How to be Grateful

Life is Good: so let's document it all month long

I'm going to do my best to blog all this month. This little blog has been neglected and often forgotten. I have written plenty of posts in my head. Why can't Apple create an app for that!?!?

I am the first to say that I am lucky, fortunate, and blessed. My life isn't what I thought it would be and certainly isn't perfect, but darnit, life is good. And while I fail at many things, I hope I'm succeeding at being grateful. I honestly believe that acknowledging the good in your life and being grateful for it is a key to feeling content and being...well, pleasant. ; )

Day 1

I'm grateful for all of the fun we have at Halloween. We started dressing up as a family theme the year of our Little Kid's second Halloween. He was one and it was fun! It takes a lot of my time since I typically make most or all of the costumes. Most years, I start early to avoid stress. This year, I was making our costumes late at night and too early in the morning. But after wearing them for five different events, it seemed worth it!

When our Big Kid was in first grade, he had to write a "report" about one of our family traditions.  I thought he would write about going to Grandma & Granddad's for Christmas or matching Christmas jammies & reading Christmas books aloud on Christmas Eve or mayyyyyybe taking snacks to the staff at Children's Hospital on Thanksgiving to say thank you for the many times they have helped our family, or well, anything to do with Christmas! But, nope. He chose to write about our tradition of dressing up at Halloween and talked about our various costumes and the fun he has with his family on Halloween. And right then and there, it sealed the deal. It meant something to him. It really means something. And so we will continue this tradition until the kids don't want to do it anymore. 

It's a lot of fun brainstorming family costume concepts. I had suchhhhhh a great idea this year! But I got outvoted. The Big Kid wanted to be Buzz Lightyear and talked the Little Kid into the Toy Story concept. 

They decided their dad would be Woody. And I would be...Mrs. Potato Head! Sigh. Whiney and frumpy. Thanks, kids.  After flip flopping between Rex and the Green Alien, they decided our Little One would be the latter. Felt and hot glue were everywhere. A last minute plea for me to be Jessie was finally granted. And then I discovered that Jessie wears cow print. On her thighs. Arrrrrrgh. 

Happy Halloween and Month of Gratitude from Jessie, the Slinky Dog, Woody, one of the Green Aliens, and Buzz Lightyear! I'm so grateful for this family and all of the fun we have--on holidays and every day!