Three Things I'm Grateful For, and It's Barely 9:00 in the AM

I think sometimes I get so caught up in my hectic life that I forget to look around me and see what great blessings are every where. I've enjoyed this morning so much, that I thought I'd write about what was so great so that I cement it in my brain a little bit better.

1) We learn from our children all the time. Erica has set a new goal (not even for Personal Progress, just because) to go to the temple every week. Now, that's definitely a goal that a parent would want their child to have, but as she can't drive alone, yet, this particular goal would involve a parent, most likely me. When she first told me, I heaved a sigh, and said we'd figure it out, not sure where I'd find the time to get her there. What kind of parents feels that way?! We decided that since she has a late start almost every Wednesday and since the baptistry opens every morning at 6:00, that Wednesday would be the day. We've gone twice, now- last week just her and I, this week we added Spencer (mostly willingly) and Rachael (a fabulous YW in our ward). We leave about 5:30-ish (to be dressed and ready to go at 6:00) and are finished and at school by 7:00. Yes, that requires me to be up and looking nice that early in the morning, but can I just say that after only two weeks it has become a favorite weekly experience and I wouldn't willingly give it up for anything (well, maybe a blizzard or deathly illness). What makes it even better is that Greg and the three other boys go to school early for Chess Club Wednesday mornings. Last week I went grocery shopping. Today, after getting Erica, Spencer, and Rachael to school, I went back to the temple to do initiatories. I was done and on my way home by 8:15. What a great way to start a day! Isn't it amazing. What I initially took to be one more of those "Parental Obligations" has turned out to be a marvelous blessing and some great non-tv, non-computer, non-homework time with my children. Dumb thing is, I knew it would be and still chose to be a little grumpy about it at first. Good thing Erica is patient with me and wants to do good things with her life. Life is all about choices. I will do better.

2) I've lived here for 6 months now, and every time I walk out the door the mountains still take my breath away. Their appearance changes with the light during the day and with every season. We've had a little snow this week, so everything looks like it's covered in powdered sugar. When you add the pink sunrise glowing off that snow this morning it was a view that made my heart sing. Beautiful!

3) This is something I was going to post earlier this week, but never got around to it. It is a blatant, non-apologetic product endorsement. Sorry, in advance, if it offends you, but I am very grateful for it (the cleaner, not offending you) so it fits into this post instead. Go to this website and order a bottle of Advanage. (I have green because it smells like apples and I liked it, but get whatever you like.) I never buy anything from door-to-door salesmen, but one came around last fall selling Advanage. I was polite, but in the process of telling him "no", when he sprayed some on the chrome on the van tire rims. They hadn't actually looked like chrome since our first winter in NH (2004). Nothing, I repeat, nothing (including my brothers power washer) could get the gunk off. I assumed we'd ruined the finish somehow. Nope. One spray, a couple of scrubs and there was a gleaming chrome streak in the middle of all the grunginess. Sold. The cleaner was cheaper than new rims, plus it came with a promise to remain streak free (on the chrome, but also windows, mirrors, etc.) for at least three weeks. Hello! I have a son who feels it is his responsibility to keep the glass on our china cabinet smudgy so we don't accidentally get horrible glares in our eyes from the reflected light. Guess what. I fooled him. He could rub his hands down the glass and leave not a single mark. (Disclaimer, it would probably not work if he had, say, peanut butter or spaghetti sauce on his hands. This just keeps off regular old fingerprints.) It also keeps bathroom mirrors from getting steamy during showers for, yes, up to three weeks. It has also removed green paint, spaghetti sauce , strawberry jam (that sat there for the entire weekend), and melted chocolate from our white carpet with no more than a spray and then rubbing with a rag as well as a rust stain from the front porch with a spray and scrubbing with a brush. And, for all you defenders of planet earth, it is natural and biodegradable (At least that's what the salesman told me and he was backed up by the claim on the bottle. Take that for what it's worth to you.) So, until I can replace my white carpet with something a little more child/spill friendly and find floors, windows, and mirrors that repel dirt and smudges, I am grateful to have a bottle of Advanage sitting in the laundry room.

That's it for now. Had a great start to the day, and the rest of it is coming on fast. Time to get off the computer and greet it. Happy Wednesday!