Sharing Thanks

Rays of Light on Hudson River, February 29, 2012 There is nothing prettier than leaping rays of light on an ice flowing river! Today is leap day in this leap year. I have always been a true believer for "Taking a Leap of Faith." I am dedicating my thanks to this theme today. I invite you to share something that helped you take a leap forward in your life in the comments. I love and am thankful for all of the great comments I get on the blog! 1) I was thankful for all the fun frog pictures I saw today because of leap day. The google frogs, the bing frog! When I see a frog I think of my good friend Liz who enjoyed collecting frogs in middle school. Today is your day Liz! I also wish Liz good luck in her leap to find a new fantastic job! 2) I am thankful to my husband and my daughter Liz who are taking a leap to try in improve their relationship by writing notes to each other in a journal. 3) A big welcome to my 11th follower who took a leap and joined the sharing thanks...

Frisbee Anyone? February 28 I've learned a lot from my puppy Oreo. One thing puppies are always up for is playing! It is fun to watch the shear joy of a puppy fetching a small toy. I have been trying to get back in to the routine of sharing my thanks at the end of the day. Routines are helpful and we all need to be flexible to find time for play. It is these playful moments in life that can provide small bursts of joy and smiles! 1) Thanks to Oreo for playing frisbee fetch with me today. Oreo chases the frisbee and can play this game for a while. Always fun to see her tail wagging! 2) Thanks for another beautiful sunset. Beautiful oranges and purples in the sky against the bare trees. Even a Walmart parking lot can provide some beauty. 3) Thanks for a wonderful home cooked meal. I made my mom's recipe for macaroni and cheese. Made it a little healthier with Smart Pasta from Ronzoni. I enjoy cooking and tonight the white cream sauce I made came out amazing! 4) Thanks f...

Tea Party, February 2012 I was visiting a cafe over the Winter break and loved this whimsical dolly sitting in the teapot! I love celebrating. I'm sharing thanks for gifts I received for my 21st Anniversary. 1) Thanks to my husband Spencer who bought me some new pillows! When you are married 21 years many things you own are also 21 years old! It was nice to rest my head on a comfy pillow! 2) Thanks for my cute Anniversary card with the 2 dogs riding motorcycles. If you read my blog you know that I am a dog lover. 3) Thanks to my parents who sent us a lovely card and a check which we spent on some new sheets and a comforter. I bought 600 count sheets. If you treat yourself to one luxury in life I recommend soft sheets. They are a little more expensive. I like to shop at Home Goods where you can get high quality sheet sets for an affordable price. 4) Thanks to my daughters Liz and Becky who both managed to text me on my anniversary. It's a brave new world out there. I...

Spring Snowman I saw this at Planting Fields in Oyster Bay and thought it was a great symbol of the mild winter we are having this year on Long Island. I did a lot of celebrating this weekend so it is easy to share what I am thankful for! 1) Thanks for a romantic date night out with my husband, Spencer. We are married 21 years, and it was fun to meet him in NYC after work and dine at one of our old favorite restaurants, Cafe 123. After dinner we enjoyed seeing the glitzy Priscilla Queen of the Desert! A spectacle featuring a lot of great music from the 80s. Our wedding song was a Madonna song, "Crazy for You." 2) Thanks to a stranger whose body language helped me avoid a parking lot car accident. I was backing out of a space and the person directly behind me backed out at the same time. I was lucky to stop in time and avoid a small fender bender. 3) I am so thankful for my good college friends! My friend Ellen treated us to a NYC reunion on Saturday night. Staying in ...

Crocus blooming, February, 2012 Yesterday felt like Spring! I enjoy all the seasons and there is something very special about Spring. It is the season of rebirth and new beginnings. Today I am sharing thanks for springlike weather. 1) I was thankful to see many crocuses blooming while I took Oreo for her daily walks. I love the first colors of Spring. Vibrant yellows and purples. 2) I am thankful for Trader Joes for bringing the joy of fresh flowers to my table at an affordable price. I bought a small bunch of daffodils for $1.50 and they are brightening up my dinner table. They bloomed yesterday. So fragrant. 3) I am thankful to my sister-in-law Laurie, who is a very caring daughter to her mom! Enjoyed seeing Grandma sitting up in a chair yesterday. She is working hard to get some mobility back. Thanks to the PT staff at the rehab center who are helping her. 4) Thanks to Pat, at CAPS who took the time to call me back and gave me some good advice on how to help my daughter mo...

Adirondack Rock Sculpture, February 2012 I love these rock sculptures. They are simple and beautiful. Sometimes it is the little things that can brighten your day. Here are the things I was thankful for yesterday. I fell asleep before I got a chance to post. 1) Thanks for a beautiful sunny day. It was a nice day to be outside and feel the warm sun on your face. 2) I got joy from seeing a crocus on my lawn in bloom. A true sign of spring. 3) Enjoyed a movie, "This Means War" starring Chris Pine and Reese Witherspoon. The best romantic action comedy I have seen in a long time. Who can resist Chris Pines awesome blue eyes. Great fun date night movie! 4) I am not a big TV viewer and I love the show Parenthood. I enjoyed watching an episode from my dvr. I love that they have a special needs son and show the hard work and the realities of mainstreaming. This show is poignant and well written. I invite you to share something that brightened your day.

Gore Mountain, February 2012 Just got back from visiting friends in the Adirondacks. I've been out of touch with my blog since I had a wireless computer free vacation. My cell phone does not work upstate, which was kind of refreshing. So many wonderful moments to be thankful for. I was thankful to spend some time with some of my college friends and their families. Here are my thanks for the past two days. 1) Thanks to the snow making team at Gore Mountain. I had an opportunity to go skiing on Sunday and the conditions were excellent. The folks at Gore had 80% of the mountain open with wonderfully groomed trails. I was surprised since it has been a warm winter and the Adirondacks have gotten very little snow this year. Thanks to Dora and Keith who helped Annalise love skiing. I had fun skiing and sharing some of my favorite Gore trails with my friends. 2) Thanks to, "The Schmooze" a local musical duo who sang at the Tannery Pub apres ski. We enjoyed listening to som...

Feathers from Michaels, February, 2012 I enjoy exploring my creative side at Michaels. They have so many different cool craft items. I saw these fun pastel feathers and enjoyed taking some pictures of them. Tonight was my concert. The South Shore Symphony performed with Piano soloist Jeffrey Biegel at the Madison theater and received a standing ovation before intermission. My thanks have a musical theme tonight. Music touches our emotions and promotes harmony in the world. Our orchestra has many talented players who span many ages from 14 year olds to 70 year olds. When we get together we are just all musicians trying to inspire audiences playing a varied classical repertoire. 1) Thanks for the wonderful musicianship of my fellow orchestra mates. Copland's Appalachian Spring was so colorful and vibrant tonight. Thanks to Molloy College for building a beautiful concert hall with amazing acoustics. 2) Thanks for the amazing artistry of Jeffrey Biegel. He brought down the house ...

Fishing Pier at Jones Beach State Park, February 16, 2012 Encouraging words can be very helpful, especially on a day that has its challenges. There are many ways to encourage someone. I am always thankful when people offer encouragement and support! Here are my thanks for today. 1) Thanks to my good friend Liz, who is thinking of becoming a contributor to this blog. She is an amazing creative person, and always encourages my artistic side. Had a nice conversation with her today. 2) Thanks to Mor from CAPS Bully Helpline who sent me a kind reply to the email in regard to information about my daughter's Facebook hacking. She offered assistance and advice on how to be safe online. It is important to address bullying. Evil thrives when good people do nothing. 3) Thanks to my parents who support my love of music and are my biggest fans in life. 4) Thanks to my friend Laura, who I met through my daughter Liz. Laura and I used to help run a support group for parents of hearing i...

Love Sprite from Michaels, February 15, 2012 I am always thankful for the power of love. Love should be celebrated everyday not just on Valentine's day. It is loving moments that mean the most in life. Quality loving relationships are the keys to a happy life. Here are some loving moments that I was thankful for today. 1) I am thankful for getting to spend time with my daughter Liz today. She gave me a genuine hug, which are rare for teenagers. We enjoy watching our kids learn and grow, and as they do, we miss those hugs from the toddler days. 2) I am thankful for my mom! Had a nice heart to heart talk with her on the phone today. 3) I am thankful for my friend Sejal. Enjoyed having dinner with her tonight to catch up with her. So happy she is enjoying her new job. So nice to see her daughter Kavita, who was so enthusiastic to see me. She gave me a great hug hello today. 4) Thanks to my dog Oreo, who gives me a ton of unconditional love. We had a beautiful evening walk a...

This movie was made by my daughter over the summer at a film making workshop for high school students at five towns college. My daughter, wrote and directed the movie. In honor of Valentines day I have posted "Written Love", a romantic movie by my daughter Liz. This short 2 minute movie is lovely teenage romance story. Watch it and it will make you smile. If you like the movie feel free to share it! Wishing everyone a lot of love on this Valentine's Day. Here is what I was thankful for today. 1) Thankful for my new Adele19 cd from my husband Spencer. We both love music and this year we exchanged cd's for valentines day. 2) Thankful for the day nurse at my mother-in-law's rehab place. She is a very warm and caring person with a beautiful smile that can light up a room. So happy my mother-in-law is getting physical therapy to get some of her mobility back. 3) I am thankful for both of my daughters, who I love dearly. I wish them lots of love and laughter i...

Purple Tulips from Michaels, February 12, 2012 It was a bright cold sunny winter day today. I can see the daffodil leaves sprouting from our garden, they are almost 4 inches tall already. I try to enjoy every season, and I look forward to Spring, with the daylight lasting a little longer everyday. I was able to get outside walking my puppy Oreo today.Thought these purple flowers at Michaels seem to be celebrating spring. Here are my thanks for today. 1) I want to thank the person driving the black mercedes car today who let me in the left lane. So nice when someone gives you the friendly wave so I could get in the turning lane to go on the parkway. It was a nice surprise during rush hour. 2) I am thankful that my daughter Liz's efforts in English earned her a 90 this quarter. So proud of her. 3) I am thankful my daughter Becky texted me she was ok after a recieved a message from her college that one of the buildings had a bomb threat. Her college has a great emergency comm...

Things We Forget: #809: attitudes are contagious. are yours worth ca... Today I am sharing a link from one of my favorite blogs that I follow. This artist leaves post-it notes in different places. I love the sentiments and the idea of finding something inspiring in an unexpected place. Attitudes are contagious! Help me spread an attitude of gratitude by sharing what you are thankful for in the comments. Here are my thanks for today. Oreo in her new Family's Favorite Relative T-shirt 1) I am thankful for one of the cute gifts that Spencer got me for my birthday. He knows how much I have been enjoying the new puppy. Oreo did not chew the end of my couch, and I am waiting to get a new couch until after the puppy is better trained. I know sometimes this blog is filled with brutal honesty. 2) I was thankful for a good nights sleep. So nice to sleep in a little today. 3) Thanks and Happy Birthday to my friend Bika! Liz and enjoyed celebrating Bika's birthday a few days earl...

Birthday flowers from my husband, February 11, 2012 I'm lucky to be still enjoying celebrating my birthday thanks to good friends and family. Got in late last night from a celebration with my good friends Stella and Margaret. We have a tradition of having a girls night out for our birthdays. We grew up together and know each other since we are 10 years old. I count myself lucky to have friends from childhood. We know each other inside and out. We share a rich history together of many cups of tea and adventures. Here are my thanks for today. 1) Thanks to my husband Spencer for bringing me home flowers on my birthday. He had a roller hockey game and his team won! Give thanks bag from St. Judes Hospital, February 11, 2012 2) Thanks to my dear friend Stella, who gave me this beautiful bag for my birthday. It is a perfect gift for me, and its even better knowing that a donation was made to St. Judes Children's Hospital. Stella has been very supportive of my blog! It was a pe...

Homemade card from my daughter Liz, February 9, 2012 Today is my birthday! So many reasons to be thankful for today. I always feel like my birthday gives me a fresh start to dream about my new year and its possibilities. It's hard to just list four things I am thankful for! Here goes: 1) Thanks to my 2 fantastic daughters! My daughter Becky called me to wish me a happy birthday from college. It was great talking to her and hearing about her plans for the upcoming weekend. My daughter Liz and I got to enjoy a late lunch after her school at California Pizza Kitchen. She made me a beautiful homemade card and CPK treated me to a free dessert. 2) Thanks to Kavita, who found this incredible birthday mug for me. I am a violinist and I absolutely love this! 3) Thanks to everyone who called, texted, facebooked me and wished me a happy birthday. It is wonderful to feel special for the day! 4) Thanks for a beautiful sunny winter day and a starry night. The moon is so bright. I had...

Fishing Pier at Jones Beach State Park, February 7, 2012 Sharing my thanks for yesterday. I fell asleep before I had a chance to blog about what I was thankful for. Amidst the difficulties there are always small moments of joy in everyday. Here were mine from yesterday. 1) I am thankful for my 8th follower to the blog. Welcome! I am also thankful for Anonymous who shared what she or he was thankful for. There is power in writing down what you are thankful for and reflecting on it. Thanks so much for sharing. 2) I was thankful to see a light dusting of snow last night. All the trees were glistening in the moonlight after the small snowfall. I love when it snows how quiet it gets. 3) I am thankful for good friends. Thanks to my friend Sejal who texted me late last night with some information on a rehab center we both visited last year. It may be a good place for my mother-in-law's rehab. She also texted me at 11:59 because she wanted to be the first person to wish me a happy ...

Liz and Oreo on our Scenic Drive, February 7, 2012 Had a busy day yesterday and fell asleep before I had a chance to blog about what I was thankful for. It's amazing how a scenic drive can soothe your soul. We live 15 minutes away from Jones Beach and Ocean Parkway is a beautiful drive while the sun is setting. 1) Thanks for being able to share a sunset by the water with Liz and Oreo. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Sunset over the bay off of Ocean Parkway, February 7, 2012 2) Thanks to my friend Stella who came over for a cup of tea and brought her adorable dog Trixie to play with Oreo. 3) Thanks to Ellyn who made time available to help my daughter process the hurt she was feeling from her facebook hack. 4) I was so thankful to hear Liz tell me that she said, "I love you" to her dad. I'm happy that they are on the road to having a better relationship. If you are reading my blog please share something that you are thankful for in the comm...

Heart Daisy from Michaels I am thankful for this sunny Monday February Day. Last night the temperature dropped quickly and my check air tire pressure light went on. I did pull over to see if I had a flat and luckily it was just the temperature that caused the change in air pressure. I am not great at figuring out how to fill the tires to get the right air pressure. I am always happy when auto savvy people are there to lend a helping hand. Here are my thanks for today. 1) Thanks to the attendant at the Getty gas station I go to. He saw me struggling with the air machine and came over to lend a helping hand. So nice to drive away and see the air pressure light go off. 2) Thanks for a beautiful drive to Jones Beach. Love to look at the bay while I am driving. My daughter Liz loves to take this drive, especially when the sun is setting on a nice day. 3) Thanks to my orchestra. After a stressful day it was great to play Appalachian Spring and let the music soothe my soul. This piec...

Wall of album covers at TGIF's, February 5, 2012 Had a nice lunch at TGIF's with my daughter Liz today. They had an entire wall decorated with old album covers. I thought this would be a great decorating idea! When I was looking at the wall I realized I owned a lot of the covers they had: The Sting with Scot Joplin's Rags, Carly Simon's Hotcakes, Herb Albert, Tom Jones. Just got home from a small Superbowl party at my sister-in-laws. Here are my thanks for today. 1) Congratulations to the New York Giants on their Superbowl win tonight. It was an exciting fun game to watch, both teams played their hearts out. 2) It was fun watching the Superbowl with my husband and his family. We loved seeing Madonna put on a great halftime show. Love her message of World Peace and the "Like a Prayer" finale. 3) Enjoyed spending some time with my daughter Liz this afternoon. We had a nice lunch at TGIF's. Thanks to my coupon organizer I was able to use a $5.00 off c...

Purple Glitter Lamp at Singa's Pizza, February 4,2012 I got home late last night so decided to post my thanks for yesterday this morning. I had a full day and got a chance to spend time with a variety of friends and family. There is nothing like getting together over a cup of tea with a good friend. I have been enjoying taking pictures, and capturing small shots of beauty in unlikely places. I have always been hypnotized by lava lamps so this purple lava lamp caught my attention at Singa's Pizza. Singa's pizza is a place my friend Sejal recommended and we enjoy meeting for lunch there, before shopping at Patel brothers, a cool Indian grocery store in Hicksville. Here is what I was thankful for yesterday. 1) I was the receiver of random act of kindness! My friend Sejal and I were having lunch at Singa's pizza yesterday. I enjoyed hearing about her first full week of work. When we went to pay the check, the cashier said that somebody paid our bill for us! What a wonde...

Sunset in February in Target Parking Lot Do you ever feel like you are at the right place at the right time to offer a stranger some information that is helpful and comforting. I had this experience today while I was visiting my mother-in-law in the hospital. I am the type of person who loves to strike up conversations with people that cross my path. I was in the parking garage taking the elevator down and a gentleman who was from out of state needed assistance finding the lobby. He seemed shaken up, he was going to visit his brother who was having emergency bypass surgery. I was thankful that I could show him how to get to the hospital lobby and told him about my Dad's bypass surgery that was done at this hospital successfully almost 7 years ago. The man was so appreciative for a kind ear and help. Here are my thanks for today which was filled with a little serendipity. 1) So thankful for my daughter Becky who brightened my mother-in-law's day with a phone call. My mother...

Spring flowers at Michaels The groundhogs had mixed reports about how far away Spring is. I get a kick out of groundhog day, and the joy people get from watching a groundhog come out to see if it sees it shadow! Groundhog Day the movie is one of my favorite comedy films.It feels like it has been Spring this week already. Had fun taking a few pictures while my daughter and I were shopping for some fun craft supplies at Michaels. I do get a lot of joy capturing small snapshots of beauty. It feeds my creative spirit. Here are my thanks for today. 1) Thanks to Sara from Mommafindings.com and Lisa from Momma Says who took the time to check out my blog today. I enjoy reading other Mom Blogs and Mommafindings.com started a series on blogging that was very helpful to me. Part of the joy of starting something new is learning from kind mentors. 2) Thanks to Pinterest.com! I have been enjoying pinning great pictures and links that I find on the web. Tonight I cooked a cheesy zucchini cass...

Saw some cool shadows walking Oreo today It was over 60 degrees again today. I enjoyed walking my puppy in the beautiful sunshine. I love taking pictures for my blog, it is so much fun to caption some of the moments that bring me joy during the day. If you are new to the blog please join in the fun of sharing thanks by posting what you are thankful for in the comments. Here are some of things I was thankful for today. 1) Thankful for my daughter Becky who is working hard in college. Got a letter in the mail from her university congratulating her for making the dean's list last semester. I took a picture of the certificate and picture texted it to her! So proud of her pursuing dreams as a film major. 2) Thankful to Dr. Zarat who was able to check my daughter Liz's ankle. Her sprain is getting better. Dr. Zarat was very kind in explaining to my daughter that even though she is still in pain she is getting better. 3) Thankful for seeing a beautiful sunset tonight in the ...