The countdown is on! Single digits until Thanksgiving. And only four days until we leave for Michigan. There is a lot of excitement going on around here. And a lot of running around, on my behalf, to try and get everything done before we leave. So today I am thankful for my personal Mac technician and tech guru, J. May I never make a joke about him being a geek again.

He fixed the problem on my Mac last night. This is very important because now I can actually work today, and if I have to, while I am in Michigan. I know it is his least favorite “chore” when he is home, but I so appreciate his help. I could do an entire month of “thankfuls” listing all the reasons I am thankful for J., and probably still have many leftover for the next month, too. He is that good. But today I hope he knows how very thankful I am for his technical skills.

Yikes, I’m going to slide this one in today, right before I start on posts for tomorrow.

Today I am thankful for our weather here in LA.
When we moved out to California everyone would always ask – What did I miss? Did I miss the snow? And although I do enjoy snow on that first snowfall, and especially the two weeks around Christmas, I’ve found that I wouldn’t actually say I “miss” it.

But, it isn’t always sunny in LA. Okay, maybe 90% of the time, it is. But, take today – it was almost midwest “fall-like” weather. I’d always loved fall growing up in the midwest. The crisp days, breaking out the sweaters, that “chilly” smell that seems to be in the air, and of course the changing of the colors in all the foilage.

And we had all of that today. It was “sweater weather,” temperature in the 60s, even a little drizzle. Of course, we also spent part of the morning on the beach and are now curled up in front of a fire. We kind of have the best of both worlds here. I am thankful.

Today I am thankful for Saturday mornings. I have written about it before, but I love our Saturday morning “tradition.” We always go get bagels and coffee (Addie always says, “Nooo, big kids don’t drink coffee, Mama! Milk. Banilla (vanilla) milk!”) and just hang out as a family. It is my absolute favorite time of the week. Plus it is the start of the weekend. An added bonus.

I think I actually started loving Saturday mornings when I was a kid. My dad and I would watch Saturday cartoons and he would let me have “coffee” with him. Mine was a little “shot” of coffee and the rest was milk. (I turned out fine, don’t worry. No stunted growth here. For the record, we also never had car seats, would run and play outside for hours at a time, cram 4 kids to a seat on the school bus. Remember all the crazy stuff that we did when we were kids?)  I’m pretty sure that first coffee drink is the reason I like so much milk in my coffee to this day.

So today I am thankful for Saturday mornings. And this morning is also a “Football Saturday Morning.” I’m also thankful our team recovered from our miserable first two losses and having a great Big 10 season. Go Blue! 

What are you thankful for today?

Today I am thankful for “cuddles” with Emma. The few nights J. was away this week, Em ended up sleeping with me in “the big bed.” I complain rather loudly about sleeping with her, but really it is all for show. I love it when she sleeps with me. It means I don’t get to stretch out and take over the bed. It means I don’t get to read before I turn in. But, besides J., there is nobody else in the world I would rather snuggle with than Emma.

Her sweet, hot breath on my cheek. Her little, contented, sleepy sighs. Even the feel of her pointy little feet in my ribs. They are all happy reminders that she is there. And I know she is just as happy to be next to me, as I am next to her.

Last night J. was coming home, so I had to put her to bed in her own bed and I was just a wee bit sad. But we “cuddled” a bit in her bed and as I was hugging her, I told her “I love you.” Then she ran her hand through my hair, clung to me tightly and whispered, “I love you so much, Mama.” I am so thankful for those miraculously sweet cuddles and whispered proclamations. It is those things, those cherished, breathtaking moments, that nobody can ever fully prepare you for.

My friend Kim is doing a countdown, of sorts, all the way until Thanksgiving. Each day you post one thing you are thankful for. Frivolous, silly, serious – just one thing that you are “feeling the love” for. She is actually doing 15 days, but since I’m a day late (and yes, a dollar short…) I will jump in today. I think it is a very fun idea, and since she so graciously plays along with Crafty Tuesdays (yes, I realized I totally spaced this week, I’ll post a lengthy list of excuses later tonight!), I thought I’d play along, too. Plus I have so much in my life to be thankful for – narrowing it down to only 14 will be the hard part.

So today, Thursday, I would just like to say how thankful I am for Must-See TV on Thursday nights. Pretty much every show that I love, airs on Thursday night. (Except for Amazing Race – but we have to have another good TV night, too!). I am praying the writer’s strike will not affect Grey’s Anatomy, The Office, 30 Rock. And Survivor, too. Man, I am also thankful for Kim’s “thankful” today, or I’d be missing many of these shows! Today is a dreary, chilly day. So tonight I am going to make a fire, grab a cup of hot cocoa and just settle in. Favorite night.

Now I really have to go finish working so I don’t need to tonight.

What are you thankful for today?