10 Things of Thankful, Week 8

1.  I am thankful for the idea COW and I had to take the kids on individual trips.   Many years ago, when the kids were coming fast and furious, we decided each year one child would get to go on a trip all alone with one or both parents.  The big kids are on round three, with Phoenix getting to go this year.  We have decided the little kids are now old enough to move into the rotation, so Turken gets to go this year.  Actually, he and I are on his trip right now.  As you read this, he and I are having some good fun in Hilton Head, SC.  (Which means I won't be around to your posts until Sunday night or Monday.  Don't be concerned when you don't see any comments from me.)

2.  I am thankful for relatives who live in lovely places.  For one of the kids' first trips, we keep it pretty low key.  Simply going on an airplane and being alone is a huge deal, so we just go visit a friend or relative.  Can't tell you how happy I am to have a sister who lives in the gorgeous town of Hilton Head.

3.  I am thankful for the conversations of little people.  This week with my niece and nephew has brought such joy.  One of the best parts is listening to the three little ones (Turken, Cuckoo, and Niece) chat with each other.  The three of them seem to talk non-stop and cover every topic imaginable.  They all have clear opinions on topics such as Santa Claus, game-playing, prayers, good songs, Play-Doh creations, chick behavior, and rain.  They haven't just been arguing, but actually conversing, taking turns, listening to each others' points of view, giving their "proof", and simply hashing it out better than many adults do. 

4.  I am thankful for kids who appreciate simple things.  On Monday morning when the kids woke up, I told them it was going to be a rainy day.  Giant immediately cheered and said, "Yay!  We can play games all day!"  No joke, my kids are thrilled with a day at home doing nothing but playing games.  (I started the day by trouncing them in SpongeBob Monopoly, and they were happy.)

5.  I am thankful for the Children's Museum of Indianapolis.  In every national ranking of museums for kids, ours ranks in the top 3.  It is five floors of hands-on activities for kids.  We have always had a membership there, so we can go for just a couple of hours to run off some steam on a yucky day.  We had one of those days this week, so we took my niece and nephew for their first museum experience.  Niece was a bit honked off that we were going to a museum, not understanding what a "children's museum" actually was.  She was a-pouting the whole way there, but quickly changed her tune when she saw the life-size dinosaurs busting through the outside of the museum.

6.  I am thankful Phoenix made it home safe and sound.  Ten days is a long time for a 14 year old to be away from home and with 46,000 strangers.  He got home Wednesday night, just in time for me to leave on Thursday.  My trip with Turken will be much more fun knowing I don't have to worry about my baby.

7.  I am thankful for the olfactory system.  A friend went to Michigan and came back with pounds of blueberries for us.  All but two of our family members would agree with Cuckoo's statement of, "I like them in the muffin, but I don't like them out of the muffin."  I have been making blueberry muffins like crazy, and they smell scrumptious.   The entire house now smells like a warm blueberry muffin instead of a well-used soccer cleat. 

8.  I am thankful for cooler temperatures.  The last week and a half has been stiflingly hot.  (That humidity will get you every time.)  Over the last two days, we've had some minor storms blow through, and last night was just plain glorious.  The perfect temperature, the perfect breeze, the perfect blue in the sky.  And today is more of the same.  The kids are currently having a ball playing hide-and-seek tag, and not one of them has come covered in sweat to tell me how hot he is.

9.  I am thankful for window screens.  Our 145 year old house has gigantic original windows that don't open (except when you break them, which happens way more often than I like).  The only fresh air we can get into our house is through the front screen door and our bedroom window.  Until yesterday.  When we had the kitchen redone, we took out the window to nowhere (really.  It was a full window with a curtain that had a view of the inside of the wall.) put in new windows and more in the mudroom.  Unfortunately, the screens were on backorder.  We finally, finally got them yesterday, just in time for this lovely weather.  At least my kitchen is full of fresh air as I bake all day.

10.  I am thankful for lazy days.  It seems we always have something going on, and this summer didn't give us much of a break.  Appointments and practices and meetings and blah, blah, blah just took up part of every day.  This past week, though, I don't think I've gotten in the van more than 3 times.  I'm usually in it three times in one day!  We actually had several days where we didn't get in a car one time.  I have been loving it.  You'd think I'd spend the time getting the house clean and doing all the stuff we need to get done.  You'd be wrong.  While I got some things done, I have done a lot more playing games with the kids.  Once I get back from Hilton Head, the appointments and practices begin in earnest again, and school starts soon after.  Really, really cherishing these laid-back days.

Your turn!  Link up your post or give me your thankful list in the comments.  I won't be home until Sunday, so I won't be hopping around to visit until I get back.  

Have a lovely day!

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