Thankful Thursday

Last week I decided I would see what I could say YES to this week and here is what we did:

• went to the park on a whim
• played Littlest Pet Shop Monopoly (again) & realized we own SIX varying monopoly games. We should all be good financial wizards lol!
• read lots and lots of books
• went ice skating
• played with teeny tiny little plastic animals

Those were just a few of the fun things we found to do in between school, homework and other stuff. It felt great to just stop and do something fun and in fact, I will be doing more impromptu fun stuff going forward..now I just need to remember to keep the batteries in my camera charged at all times so I can capture it on film, wink!

My cousin Haley posted in her blog a great poem about what happens to all your photographs and memories. Are they in a box under the bed, are they in shoe boxes in the back of the closet? Where are they and what did you do with them. Well, I had this major pang of guilt come over me because as much as I take the photos, gosh, what do I really do with them? Sure, I frame a few, I scrapbook (ha, ha, ha) a very few (I should do more of this as I have the supplies just no time, hmmp?). So what now? Then I looked around my house and realized that more are framed than not. I don't have expensive artwork hanging on my walls, I am not that kind of girl. I have maybe one or two purchased art pieces on our walls. What we DO have on our walls is years and years of memories. I have LOTS of things custom framed but it's not the usual stuff. I get framed the most brilliant and beautiful pieces of art that my kids bring home. I change out the photos as they age up. I even have a very college-esque 4'x3' Pottery Barn style bulletin board hanging in my formal dining room with mementos, photos, concert tickets, brochures, kids artwork and more on it. I even have neighbors who have started the same kinds of boards in their own homes because they too want to share but were "afraid" of doing something to horribly "tacky" on a wall of their home. (OH, I forgot to mention that this dorm room bulletin board style of decorating is on the direct opposite wall of those mighty fine bottles of wine and yummy looking wine glasses you see in the post below. So if you were wondering what my house might look like, well, that about describes it!)

Ya know what? This is our life, our home, our sanctuary. I don't care if people call it tacky or say that I have no decorating tastes because you know what? Everything hanging everywhere in my home reminds me of someone special and gives us great joy. Our children will hopefully remember how much they are loved because we always managed to work something of theirs into our decorating scheme. So, while this post has gotten long, I challenge each and every one of you to do the following:

• put up a large, prominent bulletin board somewhere in your home. Every time you go some where, get pictures of friends, a postcard from a loved one, small gifts from the kids or whatever is important to you.....and post it on the board until it is filled to the brim. You'll be surprised at how many people comment on it and are filled with joy by what you've shared.
• Get large frames that you can put a picture in the middle and there is still enough room around the edges to either write favorite kids quotes or add photos and mementos of them growing up. I am starting one for each of my kids and in the center I am placing a copy of their birth certificate, their arms bands from the hospital when they were born and their first feet prints as these are things that will never be changed for each of them. I am the going to add all the other stuff and hang these prominently in my family room. I already have the frames and will post pics when I am done later this weekend - so check back!
• Custom frame your children's/grandchildren's art work. It meant a lot to them when they made it, it will mean even more for them to see if framed and hung just like they see other's work in the art galleries!
• Be creative, I want to see and hear about what you have done.

So as I end this thankful Thursday, I am in love and thankful for all the "little" things in my life. The scratch marks on my dining room table from all the crafts and homework, the toothpaste still attached to the side of the bathroom sink, the very same sink that overflowed last night because Christian wanted to see what happened when you plugged it up and filled it full of water. I am thankful for children that are happy (most days) and are content with being just who they are without feeling like they need to please or be some other way. I am thankful for family that sends sweet notes and cards for no reason at all. I am thankful for just one more day to experience it all.....

Have a great afternoon!
XOXOXO,
Kimberly

p.s. I KNOW you, yes, that means you.....reads our blog all the time. Don't be afraid to post a comment or share about what you think, your own blog or whatever. Stop lurking and come out to play with us! For those of you that do comment, we thank you. It is always good to hear from you. But with 10-30 hits per day at times, I know more people are reading than commenting. Come on, give us the love!!