14 day thankfulness challenge 2010 - day 14(ish)...

Day 14 (a day late). Before our Thanksgiving festivities began yesterday my plan was to document our Thanksgiving with pictures, and then share them here with you for day 14. Then, 3/4 of the way through the day, cooking, dinner, and visiting, I realized my camera never even made it our of it's bag.

At first I was really upset with myself, because I know I could have gotten some beautiful pictures to share with you all.

Then, I realized something...
I was so involved in living in the moment, that I didn't even stop to think otherwise. That's a beautiful thing. Yesterday was a beautiful day. Matt and I and the girls spent a leisurely morning and early afternoon cleaning up, cooking, and resting before our guests came. Then we ate a beautiful meal with family and a friend. Visited, and ate yummy dessert. We watched football, and a movie, and spent good, plain, wonderful family time.

No, I didn't document the day behind my camera lens.
Instead I documented the day in my memory and enjoyed every moment.
At the end of the day that's how we should live our lives, enjoying the moment.
For this I am so thankful.
I realize I have so much to be thankful for in my life...
I am totally content!

thankfulness challenge 2010 - day 13...

Admittedly this will not be the deepest or most meaningful of posts during this thankfulness challenge... sorry, in advance! Today, and most days... but especially today, I am thankful for owning god's gift to cold feet; my Ugg Boots. I've owned fake ones, tall and short, but none compare to my real Ugg boots that I received last Christmas from my honey. It has been burrrrr diddly COLD the last few days, and there is nothing like putting your tootsies into some real Australian sheep wool to warm ones footsies. Ahhhhh, yes, I love them, more than I should, but I do. I know some people think they are ugly, but I DON'T CARE. I LOVE THEM and so do my feet!





Want to know something naughty? I hope Santa brings me these exact same boots this year in grey! Maybe if I'm REAL GOOD! :)

14 day thankfulness challenge 2010 - day 11&12...

Sorry, it's another 2 in 1 kind of thankfulness challenge!
Yesterday got away from me.
But, yesterday I was thankful for my home.
Today, I am thankful for waking up to a snow day!

Put those two things together and you have a great combination!!!

I am so thankful for this cozy, warm home, that welcomes me each time I walk through it's doors. It's my safe place. My haven. The place our family comes together. I feel amazingly blessed to live where I live. My house is way more than a house, it's a home. The other day after my friend came over for the first time, she gave me one of the nicest compliments EVER... she said being in our home feels like receiving a big hug. Awwwww. Does it get any kinder than that???

Today there is snow & ice on the ground, so here's what I have planned...
cuddling in bed
crafts for the girls
baking
cleaning
a nice long nap time
going for a snow walk
and lots of hot tea and cocoa!

Very thankful! It's gonna be a great day!

14 day thankfulness challenge 2010 - day 9&10...

Tonight, after 8+ hours in the car in two days...
I am PLAIN OLD THANKFUL for my COZY bed!

We had so much fun!!!
I love my brother...
His girlfriend is a sweet heart...
Their house was cozy...
Their town BEAUTIFUL...
The City was stunning... (my favorite was walking as the snow fell today drinking hot peppermint cocoa)
We ate WAY too much good food...
The Picasso exhibit blew my mind...
All and all it was a blast!!!

Whew, I'm TIRED!
Girls are tucked in bed.
I took a hot bath.
I scooped the two days worth of kitty poo.
I started a load of laundry.
I read the mail.
I posted this...
GOOD NIGHT ALL!
Sleep tight...
I hope you are thankful for your cozy bed too!!!

14 day thankfulness challenge 2010 - day 8...

I am thankful that tomorrow morning Matt, Bella, and I will head up the freeway to see my big brother, and his adorable girlfriend Kate; and that together we will go see the Picasso exhibit at the Seattle Museum of Art!

I am thankful that my mom and dad were willing to watch Meritt so that the three of us can go and have a bit of peace and quiet, and time just the three of us. I am thankful to spend some quality time with my brother (that is rare). I am THANKFUL to spend the weekend in the big city soaking up a bit of culture and art.



I am thankful to introduce my daughter to a once in a lifetime opportunity to the works of Pablo Picasso in real life.
It has been said that you cannot and will not see a better exhibit of his work except for maybe in Paris.... and well since Paris isn't in this years budget, we'll settle for Seattle!

I am thankful that we can crash at Ansen and Kate's for the weekend!
I am thankful that Matt's employer gave us the opportunity to purchase discounted tickets... and that Bella is still free! Yay.




So, I'll be away for a few days, I'll be back Sunday evening with lots more thankfulness to share!!!

14 day thankfulness challenge 2010 - day 7

Today, I am thankful for motherhood. I'm not thankful for it because my kids are perfect little angels, far from it. I am not thankful for motherhood because it's easy. I am thankful for motherhood because my girls fill my heart up in a way I never knew even to be possible before they entered my life. These two little people are my everything, and it is my mission in life to make sure that my children grow to be amazing, strong, confident, God fearing, honest, loving, kind, intelligent women. Hopefully, if I do my job right, maybe someday they will have the joy of knowing the love of being a mother.



Most days I hardly manage to keep the chaos of my kids and the messes of life straight. There are days I have to remind myself to take a deep breath a thousand times a day. There are days I yell, and have to ask my kids for their forgiveness, because motherhood is the greatest challenge I have ever faced. There is nothing easy about it. At the same token there is nothing as rewarding and fulfilling as being Isabella and Meritt's mama.



It is truly my great honor that God sent these two little girls to fill my days. They teach me, they bring me unmeasurable love, they make me laugh, they make me think about things I might never have thought of before, they make me worry, they make me cry, they warm my heart, and they make my cup flow over! They are truly my joy in life! I am so thankful that they are mine!

thankfulness challenge 2010 - day 6...

Okay, so if I am keeping it real, today it's hard to think about what to be thankful for. Life has kind of been raining down on me lately, and quite frankly I'm ready for it to stop. We've been dealing with taking care of my grandma and her failing health, I've been dealing with a few of my own health issues that the doctors are having a hard time diagnosing, and today after visiting with a Speech Therapist, I found out that Meritt's speech and language development is severely delayed, and will be needing private, weekly therapy - (aka $$$$$).

Money has been really tight this last year or maybe two... it's hard to keep track. It's been one of those years where when it rains it pours. Matt's employer was bought out, thus changing his pay. Our washer and dryer bit the dust, our vacuum bit the dust, our dishwasher bit the dust, we were in completion mode of our basement, we had a major water leak in our irrigation system... well you get it, the list goes on and on. It's life, right???

Sometimes, when all of these things pile up around your ears it's hard to remember the good. It's hard to feel thankful in the midst of the stress, that it all causes. The truth is that you do what you can, you work hard, and take things one day at a time, and as they come.

The bottom line truth is, our family is blessed. Compared to others out there struggling to keep food on the table and roofs over their children's heads, we are BLESSED! We can keep figuring out how to do with less 'stuff'... because our blessings don't come from the 'stuff' - but from each other!

So today, even though I am feeling stressed, and anxious, and like my blessings are sitting out in the fog at the moment. I am going to keep walking through that fog until the blessings are clear.

I am thankful for:
Having jobs
Health Insurance - even if it's not the best in the world, it's better than not!
Our overall health
Our warm house
Food in the fridge
...and all of the love I have in my life!

I know that this post wasn't very rosy...
But, it's real.
It's stuff that we all face, and deal with, and I think it's so important to be able to see all of the good in spite of the bad that may be happening. Don't you agree? God is great, and I know that he will NEVER give me (us) more than I (we) can handle or bear. His faithfulness is abundant! His lessons are infinite!

thankfulness challenge 2010 - day 5...

(Gigi and the girls December 2008)

A few weeks ago, my grandmother that has Alzheimer's disease, started on a downward spiral. She has become so very confused, disoriented, weak, tired, sometimes mean, and completely unlike herself at all. It's hard. It's sad. I've cried a lot of tears in the last few weeks. It's awful when someone you adore doesn't even know who you are. She no longer knows my name. But, yet in spite of all of that, her spirit is still inside fighting. She told me the other day she didn't remember me... all I could say in return was, that I remembered her, and my memories would be enough for both of us.

I've been in charge of giving her medicine to her morning and evening. Some days she tries to shove me out the doorway. Some days she gets mad, or acts bothered by my presence. But, after I give her the pills she hates to take, she usually forgets why she was mad to begin with. I guess that is one beautiful thing about the disease she has.

Over the last few years I'm ashamed to say I've stopped visiting her very often. My heart just felt crushed every time I saw her and I knew she had no idea who I even was. I feel thankful in an odd way that she has taken this turn, and needed extra help, it has forced me to step up and do what I knew to be right all along, which was to love her, and take care of her, even though she doesn't know me, but because I KNOW HER. Not only do I know her, oh how I love her. My love is deep for her. My sweetest childhood memories ARE HER. She was my very best friend until her disease stole her from me. There have been times as a grown adult, that I needed a certain kind of advise, or a special kind of comforting, that I would have given any earthly possession to be able to crawl in her lap and have a talk...




(Gigi with Meritt when she was days old!)

These last few weeks have taught me an incredibly priceless lesson. I was afraid to spend too much time with her with her disease, afraid that I would only be able to remember her as she is now. I was fearful my other memories would fade. I now know, that just isn't true. My memories are mine. No one will ever take that away. Not a disease of the memory and mind, or any time in between...


(Gigi with Bella Christmas 2006)

Today, I am SO GRATEFUL for all of the memories I have with my Gram... she was an amazing lady. She was fun. She had this way of always making me feel I was home, and that I belonged.

I hope as I spend this time with her now, even though she doesn't remember, and is so confused, that somehow, she'll still know and feel the love that has always been between our two hearts!

I am so glad that my girls have at the very least had some time with her. Especially Bella, she loves her Gigi, and will always have her own memories with her. I am so glad that I have these pictures of my girls with Gigi, they are priceless to me!

14 day thankfulness challenge 2010 - day 4...

I was driving along this morning, do errands, listening to an India Arie C.D. that I checked out from the library, when this song came on... it hit me what I was thankful for today... it's him. My love. My Matt. My Honey. My Boo. The man that has made it his mission to make all of my dreams come true. The man that is the most amazing dad to our two little girls that I could ever wish for. I am so thankful that God paired us together. As unlikely as the two of us were to find each other, God knew, and designed the whole thing, even though no one else understood it, or got it. God knew. He knew our hearts... our two teenage hearts, and he put us together, and we grew into grown ups together. Good days and bad, he's still my very best friend!

Here's the song........ how is it that songs are able to sum up our emotions and words far better than we are ever capable of???

Song:"The Truth"
Artist:India.Arie
C.D.:"Voyage To India"

Let me tell you why I love him

Cause he is the truth
Said he is so real
And I love the way that he makes me feel
And if I am a reflection of him then I must be fly because
His light it shines so bright I wouldn't lie no

I remember the very first day that I saw him
I found myself immediately intrigued by him
It's almost like I knew this man from another life
Like back then maybe I was his husband maybe he was my wife
And even,things I don't like about him are fine with me
Cause it's not hard for me to understand him cause he's so much like me
And it's truly my pleasure to share his company
And I know that it's God's gift to breathe
The air he breathes

How can the same man that makes me so mad
Do you know what he did-(Spoken)
Turn right around and kiss me so soft
Girl do you know what he did-(Spoken)
If he ever left me I wouldn't even be sad no
Cause there's a blessing' in every lesson
And I'm glad that I knew him at all

Cause he is the truth
Said he is so real
And I love the way that he makes me feel
And if I am a reflection of him then I must be fly because
His light it shines so bright no

I love the way he speaks
I love the way he thinks
I love the way that he treats his mama
I love that gap in between his teeth
I love him in every way that a woman can love a man
From personal to universal but most of all
It's unconditional

You know what I'm talking about-(Spoken)
That's the way I feel
And I always will-(Spoken)

There ain't no substitute for the truth
Either it is or isn't
(Cause he is the truth)
You see the truth it needs no proof
Either it is or it isn't
(Cause he is the truth)
Now you know the truth by the way it feels
And if I am a reflection of him then I must be fly
Because he is, yes he is
I wonder does he know -Echoes

14 day thankfulness challenge 2010 - day 3...

Okay, so admittedly this is not the deepest thing in the world to be thankful for, but I am... Maybe more than I should be! It took us close to 5 years to complete, but alas the day is here that we are actually living in our basement. It is the best space in the world for our family, and our guests when they come. We play, hangout, watch t.v., craft, do laundry, sew, read, and snuggle in our basement. The best part about it taking so long for us to finish, is the fact that we were able to think out each space and how we would best use it. It gave us time to really put a lot of thought into what we wanted to do in our extra space.... and I really have to say we use it exactly as I thought we would!

Selfishly, my favorite thing about the finished basement, is my new washer and dryer, and my very nice, incredibly roomy, lovely laundry room! It makes my life about a million times easier, and the piles and piles of laundry I do each day, at least a little more bearable!

P.S. Uhhhhhhhhheeeemmmmm, I've noticed not much participation here with this thankfulness challenge, and you all are making me feel like the geeky kid at school that no one would play with. Please play... you don't want me to feel like a geek that no one likes now do you??? What would that do to my overall self esteem?P.P.S. I know that there are readers out there reading this, so PLEASE, PLAY ALONG!!!

14 day thankfulness challenge 2010 - day 2...

Today & everyday I am so thankful for the Grace of God. His love is shown for us in every grain of sand, every leafy tree, every sunset, and in the faces of those we love... for he designed each one. I am a totally imperfect person, but he loves me unconditionally. He forgives me, and gives me his grace to start anew each day. For this, I am truly thankful!

14 day thankfulness challenge 2010 - day 1...

My most thankful thing in my life, is the love and joy I receive from being part of our little family. I thank God each and everyday that these 3 people are mine to spend all my days with. It's my true pleasure and delight to be his wife, and their Mama!



I am blessed beyond measure with some amazing friends, as well as an extended family that means the world to me. However, these five people; my parents, my husband, and my girls, are my world. Each of these people mean more to me than I could ever define in words, they are my rock and foundation in this earthly life! They have been with me on my best days and my worst, and love me just the same. I count myself the luckiest girl in the world to be loved by these 5 people!

What is your most thankful thing???
Today's the day...
Comment...
or post your own at your own blog and let me know!
Let's remember to be thankful!
Can't wait to hear from you!

save the date...

I'm starting a new tradition around here at Bella's little Rose...
Last year I wrote everyday for the two weeks before Thanksgiving about what I was thankful for that day. (check out the label on the sidebar to read last years) It was just such a great exercise for me to get myself in the right mind frame for what the holidays and what Thanksgiving should really be about. We all have so many blessings all around us, that sometimes we are too busy to see or acknowledge. I invite you to join me each day here, starting this Friday for my 14 day thankfulness challenge. You will be amazed at how many things you have in your life to be thankful for! Feel free to either comment, or link your blog to mine, and let's see how much we can be thankful for! So start thinking... it starts Friday! (even if I am the only one that plays! But, I hope not ;) )

Market of Choice

We live in a fairly small area. We don't have all of the variety of shops that say a larger city might be able to provide. But, even though we live in a fairly small, farming community, there are still big changes, and good things on the horizon all around us. There are more and more people like me and my family that feel that it is increasingly important to educate ourselves about what we put into our bodies and where are food is coming from. People also realize that we need to keep things local and sustainable to keep our earth, and people healthy! Our little community just got a Market of Choice grocery store. Saturday afternoon we piled in Sassy (our little VW) and went to check it out for ourselves... WOW... it is great! Finally, we have really needed a place to shop like this! Now maybe I won't have to go to 5 places just to get everything I need. (Maybe!) It's definitely a step in the right direction! If you live in the Albany/Corvallis area you should really go check it out. Make change part of your routine! Every little change we make in the right direction makes a HUGE difference!


Here is a little snippet from their website to tell you a little bit about what they are about!

At Market of Choice, we do our best to walk the talk. That means striving for sustainability by meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. From packaging and composting to biodegradable bags and solar power, we continuously work to achieve that goal.

It begins with the products we carry, the materials we recycle, and the choices we offer customers. It’s also about buying local. Buying local simply means purchasing food, or any product or service that is produced, grown, or raised as close to your home as possible. We support local vendors, so that you can too.

But it doesn't end there. Being sustainable also means investing in people, who in turn, invest in their community. We truly believe that paying our employees living wages and offering comprehensive benefits is an investment in our community. We can achieve even more, with your help. If you have an idea, contact us! We’ll consider them with care.

you are loved...

the best Sunday afternoon...

After two weeks straight of working day in and day out at the shop, getting everything ready for our 'Holiday Open House' and getting through the weekend of Holiday Open House. Today was the day... the day to take a deep breath, get clean sheets, vacuum my furry home, go to Costco, take a nice afternoon nap, and then go with Bella for a date to see the Secretariat at the Pix (our favorite theater)! What an absolutely inspiring film. Loved, Loved, Loved it!!! I highly recommend this movie! My little horse lover was at the edge of her seat. I was truly inspired! I am not even sure I can put into words how wonderful this film was... everything from the touching story to the beautiful fashions, it was just great! This was the absolute perfect thing to do on a rainy Sunday afternoon! The best part... holding Bella's hand (for a two hour movie, sharing popcorn with my girl, and the sparkle that was in her eyes every time she looked at me throughout our 'date'!) I've missed my girls... and my guy! I'm glad this two weeks is over, and I can now soak up my real life (ha ha) once again!

family photos...

We had the pleasure of getting our photos taken by the amazingly talented Meghann Street of Your Street Photography for the second time... here is a sneak peak at our 2010 family photo shoot!