Stop. Be Thankful.

I have a bagazillion things to be doing right now but I am struck with the importance of being thankful for the big and the small in my life. Aaaand Eli is napping and all the things on my list are loud. So let's just be thankful for a few minutes.

1. My schmart and amazing hubby. Gosh I love him. Mushy, mushy goodness.
2. Eli, Eli, Eli, Eli, Eli, Eli, Eli, Eli, Eli... yep, I think we have established we are grateful for our redemption baby.
3. Long, hot showers. Oh how grateful I am for this indulgence living in America. Clean water out of every spout... it's truly one of the best gifts. 
4. Welch's sparkling red grape juice. I have always loved this stuff. It's so sparkly good. If real wine were as good to my juvenile taste buds, we'd be in trouble. 
5. Friends, family, people to share life with. Yes, it's just so much better with others. 
6. Getting the Christmas cards and letters (mostly) done and out. Big feeling of accomplishment. Pat on back.
7. Christmastime food. Certain foods just say "Christmas" to me. Aunt Bonnie's Christmas punch, chex mix, cookies. When I eat these, I can officially break out the Oak Ridge Boys Christmas album and really start the season. 
8. Our niece, Ava, had a little ear surgery this morning and everything went well. We hope this will help her perpetual ear infections to be a thing of the past. I heard her say "no" and "uh oh" over the phone today. So cute. So grateful for her.
9. Receiving Christmas cards in the mail. It just makes getting the mail each day that much better. Agreed?
10. Getting to wrap presents in wrapping paper that matches my tree (I am my mother's daughter) AND having people coming here to open them!
11. The fact my almost-graduated husband is such a studious person and not a last-minute procrastinator when it comes to studies (like, um, his wife).  He did everything on time or ahead of time. Meaning this week is way less stressful than it could be if he wasn't so awesome. 
12. Having four muslin blankets for Eli. He loves, loves to chew on one during nap time. I love that I have four and don't have to do laundry every day. 
13. Hulu. We can watch TV online without having to buy cable. Such a great down-time activity for us. Loving the British show "Spy"... the British just seem so edgy and cool. 
14. I got a Fiskar paper cutter thingy from J & R. I can now cut paper like nobody's business. 
15. All the FedEx, UPS and US postal workers. They are so, so busy right now. I have (mostly) stopped ordering stuff online so their trips to our house should lessen. I'm so grateful for their hard work.

Speaking of... you should do this. Buy candy or snacks or any type of treat and put it in a bag... or just tie a ribbon and thank you message on a candy bar... leave them by your door. When someone comes to deliver a package, give it to them and say "I know it's a busy season. Thanks!". I always give JT a Christmas present of snacks but this year I decided our UPS guy should get a bag of snacks, since we know him pretty well now, too. Then I decided I should just have extras out since we have had FedEx and other UPS dudes coming. I even got some 100 Grands so they know they are worth at least that much;) Simple. Easy. Nice.

Perfect timing. I hear a boy crying from his crib. 

-Heather