Multitude Monday #671-700

I'm getting closer to reaching my goal of 1,000 gifts counted. I'm grateful for the opportunity. These posts are for ME. I realize very few people read them. I just like to count my many blessings each week. Today's list has a few bigger THINGS I'm thankful for... they make our lives easier and sometimes I think we just take them for granted. We try to be smart about the money God has entrusted us with, so maybe you'll see these things and consider them for yourself, too.

Visit A Holy Experience if you'd like some inspiration today.

671. a week of spring break, then 28 more days of homeschool and we have officially completed year #2!

672. a busy weekend, and so many opportunities for my children to have fun and feel loved

673. two service opportunities literally falling into my email box, after I blogged about wanting to know how we could do MORE to help those in need

674. the bond my husband and son share - every boy needs his dad, and my husband is always there for his son - what a lucky little boy GMan is!

675. baseball!

676. ten very excited little boys wearing eye black and smacking wads of chewing gum in their mouths, reading for opening day

677. a very fun Sunday School class yesterday - even though my daughter's class beat the parents in Bible trivia - we all had a lot of fun and learned so much!

678. little boys that go so hard all day they literally fall asleep right where they are

(once again - - I love Instagram - - the best photo app ever!)

679. crispy maple bacon

680. my breadmaker, a gift from my father-in-law - we had yummy white bread yesterday and are making banana bread today!

681. big coffee mugs filled to the top with Mahogany coffee, made in the Keurig

682. a special friend who sits behind me at church

683. the laughter our church family shares each week as the children (and adults) interact with Dexter the puppet during the children's sermon

684. the people who have touched our lives, but now will be moving due to military base closures in our area - a dear friend and a piano teacher will be leaving us

685. fuel efficient cars - we LOVE our Honda Fit... such a great purchase by my husband a few years ago when they first came out - little did we know how much money it would save us!

686. my best friend, the Maytag top loading energy efficient washing machine - it holds A TON OF STUFF

687. Veggi Tales

688. salted peanuts

689. Dave Ramsey's financial plan - I never realized how much money we were wasting until we started - it's like a compulsion now to save money

690. my friends at co-op and the wisdom they provide each week

691. free resources on the internet - I almost believe I could homeschool for FREE if I tried hard enough

692. so much new knowledge about social media and blogging - and a couple of blogging friends who support me, and a husband who thinks its all soooo cool

693. the Kindle for iPad app and all the free books we can get

694. my parents, and knowing they are happy in their new home - their independence sometimes frustrates me, but I realize they are this way to alleviate the burden their children would bear one day - they are so wise

695. my nephew - graduating in just a few weeks from Colgate University - and the example he sets for my children

696. hard rains that wash away pollen

697. meteorologists, who let us know when weather is getting bad in our area (which it has been the past few days)

698. being spare the grapefruit sized hail so many people in our county experienced over the weekend

699. total QUIET on a rainy morning, knowing the day is unscheduled and free

700. Life cereal

Gratitude, Including a Mini Music Lesson

It's Monday, and time to count more blessings. I love this part of my week.

651. red bud trees, and the beautiful ones in my yard that are starting to bloom.

652. a fabulous concert on Saturday evening - this video is of my favorite piece played, "Jet Whistle" by Villa-Lobos (great to teach kids about flute and cello: also, can they hear how the two instruments are creating sounds a train would make - so cool!)

653. two and half hours to sit and listen to beautiful chamber music

654. saving $50 on my grocery bill yesterday!

655. late night apple crisp at Red Robin with my husband

656. my son, quoting Bible verses without being prompted

657. two children - giggling too much to do their schoolwork - I am thankful they get along so well (most days!).

658. digital thermometers, and thankful it was normal this morning for Miss B

659. goodies brought to us from the new Fresh Market by granddaddy

660. my college education here... I am thankful daily for the sacrifices my parents made so I could have an education free and clear - what a gift.

661. imaginary baseball games played by my six year old countless times each day - today he couldn't come eat lunch right away because he was "in the bottom of the eighth with the bases loaded!" I love his imagination.

662. a walk with my children this morning, with my daughter asking me how to plan out her book she is writing

663. a definite closing date for the homeschool family moving in next door to us

664. Burt's Bees.... anything!

665. bird feeders

666. lucky numbers?!?!

667. duct tape

668. steam carpet cleaners, and husbands who love to use them

669. Southern Living magazine - I love it when a new issues comes in the mail

670. an encouraging phone call from my husband "just because"

Multitude Monday #631-650

I really don't know where the weekend went. We were so busy with a piano competition, visiting an old friend, and having new friends to our home. I didn't get any schoolwork planned. I didn't get 100% caught up on the laundry. I didn't get to finish that book I'm reading. Funny thing is, however, it was a great weekend. Sometimes God changes your whole schedule to make your realize what your priorities SHOULD be. I'm so thankful, and I'm so thankful to be able to blog each Monday about gratitude. The list continues - #631-650:

631. time changes -- yes, I AM thankful for that... gave my children more time to play in the backyard tonight with new friends

632. leftover birthday cake

633. the book of Proverbs - so much wisdom in one place

634. ANTYHING made by Burt's Bees!

635. an evening spent with new potential neighbors - praying all goes well with their final closing

636. an afternoon spent with a former teacher of my daughter... getting the chance to thank this wonderful woman for the superb foundation she gave my child

637. a newly created space in my bedroom for reading and devotions

638. again - THE TIME CHANGE - my children will sleep a little later this week!

639. a sweet friend and a good conversation on our drive today

640. watermelon bubble gum

641. jump ropes

642. my son's co-op math class teacher, who was sweet enough to send home his fun candy graphing when he was sick

643. my music and movement co-op class students - they give me SO MUCH joy each week; the sweet singing voices and their love of music makes me so happy

644. My six year old son telling his dad that God is his passion

645. lots of hand me downs for both children

646. my ability to hand down clothes to families in need

647. fancy bookmarks

648. stacks and stacks of books all over my house - while the clutter is driving me crazy, I know it's because we are LEARNING!

649. too many "God things" for me to count this past week!

650. a sweet note of encouragement sent to me by a veteran homeschooling mom