Day 8: Gratitude Project

Lush Bath Bombs and Melts. Lately soaking in Epsom salts is making my muscles feel sooo much better. Every night before bed a nice soak with a sprinkle of lush bubble bombs and melts supplies. The perfect way to relax after a long day of work.

{Image Credit:The Conscious Beauty Blog}

I personally love the glitter versions…nothing like sparkling skin when you step out of the bath! Though Lush is a Canadian company, I have seen there stores in the Netherlands, Germany, France, UK, Ireland and of course the U.S.A. If you have not checked them out, you definitely should. Emily Peck at The Conscious Beauty blog has a great article on Lush, be sure to check it out and let me know your favorite Lush product!

 

Day 6: Gratitude Project

Today I am thankful for this blog: http://thespunkycoconut.com. When I first began having problems with gluten, sugar and refined flours I thought my yummy food days might be over, but Kelly at Spunky Coconut opened a whole new world of cooking to me. Cakes, cookies, pies and breads and so healthy. I find that many gluten free recipes seem to substitute refined wheat flour with refined rice flour…which in my mind is not much better. This is not so on the spunky coconut site! My recipe made today? Butternut squash pudding with sweet potato as a substitute ingredient…so yummy!

My favorite recipes:

Clementine Cupcakes with Frosting

 

Gluten-Free Marble Cake 

 

Vanilla Bean Cake Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free

 

Frozen Sunbutter Fudge

Can you tell that I am girl who likes her sweets? Do any of you have great sites with recommendations for the food allergy conscious? I would love to see them!

 

Day 4: Gratitude Project

Today I am thankful for the men in my life. I grew up with a daddy who was and still is the handiest man I know. I can remember growing up and feeling bad for other kids whose dad was not a handy superman. I was never worried about my old cars in college, broken washer machines, lawn mowers, dry wall patching you name it dad is always willing to try to fix it…even if sometimes a few choice words are said!

 

As our lazy Sunday passed today, I called my dad to sing him happy birthday and let him know how much I love him. I looked over at Mr. C. while singing to see him working on our new kitchen cabinets and could only think how blessed I am to have two such handy men who love me.

Day 3: Gratitude Project

Today I am thankful for meeting new friends. Moving is always a little scary, but especially moving to another country. I love how each month we meet more people, and make more connections. It always makes me feel so happy to realize how many wonderful people are in the world…and I feel blessed to have learned this fact. Today new friends threw a lovely party…or possibly lovely with a dash of creepy?

If you cannot guess from my picture with Mr. C. we went as artists Frida Kahlo and Vhttp://www.vangoghgallery.com/incent Van Ghogh…which is another thing I am grateful for a husband who loves me enough to ride public transit with his bloody ear!

Our great hosts!

I have to admit that a large part of my costume was inspired by fab ladies at Fashionably Bombed and the floral headband tutorial at Oh Happy Day. The flowers were surprisingly easy to make and with a few changes and a little bit of leopard tissue paper I had an awesome headpiece.

 

Day 2: The Gratitude Project

Today I am thankful for having the courage, and a great spouse to go to my first KrankenHaus (German hospital) for a needed surgery appointment. Going to the doctor can be really scary if you don’t speak the same language!

I am also thankful that even though the look and feel of German hospitals is different than those in the U.S., the people are the same they want to help. A really awesome part of the day? The surgeon’s amazing mustache…think waxed handle bar with whiskers! I wanted to sneak a picture to share, but did not want to be rude!

Day 1: Gratitude Project

My mom. She makes me laugh, makes me feel secure and loved and is one of my best friends. Yesterday she faced her fears and had a complicated surgery performed. This was an awesome undertaking because earlier this spring a similar surgery was performed, and we almost lost her. Talking with her and laughing this year is a large part of why I decided to work on the Gratitude Project this month.

Image credit: Liv in the Moment Photography

Learning from her example, and remembering to treasure our family and loved ones while we are together. I am so thankful that she is here with me today, and that her surgery was successful. What a great way to begin my thanksgiving month.

 

The Gratitude Project

Do you feel as if life is flying by at such a speed that the only think you have time to do is respond reactively? That at the end of the night your only thought is how tired you are, how long the day was, your irritation at a co-worker, friend or family member…possibly even the person in traffic who blocked you?

I want to pause, stop, and reflect during this month of thanksgiving. Each night stop to capture one thing that I am grateful for, one thing that makes me happy to be alive, one adventure that brings me joy.

I almost missed seeing this beautiful site in Amsterdam because I was rushing, how many other things am I am missing every day?

I hope you will join me in your own reflections, because what is memory keeping if we only capture the special occasions?