Days 36 & 37 - Bootcamp & Ballpit

To each his/her own for lots of things in life including how he/she likes to work out.

For example, I like to get my fitness fix by either running (aka jogging) or taking a class. To jumpstart my health and physique for the spring and summer, I am currently enrolled in a bootcamp. It meets 3 times a week, and it gives more than a gentle nudge to my not-so-in-shape tush. Wow, I don't always like it, but I do love it and am thankful for it.



William prefers to get his fitness fix in his ballpit...his upper arm strength is incredible. He can throw the balls out at ya with incredible speed and precision. We're headed for D-1 ballpit throwing, I just know it. He's thankful for the exercise, and I am thankful for the activity that makes him happy.

Days 31-35...Lots of Thankfulness

I know, I know, I know...I'm behind AGAIN. My excuse this time...a NASTY, NASTY, NASTY stomach bug hit not only me but also William over the weekend, and it wrecked our world. The father of the house was on a dude weekend, and the mother of the house (aka me) had a friend in from out of town...and then IT hit. IT was awful, and I do not wish IT on any soul living on this green earth. Poor Willie-Bob (aka William) got so sick and had no clue what was going on...just nasty, nasty, nasty.

Anyhoo, we will not reflect on the past...we will respect the future!

I've said it before, and I will say it again...I am thankful for family and friends. (Days 31 & 32) I am so thankful that the grandparents rallied and came to the rescue of William, and I am so thankful that my friend was a trooper and came to the rescue of me. Wowzers...and thank you.

Day 33 is dedicated to my thankfulness of modern medicine...no need for my tummy to ache and ache and ache when there is medicine to help. I am thankful for medicine.

Day 34 is dedicated to health; I am thankful that by yesterday both William and I were back in the land of the living. Being healthy is a beautiful thing, and we are thankful.

And day 35...just like that, we are back on track! William and I are thankful for spring. We went to the flower festival this morning with our good friends, Carrie and Claire, and look at the fancy pics we took. Enjoy and be thankful!

Days 28, 29 & 30

I'm doing yesterday, today and tomorrow b/c I have a thought process that goes together. I am thankful for sugar, spice and everything nice. I LOVE FOOD. I love it, love it, love it. Many of my most favoritest memories involve food. I am not a "sweets" girl, and I am not a "salty" girl. I am an "all accepting, all loving" kind of girl. I heart a good meal. There is this book, My Last Supper: 50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals / Portraits, Interviews, and Recipes, by Melanie Dunea, and it is really pretty and delicious to read. (Notice I used the word delicious.) All these famous chefs share what would be their last supper.

Anyhoo, if someone ever asks me what my last supper would be, here's my answer.

I would begin with a glass of champagne. I would also have a cool glass of water with my glass of champagne b/c sometimes I get thirsty when I have champagne. I would enjoy a cheese plate with a variety of cheeses and perhaps even some anti pasta treats as well. I would enjoy all of this in a casual setting - like a den or something.

Then I would move to a really nicely decorated table, and I would have some fresh greens with a light bodied red wine. It would be a nice cleansing after all that cheese. Then I would have served to me on the finest piece of china I own a fan-tab-u-lous meal of one of the following depending on my mood at the time: chicken spaghetti served with really good green beans, chicken tenders served with the really good green beans and homemade mac&cheese or a juicy, tender steak served with the really good green beans and really good mashed potatoes. With my main course, I would enjoy a glass of a splendid California cab.

I would cleanse my taste buds with some lemon sorbet, and then I would have a HUGE slice of white cake with white icing along with a very cold glass of champagne. After dinner I would enjoy a chocolate mint (aka a handful of m-m's) and some lovely conversation with family and friends.

I am getting hungry just thinking about it, and I am so thankful for good (good not always meaning fancy) food. :) Off to eat some lunch...

Days 24, 25, 26 & 27 - The Parental Units

Matthew and I both are so thankful for our parents, and William LOVES, LOVES, LOVES that he has so many loving grandparents. They might spoil him just a teeny tiny bit. Ha! A picture of each grandparent with his/her name is below. Thank you and lots of love to all of you!!

Gigi and her books...


Mia and her cool new wheels and a good looking sonic drink...


Grams and Pops with Uncle Hamp at their crib...


Grandad in action...


Nana in action giving me some luv...

Days 21, 22 & 23 - The Three B's

I am very thankful for my newly formed Book club, my Bible study group and Birthdays. I thought of the three B's day before yesterday, and I had to wait to post...to make it a clever entry.

Anyhoo, first B - my friend, Leanne, and I have started a book club to challenge ourselves to read a variety of books and to channel the inner literary critic in us (little joke). We met for the first time mid-tornado on Wednesday, and it was lovely. We read a children's classic to get the ball rolling, and we have a whole list of fancy and fun books to read over the coming months. I feel like a real intellect now that I am in a book club. Yahoo! Second B - My bible study meets every Thursday, and it is fantastic. We did a study on Esther last semester and are currently studying Isaiah. It is an amazing praise and worship time PLUS we learn. Yahoo to that! And finally, third B - birthdays rule. I went to a friend's birthday dinner last night, and it was hilarious. Girl time + good food + a little wine + a birthday celebration complete with cake = thankfulness indeed.

And a little picture happy for you on this Friday morning...William has discovered the stairs!!

Day 20 - Daddy Barnes

My grandfather, Daddy Barnes, turned 88 today, and his three daughters (my mom and her two sisters) plus me, my brother and William went to lunch to celebrate. Daddy Barnes is a widow to a true domestic goddess (Mama Ruby), a father of three daughters, a grandfather of six grandchildren (3 boys and 3 girls) and a great-grandfather of five great-grandchildren (3 girls and 2 boys). He is a retired pharmacist, an avid golfer and a true gentleman. I love and respect him, and I am very, very thankful for him. Happy birthday to you, Daddy Barnes!

Day 20 - Pedicures

Love pedicures and am actually very thankful for them! Don't even need to post a picture b/c we all know what a pedicure looks like, and I don't think anyone wants to look at my toes. Why am I thankful for them? B/c pedicures relax me - the whole experience is very zen for me, and I am thankful for little pockets of relaxation in life. We can all get pretty busy, and it's nice to find things that are relaxing.

And just for giggles, here's the family...

Day 19 - Running

I know, I know, I know...I'm late again, but I have a very good excuse AGAIN. I ran in the LR 1/2 marathon on Sunday, and I have been too sore to walk let alone type every since I finished the race (little woo-woo to me for finishing.)



Anyhoo, I am very thankful for running. I truly, madly, deeply love it. As I like to say to anyone who asks, I am not good, and I am not fast, but I am consistent. I am like the turtle in the race...slow and steady. I love the gear and the outfits, and I love being out on the streets just cruising along in my own little world. I am so thankful for my friend, Cassie, who got me back out there post-baby, and I am so thankful that LR has such an amazing and tough race - it rocks to have the experience right here in my own "backyard."

Cheers to running and to the LR 1/2 marathon!

Day 18 - Saturday Morning Walks

Been thankful for "the" Saturday morning walk a long time, and William and I had a great one this morning with a dear friend of mine and her son. I LOVE being up, I LOVE getting out and getting moving and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE having the much anticipated cup of coffee once I am done. (The coffee should be of no surprise to you; remember a few days ago? It made the thankfulness report before the walk did.)

Sometimes I'm thankful for walks alone b/c I can jam to my awesome tunes on my ipod, but I think my favorite walks are walks with friends. Gab, gab, gab, gab, gab - if only walkers could rule the world, it would be a better place.

Disclosure: The below picture is not from this morning's walk but from William's first walk ever in his whole life!!

Day 17 - The Sunshine

You know that slow and rather sultry song, "Stormy Weather" by someone or another back in the day? Anyhoo, it could be the theme song for the month of February in the Rock, but March's song just might be "Sunshine Day" by the Brady Bunch. Loving this sunshine, and aren't we just all so thankful for that first taste of Spring? It gives us hope, it gives an excuse to daydream and it reminds us that if we were not so opposed to tanning beds, it would be time to jump in one.

Thankful for the sunshine, and pez out...it's time to go enjoy it.

p.s. picture is very little...took it from facebook for a quick upload.

Day 16 - Iphone

Gonna keep it brief and a little light for day 16...I am thankful for my iphone. It rocks, and it is my newest technology toy.



I know we've all got to walk a fine line with technology and not let it run our lives, but the iphone is just too stinkin' fabulous to not give a little shout-out to it. I resisted it, I did not want to love it and I resisted it some more. But then she (her name is Pearl) came into my life, and she even has a really cute pink cover. I heart her, and you can laugh...but I am thankful for her and all the many doors she has opened for me. Cheers to Pearl!

Day 15 - William

This post was supposed to be my March 3 entry...once you get behind, it is so hard to catch up. Today's my catch up day.

Anyhoo, March 3's person of thankfulness is none other than WILLIAM TERRY MARKS.



William is one incredible little boy. It is so freakin' cheesy to say, but it is so true...over the past 11 months he has taught me more than I ever thought I could learn. He has tested me, and he has made me a better person. He's a dumpling doo, and he's my new little bestie. You know those dolls from the 80's called "my buddy" and "kid sister." I had a "kid sister" doll (of course), but now I have a real life breathing "my buddy." Wherever I go, he's gonna go. (Sing it like you know you want to...)

I could gush and gush, but I'm sure all 1 billion of my devoted followers don't want to hear how perfect William is...at least not for more than one paragraph. So instead, I will give you a short explanation of his name and a brief insight into his current hobbies.


WTM is named for his great-grandfather, William Hastings, and his grandfather, Terry Rasco. William was an Airforce man and was father to five children including Matthew's mom, Nancy. I think I have finally found a fantastic picture of William from his Airforce days, and once I have it scanned into my computer I will post. He definitely had that old-fashioned movie star quality about him. The picture really could be a movie poster...makes you think of WWII, heartbreak, ultimate victory and American pride...all in one black and white photo. Both Matthew and I thought William would be a strong name for a first born son, and while I never knew William Hastings he definitely had a character worth honoring with a namesake.

Terry is my father, and he will have his own day of thankfulness...but I love him dearly and also believe he has a character worth honoring. He is an architect here in LR, is a husband to Mary Lou, is a father to me and Hamp, stepfather to Elizabeth and Vance, father-in-law to Matthew and is a grandfather to a host of grandchildren including W. Terry (as he likes to call him.) He has a natural ear for music and can play any song on the piano after hearing it just once, and he is an entertainer. He loves to host people and create memories for family and friends.

I hope William grows up to be his own character worth imitating, and I hope that Matthew and I create a home where he can be who he is created to be.

And to wrap up, WTM's current interests include his ballpit (imagine showbiz but better), crawling, exploring anything he should not, eating everything in sight, reading stories (especially ones with Elmo), clapping his hands in celebration and shrieking like a dragon (Claire taught him this trick; it's hilarious.)





Countdown is on to his first birthday, and we are so thankful for him every single day. XXOO!!

Day 14 - Hamp and Easter Seals

Oopsie, I did not post last night, but I have a great excuse. It was the annual dinner for Easter Seals, and it was a late night for this sleep-lovin' gal. Anyhoo, yesterday's entry is now today's part one. My brother, Hamp, is seven years my senior, and he is a royal hoot. He is the biggest social butterfly I know, and beware if you ever give him your number...he will call! He loves to chit-chat, and he also loves to keep everyone informed about the happenings about town. He has a police scanner, and b/c of that delightful device nothing much gets past him. He is truly one of the most loyal and wonderful human beings I know...love him very much and am very thankful for him every day!


Also, very thankful for Easter Seals which is where he lives. You can read more about Easter Seals if you like....http://www.easterseals.com/site/PageServer. It is a wonderful place, and my entire family benefits from Easter Seals daily. Last night the annual dinner raised over $500,000 for the children and adults of Easter Seals. Yahoo and thankful indeed!!

"We have but one life to live. We get nothing out of that life except by putting something into it. To relieve suffering, to help the unfortunate, to do kind acts and deeds is, after all, the one sure way to secure happiness or to achieve real success. Your life and mine all shall be valued not by what we take...but by what we give." Edgar Allen, Founder of Easter Seals (1922)

Day 13 - Bella

Today is Bella's day. Sweet Bella Marie Marks was born on November 23, 2006, and we adopted her on January 28, 2007. She is the sweetest 5.2 lb cockapoo you will ever meet, and what she lacks in pounds she makes up for in spirit. Well, actually she's pretty much a lapdog, but it sounds better to make her out to be more spirited than she actually is.



Poor thing...she still woes the day that William entered our house, but I think slowly but surely she is getting used to the idea of him. And now that he eats table food...and maybe drops some of his food on the floor...I think she might even like him...just a little bit. Ha!




Anyhoo, I heart me some Bella, and I am also proud that she is a member of our family b/c it took some work on my part to convince the hubs that we needed her. Don't worry...no mountain high enough to separate me from her. Yahoo for Bella!