Growing a Garden of Gratitude

 

My friend Kim has been writing lists of things for which she is grateful, and I always feel inspired by her posts.  I find my attitude changing… no longer focused on the micro, but on the macro… regardless of how a day is going or how tired or frustrated or discouraged I feel, I know that I am grateful for this life and the many, many blessings I’ve been given. Thank you, Kim for your beautiful posts! ;)

I’m hoping to keep this list going, and plan on posting it a couple of times a month.

I am grateful for…

1. Lilacs blooming
2. Bleeding Hearts blooming
3. Virginia Bluebells blooming
4. Lilies of the Valley blooming (and smelling delicious)
5. A happy boy with dirty face and hands (the dirtier, the happier, it seems).
6. Being able to stay home and spend my days with my favorite little person in the world.
7. My husband’s job, and his hard work there.
8. My little home.
9. Good friends that go check on our house, unasked, after a tornado, when we are out of town (such good friends).
10. That my son has a tender heart, and feels ok crying over a favorite tree coming down in said tornado.
11. That the tree landed on our doorstep, and not on our house!
12. My steam mop.
13. Supportive girlfriends.
14. Supportive bloggy-friends.
15. My sister’s fiance, a really wonderful guy (who was homeschooled, I might add ;) ).
16. People who listen without judging.
17. Toys lying around outside, making our lawn look messy colorful.
18. Back rubs.
19. Cupboard doors and walls full of colorful artwork.
20. Coffee on quiet mornings.
21. Dandelion bouquets and the kisses and love that come with them.
22. Our wonderful neighbors.
23. Spring breezes and open windows.
24. Plenty of food in the fridge and pantry.
25. Michael’s coupons. ;)

 

Here are a couple of photos of the fallen tree, in case anyone is interested in seeing just how tall this baby was.

Bottom half of tree

Top half of tree

This was the same tornado that went through North Minneapolis on Sunday afternoon.  It kept going north and went through our little suburb.  Homes a mere 400 yards away were damaged pretty badly.  We were fortunate that only one tree came down, and our home was undamaged.  We had shingles and insulation in our yard (along with lots of debris from trees) that came from who knows where.  My heart goes out to all the people in Joplin, MO (a town I’m familiar with) and the other areas that have been so devastated, and our prayers are with them.

The New Art Cart

 This little car {I’ve been told it is a car} is one of the first things M created with his Art Cart supplies.

Have I ever shown you M’s little “desk”, as he calls it, in our entryway closet?  Here’s a shot:It is a simple shoe shelf.  This is where the coloring books, crayons, stickers, and such things live.  There’s even a mini-garbage can, which he seriously loves (you can see the top of it in the lower right corner).
He can often be found here, happily cutting out catalog pictures for collages.  (By the way, those Christmas toy catalogs are entertaining year-round; what kid doesn’t want to look at toys?!)  

The closet doors close, and any mess is hidden.  It’s really perfect.  M loves it, and sometimes closes himself up in there with a flashlight.  Such an adventurer. ;)

I’ve realized recently that M has become familiar with just about every kind of art supply I have to offer him.  Of course there are still new ideas and new techniques to explore, but most of these will be planned out and done together. 

He’s just gotten bored with the same old stuff in his Art Box week after week, and has taken to asking for things he knows are stored away. 

The Art Box is old news, apparently.

And I’m tired of fishing things out for him that he wants, that were just put away!
A couple of weeks ago I stumbled across a garage sale and found an old 3-drawer plastic storage unit.  The drawers are about 12"deep x 9"wide x 8"high. 

So we cleaned it up and then we raided the craft room.  To be honest, he wanted more than would neatly fit into the drawers, yet at the same time seemed a little overwhelmed with all he was given. 

So into what is quickly becoming the “Art Closet” went the little Art Cart, right next to his little desk.
Here’s a shot of his new art area, all labeled, because I like to do nerdy things like that. :)

In the Art Cart…
Top drawer:It’s hard to see everything – there are cardboard ribbon spools, cardboard tubes, stamps, a storage container of beads, feathers, sequins, googley eyes, dyed macaroni, and some more bits and pieces for gluing along with pipecleaners in a small bucket.

Middle drawer:Watercolor paints, acrylic paints, gel pens, porcupine balls (to use with paint), dot painters, roll painters, glitter glue, craft sticks

Bottom drawer:Papers – construction paper is on the bottom, fun foam, crepe paper, tissue paper, coffee filters, and a long roll of white paper.

There is a black bin on top of the cart that M uses to transport messy things to the kitchen table.
Inside the other containers (sorry no photos)…

The tote: scissors, mini coloring books, markers, tape, stapler, glue sticks, glue bottles

The collage box: magazines and a box to hold the cut-out pictures (he loves to just fill it up with clippings, then collage with them at a later date).

The pencil box: pencils, colored pencils, erasers, pencil sharpener


Need some new art for your walls?  We have plenty to spare. ;)

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Have a beautiful day! :)