Thankful Thursday, Saturday-style

What better time to write your Thankful Thursday than on Saturday???

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord and reminders to trust Him above anybody else
• my family, friends, and loved ones
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• hard times, because I know it's possible to come out a much better person on the other side...I just need to constantly remind myself of that :)
• my job, my wonderful students, and my awesome coworkers...I don't know what I'd do without them!
  
• Michelle and Ginger...not sure how I'd make things work this year without their help throughout the day!
• payday yesterday
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, a comfortable bed, a dependable car, the doodads and gadgets that make my life more convenient
• my washer and dryer :)
• the intense humidity that has resurfaced lately...it was blessedly, surprisingly absent for much of the summer and now that it's back, I know I'll appreciate the arrival of fall so much more
• the promise of fall right around the corner
• College Gameday on my TV this morning
• the cute haircut I got this morning and awesome Eric who does my hair
• plans for a pedicure with Kira this afternoon
• my Tigers kicking off their new football season tonight...here's hoping for a much, MUCH better season than the one we had last year!
• a really good night's sleep...much-needed
• Airborne
• a very successful Parent Academy Thursday night...I'm really excited about this school year
• some fun science experiments this week
• a sweet friend who takes the time to check on me and give me advice, even though she's got far more on her plate than I do...love you, Julie!
• only having to wait in line for an hour to get my new car tag yesterday...I figured it would be much worse since I'd waited until the last work day of the month, the last work day before a long weekend, a Friday, and payday...such a blessing to get that out of the way fairly painlessly
• making it through Week 4 of Couch to 5K...excited that Angie has joined in on the fun!
• a long weekend

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

The past four weeks have been some of the hardest I can remember having, and it's been tough to look on the bright side and count my blessings. I keep getting slammed with bad news, and it shows no signs of stopping. Some good news one of these days would really do a lot to lift my spirits. Until then, forcing myself  to stop and see how blessed I am helps. 'Tis but a season, right? Jeremiah 29:11

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my family and friends
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, appliances and gadgets that make my life more convenient, a dependable car, enough money to take care of my needs
• my washer and dryer...I don't ever want to take them for granted
• vitamins
• my job, my GREAT new students, my sweet coworkers, and my paycheck
• the fun read-aloud I've started with my students...we're all loving it
• being able to cross lots of things of my never-ending "to do" list
• planning meetings with my whole grade level...I like knowing that all of us 5th grade teachers are on the same page, for the most part
• a fun, successful start to the new school year
• the pretty plants Mama got me for my classroom
• sleep, and my comfortable bed
• a fun date night with Angie yesterday...pizza, beer, brownies, and Antz...the highlight of yesterday for sure!
• my sweet Laura, who turns 28 whole years old today!
• getting in some quality time with Byrne and John last Sunday...such a sweet couple :)
• precious, lovely friends who are always there for me...whatever I need, anytime
• getting to visit with a handful of my friends this weekend, although I hated the reason we were together...please say a special prayer for my friend Julie and her family
• making it through Week 3 of Couch to 5K...I actually enjoying jogging now...who woulda thunk it?
• my phone and computer
• getting my lesson plans for next week finished before I left work today
• the Mumford & Sons concert in a few weeks, and the Lumineers concert not long after...so excited!
• getting my dental work finished this week...after a root canal, a crown, a routine cleaning, removing a filling, and putting in a new filling (all over the course of a month), I'm officially over going to the dentist and hope to not go back until my next cleaning in March!
•  a fantastic dentist and wonderful dental insurance
• football season right around the corner!
• a tidy home
• a tidy classroom
• the homemade chicken noodle soup I've been enjoying for lunch this week
• contentment

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord and all that He's teaching me these days
• my sweet, sweet family and friends
• my health and the health of my loved ones
• my brand new washer and dryer...I felt like a little kid waiting on Santa Claus when the delivery guys were setting them up...I'm so excited to be able to do laundry in my OWN home :)
• clean laundry
• no longer having to rely on the laundromat or the kindness of friends to do my laundry
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, a dependable car, my computer and phone, gadgets and appliances (like my new washer and dryer!!) that make my life more convenient
• my job, my wonderful coworkers, sweet new schoolbabies that I get to welcome to my classroom in less than 2 weeks, my paycheck
• one more weekday and one more weekend of glorious summer break
• Shark Week!
• getting to eat supper with Kate last Sunday...I don't know why we've never met halfway before!...a visit with her is always good for my soul
• a great visit yesterday with my sweet Kira and Oliver and their wee ones
• climbing Yogurt Mountain with Byrne this afternoon...she has some exciting things going on in her life right now and I am so, so thrilled for her!
• fun plans with Mimi tomorrow
• getting to spend time with Mama and Daddy Saturday, and Olivia and Amber on Sunday
• a very productive leadership team meeting earlier this week...I have a feeling this is going to be a great school year!
• wonderful helpers in my classroom last week...they got SO much work done, and that really took a weight off my shoulders
• finishing 3 Couch to 5K training sessions...I needed a goal for my immediate future, so I'm going to run a 5K...I am NOT a runner, but at least I've hung in there for 3 sessions!
• my first batch of homemade ice cream...so good and SO easy...I'm hooked
• prayers
• being literate, my weekly tutoring sessions, and a reminder this week that my efforts are making a difference
• the library and a new book that I'm excited to start reading
• reminders to trust God more and to lean on my own plans less
• clean teeth (and no cavities!) after my cleaning at the dentist today
• great dental insurance
• things to look forward to
• my simple little life
• contentment
• my new washer and dryer :)

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• prayers
• my wonderful family, friends, and loved ones...I am blessed way, way, WAY beyond measure
• the way the above-mentioned folks worked really hard to make sure I enjoyed my birthday, especially my family birthday supper
• the sweet phone calls (even one from the other side of the world!), texts, emails, snail mail, and facebook messages on my birthday
• thoughtful, lovely birthday presents...can't wait to try out my new ice cream maker!
• getting 27 amazing years on Earth and the start of my 28th on Tuesday...looking forward to what 28 has in store for me
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, my comfortable bed, my dependable car, electricity, my computer and my phone, all the gadgets and doodads and appliances that make my life more convenient
• my job, my precious coworkers, my sweet schoolbabies (past and future) and a couple more weeks of summer break
• a very successful, VERY enjoyable FriendshipFest last weekend...I had so much fun at the lake and in Florence with my friends...that long weekend away with my girls was exactly what I needed
• sunscreen, even though I didn't reapply nearly often enough while floating on the lake (white girl problems)
• a nice retirement tea for Dr. Williams on Sunday
• getting to see my sweet Sash at the tea...I miss her
• a perfect birthday-eve celebration...pedicures, Chuy's, birthday cake, and The Bachelorette...Angie, Laura, Ashlee, and Holleigh were so sweet to invite me along and celebrate my birthday
• good news for a very deserving friend
• vitamins that keep me healthy
• exercise that helps to clear my head and plans for a new exercise endeavor 
• getting my temporary crown put on yesterday...one step closer to being DONE worrying about this tooth!
• good sleep, even though I'm having a hard time sleeping past 5:30 these days...I guess it's good practice for when I go back to work
• some wonderful former students who are willing to spend a few hours helping me in my classroom today and tomorrow...they are SO excited about 6th grade and while I miss them already, I'm excited for their middle school adventure to begin
• my simple life
• learning a little more every day to trust God's plan
• contentment

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• prayers
• my incredible family (blood relatives and otherwise) and friends
• a roof over my head (especially with all this rain), clean running water, food in my fridge, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, all the appliances and doodads and gadgets that make my life easier than it has to be, my very dependable car
• my job, my wonderful coworkers, summer break, and my paycheck
• getting to meet lots of new students and their parents at registration this week...I'm praying for my new schoolbabies already!
• FriendshipFest right around the corner
• all the green leaves and plants outside due to the nearly nonstop rain we've had this summer
• umbrellas 
• a successful root canal last week and (so far, blessedly) no complications from it
• no pain (as of yet...say a prayer) resulting from pulling out a filling while flossing on the very day I had my root canal...try not to be jealous of my awesome teeth
• a great dentist and endodontist
• good exercise
• being literate, my weekly tutoring sessions, and a very thoughtful "thank you" present this week
• contentment

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord and the countless blessings in my life
• my sweet, handsome, hilarious, level-headed, patient boyfriend who compliments my cooking and tells me I'm beautiful...he's absolutely the best boyfriend in the world!
• my lovely family and friends
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, a very dependable car, my dishwasher, all the appliances and gadgets and doodads that make my life easier and more convenient
• my job, my coworkers, and summer break
• getting to find out tomorrow who my new schoolbabies are...I'm praying already that I'll be a blessing to them this school year
• enough money to cover my needs and occasionally, my wants
• the fact that my very first root canal will be OVER in a few hours
• dental procedures that allow you to keep your teeth and keep them healthy
• a precious boyfriend who volunteered to sit with me during my root canal because he knows how nervous I am
• incredible dental insurance that is allowing me to get a root canal and a crown for less than $300...looks like I can pay for all this AND still get my washer and dryer...woohoo!
• my resolve to pay for my washer and dryer outright with no installments and without taking money from savings...it took longer than I'd planned but I'm happy that I stuck it out
• plans to squeeze the last bit of fun out of 27 before I turn 28 in two weeks
• a fun cooking class to go to next week
• a visit from Mom the other day
• a clean, tidy little home that's finally starting to look all pulled together
• happy memories
• patience
• cloudy days...apparently this is our new normal, so I might as well be thankful for it!
• being literate, my weekly tutoring sessions, and a book that's proven to be pretty entertaining
• FriendshipFest coming up soon...excited to be reunited with my friends and enjoy some time at the lake!
• plans to visit with Laura this afternoon...I've been missing her
• plans to see Kira and her babes tomorrow...such a sweet little family
• fun plans for this fall...Mumford & Sons (!) in September, the Lumineers in October, and Alton Brown in November...I love having things to look forward to
• contentment

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my wonderful B, and the fact that I have the BEST boyfriend in the world...he makes me laugh and makes me feel special every single day
• my sweet family and friends
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, enough money to take care of my needs, warm showers, my comfortable bed, air conditioning, the doodads and gadgets that make my life convenient
• my job, my coworkers, my students (past AND future), and the fact that I get a summer break (and a paycheck during my summer break!)
• glorious summer break
• good sleep
• early mornings
• safe travels for B and his coworkers while they're out of town
• the cloudy, stormy days we've had lately, though I sure wouldn't mind seeing blue skies again sometime soon
• finally finding the motivation to finish fixing up my little home...3 months after I moved :)
• a really, really, ridiculously fun Independence Day celebration with great friends
• a great lunch with Mama, DennyJ, and B last Sunday...good food, good conversation, and dominoes...good times
• getting to visit with Rachel at her new home last week...excited to have her closer!
• a celebration dinner with B on Tuesday night...we were celebrating the fact that he lost more weight than me during our Whole30, and he chose Cheesecake Factory...no better way to celebrate weight loss than with a big slab of cheesecake :)
• a fun dinner at Zoe's with Byrne yesterday...I just love her
• plans to see Kira and her babes tomorrow...very excited to have her closer, too!
• finding out that we got tickets to see Mumford and Sons in September...I've been floating around on a cloud of happiness since B called with the good news on Monday...so, so, so, SO excited!!!!!!!!
• seeing the school supplies out at Wal-Mart the other day...I absolutely love summer break and am not ready for it to be over, but this teacher can't help but get excited about back-to-school time every year
• being literate, my weekly tutoring sessions, and a good book to read
• getting to find out who our new principal will be tonight or tomorrow
• nice, long phone dates with Bub, Mama, Laura, and Kate
• contentment

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Whole30 = D.O.N.E.

I meant to keep my food journal the last few days and then got busy and got behind and now, well, I don't remember everything I ate. And I don't want to sit here for 20 minutes trying to piece together my meals over the last 3 days. There are at least a million other things I'd rather do :)

Yesterday was the last day...we made it!!! Woohoo! We both felt really great and lost some weight. I lost 10 pounds and B lost close to 17 (I think). He definitely won our weight loss challenge, but I'm proud of both of us!

My plan is to stick to "clean eating" as much as possible. Friends at work, hold me accountable once school starts back...I'm serious! Help me keep from slipping! I'm not going to forbid anything, and I'll eat what I want to, but I want the majority of my food choices to be healthy ones. I celebrated today by eating a brownie with Rachel and a few chocolate chips later this afternoon. That was hours ago, and I still feel pretty out of whack. Bleh. Not worth it! Celebration over...lesson learned :)

PS---The brownies were quite tasty, by the way. If you're not sensitive to sugar, you should absolutely give them a try. I used Ghiradelli Double Chocolate mix and butterscotch chips. That's it. So easy!

Whole30 : Day 25, 26, and 27

Day 25:

*breakfast - 3 hardboiled egg whites; one apple
*snack - handful of walnuts
*lunch - the other half of my barbacoa salad from Chipotle
*snack - Apple Pie Larabar
*supper - Chicken Casserole (I just used the fresh veggies I had on hand...green beans, mushrooms, an onion, carrots, and a red bell pepper. Very, very tasty. I'm a big fan of this recipe.)

Day 26:

*breakfast - 3 hardboiled egg whites; one banana
*lunch - leftover Chicken Casserole
*snack - carrots; handful of walnuts
*supper - leftover Chili Pulled Pork w/cilantro, diced tomato, and an avocado; one small cucumber

Day 27:

*breakfast - 3 hardboiled egg whites; one banana
*lunch - leftover Chicken Casserole; handful of walnuts
*snack - Cherry Pie Larabar
*supper - Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore

I changed up the Chicken Cacciatore recipe a bit because I think the original sounds "blah". I still used the chicken, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and a green bell pepper. I added mushrooms, zucchini, plenty of oregano, red pepper flakes, and a bay leaf. I cut the vegetables into thick chunks and made sure they were at the top of my Crockpot. I'm not a fan of veggies that are cooked to a mush.

It turned out okay. Definitely edible, but still pretty "blah". I'll tweak a few more things next time I make it.

Only three more days!!!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my wonderful B and the chance to spend some time with him this weekend
• my sweet family and friends
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, electricity, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, all the gadgets and appliances that make my life more convenient
• my job, my coworkers, and the fact that I get a summer break
• over a month left of my summer break :)
• a surprise visit from Mama on Tuesday...so fun!
• a busy but fun and productive week
• plans for FriendshipFest coming along quite nicely
• almost successfully finishing the Whole30
• good exercise that leaves me sore the next day
• mine and Lauren's plans to go to a cooking class in a couple of weeks...the menu sounds great and I'm excited!
• discovering an AMAZING new dentist, who referred me to an AWESOME endodontist...I am most definitely not excited about my upcoming root canal, but I feel like I'm in great hands
• sweet B and his offer to go with me to have my root canal done...he knows how nervous I am about it and he knows it'll make me feel better to have him there...I will certainly be taking him up on his offer :)
• fun plans for the Fourth of July
• sunscreen
• some unexpected money coming my way soon...what a fun surprise!
• air conditioning
• being literate, my weekly tutoring sessions, and finishing some good books: Orphan Train, And the Mountains Echoed, Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald
• tickets to see The Lumineers with dear friends in October and Alton Brown with DennyJ in November...I love having things to look forward to
• finding out that Mumford & Sons is coming in September...seeing them live has been on my bucket list for a few years and I want to go so badly I can hardly form words about it...I've been trying not to talk about it much so I won't jinx it :)
• laughter and contentment
• my simple little life

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall! Enjoy it!

Whole30 : Day 22, 23, and 24

Day 22:

*breakfast - 2 hardboiled egg whites (wasn't really hungry)
*lunch - Napa Chicken from Applebee's, minus the sauce and the potatoes (Thanks for lunch, Grandad! Thanks for getting everybody together, Cousin Jerry!)
*snack - Cashew Cookie Larabar (eh...not my favorite)
*supper - leftover hamburger patty with caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms; leftover roasted broccoli; one small cucumber; one peach

Day 23:

*breakfast - leftover Cinnamon Steak; one peach
*lunch - leftover hamburger patty with caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms; sliced tomato; one small cucumber
*snack - handful of walnuts
*supper - Chili Pulled Pork lettuce wraps with guacamole (I added a diced tomato...minus the seedy goop...to the guacamole.)

Day 24:

*breakfast - 3 hardboiled egg whites; frozen mango; handful of walnuts
*lunch - leftover Chili Pulled Pork w/cilantro and diced tomato; one small cucumber
*snack - Cherry Pie Larabar
*supper - half of a barbacoa salad from Chipotle

Time is flying! B and I are both feeling really good. I'm starting to plan ahead for life after our Whole30 ends. I really, really want to stick close to it and eat as "clean" as possible while still enjoying some splurges every now and then. That's my plan...now hold me to it!

Whole30 : Day 19, 20, and 21

Day 19:

*breakfast - 3 hardboiled egg whites (I don't really like plain hardboiled yolks); whole avocado w/onion powder
*lunch - leftover Cinnamon Steak; leftover roasted carrots; 1/4 of a red bell pepper
*snack - frozen mango
*supper - half of a salad with carnitas and guacamole from Chipotle (Thanks for supper, B!)
*dessert - Banana Ice Cream

I did a bunch of cooking today so that B wouldn't have to do much cooking for himself during his work weekend. I wanted to surprise him with a little happy :) I made him Avocado Chicken Salad (I added hardboiled eggs because he likes those in there), Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Bacon (I added 1/2 of an onion, thinly sliced), and Bacon-Wrapped Apple BBQ Chicken Breasts. He should be set for his shifts this weekend!

We made banana ice cream for dessert tonight and it was good. I added too much coconut milk, so it was kind of runny. Boo. It was also much richer than I thought it would be; I couldn't finish mine. Pretty tasty, though.

Day 20:

*breakfast - 3 hardboiled eggs whites; whole avocado w/onion powder
*lunch - the other half of my salad from yesterday
*snack - frozen mango; handful of walnuts
*supper - hamburger patty with caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms; roasted broccoli

Day 21:

*breakfast - 2 hardboiled eggs whites; 2 pieces of bacon; one banana
*lunch - leftover Cinnamon Steak; leftover roasted broccoli; one peach
*snack - carrots; walnuts
*supper - leftover hamburger patty w/caramelized onions & sauteed mushrooms; sliced tomato

I went to the farmer's market today and stocked up for the week. I can't believe we've only got 9 days left...June has flown by! B and I are both feeling really good. B says he's been sleeping better, which is especially nice since he's on night shift right now. I'm proud of him for sticking to the Whole30 even though he's working 12 hour night shifts and spends plenty of time around folks who are eating/drinking things he can't have. He's a stud!

Whole30 : Day 16, 17, and 18

Day 16:

*breakfast - leftover Chicken Casserole
*lunch - leftover Enchilada Chicken Stew with an avocado
*snack - Apple Pie Larabar
*supper - leftover chili with wilted spinach; frozen mango

Day 17:

*breakfast - leftover Chicken Casserole
*lunch - leftover Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Meatballs; leftover roasted green beans; Apple Pie Larabar
*supper - leftover Enchilada Chicken Stew with an avocado; frozen cherries (slightly thawed)

Day 18:

*breakfast - leftover Chicken Casserole
*lunch - leftover Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Meatballs; roasted carrots
*snack - Cherry Pie Larabar
*supper - Cinnamon Steak; leftover roasted carrots; frozen mango

These were some great days! Sleeping great, tons of energy...awesome. I've been having some cravings lately, which I find odd since I'm over 2 weeks in, but they've been easy to manage. I owe B a big ol' smooch for fixing enough food last weekend to last me through Wednesday. He's the best...so good to me. And don't worry, I plan on returning the favor by cooking up a storm for him!

Frozen mango has been a great dessert substitute. It's so soft that you don't even have to let it thaw. It literally melts in your mouth. Great fix when I start craving something sweet!

Whole30 : Days 13, 14, and 15

Day 13:

*breakfast - apple with almond butter (I haven't been doing great for breakfast. I just haven't felt much like eating when I wake up. My goal next week is to do better with this!)
*lunch - leftover Enchilada Chicken Stew with an avocado; a whole bunch of snow peas
*snack - Apple Pie Larabar
*supper - hamburger lettuce wraps with caramelized onion and mashed avocado

Day 14:

*breakfast - handful of walnuts; Coconut Cream Pie Larabar
*lunch - Chicken Casserole
*supper - Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Meatballs

Day 15:

*breakfast - 2 hardboiled eggs; handful of walnuts
*lunch - bunless hamburger with mustard, lettuce, tomato; Whole30-compliant andouille sausage; roasted green beans (Happy Father's Day!!!)
*snack - handful of baby carrots
*supper - leftover chili with wilted spinach

Day 14 was really tough. I spent that day with B, and we didn't do a great job of planning our meals. We waited until we were getting hungry to start thinking about what to eat, and then we still had to go buy the groceries, and THEN we had to cook everything. No bueno. I was ravenous by the time the food was ready. I have blood sugar issues and one of my signs that I'm getting to "the danger zone" is intense grumpiness. Bless B's heart...he was so patient with me and did the majority of the cooking so that I could get food in my stomach ASAP. I think he was just trying to do whatever he could to get his normal girlfriend back :) He is so, so sweet to me and I'm thankful for him every single day!

On his next weekend off, we'll do much better with the planning and will make sure we're armed with what we need for our meals BEFORE we get hungry.

I really liked the chicken casserole, and B thought it was pretty good. We both loved the meatballs. (He made those entirely by himself, by the way, so I wouldn't have to worry about it. I love him!)

Halfway there!

Whole30 : Days 10, 11, and 12

Day 10:

*breakfast - Apple Pie Larabar; handful of walnuts (I needed to eat more but ran out of time before leaving for the day.)
*lunch - half of a barbacoa salad from Chipotle (I met my 5th grade coworkers at The Depot for lunch and wanted to take something Whole30-compliant. So, I was that girl who brought her own lunch to a restaurant :)
*snack - leftover sweet potatoes
*supper - leftover Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

Day 11:

*breakfast - the other half of my barbacoa salad (I'll eat pretty much anything for breakfast. B thinks this is disgusting...haha.)
*lunch - the last of the leftover Spaghetti Squash Carbonara; leftover sugar snap peas; frozen mango
*snack - apple
*supper - chili; wilted spinach

The chili was phenomenal...absolutely delicious. You should try it!

Day 12:

*breakfast - apple; avocado (I was in a bit of a hurry and this is what I had time for)
*snack - Cherry Pie Larabar
*lunch - half of a carnitas salad from Chipotle (I was at a meeting all day so I took this to guarantee I'd have something Whole30-compliant for lunch.)
*supper - Enchilada Chicken Stew

These days were all really good. Tons of energy and I'm feeling great!