So Many Things!

Today's post has many Gratitude's in it. I feel I must give you some insights into my life currently. I have been a student wife for over a decade. We have 3 children and just as my wonderful husband started to enter the job market everything crashed. As a result after 4 years now of trying to find a permanent position it still has not happened. We have miraculously still been able to survive without moving in with any of our parents (barely but still), About 5 years ago I started having a sense of I won't be here for very long so I made peace with leaving the beach, friends, the only home my children have ever known, etc. I stopped trying to make new friends because I knew I would be leaving soon. Almost 5 years after this I have to say that it really and truly sucks to have been left by almost all of the friends I did have at that time. When we first moved here I hated watching my friends move one by one but a good friend promised that one day it will be our turn to move on, buy a house, be able to afford all our bills etc. I am so completely tired of still being here. Don't get me wrong in those 5 years I have made some wonderful new friends and retained some lifelong friends that I know I will never loose. I am grateful for those I just am ready to move on to the next phase in my life. What I am afraid of right now is that the next phase is not going to happen. We may not get a fantastic job. We may live barely scrapping by for the rest of our lives. I am slowly coming to terms with that. Ok enough complaints this is suppose to be a gratitude blog. I am Grateful for Playgroup, Old friends who come to visit, Friends that are moving on, friends who are still here. There was a particular playgroup last summer that had all of this at once. It was Katie Erbs last playgroup with us (as well as Jolie, Leah & Cal), I had an old friend Carol visiting us, Many friends who will be around for awhile and as I look at the pictures two other family that have moved since then, the Fleming's, and the Day's. I makes me want to cry thinking about this. I am grateful for the time I have had with all of these friends. They have all meant different things to me at different times but definitely worth the heartbreak of watching them move on with their lives. I am grateful for the many, many days I had the privilege of attending playgroup. This year all my kids are in school and I miss it terribly. Whenever someone asks me to babysit I tell them I can if it is on Tuesday so I can take the kids to playgrooup.
Thank you to all who listened to my many rants, I know there were more than my fare share. Thank you for sharing recipes, parenting ideas, craft ideas and for letting me be your friend. Thank you for not being too offended when I discussed personal matters like circumcision,  vasectomy's, birth control, and many things not appropriate to mention on a public blog.

Karaoke!

Ok, So I know I have been failing at doing as many posts as I would like. It is not for lack of things to post about. It has more to do with the fact that I want to give these things I am grateful for the time they deserve. Today's post is long overdue. I am grateful for Glee Karaoke. I have wanted this for the WII for a while now. On my birthday my husband and roommate planned a surprise party for me. Guess what they got me Glee Karaoke and we played it all night. After we had sung all the songs we watched 2 episodes of Glee. I was blown away by the singing abilities of the woman who came. Brandy amazed at Defying Gravity. Chantel boogied down with Hair, Mary Karlee was right on with Leaving on a Jet plane. We sang so many, I can't name them all. It was so much fun. Since the party the kids have gotten it out and played it many times. Elliot and Athea are really cute. They can't read the words yet but know the songs from me listening to them in the car obsessively. On Thursday we had 10 kids at the house. Some wanted to play and some didn't so I bribed them with Chocolate. If you sing one song you get chocolate. Guess what. Everyone sang. They did great. Then most of them wanted to go again. Bridgette Fleming & Kyle Dorny really should be in choir one day. The next version of Glee Karoke comes out April 30th. You know I will be buying it. If you haven't guessed, I LOVE GLEE. I am not sure if I have an unnatural obsession for someone who is 34 or not. I don't belong to any fan clubs and I have not cyber stalked any of the cast members. I have spent hours watching the episodes, listening to the music and watching behind the scenes clips. Why do I love it so? Is it because I was once a choir geek myself and long for the days of High School, I don't think so. Is it because of the hot boys that are really my age on the show, Maybe. Is it because of Sue Sylvester and her wonderful Sue C's it quotes, Probably. Could it be simply that I love the music. Whatever it is I Love Glee. If you have not seen it you may come to my house and watch the 1st season with me. I own it along with all the the music released on disc (I don't have some of the singles that are download only yet). If you don't like Glee then you are missing out on something. If you love glee please post some of your favorite moments. If you don't love glee I am sad for you. Here are some pictures from my Birthday Party.

You!

Today I am grateful for you. YES YOU! You know you are wonderful and well deserving of my blog post. I am
Grateful for the long nights of talking.
Grateful for your creative ideas.
Grateful for your inspiration to be a better mother.
Grateful for when you make me smile.
Grateful for when you bring me chocolate.
Grateful for the chance to read your blog/facebook posts to help stay connected no matter where you are.
Grateful for the books you recomend.
Grateful for all the things I have learned from you.
Grateful for your support when times are tough.
Grateful that you listen to my griping even when my life isn't that bad.
Grateful for when you help with my children.
Grateful for the recipes you have shared.
Grateful that you craft with me.
Grateful that you don't judge me even when things seem to be going so wrong.
I am sure that there are many many things I have left out that you are wonderful at. Please remember how much you mean to me and I know my life would never be the same without you.

Harry Potter!

Today I am grateful for the Harry Potter Series. JK Rowling really hit it on the nail here. Both Chandler and Dylan at about the same age really hated reading. They felt like they were too slow and could not read as well as there class mates. Reading was a battle every day. One day Chandler picked up the Harry Potter Series and didn't stop reading until he was done. It took him about 6 months to read the entire series which for his age and considering I don't think he had finished a book before then was amazing. Our life was turned into Harry Potter World. Every where I turned there were Magic Wands, Cloaks,Brooms  and Books of Spells. These things were all hand made by my children with help from me and we had a great time. Just before Christmas this year I felt like we were repeating the same problems we had had with Chandler with Dylan. One day Dylan came in and said I am half way through the first Harry Potter book. I was amazed. He now only has 1 1/2 books left and it is only February. The relief that these books has brought to me as a mother in indescribable. Getting my kids to read every day is no longer a screaming match. Chandler has enjoyed reading ever since and reads more books than I would have ever dreamed. These books have given both of my boys the confidence to tackle reading in the future. Oh Yea, I have read these books as well, long before my boys did and I loved them. If you have not read them I feel you should. PLEASE never try to compare Twilight to Harry Potter. I will go off on a real tangent if you do. (twilight was an entertaining read but not even in the same category)

This is a cloak of Chandlers Design. Notice the hidden pockets to hold wands and other magical tools.

This is the Cloak Dylan designed. From the front it in no way resembles a KKK cloak.

Hunger Games.

When I started this Gratitude Blog I had a long list of things in mind to post about. Probably enough to last a good couple of months. What I have found interesting is that I have hardly posted any of those things on my original list. There are things everyday that are striking me and I just have to make that my post. Today I am posting about the Hunger Games Series.

I have a friend named Lee who was my neighbor for years and she always brought me great books to read. She brought me this book and said you are going to love it but the sequel won't be out for another year so don't be mad at me when you are done. She was right. I can say that this is my all time favorite book series. I love to read but I do it speradically because once I start a book I can't focus on anything else until the book is done. I know if Lee recomends it it will be worth the neglect around my house to read it compulsively for the nest 24-48 hours. I read The Hunger Games and the next day took it back to Lee so mad that I had to wait another year for the sequel. Skip to the next August. I bought the 1st book in Hardback and ordered the second one called Catching Fire. I did something I had never done before. I read a book for the second time. I have always felt that there are too many books in this world to read a book more than once but this book has so much too it I needed to read it again before I read Catching Fire. I was so excited the day Catching Fire came out.

I read it and loved it just as much as the first one. When it got to the end guess what, it was a trilogy and the 3rd book was not going to be released until the following August. Holy Crap I can't believe this is happening to me. Skip forward one more year. I did something I have never done before. I read a book for the third time and read Catching Fire for the second time so that it was fresh in my mind for the release of MockingJay. I pre ordered MockingJay thinking that it would be delivered to my house the day it was released and it didn't come for three more days. By that time my friends, parents at the school, Chandlers classmates and many people of Facebook had already read it. I was out of my mind in anticipation.

I know many people were upset with the ending but I loved the book as much as I loved the first two. I now have a goal to read this seried every summer. If I have not already made my point clear
I LOVE THESE BOOKS!
These books are great. My 12 year old son and his friends love these books as well as many of my friends and family members. There are some intense parts so read it before you let a child read it. I have heard that they are making a movie out of it. I will be the first person in line with a Team Pita shirt. I hope they do the books justice in the movie. I am grateful for all the entertainment and mental escape that the Hunger Games books have brought into my life. Read the books and let me know what you think. I would love to discuss them with you.

Santa Barbara!

Today I am grateful that I live in Goleta or Santa Barbara. I have made many changes in my life over the past couple of years and these changes have been so much easier because I live in this blessed "Granola Country". Becoming Vegetarian and not being able to eat eggs, or Gluten has many challenges. Because I made these changes here however, stores, restaurants, community, friends don't treat me like I am crazy. It is ok here to try to eat this way. This environment has helped me learn how to function with this lifestyle change so now if I do leave this beautiful place I will know how to handle my eating lifestyle even when the foods I rely on are not readily available. Long Story short when I don't eat most meats, eggs, gluten, and artificial preservatives I stay headache free, my joints hurt less, I think more clearly, and I overall feel better. Thank you Santa Barbara for supporting my lifestyle!
P.S. One day I will post more specifics about why I changed but I feel that I need to give that post more time than I have had lately. If you have questions please feel free to ask.

Falling Behind!

So I know I have completely fallen behind in my posts. It is not for a lack of Gratitude but really having so much to do that there just hasn't been time. I am going to do a list of things I am grateful for that happened over the last week. Pictures will probably come later.
1. I am grateful for friends who threw me an awesome surprise party. Glee Karaoke all night long does a night get any better than that.
2. I am grateful for Chipotle, I love this place because they don't use gluten in there spices and if you get yours vegetarian they load it up with guacamole. I went there 3 times last week. This is unusual for me to go out this much but I was using my birthday as an excuse. Hey you only turn 34 once (unless you are my mom. I think she is still 34, oh wait she is not that old yet I think she is still 29.)
3. I am grateful for freedom. It has given me hope watching the people in Egypt stand up for themselves. It has helped me appreciate what I have and renewed my faith in the world that people will fight for what they believe in.
4. I am grateful for a husband who is still persevering and providing for our family even though life has not dealt him the cards he has been working so hard for.
5. I am grateful for the sunshine. I desperately needed it today and it showed up just to warm my soul.

In case you didn't know I am trying to do 5-7 gratitude posts per week. This has been a hard year(s) for my husband and I with the job market being so tough. We are slowly figuring things out but it is taking it's emotional toll on us. I learned a few years back that when I focus on the positive things in my life that I have a better perception of what my life is really like. Instead of being weighed down by all the don't haves, I am reminded off all that we do have. I am grateful for our blessings and am always thinking about those that don't have as much as we do and one day I hope I will in time or money be able to help some of the many people in the world that need so much.

Me!

Today instead of sharing what I am grateful for I am going to share what you are all grateful for. ME! Today is my birthday and I know you are all so grateful for the opportunity to have me in your lives. Can you even imagine what life would be like without me? Seriously it would be so much more boring. You know you would get way less scrapbooking done if you didn't know me. Let's not forget the chocolate, I guarantee there would be some form of yummy desert that you would not have been privileged to try if I had not recommended it or made it for you. While you are contemplating how lucky you are to have me in your life take a look at my picture from when I was little. Now you are lucky to have seen one of the cutest kids ever. ME! FYI I am 34 today.

Joanna

 

 

 

 

Now in all seriousness I am Grateful for something today. My Nephew Wyatt. He was lucky enough to be born on my birthday which makes him extra special. I have never met a kid who likes squishys as much as I do. I totaly appreciate the super hero side to him. Happy Birthday to Wyatt.