Being Thankful

My parents, my sisters, and myself

The Nieces and Nephews and greats as of 2006 we need a new one

The Nieces and Nephews on my husbands side along with my kids

I know most people touch on this subject for Thanksgiving...but there really isn't ANY special time to be thankful for the things you have in your life. So I'm going to tell you what i'm Thankful for, and I'll start by saying I'm thankful for you..yes you the person reading this. I'm thankful your in my life, and i'm thankful you care enough about me to read this blog as boring as it may be to you :) I truly appreciate all the family and friends I have in my life. I'm thankful for my parents even though my mom is gone now. I'm thankful for my sisters who have always been there for me ever ready with advice or to lend a helping hand when needed. I'm thankful for my Husband who is always there for me, steady, reliable, and loving. Never mind that he spoils me rotten ;) I'm thankful for 4 gorgeous kids that are healthy, loving, and intelligent. Even IF they keep me stressed out at times, Hey that's all part of raising them right? I see other peoples kids and realize it could be so much worse. They are good kids and I love them with everything in me I would do anything for them. I'm also thankful for the many Nieces (7), Nephews (7), Great-Nieces (4), Great-Nephews (5 and one on the way) and cousins (16 1st generation only) I'm surrounded by. I come from a rather large family!!  I'm also thankful for the few REALLY good friends in my life you guys know who you are! Without you at times to loan me an ear, talk to me, or just commiserate, or get drunk with me I don't know what i'd do. It's my friends who keep me sane at times when everything else gets too much. Just continue to be the kind, caring, concerned friends you are. Thanks for reading and PLEASE don't forget to vote!!

Friendship

Family is the most important thing in life. :) THEY will ALWAYS come first, but what would life be without friends? Everyone needs someone to turn to, to talk to. It's as necessary as the air for breathing. The problem lies all to often when someone is a "fair weather friend" there while things are good and as soon as they turn bad they fade into the woodwork. Or the "woe is me friend" who only talks when THEY need someone to listen to THEM. Its hard to find a good friend who is there for you in good or bad. Who will drop anything to be there for you when you need them. I like to think im always there for my friends to care about them, support them, to give them love and advice. Never mind laugh with, and hang out. To share the good and the bad :) When you find a TRUE friend one who is there for you, cares about you, and would do almost anything for you. Appreciate them, don't EVER take them for granted lifes too short. We never know what tomorrow brings. So many people have rushed out the door hurrying to work or school taking it for granted that the other person would still be there but tragedy strikes all the time every day. We truly never know what the future holds, think about that :)

Vacations and Money

Have you ever noticed the more you make the more you spend? Anyway I've got some vacations lined up that I'm looking forward to :) The first is a Sweet Sixteen trip with my oldest daughter we are planning a cruise to the Bahamas sometime early next year (Jan, Feb, or March) depending on when I can get the best deals and her schedule at school...would figure she doesn't want to take time off from school. She does Excellent and has the highest GPA in her Sophomore Class. She is in line to make Valedictorian and if she does will be given a full Scholarship to UCONN (University of Connecticut). The next trip I'm planning is a getaway with Hubby, we are planning on flying to England and staying in Cornwall and visiting with a couple of Friends. We will be there a week i'm very excited to have finally convinced Hubby to fly :P He's such a chicken!!! The third vacation i'm planning is a family vacation to Florida in late summer, I took the girls when they were about the boys ages now I want to take the boys to Disney world and Universal studios. I guess it's time to start saving up some serious dough. LOL I believe in the saying though...where there IS a will there IS a way...and I want it bad enough to make it happen.

Game Day

i'm currently at a football game and no im not a big fan, but this year my 13 year old decided to take up chearleading. She seems to be doing quite well and will be a flyer in the competition on October 29, but in the meantime that means i have to go to and watch the games to support my daughter and my Nephews who play on the teams. The oldest is a quarterback for the same team Gabby cheers for :) The important thing is she is happy and enjoys it. That is what makes it all worthwhile hey at least i remembered the suntan lotion in the hopes of not getting burned this time LOL ive attached a few pics, Gabby in her uniform, the sun and sky today, and a pic of the burn from a few weeks ago...please dont forget to vote advice is winning if you want answer to a question email me at aruggiero18956@gmail.com and ill respond here but keep your identity secret. :) Oh and as a reward to anyone who reads this if you want a copy of Gabbys cheerleading pic let me know :P

Relaxing

Everyone who know me knows i have a hard time relaxing. I tend to worry, over think things, and fear the worst. Lately ive been researching tips to relax, to let go, a way to refocus my thoughts. It involves making changes in my life, but they will be for the best i think :) I love water thats the best thing to me for relaxing, slipping into the hot water, lying back and just unwind with something to read...to me its heaven. LOL i spend a LOT of time there, but im thinking of taking up running again. As a child i loved running through the woods. I also used to race sled dogs growing up and while i dont miss the cold, i do miss being on the runners behin a team of dogs with nothing but the sounds of the harnesses jingling, the swish of the runners on the snow, being alone surrounded by woods just my dogs and me....it was heaven. I need to find another hobby one i enjoy, can focus on, and that will relax me. I'm open to ideas feel free to comment and dont forget to vote!!!

Those Damn Goblins

Don't you hate when things go missing? I know i do of course i live in a house with my husband and four kids, but i've lost more things then i can recall. Nothing like putting something in a safe place only to go for it and its NOT there...and miraculously no one has touched it, it must be the damn Goblins up to no good again!! LOL kind of like the creature that lives in the dryer and eats your socks but ONLY one of each set. :P Well i think they hitched a ride to work with me ive got files going missing now :) Are you familiar with the stories about Goblins? If not you should check out this link http://unleashed.philotix.net/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=607 has some interesting facts maybe some will sound familiar and you too will realize that Goblins live among you...thanks for reading and if you havent already please vote on my survey to the right :)

Photography

I love taking photos I have since i was a little girl, it's a hobby of mine. I remember being in High School and going on a whale watch and borrowing my moms camera to take pictures. The whales were SOOO close and then when the pictures were developed I was disappointed. Considering that was some 22 years ago :) The camera although a good one for it's time was just a standard 35 mm film camera I don't even think it HAD zoom LOL...and the whales that were so close in real life at the time looked so distant in the pictures. Then and there I asked my parents to buy me my own camera I wanted an SLR camera. I got it too, by then I was dating my husband and he got me an extra lense on top of what my mother and father gave me for Christmas. I STILL have that camera..it's packed away needs a good cleaning. It's all manual, not like my newer Canon Digital SLR. My cameras and I used to be inseperable everywhere I went it was expected for me to have my camera and take pictures. A few years ago my parents moved to Maine, then it was DEMANDED that I take pictures of every occasion to put on Facebook for my Mother to enjoy from afar...she passed away July of last year and since then I haven't really enjoyed or gotten into taken pictures. I do some out of a sense of obligation but feel no real joy in it like I used to. Lately though i've been feeling the itch to get back out there and start snapping again, i've been taking pics for a friend of mine and was suprised when putting on the latest ones...how to me anyway they look almost professional quality. My friend Lara makes awesome Jewelery and that's what i've been photographing. I'll attach a few pics to show you and feel free to join her facebook group http://www.facebook.com/#!/EveryOneUnique whether you buy or not her jewelery is fun and unique to look at :)