2009 Gratitude

1. Starting 2009 with a clean kitchen.
2. Being unafraid.
3. Sleep.
4. "Officially" starting my happiness project.
   
5. Being Juli.
6. Sean.
7. H.
8. C.
   
9. Our home.
10. Grocery shopping.
11. Paying bills.
12. Having more than enough.
13. Wanting what I have.
14. Open questioning.
15. A new baby blanket in the works.
16. A peaceful evening.
    
17. Looking forward to 2009.
18. Love.
19. H and Sean playing Animal Crossing on their DS's together.
20. 2008 was a good year.
    

So long 2008!

2008 is over! Wow. I am *almost* speechless (ahem... we know that's a lie. i am never speechless) when I think about how much has changed since the beginning of this year. All in all, it has been a good year though.

2008 Highlights

• January - Sean and I got married.
• March - C was born.
• April - Harrison was born. H turned 8.
• May - I turned 30.
  
• June - Visited Codi, H visited her dad (her first out of state visit). I bought a sewing machine.
• July - Started this blog.
• August - Went back to school.
  
• September - We bought a house.
• October - Visited NY to introduce C to Sean's family. I got new crochet hooks and some knitting needles.
• November - Hosted Thanksgiving at our house for the first time.
• December - Got an A in the class I took. Hosted Hanukkah and Christmas at our house too. Made my first baby sweater for C.
  

I guess it might seem funny that I put the sewing machine and the crochet/knitting stuff on there but for me it's symbolic of a much more creative frame of mind. I also feel like it's important to note that since the fall I began to re-frame my life through the philosophy of gratitude and I began the preliminary works of a new project (inspired by Gretchen Rubin) to focus on happiness in my life. I'm excited about the new year, I have some very specific plans to expand my studies of gratitude and my personal happiness project. It will be interesting to look back at the end of 2009 and see where the journey has taken me.

Happy new year!

Joseph Campbell

We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the life that is waiting for us.

1. A kiss from Sean when I'm feeling, and acting, grumpy.
2. Healthy kids (except for a minor cold occasionally).
3. Sucking it up and eating out cause I am so pooped and I just didn't feel like cooking.
4. Infant motrin and tylenol.
5. Sleep.
6. Napping with the baby.
7. Breastfeeding my kids.
8. Talking with my mom on the phone.
9. Hearing my mom laugh.
10. Learning.
11. A sense of humor.
12. Trying, trying, trying to act as I would feel - hard when I would feel well-rested but I am not.
13. Codi's 2008 year-in-review post.
14. Reflecting on the year and doing my own year-in-review post.
15. Talking with a friend today.
16. New knitting needles and pretty yarn for another baby sweater.
17. Working on my resolutions chart.
18. Making the bed (almost) everyday.
19. Order.
20. Thoughtful quotes,

Weekend Gratitude

1. Listening to early 90s music in the car.
2. Seeing "Tiff will you marry me?" on the highway overpass bridge!
   
3. Playing the alphabet game in the car with H.
4. Silly, silly C.
5. Deeper understanding.
   
6. Birthdays.
   
7. Sleep.
8. Cleaning up around the house today.
9. Cleaning up/rearranging our bedroom so I can set up my workspace in there.
10. Home organization.
11. Order.
12. All of us singing 'Happy Birthday' to Codi on speaker phone this morning. Even C joined in.
13. Ladybug buttons for the sweater I made C.
14. Resolutions for next year.
15. Inspiration.
16. Remembering to get the Sunday paper.
17. Remembering today is Sunday and getting to the meeting.
18. A hot bath.
19. Cooking dinner before going out tonight so it was ready when we got home.
20. A good book to read at the end of the day.
    

1. The relationship I have with Sean.
2. Sean.
3. Loving myself.
   
4. Discovering who I am... Constantly.
5. Open questioning.
6. Safety and stability in my home and my relationships.
7. Talking to my sister.
8. Being the kind of woman I want my daughters to be.
9. Acting as I would feel.
10. Asking for help.
11. Saying thank you.
12. Knowing that things change.
    
13. Looking forward.
14. Our family.
15. Our daughters.
16. Parenting together.
17. Not feeling alone. Not feeling like anything I am going through is worse than what anyone else goes through.
18. Waiting.
19. Letting go... Not controlling... Not needing to control.
20. Meditating.
    

Christmas Gratitude

1. A good talk yesterday morning among friends.
2. Spirituality.
3. Prayer and meditation.
4. Watching C learn to walk.
5. Maintaining boundaries without guilt (mostly).
6. Sleeping in a little bit.
7. C's first Christmas.
8. C's first Hanukkah.
9. H's excitement for both holidays.
10. H had a good visit with her dad and now she's home.
11. I made my first sweater! Made with love for C (and because she's the smallest person I know so it was easy to start there...)
12. Opening Christmas presents all day.
13. Dinner with my family.
    
14. Gramma smoked in the bathroom (yuck) but I didn't flip out. I asked dad to remind her (kindly) that we appreciate her not smoking in the house, but also I did a little more to help make her comfortable while smoking outside.
15. Our home.
16. Our family.
17. Looking forward to the new year.
18. Finishing what I have started.
19. Resolutions.
20. Order.

My first sweater

It's done!, originally uploaded by jules57.

1. How much Nephew A loves the Santa Hat I made him last night.
2. Watching my mom enjoy C.
3. Turning off the TV.
   
4. Buying a new picture frame yesterday and then receiving a picture of my Kolakowski boys last night that fits it perfectly.
5. My best friend is my daughter's Godmother.
   
6. The Kolakowskis.
7. Xmas presents from Sean's family.
8. Dinner out tonight - it's become a rare treat.
9. Wearing Sean's comfy sleep pants.
10. Letting people go in front of me in the parking lot.
11. Shopping with Sean.
12. A nice nap today.
13. Listening to Sean play Rock Band.
14. H is having a great time with her dad so far.
    
15. Old Navy coupons from Codi and Dave.
16. 2 for 1 coupon for Hollywood Video.
17. Hanukkah runs right through Xmas this year.
18. Free crochet patterns online.
19. Looking forward to the new year.
20. Working hard.
    

1. Coupons for Joann's and Barnes and Noble.
2. Shopping with my mom.
3. New shoes for C.
4. Wrapping presents.
5. Shopping with my mom.
6. Pretty bows.
7. Calls from H telling me how much fun she's having.
8. C's silly antics.
9. Curling ribbon.
10. ASU libraries' inter-library loan. LOVE IT.
11. Nights when Sean puts the baby to sleep.
12. Candied pecans.
13. Rain.
14. Laughing.
15. My parents.
16. Our family.
17. Our health.
18. Having more than enough.
19. Some extra free time.
20. New (library) books to read.
    

1. The baby woke up SOOOO early. But then, she went down for an early nap and I crawled back in bed for a bit. If that's how I have to sleep in, I'll take it!
2. H's dad and his family coming to her last soccer game.
3. How excited H is to see her dad.
4. H had her cousin over the play yesterday and they had a lot of fun.
5. H's grandmother drove all the way back out here to pick up her cousin so I didn't have to drive (but I was willing to)!
6. Happy Hanukkah!!
7. Making Monkey Munch with holiday colored M&Ms.
8. Neat little bags of Monkey Munch to give as gifts.
9. Listening to C play - she's 'talking' to her toys. Squealing and giggling. It's adorable.
10. Making pancakes for breakfast.
11. Gmail labs. I love all swell features.
12. Facebook.
13. My family together at our house to light candles for Hanukkah.
14. Meeting H's dad half way so he didn't have to drive all the way out here to pick her up.
    
15. Making Sean's lunch this morning.
16. My mom and dad staying with us. I am really happy to spend the extra time with my mom.
    
17. How much my mom loves playing with the baby.
18. Nephew A sleeping over.
19. Listening to Sean and Nephew A have conversations about toys, Star Wars, Transformers... It's so funny.
20. A peaceful house.
    

1. NPR Science Friday.
2. Added twitter gadget to gmail. I feel so technically savvy this week.
3. Clean drinking water.
4. When H uses manners without thinking about it.
5. Laughing with C. I love her little dimples!
   
6. Another week of getting up early! The mornings are so much calmer.
7. Getting to bed earlier most nights.
8. More Xmas presents made.
9. Going to H's school for festive activities today.
10. Being a SAHM so that I can do those things.
11. Sean working from home so I didn't have to take the baby.
12. Staying for lunch with H and then going to her class party.
    
13. Occasionally driving in rush-hour traffic and remembering how nice it is that I don't have to do that every weekday.
14. Writing more.
15. Unpacking the mess of my past so I can neatly put it away.
16. Order.
    
17. Balance.
18. Creativity.
19. I am sore from the Jingle Jog today!
20. Doing the Macerana, Chicken Dance, YMCA and Electric Slide with H at her school today.
    

1. Perfectly wrapped presents. I love making neat and pretty packages.
   
2. Figuring out nifty html things - pretty simple stuff but not something I'm very good at!
3. Getting up early.
4. Wanting to take better care of myself.
5. Wearing my hair down.
6. Putting on makeup.
7. Getting on twitter and finding some friends are already there.
   
8. Peach yogurt and Chex cereal for a sweet and crunchy snack.
9. Sean putting C to bed.
10. Cleaning the kitchen even though I really (times infinity) don't want to.
11. Ditto for folding and putting away laundry.
12. Figuring out twitter today.
13. Using google to find out what I want to know.
14. Self-reliance (where reasonable, and knowing that my HP is guiding me along the way).
15. Trying to connect with a friend today - even though it didn't work out it was still nice to hear her voice.
16. Creativity.
17. New scarves for my sister and mom.
18. A new hat for C.
19. A new stocking for H.
20. Balance.
    

Santa Hat

Santa Hat, originally uploaded by jules57.

Finished today - along with 2 scarves. I'll post pictures of those later.

I finished more pinwheels last night too so I'm going to try assembling the mobile tonight - I hope. I supposed I might just sleep after being exhausted from all the creating!

Now the question is: What to create for dinner?

1. Wonderful group meeting today.
2. Sharing with a great group of women.
3. Facebook 'conversations' with a friend.
   
4. My nephews.
5. Becca taking positive actions.
6. Praying with a friend.
7. Getting some time with my nephews today.
8. Impromptu lunch with Sean and his co-workers.
9. Talking about school with Mike who is excited to be taking music classes.
10. Sharing his excitement.
11. H & C.
12. Sean.
13. Gratitude.
14. Grace.
15. Re-framing my mornings.
    
16. I went to Joann's and left with only what was on my list. This was not easy. :)
17. I remembered my 40% off coupon.
18. Nephew N was over so H and he went to the park together.
19. 5 kids + 1 adult = too many kids! a tired (and a little loopy) adult! a loud house! It was a lot of fun. :)
    
20. Instead of being frustrated about not being able to make it to Infant Story Time at the library (weekly scheduling conflict) I figured out that we can just go to Toddler Story Time.

1. Pretty homemade pinwheels for C's mobile.
2. Cold weather. Good for cuddling.
   
3. Found my keys.
4. Rain in the desert.
5. Smiling babies.
6. Strunk and White is online! (I know this is supremely nerdy but it's one of my favorite writing references).
7. Picking up H from school so she doesn't have to walk home in the rain.
   
8. Warm soup for dinner on a cold day.
9. Taking care of my family.
10. Enjoying myself doing things I never thought I'd be doing again.
11. Knowing the things I thought I wanted are not what truly makes me happy.
    
12. Doing what truly makes me happy (more often than before).
    
13. Identifying the problem.
14. Call with my mentor.
15. Going to bed early even though I wanted to stay up and watch Fringe with Sean.
    
16. C slept in a tiny bit. It was nice.
17. Morning coffee. That first cup is bliss.
18. Making H go to bed earlier too. She doesn't want to but that little bit of extra sleep changes her mood a lot.
19. Gmail.
20. My daughters.
    

Small pinwheel, medium pinwheel

2 pinwheels, originally uploaded by jules57.

A closer shot of 2 pinwheels. There will be 3 different sizes.

Making Pinwheels

Making pinwheels, originally uploaded by jules57.

We were rained in today so I caught up on a project for C's room. I've been working on it since July...

1. Cookies!
2. Tuna casserole.
3. H searching Web sites for shoes she likes. She's shopping around for the best price.
4. Plastic baggies in various sizes.
5. Permanent markers.
6. Laughing all day with Sean about how I made a noise as we were falling asleep and it woke us both up. I am still laughing uncontrollably about this.
   
7. How much Sean and I laugh together.
8. Holding hands with H - her hands are the same size as mine now!!!!
9. Putting more laundry away.
10. Ornaments from my mom.
11. Making Hannukah decorations.
12. Mad Libs (the world's greatest game!)
    
13. Our favorite Christmas movies like Die Hard and Gremlins.
14. H's favorite Christmas movies like Muppet's Christmas and Polar Express.
15. Turning off the TV.
    
16. Hearing from others that they like receiving my list.
17. Loving when I check my e-mail I receive gratitude lists from everyone else.
18. Going to bed earlier, waking up earlier.
19. The morning person paradox (hate waking up/getting out of bed, love when I am up early and get a head start on the day).
20. My family and friends.
    

Making poms

Making poms, originally uploaded by jules57.

Multitasking = giving the baby a bath + sitting on the floor next to the tub making poms for Christmas ornaments and H's stocking.

1. Listening to H sing "Love Story" (Taylor Swift). She listens to it over, and over, and over, and over... I remember doing that with my favorite songs.
2. C watching H - she's getting so interesting in what her big sister does.
3. Making the decision to focus some extra attention on Sean. He had a long week and is a bit grumpy.
   
4. The end of a good week.
   
5. The start of a new week.
6. The end of the semester and a few weeks off.
7. Creating a plan for the "Family Command Center."
8. My to-do list.
9. Violin lessons.
10. Soccer games.
11. The dishes are done.
    
12. Clean drinking water.
13. My family.
14. Doing silly things and laughing.
    
15. Making my kids laugh.
16. Making Sean laugh.
    
17. Calls from my mom and texts from my dad.
18. Creativity.
    
19. Returning movies on time.
20. Eating at home.
    

1. Woke up earlier most days this week. Getting H to school was much calmer.
   
2. Lolspeak e-mails from Sean and Annie. Rly funnie. Srsly.
3. Hamster on a piano.
4. C playing quietly in the playpen while I made gifts.
5. Sean working late means Sean is employed. Thank you.
6. Clean water.
   
7. Reusable shopping bags.
8. Cards for Hannukah and Christmas.
9. Figuring out nifty things like posting Flickr pictures on Blogger and using Technorati.
10. Homemade soups, reusing glass jars, mod podge.
11. Google maps.
12. Gmail's new task feature.
13. My to-do list.
    
14. Group get together tonight.
15. A good movie.
16. Learning about the group history.
17. Laughing.
18. Listening to Sean and C play and hearing C's baby belly laughs.
19. Listening to H play violin.
20. The quiet end of the day.
    

Oh Crafty Day! Part 2

Oh Crafty Day!
Originally uploaded by jules57

Another test from Flickr. This time I removed the border from the template.

Anyway, I made yarn ornaments last night. We have some bigger ones to make today with more colors. Green, blue, etc. And, I attempted the paper ornaments I saw on How About Orange but my stapler was too small so I had to make them shorter than the template she posted. It didn't quite work out so I turned them into bows.

Oh Crafty Day!

Oh Crafty Day!
Originally uploaded by jules57

Testing sending pictures from Flickr...

Last night H and I started making ornaments. Festive fun!

Soup du Jour

I've been busy making presents to get out into the mail today.

Hamster on a piano. Eating popcorn.

This is how I started my morning. Watch the video. Happy Friday.

Love to hamsters eating popcorn.

1. The baby is sleeping in so I am sipping my coffee in peace and quiet as I start my list this morning.
2. Finding the books I want to read on the library's Web site and I can place a hold so they will pull them for me and all I have to do is go pick them up.
   
3. Learning how to re-size text on the calendar of events so my old, tired eyes can read it. Tee hee. :)
4. A call from Becca to tell me something funny. Hearing her laugh is really nice.
5. Exercising our financial program today.
6. Everything we have. We have so much!
7. We have enough to pay our bills and feed our family.
8. Making ornaments with H and our beautiful Amy Butler paper.
9. Inspiration and creativity.
10. My mom calling to check on me today - she wanted to know if I am feeling better yet.
11. My parents seem to be fishing for information about Becca during our conversations less and less.
    
12. Maintaining boundaries.
13. Having 'the talk' with H. It was just the basics but I'm both glad I did it and I'm glad it's done!
14. Pretty yarn ornaments.
15. The end of the day.
    
16. Finishing H's stocking.
17. Watching C fall asleep.
18. Being a patient person today.
19. A clean kitchen.
20. Nothing major to do tomorrow.
    

Testing technorati

Happiness = figuring this out...
happiness
---
30 minutes later:

I did it! And, added a technorati link. I feel accomplished.

thanks! How the new science of gratitude can make you happier

I just started reading this book today. I understand that I have been practicing gratitude and I am immensely happier today than I have been in a long time, if ever. I have questions though... Why isn't it easier to be happy? Why did I have to "discover" gratitude first? What is going on with society, families, mothers, women, etc., that we are so unhappy, many times without even consciously understanding it?

Anyway, I get that these questions are not necessarily original but I am embarking on a journey to form some new ones - and hopefully, to push the study, and practice, of happiness a bit further...

...Or, at least, to be happier myself and extend that happiness to the ones I love the most.

1. Hot coffee in the morning.
   
2. Waking up earlier.
3. Meditation.
4. Making Hannukah and Christmas presents.
5. Superman theme music.
6. Looking at Will Smith. He's just hot.
   
7. Bonnie letting me bring H and C to the interview.
8. H was listening during the interview and she thought it was very cool that Bonnie asked questions about what I'd like my daughters to know about my experiences as a nontraditional student.
9. H telling me she's proud of me after the interview. She was beaming... It was so cool.
   
10. Listening to H point out the positives of a sad situation when talking to her dad.
11. Working to have a good co-parenting relationship with H's dad.
12. Being able to laugh with him when we talk.
13. Sean and H loading the dishwasher together after dinner.
14. Making ornaments for the tree.
15. Getting to shop for the holidays.
16. Sean's job.
17. Sean working so hard at his job and taking care of us.
18. The program.
19. A good conversation with a mentor today.
    
20. Our family.
    

1. A full night's sleep. Even Sean noticed how much more pleasant I was this morning.
2. Asking Sean, "Did you poo?" while we were talking. I didn't even realize what I said till I noticed he was looking at me funny. I meant to ask if it was the baby, but it obviously didn't come out that way (I must still need a few more hours of sleep to recharge to full mental capacity).
3. Health insurance so I can take C to her 9 month check-up.
   
4. My prayer partner.
5. How when I blow my nose C looks at me and blows raspberries. I guess it sounds the same?
6. Our call today.
   
7. Being silly.
   
8. HP (not the computer company, btw).
   
9. Spinach, chicken and feta quesadilla.
10. Helping H with homework.
    
11. Watching C play with her spoon.
12. The funny stories H writes for spelling homework.
13. Picking up the new Batman from the video store to surprise Sean when he gets home from work tonight.
14. Laughing with the girl at the video store when she told me she was sure I was there to get Batman this morning. I forgot about the Batman license plate on the front of my car. Nerd alert!
15. Praying for B.
16. B taking positive action.
17. Patience.
18. Grace.
19. Being of service to a friend's applied project in our grad program. She's working so hard and it's an honor to participate.
    
20. Listening to H practice violin.
    

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides.

1. Rare indulgences.
2. Soft tissues for my nose.
   
3. Missing the meeting last night (not grateful that I didn't go, but that I really missed being there).
4. Extra rest.
5. Catching up with J before her trip.
6. http://carrieanddanielle.com/
7. Putting gratitude out there.
8. The library.
9. Free audio book downloads from the library Web site.
10. How C likes to spit 3/4 of every bite out all over me when I feed her. Maybe I should try this at dinner. It seems quite fun for the one on the giving end.
11. Just listening to H when she tells me about her day and what's on her mind.
12. Turning a disagreement between me and H about whether she needs to wear a warm jacket to school into a laughing session between us. But still insisting she leaves the house wearing a warm jacket in the morning.
    
13. Sleeping children.
14. Going to bed earlier.
15. Gathering all my strength and will power, combined with a prayer to ask for some help, so that I can get up earlier in the mornings.
16. Getting H to school on time.
    
17. H is so good at getting herself ready in the mornings. I am the mess when it comes to getting started.
18. Watching C play in the bath.
19. The heater is fixed upstairs!
    
20. Interesting research: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/happiness_formula/default.stm
    

Who is George Sand? ;)

One is happy as a result of one’s own efforts, once one knows of the necessary ingredients of happiness—simple tastes, a certain degree of courage, self-denial to a point, love of work, and, above all, a clear conscience. Happiness is no vague dream, of that I now feel certain. --George Sand

Weekend Gratitude

1. I am becoming.
2. Homemade chili with lots of extra veggies.
3. A friendly gathering for chili and Christmas cookies.
4. Personal restoration... Slowly but surely.
5. Sleeping in this morning.
6. Sean bringing me coffee in bed. TG I can appreciate my partner and how good he really is.
7. Coming downstairs and seeing Sean, H and C all playing with Sean's old He-man toys. Now that was just adorable.
   
8. I'm the only one sick of the 4 of us.
   
9. H's friends from our old neighborhood came over. I'm really grateful to their parents that they all took the time to drive down and spend the afternoon/evening with us.
10. Brad Paisley's Christmas album.
11. The Bare Naked Ladies album with both Christmas and Hannukah music.
12. Wassail punch.
13. Incorporating holiday traditions from both our families.
14. How my kids make the holidays magical. I didn't believe in Santa (or the Hannukah fairy) till I was a mom.
    
15. The Friends episode with the Holiday Armadillo.
    
16. H teaching me to play Mancala.
17. Watching Wall-E.
18. Homemade chicken pot pie.
19. A family trip to the library.
20. H got her Christmas shopping done for her dad's family.
    

1. Fry's is still doing quadruple coupons.
2. Finding more coupons this morning.
3. Watching C stand and cruise around.
4. Bruce Almighty playing on TV right now.
5. Valley of Hope.
6. Farmer's market.
7. Homemade subs for dinner.
8. Baking with H.
9. Pecan pie.
10. Getting to the root of our heater issue today.
11. Home warranties.
12. Codi's gratitude list.
13. Silly Facebook comments.
14. Taking action.
15. Gratitude/20+10 lists in my inbox (no matter what kind of day I'm having there's always gratitude in my email!).
    
16. The weekend.
17. Sleep.
18. Patience.
19. Acting as I would feel.
20. There is only love.

Ms. Queen Bee

Upside down smile

Watching the big kids play soccer

Playing in the car

1. The ability to get a decent night's sleep even when I have something on my mind.
2. Laughing with Sean in the morning.
3. Taking H to school early.
4. C's smile. H's smile. There is nothing better in this world.
5. Creativity.
6. Creating.
7. Inspiration.
8. Coffee with real 1/2 & 1/2. So freakin yum.
9. Leftovers for breakfast.
   
10. Prayer and meditation.
11. Indulging in a nap.
12. Soccer practice.
13. Family dinner.
14. Laughing so hard tonight with Sean.
15. Watching the new X-Files movie.
16. Clipping coupons.
17. Cleaning the kitchen.
18. Boundaries.
19. Detachment with love.
20. There is only love.

1. I really did have a good day today (even though a portion of my evening wasn't so hot).
2. My mentor.
   
3. Having good friends.
4. A fun dinner conversation with J&P.
5. Hearing D tonight.
   
6. Welcoming words of wisdom from another friend.
   
7. Knowing I am ok.
8. Filling Sean's car up with gas on the way home even though I REALLY DID NOT WANT TO STOP.
9. Not telling him I stopped to fill his car up (the kind of thing I would have done before just to pat myself on the back about what a great wife I am).
10. Taking the trash out when I got home.
11. Sean.
12. Sean organized the pantry! (I'm leaving him home with the kids more often, tee hee)
13. Re-framing how I think about my commute to ASU West. I get to spend all that time listening to what I want to listen to, thinking in peace and quiet, and singing at the top of my lungs if I am so inclined.
14. Getting to go to the Wednesday night meeting.
15. My daughters.
16. Tonight was the last night of class for this semester.
17. Boundaries.
    
18. Meditation.
19. My HP.
    
20. Motrin for a wicked headache.

1. Waking up earlier.
2. Laying in bed with H for a few minutes.
3. Less stress in the morning for H and me because I got up earlier.
4. The Last Lecture (I highly recommend it so far, beautiful reading).
   
5. Going to bed earlier instead of being selfish by staying up later last night reading The Last Lecture.
   
6. Taking C with me when I took H to school so Sean could get a few extra minutes of quiet before he started his day.
7. Baby kisses.
8. Examples of healthy families so I can give my kids some of the same.
9. Structure.
10. Balance.
11. Google calendar.
12. Text reminders from Google calendar.
13. Cooking dinner with H.
14. Knowing that what I do everyday matters more than what I do sometimes.
15. Sean's job.
16. Cooking with H.
17. Our home.
    
18. A personal assesment.
19. Compassion.
20. Praying for more compassion.
    

1. Sean supports grad school even though it's not convenient and our income is cut in half.
   
2. Meeting with my adviser today.
3. Positive feedback on my teaching segment.
4. Constructive suggestions to take it to the next level.
5. Ham soup for dinner.
6. The ASU bookstore gift card I won last year still had a few dollars on it.
7. Finally picking up The Last Lecture.
8. Starting to read it this evening.
   
9. Listening to H play violin.
10. C taking a nap.
11. Codi's updated blog.
12. The Kolakowskis.
    
13. Anatomy of a Lego Man!
14. Both the kids are in bed.
15. Having a decent relationship with H's dad.
16. Talking to him and making plans for the holidays.
17. H gets to see her dad's family over the holidays.
18. Hanging out with J&R yesterday afternoon.
19. Spicy salsa.
20. Going to bed earlier.