Thankful...a bulleted list with SOME pictures.

It's been just over a year since we relocated from FL. Sigh. I have been thinking a lot about the last year and all the changes it has brought about in our lives. And of course, what I am thankful for. Some of these items are things we almost take for granted, so I really wanted to concentrate on them...and some, well they are just a little bit hokey. Cause I am all about keeping it real.

In no particular order, here is what I am thankful for...

• Healthy kids. With healthy appetites!! So healthy that my 13 yr old son is a half-inch shy of 6 ft. Remember in elementary school when that half a year mattered? As in, "I am 9 AND A HALF." That half-inch matters to me. As in, "You are not six feet tall. The height from your shoes doesn't count." I might be a little bit sad about my son growing up. Maybe.

• Fall. After 10 years in FL, I love the crispness of Fall. My children have never experienced fall before and I love hearing them breath in the crispness of fall and comment on the brilliant colors of the leaves. My 9 yr old is especially outdoorsy and experiencing the wonder and beauty though his eyes makes me positively giddy. =) The worst thing about fall is that while the weather stays cool and mild for a few months before the real cold sets in, the leaves are only at their peak for a week or so. Look Fast...

• In spite of the economy, my husband not only has a job, but actually got a pay raise this year. God is good.

• A tan. Yes, you read that right. LOL Okay, I really don't have one now, but this summer was marvelous. It is HOT in FL!! TOO hot to be outside in the summertime, in my opinion. So we spent our summers mostly indoors in the nice, cool air conditioned house. This last summer, we spent a lot of time at the pool. Because friends, it isn't too hot to be outside here in the summer time. Sure, we had some hot days, but overall, it was a very pleasant summer. We swam so much that the kids actually moaned by the end of summer (We're going swimming again?!) That meant that for the first time since I was a silly teen who bathed in Crisco and laid out on the roof, I actually had color that did not come from a spray can. Here's the proof.

Can you see that stripe on my back? Those are real tan lines. LOL

• A really big house with room for everyone and all their stuff. While it's not ours (we rent right now), we are enjoying the space immensely. All their messes means that they are enjoying the space as well...and that they need to be better trained. But that is a post for another time. =)

• My DVR. Because we will be driving to Grandma's house while the Macy's parade is on and it breaks my heart to miss it. The kids and I plan on watching it when we get home. It won't be the same as seeing it live, but I love it too much to miss it. Someday, I want to see it live and in person. The closest I have ever come is the little Macy's parade at Universal Studios. Which was such a big deal that I called my mom and my sisters on my cell phone to yell, "I am at the Macy's parade! They have the balloons and everything!" Only, it's not really cold in FL, so it was only quasi-real.

What are you thankful for this year? I hope everyone has a blessed and happy Thanksgiving. =)