November 23rd

I was working around the house, enjoying the last few hours of "alone time" before the troops were home for the Thanksgiving break.  Throughout the day, I stop and take a couple deep breaths.  Can you believe that some people go a whole day without taking a good, solid deep breath?

You're taking a big breath right now, aren't you.

Anyway, I was playing around with my camera, as I was finishing my hot tea, and took this picture.

Candid.  I didn't even clean the crap off my counter. 

That's big for me.

And this one, giving myself a nice abdominal stretch. 

The stretch through the quad is amazing too.
(I wish I moved that milk carton.)



This is my Thanksgiving smile.

I have SO much to be thankful for...

 

 And for my last photo...

This is the only turkey that I will prepare for Thanksgiving this year. 

He is my Turkey of Gratitude.

Isn't he as cute as can be?
(Don't worry, my family will eat turkey, at my mother-in-law's house.)

My kids will LOVE this because after talking about all the blessings we have in our lives,

they will each get to write what they are thankful for on a turkey feather.

I did the first feather, just... for this here bloggy blog.

I heart "The Turkey of Gratitude."

Happy Thanksgiving to you. 

May you remember and enjoy all of the blessings that enrich your life.

When you think about it, there are many more than you realize.

November 3rd.

Today was a day, a day in the life, a typical ordinary day of motherhood. But what am I thankful for today?  My cat is licking my arm. My three beautiful children are all nestled in their beds, safe and warm.  My dinner meal was filled with steamed rice and asian vegetables.  I heated some hot tea in the evening to top it off.  I worked out today, which I hadn't done in a loooong time, felt good.  I also spent a few hours in the local fourth grade where my children attend, helping with odds and ends. Finally changed my cell phone number to that of my locality.  What am I thankful for??? Nothing epic today.  I'm just thankful for that, a simple, uneventful, ordinary, pleasant, average day.

Thanksgiving and Gratitude Day by Day

Here in the yoga world, November is the month of gratitude.

Okay, maybe I just made that up. 

 It is in my world anyway.

Here is my day-to-day gratitude journal.

Monday November 1st. 
I am thankful for my laptop computer.  It caught a nasty, nasty virus and needed in-patient, intensive care.  Poor Pretty Green Machine.  However, it was emptied, cleaned out, spit-n-shined, rebooted, and better protected than ever! She's even more spiffy, quick and witty now!  But, while she was gone, I missed having all access to the world right there at my kitchen desk.  Sure, I used the home office computer, but it is/was big and slow and seemed like a dinosaur compared to my little zippy gal.  So she is back, and I am happily tickling her keys and I say "cheers" for my Pretty, Green Machine laptop!

Tuesday November 2nd
I offered to teach yoga to my youngest daughter's Daisy girl scout troop.  Wow, twenty-seven, five-year-olds all in their adorable pink t-shirts sitting upon their sit-upons.  They were all so cute and all so well-behaved!  I taught two sessions and we did things like volcano breathing, down dog and wagged our tails, hopped like a frog and finished with half lotus, some breathing and a quick lesson on the word and meaning of namaste.  How could I NOT be thankful for the fact that I get the opportunity to teach such life long valuable breathing techniques and respect to twenty-seven beaming, bright-eyed little Daisy Scouts.