1. I am thankful my son's college is close enough that we get to see him every couple of weeks or so. We stopped to see him last weekend on our way from Point A to Point B and took him to lunch. His sister got to see his dorm room for the first time (and was pleased to note that the soccer team practices on a field right. next. door.). She is suddenly much more willing to visit him now.
 |
| Don't believe either one of them. They really do miss each other. |
2. It's volleyball season! I'm thankful my daughter made the freshman team and that that team is made up of a great bunch of girls. They get along really well (i.e., no drama), have excellent coaches, and to make it even better, are having a winning season (4-0 for the season so far, plus first place today at a tournament, where they were undefeated).
3. I'm thankful for my preschoolers and the things they say. This week, one of my pre-k girls told me she wanted to tell me a secret. When I leaned down, she said, "I think you're beautiful and smart." (She's currently my favorite preschooler.)
4. I'm thankful for Red Velvet Cupcakes with Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting. Chef's note: I only use half the red food coloring called for in the recipe, and the cupcakes taste better the next day than they do the day you make them (and they taste pretty darn good the first day).
 |
| This is ol' Betty's photo, but I can say with all honesty that MY cupcakes looked better than these. |
5. I am thankful for my preschoolers and the things they say, part two. One of my pre-k boys ran up to me with one hand on the back of his pants and said, "I did NOT just poop my pants.... Would you check and make sure I didn't just poop my pants?" (Good news - he was right.)
6. I'm thankful for my friend Melinda. Our girls have been friends since they were in kindergarten, so we have spent a lot of time together over the years. (She's the one who threw me the Ta ta to the Tata's party last year before my surgery.) She's very organized, so whenever an event has to be planned (such as organizing food for the volleyball team), I can count on her to be the one to do the organizing and just tell me what I have to bring/wear/serve/do.
 |
| Big cheesball pose as we work the concession stand at the volleyball game. |
7. I'm also thankful for friends who act just as stupid as I do (not that I would name names *cough cough Amy cough cough*). And for my girls night out friends, who helped me celebrate my birthday this weekend.
 |
| Let's see how stupid we can look while eating a cupcake at Cupcakes by Liz. Amy wins. |
8. I am thankful for my preschoolers and the things they say, part three. One of my primary girls (meaning 3 year old) has insisted all week that her name is Mary Katherine (it isn't). We have had some rather lively yes-it-is, no-it-isn't conversations about this.
9. I will forever be thankful if no one EVER gives me a plaque that looks like this one I found in a trophy case at the high school that was hosting today's volleyball tournament. This is the stuff nightmares are made of.
 |
| Androgynous hurdler on plaque in trophy case. |
10. If you read my TToT post from last week, you will know that a dear friend's husband had a double lung transplant last week. I am pleased to tell you that he is doing phenomenally well (but not without a hitch or two along the way), and one week after his transplant, he is being moved out of ICU and to a regular room and is being weaned off his various and sundry machines. Very thankful once again for the donor's family's gift of life to Dave and to the many others whose lives have now been prolonged thanks to organ and tissue donation.
Create your list and link up, my friends.
Your hosts
A Fly on our (Chicken Coop) Wall, Considerings, Finding Ninee, Getting Literal, I can say mama, I Want Backsies, Rewritten, Steps into Parenthood, Thankful Me, The Wakefield Doctrine
I love the positivity of this post, and the last few. It's infectious, so thanks for sharing. Now please find a way to share those cupcakes too, and then we'll all be thankful.
ReplyDeleteYou need to link up with us next week, Amy. I will send you cupcakes if you do. Okay, not really, because they wouldn't travel very well. But I would if I could....
DeleteThis post was a wonderful, light hearted read, Dyanne! Some of those cupcakes, please!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Michelle! And see how willing you are to try them, when I turned down your moon cakes? (Even though the moon cakes are gorgeous!)
DeleteYeah...siblings missing each other. I can only hope that mine will be the same way, although maybe NOT one holding the other one. In your instance, very appropriate. In mine, not so much. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the cupcake recipe...those look FABULOUS!
So glad to hear about your friend's husband...we'll keep the prayers coming. Thank you for thinking to give us an update!
Oh Preschoolers...love what they say and do...thanks for sharing a little bit of your preschool life. :)
Here's hoping the missing each other thing continues. Makes it much more peaceful when they're together. I know they text each other, which is sweet, and that when we stopped at his dorm last weekend and took him to lunch, she went in his room and left little sticky notes all over the place for him to find, which was even sweeter.
DeleteI just love this post... but the contest for the funniest cupcake eater has to be a real close tie...sorry! Happy Birthday (again I think?) It never stops does it? The Birthday celebrations I mean... I love your preschooler stories...so sweet and funny. Love the shot of your kids as well! I guess I just like ALL the pics...
ReplyDeleteWhy, thank you, Zoe! We couldn't decide what cupcakes to get, so I got pumpkin spice and she got wedding cake and we split them. The girl behind the counter even cut them in half and plated them that way for us!
DeleteWonderful list and made me giggle a bit with those pre-school students and the things they have said to you this past week. Definitely love the one where the little girl is arguing over her name for sure. And so thankful your friend is doing so well after massive surgery. Last, but not least I love the picture of your kids and glad you had a wonderful birthday, too!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Janine! Just think, your girls' preschool teachers might be writing down funny things Emma and Lily say to her!
DeleteThere were times this summer when I thought my two would kill each other like the Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat, so it's very special to me to see them hugging on each other now.
good news on the friend's medical front (we all know about how advanced medicine is...but it is still about people, family, friends... that part never changes, the love of friends and family)
ReplyDeleteItem #4 I can't wait to try the recipe!!*
Item #2 (actually the little box with the saying "volleyball is..." ) made the biggest impression on me (resonates, as we say 'round the Doctrine)... that 'not touch the floor' I can identify with... the volleyball played indoors strikes me as being way more dangerous/painful than the beach volleyball.. it must kinda hurt to hit the wood floors.
good list.
* did you buy that? ...come on! sure I have demonstrated the capability to write a normal list, but everything has limits, not that I don't admire the concept of the cupcake...hell, I can even recognize the value of sharing the idea (enough, huh?) lol
I totally don't buy that you are going to make cupcakes any time in the near future. Or in this lifetime, even. But I do buy that you might convince your wife to do so. Are you a sweet eater? Hmmmm.
DeleteEven with knee pads, my daughter still gets bruises and rug burns from that floor. Since she's skinny, she even gets them on her hipbones from sprawling on the floor to make a pass. I am content to be a spectator (especially since I know what happens to folks who are, say, not a kid anymore and still play *cough Christine cough*).
I almost missed this dig! Can't wait for the season to start up again in November. (unfortunately, my husband will not be joining me on the court. He has made up his mind to be a spectator, too.)
DeleteI'm the one who got my thumb broken at a volleyball tournament just being a spectator, so even that isn't always safe!
Deleteyou know... I am all in favor of sports and the like for recreation (I happen to be a natural bowler...though I hardly bowl) and not that long ago I was very into racquet ball (an odd outdoor variation) but I can't say that I've played volleyball in recent memory.
Deletenot the safest of sports but then again without the element of risk of personal injury, where is the thrill?
Backyard volleyball with a net and a dime store playground ball is more like "don't let the balloon hit the ground" and much safer than real volleyball. And fun. And even if some jackass you're playing with spikes the ball at you as hard as possible, it's not going to do more than sting a little. Volleyball for Sissies.
DeleteNot that you're a sissy, Clark.
Thank you, my friend!
ReplyDeleteMy preschoolers give me many good quotes. Many.
The preschooler comments are too cute.
ReplyDeleteSo happy your friend's husband is doing better, and I hope he continues to recover.
Thanks, Kristi! He's doing so well!
DeleteHappy birthday! And YAY for volleyball (I played in high school as well...I wasn't very good but had such fun!). Your preschoolers are awesome. "I think you're beautiful and smart" is going to go a long way (as is the other one who didn't poop his pants but was kind enough to ask you to check!).
ReplyDeleteAwesome list!
Ever since my son could talk, I have trained my kids to finish the sentence, "Mommy is..." with "beautiful and smart." I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO TRAIN HER!
DeleteYou have no idea how glad I was that that boy was correct. Although checking was really a mere formality, as I'm pretty sure I would have been able to tell without looking if he had actually pooped his pants.
Oh how I love talking with preschoolers! Sweetest people on earth, they are.
ReplyDeleteGreat photo of your kids. Besides the fact it makes your heart happy, you can pull it out anytime one starts complaining about the other. I would think about having it blown up into giant poster size just to keep that thought in my mind when they argue and bicker.
Love the meme thing about volleyball.
But the best is #10. So, so glad your friend is making such great strides in healing.
Thank you, Christine! You get preschool talk all day with Cuckoo - lucky!
DeleteIt's so nice when they get along. Although sometimes they are louder and wilder when they are getting along than when they aren't.
#10 is truly the best! Their last year and a half has included breast cancer, surgery and reconstruction, radiation, infections, a 1000 mile relocation, then the lung illness after Christmas this year. They deserve a break like this!
Your photos are great and the description of volleyball is PERFECT!
ReplyDeleteI'm over at http://ladyblogger,net and I blog about parenting, education, kids and the business of blogging. Come visit!
Thank you! I'm glad you stopped by our TToT link up and decided to join us this week.
DeleteMy mom works as a para at a parochial preschool--she has some great stories sometimes!
ReplyDeleteI love that picture of your kids...so sweet!
What a great, fun list!
Thanks, Kari! Preschoolers are a hoot and a half.
DeleteI really should try this one. Life gets so darn stressful that I forget to be thankful for simple pleasures. I am thankful for the reminder (does that count?)
ReplyDeleteYou've got three hours, Miriam. On your mark, get set, GO!
DeleteHooray for birthdays, cupcakes and preschoolers! The (non)poopy pants story just kills me! I can def see my 4yo boy doing this!
ReplyDeleteThe biggest hooray is definitely for the non-poopy pants.
DeleteWant to know another way to win over Jak's heart? Show up with red velvet cupcakes. I am sure yours are delicious, too.
ReplyDeleteI love girls' night out, which reminds me, I am probably overdue for one anyways.
That is one crazy ridiculous trophy. I am sure whoever got it in the first place couldn't sleep at night so that is why it wound up in the trophy case. Yikes!
Glad to hear your friend's husband is on the mend Speedy recoveries to him!
Here's the worst part about the trophy: there were another four or five of them in the case. I wish I could have captured the complete creepiness of the eyes, but I only had my phone pressed against the glass case and it just didn't work that well.
DeleteI want a red velvet cupcake. They look amazingly delicious. And belated Happy Birthday to you! Congrats to your daughter making the team. My husband used to coach volleyball and teach (he's retired from both now) and he loved it. He was good at both. Loved your list and am glad you found me so I could find you. I love leaving comments and appreciated yours. Hope to follow along next week and the week after. Am happy your friends lung transplant went well. Have a fantastic week.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda! Glad to have found you, too! I love watching volleyball (especially with my kiddo playing). Got to see Mizzou play Kentucky last year - wow! Does your husband ref now that he's retired?
DeleteOh my Gosh, your Preschoolers have me cracking up! Great thankfuls.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cyndy! They're a pretty funny bunch.
DeleteDefinitely want those cupcakes! And it must be nice having your son so close. Happy Monday!
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know that he's not that far away and can come home fairly easily.
DeleteI love that picture of your kids at the top of your post - Awesome! And the preschoolers comments are precious. I used to work in daycare, and the combination of total honesty and lack of inhibitions and social graces made for some fun memories. Great list :)
ReplyDeleteMy kids have their tender moments. And I love the total honesty, too. I can get them to tell me all kinds of stuff if I ask just the right questions :)
DeleteTotally fell asleep after reading this and just getting back!*
ReplyDeleteThat is such a cute picture of our children. They wub wub one another! Congrats to your daughter with her volleyball games :-) I'd imagine she is super stoked about the wins.
I love the preschooler comments. How can you not love kids when they say such things? Do they ever "turn" on you, though, and go nutso?! What happens then? lol
Glad you had so much fun with friends celebrating your birthday, but I'm afraid my invite got lost in the mail? I'm sure it was just some oversight... Unfortunately I never had FB/Google or any other social site reminders to give me the cheating "heads up" when it came by on the 5th. I'm sure next year I will be invited to the shindig!
I'm sure your friend and her husband are incredibly Thankful as well. It's wonderful things are progressing along and hope they continue to do so.
I'm sure you are still hungover from the weekend and aren't aware this comment is coming in at 1am on Wednesday. Or, at least I'm hoping >.> I'd say your life could now be complete, but I've a good handful of catching up to do!
*No, your post wasn't boring, it was just really late.
Jak at The Cryton Chronicles & Dreams in the Shade of Ink
Your* Not our >.> I'm sure we were super caref... I'm always very carefu...
DeleteYour, not our.
;-)
Yes, Jak, my life is now complete, since you have now commented. If I die in my sleep, I'll die happy.
DeleteThank you for the clarification that my post wasn't boring. Hoping you aren't lying to me. You wouldn't do that to me, would you? WOULD YOU?
One of my preschoolers turned on me earlier this week when she crawled under her bathroom stall into the one next to hers. Caught her. Busted her. She was shooting daggers at me, but she got over it.
I guess if someone wants facebook reminders then someone should send a friend request....
My friend is healing very well. I don't know how many tubes he's got, but it seems they pull one or two every day, so I'm picturing an old still, for some reason.
I do not drink, so no hangovers for me, plus I am a light sleeper, so I know when you posted because my phone sends an alert. So thank you for waking me up.*
"Our" kids? I DID NOT DRIBBLE OFF MY BOBBIE BROOKS JEANS!
*Just kidding. I mean, I did wake up, but I could always turn the phone onto mute at night and I don't, so it beeps off and on all night. And I can't resist it when it calls to me, so I look.