JUNE 2011

If you're here, remember that it is JULY now. Go to July 2011...

Today I am grateful for:
~ starting my day with a long yoga practice
~ taking Lula on a long walk
~ riding my bike to the top of Rocky Butte and getting to enjoy a stellar view of Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens
~ wonderful conversation with dear friend
~ amazing lesson yesterday
~ glorious sunshine at last
~ more blessings than I could ever list
namaste,
sherrie

Tonight, my gratitudes include, but are by no means limited to:

-A Maha post!!!!
-Tomorrow being Friday, plus the Friday before a holiday, and they normally close up shop early
-Spending half of my holiday weekend meeting up with one of my dearest friends, we're meeting halfway in Oklahoma City to spend 24 hours together!!!!
-The gorgeous rainbow chard that came in our CSA delivery this week
-On this last day of June, realizing my June has been really great as far as logging, eating well and exercising!!
-Setting intentions to top ALL of that in July, while I have TWO incentive programs going at work, one related to eating fruits and veggies; the other for exercise
-Indoor, air-conditioned exercise options as temps near 100 again!!!

Make it an excellent evening. Goodnight all ...

Stephanie

Today I am grateful for:
~ starting my day with yoga followed by cardio- walk and long bike ride
~ Lula's playful and sweet nature
~ Kale
~ My home
~ My body
~ more blessings than I could ever list
namaste,
sherrie

OMG, I WANNA GO TO MACCHU PICCHU!!!

Macho Picchu would be good, too! ;-) For bravery!!!

SO thankful to hear about your adventure and your bromeliad, Maha!!!!

Love all that has been created by God, both the whole and every grain of sand. Love every leaf and every ray of light. Love the beasts and the birds, love the plants, love every separate fragment. If you love each separate fragment, you will understand the mystery of the whole resting in God.
-- Fyodor Dostoevsky

Greetings all my dear friends! Taking a moment during a trip to Otavalo to spend with you and revel in the joy of reading your thanks giving and offer some of my own==

= a beautiful, big, bold red bromlliad greeted me this morning first thing as I looked down into the front yard from the balcony and my 2nd floor bedroom, German was also blown away by its beauty when he went out into the yard this morning

= the amazing vegetarian meals both Adelaida and German prepare

= the surprise of Sandra "finding me" today and the joy of chatting with her via Gmail

= options, so many options

= a short-but-sweet phone coversation with dear Maui friend Diana last night

= the good news that Kathy (our fearless leader here in the TGC) is headed to Peru, intrepid travelers that she and her hubby have become!!! I "assume" that Macho Pichu is in their itinerary???

Blessed be!
xox
Maha

nice breeze
meds for my old dog
happy humming boy
anticipated afternoon nap
veggies on my counter waiting to be eaten
fruit jellies I found in town yesterday in my 10 minute shopping spree

Well, the prodigal has returned to say:

I AM THANKFUL!

I AM SO!!!

Especially for all y'all who keep this practice... often in the middle of a whirlwind of whack-a-mole existence that is my office life, I will think of yinz here and vow to come and balance my brain and gather my thoughts and find my center... and then 4 more people come at me asking for the answers they know I will give them... (my title at work is VP in Charge of Blame... I will gladly make a decision because not making one is what all the other people do!! LOL) and I don't get over here again...

but knowing you are here finding YOUR center helps me a LOT.

A LOT LOT LOT...

And I want you to know how much YOUR being here IS MY THANKFUL!!!

I'm happy to report since my last appearance here I have NOT twisted my boss's head off despite his needing it more than EVAR... so HE can be thankful for that.,..

I am thankful for a cool day... two of them in a row, actually... barely any humidity... so pleasantly warm and sunny it breaks your heart...

I am thankful for cherries and watermelon and even strawberries still... I am SO thankful for summer and the fruit the Earth gives us this time of year...

I am thankful for wonderful people who labor long and hard at a very. odd. job. who work every day to help me get whatever goofy thing it is I do.. done...

I am thankful for the gift of wandering around this marble in space and the chance to get it right. one. more, time.

THANK YOU!

A few Thursday gratitudes ....

* home from two weeks of travel
* reading everyone's June posts
* friends came over for dinner last night
* stuffed peppers
* off to the gym this morning
* ticking things off my "to do" list
* making plans for the next trip
* as always, a life worth living, possibilities & freedom to choose.

Shine,
Sandra

Today i'm grateful for...

All that's right in my life and here.
The good health my family and I enjoy.
The gift of a new day.
My gratitude practice.
A healthy appetite.
Choices.
The willingness to plan and monitor what I eat.
The willingness to make small changes.
Patience.
Loving and feeling loved..
So many blessings.

grateful
~to be learning
~for continuing resolve in one area
~there's hope for another
~for more smiles than tears
~for mobility

peace
ann

Today I am grateful for:
~ my wonderful daughter who turned 23 today
~ a very good birthday conversation with my daughter
~ a nice walk & talk with friend this morning
~ making a healthier than normal choice when we went to the bakery
~ seeing two students I haven't seen in a long time today
~ more blessings than I could ever list
namaste,
sherrie

Kali - Absolutely celebrating summer AND warm, comfy beds are "a few of my favorite things." :-)

Tonight, my gratitudes include all of this, yet so much more:

-very solid workouts this week
-my wonderful doctor
-CSA delivery today with yummy produce
-organic fresh spinach noodles that I tried and WILL order again
-internet at home tonight, it's been very dodgy (as my Aussie friends would say)
-neck pain getting better each day, so I think it's nothing serious
-freshly mowed lawn

Goodnight all ...

Stephanie

Aren't warm, comfy beds ?

Today I am thankful for:
1. Gradual weather changes -
80 degrees, yesterday; 90 degrees today and 100 degrees tomorrow
2. Waking before the alarm and making it to training by 6:00
3. Completion of 15-3 minute run/1 minute walk intervals in preparation for my first 10K
4. Completion of family business
5. Sharing that happiness can be increased through practice and is contagious

Tonight, my gratitudes include:

-The meal I made us tonight
-A wonderful salad with tomatoes, kohlrabi, carrots and red leaf lettuce
-Good health care
-Being able to get something taken care of today that would have turned into a much bigger ordeal if I had waited
-My warm, cozy and comfy bed, where I'm headed now ...

Goodnight all ...

Stephanie

Today I'm grateful for...

The good health my family and I enjoy.
All that's right in my life and here.
An early morning walk far behind me.
A healthy appetite.
Choices.
The willingness to plan and monitor what I eat.
My gratitude practice.
The gift of a new day.
Smiles, thank you Ann.
So many blessings.

Today I am grateful for:
~ Rain naturally taking care of our landscape - saving me time and money
~ Realizing that I am NOT sore from my bike rides on Sunday and Monday when in the past, the same rides would have led to pain the next day
~ Knowing I can up my exertion level on my bike rides without being worried about having to pay too big of a price
~ Keeping better track of my nutrition
~ Exercising better control
~ more blessings than I could ever list
namaste,
sherrie

grateful
~for the promise of rain
~to see progress in letting go of "stuff"
~for scans that look for cancer
~M is recovering amazingly well
~life is different now

peace
ann

SLASALLE - isn't it grand to celebrate summer in your backyard?

Today I am grateful for:
1. Another absolutely fabulous summer morning –
cool, clear and no wind
2. The ability to – knee is strengthening – not deteriorating
3. Breakfast, lunch and dinner ready to go
4. Colleagues’’ parents having a good night as they take things day by day
5. A of coffee and time to Spark

Today, my gratitudes include:

-Rains this morning giving way to perfect "weeding" conditions tonight ... I took full advantage by the water gardens, which really needed it (and still do more)
-Our incredible back yard!!!
-AT's back!!! Whooo Hoooo ... we want pictures!!! (been kind of scarce around here with both you and Maha gone!!!) :-)
-A perfect day on eating and logging, with lots of veggies and fruits
-My amazing access to local and organic foods
-Making fresh snap beans, now shelling English peas (not local)
-The beautiful evening on our deck in the back yard

Goodnight all ...

Stephanie

grateful
~tomorrow's another day
~to know how to eat well (doing it is another thing)
~to have walked a bit today
~the coast is near enough to visit
~for cool, moist air and sunshine

peace
ann

life
laundry
love

and the fact that I'm home after a long weekend retreat.

Wonderful blessings DOKEYOKEY

I am grateful for:
1. An 18 mile bike ride with friends and my DH (even though he is a tad sore this morning)
2. Finishing laundry yesterday (after the bike ride)
3. My zero-balance massage @ noon – have had to miss the last couple and looking forward to rebalancing…
4. Living on high ground – another 3” of hard rain last night
5. Awareness of my body – sore knee on a day when I have a massage (no bike) and off day from 10K training (no running) – universe protecting and instructing me

Health
Sunshine
Titi
Music
Dance
Garden
Settlement
Electricity
Running water

Today I am grateful for:
~ stunningly gorgeous weather
~ Sunday parkways - A biking event held in Portland in various neighborhoods throughout the summer - going to one in a bit
~ recording my breakfast
~ yoga session this morning
~ enjoying vocalizing
~ more blessings than I could ever list
namaste,
sherrie

grateful
~for Mazzy's contagious smile
~for another solid sleep, 4 in a row is amazing
~for time to see great friends today
~for sweet peas and dahlias
~for summer's heady fragrance

peace
ann

Today I'm grateful for...

The good health my family and I enjoy.
All that's right in my life and here.
A beautiful sunny day.
The gift of a new day.
Choices.
A healthy appetite.
A lazy day.
The willingness to plan ahead and monitor what I eat.
So many blessings.

grateful
~for safe and happy travels
~for surprising moments of growth
~for shared garden abundance
~to see loveliness
~to be feeling the ease balance brings

peace
ann

Here is it, almost the end of the month and this is my first post for June! So many things to be thankful...starting with just a few
* For my husband FINALLY being willing to travel
* For the amazing, life altering trip we just returned from
* For the inspiration provided from the courageous people who lived under the Soviet regime
* For the cathedrals and churches of Eastern Europe, whose walls contained the desperate prayers of the centuries
* For stumbling on a rehearsal, which actually ended up being our private concert, of Mozart's Requium...full orchestra and a choir of probably 150 people.
* For Russian shuba, Lithuanian cold beet soup and espresso
* For a reasonably quick recovery from jet lag.
* For a hot deal on a last minute trip. Next stop? River boat down the Amazon.

My gratitudes tonight include...

~ Precious, our 13 year old cat, is doing so much better after an emergency IV fluids & antibiotics yesterday
~ Shoo Fly Pie
~ A wonderful CSA filled with strawberries, kale, broccoli, onion, kohlrhabi, snow peas and yellow zucchini
~ The new grass growing in!

I want to make sure and come here today to share in gratitudes before leaving work. My home computer has been on the blink (again - insert big sigh), so I haven't made it for a few days.

Today, my gratitudes include all of this, yet so much more:

-An excellent showing on my part for the Corporate Challenge swim meet. I swam 5 events and am FINALLY seeing some REAL RESULTS in getting my wind back after 10 years of NOT smoking
-Sunday is my 10-year anniversary of quitting smoking!! I smoked for more than 20 years and quitting was the hardest thing I ever did and it took many attempts. Woo Hoo!!
-A weekend to try and get things caught up at home
-This stupendously wonderful weather we've been having this week and being able to enjoy the cooler temps and lower humidity
-Our water garden rebuild is nearly done
-Making plans for the upcoming visit of my 9-year-old nephew who lives in CA and will be spending almost a week with us this summer (it's a first and he's a GREAT kid)
-It feels so good to KNOW that I'm overcoming what smoking took away from me, and that as I'm getting older, I'm getting better and healthier

Make it an excellent evening!!

Stephanie

~have made it through this week of smoke in the neighborhood and still breathing!
~soo grateful for my few meds - I have needed them this week
~able to encourage a few people
~phone conversations with our kids
~dentist visit
~pistachios
~fun movie with kids visiting
~games
~my own little homemade pizza-on-a-whole-wheat-tortilla last evening
~lost another lb!
~blogged about My BIG Discovery
www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_jo
ur
nal.asp?id=TAZMOMSGOL

Today I am grateful for:
~ sunbreaks
~ dry weather
~ great voice lesson yesterday
~ friend calling to arrange date to reconnect
~ shaking off negative energy of unhappy encounter
~ more blessings than I could ever list
namaste,
sherrie

Morning all -

OWENSAUNT1 and I to work
I am grateful for:
1. Another day of fabulous weather (early morning thunderstorms after I arrived made for a glorious sky biking in)
2. A CSA box full of curly kale, lettuce, peppermint, carrots, scallions and turnips.
3. Recipes for using the bountiful harvest including Tabbouleh.
4. Being treated to a DQ coney dog, onion rings and mini blizzard after waiting for a dear friend to split our CSA box
5. Watching the sunset while savoring my DQ treat (fabulous night and morning skies - can't ask for more than that)

grateful
~for a quiet winding down of the day
~to have some silent alone time
~also for the chaos our 3yr old granddaughter brings
~to be so blessed
~bedtime is near

peace
ann

Today I am grateful for:
~ Paying attention to portion control
~ Controlling nighttime eating urges last night
~ Long walk with Lula this morning
~ Nice talk with friend
~ getting to be a student today (both piano and voice lessons today)
~ more blessings than I could ever list
namaste,
sherrie

Morning all -

I am grateful today for:
1. An ABSOLUTELY fabulous weather day - low in the 50s, high in the upper 70s, blue skies, NW winds 15-20 mph - fresh, clean and uplifting!
2. A great in
- didn't realize I was in 3rd gear until I tried to 'pump it up'
3. A 'Cooking Greens' class last night, attended @ the suggestion of a friend, including yummy samples - kale 'chips' are the best!
4. Sharing my new CROPS cookbook with colleagues (from Asparagus to Zucchini)
5. Pick up day for our CSA box - may even include potatoes

Today I'm grateful for...

The good health my family and I enjoy.
All that's right in my life and here.
The gift of a new day.
A healthy appetite.
Choices.
The willingness to make small changes.
The willingness to plan and monitor what I eat.
Focusing on what I CAN do.
An early morning walk behind me.
My gratitude practice.
So many blessings.

On this cool, wet Wednesday I am very blessed for:

~not having to water the garden or the flower pots
~DH is walking the dog we are taking care of
~healthy foods in the house
~slept through the night
~Maha's blog

Today I am grateful for:
~ all the healthy choices being made by many of you and me too!
~ dropping off a very happy daughter for 10 days at the Oregon Bach Festival
~ the opportunity to have lunch with my older daughter and her boyfriend
~ traffic cooperating and allowing me to make it back in time to teach
~ wonderful, talented, intelligent, enthusiastic and disciplined student
~ more blessings than I could ever list
namaste,
sherrie

grateful
~for a morning of self care
~for 3 year old fun this afternoon
~to be able to run, jump and play....carefully
~for this happy place in life
~for carefree moments

peace
ann

Morning all - your posts gladden my heart...

I am grateful for:
1. Continued cool, overcast and 'free facial' weather
2. Increasing strength and endurance -
13-3 minute segments followed by 13-1 minute segments
3. A marvelous stretch after 10K training
4. Finalizing plans to visit family in Georgia
5. Feeling 'above' the weather

Today I'm grateful for...

The good health my family and I enjoy.

All that's right in my life and here.

The gift of a new day.

Choices.

A healthy appetite.

An early morning walk behind me.

So many blessings.

Hey, hey!

New hair do
New eye brow job
Notes all ready for a retreat this weekend

Michele

Tonight, my gratitudes include:

-Having a great time at Corporate Challenge swim meet tonight
-Shaving 8 seconds off my individual medley since last time I did it
-Feeling and knowing that I'm in better shape now than I was 3 years ago, but also remembering how REALLY good I was as a kid many years ago
-My "wind" is starting to really feel much better (10 years after quitting smoking!!!)
-Swimming, what a great piece of exercise for the body

Goodnight all ...

Stephanie

Today I am grateful for:
~ having the time to read everyone's posts
~ posting two days in a row
~ making healthy choices for my lunch in spite of temptation
~ yoga class
~ beautiful weather on this first day of spring
~ more blessings than I could ever list
namaste,
sherrie

Afternoon all
Sorry I've missed the wonderful posts.

Grateful
1. I was able to catch up on them
2. I'm feeling better today (not quite 100%, but that will feel even better)
3. I didn't have to prepare lunch as we went out Friday, so it was waiting in the frig
4. I caught up on meeting minutes
5. I'm able to delay the completion of an important project that needs more time to be right

grateful
~for cool nights
~for fans and power
~to have lulls in the schedule
~for garden bounty and friends that share
~to have an abundance of contagious laughter in our home

peace
ann

I am especially grateful for all the remarks and comments made directed toward me by my SP friends here. They are supportive and encouraging - and they truly make a difference in helping me stay the course whenever I am struggling.

Today I'm grateful for...

The good health my family and I enjoy.

All that's right in my life and here.

The gift of a new day.

An early morning walking date with DH.

Releasing 2 lbs.

The patience to learn to use an IPad.

So many blessings.

Maha's safe arrival.

Tonight I am grateful for...

~ Feeling better today.
~ Seeing Tee last night and giving her the "GRATITUDES" bead bracelet that I found for her on our trip to SC.
~ The first grass just starting to grow.
~ New found place to eat for lunch with my Groupon:-)

Monday, Monday thanks for many blessings including:

~nice weekend
~reading your posts
~good rain
~family, friends and
~ALL of you

Have a fabulous week everyone!