Thank You.

I love this time of year. Funny enough it doesn't have anything to do with the food. I love this time of year because I this is when I get to see all of my friends and family. I am going to my mother's this year for dinner and I couldn't be happier. You see, we go early and hang out. We play rummy until someone cries, Yahtzee until someone quits in frustration, and then trouble to appease the kids, that is until someone gets bored. The "someone" changes, but as the queen of rummy, I can tell you that it is NOT me.

This year I wanted to name a few things that I am thankful for. I use the term "few" loosely, but in order to reign myself in I will say 7 things.

1. This guy. I know that I say that I want to throttle him on a daily basis, but it is how I show my love. If I didn't love him I would dismiss the stuff that he does to piss me off as typical male behavior. Because I love him, my expectations of not being pissed off are higher. The things I love most are 1. He makes me laugh; even though some of it is just silly, I still laugh. 2. He accepts me, flaws and all. And I accept his flaws, I just complain about them more. 3. He gave me 2 wonderful children and works very hard to afford us a comfortable lifestyle (meaning there are not worries about food being on the table, not meaning that we drive around in BMWs like the 17 year old teenagers that live down the street from us.)4. He is my better half. Now I don't generally believe in that crap but; in this case IT IS TRUE. You see, I lack the ability to shut up. He, however, is much quieter and generally reserved. I am quick tempered and loud, and he tends to be more patient. I stress and stress and stress and he quickly (and while walking on eggshells) points out that my stress is needless (and generally self-inflicted). He is a wonderful father, a great hubby and my best friend.

2. My reality checks. These two are the best children that a mother could hope for. They remind me on a daily basis that time is valuable and fleeting. My son, although difficult at times, is loving, sweet, and brilliant. My daughter, who is LOUD and very challenging at times, is giggly, girly and very opinionated for a 2 year old. Together, they are a force to be reckoned with. But I wouldn't change a thing.

3. My bestie. I don't think that I would have survived that last 4 years without her. You see, one of my sisters is 11 years younger than me and lives in Florida. My other sister is 13 years younger than me and we are just now starting to be on the same page. However, God saw fit to grant me a third sister, Sara. She is the only person that I could spend 12 hours with and never run out of shit to say, and on the off chance that we do run out of stuff to say, we are totally ok with silence. I think that is unusual among friends, however we have been friends for nearly 25 years. I love this girl, and here is why: 1. She has absolutely no problem telling me that I am a tool. Seriously, sometimes its nice to be called out. 2. We both have similar interests. Scrapbooking, crafty stuff, hating on people that are idiots. It nice to have things in common. 3. We've been through it all. Not just school but boyfriends, jobs, marriages, kids, and even big moves. (Her hubby broke my heart and moved her an hour away last year. =( Of course, it was necessary but still heartbreaking.) There have been bad times, but in reality, most of them were good. Thank you Sara for being the ying to my yang. (By the way she reads this blog and I am sure will call me later to let me know that I am a tool for saying that last bit.)

4. Breitenbach wine. I know you think that I am getting silly, but I do love my wine. It was always hit and miss with wine for me; until I discovered Breitenbach fruit wines. I love Breitenbach and all of Amish country because that is were the winery is. I also heart Giant Eagle because they carry a large selection of these wines for my convenience and drinking pleasure. There is nothing better to me in this world than sitting outside either with my hubby, or on my bestie's stoop, on a cool summer night, drinking a bottle of Breitenbach. Keep up the good work, your wine rocks.

5. Contraception- surgical or otherwise. I do not want any more children- ever. I am not a very nice pregnant person, and I certainly do not have the patience to do the "new baby" thing again. I have a feeling I will even be one of those grandmothers that shys away from her grandchildren. It may have something to do with post traumatic stress because my son cried for the 3 and half months, continuously, and my daughter was born with the attitude of a teenager with the inability to communicate her feelings in any way other than to scream until you want to shoot yourself simply because you are unsure

if you CAN run far enough away NOT to hear her. Yes that was a long sentence, but the feeling that your ears may bleed can't be described in any other way. (She speaks now, but frequently reverts to her old ways to make a point.) I am also thankful for contraception because without it, there would be many, many more stupid people in this world, and I just don't have the time to complain about all of them.

6. Quiet time/nap time. Sometimes life can be stressful, especially when you are the stay at home mother of two children under 5. I spend my day getting juice, making snacks or meals, cleaning, reading to my children, playing the pick up everything at least 15 times game, and the repeat myself until I start screaming game. My favorite time of the day, which is not a reoccurring time, better put, my favorite time of the week, it quiet time. Anyone out there with two children close in age knows what I mean, if you actually succeed in getting both children down for a nap or quiet time, your reward is at least an hour of quiet time. Some choose to nap, some choose to watch tv, some crazy ass people choose to clean, I choose to read or goof around on the internet. It seems whenever the kids are awake, I am at their beck and call. However, during quiet time, the only thing I am concerned with is quiet. So thank you to whoever invented that elusive time of the week, quiet time, for it is a mother's reward for all her hard work. (And then they (the kids) wake up and completely ruin your zen. But I still love you quiet time.)

7. This blog was brought to you today by the letters c-o-f-f-e-e, and by the number 2 pots. Oh, yes, I would never forget coffee. I believe that I am not made up of 70% water. I think that it's more like 20% and the other 50% is made up of coffee. I can not function without coffee, and that's all I have to say about that. So I say thank you to the genius who picked a bean off of a plant and said "I am going to make the most addictive product ever. " Whomever it was, I think THEY deserve a Nobel Peace Prize.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!