energy into school work, so there is hope.

He doesn't look like me at all. Not a bit.

THANKSgiving

Here in the North we put an emphasis on the first "i" in "giving" but my husband (from Mississippi) puts the emphasis on the "a" in "thanks." This subtle little accent alteration actually changes the way I view Thanksgiving. In my extended family, there is probably a lot more "giving" of food, hugs, and good will. Perhaps because Ben's family was religious when he was growing up, he remembers to accent the thankfulness involved in the holiday. I like this. I tease him, unmercifully, for his inability to correctly accent this word in the English language. But I like that he does not cave to my peer pressure.
Anyway, I think this holiday brings my entire blog full circle. I started it for my Positive Psychology class (still one of the best classes I've taken to date) as a gratitude journal. Surely, I ought to mention some of the things that I am thankful for on THANKSgiving.

I am thankful for:

My Family

Silly kids

Cute little sweaters

Posing-for-the-camera type of personality

The family Christmas photo that is always so difficult to get with everyone looking. Pretty soon Gavin and Kiernan will be old enough to look at the camera and we won't have such silly, natural-ish pictures.

Sledding outside on a hill made from Ben and I shoveling the snow into a pile.

Thanksgiving was good. We had a delicious turkey dinner at my Grandma Jacque's house with my cousins and brothers. My little brother Dawson bought me a late birthday present of an "expensive" bottle of wine along with a couple regularly priced bottles of wine (Red Knot and Barefoot).
Thanksgiving night my brother Scotty and his friend came over and I convinced them to play Cranium with us.

Friday Gavin and I went to the movie Bolt with Hailee, Jessi, Dominic and Chad. That was fun. Ben and I then went over to Hailee's house and proceeded to play Cranium with Chad and Hailee while Gavin, Jessi, and Dominic ran around the house giggling and playing. This was all after going sledding during the day at my parents house. Fun times all around. Now it is time to get busy with all the end of the semester work. Two weeks to go!

Halloween and stuff

Gavin as a bat. He chose it himself. He was very proud of being able to flap his "wings". He was also called Count Dracula and a vampire, but he was sure to set everyone straight.

Kiernan as a lion. He is a Leo. Looking overjoyed, as usual. Seriously though, he does smile. Sometimes.

Ben and Kiernan.

Rommel as a fat kid in too small clothes. No, we just put him in these because he was driving everyone crazy with his constant mincing around the house. He does not like to walk around with clothes on.

My Handsome Guys.

And a few seconds later....

And there you have it, my life. Things have been good around here. Now that I have cut to part time at work. So, at the beginning of the semester I really believed that I could work 40 hours a week, maintain 12 credit hours at the Master's level, continue to be a functional mother, and also keep my sanity. Turns out, not so much. After the third time of missing work because one of the boys were sick or I was sick (and I rarely get sick) I decided that if I wanted to keep my sanity I needed to cut back from work. And there you have it. I'm still sane and I will most likely pass my classes and don't have to feel guilty about never seeing my children.
On another note, I now have time to return to my weekend ritual of trying a new red wine. Tonight it is my first French wine (I know, I have no idea how I have managed to drink wine for this long and not have French!) called: Beaujolais-Villages, Red Beaujolais wine.

Making History

Yes We Can.

I have returned

So, I have decided I ought to continue blogging in order to counter the negativity from Ben's site. Total Unoriginality. In case you were wondering.

I have also decided to try to put some pictures on here. So here you go:

Hmmm... Turns out it is not below the caption but beside. Well shit. Oh well. Here is Gavin and Kiernan the day Gavin got his first big-boy haircut. Not what I asked for but still cute.

So, here I am at the Loon Attic writing this little blog. I really appreciate wi-fi and my parents babysitting for us for a couple hours.

I am officially done with my Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. Although, I don't "technically" graduate until August.
And I got into the Master's degree program in Clinical Psychology at UAA so I am pretty excited to go back to school in August.
AND (I know, a lot has happened since February!) I also got a job at the Women's Resource Center as a Child Development Specialist/Case Manager...so, yeh, pretty cool. I start work on Monday. Yeah. I like to work. I mean, not WORK work, but fun work where I get to feel as though I am accomplishing something.

I will miss the little guys during the week, but I will adjust in a couple of weeks.

Ok, it is time for me to get the pictures I sent to Wal-Mart to fill my picture frame I bought today. It is going in my office at work. See, how cool is that?!?!?!?! I have a stinkin' office. It's freakin' cool!!!

Day 28

This is officially the last day that I need to keep this journal. So, I will reflect a little on the past 4 weeks (and that went fast!) of gratitude journal writing. First, I didn't really enjoy it. I mean, I'm grateful for a lot of things and writing them down in a journal does not make them any more or less meaningful to me. Second, I didn't really like doing it at the end of the day. I think I might have preferred writing in the morning (which I ended up doing several days anyway) about the things I was grateful for in general, things I was grateful for the previous day and things that I was looking forward to in the upcoming day. Third, I actually found that I was pretty grumpy. This may have been caused by many number of things like: starting a new semester, getting a little behind on reading which induced a little anxiety, having a difficult time getting used to managing only 2 full days of class (instead of 4), etc.

Well here is my official Tuesday list:

1. Getting to Anchorage on time, despite the icky driving conditions and leaving a little later than anticipated. Plus, as soon as I got in the parking lot, a space opened up and I was able to park without making a single lap! I know, amazing!

2. Good conversation with Sarah and Desire instead of grading labs. I am grateful that there are cool girls like these around campus to chat with. I am also glad that I take breaks to just chat (probably entirely too many breaks, but that's a different story).

3. Modern Technology. I stopped by the loft before heading over the my parent's house and picked up the laptop. Then, when I arrived Ben checked his email and such and so did I. It is pretty amazing to think that 10 years ago I didn't even have an email address!

4. Having a mother that is willing to take off work to watch the little guys. All day. I am thankful for that.

5. Nighttime conversations with Ben. I'm grateful to have someone I can talk to around. All the time. Everyday.

Since this is my last gratitude journaling I will try to sum it up and perhaps add some more things.

Things I am thankful for ALL THE TIME:

Ben
Two healthy boys
Kid personalities developing
Family
Friends
Generosity
Movies
Modern Technology
Warmth
Coffee
Lessons learned
Learning
The ability to acquire knowledge
My health
Denali Kidcare
Good conversation
The G.I. Bill
Leisure
Family gatherings
Extended Family
Working vehicles
Hugs
Snuggles
Silliness
Pretend Play
Smiles
Laughter
Memories
Photos
Cabernet Sauvignon
Wild Vines
Girls' Nights
Study time
Friendliness
Children
Parents
Love
Water
Food
Shelter
Music
Game nights
The microwave
Ben and Jerry's
Art
Grandmas

Day 27

Monday.

1. No class for me. Just Gavin and Ben. Gavin has gymnastics in the morning. He really loves it. We were a little late today so the kids were already doing their first little warm-up circuit when we arrived, but Gavin quickly took off his coat and boots and joined in. During the 45 minutes, he also pointed to a little girl and said "she pretty", walked the balance beam, and did some awesome forward and backward rolls (with assistance).

2. Getting my homework done in a parking lot in my car while Tiny was napping and Bug was talking to me. I considered going home for a few minutes but I didn't want to wake Tiny up and just the unloading and reloading of the children would have eaten about 20 minutes off my total study time. I am grateful that I can study pretty much anywhere.

3. Bouncin' Bears with two of my favorite people. Ok, 8. Demetria, Davi, Tyler, Hailee, Jessi, Dominic, Gavin and Kiernan. Can't beat that crowd. Fun place, awesome company, you can't really beat that. Next time we will go after 1:30 to avoid the "big kids" as Gavin calls them.

4. Chillin' with the padres. See, I put it in Spanish this time to make it seem different. It is always fun to see my dad playing with Kiernan. For those of you who don't know my dad, he's pretty quiet (my cousins were all afraid of him as a kid because he never/very rarely spoke to them). I think he feels a little uncomfortable around kids and isn't exactly sure what to say and do. Anyway, it's fun to see him put Kiernan in his little wheely toy thing and show him how everything works.

5. A night with just one kid. Weird to only have Kiernan, but I have managed to almost catch up on my reading. Maybe by the time I go to sleep tonight I'll be even closer to caught up. Probably not. Kiernan seems to think he needs to make up for the lack of noise. Since my mom is taking off work tomorrow to watch my kids for me, Gavin is staying the night over with B and Baka. Not something we usually do during the week, but why not?

Day 26

Sunday.

1. Soccer. I know. I've mentioned that. But I really love it. I love being able to get exercise, see friends, do something I am moderately good at, and enjoy "grown up time".

2. Taking Gavin to watch my soccer game (Ben came too). Naturally, he met Kim's little girl and was much more interested in playing with her and her little "pets" than watching the soccer game. But he did get to kick the ball at the half and a few minutes after the game. Anyway, I guess this could have just been title Gavin. I appreciate his little blossoming personality. I told him to kick the ball and he picked it up and said "Gavin carry it" and I continued to urge him to kick it but he had made up his mind. So he carried it.

3. Homework time in between soccer games while my parents entertain the children. I know, I know, I put the same things on here all the time, but it's important. I am grateful for the time I get to spend doing homework without having to entertain children.

4. The ability to quit doing my homework (which happens much more than it should) and go hang out with the little guys. Kiernan is just beginning to be baby-ee. You know, smiling, cooing, reaching for toys, sitting up, "talking", and so much more. Gavin talks more everyday and it is so much fun to have conversations with him. He always has an opinion, no matter what.

5. Sleeping in my own bed, sandwiched between two little warm snuggles. I mean, I like staying at my parents house and having all the modern commodities and such, but I just like my own bed. Can you blame me?

Day 25

Saturday.

1. Saturdays are always nice. Sleeping in. An hour of morning snuggle time with the little guys. I'm glad that I have a family that can all sleep together, hang out together, basically spending entirely too much time together and rarely get tired of one another.

2. Tax return. Oh yes. With a whopping $0.00 of taxable income, we ended up with a fairly hefty little return. I would feel kind of bad but in a couple of years I will be paying to help contribute to some poor college student's refund. I am also grateful that we have a tax place to figure out the tax code. Free cookies, nice people (even the other customers didn't seem too perturbed by Gavin's intrusion into their personal space and high fives), and our taxes done for us.

3. Spending the night at my parents. We arrived at 3pm with children, dog, laundry and homework in tow. Then we proceeded to chit-chat with my parents for 3 hours instead of doing laundry or our homework. So, I am thankful that our number one priority is family time and not homework.

4. Television. I mean, I am thankful that we don't have it at our house, but it is nice to watch it every once and awhile. Just to be reminded of what we are not missing.

5. Doing laundry in the same building as I am sleeping in. I was able to get a lot of laundry done and I didn't even have to make repeated trips out into the cold. Convenience would be what I am grateful for. And indoor heating. That's nice too.

Day 24

Friday.

1. Friday. I mean, even though I don't technically have class on Friday, I still like Friday. Plus, lately I have been getting up with Ben and going into Anchorage to do TA stuff.

2. Nice people to hang out with Gavin. It is good for his little brain the come in contact with a lot of different personalities and people. And, it is even better that they are nice people.

3. The new restaurant that Ben and I went to this afternoon. Delicious sandwiches and a nice glass of red wine in the middle of the day. The Loon Attic off the Palmer-Wasilla Hwy, if anyone was interested. They also had a full espresso bar which means we will be back there for other things besides just soup, sandwiches and wine.

4. Getting a chance to hang out with Laura again and see her big (ok, teeny) 3 week old. I am thankful for being able to have intelligent conversation with a good friend.

5. Hanging out with and catching up with my Aunt Donna. Gavin and Kiernan especially like to hang out with her because she reads stories really well and always does the best voices.

As always, family, food and friends.

Day 23

Thursday.

1. I only had one class because my late night class was canceled.
I am thankful for being able to spend that much more time with my family.

2. I am thankful for how smoothly the first day with rats went in lab. No rats getting away, no people being afraid of the rats.

3. Chilling with my parents. As always.

4. Nice hot bath on a cold cold day. Plus I fell on the ice the other day and busted my ass, so I was a little sore.

5. Going to sleep early. Oh, how I am thankful that I have a nice warm bed to sleep in and I actually have time to sleep in it.

Day 22

Wednesday.

1. I am grateful for sleeping in, especially when both Gavin and Kiernan sleep in. I had a whole 45 minutes to finish up my paper.

2. Bouncin' Bears. Pretty cool place for kids. We got to get out of the house and use up a bunch of energy.

3. Friends. While at Bouncin' Bears, Gavin got to hang out with his friends and I got to hang out with mine.

4. The days are getting longer. Besides having to drive to Anchorage with the sun in my eyes almost the entire way, I was glad that the sun was still up! A couple more weeks and we'll have almost normal days.

5. Chatting with classmates for 20 minutes after class ended. It's nice to have someone to talk to besides my husband and children.

Day 21

Super Tuesday! The democratic caucus for the Mat-Su valley was uncharacteristically huge. The fire marshal kicked us out of the Grandview Hotel/Banquet hall because there were too many people. Apparently, the anticipated maximum participation would be around 90 people (2004 had only 38! The valley is notorious for being mostly republican) and we ended up with ??? more than 600, I would guess. 187 for my district and there were 4 more districts with about the same turn out. Pretty cool. Ok, so again, I am thankful for the opportunity to be involved in my community and for the right to vote.

2. I am thankful for finding a parking spot as soon as I got to campus this morning. Someone kindly let me in their spot. Those considerate people always brighten my day.

3. I am thankful for the amount of people that showed up tonight. I know, back to the caucus. The woman standing next to us at Grandview (before we were booted out) said she had been an independent for the last 30 years and was changing her affiliation for the night to caucus for Barak or Hillary. I am grateful that she left her house, and altered her affiliation just to exercise her political voice.

4. Also, there was a 91 year old woman at Wasilla High (where we were moved to) who came out to exercise her vote. A lot of people her age would have not bothered.

5. I am thankful that Ben is willing to help out. He located the elevator for the previously mentioned 91 year old and then escorted her downstairs.

6. My mom took a personal day from work to watch my kids. That was nice. We had been planning the morning babysitting for sometime. Then she agreed to watch the kids while we went to caucus and ended up staying up past her bedtime. I am grateful for that.

Now, it is past my bedtime so I will have to end here.

Day 20

Ok, I'm actually going to post tonight! Look at that, getting back on schedule.

1. Gymnastics. Only two kids were there today. It probably had something to do with the fact that it was -14 degrees outside! Anyway, Gavin got lots of one-on-one attention and actually attempted to do a backward roll by himself. Usually he is pretty cautious about rolling, the bars and the balance beams. Anyway, parent-tot gymnastics was a fantastic creation.

2. I got new glasses today. I broke my other ones on Thursday. I can legally drive without any glasses, but I feel so much safer (especially at night) when I have them. I called, got an appt for an eye exam, picked out some glasses and they put the lens in. From start to finish, it took 2 hours. Plus, it was at Wal-Mart so I got my grocery shopping done while I was waiting for them to put my glasses together. I am thankful for the modern technology that made this event possible.

3. As always, my parents. We headed over there this afternoon so that Ben and I could do homework while my parents entertained the children. I mean, how many people can say that their parents are happy to have them drop by at any time? Ok, probably a fair number, but I still appreciate mine.

4. The internet. Today I found an article to write about for my Strategies class, found out where the valley caucus is going to be tomorrow, read about each of the two candidates I have been debating about (and narrowed my selection down to one so I know who to "caucus" for tomorrow), read the news, read an article from Scientific American, and now I'm keeping up with my daily school work. Unheard of just a couple decades ago.

5. Oh, and about that, I am grateful to live in a nation where I have the RIGHT to vote. Seriously though, I think too many people take that for granted. Even though I am just one little person, in one little state (in population, not actual size), I still have the right to exercise my vote. I love it.

Now, go out and caucus tomorrow! Keep this in mind "If we are the richest nation on earth, why are we letting people die due to lack of access to healthcare?" Seems a bit inhumane to me.

Day 19

I am getting rather behind. I had intended to do this last night but ended up falling asleep. Ooops. Oh well. Here's for Sunday:

1. Spending the night at my parents after going out to a 5 glasses of wine each dinner. For a couple of reasons including not having to wake up to Gavin's feet in my face, being able to go back to sleep after one or both of the children wake up, and breakfast with coffee.

2. Watching the super bowl with Grandma Jacque and Gavin. They both took a nap for half of it. It was nice to get some laundry done and some homework done while staying up to date on my pop culture.

3. Soccer. For a lot of reasons. Fitness, socialization, and competition to name a few.

4. Seeing Gavin's glee when he got to kick the soccer ball at half time and between my games.

5. Going to bed before I had anticipated. Although I didn't get as much work done as I would have liked, I feel very rested today.

Day 18

Saturday.

1. A morning movie. Even if it is a kid's movie. I'm glad that we don't have television (as in the broadcast type) and can only watch movies.

2. Family. This will be the next three. My mom for happily babysitting while Ben and I went to a benefit dinner for the Boys and Girls Club.

3. My dad for being our designated driver and taxiing us to the dinner and picking us up again
after it was over. Ben and I were both able to enjoy the 5 glasses of wine that came with the delicious 4 course Italian meal.

4. My cousin Tim for inviting us to said dinner. Also, I am glad that my cousin's are so personable and friendly and even their spouses are fun too! I mean, what are he odds that all nine of us cousins would continue to get along into adulthood. Plus, everyone that has married into our family is awesome! We are a lucky family.

5. Meeting new people and making new friends. Also, seeing old friends and having a chance to catch up.

All and all, it was a fun night.

Day 17

Oh Friday. How I love Friday. Gavin and Kiernan got to come into Anchorage with Ben and I this morning. Gavin had to spend close to 3 hours with several different friendly people looking at rats. He was pretty excited. Last night Ben found out that the university didn't send in his credits for January (despite that he has been registered since Nov) so.... no G. I. Bill verification = no $$$ for us. Only 9 credits were sent in of my 12 so I am only getting 3/4 pay. Not good news on the finance front. In Anchorage, we went in and they said "be patient, it's coming.... blah blah blah... don't worry". Upon returning to the valley I decided to swing up to Mat-Su and withdraw from two 1 credit all day Sat. classes. Turns out, I was still able to drop them and I'm getting all my money back! Yeah!!!! One less thing to worry about paying for without our monthly income. Then Ben ran in to ask about his G.I. bill dilemma and they fixed it right there!! Another Yeah!!!

Anyway, that enormous preface for these thanks:

1. Friendly, helpful people. This applies to the people in the lab who showed Gavin the rats and ran around the halls with him and to the people at Mat-Su college that fixed Ben's stuff.

2. Denny's food. I love that place. Even though we probably can't afford to go there (especially right now!) we went anyway. And, I would have to say I appreciate the education that I have received from UAA. When we received our food (around 3pm) after not eating all day, I thought: this food would be a very salient positive reinforcer of behavior....oh, I love it.

3. Anything warm. My car... the SSB, Wal-Mart, our loft...etc...seeing as it is below zero outside.

4. Hanging out with my family all day today. Even though we were just running errands and going to class and such, it was nice to just hang out. I also really appreciate being able to have honest conversations with Ben.

5. So, this is weird but I am grateful that I take time (long before I started this journal) to reflect on what I am thankful for. Here is another short list of underlying things I am continually thankful for:

-being married to Ben... but having a horrible experience the first time I got married to help me to recognize exactly how lucky I am to have found Ben.

-having bad experiences to help me appreciate what I have now (USMC...namely Alpha Company...S-3T....boot camp female drill instructors...I could go on for a long time, a terrible first marriage...good thing I got that over with when I was young!....those are the two most glaring things).

-Family. The immediate one. The one I grew up with. Cousins. Aunts. Uncles. Grandmas. In-Laws (the few that I know).


- Friends. I am not going to list them all in case they do not want their names on here.

- My health, my ability to learn new things, two healthy kids, freedom to believe what I want to believe, the right to vote, life in general.

Ok, my rantings are finished for today. Until tomorrow.

Day 16

Thursday

1. Sleeping in. Those extra couple of minutes, or half an hour, really make my whole day better.

2. A really hot shower on a really cold day. I really appreciate modern technology that helps keep us warm when it is so cold.

3. The generosity of the faculty at UAA. I am thankful for a professor that is willing to look over my letter of intent when she is already very busy with her own life. I appreciate kindness.

4. I am glad that I am able to communicate verbally. I mean, I could lack the ability to speak or vocalize my wants, needs, etc.

5. Making it home safely in the dark on the highway. Arriving safely at home is such a relief. I also greatly appreciate the heater in my car.

Day 15

Wednesday's blog is a little late.

1. Morning movie time. Not only do I get to listen to a silly movie, I can actually get some work done.

2. Coffee. I know I don't put this everyday, but I am grateful that I can afford my 20oz americano with cream and sugar every morning. Also, that I get to enjoy a delicious warm drink in the morning.

3. My mom's house. Filled with toys and a jumpy thing for Tiny. I am thankful that my parents gave us a key to their house so we can go over there anytime. So, I am thankful for a reprieve from the loft and my parents' generosity.

4. Making it to and from Anchorage safely, both directions last night.

5. Going to bed a little earlier than usual. We were in bed by 11:30 (usually we don't start heading that way until after midnight). I was in bed by 11:00 to feed Tiny and just did not get back up. Naturally, Ben and I had to have our 15-20 "before bed" conversation. This is a lot of little things: going to bed early, good conversation, actually having enough things to do individually that Ben and I actually have something to talk about.

More to come tonight :)

Day 14

Tuesday. My "busy" day. Ok, not really. I have a class in the morning (Positive Psychology, the reason I'm doing this gratitude journal), and then another directly thereafter.

1. This morning, when I got to UAA, I spied a car pulling out at the same time another car from the other direction spied it. He let me have it. That was nice. I appreciate little nice acts.

2. I'm thankful for the letter of recommendation I received this afternoon. I am grateful that this professor not only took time to write the letter for me, but also kindly delivered a signed copy to me personally. I appreciate his kindness.

3. I'm grateful for all the different personalities in my classes. I am thankful that I have to opportunity to meet new people and learn cool things all at one time.

4. I am glad that I am able to hang out with my grandma regularly. Such an awesome woman and not everyone gets the opportunity to know their grandparents. I not only get to know mine, I get to talk to her regularly. I appreciate her even more now that I am an adult.

5. I am grateful that I am able to nurse my babies. I mean, I'm glad that I was able to give that to my kids. I know a lot of people have a difficult time with this. I did not. I'm grateful that my little guys are good eaters. Plus, it's free and easy.

Day 13

Monday.

1. I am thankful I do not have class on Monday. One extra day to finish all that homework I didn't finish over the weekend.

2. Parent-tot gymnastics. It is amazing how much Gavin remembers from each session.

3. Mid-afternoon "rest". That is the code word for nap. Lucky for me, he falls asleep faster if I lay down and close my eyes. I lead an agonizing life.

4. NPR. That's National Public Radio for those of you who are not familiar. Great station 91.1. It makes the drive to and from Anchorage so much better.

5. Chatting for an hour with a friend instead of working on my letter of intent. Humans are social creatures.

Day 12

Sunday edition.

1. I am thankful for modern technology. Like this computer that I use to check my email, read the news, check the weather, write papers and, of course, write this blog.

2. I am grateful for soccer. I think I mentioned that before. I'm glad that I still play and enjoy playing. I especially enjoy coed soccer.

3. I am thankful for family get-togethers. Always fun.

4. I am grateful for my mom's editing skills. I'm working on my letter of intent and it is a disaster. My mom kindly, annihilated my rough rough draft. That is a good thing. The last thing I want is someone to read it and say "yeh, looks good," especially when it is a rough rough draft. I especially don't want to turn in a piece of writing that is terrible. So, I'm grateful for available and willing skillful editors, like my mom.

5. The glass of "wine" I just had was pretty good. I say "wine" because it is wild vines and by no stretch of the imagination is it actually wine, more like kool-aid with a little alcohol added. It is delicious.

Day 11

So, we went out to eat last night and I was not feeling well last night. I'm not sure if it was the plum wine or the little bit of shrimp (which I have not eaten since I got sick when I was pregnant with Gavin 3 years ago), or a combination of the two. Anyway, that is my excuse for not writing last night. I am writing yesterday's this morning and will do today's tonight.

1. I am thankful for access to a washer and dryer. I am so glad I don't have to gather all my clothes every weekend and go to a laundry mat.

2. I am thankful that my husband has an immense need to recycle, even if it means putting off the actual sorting and taking to the recycle center for weeks at a time. The massive pile that we were accumulating in our loft and in the garage is now sorted and piled in the back of the car (only because the recycle center in the valley closed this Sat. due to the wind).

3. I am thankful for learning while doing something fun. Gavin got to go see his friend Jessi and they got to have a math lesson, a science lesson, and a cooperation lesson while making muffins. Pretty cool.

4. My parents willingness to babysit on a last minute notice, pretty much anytime.

5. Going out to eat with just Ben. It's kind of nice to do grown up things without a toddler and an infant.

Day 10

Oh, it was a fun day today for sure. Turf for Tots and Bouncin' Bears and B and Bauka's house. We even went out to my mom's school and met her there before she left.

1. This morning I asked Gavin what he wanted to do today and he said "go a play-place" which translates to "let's go to Turf for Tots". Since he mentioned it I decided we could go. I was initially just planning on going to Bouncin' Bears around 1pm. So, I appreciate that Gavin enjoys Turf for Tots enough to remember it and request going there.

2. I finally got a chance to chat with my friend, Laura, for a few minutes. Seeing as she just had a baby, she's been kind of busy this last week. We've been playing phone tag all week.

3. Bouncin' Bears was lots of fun. There were only a couple other kids there and a whole new thing with a little toddler size slide. It was fun to watch him trying to socialize. A lot of the time he doesn't bother trying to socialize with the other kids (just the moms and dads), so I am thankful for his initiative.

4. Good conversation (this one is reoccurring, I know, but I am very grateful for it). Tonight with my mom, although only for a few minutes before Gavin needed to show us what he was cooking.

5. The relationship that Ben and I have. For some reason we have been grating on each others' nerves all day. Then on the ride home from my parents we pinpointed the reason for our shortness with one another-- the beginning of the new semester and the pressure we have created for ourselves. Namely, the need for both of us to get all A's. Petty, I know.
Anyway, once we found the culprit, we are suddenly no longer short with one another. No grudges, no petty jabs, no silly "when you say those things it makes me feel...." statements, etc.
So, I am grateful for ability to speak frankly and candidly with my husband without having to worry about hurting his feelings or making him mad at me.

Also, I am thankful for a day filled with fun with my kids. No school. No commuting. No deadlines. Just fun.

Day 9

1. Lounging in bed for an extra 30 minutes or so, until Gavin could no long wait quietly and patiently for me to get up.

2. Kiernan's happy little face. He's been extra specially smiley lately and quite vocal with his "happy" sounds.

3. Good conversation.

4. Good "tips" from fellow students.

5. Happy faces when I came home tonight. Kiernan did his "oh my food machine is here, finally!" laugh, and Gavin greeted me from his bed with a happy "Hi-lo mommy, oh, hi-lo". He does both the greeting and my response for me. He knows "hi" and "hello" and has apparently decided the merge the two. I don't blame him, it makes more sense his way, eh?

Tomorrow is Friday Fun-Day (aka: Turf for Tots and/or Bouncin' Bears and/or open gym at a gymnastics place and in the late afternoon/evening hanging out with B and Bauka (my parents).
Hasta Manana.

Day 8

We are officially into week 2 of the gratitude journal. How exciting is that? Ok, I know, not that exciting.

1. Turf for Tots. The soccer complex opens its doors every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (10am-1pm) to toddlers for a mere $5 a kid. And, it's filled with all kinds of cool toys. Mostly, it is an opportunity for Gavin to socialize and also an opportunity for me to socialize. And that makes everyone happier.

2. Lunch time with toddlers. Gavin and his friends got to eat lunch together after Turf for Tots time. They did a very good job at sharing their food and saying "please" and "thank you". I am glad that Gavin already has friends that he enjoys spending time with, even if they do happen to be my good friend's kids.

3. Rest. Although Gavin did not take a nap today, he did lay down and "rest" for about an hour. Kiernan played quietly. It was peaceful. I am grateful for an hour of peacefulness.

4. Making it safely into and out of Anchorage after our January thaw and a fresh snow on top of the layer of ice.

5. Driving to Anchorage for a class that is worthwhile. I am grateful for that.

Day 7

1. Study time without children. I can get so much done.

2. I actually remembered how to use excel to make a figure. So, I'm thankful for my memory.

3. Knowing some people on campus so that I can stop to chit-chat.

4. Having dinner made for me.

5. Fun movies like Flushed Away. Especially when I get to dance to the silly songs with Gavin.

That's all for today because I only have one hand type with (Tiny is patiently waiting to go to bed in the other hand).

Day 6

1. Parent-tot gymnastics. So much fun! I am glad that I get to witness all the little toddler personalities in the class.

2. Gavin recently realized he could get Kiernan to laugh by saying "boo brother!" I am grateful for those two little guys.

3. Good conversation, namely with Ben and my mom today.

4. A quiet afternoon while both boys were sleeping and I actually got some reading done!

5. I am glad that Ben and I don't place too much value on "stuff". Someone broke into our car (ok, it was unlocked, but it was in the driveway at my parents' house) and took Ben's case of beer and all his CDs. They weren't interested in the $150 carseat or my Helly Hanson jacket or our checkbooks. So, we're thinking some kids (my dad had a bunch of stuff stolen from his boat in the same yard, so they suspect it is a local thief) are the culprits. I'm glad they didn't take the carseats and I'm glad that the thief didn't break any windows or anything like that. It is just stuff. Apparently they needed that beer more than Ben (he just went and bought some more) and hopefully they enjoy Ben's terrible selection of CDs. No more Mastadon for a little while at least, I am thankful for that.

I am also thankful for my ever vigilant husband who reminded me just before I got into bed that I did not fulfill my duties of gratitude journaling. Seeing as Kiernan would like to help me type, I am going to sign off now. Hasta manana.

Day 5

Things I am grateful for:

1. I am thankful for having my parents up early to entertain my kids while I try to sleep in a little bit.

2. I am thankful for having something to do on Sunday. Namely soccer. I like playing and visiting with old friends and meeting new people. And, an added bonus, I get a good work out.

3. 20 oz americano with cream and sugar. Mmmmm.

4. A nice hot bath. With smelly good stuff in it.

5. Silly movies on a Sunday night with family.

Day 4

Today was Saturday. It was fun. We went to IHOP for brunch (although Gavin had already eaten) then ran some errands. Then I got to go see my friend's new tiny baby girl... born earlier today (7:12 am, 19 Jan, 6lbs 2 oz...so, tiny!) Then I went to a girl's night at my cousin's house with my friend, Hailee. Then, on a whim, afterwards, Hailee and I decided to head out to some bars. That was pretty fun. As previously mentioned, I am fairly inhibited when it comes to social situations, so it is fun to go out with someone who is has more social finesse than I do.

Ok, on to the positive things:

1. I am thankful for the exersaucer we bought for Kiernan because he loves that thing. I think, mostly because he can swirl around and see his brother. I'm also thankful that Gavin enjoys (or seems to) playing with his brother. Hopefully, that feeling will just continue to grow as Kiernan gets more mobile.

2. I am grateful for food that I do not have to cook, that is, IHOP. Also, for the friendly service we generally get when we go there.

3. I am grateful for girl's nights. Like tonight, just a bunch of girls getting together and hanging out (for a "party" hosted by my cousin). We stayed a little later than anticipated because four of us women began talking about what the births of our children were like.

4. I am grateful for my cousin, Demetria, who is always full of energy and charisma. She was always a lot of fun when we were kids and she still has that shining personality today. The type of person you would turn to for thoughts on an important issue and someone who can also relax and have a good time.

5. I'm grateful for my friend Hailee who is always up for a "good time" whether that means going to a girls night out or just getting together to hang out or having an impromptu playdate. I'm glad that I have had a chance to get to know her better and she has made my move back to Alaska much less lonely than it could have been.

Alright, that's it for today.

Day 3

Today is Friday. I am grateful for Fridays. I mean, who isn't? Ok, here's my list of things for today:

1. Having a friendly toddler. He makes a point to say "hi" or "hello" or "hi-lo" to almost everyone who walks by or makes eye contact. If I were less socially inhibited I might consider saying hello to more strangers. That might be a leap for me though. I am glad that he has a bubbly, ebullient (you can thank the GRE study guide for that word) and happy kid.

2. Driving to Anchorage with Ben. There are several reasons for this, like the drive is WAY better with company, I don't have to drive (just criticize his driving, which is much easier), and we got to catch up on all the things that have been going on this week. I'm glad that I have a husband that I can talk to continually. All the time.

3. A person I used to work with sent me a copy of the letter of recommendation he wrote for me. I am grateful that he took time out of his life to write me a letter of recommendation, and an awesome letter of recommendation no less. So, I am grateful for kind and considerate people, especially this particular kind and considerate person.

4. My parents. Obviously. But, I appreciate that we can show up at their house every Friday afternoon and they always bring home pizza and stay up past their bedtime just to chat with us and play with Gavin and Kiernan. I am grateful for the reprieve from having to entertain/hold the little guys. Not that I don't like to entertain and hold them, but sometimes a little break is nice. Another thing I am thankful for is having people around (namely, my parents) who care about my kids a lot.

5. I am thankful to have been able to talk to my friend after she was admitting to the hospital (I'm hoping she is having her baby SOON). I am glad that she thought about me during this special time in her life and I am grateful that she is willing to share some of her joy and happiness with me.

6. Just one extra today. I am grateful for my friend Julia. Since her and her husband will not be able to come up to visit us in Alaska this summer, she has offered to give me money for a plane ticket to get to the states. Now, you don't find friends like that everyday! So, I am thankful for good friends.

Well, there you go. Until tomorrow.

Gratitude Journal Day 2

Here's my 5 positive things for today:

1. I let Gavin look in the mirror while we were in the shower this morning and made his shampoo hair into different funny styles. He especially liked the dinosaur (we've been watching The Land Before Time and I can remember how much my little brother loved that movie as a kid). So, I'm thankful for kid humor.

2. I am thankful for friendly people who are willing to answer all sorts of questions.

3. I had to drive back to the valley between my afternoon class and night class because I forgot something. When I met up with my family, Kiernan smiled one of those heart warming smiles. Then, the rest of the afternoon while I was home he snuggly and smiley. Plus, Gavin was in a rambunctious mood so we had to have some silly play.

4. My stats class should be a breeze! Thanks to Stats for Psychology most everything should be review (not to mention I just had a brush up in Learning and Cognition and Psychological Testing last semester). And the teacher has been teaching for a long time and is straight forward and articulate.

5. Warm soup on a cold day. Also this orange is delicious.

That's about it for today.

Gratitude Journal Day 1

Seeing as this is my first blog I will begin with an introduction of why I've created a blog. First, and foremost, I feel a strong need to express my individuality. Just like everyone else. Secondly, I'm taking a taking a class that has an assignment option of keeping a gratitude journal. Obviously, I'm choosing this option. So, the assignment requires that I record 5 five positive events that I notice each day for 4 weeks. Since it is called a gratitude journal, I am going to begin with 5 things that I am grateful for each day.

Here are my five positive events for today, Wednesday, Jan 16, 2008:

1. It was warm when I woke up this morning (two days of -5 degrees Fahrenheit, 25 degrees is practically tropical).
2. When my son, Gavin (2.5 years), woke up, he told me all about his stuffed animals and then snuggled me for a few brief seconds before wiggling away. Along the same line, when my younger son, Kiernan (5 months), woke up he looked over and saw that I was awake and smiled a very endearing smile at me.
3. I did not have to drive into Anchorage this morning while it was snowing (but Ben did and I'm thankful that he is a very cautious driver and arrived back safely this afternoon). I got to drive in tonight after the plow trucks and sand trucks had finished their work.
4. I am grateful for my aunt and uncle who are almost always willing to have company and shower my children with unconditional love and never ending fun.
5. I am thankful for the opportunity to take an exciting class and see a lot of familiar faces and acquaintances.

Here are a list of other random things I really appreciate:
-hot water in the shower
-comfy pajamas
-20 oz americanos made to perfection
-The white tea I bought on an impulse and have been dutifully drinking to avoid ridicule from my husband. Turns out, it's really good!
-Feet heat in my car
-Grandma's unending patience, even when a baby is screaming
-Pretend play with a 2.5 year old, that ice cream cone is delicious every time I have it!
-Baby snuggles, coos, laughs, smiles
-Pictures
-Family
-Ben
-Intelligent conversation
-Conversation in general

Ok, that is probably enough things for today.

Since the final part of the assignment is to reflect on how you feel at the end of the 4 weeks, I figure I put in a little "feelings" section here at the end.

I feel pretty good. Ok, I feel pretty good most days. I have a lot of good things in my life.... Big, loving family, fun kids, a place to stay, a fun husband, etc. etc. etc.