Ten Things of Thankful

Santa's already come and perhaps more goodies have been eaten than should have found place on my frame, but I can't end the day without giving thanks for Lizzi who started this blog hop, and for my daughter who said, "Mom, you should try writing a blog." Once I made the decision to give it a try, I soon started joining with this blog hop, as well as others. 

Ten things to remember, to laugh about, to learn about, to cherish, you name it, I think it can be found in my post that I am linking to the Ten Things of Thankful blog hop.  I'm thankful for each one.  Here are a few that I remember from this past week.

# 1 - 2 High on the list is the great melting of ice and snow that kept some of us housebound, thanks to the fact this part of the state really isn't prepared with the equipment and budget to sand and deice the roads.  

I was finally able to mail the last couple of packages Monday afternoon.  Hopefully they were able to get delivered before Christmas, but I know the rest of the country has had their share of weather related challenges too.

# 3 Around the holidays, there is a lot of focus on food.  There are opportunities to contribute monetarily to organizations that provide food to those in need in other parts of the world, and there are chances all around to donate canned goods to local groups distributing food to those who need assistance.  I'm thankful for opportunities to share food for those in need.

# 4 - 6  This week I was given a little fruitcake that my neighbor made, and it is the best fruitcake I've ever eaten.  It was so good I asked her if she would share her recipe, and today I made several loaves. 

The recipe is one that was handed down from her husband's grandmother.  It calls for a lot of walnuts, so many  in fact, that stirring in the nuts required my husband's assistance.  It was fun working with him on this project.  I certainly couldn't have done it without him.  

It has been years since I have made a fruitcake, since it wasn't something that my family particularly liked, although I'd grown up eating a very dark fruitcake that my Mother made every Christmas.  Thankfuls here are having received a fruitcake this week, being able to get the recipe, and having my husband's help and muscle power to finish the project I'd started. 

There are eight cups of walnuts waiting to be stirred into this fruitcake  batter!

# 7 This week I have learned about several things.  

There is a free app called Scorekeeper that allows you to keep score of points you get in the games you play.  This is timely to know since families often play games at Christmas and New Years.  I now have it downloaded and ready to use the next time I have an opportunity to play Scrabble. 

There is a product called Good Hangups and is something that allows one to hang up drawings, posters, cards, etc. on any surface without having to using tape, or pins.  The refrigerator often isn't large enough to post all the drawings children make.  Some teens cover their walls with posters.  

This week I learned some interesting information about startle reflex, thanks for google searching.  It is fairly common for babies to demonstrate the startle reflex, but this can carry into adulthood and even those with Alzheimer's can exhibit this behavior.  

# 8 I'm thankful my alpaca has a baby.  See what Santa brought her.  You should have seen the smile on my face, and I'm still smiling.

Stuffed alpaca with alpaca Christmas ornament

# 9 We had some carolers visit us tonight.  One group of singers gave us some gingerbread men.  After they left, we discovered that one of the gingerbread men was ready to go into space! So cute! The bright light from the flash at the bottom of the photo almost makes it look like the rocket was getting ready for blast off.

Gingerbread man ready for blast off!

# 10 Potlucks A friend invited a few of her friends, including me, to a dinner potluck and to play some games one evening.  It was fun evening.  She had used her crafting/sewing skills and gave each us a cute candle holder made from webbing. 

Candle holder made from webbing

 

The Dessert Potluck Christmas party at the nursing home Friday was fun.  I got to push Mom in her wheelchair around the circle of numbers taped on the floor for a version of cakewalk.  She even won a Christmas present when her number was picked out of the bag! One of the ladies didn't have a family member there to push her in her wheelchair to play the game, so my husband volunteered to do that.  They both seemed to be having fun.

# 11 It's Christmas eve, so I'm throwing in an extra thankful for those who sacrificed their time and even their own welfare for my Mom this week.  Mom took had an assisted fall this morning, meaning that the aides did all they could to keep my Mom from falling directly on the floor.  Mom became startled, resistant, and began to fall toward an aide. The aide ended up on the floor and my Mom fell on top of her.  Mom came out unscathed, but I imagine the aide will be a little sore for a while. 

# 12 Last but not least, I am thankful for the birth of Jesus Christ, because His teachings, His life, and His willing sacrifice of His life for all mankind helps me to make sense of my life and answers some very basic questions for me.  

Merry Christmas to all