100 Things I'm Thankful For: #6. Pets

This is our 4 year old Golden Retriever 'Jersey' and we also have two cats 'Pippen' and 'Salem'. Our house can certainly feel like a wild animal kindom at times with Jers chasing one cat under our feet while the other cat is pawing at our legs for treats but I wouldn't trade it for anything. We are pet people and I'm sure we'd have more if we had a bigger house. I recently read an article about the benefits that pets have in your life - they make you more active, lower blood preassure, fight lonliness & depression, provide a sense of security, etc... How wonderful and very true is that?! On a bad day I can't help but feel lighter when Salem hops into my lap to snuggle or when Jersey brings me an old battered chew toy with a look of goofy excitment on her face. I never feel nervous at home alone at night with Jersey in the house like I used to. I get up and go even when I'm tired because I know Jersey needs some fresh air and exercise. All our pets are a constant source of entertainment as well and we often find ourselves watching them instead of tv in the evenings - watching our big dog get chased and bullied by our little cat never gets old somehow LOL
So I love these guys as crazy as they may be and they help make our house a home. Super thankful for pets!

100 Things I'm Thankful For: #5. Coffee

In the words of Barry White: "I've heard people say that too much of anything is not good for you, baby. Oh no, but I don't know about that." Ooooh that's how I feel about coffee! I realize I have a problem, I'm not in denial, but it's just so delicious. And it's really all the aspects of coffee that I enjoy so much including the aroma that fills the room when a fresh pot is brewing and the warmth of the mug when I snuggle up to it in the morning; it makes me feel happy and relaxed almost instantly.
Coffee also reminds me of great connections. It was my sidekick when I met my husband while serving in a coffee shop and the drink of choice many great conversations have been had over with friends and family. Going out for coffee is still my favorite way to bond with people.

In addition to all those wonderful things, it's just a great antidote for the morning blahs.

Thanks coffee... I do love you so :o)

100 Things I'm Thankful For: #4. Daddio

Last night I got home to find our tent all set up in the backyard - Chris and Pax had 'camped' that afternoon. This isn't something that surprised me at all. It's common to walk in the door and find the two of them surrounded by a cardboard box fort they spent the afternoon building, or in their swim trunks running through the sprinkler in the backyard, or playing bugs chasing each other around the house buzzing. That's just the kind of fun -loving full of life Dad that Paxton has. Chris (or Daddio as we call him at home) is the best snack-maker, ball tosser, bubble blower, and story reading snuggler any family could ever ask for and he's all ours. Lucky lucky luck us.

100 Things I'm Thankful For: #3. Books

I love books but then again, who doesn't!?! One of my favorite things to do is to wander around Chapters with a latte and pick up random books to look through - I never fail to find something interesting or funny or beautiful. I easily get wrapped up in a page turner crime novel, laugh out loud at a light and fluffy girly book, or tuck a scary story away in the freezer (see Friends Episode 3.13) LOL I get so excited learning something new in every non-fiction I read, often saying 5 or 6 times in an evening "Hon, listen to this!" to my husband who patiently closes his book and listens to me recite a paragraph. Books have a way of making me happy and that's something to be thankful for. I'm thankful to live in a community with a great library, thankful to have a Chapters down the street, and so thankful that my sister is a book junkie and owns (and lends) practically every non-fiction on the market... and the Twilight series.

100 Things I'm Thankful For: #2. My job

Times are tough for everyone. Finding a job or keeping an existing job is not so easy anymore. I'm so thankful to have my job. I work for a tiny accounting firm in the sleepy town of Elmvale where, as you'll see in the picture, people still ride cute bikes downtown and can leave them leaning against a lamp post chain-free. I don't pretend that I have my dream job but I'm good at what I do, I feel secure and appreciated, and I love my small group of co-workers who I also consider to be my friends. All in all, I'm not complaining!

100 Things I'm Thankful For: #1. Paxton

I can hardly put into words how grateful I am for my son Paxton. He makes everyday of my life an adventure! I love his big toothy smile, his infectious laugh, and his kookiness. I love watching him learn new things, his immense curiousity, and the way he sticks his tongue out when he's concentrating really hard. I love when he winks at me, I love his kisses, and I love his unconditional love. I am so lucky to have him.

Project One: Thankful = Happy.

"The secret to happiness is gratitude and reflection." Lately I feel like the universe is putting this idea in my face at every turn: an article in a waiting room magazine, books out of place in Chapters, and even while googling completely unrelated topics, I've ended up on gratitude related sites! You can say it's a coincidence but I don't think so. I hear that the universe starts out with a whisper and if you don't pay attention it'll slap you upside the head! So I say this:

Dear Universe:

I'm Listening!

Love: Val xo

I think I'm a very happy gal and so thankful for the things in my life but I never have a problem kicking it up a notch and so cue 'Thankful = Happy.' In this first project I plan to compile a collection of photographs of 100 things that I am thankful for in my life. It can be anything from the obvious to obscure and in no particular order. I'd love to get your feedback as the post starts rolling :o)

Gotta start somewhere!

The idea of writing a blog has always been interesting to me. I've tried blogging a few times but never had much of a plan for it and in turn the project quickly flitted out. I figure there must be something to blogging that keeps me coming back so I decided to tackle it one last time. My plans is to create mini projects with a vow to stick them out one at a time.

So what kind of projects, you ask? I love photography! I love taking pictures - finding the right light, the right angle, the right subject. I get a huge amount of satisfaction from uploading my pictures off my camera and finding a beautiful shot. And when the right shot just isn't there, I love photoshopping 'meh' pictures into mini works of art. With that being said all my projects will be somehow based in photography. Stay tuned for Project One: Thankful = Happy.