The Adventures of Josh and Britt: November 2010

Santa Baby & Gratitude Challenge- Day 14

Costco had a family night on Saturday, it was so much fun!! Santa was there, they had cookie decorating and yummy samples from local restaurants. Jay had his 1st Santa experience and I was so proud of him! While waiting in line we saw a lot of screamers, I didn't know how Jay would react but he did great!!

Look at my sweet little Santa baby!!

He did such a good job. He avoided eye contact with Santa but hey, at least he wasn't scared to tears... :)

It's been two weeks since you started The Gratitude Challenge. Write about how The Challenge has changed your perspective thus far.

Well, it's actually been more than two weeks since I started The Gratitude Challenge but who's counting, right?! ;) The Gratitude Challenge is such a positive thing, it really forces you to look into your life and notices all the things (big or small) that you have to be thankful for. I don't know about you but I find it so easy to be caught up in the daily grind and so easily days turn into weeks and weeks into months. I want to stop and take time to appreciate ~~life~~ MY life!! I don't want to dwell on the negative on my life, I'd much rather live a positive life and appreciate what I DO have. I feel like The Gratitude Challenge has really helped me take notice of my many blessings and for that I am very thankful!!

Has The Gratitude Challenge helped you?!

Snow baby & Gratitude Challenge- Day 13

Today it snowed and Jay LOVED it! I really hope that tomorrow we'll wake up to a whiteout!!

Ok, now on to the next topic... it's time to admit that I dropped the ball. I'm kicking myself over it but I totally dropped the ball. I had the worst flu/migraine last week, I only made it into work one day, so The Gratitude Challenge fell to the bottom of the priority list. But here's the thing... I've loved doing The Gratitude Challenge. I don't want to throw in the towel. So I'm going to pick up where I left off and finish strong!! Feel free to play along (or not!)

Pick 3 friends or family members you see regularly. View their actions and gestures through a positive lens.

My brother-in-law Richie. Poor Richie got hurt this week at basketball practice and had to get 100 stitches on his knee :( Richie was hesitant to even say how he got hurt because he didn't want anyone to question the teammate that accidentally pushed him. Richie is always thinking of others and I really love that about him. I just hope he heals up quickly!!

Josh. I cannot say enough good things about Josh. My sweet husband spent his ONE day off last week removing and *trying* to install a new microwave in his grandparent's house. Josh is such a hard worker and is always putting people before himself, he always inspires me to be better and I ♥ that about him.

My momma. My mom is seriously amazing. She has been through the ringer with all of the stuff that has come up during this divorce and is always so positive, I look up to her so much. She never expected to be in the situation she is in... she had been a stay-at-home mom since I was born and has now been thrown back into the working world. She learned that her husband of 28 years had been cheating on her for 24+ years w/ multiple women and still is the most positive, uplifting woman I know and never wants to say anything negative about my dad. My sweet mom has the most amazing faith in God and I admire that about her so much. This Friday I went with my mom to the courthouse to finalize the divorce and was once again blown away by the dignity and grace that she handles every situation with.

Who are 3 positive people in your life?!

Gratitude Challenge- Day 12

Today, make the effort to live life with a positive outlook. Restrain from criticizing the people around you. Dare to see the glass half full. Listen more than you speak. Give freely of yourself. Practice kindness at every opportunity.

I am a huge believer in the power of positivity. If you go through life with a negative attitude and are constantly looking for things to complain about -- you will find them! Negative people attract other negative people and negative things, positive people and positive thoughts attract positive people, things, situations...etc. A huge life lesson that everyone can benefit from learning and accepting is that nobody is perfect and neither are you. I've found that people who are overly critical of others, are so often the most unhappy and are looking for justification for themselves.

...ok I'm getting off of my soap box now...

Can you tell that I'm very passionate about living positively?! ;)
I don't know if any of you have heard of the company Lululemon Athletica or not, but it's amazing!! They have the best activewear, tops, yoga pants, headbands... I could go on forever!! BUT, what I love even more than all of their awesome products is their manifesto.

Here, take a peek:

(click to enlarge)

i LOVE when you read something that inspires you to live life to the fullest.

I really love today's challenge and honestly it's a challenge that I try to give myself daily. I mean, who wants to live a grumpy, negative life, always looking for the worst in people and situations?! Life is so beautiful and so precious! Take every opportunity to enjoy your time on this earth and make the most of it. There is only one you so be the best you that you can be. Tell those you love that you love them. Say what you mean. And don't live your life with regrets!!

Gratitude Challenge- Day 11

Try and see the world through the eyes of a child. Think about the things you take for granted on a daily basis, and then express gratitude for everything down to the basic necessities that sustain your current life.

Seeing the world through the eyes of a child is like seeing everything for the first time. Everything is new and fresh and the world has endless possibilities.
I purposely stopped and made a conscious effort to recognize all of the things that I overlook on a daily basis that I have to be thankful for.
Here is what I came up with from start to finish:

-My phone/alarm clock

-Electricity to charge my phone, lights so I don't have to ready in the dark...

-my heater of a husband that I can cuddle up to on chilly nights

-the peace of mind I have knowing that Jay is in amazing hands when I leave him with Josh

-how fast the truck's defroster kicks in on the way to work

-seeing the cute little kids at the bus stop

-my daily conversations with the regulars @ the coffee shop

-the new tv @ the coffee shop; I love catching little bits of Good Morning America and I'm especially thankful for the closed captioning

-when Josh & Jay come to visit me @ the coffee shop & Jayden's face lights up when he sees me (and now he waves at me :)

-when I hold Jay for the 1st time after I get off work, he seems so happy and it erases all those late nights and dirty diapers from my mind

-the sweet face Jay makes while he sleeps

-how Jay wakes up stretching with a smile on his face

-checking twitter and facebook on my iPhone and seeing what everyone is up to

-when Josh calls me from work

-watching Jay master crawling, pulling himself up and walking along the edge of the couch while holding on (& how proud he is of himself)

-coffee

-how excited Jay gets when I get my coffee and how when I get distracted he finds the smallest amount of residue on the opening of the lid to taste and the look of pure accomplishment on his face

-the grocery store-- having yummy food so accessible is something I totally take for granted

-lunchtime w/ Jay, he always like to share. Jay tries to feed me his lunch and of course expects me to return the favor :)

-watching Jay's face after I give him the first bite of baby food... he gives me this look like, "what's on the menu today mom?!"

-dancing around the house with Jay and trying to clean while entertaining him

-when I read books to Jay and he gets all snuggled in

-naptime

-when Jay "sings" to the radio in the car with me (aka makes high pitched squeeks)

-when Brenton gets home from school and tells us about his day and takes time to hug & talk to Jay

-when going through the bills you find mail you actually want!

-getting a fun e-mail

-when Jay waves @ friendly strangers and they stop to talk, he has the sweetest look of accomplishment on his face

-Jay sitting in his highchair snacking while we cook

-seeing how excited Jay gets as each member of the family comes home and says hello to him

-when Josh comes home from work

-family dinner

-relaxing with people I love

-putting Jay to bed & getting time with Josh

-climbing into bed knowing that life isn't perfect but perfect to me

-sleeping every night *except when he goes on call* next to the sweetest, most amazing (and did I mention freaking hot & sexy) man

There are so many things that I daily take for granted but when I stop and look at & appreciate it, I see how truly blessed I am. It's really the little things, in my life at least, that make things worth while.

Gratitude Challenge- Day 10

Pick one of your five senses to focus on each day. Take note of how many gifts come to you via that single port of entry. Write about this experience.

On Tuesday I looked ahead and read the challenge for Day #10 and realized that the challenge wasn't just a one day thing, so over the last few days I've been ~~naughty and haven't blogged~~ taking time to appreciate my five senses.

Smell- Ok, I've got to admit... sometimes while changing Jay's diaper I'm not so thankful for my sense of smell. But, they're are so many experiences and memories in my life that come just flying back to me when I smell certain scents and I'm always so impressed by that. I'm grateful to be able to smell: coffee, candles, yummy food cooking, Josh's cologne, freshly cut grass, Jay's clean baby smell, BBQs in the summer, the smell after the rain, baking cookies... I could go on forever. While your sense of smell isn't the most important and vital sense to me, I feel that it really makes your experiences deeper.

Sight- I feel so blessed to be able to have my vision. I cannot imagine not being able to see. My sweet little brother, Brenton, is night blind and I would do anything to take that from him. My brother is one of the most amazing people I know, when he was younger he thought that everyone was like him and just couldn't see in the dark. One year when we were pretty little on Halloween he kept tripping and falling over and we kept telling him to pay attention to where he was going, he ended up falling in the ditch :( It was that night that we realized that he literally could not see a thing in the dark. Brenton never wants to seem like he has a problem or to have people feel sorry for him and he has been so blessed to have such amazing friends, whenever they go out in the dark they just put they're arms around him so they don't make a scene and lead him to where they need to go. I would take Brenton's night-blindness from him in a heartbeat if I could, but it also makes me thankful that he has his vision. Seeing what my sweet little brother has to go through makes me realize how precious or sense of sight is and not to take it for granted.

Sound- I don't know if you've ever played the game "would you rather" or not, it's a game where someone gives you two horrible scenarios and asks you which onulde you'd rather have... I hate "would you rather." Honestly, I don't want either bad thing to happen! "Would you rather be deaf or blind"-- I can never choose!! Without my sense of sound, I feel the world would be a deafeningly quiet place. Yesterday I went for a long walk with Jay sleeping away in the stroller and I realized how much I appreciate my sense of sound. I listened to the birds singing, I talked to Josh when he called to say he was coming home early, I listened to a hilarious conversation between two elementary aged kids walking home from school, heard a crazy driver and was able to get out of the senile woman's way... so many things that I normally would have taken for granted. I can't imagine life without my sense of sound and being able to hear and.

Touch- Touch is so important to me... and not in a creepy sort of way. I love the feeling of a new sweatshirt, clean sheets, a warm shower, a massage or sand in between my toes. Plus, I'm totally a hugger. I'm very thankful for the sense of touch.

Taste- Don't even get me started on taste. Sometimes I wish I didn't have the appreciation for my sense of taste that I do. If my sense of taste wasn't important I would eat bland no calorie food all day long and be completely happy ;) Taste is so important and there are so many different flavors and types of food to enjoy because of the sense of taste- yum!

What do you love about your senses?

Gratitude Challenge- Day 9

Enjoy the people around you. Take a moment to appreciate their unique talents, abilities and personalities.

Josh- Josh has such a heart for people and I love that about him, he is always thinking of others. Josh is also a natural athlete, he excels in sports and pretty much everything physical that he tries. I think that his personality and physical capabilities are exactly what it takes to be a Firefighter. ♥
I know I brag a lot about Josh, but I sometimes am just so taken back by how well we work together. Josh always knows just what I need whether it's a little push, a hug or a pep-talk... he's always there and I love how he knows me inside and out.

Claire- My sister is the most loyal person that you will ever meet and I admire that so much about her. You will never hear Claire talk badly about her friends or family and she is always looking for the best in everyone. Claire is also SUPER generous, she always goes above and beyond. On top of that, Clairey can really bust-a-move... once, at a school dance, she won a BOOTYLICIOUS dance off (she is going to kill me for sharing that!) I am so grateful to have her as my sister.

Brenton- My little brother is the most determined person I know. When Brenton sets his mind to something he WILL do it, I can remember when he was learning to walk he would fall over and be stumbling and he would push himself up and force himself to keep going. My brother has the sweetest disposition and outlook on the world and I adore how he can put a positive spin on almost anything, I always feel challenged to be more positive after talking with him. Brenton is constantly cracking everyone up, he is so freaking hilarious!! I am so thankful for him.

My mom- I can only hope that I can be the type of mom to my kids that my mom was to us. My mom made the world such a magical place for us as kids. She would do anything for us and I think that is such a powerful thing to know as a kid, that your mom has your back and is your biggest cheerleader/advocate. My mom loves to go all out and will use any excuse to decorate or celebrate... I love that she makes even the little thing special. Holidays and birthdays were always a huge celebration. I'm so thankful for all of the things I have learned from my mom and am even more thankful that she isn't just my mom, but also my friend.

Jay- Everyone that meets Jay is instantly his friend... he loves people (and now that he can wave he waves at anyone that will give him a 2nd look!) I love how easily Jay smiles and in-turn makes others smile. It's so fun to watch Jay's personality develop, he is the perfect addition to our family and God really knew that Jay was just what we ALL needed when he surprised us with our sweet boy.

The people "around me" are my family.

I am so thankful for the family that I have and the different talents, abilities and personalities that we all bring to the table.

Who are you thankful for?

Gratitude Challenge- Day 8

Send thank you notes to five people who deserve a little recognition.

The five people I chose to write to were:

Canela

Canela is my sister's best friend, she also works at the same coffee shop that I work at. Every other Friday Canela covers my shift so that I can go to MOPS.

Patsy

Patsy is my mother-in-law and she watched Jay this Friday and two Fridays ago so that Josh and I could go out for my brother and sister's birthday parties. Patsy also spotted some darling GAP kid's outfits last week for Jay and he's definitely styling right now.

Grandma Barb

Grandma Barb is Josh's grandma, a few days ago Josh's truck stopped working so she is letting him drive her car while his truck gets taken care of. Barb also got went on a little shopping spree for Josh and Jay and totally hooked them up with some awesome outfits.

MJ was my scarf swap buddy -- I love my scarf & I figure who doesn't like thank-you notes?!

and last but certainly not least...

Josh

Do I even need to explain myself?! What isn't there to be thankful for when it comes to Josh. I adore this man.

This challenge was really good for me because I stink at writing thank-you notes... almost as much as I stink at as yesterday's challenge, calling people. I think that by pointing out what I'm not very good at it's been encouraging me to improve on those things. I'm so much more comfortable in person than on paper or on the phone, there are so many things you can't see or pick up on when you aren't face to face. But, life isn't always about feeling comfortable and while certain things might not be natural or comfortable for me... they may mean the world for someone else. I think this Gratitude Challenge is just what I needed! :)

Can't wait to read about your thank you notes!

Gratitude Challenge- Day 6 & 7

Day #6 -Take a few minutes to call someone you haven't talked to in a while. Tell them how much you appreciated them.

So... I didn't call anyone today but I do need to have a phone date with my friend, Lindsey, in Iowa. One of my worst traits that I really need to work on is keeping in contact with long distance friends. I'm just not a phone person, I've never enjoyed talking on the phone... I'd much rather be in person. I have so many good friends from my college days in Iowa and it kills me that they live so far away!! I have a billion amazing and crazy memories with my Iowa girls and I wish they were closer. Ahh, now that all of my fun memories are rushing back to me I'm realizing that I am going to need to make quite a few calls... because I appreciate and miss them all so much.

Day #7 -Take a picture of one thing, person, place or specific moment that makes you feel grateful. Share it.

I love this picture for so many reasons, it really reminds me of how patient Josh is. This picture was taken after a very long night of teething during our trip to Montana this summer. Poor Jayden would not stop crying and screaming and we didn't want to wake everyone up so we went for a drive, the only time Jay wouldn't cry was while the car was moving. Poor Josh drove around for a couple hours while Jayden and I slept. Josh was never mad, just worried about Jay being in pain. This picture was taken after Josh woke up from his recovery nap and he was so quick to cuddle Jay up. I'm so thankful for such an amazing man to spend the rest of my life with. I am also so thankful that Jay will have such a loving and caring dad that will always be there for him.