...I like to skip around...

I like looking over my list of 1000 gifts...makes me smile. :) Here are a few things that leave me feeling grateful:

25. The many colors and shapes of orchids



46. Our miniature schnauzer, Emma, and her playful spirit...the way she comes running over with one of her toys as soon as I turn on my hair dryer--ready for fetch!



49. Cheese (I'll probably list these individually at some point...I {heart} cheese...I do not discriminate. ;)

71. My kids blowing bubbles



76. Watching my kids play with my mom's little tea set--and remembering playing the same way with my own brother



77. Fresh basil



79. Oilcloth--colorful, cheerful and functional



81. Soft green grass under my feet



82. A giant, bright moon--the "super moon" (3.19.11)



97. Sharing the day visiting and playing with friends






84. My daughter stopping to pick a dandelion as she gets off the bus, headed to meet me on the sidewalk near home...love that the kids are so intrigued and pleased by these little weeds :)

...many gifts...

41. a short little heartfelt text message from a friend


42. the warmth of my bed

45. my sweet husband watching a show I like with me

53. planting new flowers in my pots


56. beautiful la jolla, ca--where my children were born

59. driving from the 5 down del mar heights toward the ocean--I'll never forget that sight

60. my cozy Ugg slippers


61. reusing my lulu bags ;)


62. sunbeams streaming through clouds


64. a big field filled with horses of all colors, grazing

65. the comfy guest bed at my parents' house


66. bright pink azaleas


67. my precious nephew, Ben, who makes me smile and laugh with his incredible cuteness

69. red tractors


72. bright red geraniums


73. getting my hair cut

74. a little vase holding flowers my children picked for me



...more to come...

...more gifts...

31. designing the track and playing trains with my little guy



35. relaxing, talking, listening to good country music with a circle of friends around a firepit



37. an hour and a half of tennis; fresh air and making contact with the ball; laughing



38. prayerful friendships
(one of my dear friends and me, after completing the breast cancer 3day in 2008)

...moving day...

...for our good friends and neighbors...glad the kids got to play a bit before they left. will miss them so much...can't imagine anyone else living in the house behind us. :(

...little buddies...

William and Corinne...Thursday morning while Kristin took the big kids to school... :)

…cabo…

i got to enjoy a wonderful vacation with my husband and some good friends over the weekend…aaahhh…some pics from the trip…

at the airport

on the plane…my drink of choice to kick off vacay :)

i see the beach!  a bar as soon as you exit el aeropuerto…

the hotel…they handed us margaritas as we checked in :)

i loved seeing all of the watermelon carvings!

don’t worry, mom—it’s not real. ;) …but i do like it!

loved that we could get little ice cream cones whenever we wanted!

at the copa, copacabana…yummy. :)

enjoyed some dancing at the disco!

the towel critters were too cute…

amazingly beautiful sky… God’s handiwork!!

i’m a fan of the carribean orange…and these glasses were for some cool flaming coffee drinks. :)

…one of our staple meals throughout our stay…SO good.

…the water was beautiful…

on the water taxi to the office. :) …did you know there are no bad days in cabo?

mmm…more pico, guac, & chips…

brandon’s new song that miguel taught him…did pretty good!

…had such fun riding these!  saw seals beached on a big rock way out there…

sun’s up on the last day!

the view from the front of the hotel…

all good things must come to an end…

my last meal in cabo. ;) …and my drink of choice to cap off the trip…