WHW {#68}: Thankfulness

Happy what's hap-"pinning" Wednesday, A.K.A. Thanksgiving-Eve!

Every year I take the time to document the things that I'm thankful for, and wanted to continue that tradition. Likely, not a lot of it has changed, but I still like taking this time to reflect and appreciate the goodness (and greatness) that I have in my life.

{MG} 

He's at the top of my list because, as cliche as it sounds, without him, I'm not sure how I would have gotten through this past year. Having him by my side as my dad fought through his final days, and in the days following losing my dad, I found so much love and comfort from just being wrapped in his arms. Then to go through more of our fertility struggles, and have him be my shot-giver through our IVF process, to my nurse after my egg retrieval and egg transfer. And then getting to celebrate the fact that we would be parents, and knowing that the baby that's growing every day inside of me is equal parts him and me....it literally makes me tear up thinking about it. And then he goes and melts my heart even more when he talks about how excited he is for this baby...

Did I ever want to get married at 31? No. But was it worth the wait to find this man who is so perfect for me? Absolutely 100%. I'm SO thankful that MG is my life partner.

{Our Baby}

It's probably of no surprise to you that this is on the list. For the past two years, I've hoped and wanted so desperately to be at Thanksgiving saying "I'm thankful for this baby" and it feels surreal to be able to say that this year. It's been a journey to get us here, but that journey has only made me appreciate every single part of this process that much more. Seeing, and hearing our baby's heartbeat for the first time, seeing little baby arms and legs kicking and punching on an ultrasound....they make me tear up every time. I can hardly believe that this is real sometimes, but I'm so thankful that it is. This baby is already loved beyond measure and I know that that love will only grow bigger and bigger.

{Family}

This year is different in that we're going to be marking every holiday and special occasion by the absence of my dad. In years past I always spoke about how thankful I was that my dad was still here to celebrate with. And this year, I'm forced to look at things from another angle and be thankful that I have my dad looking out for me in a different way now. But I'm still thankful that I had a dad who showed me what it was to be strong, how important education was, what it means to possess good morals and act on them, and what it means to be loved unconditionally by a man.

I'm thankful for my mom for being so strong through everything with my dad. I'm thankful for her phone calls and visits, and how excited she is about "pumpkin" as she calls the baby. I'm thankful for the love and support she's given to me through all of our ups and downs, and am glad I can be there for her when she's needed it, too.

I'm thankful for my extended family, my in-laws, who I only refer to as my in-laws for confusion purposes, because to me, they ARE my family. I have two sisters who I love, and a mom and dad who didn't give birth to me, but treat me just like one of their own. I'm not lucky, I'm blessed. I know my dad said at one point that it comforted him to know that I had such a wonderful family to take care of me when/if I needed it, if anything happened to him. And I take those words to heart, knowing my dad knows that we're supported, even in his absence. I know not everyone has this kind of relationship with their in-laws which makes me that much more grateful for the ones I have.

And I can't forget Cooper, the furry love of my life. Coop and I have been together since I was a single girl, until now when he's going to be a big furry brother to our little one. Looking into Cooper's eyes while I pet him makes my heart happy, not to mention the nightly cuddles he gives...I know he was made for me and meant to be a part of my life. It's been the best 8 years together and I'm hoping for many many many more!

{Friends}

My IRL and blog friends are my heart. I'm lucky to have so many friends in my life who I can count on through anything. When my dad died, I saw a whole other side of the friendships that I had--how people really reached out and supported me. They say you know what a true friend is, not during the good times, but during the hard times. And this year I'm thankful that I had so many friends who lifted me up during the hard and dark times. I've also made friends with others who have struggled through fertility like we have, and we've helped each other through the process. I can truly say that the friendships that I have in my life right now make me feel truly blessed, and give a new meaning to "richness."

{Our Home}

I'm so thankful that MG have our house that we've made into a home in the last 2.5 years. It's been fun to take on home projects together since moving in, sometimes learning the hard way how to do something (or NOT do something lol), but learning nonetheless. I'm so thankful that we have a big house that holds enough space for our families to come and stay, where we've already made tons of memories, and where we are sure to make more in the coming year when we bring our baby home.

There are tons of other things I'm thankful for, but these are the big ones I wanted to share here today.

I hope that your list of things to be thankful for this year is ever-growing! 
Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

Weekending Highlights {Thanksgiving}

Happy Monday! I hope you're all recovered from the turkey comas of Thanksgiving! I can't believe how quickly the weekend went by, but let's recap all of the fun!

My weekend highlights included:

~My in-laws arriving Wednesday afternoon (and their dog got sick on the way down which was a bummer)

~Going out to dinner at the Chart House in Old Town, on the water--we all got the most delicious meals. my crab stuffed shrimp was out of this world delicious

~up early Thursday morning to get the turkey going (well, MG was in charge of that 19 lb bird)

~my sister-in-law and her family arriving late morning; having my nugget run into my arms (not so little anymore!)

~cooking and prepping while also getting to enjoy how beautiful the weather was; even got in some time on the deck since it was so nice out!

~my parents arrived and we wrapped up cooking. On our menu: the 19 lb turkey, green beans, balsamic brussel sprouts, my family's traditional squash casserole, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, rolls and stuffing. There was SO much food, but it was all so good!

~celebrated hosting another successful Thanksgiving at our house, this time with double the amount of people we normally have

~apple and pumpkin pie for dessert

~lounging after the clean up, nursing the food comas, and some couch cuddles

~spending time with the fam

~getting everyone packed up on Friday morning and going for a little hike before they all got on their way

~did some online shopping for hubby's birthday....and maybe a little for myself too #oops

~had leftovers for lunch and Cooper recovered from all of the excitement of having a packed house with a pup-nap

~cleaned up the house and got the Christmas decor, tree, ornaments and outside lights up!

~pizza at our favorite spot and went to see Bridge of Spies which was long, but really good

~Saturday started at 4am with Cooper getting sick--he must have gotten whatever my in-laws' dog had

~ran some errands to return a few things and drop off a bunch of stuff at good will

~rooted on our nephew (and brother-in-law who coaches their team) from here, as they won their eastern region football championship in NJ and are headed to Florida in a week for the national championship that will be on ESPN3!

~had a low key night at home, taking care of our sick pup

~rainy Sunday errands and a lazy day at home, reading and watching some football--my Skins ended up moving into the top spot of the suckiest division in the NFL (not much to be proud of there)

~got my hair cut and colored (why do I almost always have hair appointments on days that it rains?)

pardon the lack of makeup in this one

It felt like the weekend totally flew by, but it was really great hosting almost all of our family at once, having the space to have everyone stay here, and getting to spend time being thankful, with the people I'm most thankful for!

I hope your weekend and Thanksgiving were fabulous, too! Enjoy this last day of November (how is it already December tomorrow?!?!)

Linking up with these pretties today:

What's Hap-"Pinning"? {T.H.A.N.K.F.U.L. edition}

Today's What's Hap-"Pinning" post, for me, is going to be focused on things that I'm thankful for:

{via}

In honor of Thanksgiving, I thought I'd write out things that I'm thankful for, in an acrostic poem kind of way (I saw this on another blog last week and loved the idea).

T-thoughtfulness; I think you can really tell how someone feels about you by the thoughtfulness that they show. Whether it's picking up something small that someone knows you would like, or just checking in when you know someone's going through something big. That thoughtfulness touches my heart more than most things, and I'm so thankful for the people in my life who have shown it to me.

H-husband; because life wouldn't be as fun or happy without him. I love this man with all of my heart and know that whatever happens in life, as long as we have each other, we can make it through. Having his support, love, kindness and helpfulness are some of the best things I could have asked for. Oh, and the laughter, because this guy can make some of the darkest days shine a bit brighter with his ability to make me laugh :)

A- an amazing family; I'm talking about my family I grew up with--my mom and dad, and my in-laws. I've said it before but I'm completely blessed to have my parents who have supported me through good and bad times, and made me feel special and important.
I'm also lucky that my in-laws are amazing and treat me like their own. I know not everyone has a great relationship with their in-laws, and I feel so lucky that I truly do. I'm additionally blessed that I've gotten to spend Thanksgiving for the last 4 years (including this year) with my parents and my in-laws all together. I love that we get to spend the holidays together, as a whole family.
And Cooper. Because he's obviously the best dog ever :)

N-nieces and a nephew; although I inherited them when I married MG, I'm so thankful that I got 5! Being an only child, these are the only nieces and nephew that I'll have, and luckily I got a great bunch. I've loved watching them all grow up and can't believe how quickly it's happened. I feel so lucky to be a part of their lives. 

this photo is about 4 years old at this point, but it's one of my favorites--look how little they all were!!!

K-kids; the ones that MG and I will have one day. They may not be here yet, or in the timing we had planned or hoped for, but I know that they will be one day, and I'm already thankful for it.

F-friends, who are there, no matter what. No judgement, no drama, just there. I'm so lucky and grateful to have a solid group of people I can turn to when I need them. We celebrate one another, no competing, and lift each other up when we're down. Life would be extra messy without my friends, and a heck of a lot less funny.

U-understanding; I'm thankful for people who show understanding. We may not always understand why someone does or says something, but I appreciate the people who take the time and energy to try and understand someone else's point of view and the shoes they're standing in. Understanding solves a lot of useless drama.

L-laughter; it's the best medicine for a crummy day, and makes a good day brighter. Having a partner who can make you laugh on your worst days is the best blessing of all.

Lastly, because there wasn't a B in Thankful, I wanted to share that I'm thankful for this Blogging community. I've met so many amazing people through this space--people I'm grateful to interact and talk with on a daily basis--who I wouldn't have met otherwise. You all have been the best surprise and my favorite part of blogging. I'm so glad that I know you guys and I hope to get the opportunity to meet so many of you in person!

I hope your days are filled with lots of people and things to be thankful for.

Wishing you and your family a happy Thanksgiving!

You can link up with Jessi and I below and share what's hap-"pinning" with you lately, or things you're thankful for...anything!

What's Hap-"Pinning"? Wednesdays {#16}

Happy Wednesday, friends!!

What's hap-"pinning" with you? You can share with Jessi and I about anything going on with you--it doesn't have to be Pinterest related!

What's hap-"pinning" with me lately?
I'm preparing for Thanksgiving! In the past two years, MG and I have had his parents and my parents at our place for Thanksgiving--last year being the first one in our new home.
This year, we're hosting my in-laws, my parents, and MG's sister, brother-in-law, 2 nieces and nephew. So, our Thanksgiving celebration grew almost double!

With that, I've been eagerly pinning away decor ideas. Here are some of my favorites:

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And I have all kinds of grandiose ideas for how I'm going to set and decorate the table (probably none of which will actually happen, but hang out with me here in fantasy land in my brain for a minute). These are all super cute ideas:

{via}                                                        {via}    {via}

Something that I'd love to get is a set of gold flatware. I keep seeing photos of it online and I'm slightly obsessed. Plus, our china has some light gold leaf'ing in it, which I think will totally go together:

{via}

What are your Thanksgiving decor plans? Do you have a set of gold flatware that you like (that won't break the bank)?

Now it's your turn to link up with Jessi and I and share what's hap-"pinning" with you!

What's Hap-"Pinning"? Wednesday {#15}

Happy Wednesday, friends! We made it halfway through another week in November, which means we're that much closer to Thanksgiving.

With that, I thought I'd tell you some of the things that I'm thankful for, some silly and some serious.

Remember, you can link up with Jessi and I about anything, it doesn't have to be Pinterest-related, just tell us about what you're up to lately!

What's hap-"pinning" with me lately, and what I'm thankful for....

~Our Veterans

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Today isn't just any Wednesday, it's Veteran's Day. Coming from a family where my dad, grandfather and uncle were all part of the military, I appreciate veterans and the sacrifice they make, and their families make, on a regular basis.  I think it's important to celebrate these brave individuals who put their lives on the line to protect ours. 

~Technology

{via}

It helps keep me in touch with friends who don't live close by, it helps me to do my job faster/better, it gives me entertainment, it provides me with all kinds of information and resources...I'm so thankful for all of the wonderful things that technology offers us.

~Quiet Moments

{via}

I love having some time to reflect on the day, or recent happenings. Sometimes that's on my drive to/from work, sometimes it's while I cook dinner, and sometimes, it's while I lay in bed cuddled up with my husband at night. Wherever it is, I'm thankful for those moments that I have to be able to reflect on the day, and the wonderful things and people in my life.

~Travel

{via}

MG and I have done our fair share of traveling, and it's something that I'm so grateful that we are able to do. Obviously, we'd love to do it more often, but the times that we do go away are super special, memory making trips.

And some less serious ones...

~Sales

{via}

Because it allows me to get a bunch of stuff I want (and sometimes even need), at a more reasonable price. Although, sometimes there are more sales going on than I need around to tempt me, but it just gives me a chance to practice self-restraint :)

~Memes

{via}

Whenever you need a quick laugh or smile, memes always seem to come around and be there when you need them. I love finding ones that make me laugh out loud (literally), and then sharing those to brighten someone else's day as well.

~Pinterest

Not only does Pinterest provide me with something to do when I'm bored, or just want to let my mind wander, but it also gives me great home decor ideas, recipes to try, funnies to laugh at, and clothing ideas. I'd be even more thankful if I had been the genius to come up with this little website! :)

~And, lastly, I'm thankful for feel-good stories. This veteran was reunited with his love from WWII after more than 70 years. See? Technology is pretty awesome!

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Now it's your turn to link up and share with Jessi and I what's hap-"pinning" with you (or what you're thankful for!)

{Books} and {Gratitude}

On vacation last week I got in a little bit of reading time and wanted to give you guys a review. Then I realized I didn't review that last book I'd read either, so you get two reviews for one click!

I read The Good Girl by Mary Kubica

{via}

Part of the Goodreads synopsis is:

"One night, Mia Dennett enters a bar to meet her on-again, off-again boyfriend. But when he doesn't show, she unwisely leaves with an enigmatic stranger. At first Colin Thatcher seems like a safe one-night stand. But following Colin home will turn out to be the worst mistake of Mia's life. "

The synopsis says that it's an addictively suspenseful thriller. I kind of have to beg to differ.  I was interested in finding out how Mia was found and any other details surrounding that (because the book goes back and forth between before she was found and after she was found). I kept waiting for something to happen and at about 50% through, it finally picked up a bit, but I'd almost given up on it at that point.

One thing I really didn't like was that there was no date, so you couldn't tell how quickly time was going by. For example, after a few chapters, it felt like it had been at least a few weeks that they had been gone, but then one morning they're having breakfast and Colin offers Mia coffee and she says she doesn't drink it. Well, if you'd been together for that long, and had breakfast/coffee every morning, wouldn't that have come up before now?

  In the end, the characters were all pretty predictable for me--the angry/uninvolved dad, the mom/wife who doesn't know "how things got this way", the middle-aged investigator... The ending was fine, maybe a bit unbelievable but at least it was tied up in a nice bow at the end.

If I had to rate the book, I'd give it 3 out of 5 stars, mainly because the last half of the book became more interesting. If I had rated it for the first half, it would have been 1 star.

~.~.~

On vacation I read the first book in the Crossfire series, Bared to You.

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 Karly actually reviewed the series on here while I was away last week! She warned me ahead of time (and then throughout when I would text her about it), that the writing is definitely not going to win any awards. 

Truth.

It is almost the exact same story as 50 Shades of Grey only without the S&M stuff. Naive girl, rich, handsome, unattainable guy. He gets mesmerized by naive girl, then becomes super possessive, they go back and forth between having intense relations, being mad at one another and storming off like children, and then having intense relations again. One or both of them is "damaged" in some way...sound familiar?

I'd give it 3 out of 5 stars, mainly for the "relations" scenes. The story itself was boring mainly because I felt like I'd read it already in 50 Shades. I'm not sure that I'll read the others in the series, because I can only handle so much of the I-love-you-so-much-I-hate-you-so-much back and forth drama.

~.~.~

Today's Gratitude30 prompt was Nature. 

I snapped this photo last week while we were at the beach, and just looking at it calms me. We stood there and watched the sun go down, while everything around us was quiet and peaceful. It was the perfect 'stop and smell the roses' kind of moment. I'm so thankful for beautiful moments like this that allow you to take it all in, reflect on the day that's passed, and look ahead to the start of a new one.

#Gratitude30