Sharing Thanks

Spring dancer at the Hick's Flower Show, March 2012 Spring just makes you want to dance! The energy of all the trees and flowers starting to bloom. I loved the fun attitude of this sculpture that I saw at the flower show. I am also enjoying listening to the sounds of spring. Birds chirping in the morning as the sun streams in my window. Here is what made my soul dance today. 1) Thanks to my friend Stella who I met for another belly dancing class. It is so much fun to twirl around with a scarf and use the finger cymbals. Stella and I often get a fit of the giggles during the class. The rhythm of the music is hypnotizing. 2) Thanks to the beautiful crescent moon out tonight. One of the great things about walking your dog is I get to enjoy the night sky. Tonight's night sky features a sliver of crescent moon, beautiful stars and some mysterious clouds. 3) Thanks for the joy of playing fetch with Oreo today. She has been enjoying chasing tennis balls in the backyard. 4) ...

Trees in Bloom, March 28, 2012 The weather changed several times today. Woke up to partial cloudy skies, thought it was going to be sunny and then it rained when we took the dogs out for a walk. Later in the afternoon the skies cleared and it was warm and sunny, and now while I am typing this blog it is raining again. You may be reading this saying where is she going with this? Life is constantly changing. We all want some stability and the reality is we need to get comfortable with change, embrace change, and remember that it can lead to tremendous growth! Spring is about renewal, that you plant a seed, nurture it and watch it grow. I have been enjoying sharing pictures of new buds bursting on the blog! Here is what I was thankful for today! 1) I was thankful to get Amy's wonderful comment. She shared some wonderful moments to be grateful for. I love when blog readers comment and add what they are thankful for. Sharing appreciation multiplies good feelings. This is what shari...

Garden Buddha taken at Hick's Flower Show I am very drawn to eastern philosophy and the idea that we are all connected. I loved this garden Buddha that I saw at the Hick's Flower Show. It looked like such a serene place to meditate. Spring has sprung, although we have returned to normal temperatures of 50s around here. Just sitting outside among the beauty of Spring flowers creates a moment of peace during a hectic day. Here is what I was thankful for today. 1) I was thankful that I could be a good listener for my good friend Liz. It is so good to be able to talk and share feelings with kindred spirits. I am hoping that my listening skills brought her some inner peace from the frustration she is feeling. 2) I was thankful to meet a new violin student today. I can tell my student practices and I am looking forward to working with her to improve her skills and help her become a great violinist. 3) I am thankful to play with the South Shore Symphony. I am looking forward t...

Oreo with her frisbee My Oreo dog could be a circus dog! I'm still working on teaching her to catch a frisbee. My sharing thanks are dedicated to enjoying some family fun! My grandmother Harriet used to love the circus, and her dream was to be one of the glamorous girls that ride the elephants. We took my parents for their birthdays to see the latest Ringling Barnum and Baily "Dragons" circus last night. Here are my thanks for today. 1) Thanks to the box office ticket man who sold us great seats for the circus. My daughter is hearing impaired and they gave us some seats with a wall behind us which helps her hear less background noise. He also gave us an aisle seat which made it easier for my mom who has had a knee replacement sit more comfortably. 2) Thanks to the joy I had watching cats perform! I mean real domesticated adorable cats. I have seen many dog acts and this was the first time I ever saw cats perform and they were great! 3) Thanks for the "Dragon...

New Sharing Thanks Button designed by Liz Davidson I've only been blogging for a few months and have read that it is important to have a button so people can use it to link to your site. I want to thank my fellow mom bloggers for providing instruction on how to make a button. I hope I did it correctly. I'm so thankful for my daughter Liz who made the pretty design for me. It is another beautiful day hear. This gorgeous weather just puts a smile on your face! Here is what I was thankful for today. 1) I am thankful for sharing a nice walk with my Mom. We took Oreo to Hempstead Lakestate Park for a walk around the reservoir. The water was glistening and we even saw a pair of swans. Such a beautiful day to get outside and enjoy nature and great conversation. 2) I am thankful for the beautiful button my daughter Liz made for me. She enjoys reading my blog and it has helped her look for small moments of joy. She got a kick out of our cat hanging out in the daffodils and quickl...

Reflecting Pond at the Hick's Spring Flower Show, March 2012 I have been blogging for about 4 months now sharing what I am thankful for. I thought it would be a good time to reflect how focusing on appreciation has changed me. Today when I was getting my favorite iced coffee at Dunkin Donuts, a gentleman saw me coming and waited to hold the door for me. One of the things that I have noticed is the kindness of strangers. More people give me a friendly smile and hello, and many doors are opened for me. I am not sure whether I just notice and am grateful for the kindnesses or if I am sending out a vibe that strangers pickup on. It is really heartwarming to focus on these random acts of kindnesses. Being grateful has helped me look at the potential for good everyday. It has helped me solve problems and cope with life's adversities with strength and calm. Writing and taking pictures for the blog has energized me creatively. I love finding beauty in nature and capturing cool image...

Blue Orchids and a Garden Fairy at the annual Hick's Flower Show, March 2012 Ahhh Spring. Spring is a great time for new beginnings. Sometimes trying something new brings its own magic. Loved seeing this garden fairy at the flower show with the incredible blue orchids. It has been in the 70s here on Long Island. This March has come in like a lamb! Trying to start some spring cleaning at home. Here are my thanks for yesterday. 1) Thanks for Liz's new personal trainer Grace. Liz started working out yesterday and had a great first session. The best part is, she started exercising and is committing to getting in better shape. Grace gave Liz a good workout and today Liz is looking forward to going back. 2) Thanks for the beautiful yellow forsythia that is starting to bloom in my backyard. I love the pretty yellow flowers. There are lots of forsythia dressing up the parkways and its fun to see them all in bloom. 3) Thanks for the joy of reading. I was able to go the library a...

Wild yellow violet at Norman Levy Preserve, March 19, 2012 There is no better joy than finding something that you thought was lost! My daughter Liz misplaced her wallet with her drivers license a few weeks ago. She has been hobbling around with a sprained right ankle so she has not been able to drive. We have both been searching the house, the car trying to find it to no avail. I even visited the motor vehicle website to see how much it would cost to replace it. So I'm going to start off my thanks for yesterday with this: 1) Was helping my daughter organize her room and voila, we found her wallet under a binder on her desk. I was so happy that we found her wallet with her drivers license and library card! This made both of our days! 2) I loved finding the yellow violet among the purple wildflowers during my walk at the Norman Levy Preserve. I enjoyed taking a picture of this pretty flower. Being different makes you stand out and this can be beautiful. We should all be proud o...

Unexpected frog on a leaf at the flower show at Hick's I always get a kick out of seeing something unexpected. A small surprise brings small joys. I'm sharing thanks for the little surprises that brought me joy over the weekend. 1) Thanks for the flower show at Hick's. While I was walking around enjoying the show I overheard someone say,"Look there is a frog hidden in the leaf." I peaked in a tropical leaf plant and sure enough a small frog was camouflaging itself in the plant. Do you remember reading Highlights as a kid and looking for the hidden items in the picture! Seeing this frog was so cool. 2) Thanks for the beautiful sunny spring weather we are having on Long Island. I got outside and went for a walk at Norman Levy Preserve. Yesterday I was lucky to see a Blue Heron off the dock at the Park. The Blue Heron is such a majestic looking crane. It was low tide and it was fishing. 3) Thanks to Grace, my daughter Liz's new personal trainer. Liz got ...

Shamrock's from Hick's Nurseries on Long Island Wishing everyone a happy St. Patick's Day. I took this picture when I went to see the flower show at Hick's today. So many beautiful displays I enjoyed being among all the pretty flowers. I'll be sharing pictures from my visit all week. The flower show ends on Sunday so if you are looking for a fun free thing to do, go to Hick's and enjoy! Here are my thanks for yesterday and today! 1) Sharing thanks for lucky shamrock's. I bought one of these pretty plants for my husband to bring to my mother-in-law at rehab today in honor of St. Patrick's day. 2) Sharing thanks for getting together for a late dinner with good friends. I enjoyed having fun with the Gera's last night. When we are together crazy things happen and we all laughed ourselves silly after having dinner at Panera. 3) I am thankful to have a movie afternoon with my daughter Liz. We went to see, "21 Jump Street" with Jonah Hill ...

Tree Spring Blossoms, March 16, 2012 Spring's new blossoms inspired me to try something new. Actually my good friend Stella encouraged me to go to a dance class with her. It is invigorating to dive in and try to learn something totally different. We have been busy celebrating birthdays this week. So I want to wish Brian, Virginia, Chelsea and my Mom and Dad a Happy Birthday this week. Here are my thanks for yesterday. 1) Thanks to my friend Stella who invited me to go to a belly dancing class last night. We were the only two people in the class with our instructor at a Dance Studio in Commack. 2) Thanks to our belly dancing instructor who was patient in teaching us some moves. She made the class fun by giving us finger cymbals and some scarfs to dance around with. The music was hypnotic and joyful and I got lost twirling around with the scarf and clanging the finger cymbals. 3) Thanks for the joy of sharing this new experience with a good friend. We laughed and giggled so ...

Backyard Daffodil, March 14, 2012 It was a beautiful bright sunny day on Long Island yesterday. So many flowers blooming. So many reasons to be thankful. 1) Thanks for the beautiful daffodil that bloomed in my backyard. 2) Thanks for a nice afternoon at the dog run. Oreo had fun playing with two adorable chihuahuas Brooklyn and Hugo! The dog run was crowded, everyone was out enjoying the beautiful day. 3) Thanks to my husband, who brought in a daffodil from our garden to grace our table. I love the fragrance of daffodils. 4) Thanks to my friend Stella, she is always trying to plan something fun for us to do. I'm going to try a bellydancing class tonight. I invite you to share something that brought you joy!

Crocuses from the Music School's Garden, March 13, 2012 Seventy degrees feels wonderful! When I walk around the neighborhood, the daffodils are starting to bloom. Ahhhh, Spring, the season of rebirth and new beginnings. So many reasons to be thankful. 1) Thanks for the joy of seeing the daffodils in my yard starting to bloom today. I love daffodils, they remind me of my father-in-law who loved gardening. 2) Thanks to my music students. I always enjoy playing music with them and celebrating their improvements. Thanks to Ritchie who brought music he downloaded off the internet of tracks to his favorite video games. The music even had some third position, which helped him get more comfortable to hit the high notes on the violin. 3) Thanks to my good friends who called me yesterday to see how I was doing. My daughter was a victim of cyberbullying and is having a tough time getting over the hurt. Bullying in all its forms must be stopped. Another bully victim Katy is asking ever...

A Gift from Kavita, March, 2012 Thanks to everybody who is reading and following my blog. I hope this little blog helps you appreciate small joys and brings some positive energy in to your life. This practice of focusing on what is good in my life has helped me have a more positive perspective and has enabled me to look at each new day as a gift. It has also helped me find solutions to daily problems with a calm attitude. Here are my thanks for weekend events. 1) I am thankful for my friendship with Kavita. She gave me a very special present on Saturday, the beautiful plaque that says, "In all Things Give Thanks!" It made me feel wonderful! I am inspired to be known for Gratitude! 2) I am thankful to my sister-in-law Laurie. She planned a beautiful party at the rehab center so we could all celebrate Grandma's 85th birthday. The cornbeef and cabbage she made were delicious! It was wonderful to see everyone together. 3) I am thankful for the beautiful Spring weather...

Spring flowers, March 2012 My daughter Becky is home for Spring Break so we wanted to plan a family fun night in NYC before she goes back to college. We got home after midnight so my thanks are a little late. Spring seems close by. This weekend we will Spring forward. I will miss the extra hour of sleep and love the longer sunlight in the afternoon. 1) Thanks for being able to spend some quality family time together. We met my husband in the city and had a nice dinner together! 2) Thanks for the great seats we got for "Anything Goes." I got a special rate from TheaterMania.com and we had 3rd row Mezzanine seats. 3) Thanks to the amazing performances by the cast of the show. Sutton Foster was fantastic. A soaring voice, wonderful wit, she is truly a remarkable talent. It was fun seeing Joel Grey as Moonface. The tap dancing was phenomenal. 4) Thanks for letting us share this moment together. It was wonderful seeing my families beaming faces watching the show. A speci...

Is there anything better than an expressive dog by your side? Today was a top ten day! Spring made an early visit and the sun felt glorious! Today I am sharing thanks for great movie moments. I took many film classes in college and my daughter Becky is a film major at college. She has been home for Spring break this week. I love to go to the movies! Here are my thanks for today! 1) I am thankful to be able to go see, "The Artist" with my daughter Becky tonight. Every year I make an effort to see the Oscar best picture nominees. This best picture winner did not disappoint. The acting and the camera work was amazing. 2) I am thankful that Becky and I had a great film discussion after the movie. She has seen many of the same film classics that I learned about when I was in college. We discussed how some scenes in "The Artist" reminded us of some breakfast scene shots of Citizen Kane. The plot of the movie was similar to "A Star is Born." 3) I am thank...

Sunset from a car ride, March 6, 2012 I am a mom to two teens and I spend a lot of time driving. Just call me the mom taxi. I recommend volunteering to shuttle teens to their destinations because it gives you some quality time to have some good conversation. When you drive them with their friends they relax, forget you are driving and you learn more about what is going on in their lives. Here are my thanks for today. 1) I am thankful to be able to give my daughter Becky and her friends a ride to the teen coffee hangout, "Witches Brew." Becky goes to school far away so I miss seeing her when she is away and I also miss seeing her close high school friends. It was nice to be able to see and hear about their college adventures. 2) I am thankful for my minivan. I love the way the suns rays warm me up during a nice day when I am driving. 3) I am thankful for my seatwarmers in the car. The seatwarmers work before the heat is ready in the car and they do a fantastic job in m...

Adirondack Window February, 2012 Love the view from this Adirondack window at my parents country house. One of my favorite things to do is watching the birds flutter back and forth to the bird feeder. They are so colorful and its nice to get such a close view of them. I love my mom's cute homey sentiment! It was a cool sunny day here, and I spent most of the day at home. Here are my thanks for today. 1) I am thankful for the delicious banana I ate today. I have been trying to eat a little healthier! I need to eat more fruits and vegetables. So I am happy that I made a good snack choice today. 2) I am thankful to enjoy dinner with both of my daughters! It is so nice to have Becky home from college. There is something magical about taking the time to have a nice dinner together. 3) Thanks to my good friends Stella and Liz. Enjoyed catching up with both of them on the phone today. They always make me laugh. We can really count on each other! 4) I am thankful for having my fa...

Times Square, March 2012 I love the energy of NYC. I have been lucky to be able to spend the past few weekends to go into NYC and enjoy being in the city! I used to live in an apartment behind the Palace theater in my 20s. Very few reputable people can say that Times Square is their old neighborhood. I was working in advertising and going to graduate school when I lived there. Here are my thanks for the weekend 1) Thanks to Liz and Kavita who came into NYC with me. We got half-price tickets to an off-broadway play Newsical. The show was really funny and had some wonderful comedic actors in it. I had a synchronicity happen on Saturday night. During intermission of the show I got a text from my brother Tom who lives in NJ of a picture of my old apartment on 47th St. Turned out Tom and his wife Ginny were in the city also at the Palace theater seeing, "Priscilla Queen of the Desert." Tom and Ginny met us afterward and treated us to a late dinner! Thanks Tom and Ginny for gen...

Spring faux flowers at Michael's Looking at these flowers cheered me up on this gray rainy day today. Happy birthday to Dr. Seuss today. I loved reading his books to my daughters when they were young and learning how to read. My personal favorite is "Go, Dog, Go." You may have guessed this from all the pictures I post on my blog of my dog Oreo! Here are my thanks today! 1) Thanks to my daughter's hard working and kind guidance counselor Mr. Palmer. He met with us today to figure out Liz's schedule for her senior year and offered advice on how to start the college planning process. 2) Thanks to my good friend Stella who has been checking in with me all week. She is such a caring fun friend and I always enjoy hearing from her. 3) Thanks to Sejal and Monesha! It was so much fun hanging out at the mall and Panera tonight. We always have lots of laughs when we get together. 4) Thanks to my good friend Liz. We had a nice heart to heart talk over the phone toda...

Liz's new haircut with side bangs. March 1, 2012 It's a brand new month, a great time to make a small change. Sometimes doing something different and new can lift your spirits. I'm dedicating my thanks for small positive changes. I invite you to share a small change you made that you are thankful for in the comments. 1) I am thankful my daughter Liz enjoyed getting a new hair style today. Seeing her smiling face with her new hairdo made my day brighter. Thanks to the hairstylist Jim at J. Thomas Salon in Levittown. He gave her a great haircut! 2) I am thankful for my new rule of turning off our Wifi at 11:00pm. It is great for everyone in our household to get a good night's sleep. The internet is great and we need to manage the time we spend on it wisely. We all need to get out there and enjoy real life: nature, getting together with friends, and having face to face conversations. 3) I am thankful for my new 600 count sheets and luxury comforter. I've reall...