Ice Day

We woke up to sleet and freezing rain this morning.  This ice storm had been hyped up all week and you just never know if what they forecast is really going to happen.  

So when the kids woke up this morning, they were so happy to see snow!  They couldn't wait to build a snowman.  I had to bring down their hopes a bit by letting them know it was sleet and ice-not snow. 

But you know what?  Jax didn't mind at all that is was ice.  In fact, he enjoyed sliding around and hunting for big icicles.

The kids begged that Justin and I go out, so we promised we would after lunch.  But brrr....it was so cold!  Ice was everywhere. 

My poor plants:

The swingset:

And the trees-boy were the tree branches heavy with ice!

And poor Julie.  She wanted to play outside.  She wanted to like the ice and enjoy it like Jaxson did.  But it was just too cold and too wet.  And when her boots somehow got ice in them and her mittens were a little wet-she gave up and went inside where it was warm.  I don't blame her cause I followed along right after her!

1000 Gifts in 30 Days (November 14)

I'm just taking this brief interruption to say that posting this gratitude list has been challenging.  I ended up sick with a cold.  Julie did as well.  Then we both got really sick and are now on antibiotics.  I'm dealing with asthmatic bronchitis which my new inhaler is working wonders on as well.  And then last night, Jax woke me up because he had a stomach bug.  And for three hours poor Jax and I were back and forth to the bathroom.  (I was basically there for moral support, I guess!)  All this to say-I'm a little behind on blogging this list.  But I'll keep counting and chugging right along.

354.  Clean bed sheets

355.  Jaxson reading to Julie while she was napping.

356.  Julie actually taking a nap on the couch.

357.  Cartful of groceries

358.  Having the day off to run errands and then hang out on the couch

359.  Packing cough drops in my purse

360.  A warm house cause it's freezing out there

361.  Being able to go to bed early

362.  Buying some warmer clothes for Julie

363.  Getting some hand-me-down clothes on our porch from family

364.  Baby announcements (Not me!)

365.  Weddings (My sister)

366.  Julie singing Frozen songs when she supposed to be sleeping

367.  Scholastic book orders

368.  Quiet Friday nights with the family

369.  Rotisserie Chicken

370.  Chex cereal

371.  Tylonel

372.  Watching Frozen with Julie

373.  Julie finding her Tiny Kittie stuffed animal again

374.  PJ hand-me-downs for Julie

375.  No spelling words for Jax to study tonight

376.  Jax didn't have his reading comprehension test today

377.  Letter in the mail for health insurance

378.  Justin getting a health magazine from bodybuilding.com.  Exact conversation:  Me:  Why are you going on bodybuilding.com?  Justin:  Do I LOOK like I've been on bodybuilding.com? 

We are still not sure how this website found him to send him a free magazine issue.

379.  Finding Cheetos in the pantry that were buried behind other snacks

380.  A very full pantry

381.  Asthma inhaler

382.  Blankie from my mom that Julie tries to steal

383.  My white poofy coat

384.  Jax writing his own story

385.  Julie hanging up her artwork in her room

386.  Finish reading the whole New Testament.  That only took 11 months....

387.  Julie crawling into our bed with her blanky and stuffed panda.  Like it wasn't crowded already!

388.  Jax got new boots

389.  Pillowcases

390.  Mattress pad

391.  Underbed storage

392.  Google

393.  Grocery shopping


1000 Gifts in 30 Days (November 12)

339.  Putting backpacks on kids

340.  Preschool car line

341.  Getting some groceries-our pantry was bare!

342.  Being able to go back to work after being sick

343. Finding time to work on next week's school plans

344.  White noise when I sleep

345.  Cold air that reminds me of Washington State

346.  Kids coming in all bundled from the cold

347.  My favorite skinny jean pants and cardigan

348.  Reading Revelation

349.  Watching the kids play golf and tools at school.  They had fun.

350.  Good deals at the grocery store.  Especially butter.

351.  Picked up a cute scarecrow for 1.50 on clearance.  Not too bad.

352.  Decorating for Thanksgiving

353.  Gave Julie my blanky to keep warm tonight.  She was so happy.

1000 Gifts in 30 Days (November 10)

271.Leaves blowing in the wind

272.  Cough drops

273.  Jokes from 1st graders

274.  Hot liquid on my sore throat

275.  Hebrews 11 Hall of Fame

276.  Hebrews 12:15 praise verse

277.  The internet

278.  2 Timothy 2:16

279.  Tomato soup and grilled cheese

280.  Mild temperatures today

281.  Bees always on my marigolds

282.  Sweeping the carport

283.  Julie watching Strawberry Shortcake cartoons like I did when I was a little girl

284.  Being able to rest today.  Julie had her blanket and pillow on the couch.

285.  Raking leaves

286.  News apps

287.  Humor section on Pinterest

288.  Moonlight

1000 Gifts in 30 Days (November 11)

289.  Chicken noodle soup

290.  Taco Bell for dinner.  Easy and quick.

291.  Facetime

292.  Sky turning dark

293.  Napping when sick

294.  Watching Aladdin with Julie

295.  Playing kitties with Julie

296.  Julie's marker mustache

297.  Mountain of blankets

298.  Jaxson dribbling the ball

299.  Coats

300.  Military service

301.  My memories of my great grandma

302.  Whidbey Island

303.  Basketball shoes

304.  Scarf

305.  The energy of kids

306.  Gas for the car

307.  Watching Jax shoot a basket

308.  Jaxson's coach taking the time to volunteer

309.  Carpet cleaner

310.  Jaxson photobombing Facetime

311.  Playing games at Cub Scouts last night

312.  School for Jax to practice in

313.  Being able to stay home when I'm sick

314.  Getting gas for the car

315.  Giving Julie a bath

316.  Julie wanting to sing the Cubbie's Songs before bed

317.  Princess and Pirate toothpaste

318.  My voice

319.  Justin taking car of dinner

320.  Cleaning out the repo car

321.  Sprinkling rain drops

322.  Acorns on my driveway

323.  Raking up big piles of leaves and Jaxson jumping in them

324.  Carpet

325.  Tissues

326.  People investing in the life of my kids

327.  Jaxson sneaking a chocolate chip cookie out of the freezer

328.  Recliner chair that rocks

329.  Goosebumps

330.  Shoes with laces

331.  Jaxson excited about chapter books

332.  Getting the winter clothes out

333.  Jumping

334.  Justin's dirty work clothes

335.  Smell of clean laundry

336.  Folding laundry

337.  Boiling water

338.  Grocery list

1000 Gifts in 30 Days (November 9)

240.  Shoes scattered

241.  Sunlight on the floor

242.  Sonic half priced drinks

243.  The sunset against the fall-turned trees

244.  Glasses when my eyes are tired of contacts

245.  Bananas

246.  Corn

247.  Carrots

248.  Alarm Clocks

249.  Drinking straws

250.  Holding hands

251.  Chatter of the three year olds in Sunday School

252.  Goldfish crackers and juice for snacks

253.  A baby's smile

254.  Playing ping pong and foosball with Jax and Julie.  I am getting better!

255.  Planning our church's Thanksgiving outreach and Christmas play

256.  Dinner at a friend's house

257.  Brainstorming of ways to reach people for Jesus

258.  Friendly kitty who sat in my lap

259.  Julie all bundled up in bed sleeping

260.  Julie talking during the children's sermon and said that her favorite thing is swinging and that she can do it "all by herself."

261.  Seeing Jaxson's text books online along with grades

262.  Review week in Jaxson's spelling test

263.  Winter gloves

264.  Left over pizza for lunch

265.  Back pain relief

266.  To do lists

267.  Fresh out of the dryer towels

268.  Electric toothbrushes

269.  Everyone going to bed and I stayed up to enjoy the quiet

270.  Counting the gifts of the day

1000 Gifts in 30 Days (November 8)

210.  The kids Christmas lists-Julie ballerina doll...Jax-lego and wrestling figures

211.  The hum of a dryer

212.  Cuddling on the couch with Julie

213.  Julie singing the Fruit of the Spirit song complete with motions

214.  Lego building

215.  Carry out pizza

216.  Different translations of the Bible

217.  A verse speaking out to you

218.  Text from my dad

219.  Did a little Christmas shopping today by myself

220.  Longer sweater cardigans with hoods

221.  Bug spray to keep out the pests in my house

222.  Cuddling with Jax on the couch

223.  Store brand seasoned tortilla chips

224.  New fair trade coffee by Sam's Club. 

225.  Almost done with Halloween candy

226.  Made my own frosting for the pizza cinnastix

227.  We ordered a personal pan pizza for Jax and they had ran out so they gave us a medium size instead for the same price. 

228.  Hair ties made from fold over elastic

229.  Guidepost magazine

230.  Teaching Jaxson that he needs to protect and watch out for his sister.

231.  Kids watching a movie in Jax's room

232.  Our house

233.  90% of Halloween clearance

224.  Toothpaste

235.  Rolls of toilet paper

236.  Sweater dresses

237.  House plants

238.  Ballet flats

239.  Jeans

1000 Gifts in 30 Days (November 7)

160.  Unrushed morning

161.  Julianne doing a puzzle all by herself

162.  Shopping carts

163.  Short lines at Walmart

164.  Waiting for the truck to sell

165.  Finding a lost library book

166.  Building block towers with Julie at the library

167.  Potato chips

168.  Play doh with Julie

169.  Brinner-breakfast for dinner

170.  Firday evening with the family-no outside obligations

171.  The Middle TV show

172.  Reading about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendego to Jax and Julie

173.  Teaching Julie about shapes

174.  Soap

175.  Mail

176.  Purple heart flowers

177.  Swing set for the kids to play on

178.  Walmart app savings catcher

179.  Julie cuddles cause she doesn't feel good

180.  Jaxson telling me a secret

181.  Weekends-rest from the hustle and bustle of the week

182.  Cleaned closet

183.  Storage space in the attic

184.  Long couch to stretch out on

185.  Blogs to read

186.  Air drying clothes

187.  Fruit flavored marshmallows

188.  Sandals in November

189.  Weather forecast

190.  Twitter

191.  Gray painted walls

192.  Necklaces

193.  Julie making faces

194.  Julie and I singing to Let it Go on the TV

195.  Jax's teacher getting her spelling words up on Friday so we can study this weekend

196.  Jax's new teeth coming in

197.  Black out curtains

198.  Leggings

199.  Juice pouches

200.  Hard boiled eggs

201.  Nail clippers

202.  Taking out the trash

203.  Lots of blankets on the bed since it will be a cold night

204.  Beautiful sunny cool fall day

205.  Sunglasses

206.  All ready ground coffee to use

207.  Coffee grinder

208.  Living close to family again

209.  Frozen food section

1000 Gifts in 30 Days (November 6)

151.  My hairdryer worked after not starting

152.  Another fun snack today

153.  Thursday which is really my Friday

154.  Lunch with friends

155.  Basketball practice

156.  Having extra clothes for Julie in the trunk

157.  Frozen pizza for dinner

158.  Halloween clearance at Walmart

159.  Bottle water

I didn't get to 30 gifts today.  To be honest, it was a harder day and I was tired from the week.  I ended up in bed around 9pm.  I actually was so tired that I did consider going to be at 8pm, but thought that might be a little lame.  This just puts me counting more for tomorrow.


1000 Gifts in 30 Days (November 5)

121.  Cookies and cream Hersey bar.  Didn't know they were still made?

122.  Snack time at school

123.  Painting with Julie

124.  The sound of rain outside our door

125.  Umbrellas

126.  Kids jumping in mud puddles

127.  Leftovers for dinner

128.  Being locked out of my house and being able to get back in!

129.  Jax made it through the first round of the Spelling Bee!  (The Bee-Semi's as Gus would say!)

130.  Quiet night at home with the kids at Awanas and Justin at work.

131.  Blogging

132.  Watching Psych again and again....

133.  Hand to head

134.  Laughing

135.  Clean toilets

136.  Sitting down to read a devotional

137.  Gift of time and getting stuff done

138.  Glow from a lamp

139.  Fragrance and flicker of a candle

140.  The lingering smell of a candle even after it is burned out

141.  Allergy medicine

142.  Ice cubes

143.  Snoring

144.  House plants

145.  Bubble beards on Julie in the bath

146.  Friendship mended

147.  Drop off bin for our clutter

148.  Sharpened pencils

149.  Excel worksheets

150.  Finding lost things