Book Review: 365 Thank Yous By John Kralik

365 THANK YOUS
The Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed My Life

By: John Kralik

Published: December 28, 2010

Publisher: Hachette Books

Non-Fiction

I was perusing the Audible app looking for my next audiobook. I noticed this book as the Audible Daily Deal and decided it sounded good enough to give it a shot. In December 2007, Kralik was at the lowest point in his life. He was going through his second divorce. He had a limited relationship with his two adult children and was afraid of losing more time with his young daughter. His girlfriend had also just broken up with him. His law practice was failing and he wasn't sure he was going to be able to meet payroll let alone pay his own bills. He was afraid his ultimate dream of becoming a judge was something he would never achieve.  

After receiving a lovely thank you from his ex-girlfriend for a Christmas gift, Kralik wondered if happiness could be achieved by being grateful. He began to imagine himself writing thank you notes as a way to remember to be grateful for the people in his life and the kindnesses he had received. He devised an idea to write 365 thank-you notes. As he began to write notes for gifts received or simple acts of kindness from a barista, or from a fellow lawyer, or to his own family, he noticed a difference in his attitude and the attitude of the people that received his thank you note.

Kralik began to notice some unexpected results in areas including finances, friendships, family relationships, and his health. But, also, during this time the economy collapsed and banks failed. Even though not everything was going well for him, he believed he reacted differently because of his thank you project. His message that resounds throughout the whole book is that handwriting a thank you note is special and forces the writer to concentrate more on the task rather than sending an email. It doesn't take much more time to handwrite a note than it does to write an email. The card doesn't have to be fancy or large. A simple note card is perfect for getting a brief message of thanks and gratitude across to someone. Receiving a handwritten card in the mail has a much different effect on the person than opening an email does.

This book is a little dreary for the first several chapters. Kralik has a lot of negative events happening in his life and the reader is given a lot of detail related to the demise of his marriages and business dealings. It made the book a bit difficult to get into. I listened to this book on audio with Kralik as the narrator which made it personal, but he does have a rather monotone voice and during the early chapters, I found the voice and theme of the book extremely dreary and less interesting. As he began the thank you project, the pace picked up.

Really, this book shouldn't be such a shock to most of us. We know that it feels good to be appreciated and told that our efforts made a difference. Yet, it seems to be hard to express that to the people who offer us a kindness. The message of this book offers a reminder that sharing our appreciation for others and their relationship with us is worth us taking the time to write a note of thanks. As Kralik comes to the end of his project, after just fifteen months he is a completely new person and has many positive things to show for it.

John Kralik - source

John Kralik was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and attended the University of Michigan for college and law school. He practiced law for thirty years and was a partner in the law firms of Hughes Hubbard & Reed, Miller Tokuyama Kralik & Sur, and Kralik & Jacobs. In 2009, he was appointed a judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court. He lives in the Los Angeles area. His book 365 THANK YOUS is also titled as A SIMPLE ACT OF GRATITUDE. For more information, check out his website, HERE. 

To purchase a copy of 365 THANK YOUS, click the photo below:





This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to purchase this book through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com. 

Book Review: The Gratitude Diaries By Janice Kaplan

THE GRATITUDE DIARIES
How a Year Looking on the Bring Side Can Transform Your Life

By: Janice Kaplan

Published: August 18, 2015

Publisher: Dutton

Non-Fiction

Can choosing gratitude really change how you live your life? Janice Kaplan thinks so. Over the course of a year, Kaplan decided to change her thinking and rather than choosing negativity or looking for the problems in any situation, she chose to be grateful in ALL situations. By looking at her life and tackling her negative thinking, she chose gratitude in her marriage, with her children, and in her job. Her results not only changed her year, it changed her whole outlook on life.

It isn't that Kaplan was a "Negative Nelly", but she found herself focusing on the negatives in situations rather than finding the pleasures. She wanted to feel happier in her normal, everyday life without a huge event happening to make that change. She knew the year ahead would be full of good things and bad things, but she wanted to find a way to have a positive attitude through it all. When she decided to choose gratitude, she knew that it was more than just being happy, but a deeper, longer-lasting type of emotional involvement. You can't just be grateful, you have to feel it, and savor it. One way to do this is by keeping a gratitude journal. This is something I've done off and on over the years. But, keeping it daily was too overwhelming and I often failed at that daily commitment and would eventually put it aside. Kaplan stresses that a gratitude journal doesn't have to be kept daily, instead it can be something you do a couple days a week or even just once a week. It can be written down in a notebook or pretty journal or just be notes that you keep on your smart phone. The point is to regularly, write down, at least, one part of your day/week that you are grateful for. It can be something as simple as being grateful for the sunshine to a more specific occurrence of your husband bringing home dinner after a long day. The point is to acknowledge it. By doing that you are helping to change the way your brain reacts to situations you would have previously focused on the negatives. For example, rather than being stressed about your long day, the pile of dishes on the counter and the laundry that still needs to be done, instead focus on truly being grateful to your husband taking one task off your list by bringing supper home. Enjoy the moment of sitting down to eat with your family, and most importantly, expressing that gratitude to change your attitude.

Kaplan breaks down the book by how she addressed gratitude during her year-long experiment. She tackled different parts of her life each month starting with choosing gratitude in her marriage, then with her children, her friends, and eventually her career. As she tackled negativity in each piece of her life, she found that she was much more aware of negativity around her and that it became easier to be grateful. In fact, losing her job during this year of being grateful led her to realize this year of being grateful could become her next career, writing THE GRATITUDE DIARIES. Without that change of thinking, she may have only focused on the negatives of losing her job.

Overall, I found Kaplan's experiences to be inspiring. It isn't always easy to be grateful and to find the positive in all situations, but if you begin by looking at gratitude in just one piece of your life, eventually, the gratitude will flow out of your heart and change what comes out of your mouth.

Janice Kaplan - source

Janice Kaplan was the Editor-in-Chief of Parade Magazine, the most widely read publication in America. Widely known for her achievements as a writer, television producer, and magazine editor, she was deputy editor of TV Guide magazine and executive producer of the TV Guide Television Group, where she created and produced television specials that aired primetime on ABC, FOX, VH1 and other networks. After graduating Yale, she began her career as an on-air sports reporter for CBS Radio and went on to be a producer at ABC-TV’s Good Morning America, where she won awards for investigative reporting. 

A former columnist for Seventeen magazine, Kaplan was a contributing editor at Vogue and has written hundreds of articles for national magazines. She is the author and co-author of twelve books. For more on Kaplan, you can check out her website, HERE. 

If you would like to purchase a copy of THE GRATITUDE DIARIES, click the photo below:

A post from today, 7 years ago - Mondays Matter - Week 11

A post from today, 6 years ago - 58 Hours

A post from today, 5 years ago - My Sacrifice for Lent

A post from today, 4 years ago - Scenes from our Week - Week 23

A post from today, 1 year ago - Book Review: The Settling Earth By Rebecca Burns

Thanks to Bookreporter.com and the publisher for sending a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. I was not compensated in any way for this review. If you choose to purchase the book through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com. 

Review: Grace of Gratitude Journal By Deborah Purdue

 GRACE OF GRATITUDE JOURNAL

By: Deborah Purdue

Illustrated By: Tara Thelen

Published: October 1, 2012

Publisher: Applegate Valley Publishing




Several years ago I started keeping a Gratitude Journal, but like most new habits, it was easily pushed aside once life got busy.  I tried to write down 5-10 things I was grateful for every evening. The journal is still in my night stand drawer. But, late nights and early mornings have made it easy to put off writing down those blessings from the day.

Many people have reported that writing in a journal is healing and helps you recognize the blessings (big and small) in your life. Marking the simple gratitudes like a kind gesture from a stranger, a giggle from your child, a rainbow on your drive home, or a gorgeous sunset to end your day remind you to find the joy in life.  The big moments like your son's concert, getting an "A" on a test, good health, and a date night with your husband can help you see you are on the right track.  All those moments, big and small, can be forgotten in our busy lives. By writing them down you can focus and remember all those moments that make a life. Then when a bad day comes along, looking through your journal can help remind you that whatever it is that is going on really isn't so bad.

In Purdue's journal, she offers forty pages of space to write.  You can date it and as you can see below in the photo, there is plenty of space for writing.

Photo from the Grace of Gratitude Journal by Deborah Purdue

The opposite page either has a quote or a gorgeous water color painting.

Photo from the Grace of Gratitude Journal by Deborah Purdue

Photo from the Grace of Gratitude Journal by Deborah Purdue

Photo from the Grace of Gratitude Journal by Deborah Purdue

Depending on how many things you write, you could use a page for each day or even each week. I like that it is open ended. There aren't numbers that make you feel like you have to write a certain amount. I also like that it is spiral bound for opening and laying flat while writing or opening it completely to that specific page.

This journal is perfect for the beginner or someone who has been journaling for years. It is a beautiful addition to your journal library.

Deborah Purdue

Deborah Perdue has been a licensed practitioner for the Center for Spiritual Living in Medford, Oregon since 2006. She practices gratitude as an integral part of her spiritual path, and attributes it to being the primary key to transforming her own life. In 1994, she received two Bachelor Degrees (Cum Laude) from Sonora State University, in English (emphasis: creative writing) and Studio Art (emphasis: photography) Deborah Perdue is the owner of Illumination Graphics where she works full time as an accomplished graphic designer with over 20 years experience. Deborah specializes in designing spiritual book covers.

Tara Thelen is an American artist living near Amsterdam. The inspiration for her work is emotion in all its various forms. As an artist, Tara’s drive is to create art that elicits strong, positive emotions – art that leaves an impression and truly touches those who view it. She teaches art lessons to children and teens at Museum Kranenburgh in the beautiful village of Bergen, near the North Sea, where she lives with her husband Paul and their two teenage boys. Her artwork has been exhibited in galleries throughout the US, Europe, and the Pacific. For the past six years, Tara has been working closely with Deborah Perdue on various projects, mostly book covers, as well as CD cover designs, posters, and other promotional works. Her artwork in the Journal is integral to the beauty of it!

For more on the journal or on Deborah Purdue, check out the website, http://www.graceofgratitude.com/.

To purchase a copy of GRACE OF GRATITUDE JOURNAL, click the photo below:

Thanks to Pump Up Your Book for a copy of this journal for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. I was not compensated in any way for this review. If you choose to purchase a copy of this review through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com reviews. 

Giving Thanks

Today, 

as you fill your bellies, 

laugh with family, 

receive hugs and kisses, 

snuggle under a blanket, 

and catch some extra sleep 

give thanks for health, 

happiness, 

and unconditional love 

because that is really, truly all that we need. 

Happy Thanksgiving! 

I'm Grateful Today

I'm in a grateful mood today.  How about you?

It's a beautiful day in Eastern Iowa.

I was able to sleep in a bit this morning and enjoy laying in bed a little longer than normal.

But, mostly, I'm grateful that Bennett is on the mend.

 This is not a sight you want to see.

Bennett had been sick since Tuesday evening.

Fever, vomiting....constant vomiting. 

Yesterday, our Nurse Practioner wanted to see him. 

We were worried about dehydration and yes, a trip to the hospital was needed for fluids.

As he slept, 

fluids pumping into his body, 

I thought of the thousands of parents who deal with this on a daily basis. 

 Parents who watch their children being poked and checked over.  

Parents who watch chemo drip 

into their sweet child's little bodies in the hopes of making them better.  

Parents who are praying over them, 

hoping someday all these visits and needles will all be in the past. 

This I could handle 

because I knew it would make him better 

and we'd be on our way home in a matter of hours.  

I knew this was the best thing for him. 

Then, he woke up with a shock and was in extreme pain.  

Teenage-Boy-Crying kind of pain. 

Bennett is our tough kid and I knew he was in a lot of pain.  

Our NP was called and concerns were raised about appendicitis. 

After tests and an ultrasound, it ended up being Mesenteric Adenitis. 

Yep, it's a real thing. Click on the word.  

If you have children or teenagers, it might be nice to know about it 

in case this ever comes up for you.  

It mimics appendicitis.  But, thankfully, it isn't. 

We arrived home after five hours at the hospital.  

Everyone got a good night's sleep

 and hopefully each hour Bennett will be feeling better.  

I'm so thankful for the nurses in the Pediatric's Unit at Mercy Medical Center. 

I am extremely thankful to our NP Erin.  

Bennett received excellent care. 

I would highly recommend them to any one who has a sick child. 

Thanks to my friends and family who texted me to keep me company. 

Would you do this today?

While watching your child 

play or sing or eat or sleep, 

say a small prayer for all those parents 

who are watching their child sleep in a hospital bed, 

hooked up to machines

and ask for a healing touch, a guiding hand, and a gesture of love.  

If you know a parent in this exact situation, offer a hand.  

Give gas money, 

a pizza gift card, 

make a meal for the family, 

offer respite or to take their other children for a day. 

Offer a listening ear or sit with them at the hospital. 

Be a friend to a parent in need today. 

Be grateful for today.  

Grateful Hearts

Photo courtesy of CountryLiving.com
Prayer from LIFE:Beautiful Magazine Summer 2013

Dear Lord,

Bless this food to our bodies

and our bodies to Your service.

Give us grateful hearts

and make us mindful

of the needs of others

as we share Your Word.

Amen.

One Thousand of My Gifts

photo courtesy of Ann Voskamp www.aholyexperience.com

Continuing my count of one thousand gifts, numbering each one.

53. Tears of grief and so much love
54. Crisp, clean sheets
55. Heavy down comforter pulled up to my chin
56. Sparkling trees in the morning sun
57. My mom's chicken and dumplings
58. Mother/Daughter time...when I'm the daughter
59. Excellent food whose flavor and aroma just leave you speechless
60. A new broom
61. Vase of daffodils inside while the wind howls outside
62. Tulips from my husband
63. The smell of new carpet
64. Telling the story of Jesus' death and resurrection to those who haven't heard it before
65. Having our kids understand that Jesus died to save us
66. Watching Reagan take communion for the first time and knowing that she understands the meaning of it.
67. The giddy laughter an Easter egg hunt brings.

One Thousand of My Gifts

photo courtesy Ann Voskamp www.aholyexperience.com

Continuing my count of one thousand gifts, numbering each one.

48. A true day of rest
49. Healthy children
50. Gently falling snow
51. Electric Mattress Pad for a warm bed
52. Singing "Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling" in church, a favorite

One Thousand of My Gifts

photo courtesy of Ann Voskamp at www.aholyexperience.com

Continuing my count of one thousand gifts, numbering each one.

39. Supper with my parents and sister, catching up.

40. Reminder of Ash Wednesday and HIS ultimate sacrifice

41. Excitement bubbling over for our annual Valentine's Scavenger Hunt

42. Unexpected romance

43. Love note

44. Date night

45. Taking a great sunset photo and just the right moment

46. Screams and yelling while enjoying a hotel pool

47. A quiet hotel room to sleep off a cold

Romance

I have always been a romantic.  I love flowers and kisses and surprises and the whole gooshy works.  I believe in the fairy tale and being swept off my feet.  But, I also know the real life.  Cooking, cleaning, parenting, running to kids activities, jobs, bills, etc.  So, when a little romance can squeak into the reality of life I get completely giddy.  

I have always told Pat that I do not want flowers for Valentine's Day.  It is the most expensive time of year to buy flowers and for that amount of money you could buy something that lasts longer and I will appreciate more.  I'd rather have flowers other times of year and when I least expect them, like in the spring when you can buy a bouquet of tulips for $10 or a mixed bouquet for $4.99.  

This year, I have to brag a bit and say that Pat hit the romance nail on the head!  Thursday, while getting ready to sub, he brought me a latte that he made from the new milk frother he bought me.  While I was subbing at school, he made milk chocolate, white chocolate and dark chocolate covered strawberries, which we enjoyed with glasses of Moscato d'asti last night.  He got me flower......seeds, and wrote a sweet love note.  The love note itself would have been enough, but all these things together were amazing.  I was overwhelmed with emotion and absolutely blessed by the care and thought he put into my Valentine's Day.  

I try to make it special for our kids and him every year.  So, for Pat to take the time to make me feel special was truly such a blessing to me.  We had our annual Scavenger Hunt for the kids last night and I gave him some gifts as well.  The kids were excited to read the silly clues and hunt for their surprises ending with a surprise weekend getaway at a hotel.  It truly was a evening I will remember for a long time.

Every now and then, every girl needs a bit of romance!

One Thousand of My Gifts

photo courtesy of Ann Voskamp www.aholyexperience.com

Continuing my count of one thousand gifts, numbering each one.

33. Laughing with girlfriends til you cry
34. Surprised by Patrick's solo in show choir and his vocal talent
35. Reagan coming out of her shell and playing great basketball
36. Reagan's beaming smile after scoring basket
37. One-on-one girl time with Reagan
38. Sunshine after a rainy day

One Thousand of My Gifts

photo courtesy of Ann Voskamp at www.aholyexperience.com

Continuing my count of one thousand gifts, numbering each one.

26. Enjoying extra time at home with Pat and kids due to snow days
27. Hearing great things about our school and teachers
28. Compliments - received and given
29. Quick, easy and delicious supper
30. Laughing
31. Smiles on the faces of adorable toddlers
32. Rosy cheeks after playing outside

One Thousand of My Gifts

I have been following Ann Voskamp on Twitter and reading her blog for some time.  Last year I used her Page-A-Day calendar based on her book for my daily encouragement.  Her book, ONE THOUSAND GIFTS has been on my to-read list for at least a year.  (I know you are thinking, why haven't you read it yet???)   So, this year, I am determined to read ONE THOUSAND GIFTS and while I am reading it I will be keeping my own list of 1000 gifts.  I think this goes right along with my resolve to be happy, find the good in everything, and appreciate the small moments. I hope this will also inspire you to see God in the big and the small moments of life.

photo courtesy of www.aholyexperience.com by Ann Voskamp

I will try to post here on Sundays with an update to my list for each week.  Or you can always click on the link on the top right side of the blog labeled 1000 Gifts.

1000 GIFTS

1. Quiet house after the kids are back in school

2. Conversation with a 3 year old at Storytime.

3. Watching Reagan play with her baby doll and zhu zhu pets...long forgotten toys...and having a blast.

4. Pat renewing Sirius Radio for the van as a surprise to me.

5. Hearing songs and artists that I haven't heard in a long time like Jewel and "We Built This City" by Starship.

6. As I am lectoring in church about letting THE LIGHT come in at the start of our worship....the sun comes out and illuminates our church through the stained glass windows.
7. After nearly 8 months...finally having blinds on the windows again.
8. Homemade Cheeseburger Soup

So Thankful - Day 22 - Thanksgiving

November 22

Spending the day with family, remembering all our blessings, being thankful for the food before us and grateful for not having to cook or clean up after it has made this a wonderful Thanksgiving. I'm thankful for the many employees of Cracker Barrel who work very hard on Thanksgiving to provide such wonderful service and delicious food to those of us that choose to eat there. In the past four years of eating our Thanksgiving meal there, we have never once been disappointed. Plus, you get the added benefit of shopping in their store while you wait!

So Thankful - Days 19, 20, and 21

November 19
Today while out running errands I came across two new candies....m&m white chocolate peppermint and Dove Promises peppermint bark. Um..yeah. I haven't tried them yet, but I am pretty sure I'm going to love them. So, today I am thankful for candy/sweets. Sometimes they are just the thing you need to cheer you up.

November 20
Today I am thankful for my parents. They have been married 56 years and have been there for me through EVERYTHING! Now they are here for our kids as well. Tonight they drove nearly 2 hours each way, with the ride home through terrible fog, to watch our son perform at his middle school band and vocal concert. They will come back next week to watch our other son in his Christmas program. They have sat through countless ball games and programs for me and their numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren over the years.  They share unconditional love with many, many people and I am proud to be their daughter.

November 21
Today I am thankful for traditions. Four years ago we began a new Thanksgiving tradition of going away with my husband's sister and her family. We have traveled somewhere in the Midwest with the only condition being that there is a Cracker Barrel since they are open on Thanksgiving day and serve a superb meal. So today we left for this year's destination...St. Louis and I know the weekend will be filled with great food, laughter, shopping, and lots of memories.

So Thankful - Days 17 and 18

November 17

This morning as I leave my house early to watch our daughter play basketball and my husband leaves to coach our son's basketball team, I was reminded of something I saw on Wednesday afternoon.  As Bennett and I were shopping at Dick's Sporting Goods on Wednesday, a father and his 3 children were shopping there as well.  What stood out to me was that one of his children was obviously very sick.  I'm not talking about the cold/sniffle kind of sickness, I'm talking about cancer.  It was obvious this child had suffered much in his short years of life.  His hair was thinning and he had bruises and was very pale.  He tired very quickly and was frequently sitting on benches throughout the store as the rest of his family shopped.  I would guess this child was around 10 and as they left the store, he was completely exhausted and his dad, picked him up and carried him out to their car.  My eyes misted up as I watched this take place as I have no idea what it is like to have a sick child.  When our kids have the flu or bronchitis or pneumonia, my heart aches for them and I want to take their pain away.  I don't know how I would get through one of them being really sick...for a long time.  On Wednesday, I wanted to take that child's pain away.  As I was checking out, right after the family had left, the cashier asked if I wanted to donate to the child's cancer fund....of course I do.  So, today, as I watched our daughter play basketball, as I watch our children play outside with their friends, I am thankful for our family's health.




November 18

Today I am thankful for surprises.  My niece, Jena was on her way home for Thanksgiving Break.  Since she lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, I don't get to see her very often.  Even though, as she called, our family was getting ready to go to church, we stopped and changed our plans.  Those 3 hours with her were worth a change in our plans for the morning.  I am so proud of her and all she has accomplished.  She is in school to be a Physician's Assistant and will be living with us this next summer during her internship.  I have loved watching her grow up and any time I can spend with her is a treat.  Thanks Jena for surprising us with your visit today!

So Thankful - Days 14, 15, and 16

Spending my week working has really gotten me behind at home and my blogging has had to take a back seat.  So, here I am, playing catchup again.

November 14

Today I am thankful for one on one time with Bennett.  We finally found time to have our date for his birthday.  Even if it was 4 months late.  Bennett had been wanting to go shoe shopping at Dick's Sporting Goods for awhile so we went and spent time there....a lot of time.  Bennett is very particular and decisive with his shopping.  But, he finally found a pair of tennis shoes and a shirt that he wanted and purchased them with his own money.  After a few more errands, we had dinner at HuHot, a mongolian grill restaurant.  It was his first time eating there and we both enjoyed it.  Having that one on one time with your child is very special and I am glad we make that a priority in our family....even if it is 4 months after their birthday!

November 15

Today I am thankful for extra cuddle time.  Reagan wasn't feeling well at school today so we decided to skip both her dance class and her basketball practice in the evening and just rest.  We snuggled in together on the couch while I held a warm cloth over her painful ear.  Unfortunately, our busy schedules make snuggle time a rare occurrence these days, so today, I am grateful that we could take the evening at a slower pace.

November 16

Today I am thankful for coffee.  Spending my days subbing this week has been a little tough on my schedule.  I am not used to going off to work every morning like most people.  I honestly don't know how parents work all day and run their kids around at night.  When do you get anything done?????  Anyway, my coffee has been my buddy this week and has gotten me through my early mornings.  I love all the different flavored creamers out right now...pumpkin spice, white chocolate raspberry, egg nog, and peppermint mocha to name a few.  It makes my morning coffee even more enjoyable.

So Thankful - Days 10 -13

I've been out of town and have had a busy schedule, so today I am playing catch-up.

Nov. 10
Today I am thankful for my extended family. My mom and her sisters still gather for a Christmas celebration every year. The 5 sisters, their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren all come together to celebrate. It is one of my favorite weekends of the year and today our Jones Family Christmas was held. Such a wonderful time with family!

Nov. 11
Today I am thankful for the thousands of Veterans who have fought for our freedoms that we so easily assume will always be there. I'm especially grateful for my dad who served in the Korean War. Even though it may be considered the "Forgotten War" I know he hasn't forgotten his time there. He saw things no one should have to see and did things he never thought he would do and some, including myself, will never understand their courage. But, I am thankful to be an American and I appreciate their sacrifices as well as those of their families.

Nov 12
Today I am thankful for the technology of cell phones. My cell phone quit working properly and you suddenly realize how dependent you are on them. Thankfully, I was able to get a new phone and am "connected" again.

Nov 13
Today I am thankful for my employment. I am a part-time substitute teacher at the middle school/high school.  I work when it works for me and when I do work, the days are usually quite fun. No two days are the same that is for sure. The extra money is nice (especially to help pay for trips and new cell phones) and I get to get out and use my brain once in awhile!

So Thankful - Day 9

Read the best books first, otherwise you'll find you do not have time.
- Henry David Thoreau

I love books.  I love to read.  I take a book or my Kindle with me everywhere I go in case I have an opportunity to read for even just a few minutes.  I am thankful for all the talented authors that write these books to help me learn, to give me an escape, to make me laugh, and to make me cry.  Books make me happy!

So Thankful - Day 8

Today I am thankful for naps.  While I was out running errands today I started not feeling well.  So, I decided I better head home.  I got home and went right to bed.  After a nice nap, I was feeling good enough to get up and play taxi mom.  Hopefully the bug that was messing with my stomach left me while I was sleeping.  This mom has no time for the flu!