It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year. . . .

           When "Elfie" as my children call him, makes his holiday debut all the way from the north pole to keep an eye on the Raudelunas children and report back to Santa on their daily behavior.  The kids love looking for him each day as he always finds a new spot to hide!

     When we deck the halls, shop the malls and craft it up until christmas is coming out the walls!

       When the Nutcracker comes to town and I take my daughter to see this sweet ballet just as I did as a little girl.  I just love holiday traditions and all the festivities that engulf each day this time of year!

Gobble Gobble!

                                                                HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

 THANKFUL FOR SO MANY BLESSINGS ON THIS DAY AND DAYS TO COME.  I HAVE SUCH A GRATEFUL HEART FOR MY FOUR LITTLE TURKEYS.  NEVER WOULD HAVE IMAGINED HOW BLESSED I WOULD BECOME!  

SO GRATEFUL FO MY PATIENT AND KIND HUSBAND.  HE IS SUCH A GOOD DAD WITH A BIG HEART!  HE IS SO GOOD FOR ME AND KEEPS ME GROUNDED WHEN I GET OVERWHELMED.  HE IS CERTAINLY THE GLUE THAT KEEPS OUR FAMILY TOGETHER!


I AM SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE THANKFUL HEART PROJECT.  IF ANYTHING, IT HAS MADE ME REALLY SEE HOW LUCKY AND BLESSED I AM.  THAT I SHOULD NOT WORRY ABOUT WHAT I DON'T HAVE, STOP STRESSING OVER THE SMALL STUFF AND GIVE THANKS DAILY FOR WHAT I DO HAVE.  I AM HOPING TO TAKE THIS MESSAGE WITH ME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WHEN LIFE SEEMS TO GET BUSY AND STRESSFUL.  GOD IS GOOD!

Grandparents

            Nana's and Papa's hold are tiny hands for just a little while. . . .but our hearts forever.

       

                                                       Author Unknown

        Growing up I spent lots of time with both my nana's and papa's.  I have such found memories cooking, sewing and sharing meals with them.  This time of year brings fourth a flood of memories and longings for the holiday traditions we shared.   In fact, it has only been a few years since my nana's past away.  My papas died much earlier.  

        As a mom, I love to see my children interact with their grandparents.  There is just something so special and heart warming.  My kids adore their grandparents and are fortunate to live so close to them and get to spend so much time with them.  

Nana Sharon and Papa Fred.  I feel so BLESSED to have such wonderful, loving and caring parents. Tomorrow is my Dad's birthday.  Happy Birthday Dad.  I love you!

       

            I feel so BLESSED to have such wonderful parents and in-laws.  They just adore my children and I am so THANKFUL for their presence and influence in my children's lives.

 

                                     Grandmothers - a wonderful mother with lots of practice!

Nana Rose and Papa Joe

     I know it may sound crazy, but I am actually looking forward to being a nana someday. . . not too soon I hope. I do often wonder how my children will be when they are grown and the relationship I will have with their children.  After all, it is such a grand thing to be a mother of a mother- that is why the world calls her grandmother!

Simple Sunday

Today I am THANKFUL for the simplicity this Sunday brings.  Where footballs are caught in the yard, leaves are raked into jumping piles and the sun delights us with no jacket weather.

Sundays are a day of football in our  home.  My boys love to play and watch football with the enthusiasm that they themselves are the professionals.  I LOVE football and it gives me nothing but joy to watch them!

 This past week has been rough.  My aunt passed away.  She had a beautiful service surrounded by her family and friends.  Remembering the wonderful person she was.  The beauty she possessed inside and out, the people she has touched through teaching, the church, and her service to the community.  She was truly a giving person who used her talents to help others.  Always positive and upbeat, even in her worst moments, always asking about you and what's going on in your life.
Her daughter Erin is just like her.  Optimistic and strong she gave a speech that brought the room to tears.  Still too young to have lost both her parents.

I am THANKFUL to have this Sunday to reflect, relax and relish in my family.  The hustle and bustle of last week is over, but will soon start again tomorrow.  I am Grateful to slow down today and head over to my parents for a nice comfy family dinner.  Being at my parents is like being wrapped in a warm comfy blanket.  You just want to stay forever. . . . what a great way to end the day!  I am BLESSED!

Family Dinner

A great grey elephant, a little yellow bee, a tiny purple violet, a tall green tree, a red and white sailboat, on a blue sea: all these things You gave to me, when You made my eyes to see.  Blessings on the meal!

           My children learned this prayer in preschool.  I just love its simplicity and childlike feel.  We used it as a blessing in our home before meal time for many years.  Although my children now have learned more "grown up blessing" this is still one of their favorites and mine too.  It was one of their first experiences giving thanks and  understanding what that entails.  It opened up our dinner time discussion and now daily ritual of going around the table and picking one thing from that day we are each grateful for, doesn't matter how big or how small.  Just one positive thing to find in our day.  I love when Ryland, my youngest, will say "O.K. guys let's talk about the goodness in our day."  Melts my heart!

    Some of my favorite memories as a kid and even now have happened sitting around the dinner table.   Talking, laughing and listening to one another!  I feel so BLESSED to have this quality time with my family!

Date Night

This month of giving THANKS to all the BLESSINGS in my life has been very eye opening and making me realize how truly blessed I am.  It kind of makes me feel silly about some of the things I stress or complain about.   Looking at blessings each day has been good for me and I am so glad I am practicing the Thankful Project for this month!

Today I am THANKFUL for DATE NIGHT!  My husband and I try each week to set one night aside to go out alone or with friends.  This is something I look forward to tremendously.  We are lucky to have Nana's who are more than willing to watch the kids.  Although we eat together most nights, it's very busy and loud.  There is not much time for focusing on just the two of us.  It's so nice to go out anywhere and just focus on each other.  I think it's so important for couples to do it if they can.  It really helps us to catch up and regroup.  Plus who doesn't love to sit down for a meal and actually sit and be waited on. Ha!  

FAITH

Today I have a heavy heart.  My Aunt Diane has been battling breast cancer for the last ten years.  She has beat it two times.  Sadly, about a year ago, it came back!  She has had numerous treatments the past year which basically has kept her alive.  This week has brought some sad news.  There is nothing more they can do for her.  It is most likely her time.  

As I type this I feel a great sadness for my Aunt and My cousins Erin and Patrick.  They are young, in their twenties, not married.  Their Dad died unexpectedly a few years ago.  They are too young to loose their parents.  

My Aunt is a woman of strong faith and courage.  She never wavered from her faith throughout her sickness.  She knows God has a plan for her.  I feel BLESSED that she is such a great model of faith, living gods work each day.  I am THANKFUL she is my aunt who I look up to and admire.  Who I one day hope to encompass her strong faith.  

She feels this is the end for her.  She is not angry but is sad.  She does not want to leave her children  She is not ready, but has put all her trust in God.  

I am reminded how fragile life is and how important it really is to be THANKFUL for blessings each and every day!

Teachers

                 I can't tell you what a BLESSING it is to know your children are in the best of hands when they are not in you hands.  Well, that is how I feel about the teachers and school system my children go to.  I am so grateful to them each and every day for the knowledge, wisdom, compassion and joy they install in my kids every day.  School is such a big part of their lives and one hopes it will be a positive and pleasurable experience.  I am thrilled when my kids tell me they love school, adore their teacher, get excited for projects and love homework!  Alright the homework thing was a stretch.  Nobody really loves homework, but you get the point.  I am THANKFUL for all their efforts and and could not ask for better teachers or school system.  We are truly BLESSED!

The Sunshine

      Today I am grateful for the Sunshine.  These past two days have been beautiful!  Winter will be knocking on our doors all too soon.  I mean, I am just not ready.  Not even thawed out from last winter.  I must confess I am more of a summer girl . . . . I digress.  Anyhow, I am soaking up every last bit of warm sunshine that comes our way.  The warmth today lifted my spirits and left me content.  Thank you Sunshine!

Mondays

               Today I am grateful for Mondays.  Seeing that it is Monday, I thought I would send some love its way!

   Thank you Monday for allowing me to regroup after the weekend.
   Thanks for letting the kids get back to school and allowing me to clean the house in peace.
   Thanks for letting Ryland have preschool which allows me to head to the gym.
   Thanks for not having any activities after school we need to rush to.  All the others are booked!
   Thank you for allowing me the time to go to Starbucks or Dunkins alone.
   Thank you for todays sweetness:

         
       My new favorite drink, GINGERBREAD.  I have a small obsession with flavors of the season.  Last month I was all about pumpkin and now I have moved on to Gingerbread (and didn't even have to share)!  Thank you Mondays!

My Neighborhood

                      Today I must pay gratitude to my neighbors.  I feel so blessed to live where we do.  It's a small cul-de-sac with only twelve houses of neighbors who are more like family to us.  Lets face it, no matter where you live or move to, you can't really pick who your neighbors are.  You hope to find ones that you can get along with and respect.  I know through various family members how difficult it can be when neighbors do not see eye to eye.  There is something comforting about having a group of neighbors who love and watch out for your children as your own.  Where my kids can run through each others yards and play for hours.  Where two of my best girlfriends live.  Where we get together over coffee and laugh, comfort and cry together.
                       Today we finally celebrated our Halloween.  As usual, we did it together, with our neighbors!

Who wouldn't want neighbors that make the best Haunted House every year.  I mean amazing and super scary!

The Everyday

                 Today, I am grateful for the everyday.  The ordinary, sometimes, mundane days we often take for granted. This past week has taught me many lessons, including being thankful for things we often take for granted.  Nobody likes to really do housework, at least I don't!  But what happens when you can't do wash for five days, can't cook a meal for your family all week, don't have running water to wash the dishes, no power to vacuum.  This was the reality of people in my town this past week.
                Our little Halloween snow storm masked our homes with fluffy white piles of snow looking picturesque to say the least.  What it failed to let on was how the leaves still on the trees would become so heavy that the fluffy goodness would way them down causing turmoil to power lines everywhere.  My friends were out of power for five days.  No heat, many with wells meaning you can't even use the bathroom!  It's amazing how much we rely on electricity, the television and the internet.  We were lucky, only loosing power for a day.  School, however, was out for three days!
                  The beauty of this trying week shined through with neighbors helping each other.  Inviting those without power over for a warm meal and shower, helping cut down all the fallen trees, lifting their spirits with laughter.
                 The last of the power came back on for my town yesterday and I know some people extremely happy and very grateful to be back to the mundane.

As I Watch You Grow

  Do you know how much you mean to me?

As you grow into what you will be.

You came from within, from just beneath my heart

it's there you'll always be though your own life will now start.

                                      You're growing so fast it sends me awhirl.
                                       With misty eyes I ask, Where's my little girl?
                                   I know sometimes to you I seem harsh and unfair,
                            But one day you will see, I taught you well because I care.
                                               

                                    The next few years will so quickly fly,
                          With laughter and joy, mixed with a few tears to cry.
                     As you begin your growth to womanhood, this fact you must know,
                      You'll always be my source of pride, no matter where you go.

                           You must stand up tall and proud, within you feel no fear.
                            For all your dreams and goals, sit before you very near.
                             With God's love in your heart and the world by its tail,
                             You'll always be my winner, and victory will prevail.
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                          Kay Theese


       

      Hannah, I am BLESSED beyond words to have you as my daughter.  I am honored that God choose me to be your MOM.  Happy 9th Birthday my little Hannabelle!  Love you! xoxoxoxoxo

The Family

                   Hard to believe we are embarking on November.  The wonderful month we like to give thanks to all the blessings in our lives.  A blog I enjoy reading and looking at her beautiful pictures, 5perfectimperfections.blogspot.com, suggested a wonderful idea for the month of November.  Heidi suggested posting something we are grateful for each day in November (or almost every day in my case!)  As the holidays are approaching I think this will be a wonderful way to slow down and focus on what really matters.  The holidays seem to sometimes bring out the crazy and stress in people, or is that just me!,  Anyhow, I love this idea and will do my best to give thanks each day.
                 Today I will start with my family.  My little munchkins are my most precious things ever!  I feel so blessed to have them and treasure being their mom.  There was a time about ten years ago when doctors thought I may not be able to have children.  Well,  that was ten years ago and here we are four children later. . . go figure.  Love you guys!