It’s been a week.

How’s that for a factual statement?

I missed the Ten Things of Thankful Hop last weekend as I was visiting my in-laws and hanging out at the Cabane à Sucre – or for those who don’t speak French: the Sugar Shack – and for those who are me: the Seventh Circle of Hell.

I’ve chalked up my Sugar Shack hate on aversion to a cultural/have to actually like maple syrup/helps to enjoy the country/also helps to be an extrovert kind of thing.

Given I’m not any of those things, I put on my game face and my big girl pants once a year, eat my thirty dollar pancakes and suck it up.

My husband loves it; my kids love it; and I love them.  Ergo:  Cabane à Sucre!

All that to say, we got back from Cabane à Sucre weekend mid-Sunday afternoon; I passed out on the couch and Ten Things of Thankful didn’t happen.

So I’m doubly committed to getting it out this week.

Here goes:

Number 10

I’m thankful for spring.  I’m thankful for this lovely spring craft gift of flowers from my eldest daughter.  I’m proud of how much better her colouring is getting as it speaks both to an increasing attention span and improving fine motor skills.  I made a big to do when she gave it to me and we now have them proudly displayed in our upstairs bathroom.  Because, really, flowers brighten any room!

Number 9

I’m thankful that I could help my brother and sister-in-law through the gift of a bunch of second-hand baby stuff for their soon coming addition to our family.  I had a bit of a life-stage moment as I watched all the baby gear get trucked out of our home.  But mostly?  I was happy for the space it left in our storage room and the fact that it will thankfully be used by another family.

Number 8

I was thankful for the chance to visit Originals Craft Show last week where I found a great gift for my sister-in-law’s baby shower today.  The bath mitt and towel are from Kehni.  I also smiled when I found The Boss Baby book a while back at Target to complete the gift.

Because, anyone who thinks this isn’t the case? Well, we’ll just let you hang out with Mariah in fantasy land until it simply isn’t possible anymore.  I wasn’t actually going to post the video, but it just makes me smile.  So here you go:

Number 7

I’m thankful I didn’t have to go into work this weekend.  It was touch and go there for a bit.

Number 6

I’m thankful for my husband who volunteered to go bottle our wine yesterday so I didn’t have to leave the house.  Instead he went, and I stayed home and watched the girls.  And by “watched the girls” I mean “we all took a nap.”

Number 5

I’m thankful for the great team at Movies N Stuff.  I had mentioned to my eldest that there was a movie version of “Where the Wild Things Are” so she was determined to rent it.  So we made it our main selection for our now almost weekly girls movie night on Friday.  Not only did the folks at Movies N Stuff help me find it, but they also suggested it might be a bit … old.  So we also rented a Dora video as well.  Good call! Because the wild rumpus?

Got interrupted for Dora.  She was a mermaid or something.  It was all kinds of good.

Number 4

I’m thankful for Tuesday evening open swim at Deborah Ann Kirwan pool.  I made it there with my daughters for the first time in about a month this past week.  We hung in the hot tub; went down the slide in the toddler pool; and my eldest bonded with another little girl and they played happily together.  In the changeroom, they shared a shower and kept happily chatting.  As the other girl spoke to her mom, my daughter clued in they weren’t speaking English.  Or French.  “Mom!  They’re speaking Espanol!”  Thank you Dora.  The other mom laughed as my daughter exhibited her mad Spanish skills of counting and naming colours.

Number 3

Speaking of kiddy cartoons.  I saw this meme early this week over at Mommy Ennui.  Right up there with my thankfulness that I’m not Gwyneth Paltrow, is my thankfulness that I’m not Caillou’s Mom.  I know there are some other mother’s out there that are with me…  Do chime in.

Number 2

I’m thankful for my girls’ interest in music.   Every now and then they enjoy a good jam session at the piano.  I’m looking forward to them being old enough for lessons.  And every now and then we enjoy a good dance party after dinner, or while making dinner.  Sort of like this, but with them being MUCH smaller and with less coordination:

Number 1

And sometimes, I take more than just dance inspiration from movies.  Remembering this specific Mermaid’s scene Monday, I got it in my head to make fruit kabobs for dinner.  So we did.  And both girls had fun making them and ate an awful lot of fruit (and a few marshmallows) in the process.  So I’m thankful for fun, easy dinner nights with the girls, and the fact that, once in a while, I can get away with this.  I may not be winning any parenting or culinary awards, but it was fun.

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So, that was my week.  Now I’m off to do a few hours of school work before dinner.  I’ll be back to surf other people’s thankfuls once the girls are in bed.

Until then!