30 Days of Thanks: Day 29

30 Days of Thanks

Day Twenty-nine: Something in Your Home

It may seem a little odd, but today I am thankful for blankets. I love a good blanket

or quilt. They provide warmth, and are great for snuggling.

I am the mom that tells my kids to make blanket tents out of the furniture.

When I was younger, my brothers, some family friends, and I made a 

virtual Tent City in our basement.

It was awesome! 

I swear we slept in there for a week.

Blankets are the best. ☺

Now that I’m a parent, not only do I help my kids make the most

epic blanket forts ever; I love to get wrapped up

with the girls in about 10 blankets/quilts, grab some

kettlecorn, and watch a Disney movie.

Blankets.

They keep me warm when it’s too warm for the fireplace.

They provide (kiddie) shelter.

They’re great for movie night.

30 Days of Thanks: Day 28

30 Days of Thanks

Day Twenty-eight: A Gift

I have been given so many wonderful gifts throughout my life,

but I’m afraid I’m going to have to be cheesy

and romantic for this one.

I am most thankful for the gift of the Hubbs’s heart

(and more materialistically, my engagement & wedding rings).

The Hubbs had said he never wanted to get married.

With the way marriages are today, I didn’t blame him.

But, I told him that for us to be in it forever, marriage was a definite for me.

Ring or nothing.

The man caved and proposed--ha ha!

In all honesty, though, around about our third anniversary the Hubbs told me

getting married was the best decision he’d ever made

& he would do it again in a heartbeat. ♥

30 Days of Thanks: Day 27

30 Days of Thanks

Day Twenty-seven: A Song

I know, you would think that “Jessie’s Girl” by Rick Springfield

would be the song that I’m most thankful for.

But, it’s not the only one that I love.

There’s:

God Bless the Broken Road by Rascall Flatts

Little Moments by Brad Paisley

You Are My Sunshine (whose mother didn’t sing that to them as a kid?)

Come Home Soon by SheDaisy

Home by Michael Bublé

Each one is associated with a very special memory.

30 Days of Thanks: Day 26

30 Days of Thanks

Day Twenty-six: A Charity

There are a lot of charities that are near and dear to my heart.

Here are some that have helped me and my family in the past:

Toys for Tots

The Salvation Army

The Red Cross

The USO

Operation Homefront

30 Days of Thanks: Days 21-25

We were lucky enough to have Large with us over the Thanksgiving break, so I fell tragically behind in my thanks. I have to add that I am thankful we were able to have our little family whole over the holiday. ☺

30 Days of Thanks

Day Twenty-one: A Disappointment or Fear

I think I have the same fears as any mother. I’m afraid that my children will not be well-rounded, educated, and well-mannered members of society. Jesse and I have seen some of the brats running around the schools and playgrounds, so we try as hard as we can (without being dictators) to bring our children back to the way we were raised.

You know, like back in the good ole days.

Day Twenty-two: A Book

I don’t think I could narrow it down to just one book! I love almost all of them--especially the serials that I read as a kid. I can’t wait to share them with my girls:

The Babysitters Club

Nancy Drew

The Boxcar Children

Sweet Valley High (when they get a little older)

Goosebumps

Fear Street

Anne of Green Gables

The Little House on the Prairie

And some of my favorite non-series:

Little Women

Where the Red Fern Grows

Charlotte’s Web

How to Eat Fried Worms

anything by Roald Dahl,

Beverly Cleary,

or Judy Blume

Day Twenty-three: A Feeling

I love the feeling of romantic anticipation.

Which is definitely different from sexual anticipation, mind you. I’m talking about butterflies and your heart skipping a beat.

I’m happy to say that after almost a decade together,

I still get those butterflies when I’m waiting for Jesse to come 

home to me.

Day Twenty-four: A Photograph

With my best friend being a photographer,

this is easy to answer. I actually have more than one favorite:

my favorite photo of daddy and his little princess

my favorite photo of the girls -- this totally shows their relationship

my absolute favorite picture of the Hubbs & me

Day Twenty-five: A Luxury

Anyone that knows me,
knows that I am, basically, in love with our wood-burning stove.

Shoot, it can be cold and windy with a windchill in the single digits,

but it’s a balmy 80°F in our house.

It costs more money to cool our house in the summer,

than it does to heat it in the winter.

(It’s a good thing the Hubbs is awesome with a chainsaw!)

30 Days of Thanks: Day Twenty

This one was especially difficult to do ...

30 Days of Thanks

Day Twenty: A Keepsake

My post precious possession is a tiny, gold baby ring.

In late summer of 2005, I had a miscarriage. I didn’t even know I was pregnant. Jesse and I had separated (this was before marriage). I had moved in with my mother. Things were basically a mess.

One morning, shortly after my mom had gone to work, I woke up experiencing the most excruciating cramping. I remember thinking at the time, that it felt a lot like labor.

(Later, I found out why.)

It hit me hard.

No one could get a hold of Jesse. Turned out, he had hit the road as soon as he got the first voicemail.

Before I was discharged from the hospital, a grief counselor visited me. Among all the information she gave me, was a card. In the card was the tiniest gold ring. I’m not sure if Jesse knows it, but I still have that ring. Every once in a while I visit it, and remember the child that I never got to know.

All babies are precious,
especially the ones we don't get to meet.

30 Days of Thanks: Day Nineteen

30 Days of Thanks

Day Nineteen: A Favorite Piece of Clothing

My favorite piece of clothing that I own is a ginormous, XXXXL (yes, that’s 4 Xs) Oakland Raiders hooded sweatshirt. Apparently, when I bought it I thought I was gangsta. Ha. Yeah, right. I am one of the biggest nerds, ever. Honestly, though, this  thing is the most comfortable piece of clothing. I can pull it over my knees and it doesn’t stretch (duh, it’s already huge). When we have bonfires, the thing is, basically, a blanket. The sleeves hang past my arms, and the shirt reaches almost to my knees. I feel tiny when I’m wearing it. The sweatshirt is absolutely ridiculous, but I love it.

The Hubbs and me --he's wearing the best sweatshirt ever!

30 Days of Thanks: Day Eighteen

30 Days of Thanks

Day Eighteen: A Saying/Quote/Scripture

Today, there are two quotes that I live by. Both are very relevant to my life every single day:

--The Golden Rule. It doesn't get more basic than that.

1Corinthians 13:4-7 --Those in serious relationships
know that you must live this everyday.

30 Days of Thanks: Day Seventeen

Thanks to the children and the hubbs all being on my laptop yesterday, I'm a day late ... again.

30 Days of Thanks

Day Seventeen: A Store

I know some people think the place is pure evil, but I’m so grateful for Wal-Mart. More specifically, Wal-Mart Supercenters. Any parent of small children can appreciate the convenience of being able to buy dog food, milk, a new bra, and a furnace filter all in the same store. Especially in the winter!

So, thank you, thank you Sam Walton for creating such a place.

Wal-Mart Supercenters -- Redneck shopping malls :)

--L Schueder

PS>>

It's a little known fact that Jesse saw my picture in the training room shortly after he transferred to the Wal-Mart in Storm Lake. If we hadn't met at Malarky's when we did, he said he would've hit on me at work. ♥

30 Days of Thanks: Day Sixteen

30 Days of Thanks

Day Sixteen: An Experience

So this entry started out as a joke, and is now becoming something else. Hehehe.

Today, I’m thankful for the start of my friendship with ML. We met over the internet via, not one, but two military support message boards. I honestly didn’t think much would come of it, since there is such a vast difference in our ages and our stages in life.

What started out as emails of support between a Marine wife and a Marine Girlfriend, became a random & crazy first phone call (she was lost in Wilmington, I was traveling the notoriously dead zone riddled back roads of Iowa). She and Vincent visited us shortly after we arrived at Camp Lejeune, and ML was the first person to spend the night in our “new” house -- we didn’t even have our furniture yet!

Together we’ve waited in line at book signings. Traveled from NC to SC, and back again, with a van full of kids and dogs. We braved Black Friday in Columbia -- twice. Eaten copious amounts of chocolate cookies. And attended so many Pure Romance parties that I’ve lost count.

Our relationship is, truly, one of a kind.

Husbands out of the Corps -- We're still Moto

We ♥ Nicholas Sparks

Much Love,

L Schueder

30 Days of Thanks: Day Fifteen

30 Days of Thanks

Day Fifteen: A Recipe

I’m giving thanks, not for one recipe, but for many. Today, I’m thankful for all the recipes that my mother has passed down to me. Namely all the authentic Lao/Thai food. And more specifically, her eggroll recipe. Even with the years of practice, I have to admit that my eggrolls are still only the second best in the world.

But I think this is one situation where being second-best will be good enough.

My mom, the amazing cook.

Much Love,

L Schueder

30 Days of Thanks: Day Fourteen

30 Days of Thanks

Day Fourteen: Something New

On this day, I’m thankful for the new additions to our family. As of late last month, I have a new sister in law and nephew. Not that they weren’t considered family before, but now it’s official!

Welcome to the Jungle, Monica and Angel!

The Happy Family last winter -- (BB: before Bubba)

My adorable nephews

Much Love,

L Schueder