2000 Gifts!

2000 gifts...such a blessing to count the ways He loves and blesses us!

Counting gifts has been a joy and sometimes my life line in times of difficulty. It pays to lift one's eyes from whatever the circumstances may be and give thanks to God for seemingly small or insignificant things. After all, He is the giver of every good and perfect thing.

1985) sleeping in on a cold and rainy morning

1986) yes to a lounge full of noisy teens staying over for a Star Wars movie marathon

1987) mom and daughter time out in a tranquil garden with my sweet 16 year old girl

1988) warm bowls of soup filling hungry tums on a cool evening

1989) my niece, breezy, bright and ever cheerful

1990) good results on my eye test

1991) kisses from my gorgeous almost 3 year old nephew

1992) a walk through the richly scented pine forest

1993) friends popping by and staying for an evening of pizza, laughter and fun

1994) thankful for a washing basket, hangars and spices that my neighbor was getting rid of

1995) thankful for the gift of salvation and our 13 year old son's decision to be baptized

1996) thankful for the beautiful bonds of love and friendship between our 3 kiddos

1997) safe return of our eldest after a night out at the matric dance

1998) thankful for good health care and medicines that fight infection

1999) conversations with my far away sisters

2000) thankful for the challenge to always seek and count His blessings despite circumstances. 

Multitudes in March

I stand in awe of His blessings...

1960) a wonderful gift package from USA

1961) my dear sister surprising me with a visit to C.T for a few days

1962) lying in bed with my sister and having long conversations

1963) an envelope filled with "His richest blessings" 

1964) a visit to my Dad with my sister, wonderful get away and family time

1965) my Dad's generosity

1966) another get away to the wine lands with my sister, visiting our dear aunt and uncle

1967) The heavens telling of His glory, a marvelous display of his craftsmanship. Day and night, they keep on telling about God....

 

1968) my sister picking up my grocery tab

1969) ever so thankful for a tank full from my generous sister

1970) hubby home and helping with concepts I could not explain during school time

1971) wonderful evening with our connect group

1972) a wonderful parcel from Spain

1973) my sweet kids blessing me by doing a bunch of chores without me knowing or asking them to

1974)wonderful Sunday conversations with my far away sisters

1975) a new friend sharing dinner with us

1976)winning an almost 10kg box of cookies, perfect for the holidays

1978) winning some wonderful facial products

1979) a verse of encouragement from my sweet sister:

"Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!"

1980) houseful of happy teens and being able to feed them all

1981) school holidays, time of recharging and relaxing

1982) friends filling our chalk board with their lists of thanks
1983) thankful that He has saved my girl from the turbulent teen years I lived
1984) His protection when there could have been a bad accident

Counted blessings

Counting the ways He loves...

1949) an evening shared with a special friend

1950) thankful for 22 years of marriage and simple celebrations

1951) the sound and rhythm of the waves, the scent of sea air, hubby beside me

1952) good brisk morning walk to clear the cobwebs and boost serotonin levels

1953) a kind friend bringing some when we were out of coffee

1954) my dear sweet friend lifting my spirits and dropping by unexpectedly with a delicious pie

1955) house full of happy teens again on a Saturday evening, love that they love being here

1956) His word this morning, cheer filled church service, reminded of His blessings

1957) rest 

1958) a more relaxed school day than usual on a Monday morning

1959) my sweetest visitor here, my almost 3 year old nephew

Keep counting....

Sometimes with life's twists and turns, noticing and counting gifts and blessings is not foremost on my mind, but as Ann Voskamp says,

 "The only way to keep in time with your Beloved — is to keep counting blessings. The way to keep the rhythm of life — is to count the ways He loves."

1913) a wonderful picnic and evening under the starry skies watching Shakespeare with loved ones

1914) a surprise on my pillow

1915) conversations with my farm sister

1916) family dinner by candlelight to celebrate Valentines

1917) thankful for His amazing provision

1918) a walk on the beach hand in hand with hubby, pink skies and rising moon

1919) more unexpected grace and favour

1920) conversations with my gorgeous almost 3 year old nephew

1921) my sweet niece here for dinner unexpectedly

1922) moonlight swim with my youngest, thankful for our pool in this heatwave

1923) thankful for this mornings walk with my girl

1924) blessed by daily readings of the Word with my youngest

1925) good coffee made by eldest, enjoyed daily

1926) new connections with people in the church

1927) a wonderful evening shared with a special sweet friend

1928) blessing of a month free at the gym for my daughter and myself

1929) hubby's helping hands in the kitchen when I wasn't feeling well

1930) thankful for rest

1931) milk tart, a treat from our eldest

1932) thankful for wonderful youth pastors

1933) friends sharing in thankfulness and filling our chalkboard with their own thanks

1934) relaxed afternoon braai with friends, swimming , laughter and good food

1935) my youngest, the two of us laughing loud while learning

1936) thankful for ladies meeting together, being real, laughing and sharing

1937) a morning off school with my younger two

1938) wonderful evening meal at my brother and his wife

1939) blessed by this morning's message in church

1940) grateful for encouragement and conversations with my sister

1941) early morning cup of coffee delivered to my bedside by hubby

1942) dinner cooked for us by my neighbour, good food and good company

1943) sleeping in, much needed

1944) encouraging messages from my Mum this week

1945) knowing she prays daily for us

1946) houseful of happy teens, loud laughter and fun

1947) thankful for vegetables from our garden

1948) thankful for good school days

Counting on..

I am thankful for the blessings of the last week....

1898) wonderful day out with my younger two, exploring the Da Vinci exhibition and enjoying the waterfront

1899) connect group at our home tonight, wonderful young people sharing together

 3 gifts found outside: 

1900) bright and cheery sunflowers

1901) smooth purple passion-fruit falling from the vine daily

1902) handfuls of tomatoes, chilies, onions, carrots and more gleaned from the garden

1903) my sweet friend visiting, bearing freshly baked cupcakes

1904) cool breezes on a hot summer's day

1905) wonderful summer's evening walk on the beach, just hubby and me

1906) naps when needed, thankful for my family's understanding

1907) this morning's message : we have a never failing Father who is able and in charge of all, yes all!

surprise gifts - unexpected grace

1908) camp fees for our two taken care of

1910) Woolworths vouchers for hubby and me for taking part in market research

gifts of laughter

1911) my older two teens sharing a laugh and enjoying one another's company

1912) my niece, her bubbly laughter always a joy to hear

February's gifts

The weeks are full and busy and not without stress but there is much to be thankful for amidst the daily chores, tasks and work....

1877) the sound of my teens laughing together
1878) my niece and my daughter cooking a delicious dinner for us all
1879) new school books arriving this week
1880) early morning walks enjoyed with my girl
1881) our swimming pool, looking good and running well for the first time in two years....wonderful to dip in in this week's heat
1882) surprise parcel from Ireland
1883) best ever jaffa cakes shared with the family
1884) my girl giving me a much needed pedicure
1885) gift in a person: my sweet girl, such wisdom and comfort in her words....beyond her years
1886) my girl colouring away the grays for me and helping me feel a little more human :)
1887) fun time out with my girl, visiting markets
1888) hubby working hard in the garden, making it look good
1889) a sweet friend inviting us over for a roast dinner
1890) wisdom in the words of a young man
1891) grace in action
1892) thankful for protection for myself and my friend when glass shattered all over us
1893) thankful for a great evening braai with friends
1894) conversation and long distance laughter with my much missed Mum
1895) chocolates and hugs from my hubby
1896) girl cousins happily helping prepare dinner again tonight
1897) much laughter shared with my youngest today

Giving thanks

Life goes by so fast. 

It is good to pause and notice and give thanks for good and perfect gifts from above....

1861) celebrating a birthday breakfast with girlfriends, loads of laughter

1862) finding the books we need at the local library

1863) catching up with dear friend over a two for the price of one dinner

1864) my sister popping in for a visit

1865) beautiful people, doughnuts and coffee at tonight's church meeting

1866) a morning in the botanical gardens with my sister, our teen boys and their boisterous toddler cousin

1867) a sweet friend lifting my daughter to art lessons, saving me the hour long round trip

1868) another wonderful evening walk

1869) my son treating me to an ice cream sundae

1870) thankful for our eldest's good AS level results

1871) wonderful to open our home to a sweet teen so she could have her birthday party here, 

blessed to be a blessing

1872) thankful for travelling mercies for my sister and her family

1873) wonderful communion service at church this morning

1874) great to catch up with my mum on the phone this weekend

1875) gift in the kitchen: my sweet daughter making a delicious dinner for us tonight

1876) thankful that my daughter joined me on my morning walk

Joy Filled January

It has been such a blessing to spend time with precious family and friends this past week. 

1845) thankful for the delicious cake my daughter made this morning

1846) grateful to share my sister's birthday with her, usually she is back home on the farm

1847) thankful for the wonderful lunch my dad treated us to today

1848) wonderful early morning walk

1849) a sweet friend treating me to a belated birthday breakfast at one of my favorite places

1850) a houseful of happy teens, swimming, braaing, laughing and enjoying themselves

1851) a drive out along the coast road with my dear sister, chatting all the way

1852) wonderful morning spent with my sister and our aunt and uncle

1853) gifts of heirloom seeds, basil plants and a bottle of wine

1854) a houseful again, blessed and thankful that the teens and their friends enjoy our home

1855) my longest standing friend spending the day here, good to catch up with her again

1856) blessed by this morning's church service

1857) thankful for rest over the weekend

1858) early morning chats with my oldest on the way to work

1859) brisk walk with my girl, good for both of us

1860) wonderful marks for my girl's grade 10 exams

Joy Dare January

We are still in holiday mode around here which is in itself a joy. It's wonderful to be surrounded by friends and family and the summer weather is great too. 

1929) wonderful to have my sister and her daughter pop in unexpectedly today

1930) sounds of laughter as teen cousins reconnect

1931) grace from my hubby, always

1932) a gift sat with: my sister, my niece and my girl as the four of us enjoyed a birthday breakfast together

1933) spending a gift voucher from my mum

1934) a great walk this evening, so good for my soul and well being

1935) my kind hubby preparing dinner while I was out

1936) January's verse on my new calendar: Mathew 6: 25 

“So I tell you, don’t worry about the things you need to live—what you will eat, drink, or wear. Life is more important than food, and the body is more important than what you put on it. 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or save food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. Don’t you know you are worth much more than they are?"

1937) good results on medical check ups for hubby and me

1938) free gifts from the nursery, oregano and rosemary plants

1939) morning tea with family, great to reconnect

1940) lunch with my sis and her family

1941) walk along the beach, sun on my back, icy waters, colorful seaweed and my sister's conversation

1942) something beside me: my sweet toddler nephew sleeping beside me through the night

1943) His Word in church this morning

1944) 3 things about yourself you are grateful for: grateful for my health, my beautiful children and my caring hubby

January's Joys

A new year with new gifts, blank pages to be filled with blessings...

1915) the start of a new year, a year to live forward

 1916) a refreshing dip in our pool this warm evening

1917) catching up over coffee with my neighbour

1918) rest, lots of it

1919) a morning with a dear friend , enjoying breakfast together

1920) safe return of my daughter after a months traveling

1921) my sister and her family visiting for 3 weeks, wonderful to see her and catch up with her again

1922) breakfast out, just me and my girl

1923) belated birthday and Christmas gifts, a real spoil

1924) delicious treats from my sister's far away farm kitchen

1925) family feasting together on Sunday afternoon, cousins loud and boisterous

1926) Sunday message, He has 2014 and His promises stand

1927) thankful that my son is employed and enjoying it

1928) time spent with my sister today

Giving thanks

The year is almost over. 

I am thankful for His provision, protection and daily blessings.....

1899) an evening out with my dear friend and later our boys joining us

1900) a morning spent with my precious, adorable two and a half year old nephew

1901) a gift preparing: preparing for a wonderful trip with my daughter...going to see my sis and my mum

1902) gift happy: happy evening spent with hubby, just the two of us enjoying our favorite pizza place

1903) so grateful for my daughters excellent marks for her year end art practicals

1904) gift in community: thanksgiving picnic with our neighborhood family, relaxing and fun

1905) gift in community: thankful that our neighborhood family always look out for one another

1906) safe travels for my daughter and me

1907) thankful for a wonderful holiday with my sister and my Mum

1908) thankful to have spent my birthday with my Mum

1909) thankful for safe travels home again

1910) thankful to have spent Christmas eve and Christmas day with precious family

1911) blessed by the year end church service

1912) thankful to spend time with dear friends over the holidays

1913) thankful for our hope in Him

1914) thankful for my youngest's safe return from a five day camping trip

Good Gifts

A busy time of year with many blessings...

1884) sweet friends delivering a delicious cake for us to enjoy

1885) gifts spring : red poppies, lemons on my tree and sweet strawberries

1886) grateful for my father in law helping out with lifts when needed for my eldest

1887) thankful for a delicious meal cooked by my eldest and hubby, a night off for me

1888) my dad popping by unexpectedly and bearing gifts

1889) thankful for brilliant results for my girl's art exam

1890) a morning off, enjoying a movie with my youngest boy

1891) fresh, crisp carrots harvested from the garden and enjoyed

1892) gift in Him: a sweet elderly lady praying with hubby and me in church this morning

1893) blessed to hear the Word and take part in breaking of bread

1894) a relaxed family braai enjoyed together

1895) dipping my feet into the neighbor's pool to cool down, so refreshing in this heat

1896) catching up with my little sis, always good

1897) abundant tomato harvest from a plant that sprung up out of nowhere

1898) an evening of fun enjoyed with my oldest two

 

Counting my blessings

I continue to count the blessings showered upon us.....

1854)Gifts overjoyed :  filled with joy at the thought of our first home school graduate, grateful for the years with him at home

1855) overjoyed at his getting employment just two days out of school

1856) gifts eaten: dinner cooked by our daughter, tasty and delicious

1857) hubby sharing his birthday chocolates with me

1858)gift worn: gently used hand me downs from a sweet friend

1859)gift good: wonderful and precious evening shared with my Godfather, laughter, great conversation and blessed with take out dinner 

1860) a kind friend sharing packs of potato spice with us

1861) hubby winning the wonderful prize of a picnic for two and entry to the botanical gardens

1862) pure delight on his face when my youngest won a body board

1563) seeing generosity shown by my sweet girl to her brothers 

1864) time and chatter with my eldest as we travel to his place of work

1865) conversations with my younger sister when I needed a "shoulder to cry on" 

1866) gift from the window: glimpses of the majestic mountains

1867)gift sipped: early morning cups of coffee delivered to my bedside table by hubby

1868)gifts harvested: tomatoes, carrots, leeks and peas freshly picked from the garden

1869)gifts found in Bible reading: blessed time of reading, chatting and praying with my youngest daily

1870) gift of remembrance: remembering prayers prayed and delighting in answer given

1871) precious times with my teens lounging on our bed, chatter and laughter

1872) time spent with girlfriends, so good for the soul

1873) coffee shared with my neighbor

1874) an invitation to look forward to

1875) a fun parcel arriving from China

1876) my girl's art exam that went well
1877) gifts of laughter: those special moments that just set us off...shared with my kids
1878) gift golden: my wedding rings reminding me of what hubby and I have
1879) gift silent: a day of silently resting and sleeping when I wanted to, just what I needed
1880) a gift made: dinner made with helping hands of my younger two
1881) a gift shared: hubby sharing orange chocolate truffles with us
1882) sweet scented sweet-peas from my garden, the fragrance filling my lounge
1883) beautiful praise CD gifted by a stranger

Good gifts

Every good and perfect gift is from above. 

They are there, you just have to find them....

1833)  Gifts enjoyed : another evening with my cute nephew, always a blessing to have him here

1834) an evening with my daughter, just the two of us enjoying a beautiful movie together

1835) Gift accomplished : sorting out years worth of books and managing to sell some for a neat little profit

1836) receiving a lovely goody bag with all sorts of treats

1837) winning a watch in a lucky draw

1838) my dad popping in with bags of dog food just when we had run out, a blessing

1839) my teens lounging on my bed and chatting and laughing with me

1840) hubby making us burgers tonight, a night off for me

1841) a wonderful afternoon tea celebrating a birthday with girlfriends, lots of laughter

1842) nature club outing enjoyed... soul food and good company at the end of a busy week

1843) thankful for unexpected orders this week

1844) thankful for wise decisions my daughter has made, blessed to see her growing into a beautiful young lady with a heart after God

1845) brisk beach walk with my younger two, great for calming the mind

1846) a gift strong : my husband, ever stable

1847) reminded of and resting in the knowledge that my childrens'  futures are in His hands

1848) gift in Christ: grace .... undeserved but given

1849) delicious celebratory birthday breakfast for my brother, lovely to have 3 generations of family together

1850) gift enjoyed: family fun time out in nature again, beautiful fynbos on the mountainside, a cool mountain waterfall, soul food!

1851) blessed time in church this evening

1852) answered prayers

1853) gift from a friend, black kale plants for my veg garden

Grateful thanks

Despite the mundane daily tasks and anything that may be going on, 

there is always something to be grateful for....

1816) harvesting from my little veg garden, a delight to pick things to add to our evening meals

1817) reading aloud to my younger two teens, thankful they still enjoy it

1818) great progress made in helping my eldest study for his upcoming English exam

1819) a forgotten chocolate discovered in the cupboard, shared and enjoyed

1820) a surprise visit from my sweet baby nephew and his dad

1821) thankful to find just the right color mosaic tiles I need for an order, yes I am getting orders!

1822) my dear gentle and sweet friend stopping by, lovely to catch up with her this evening

1823) my sweet girl making us all french toast for lunch

1824) neighborhood braai this evening, kids loud and full of energy, 

wonderful to see them so happy and care free

1825) friends enjoying an afternoon braai here, lovely to catch up with them

1826) my precious 2 year old nephew sleeping over...

....giggles and laughs, 

his cute husky little voice stringing sentences together,

 baby kisses and cuddles and stories,

 and a full night slept through!

1827) a good long afternoon nap just when it was needed

1828) hubby helping me make dinner when it was getting late and I was not in the mood for cooking

1829) a Sunday call from my mum

1830) sushi shared with my girl

1831) left overs for dinner, a blessing as we got in late

1832) a gift read...a reminder that He is always working, yes always

Always, yes always...

There is always something to be thankful for. 

No matter what the days bring, seek out the good and that for which you can be thankful for. 

Over the last week, a busy one, there has been much to be thankful for.

1797) two free gazania plants from the nursery

1798) a morning run and swim at the beach before school, thankful that we have the freedom to do so

1799) thankful that so many are keeping my boy in their prayers as he writes final exams

1800) thankful for a lift to and from exams today for him

1801) thankful that today's practical exam went well

1802) hubby's helping hands at dinner when I was not feeling too well

1803) catching up with a special friend when she needed a friend

1804) pizza for dinner, a treat

1805) gift of change...spring, a beautiful season of growth and change,

 loving my garden and the daily changes

1806) a gift small...snippets of time on the weekend to just be, and get lost in creating with mosaics

1807) a gift read...a message from my Mum, just perfect timing, must be mother's intuition!

1808) good to be in church this morning

1809) thankful for the gift of granadillas

1810) my sweet two year old nephew phoning me to say hello because I wasn't in when they popped by... so cute and heart warming

1811) winning another prize today 

1812) time out with my girl when she needed it....

a stroll in a local garden, pretty poppies for her and a visit to an art exhibition

1813) my girl cooking dinner tonight, a blessing to have a night off

1814) the sounds of laughter... my three and hubby enjoying being together

1815) beautiful scent of sweet-peas and lavender freshly picked from my garden this evening

Giving thanks

There is much to be thankful for each day...

1781) another beautiful spring day beach walk...

crunchy sand underfoot,

 light ocean breezes, 

sun on my back,

 gulls crying overhead, 

beautiful shells collected,

 crazy dog 

and 

two energetic teens

1782) thankful my boy is in the team for basketball tomorrow, happy to see him happy

1783) wonderful to hear from my big sister tonight

1784) gifts orange and red... 

.... beetroot plucked fresh from the earth and colorful poppies from a nearby farm

1785) messages sent and received, wonderful to be connected to family though they are far away

1786) hubby making a braai midweek, a night off cooking for me

1787) my beautiful friend treating my girl and I to brunch at the seaside today

1788) treasured memories, shared laughter and tears with my dear friend

1789) a wonderful pj party with about 40 teens here...loud, lots of laughter and great fun and games

1790) my brother and his family popping in

1791) beautiful bright red and orange flowers given to my daughter and shared with me

1792) summer seeds gifted by my dad

1793) grateful thanks for the lift out to exams from his Opa for my boy today

1794) a gift eaten...dinner by hubby as we were in late from Afrikaans lessons this evening

1795) long chat over the weekend with my far away and much missed Mum 

1796) beautiful compliment that meant so much today 

Sweetness of September

"In our daily lives we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful but the gratefulness that makes us happy " A. Clarke

1758) The sounds of the neighborhood kids playing outdoors.

1759) A free box of fabric softener to share with friends delivered to my door.

1760) Another box of freebies delivered, delicious chocolate Horlicks

1761)San Parks free entry week and a visit to Cape Point with friends, breathtaking views, fresh air and fun.

1762) A visit to Silvermine Dam with my younger two, free entry, sun warming our backs as I read aloud to them, scent of Fynbos filling the air and beautiful displays of spring flowers.

1763) A house full of lady friends, laughter and fun

1764) A pod of dolphins gracefully surfing the waves at Muizenberg, amazing and beautiful to watch

1765) Warm fires, keeping us cozy as the snow on the nearby mountains chills the air. Thankful to my brother for the endless supply of wood.

1766) My hubby, working hard around the home, fixing things up and making it look good

1767) Time spent at my Dad's place with my youngest, blessed to have a break from the mundane tasks at home and be spoiled by my Dad 

1768) Breath taking views from his peaceful home, good for the soul

1769) My Dad, patiently teaching my youngest and me to paint with oils

1770) A box of free washing capsules to share delivered to my door by Home Tester Club

1771) Heritage Day spent in true South African style, relaxing around the braai with neighbors and family

1772) A sweet friend passing on loads of beautiful new and barely used summer clothing 

1773) One of my longest standing friends coming to visit, wonderful to have her as a guest in our home, memories and loads of laughter shared

1774) My friend blessing me with beautiful new lounge cushions

1775) Family dinner for our daughter's birthday, good food,  laughs and fun

1776) Birthday celebrations for our sweet 16 year old daughter, house full of happy people

1777) Thankful for the beautiful friends my daughter has made over the last few months

1778) Thankful to be part of a caring, friendly church family

1779) Beautiful spring weather and a walk on the beach with my teen boy and our crazy dog
1780) House full of teens again tonight, loud and happy

 

Grateful thanks

I am grateful for what I have and welcome His good and perfect gifts each new day....

1734) a wonderful evening enjoyed together as a family experiencing African cuisine and culture

1735) gift long awaited: a wonderful weekend at a seaside village with family and friends

1736) happy kids, all 7 of them getting on so well, laughs and fun all weekend

1737) the earth laughing in a wonderfully colorful array of spring flowers scattered on the hillside, a feast for the eyes

1738) the quiet shy buck, hermit crabs scuttling across the sand and elegant pink flamingos all declaring the Creator's greatness

1739) kids wading through the lagoon's turquoise waters , collecting shells where the water laps gently on the shore, gulls screaming overhead and beauty as far as the eye can see....memories made

1740) discovering a treasure trove of mosaic supplies in this little seaside village

1741) generous loan of my sister in law's large car and safe journey there and back

1742) finding my son's lost wallet

1743) leftovers from the weekend away that fed us for two days

1744) a morning walk with my sweet girl, spring flowers, scampering squirrels, geese and guinea fowl

1745) a visit from my sweet baby nephew and his mom

1746) gift given: blessed with beautiful seconds and some new clothes passed on by a kind friend

1747) a beautiful song sent to me by another sweet and gentle friend

1748) free exercise class at the fit club, enjoyed with my girl and a friend

1749) my prize arriving: a box filled with different types of rice and a wonderful Indian recipe book

1750) news that I have won another prize, a resturant voucher

1751) early morning walk with hubby, our youngest and our crazy dog....crisp and cool, the air laden with the scent of fynbos, mountain views, all so good for the soul

1752) thankful to return the cell phone we found to its rightful owner

1753) friends popping in unannounced for a cuppa and good laughs

1754) wonderful service in church tonight

1755) morning walk with the younger two and friends because we can on a "school day", blessed and thankful

1756) winning another prize today...R500 Sea Harvest Hamper!

1757) thankful for free Afrikaans lessons at our local library, thankful to the retired teacher who gives up his time for us

Monday's Multitudes

The week seems to have flown by...

There is much to be thankful for....

1715) wonderful surprise in my inbox this morning, won a voucher for dinner at a restaurant

1716) hubby and our 18 year old preparing a delicious dinner tonight

1717) our 3 teens happily playing playing card games for hours

1718) the helping hands and willingness of my dear family to help out with tasks I can't do because of my broken finger

1719) school done in the comfort and coziness of my warm bed because it's freezing cold out there

1720) an evening together, just me and hubby

1721) conversations with a far away friend

1722) my girl restored to health after a week long bout of high temperatures and hacking coughs

1723) time with my sweet 13 year old boy who has a wacky sense of humor who makes me smile and laugh

1724) time out with a friend I have not seen in a while

1725) the 2 younger kids and I enthralled by the antics at the circus, lots of life giving laughter and fun

1726) blessing of books given away by a friend

1727) partaking in breaking of bread

1728) much needed rest

1729) a productive morning in the kitchen with the kids

1730) winning a prize again today, a recipe book and R500 worth of product :)

1731) our 3 kids and a friend playing games together, lovely to listen to the laughter

1732) a wonderful exercise class, first in a while, oh so good for the body, mind and soul

1733) wonderful to have caught up with family over the weekend, long distance calls that are so precious