Grace

Well, I am officially throwing in my 365 days project and calling it 31 days of January instead. That's how long it took for me to be tired of the whole thing.

And as for my grace postings, I've gotten kind of lax about those too. Because sometimes? It's just too  hard to stop and thinking of five good things. How pathetic is that?

So tonight I am thankful for:

1. The ability to pick and choose what works for me and give up what doesn't.

2. Healthy children.

3. My own health, overall. Forget the occasional cold and sinus headache, at least I'm not cruising the grocery store in a Little Rascal scooter.

4. Good friends that are always willing to prop me up when I sag.

5. A good bra able to do the same thing : )

Day 37 of 365

1. Lobster tails.
2. Free vacation!
3. Wobbly toenail has not fallen off yet, yay
4. Styx sang Lorelei and Renegade
5. Styx did not sing Mr. Roboto

Day 35 of 365

I am grateful for:

1. Tivo'ed episodes of 24, Lost and Heroes to watch tonight. Oh, how I do love me some TV.

2. Delicious home-cooked meal that I did not have to cook.

3. A cool kid that can entertain herself in most circumstances. And I do tend to thrust her into unusual circumstances. She just rolls with it.

4. The magic that is the Internet.

5. Flannel PJ pants. Yeah, baby.

Day 34 of 365

Whoopsie, looks like I missed a day or so. But I did get my Flickr images uploaded. And I did have grateful thoughts even though I didn't put it into written words.

1. Successful auction, raising needed funds for Carlie's school

2. The only shiny green dress in da house, yo

3. Up do that stayed up all night long

4. Husband who didn't want to dance all night, but did

5. Coming home to big kid babysitting little kid, no need to go pick up kids or drop off sitters. One of the best advantages of having that big age gap in the children: in-house babysitting.

Day 31 of 365

Getting ready to par-tay after getting my hair did.

1. Good times
2. Good friends
3. Good hair

4. Disco music

5. Champagne

Day 30 of 365

This is an older photo of Carlie and I, taken September-ish. Isn't she clever, with the bunny ears? And me, so gullible and unsuspecting. 
I am grateful for:
1. My first book review was well received!

2. Electric blanket

3. Trader Joe's

4. Big night out tomorrow. It's been a lot of work, but it'll be worth it.

5. Green dress and tall shoes

Day 29 of 365

I'm grateful for:

1. My DIY eyebrows actually look good

2. Smoking hot new shoes

3. Still being in love with my husband

4. Manageable amount of work to get done in the next two days, not overwhelming

5. New episode of Lost on Tivo just waiting to be watched

My 365 photo is on Flickr.

Day 28 of 365

Photo made it onto Flickr but not here. Because? Freak show in the house after a tragic DIY eyebrow incident.

I am grateful for:

1. A good dinner

2. A good 3.5 mile run

3. Cozy bed after a long day

4. Fun weekend on the horizon

5. The cool way these five items have lined up

Day 27 of 365

just chillin'

1. Finished making auction baskets

2. Delicious turkey gumbo for dinner, I keep forgetting how effing good that stuff is

3. Two hour episode of Bones that I have been saving on Tivo

4. David Boreanz

5. My funny hubby

Me and mini me, out in the sunshine.

1. Light at the end of the tunnel re: heavy duty school volunteering of late

2. My son is insane, but at least he's not in jail

3. Flannel sheets

4. Tired but not painful body after long run yesterday

5. Cheeseburgers : )

Day 25 of 365

Buffy the Mouse Slayer, making her angry face. She is possibly the dumbest and meanest cat in the world. I am the only human contact that she will tolerate, and she is all up in my grille any time I am home.

1. Ran 7.5 miles (plus walked another 1/2 mile) and lived to tell the tale

2. Almost finished with proofreading on time

3. My cold? Gone!

4. Michael Scofield. It's prison, yo.

5. Video Ipod Nano

Day 24 of 365

all bundled up to go out in the cold and snow, when all I really want to do is stay home

I am grateful for:

1. this little snow flurry episode appears to be short lived

2. hilarious fourth grade girls basketball game today

3. carlie getting the nerve to start taking some shots in the game

4. lasagna and wine for dinner at church tonight

5. cozy bed to come home to

Day 23 of 365

I might even be a rock star. (Quickie taken with my cell phone today).

I am grateful for:

1. Hershey's kisses

2. Real kisses

3. Plenty of sunshine all week long

4. Getting back into my running groove

5. The weekend ahead

Day 22 of 365

If I blow my nose anymore, it's going to bleed. TMI? Sorry.

The day got away from me and I did not post. I did take the photo though. So there's that. In retrospect, all I will say is, I am grateful for patience and forgiveness with myself in this project.

: )

Day 21 of 365

OK. I'm getting a little sick of my own self with the self portraits and whatnot. And here I am, doing my best 900 year old school marm impersonation. Cute, huh?

I am thankful for:

1. The return of "Lost"

2. Vegetarian lasagna made by my son for dinner

3. Red wine

4. Flannel sheets

5. Fleece sweats

Day 20 of 365

What messy office? Who needs to get her shit together and clear her desk? I don't know what you're talking about. P.S. 1983 called and wants her hair back.

I am grateful for:

1. Our smoking hot new president

2. Democracy

3. No kids home right now

4. My new red down vest, purchased on clearance for $8!

5. Chinese food

Day 19 of 365

Sleep deprivation, head cold and greasy hair from laying around for three days with a cold. I feel so hot. NOT.

I am grateful for:

1. Our new president, tomorrow! Yay! 

2. Brownies

3. General Hospital on Tivo (SHUT UP)

4. 70% off sale at JCP at which I bought a red down vest for $8.99!

5. Gym membership, which I shall get off of my ass and go use right now... maybe

Day 18 of 365 Days

My nose is so red from blowing it, that I refuse to post a head shot. And my head is so heavy and stuffy, that I refuse to lift it off of the pillow. So, voila, Day 18 reflects me, sick, in bed early. It's just a cold, not the end of the world, but I'm feeling very wah anyway.

Grace. I am thankful for:

1. My cozy bed

2. A sunny weekend

3. A welcome out-of-town guest

4. Picnik photo editing software, for free!

5. A three-day weekend

Day 17 of 365

Day 17 of 365 Days of Grace.

I am grateful for:

1. Red wine

2. Cream puffs

3. Abba songs and girlfriends who know all the words

4. Separate his/hers bank accounts

5. Shiny things

Oh crap, this wasn't supposed to go here, was it? Oh well, I'll do it right next time.

PS: Can I be Meryl Streep when I grow up?

Grace/365 Days

I'm setting up a separate page for these posts, because I am feeling a little too narcissistic with the self portraits every single day. Yet strangely, not narcissistic enough to stop taking them or posting them. Ha. Go figure.

The new site is here, and I'm going to eventually figure out how to make a button for it to keep in the side bar, eventually being at a time other than right now when I am not (1) starving (2) congested (3) feeling like shit and (4) going through withdrawals from lack of diet coke in the house.

Day 16 of 365

I'm in a sweatshirt and jeans, hair in a ponytail, heading out for Mexican food. I feel like crap, but nothing a little sudafed won't take care of... I hope. I wish I had a bitching ponytail like katydidnot, but I don't.

I am grateful for:

1. Sudafed

2. Hot toddies

3. Chips and salsa

4. Comfy jeans

5. Cool houseguests

Day 15 of 365

A quick self portrait of me coming home from un-work today. I had a job this afternoon, which means arranging childcare, packing up my gazillion pounds of gear and putting on pants and makeup. When I got to the prosecutor's office I was informed that the deposition had been cancelled. But it didn't occur to anyone to call me. This is my life of freelance court reporting. I get a little secret jolt of happy when I find out I have a free afternoon, immediately followed by a big crashing wave of SHOW ME THE MONEY. It sucks. And because my participation in the 365 days of self portraits is supposed to be an exercise in self love, I won't even mention the horrid state of my effing eyebrows, which is so clearly illustrated in this unnecessary closeup.

Day 15 of 365 Days of Grace

1. Carpooling

2. Pink CD

3. Tall black boots

4. Tweed coat with a hood

5. Running on the treadmill without having my leg fall off

Day 14 of 365

Day 14 of 365 Days of Grace

I am grateful for:

1. Knitting

2. Doc Marten's Maryjanes

3. Baked potatoes

4. Fourth grader with no homework AND no afterschool activities today

5. Big ass scissors : )

No self portrait with this post. You've seen enough of me today, given the big scissors photo shoot.

Day 13 of 365

Hellacious day at work + shooting pain in right shin + 4th grader with holy shit amount of homework and basketball practice in an hour = CHEEZ-ITs for dinner. But because I am a good mom? They are reduced fat cheez-its. So actually, kind of like health food. Plus? Note the Target brand gummy vitamins. Nutrious! Well Balanced!

Day 13 of 365 Days of Grace

I am thankful for:

1. All day jobs that end early

2. Sunshine

3. Packaged prepared frozen food

4. Microwave ovens

5. The knowledge that someday my son will move out of this house. Someday. Please, God.

Day 12 of 365

I was all geared up for a 3-mile run after dropping Carlie off at school, but Carlie never got dropped off at school. After it was determined that she was not going to die, I went for a 1.5 mile run. And I was all "ow ow ow my legs". WTF?

Day 12 of 365 Days of Grace.

I am grateful for:

1. Son cooking dinner tonight

2. Daughter not sick with disgusting vomity bug

3. The return of "24" (I know, I am lame, so sue me)

4. A cozy sweater on a gray day

5. Beautiful yarns to knit

Day 11 of 365

This is a very boring web cam photo of me right now at my dining room table on my laptop. The photo behind me is a vintage shot of downtown Vancouver, my neighborhood, circa 1920s. We just went on a walk to sell Girl Scout cookies and while I stood on the corner waiting for Carlie I noticed an imprint stamped in the concrete reading Kampe & Co 1919. Our house is estimated to have been started in 1919 and finished in 1921. I love this neighborhood.

Day 11 of 365 days of grace.

I am thankful for:

1. The fact that one of my cats is not a moron

2. My neighborhood

3. Old ladies at church who think I am oh so young

4. Doritos, though I still mourn the demise of Taco flavored

5. Pumpkin spice candles

Day 10 of 365

I'm going to cheat a little bit here. I didn't post yesterday. But I did take a photo. But it's still in my camera. So here is my Saturday post, sans picture, which is in my camera. Because the goal was to TAKE  picture every day, not actually post it. Right? No, I know. That's a stretch.

Day 10 of 365 days of grace.

I am grateful for:

1. My heated mattress pad

2. My Blackberry aka Crackberry aka oh-my-God-can't-live-without-it phone

3. My swank new Puma pullover

4. Cardigan sweaters

5. Running seven miles without dropping dead

Day 9 of 365

Little Miss Muffett... yes, that is a giant spider descending upon my head.

These red lights have hung in my dining room window seat since February 2006, when my friends and kids decorated the house for my big 40th birthday party, which was a dance off fiesta bash complete with a BAND in my LIVING ROOM and oysters. Lots of oysters. And shot drinks. Lots of shot drinks. It was the bomb diggity of parties, but I digress. The lights? They're still up. They provide excellent mood lighting for the dining room. Oh, and I just remembered that my camera has a timer, which adds a whole new element to the self portrait. You're welcome. Oh, and the window seat is where we display Carlie's object d'art d'jour. Sometimes d'jour becomes forever, hence the spider from Halloween still hanging there well after Christmas.

Day 9... I am grateful for:

1. Happy Hour

2. Red lights, not for Christmas but just because

3. Friends to laugh with

4. Mac & Jack Amber Ale

5. Banana Toffee Tort

Day 8 of 365

Yo, kick it

Day 8 of 365 days of grace

1. Chuck Taylor All Star Converse

2. French Fries

3. New Friends

4. Living La Vida Loca in Small Town, USA

5. The Beastie Boys

Day 7 of 365

Uh-huh

I am grateful for:

1. Being from New Orleans, a place that I love

2. Finding great airfare to make a spur of the moment trip to Mardi Gras

3. Shiny things

4. Jeans that fit

5. Delicious homemade stir fry for dinner, neither stirred nor fried by me

Day 6 of 365

Roots? What roots?

Day 6 of 365

I am grateful for:

1. My neighborhood, which kicks ass

2. Crepes, which kick ass

3. The time/resources to volunteer at my daughter's school and

4. The fact that 90% of the parents at the school are not freaks

5. Wine

Day 5 of 365

Day 5 of 365 Days of Grace

1. My giant antique map of Portland, OR

2. Hot eats and cool treats

3. Knowing when and how to say NO

4. Even numbers

5. Home-cooked dinner, not cooked by me

Day 4 of 365

Day 4 of 365

Happy feet, knit by happy hands

I am grateful for:

1. Cozy hand-knit socks

2. End of winter break tomorrow...holla

3. The way my children keep me entertained, usually without even knowing it

4. Trader Joe's Candy Cane Joe Joe's

5. That sweet nectar of the Gods known as Diet Coke with Lime

Day 3 of 365

To those of you who have contacted me privately to express your concern over my morbid obsession with my own death, you can relax. I have found a healthy outlet for my need to control my family from The Great Beyond when my time comes.

Instead of worrying about what they will wear, I decided to focus on what I will wear. Hence the search for the PERFECT URN has now begun. I need something amendable to Bedazzling. As soon as I find the perfect urn, my glue gun and I are going to go to town and bling that mutha out. Think of the relief this will be to my family when the time comes, not to have to worry about what to do with my remains. It's a win win!

And also, while having my terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, I neglected to do my post for Day 3 of 365 of Grace. Also did not do my 365 Days self portrait. Oh well. Can't turn back the clock, but I can tell you that I am grateful for:

1. It wasn't me that dinged my neighbor's truck.

2. Good friends, old and new, in my life.

3. Roads are not icy anymore.

4. Healthy children.

5. Healthy self.

Day 2 of 365

Bling

Day 2 of 365

1. I can run.

2. Leftover split pea soup.

3. Sunshine... in January no less!

4. Gym membership.

5. 10-year-old daughter who is not sick, even though several of her friends are now down with some kind of bug. 

Day 1 of 365

Back home again. New Year rung in. Time to start living up to those resolutions. Happy 2009 to you and yours. Good tidings. Live long and prosper.

So... Day 1/365 of Flickr's 365 Days Challenge...

And Day 1/365 of Schmutzie's Grace in Small Things challenge. 

Five small things I am appreciative of.

1. Home. We walked five blocks to a fab restaurant for dinner with friends, drank to our soul's content and then walked home. Does it really get better than that?

2. The New Year. Clean slate, fresh start and all that jazz.

3. Cute husband. Who pays for my drinks.

4. Nice kids. All gone for the night.

5. Good friends to ring in the new year with.

We'll take a cup of kindness yet for auld lang Syne