More Things to be Thankful for-since I fell off the wagon

I am back on the Wagon!  I fell off there over the holiday season.  I was in denial that I could actually make the time to write during these past two weeks.  I failed to write about the holiday winter fun locations to spend some quality family time.  So I will try to focus on making the winter time fun and surviving those rough snow days. 

One of my life goals, not a resolution for the year, is to finish things I have started.  So, I must finish my 100 things to be thankful for.

I think I am up to 30 or 40 I have to read back at the other posts.

1. Shredded Cheese from the grocery store.  Having one less thing to do while cooking is kind of nice. Especially when making pizza or having taco night!
2. Having a large family.  It is so cool to grow up with lots of cousins.  We are all so different but I appreciate each one of them.
3. Living near family.  Though Ray Ramano had a different experience I thought it was one of the coolest things being able to walk to all my aunts and uncles- and grandparent's houses as a child.  It only took 15 minutes to get to each house.
4. Living next to a state park.  Though some people don't understand why we live where we do, it is really nice to have a protected glorious forest, lakes, and cliffs a mile away from the house.
5. Bluray player!  Matt and I tend to not move with the times when it comes to technology.  Not because we are against it but we are pretty frugal people and constantly keeping up with technology can be expensive.  However, making the investment in our TV that came with a Blu Ray player is awesome.  Streaming Pandora, movies, HD-  I feel very spoiled but lucky at the same time.
6. Firestarters- I am not the best at getting the woodstove burning from scratch and having a firestarter block always saves the day and moves the process along.
7. Recipe books - calling mom for help while in the midst of cooking is great. She is my phone a friend connection when cooking.  Recipe books though are my daily bible.  I am still a novice cook but love reading about recipes, foods that are better to cook with, tips and techniques, and of course learning from the masters like Julia Childs and today's celebrity cooks.
8. Blogging- blogging not only helps me flex my writing muscle and practice to improve upon my writing but it is a great creative outlet for me.  I have ideas coming out of the woodwork almost every day and most of them of never even verbalized or remembered.  This helps me hone that energy and streamline some of those thoughts.
9. Bookshelves- I have lots of books and having a nice sturdy shelf to showcase and organize them is important to me.  I know I sound very "Martha" here but its true so why should I hide my quirky traits most of you already know about them anyway.  So, I am letting my freak flag fly.
10. Having a long enough tub-  I am a lounger.  I love being pampered.  Taking baths, getting a massage are always welcome.  Bubble bath solutions, bath oils, bath bombs, bath salts- I love them all.  The muscle relief, skin renewal, and stress reducing qualities are very appealing to my hectic life.