I made a thanksgiving resolution to find something to be thankful for every day until next Thanksgiving.  Here’s what I am thankful for this week!

Thursday: I think y’all know I really like personal mail. Well I got some today!  Just a short letter, but it made me go like this :D … times ten.

Friday: Sleep, glorious sleep, and enough of it too!

Saturday:  That my baby sister caught a much-desserved break!  She has been through hell working in the deli at Dillons for the past two years, and she got promoted to deli manager, which means a $13/hour pay RAISE…that’s right, $13 more on top of what she was already getting!  She is now making more than me and my industrial engineer & boutique-owning middle sister!  I am just thrilled for her!  Her and her husband, who are the parents to my only blood-nephew (I have two through Dennis, too),  have really struggled financially and this will help a lot.

Sunday: Awwww! OK, so sometimes it really pays off to send a letter!  Since I have been working Sunday morning, I have only been able to make it to our evening church service most weeks, and have really missed seeing my friend, Thurman, who only comes to the morning service because he doesn’t have a car and doesn’t want to be a nuisance by asking for more than one ride a week.  He is 91 years old and quite spry and alert, and we get along famously.  We used to sit next to each other and I’d take his hand during the closing prayer (with Dennis’ hand in my right, of course), and he always told me how much that meant to him.  Well, I sent him a letter expressing how much I missed sitting next to him and “holding hands” (haha) and told him that I’d love it if he’d come to the evening services and we’d be happy to give him a ride.  I never heard back from him but, lo and behold, there he was sitting in the spot next to mine when I came in Sunday evening.  He was such a sight for sore, work-weary eyes! Oh, I can’t tell you how happy this made me.  And though the sentiments I sent him were heartfelt, I wouldn’t have sent that letter if it wasn’t for The Postcard Project so I guess I’m also thankful for that extra motivation! :)

Monday: A later schedule.  Apparently I’m no good at adapting to an ever-changing schedule and when I was starting at 3:15, I started staying up until 4 AM and never got into the habit of going to bed earlier, despite starting at noon most days for the past month.  This week it’s 2:45, which means 8 hours of sleep.  My body is grateful. 

Tuesday: A generous friend shared her Photoshop Elements 7 with me! I have a long list of priorities that supersede buying a nice camera or photo editing software, so I very much appreciated her help.  Now I just gotta learn how to use it–haha! Thanks, Duck Lady!

Wednesday: As of today, I’m back on track, diet-wise.  And it feels sooo good.  It’s hard to remember how good it feels to eat healthier (and less) when your feel so terrible because you stuffed yourself with cake, but now I don’t have to because I’m living it.  And it’s great!  So although I will still be sharing many fattening treats (I have several I’ve already made and need to post recipes for, and soon I’ll be doing my holiday baking), you should start to see some lighter options again fairly soon.  Yay for feeling healthy again! :)

*Don’t forget to update the spreadsheet with any and all mail you’ve sent over the last month–the person with the most sent will be awarded an entire batch of my blue-ribbon brown butter chocolate chip cookies!  And if you’re just now joining The Postcard Project, you still have a chance to win a dozen–anyone with any number in the “completed column for this week will be entered into my drawing for a dozen of the cookies. Yaaaaay!

This has absolutely nothing to do with my thankgivings this week, but I want you to know that I am SHIVERING MY TIMBERS OFF right now!  LOL! Our heater has been broken since the end of last winter and with temps in the low thirties (F), I think it’s about time to get it fixed.  I’m seriously quaking while typing!  Even my stomach is spasming.  It’s kind of like doing stomach crunches really fast, so maybe I can count this as exercise? Silver lining! :)

I apologize for the lack of posting yesterday.  I had a recipe planned but got caught up in making my very first homemade card (I’ll share it with you Saturday on the Postcard Project update), and by the time I was finished, I was way too tired to even write a “there will be no post today because I’m tired” post.  Besides, the recipe I’d planned to share is more November-ish than October-ish (mostly because I took the picture on a Thanksgiving dish towel) so I’ll do it then.

OK, now I’m ready to get to the point of this post!  As you know, I made a thanksgiving resolution to find something to be thankful for every day until next Thanksgiving.  Here’s what I am thankful for this week!

Thursday: It’s hard to be thankful for something new every day.  There are many things I’m thankful for repetitively, but I have to be more aware so that I don’t become boring and redundant on my blog.  The perk is that I realize I have more to be thankful for!  So after crossing off several things I was already thankful for before, I settled on telling you guys that today I’m thankful for my coffee travel mug.  It keeps my iced coffee cold so long that after an entire day at work, the ice is still chinking around inside.  It’s one of these, if you’re interested–they come with two caps, one for water and one for coffee. I heart it so much. (Obviously Thursday was a warmer day than it is presently.  My travel mug is now housing HOT coffee, thank you very much.)

Friday: Picnik.com.  It’s the free photo-editing website (though you can pay for an upgrade which gives you access to more tools) where I created my header, and I just now returned to it to see how it would do with editing my food photos.  I can’t believe it took me so long to try it!  I was using the free one I got with my very first digital camera like six years ago and it is very basic and frustrating.  Picnik is no Photoshop, but it is so much better than what I had that I’m pretty thrilled.  Check out the before and after photos from my Butterfingers post:

That blue tint often kills my food photos–I don’t know how it happens but it’s evil and I could never fix it with my other program–I usually had to use a paint can icon (yes, just like with the Paint program, that’s how basic my program is!) along with a paintbrush to fill in the background with either black or white to undo all the blue, but that didn’t fix the blue added to the food itself.  I love I now can fix the photos to reset the balance! For free!

Saturday:  A rare eye twitch!  Remember when I complained of having an eye twitch?  Well, it disappeared but I didn’t realize it until today when my eye twitched for the first time in what must have been a month.  I think it really was stress, because as soon as I was able to stop worrying about my Dad, losing my job, and started coming to terms with my awful schedule, that’s when it stopped and it hasn’t come back.  Thank goodness!

Sunday: A friend confessed Jesus & was baptized today!  This is the biggest reason to celebrate for me, and the greatest joy I have found on earth.

Monday: That the hubster is willing to do me favors on his day off, like shipping cookies & returning library books, since the post office and library are both closed by the time I get off work.  Thank you, honey!

Tuesday: My postcards came in the mail!  I ordered these off of Vistaprint last week.  These will keep me busy for a while!  If anyone would like some (you can use them to write whatever notes to friends/family you want), send your address to me in an email to: vraklis@yahoo.com along with the number you would like.

Wednesday: Random acts of yumminess.  A coworker that knows my obsession for baked goods handed me a goody bag with dinner rolls and pumpkin chocolate chips cookies in it, and two Zac Brown Band CD’s since she had read on my blog that I’m digging country music lately.  How cool is that?  Thanks, Jen!

I made a thanksgiving resolution to find something to be thankful for every day until next Thanksgiving.  Here’s what I am thankful for this week!

Thursday: Squeee! I got free stuff in the mail!  I won Renee’s giveaway for a bunch of NuNaturals stevia products and I’m SOOOO STOKED to try them all, especially the baking blend.

Friday: Squeeee! I won another giveaway for Gold Medal white whole wheat flour and a canister from Pam!  I LOVE FREE STUFF! :D

Saturday:  Country music.  Although I used buy it on CD, for some reason I never listen to it on the radio, despite liking it fairly well.  I usually only listen to rock & pop stations, but I know that music too well and have had to start listening to country at work when I’m not listening to audiobooks.  Why is knowing music too well a problem?  Because if I know a song, I can’t help but sing along and annoy all my co-workers on the silent floor!  So I turned to country in desperation because I can’t sing along to what I don’t know.  It’s working like a charm so far, and I’m getting a lot of new favorites.  This is near the top for me right now–gives me goosebumps every time!

Sunday: Sleep.  I’d rather not have to sleep but since I do, I’m thankful that I got some extra rest on Sunday because I was past exhaustion.

Monday: I choose not to have affiliates or get paid for blogging (though this may change some day), but I was thankful for an exception this time because it meant my birthday celebration was paid for by someone else. Thank you, Eggland’s Best!

Tuesday: I had just enough disposable pie containers left from my cake-selling days to divvy up the leftover birthday cake to co-workers, thus sparing my arteries and thighs from eternal damnation.

Wednesday:  Absolutely perfect weather.  Not too hot.  Not too cold. Juuuust right. :)  I love fall!

I know not every state enjoys a crisp, cool fall like we do in Kansas.  Do you have fall where you live?

Last week I changed things up by focusing on the bad things in my life each day and finding a way to be thankful for them.  This week I did something different as well, and chose each day that I was going to be thankful for a basic, fundamental thing that I usually take for granted.  Instead of going into each day waiting to see if something good would happen that I could be thankful for, I knew what I was going to be thankful for when I woke up and I concentrated on it.  It was very grounding!

Thursday: My heart.  Have you ever thought about how hard it works to keep us alive?  On average, our hearts beat 2-3 billion times before our bodies die.  And it never stops to take a rest.  Can you imagine clenching and unclenching your bicep from the moment it formed to the moment you died without taking a rest?  That’s what the heart does, it contracts 70 times a minute, on average, and never. stops. to rest.  How amazing is that, and the God who created it/us?!  I’m also thankful for my figurative heart, with which I feel a huge amount of love for the people in my life, including you!

Friday:  Food.  I have enough food (OK, more than enough, as evidenced by my muffin top.  Mmm…muffins.), and I’m very thankful for that.

Saturday:  Paper.  For the paper used to make my Bible and other books I love, for the paper which I print my favorite recipes onto, for the paper onto which I write a note to a friend, for the paper used to make the greeting cards I send and receive, for all the paper used to make the envelopes which people mail things in, which I then see on my computer screen at work and follow the computer prompts to key in information from the mail piece.  Because of all those paper envelopes that are mailed, I get paid with paper money.  See?  Paper.   It makes the world go round.  (Please buy recycled paper when possible to prevent killing off its source, trees, which are much more important!) 

Sunday:  Hope.  I think everyone has hope to a degree, some more than others.  I’m thankful for the hope I have, because it keeps me going!

Monday:  Underwear.  Seriously, I have never in my life felt thankful for underwear because I’ve always had it.  I never questioned it–it was always just there to serve me.  We may not wear as much as they did in the 1800’s (thank goodness–I can’t imagine wearing all those layers in the summer!), but I appreciate having a little something soft between me and my clothing.

Tuesday: Language.  It allows us to work together to build cities, to share our feelings, to encourage one another, to teach.  Where would we be without it?

Wednesday: Laughter.  Have you ever noticed how just the sound of someone’s laughter can make you smile or laugh, even if you don’t know why they’re laughing?  It truly is contagious!  My favorite sound in the world is a child laughing.  It is only one of two things sure to instantly fix a bad mood of mine (the other being my dog, Jessie’s, smile).  Laughter is free, anyone can do it, it is universally understood, it relieves stress and tension, it can forge relationships and strengthen bonds.  Laughter is a powerful, beautiful thing.

Can you think of something basic & fundamental to be thankful for today?

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  1 Thesselonians 5:16-18

Last year I made a resolution to find something to be thankful for every day until next Thanksgiving.  I have been documenting my daily thanksgivings weekly for 43 weeks, and have realized that most all of them are based on something good that happens each day.  This is logical and there is certainly nothing wrong with that, in fact I’d say there’s a whole lot right in it, but I’ve been considering the Bible verse about giving thanks in everything.  That means being thankful not only for the good things but for everything.  Even the bad.

Easier said than done, but as my preacher says, happiness and joy are a choice.  When we are faced with adversity, challenges, trials and tribulations, we can choose the way we react and can either be miserable or rejoice and be thankful in the midst of it.  So this week I decided I was going to apply this scripture in the opposite way that I have been, finding something “bad” to be thankful for every day.  Something that is a burden, a trial, a problem.  And find a reason to be thankful for it.  Here goes…

Thursday: that I’m a diabetic. Ten years ago this month, I was laying in a bed in intensive care, newly diagnosed and learning how to give myself insulin shots and care for myself.  There are so many things that I’m thankful for concerning this disease!   For the modern medicine that not only saved my life, but has allowed me to live a fairly normal existence.  For the teeny tiny needles that have shrunk even smaller just in the last ten years, making insulin injections virtually painless.  For the blood sugar meter that helps me keep my blood sugar in a normal range and will thus prolong my life.  For health insurance that brings the significant cost of diabetic supplies to a manageable level.  That I’m more concerned with my health because of my diabetes, and that I have to see a doctor quarterly because of it, keeping me more on top of my over-all health than I might be otherwise.

Friday: for my parents.  Truth be told, they are quite a trial for me, and I often react badly to it and and become angry, upset, and frustrated.  But I thank God for them because they bore me, they raised me, and they love me.  They made sacrifices for me, provided for me, and I wouldn’t be who I am today without them.  And I hope it doesn’t sound conceited to say I’m kinda happy with the person I am, though I do have to give God the glory for that.  I would be much more of a mess without His intervention.  :)  Anyway, I really need to keep this thankfulness for my parents in mind each time I see them, along with the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control). :)

Saturday:  for our tiny house.   I may have to get very creative when it comes to storage, but these walls and roof protect us from the elements and keep us safe, and that is all we need.

Sunday:  For disagreements with bretheren, because through them I study the Bible deeper, grow in knowledge, and my faith is renewed and strengthened.  Those disagreements can also lead to stronger friendships!

Monday: for my physical flaws.  I may not like them, but they keep me humble.  Honestly, I could be very vain if I didn’t have so many (extra “cushion,” mustache & chin hairs (HATE!), acne, spider veins, under-eye circles, just to name a few!).  I don’t want to be so humbled that I can’t look people in the eye because I’m fearing their judgment of my appearance, and thankfully I’ve moved past that, but I also don’t want to think too highly of my appearance when there are more important things to concern myself with.  My flaws help me stay balanced! lol

Tuesday:  My job.  Actually, I never think of my job as a negative thing, but I was talking to a co-worker who was grumbling about the injustice we suffer, how it’s not an enjoyable job, and although I could see his point, I can honestly say I have succeeded in rejoicing and giving thanks when it comes to my job.  I choose to focus on the positive, which in my opinion greatly outweighs the negative, and so I feel happy to work there, even if there are things happening weekly that I do not agree with.  Hey, I have a job, and it’s an easy one that pays well, has good benefits, and I get to listen to books & music while I do it.  How can I complain?

Wednesday: That I really had to struggle to come up with a list of seven bad things in my life!!  Thank God for my simple, wonderful life!!

What is bad in your life that you can be thankful for?

I made a thanksgiving resolution to find something to be thankful for every day until next Thanksgiving.  Here’s what I am thankful for this week!

Thursday: Well, we got the report and the lump on my Dad’s arm was, in fact, cancer (basal cell carcinoma), but it’s been completely removed so it’s OK.  There’s only a 10% chance of it returning, which isn’t too bad.  We’ll take it!

Friday:  For a meal with my hubby!  He came over during my lunch, which is a late dinner time for him (7:15 PM), and we totally didn’t care that we were eating in a parking lot in his car because at least we were together! <3

Saturday:  My work schedule this week is the same as one of my buddies!  It’s ever-changing and the last few weeks I’ve been breaking and lunching solo because we all start at different times.  So nice to see Erika again!

Sunday: For my husband’s singing lessons.  I’ve almost forgotten the time when I used to have to jab him in the ribs every three seconds while we sang at church because he would not only sing off-key, but do it LOUDLY.   Like EXTREMELY LOUDLY.  LIKE TYPING IN CAPS LOCK LOUD. Now he’s one of our song leaders, and today he was able to lead us in a song (I Am His Child) that, the first time he tried it, was a complete disaster.  Shout out to Jennifer Johnson, his fab teacher!  God has worked a miracle through you. :)

Monday: That all the effort I put into my baking for the fair this year paid off!  I got 11 ribbons, 5 of them blue, which is the best I’ve done so far (this is my third year).

Tuesday: My first error-free edit since I started my probation!  We are secretly checked every so often to see if we are keying the mail pieces correctly–sneaking in 25 pieces of old mail into the current.  We have to keep our error rate under 2% and with this latest one, two of my old errors dropped off and it dropped down to 1.35% (it was 1.55% before that), which helps me breathe a little easier.

Wednesday:  Getting off early enough to join Dennis and Jessie on the nightly walk!  I’m starting at 12:15 all this week so I’m home by 9 PM, Jessie’s usual walk time.  It is SO nice to be able to have a few hours with Dennis before he goes to sleep. Yay! :)

I made a thanksgiving resolution to find something to be thankful for every day until next Thanksgiving.  Here’s what I am thankful for this week!

Thursday:  I passed my thirty day evaluation! I didn’t even know we would be getting them every month, I just knew there would be a final evaluation at the end of our ninety day probationary period, so I was super nervous to get one this early since I already messed up and was hoping I’d have more time to prove myself.  Well, although my supervisor had to mark reliability as “unsatisfactory” since I was five minutes late once (due to getting my ever-changing schedule wrong), I’m doing great with my speed, my efficiency, and my error rate, so she told me to get my reliability up on the same level and there wouldn’t be a problem.  WHAT A RELIEF!  As long as I don’t mess up again, I should be able to keep my job. Phew!

Friday: Disney!  We finally watched Tangled and I was reminded of my life-long love for animated Disney films.  I think the horse, Maximus, needs his own movie. :)

Saturday:  My itty bitty sweetie.  AKA Jessie.  We’re spending $150 a month on meds just to keep her from licking all her fur off (she has an allergy to grass or something that comes and goes with each summer), but she’s SO worth it.  Life would not be the same without her.

Sunday:  After wearing my homemade deodorant for a week, I put it to the ultimate test today (teaching Sunday School, which is about the only thing that gives me the stinky sweats-I think it’s nerves), and now I know that it not only works, but surpasses store-bought deodorant!  You gotta love an all-natural, inexpensive product that works better than a commercial, potentially dangerous, product .  Success!

Monday: For paid holidays! YES! This is the first holiday in my life that I’ve been paid without having to work.  I’ll take it!

Tuesday:  That my days off (Mon-Tues-Wed) just happened to be perfect for preparing for this year’s fair.  I had to finish most everything today since the entries were due Wednesday, and I spent the day baking up a storm.  I entered 30 contests and got about 14 done, and that’s good enough for me.

Wednesday: That my fair baking is now officially behind me for the year (dropped the goods off today) and I can now move on with my life! lol  I know this is crazy, but my butt and thighs are totally sore from all this baking.  I know, right?  I guess there’s more bending and squatting involved when you run out of counter space and start putting cooling racks on the floor and removing cookies from a many cookie sheets onto them.  :)  I’m super excited to see how I fared in the fair (hehe), but won’t know until I go on Monday.  I’m trying to convince myself that I’ll get NO ribbons so that I’m not let down if that is the case.  I’d really like the prize money, though! :)

Butterscotch Swirl Cake, my entry in the "bundt cake" class.

I snagged this recipe from my foodie Mama, Marina, who has helped me win two ribbons for cookies with her recipes so far.  She has won 6 ribbons for it so far, most blue, including a second place at this year’s fair in CA.  I’m really hoping to do her proud and bring home a blue for it!