We completed a major project at work this week.

And – all things considered – it went well.

Scratch that.

It went awesome.

While I’m happy our team successfully pulled it off and that everyone was happy….

Mainly?  I’m thankful it’s done (number 1).

Because not only did it dominate the week, it’s really dominated the past few months at work.  This week, it resulted in two late work nights; one early work day; extra last-minute babysitting; and unforeseen time away from my family.

I’m glad I can now return to regularly scheduled programming.

And catch up with everything else in my life.

Which I have a fighting chance of doing.

Because now?

I’m on the front end of FOURS DAYS off from work!

I’m thankful for the break (number 2).  I’m looking forward to catching up on my sleep, cleaning my house, maybe even doing a bit of meal planning to get back on the diet wagon, and completing my economics assignment.

That said?  On the diet front, I pulled out my favourite dress from last summer yesterday and it still fit!  It was tight, but it fit!  I put a lot of effort into losing weight last year, so I’m thankful that stress and daily life over the past year haven’t completely undone those efforts (number 3).

I’m thankful for my random bouts of organizing energy because now a number of ongoing annoyances in life are taken care of – or I have a clear path to getting them done (number 4).  I woke up Monday morning and decided that this week – given it would be crazy chaotic anyway – was the week I’d try to get a number of things I’d be … sitting on …. in order.

So I finally:

• sorted out buying summer tires (that were needed, but that I’d been putting off buying because we can’t afford them.  But I timed it so they are on the front end of a credit card cycle so I’ve successfully deferred that stress for a month. Yay denial!) and got my car into the shop on Friday to get the tires on; the oil changed; a turn light fixed; and (I thought) a dent and scratch fixed.  They didn’t do that last bit, but at least I started that process (which I’d also been avoiding because I knew it would be complicated) and sorted out that they are paying to fix it (I bought a secondhand vehicle from them and they scratched and dented it after I agreed to buy it, but before I picked it up) and they are going to schedule and get it done.
• scheduled my husband’s car to get into the shop next Friday to get its “check-up” and summer tires on.  In the world of “know your spouse” I finally accepted he wasn’t going to do it himself and just called.
• organized to get Tuesday off work so I can bring my eldest to a First Words screening.  First Words is Ottawa’s preschool and language program and the first step to getting your preschooler referred into speech therapy, if needed.  We took her when she was two and not speaking at all and they determined it wasn’t needed, but her teacher keeps asking us to bring her for another assessment, so I’m finally getting it done.

Is that the end of my “to do” list?  Not even close!  But it’s a start!

I’m thankful that it’s a beautiful sunny day outside, so that I was able to get some garden prep done (number 5).  The girls and I spent almost three hours working in the garden this morning.  My main accomplishment (aside from cleaning out my shed so I could find things) was getting a good chunk of work done cleaning out our front flower bed.

Check it out:

Since my eldest was born, we’ve sort of let our gardens …. go to seed.  On top of that, we had the front walkway and driveway re-done last year and the workmen further mucked with the front garden as they dug around.  So one of my goals this spring is to get them back under control.  I spent a good chunk of the morning digging rocks out from the garden that the workmen had moved about and re-shaping them around the garden.  I also weeded and pruned like there was no tomorrow.  Three brown “back to earth” bags later and I’m still nowhere near done, but I can see the beginnings of the garden.  I think my next plan will be to yank out the plant you see in the first picture because it never really worked and just spreads like a weed, split one of the hostas to take some of the space, and then buy some annuals to colour things up a bit.  I then need to attack the dandelion population and then get started in the back yard while my husband seeds the front.

I’m thankful for quiet time in the afternoon to get schoolwork done (number 6).   I’m currently in search of the willpower to do it.  Perhaps once I catch up on sleep?

I’m thankful for Dora (I can’t believe I just said that).  Both my girls adore her and this is currently my youngest’s favourite book (number 7).

We had the speaking explosion with our youngest in the last month.  Suddenly the words are pouring out of her.  And she’s actively curious about learning new ones.  Currently she’s learning all the character names in the book.  She points and looks to me for the word.  I love her baby way of saying Tico and Isa.  She’s got Boots pretty clearly though.  And Dora always comes out in threes and song form – like the theme :).

I’m thankful for cupcakes and cookies from the Three Sisters Bakery (number 8).  On Thursday, once we delivered on the work project and things had calmed slightly at work, I left at a decent hour; picked the girls up from daycare; and took them to choose a movie from the rental store (Barbie Nutcracker! – the music is lovely) and then tacked on an extra treat due to working mom guilt of having been basically absent for the last two days.  In the same mall as the rental store there is also a lovely bakery that makes beautiful cookies and cupcakes.  So I let them each choose one and then they sat outside on the colourful patio furniture and enjoyed their baked goods!

I’m thankful for the wild garlic my husband is going to go pick with his brothers tomorrow.  He goes annually with them so we always have a good store throughout the year.  I’m looking forward to lots of garlic butter in my future (number 9).

Finally?  I’m thankful for how well my daughters get along (number 10).  This afternoon they decided they wanted to nap together, so my eldest hopped into the crib with my youngest.  I was a bit dubious, but by the time I left to go do homework, they were still in there happily enjoying quiet time together, if not actually napping.  And that was an hour and a half of quiet time and counting…

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This is my contribution to Lizzi’s weekend Ten Things of Thankful Blog Hop.  Every week I try to come up with a list of ten.  I’ve been getting a bit spotty at it recently, so I’m thankful I managed to find the time and the ten this week to get back on the thankful wagon.

What are you thankful for?  Link up and let us know!

There’s much to be thankful for out there if you give it some thought.

A few weeks ago, I also started a Pin Board for my thankfuls as well.  I’d neglected it over the last two weeks, but gave it some love today, so it’s all nice and thankful updated as well with things that have made me happy over the past couple weeks.