Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday! How's your week been going? Mine's been good thanks! Today is Thankful Thursday. Have you thought about what you are thankful for today?

Today I am thankful for my creativity. I believe it is one of my better qualities and today I am happy I have it. Well...sometimes it's bad. I can't do horror movies because I can believe it could really happen a little too much to feel safe. LOL!

But, overall I am thankful I have a creative mind. I love photography and trying to find an unusual angle for an image or a fun place to take a photo. I was luck enough to photograph my friend's wedding reception this past Saturday {check it out here}. I also had the chance to photograph my college friend's family while they played mini-golf {check it out here}.

I also take photos of my adorable kitties - Higgy, Pooka, and Elizabeth. I'm addicted to photos of Ferris Wheel's {here and here}. I take pictures at baseball games {York Revolution & Philadelphia Phillies}. And don't get me started on vacation photos {Rome, Florence, Pisa/Venice, Paris, London, Atlantic City...}.

What are you thankful for today? Are you creative? Are you into photography? What hobby do you do that makes you happy?
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Thankful Thursday

This week might seem a little generic, but I am thankful for what I have. I have a house with three bedrooms, 1.5 baths, a living room, kitchen, dinning room, basement, attic, and 1.76 acres of land. I have a car {and so does hubby} that runs and I can get fixed when it doesn't. We have three cats {and two who have passed on that we were able to afford their medical treatment when necessary}.

I have a t.v. with cable. When my laptop got all wonky, I had the option of repairing or buying new. All of my rooms have furniture. We have a riding lawn mower to cut the yard. We have a snow blower to help snow blow our gravel driveway in winter.

We have just about finalized the plans to build a deck in our back yard. We have a table with chairs for it, a grill, chairs and a table for reading, etc., and a small bar area already.

We have a room in the house dedicated to workout equipment {weight bench, treadmill, NordicTrack, and elliptical}. I have boxes and boxes of Christmas stuff so I can decorate the house all pretty come the holidays.

I am lucky enough to feed my passion for photography with two DSLR cameras - a Rebel and a 7d. I have lenses for these cameras. I have extra memory cards. I have camera bags. I have a smartphone {though recent} and a Kindle.

So today, as I've been stressing myself out for a week about things I cannot control, I am thankful for the "things" in my life. I know that may sound selfish, but I know I am damn lucky to have what I do. I can stress over what I don't have {as we all do}. Or, I can take the time to remember I am extremely lucky. I have the disposable income to make my life comfortable even if I may wish for things I do not have.

What are you thankful for today?

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Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday again! This has been fun. I hope it is getting you thinking too!

This week I am very thankful for where I am in life. I am not where I would like to be professionally honestly, but I do have a job. Hubby doesn't like his either, but he has a good paying one. I am thankful that I can be picky at the moment about my employment, so I can work somewhere I like, rather than hating my job to pay the bills.

This past week (as you read about last night) I had to replace my laptop. While I did closely look at cost and wanted the best one I could for the least amount of money, I knew I could go out for a new one immediately. We have the finances to do that.

Since February we've been talking to contractors about building a deck in the backyard. We've lived in our house for 9.5 years and it was really something I had wanted when we originally looked at houses in 2004. I had to chose between land/price vs. a deck. The land/price house won out. But, this year we are investing in a deck. We will finance it, but we are in a place where we can.

I don't say this to be all "look how awesome I am that I can afford these things." I share this because I know as the hashtag says #firstworldproblems is really what I am thankful for. I am thankful that I am in a place in my life that I am fortunate enough to do them. I understand that I am lucky. Life could be so much worse than mine is.

And this is what I need to remember when I'm frustrated over not being able to do something or buy something. Because in reality, what I can't do or what I can't afford are all "extras." My basic needs are met. I so appreciate that this is my life.

What have you done recently that's really a #firstworldproblem?
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Thankful Thursday

It's Thankful Thursday again! What a great way to remember what is good in our lives!

Today I am thankful for my friends. I have some amazing ones and am ever so lucky to have them. I'm gonna cheat and include my hubby as my best friend. Yea...yea... I know, so cheesy, but it's true! He has always been a good friend, someone I can talk to, vent to, laugh with, joke with, ask questions, and just have a good time with. We have many things in common, though not everything (licorice and pickles are yummy! {not together}). I just know no matter what happens, I have someone who has my back.

I have some amazing friends (who aren't married to me) too! I have a few from college who think about me and make me feel special. It's not everyone who does that for you. I have friends who drive from New York, Maryland, and New Jersey for parties and just to visit. They send silly cards or small presents just because. They remember birthdays, Christmas, and are there to comfort when bad things happen. They really are fantastic people and am so glad that as the years go by we have not lost touch, that we still email/write/text/FB.

As much as we can all bemoan the drain social media puts on our lives, I've been very lucky in that it has let me reconnect with many people I had thought lost. I've caught up with friends from elementary and high school, from past jobs, and family who are far away. It's been amazing being able to get back in touch with people I had no idea how to touch base with, but wanted to know how they are doing. I lost touch with my fabulous cousin from across the pond and we got in touch last year through FB. It has been wonderful as we were pen pals in the 1980s and I was fortunate to attend her sister's wedding in 2000.

I am fortunate in my friends. I do not have millions of friends like some people. But, what I have realized is the ones I have are incredible. They are just the people I want in my life. They are a blessing and I am thankful they are there.

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Thankful Thursday

Today, I am starting a new weekday meme - Thankful Thursday. I know the cool thing right now is Throw Back Thursday, but I think this is more important. I hope that we can get Thankful Thursday to be just as big as #TBT, but in my opinion Thankful Thursday will do more for us as a people than #TBT.

My very first Thankful Thursday is to be thankful for my family. I am an only child, to parents who didn't want their children to out number them (at least that's what they always told me!). But, my mom is from a very large family - she is one of eight. My father was an only child as well and I only knew his mother. But, my mother's family? Well, that's a totally different story!

My family became my mom's family. My grandfather was one of seven, my grandmother has a half-brother in England with a family of two. All of my aunts and uncles are married, then there are the cousins...18 first cousins (19 grandchildren) and 10 great-grandchildren (and counting!). Then my uncle in England has two daughters, who have five children between them. And that big family my grandfather has? As many of us as possible would get together at least once a year at Christmas, so we got to know all those other great-aunts, great-uncles, cousins, and second cousins!

Then, I went to college and met my hubby - well, I didn't know I would marry him at the time! But, I did meet the boy I would marry. So, I now have an even larger family with in-laws as well. Of course, I prefer hubby to all of them. ;-) My husband and I have been together 18 years (4 years dating, 2 years engaged, 12 years married), so he's become a very close member of my family.

Today, on the very first Thankful Thursday on the Never Trade blog I am thankful for my family. They made me who I am today and for every member of my family I appreciate what they have done for me.

Who and/or what are you thankful for today?


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