Ok…here are my good things for last week – in no particular order…

Seeing Shawn Johnson win the gold medal on the balance beam was amazing. I completely fell in love with this girl during the Olympics. The smile on her face after she finished that routine said it all. Then it shows her darling mom and dad hugging and crying in the stands and Bob Costas starts talking about how they had to mortgage their house several times to keep her in gymnastics….(you had to go there didn’t you Bob). I bawled like a baby. Go Shawn! Thanks for representing America so well. (Such a cute little bunny face…I just want to give her a carrot)

Lunch Ramblings – Ellie said to me during lunch “I’m full eating those mommy (pointing to her veggies), but I’m not full eating those (pointing to her fishy crackers).” Then when Addie refused to eat her turkey she tried to persuade her by saying “Come on Add…it’s really bubble gum turkey!” Addison then ate every bite.

A trip to Costco was a very good thing this week. First good thing: I made it through the store with BOTH girls staying in the cart the entire time (with the help of various snacks). That never happens. Second good thing: Fall stuff has arrived! So fun to cruise up and down the aisles looking at Fall paraphernalia and Halloween decor. It’s so boring in the summer with nothing to buy but diapers and toilet paper. I bought the most beautiful Fall wreath. Before you know it, all the toys will be in for Christmas! I know some people get annoyed that the stores start selling holiday stuff so early – just a ploy to get the average consumer to spend spend spend. Well this consumer LOVES IT! Costco just got really fun again.

Bran Chex. I so love my Bran Chex. I’ve never been a breakfast eater. I’m just never hungry in the mornings and I don’t like pancakes, eggs and the usual breakfast menu. But I know…breakfast is the most important part of the day…blah blah blah. So I try to eat breakfast. The only thing I like to eat in the mornings are Bran Chex. So imagine my panic when at one point our local grocery store stopped carrying them. I shopped around and couldn’t find them anywhere! Kenny came to the rescue and for part of my Valentines Day present last year gave me this Bran Chex pyramid. He had ordered them from Amazon.com! What a doll. We’ve been ordering them by the dozen from Amazon ever since and each day I eat a healthy breakfast. Plus we count it as our food storage. If there is any type of major disaster, Bran Chex will keep us alive. It’s a win win. Love my Bran Chex.

Mat. Mat sat. Sam. Sam sat. Mat sat. Sam sat. Mat sat on Sam. Sam sat on Mat. Mat sat. Sam sat. The end. These are the words from the first book Ellie read. My Ellie is starting to read! I’ve been working with her for a year on letters, sounds and handwriting and each night Kenny tucks Ellie in and reads to her. A few nights ago Kenny called me up to her room at bedtime and Ellie read her first little book that they had been practicing. It was so cool! I helped teach many children to read teaching school, but nothing feels as good as when you first hear your own child sounding out letters and reading. Unreal. The three of us did our happy dance around the room. This wasn’t just a good thing…it was a great thing. I love you Ellie – I’m so proud of you!!!

The start of each year is a great time to set goals, to evaluate your life and think about how you can improve it. I love to set goals and enjoy doing it every year. The only difference is that I do it in September instead of January. I don’t really know why, but for me this time of year just seems like the right time to make a fresh start. Maybe it’s because summer is so crazy/busy that by the time September gets here it feels like time for a schedule and some order. Maybe it’s because I still have the school teacher in me that looks at the “year” as being from September to June instead of January to December. Or maybe it’s just because in January I’m coming off of a holiday high and am in no mood to set goals. I’m much more in the mood to hole up in my house in big comfy sweats eating like it’s still December. Whatever the reason, I like to set my goals in September. For the past four Septembers one goal has been the same – to start a gratitude journal. Write down five things each day I’m grateful for. (My mom is big on this – she has spoken to many groups about gratitude and being grateful for the little things that make life so great). I’ve started this so many times and for some reason I just never continue with it. I write my five things faithfully for about five days and then forget about it. It’s a goal that just isn’t sticking! So instead of setting myself up for failure again this year, I’m going to try to simplify. Instead of five things a day, I’ll write five (give or take) things each week. And instead of a gratitude journal, I’ll write them on my blog. Maybe this way I won’t set myself up for failure once again. I’m going to call them my “good things.” Little things during the week that made me happy.

OLYMPICS! – It has been so fun watching the Olympics this week! Are these athletes not just simply amazing! They are so talented and so dang physically fit. Michael Phelps is built like a swimming machine. I so hope he breaks the record for the most gold medals in a single Olympics. And what about our American gymnasts? Thighs like rocks. When I’m on the treadmill at the gym I picture the gymnasts‘ thighs as a motivator. Move that incline up just one more…go just a little faster…….and I’m out. Time to go sit on the bike and read my book.

FOOTBALL SEASON – it is upon us. If you know me well, you’re probably wondering why this is on my good things list. By November it will definitely be a bad thing, but for now the idea of the upcoming season is making my husband happy which is in turn making me happy. He’s busy checking his season ticket seats, arranging for our new DirecTV service that will bring every game possible to us in HD, and the smack talk with my little bro (Chargers vs. Broncos) has begun in full force. What can I say. How can I hate something that makes him so dang happy? I’m actually getting excited for a little football to start. Bring on Fall.

OBSESSIONS – for the week have been 24 and Breaking Dawn. We’re mid season two of 24 and it’s better than ever. A nuclear bomb is about to end life for everyone in L.A. and Kenny and I are glued to the tube. As my cousin Jason calls it “Jack Bauer Power Hour!” Bring it!