Day 298

Yes it is.  2012....the Gibbs Girls have some stuff .
:)

Grateful for the upcoming year

We are ready, and we are going to come at 2012 with some awesomeness.  And...we will all have our awesome pants on.  (just incase you were wondering.)
Awesome pants fit pretty sweet.
Here's to 2012 and showing them what we got. 
<3

Day 297

It is NOT impossible.  Over look us if that's what happens....but someday, they will dance their hearts and souls out and be AMAZING.

Grateful for the impossible.

Three girls who share the love for irish dance.  Three girls who work really hard at what they do.  Three girls who can't be on the teams because we live so far away...and other reasons?
But.  It is not impossible.  In fact, it is quite possible.
The love and passion you feel for what you do leaves you with an outcome that is more than favorable.  We can go feising, and just hope that we pull it off there.
Big classes are hard to watch.
The kids have the fire.
They just need the reassurance every once in awhile.  It's a long haul up there and back....and they love it.  It will all be worth it someday.
We can do it.

Day 296

Is it any wonder I love my husband?  He came from this wonderful man, whom I called the Judge....and my girls called Papa.  <3  We are missing him lots right now.  We need family to get us through.
<3

Grateful for memories of Papa we have forever

Its been a tough week.  It was a tough Thanksgiving.  Us wanting to be up North for Thanksgiving, but not sure if it was the right time.  Not sure where Matt is in all of this.  I know he is having a hard time.  I try to do what I can, but I feel like I am never doing the right thing.
I just want him to remember that I love him, unconditionally, and forever....and I miss Papa too...so do the girls.  The girls miss their cousins.  Thank God for Facebook, and texting...but being with them is something totally different. 
I miss our Papa.  The Judge.  I miss the Gibbs kids.
Holidays this year will be tough, so lets reach out and help each other out.  I love you all, each and every one. 
To the moon.
Especially my husband...you are so good to us, and your Dad taught you how to raise  a loving family.  We are on the right path, even though sometimes, it seems rocky.
Love you, Matt, and miss you, Papa.
Miss your eyes, your jokes, your stories.
<3

Day 295

"Little cabin in the wood."

Grateful for July

Its on month out of 12, but it is one of my favorite months.  Forever since I remember, July meant that it was family vacation time, and time for us to be all together up North.  Seeing everyone we missed so much.  This last summer was the last one that we all left for the cabin from the same town.
This last summer was the one where at the end of the trip, we all had to say goodbye for a long time.
The Bergs left for their new home and new adventure in Pewaukee.
We had to leave and go back to Ames, without a family that we have never been apart from.
This year, the cabin trip will be bittersweet. 
We will get to see the Bergs and the week will go by way too fast. 
It will be one of the best years yet. 
I can't wait.
July, please hurry and get here.

Day 294

His name is Handyman Negry.  Or maybe Handyman Pegry.  Or Handyman Legry.  Whatever his name is, he thought he could fix it with duct tape.  Oh no he could not.

Grateful for Handyman

Duct tape will fix most things.  It won't fix things perfectly, but it will fix things.  Today, Dad was told to go put the wreath up.  Well the wreath, apparently, was broken.  So Grampie tries and tries to hang the wreath with Rylee's help.  Then the two of them come inside, and Grampie sits down at the table after messing with it outisde for about 15 minutes.  He asked Rylee to get the duct tape on his workbench.
Mistake 1.
Don't ask your granddaughter to go get duct tape with Grammie in the room
Mistake 2.
Trying to fix something with duct tape.
Mistake 3.
Going outside with duct tape in hand, and granddaughter at his side.
Mistake 4.
Not putting noise cancelling ear phones on so you don't hear Grammie's commentary from inside.
It went something like this:

"I know.  Why don't you just duct tape the LIGHTS to the house?  Or duct tape the front door?  Or duct tape a ripped screen like that one on Wellons Drive you duct taped the shit out of....remember that....??? That was good.  I remember that.  All the neighbors on Wellons remember THAT."

A one defeated Grampie tries not to laugh, and throws the wreath in the garbage...and has to face Grammie...who is LAUGHING HER ASS OFF IN THE KITCHEN.
Followed by a one Grampie who tries not to laugh, but does. :)

Day 293

It all begins with this.

Grateful for smiles

On my worst days, on my most horrible moments...I always have been fortunate enough to have someone, somewhere...next to me or around me to try to make me smile.
A smile ...
means the same thing in every language.
I think God had everything to do with that.
A smile is worth everything.

Day 292

Even when I can't be places, my friends take me there. 
~<3

Grateful for friends forever

So this year was our reunion...and I couldn't be there.  Well, leave it to Heather, Steph and Jen to bring my senior picture along with them..
(Smartasses!)  How funny, tho.
I was like Flat Stanley for the night, and it was great. 
Or at least, I think it was.

:) 

Love my friends.
xo

Day 291



ABSOFRIGGINGLOOTLEY
~Me

Grateful for sayings like this

This above...says it all.  I am grateful for stumbling across this. 

<3



Day 290

Thank God for reading and snuggling under a blanket while sharing a story.

Grateful for books

We read to our kids since they were small.  They have all three grown to love books.  Reading is an adventure waiting to come.  Reading is a chance for us to go wherever the book is taking us.
Maybe that's why I love the Alice in Wonderland series so.  Maybe that's why I love Pooh so much.
Its all about who you relate to, and what you like and what you love. 
A book takes you away.
A book makes you feel like you are there...wherever it is.
Keep reading, keep encouraging...I love nothing more than to see my girls pick up a book and put their nose in it.

Read. 
<3

Day 288

Thank God.

Grateful for soul.

Deep down, somewhere...is your soul. 
Within it lies only what you want, only what you need, only what you can truly claim as your own.
Its yours.
For the keeping.
Forever.
Some souls are tender.  Some are old.  Some are young at heart, and some are bold.
Some are scared. Some are reserved.
Some are just waiting to be heard.
I am grateful, for this soul of mine, for I have one lifetime to make it count.
I have one lifetime to see and live through my soul. 

Day 287

The pin says: Celebrating Disney with no kids.
~we got lots of compliments about that. :)

Grateful for silly hats and being kids again

Its a place where you instantly turn into a child again.  There you are, walking into each world....and you are engulfed in what it has to offer you.  You take in the faces of your children, and the pure joy they display.  You have an awesome day riding many rides (including Dumbo)....and realize that this really IS the
Happiest Place on Earth.
It has a special way of removing you from whatever bad things and stress that you are dealing with....and takes it all away.
We go again in February.  We want to have Grammie and Grandpie go along with the Berg kiddos. 
#here'shoping for a trip real soon.

Day 286

Sometimes, it takes something so pure and so sweet from the heart and soul.  God Bless you, Austin George White.

Grateful for pure of heart

We all were aware, as parishoners of St. Cecilia Church, that this week/ month was the time to bring in a loved one's photo that we wanted the parish to pray for, or to remember that they are the special souls that are watching over us.  We got the notice, and we were busy dealing with every day life...and we have not yet brought in pictures of Papa, Aunt Jean, and Gram.  Austin, on the other hand, knew about this, and felt he needed to bring the picture of Grandpa George in as soon as he could. 
He is the sweetest boy in the world.
God Bless you, AGW.
Grandpa George is smiling down on you today more than ever. 
We love you.

Day 285

"Let's have a pow-wow...on the first Thanksgiving...you bring the turkey and I'll bring the corn."
~preschool song

Grateful for Thanksgiving crafts

Berg style.  When we were in Disney, the girls made the table decorations with Grammie.  They made the indians dot AND feather.
I am 100% positive that Grammie had a little to do with the double personality of the indians at the table. :) 
Funny.  Wrong, but funny.  :)
I love me some family.  I love my family.

Day 284



"No one can be un-cheered with a balloon."
~Pooh

Grateful for balloons

This day wasn't exactly the best day ever.  We had to lay Papa to rest.  It seemed so surreal.  It seemed so wrong.  Like we should still have Papa in the room with us, laughing and telling a story.  This was a tough day.  Matt is laying his father to rest.  My girls are saying goodbye to their Papa. I was saying goodbye to one of the wisest and most kind hearted irishmen I was ever blessed to know.   I watched the Gibbs children, all ten of them...hurt.  It sucked.  I wanted to make them feel better, but nothing can fix this.  A goodbye is something you need to do on your own time, and in your own way.
In the midst of all of the chaos...all of the sadness of this day, one daughter thought to load balloons in her car for each of the grandchildren and for Grammie.  They all got to write to Papa on their balloon.
Everyone wrote on their balloon.  When it was time, they all let go of their balloons.
Papa saw this, and I am sure he was happy.
He was cheered by many balloons.
We let them go, watched them fly away.
Then...a hawk.  Just one.  Flew above our heads and circled the cemetery.
We are missing Papa, but he is never far away.
Still, its hard.  Papa, we love you and miss you every day.  We know you are busy taking care of Grammy and looking after her and all of your kids.  We love you.
Always.
<3
To the moon.



Day 283

This just might be my new favortie book
I am not kidding.

Grateful for sarcasm

Without sarcasm, I would be completely lost, as most of my day consists of me having to be sarcastic.  Well, I take that back. I don't HAVE to be sarcastic, but that's what I choose to do because people sometimes suck that bad that they just DON'T get it, and then the sarcasm has to come into play.
I wish that someone would come up with a font for sarcasm, so I could send it in my emails and such.
I should work on that.
I could be a freaking bazillionaire from coming up with that shit.
Prolly.
#keepdreamingdipshit.

Day 282

Then there were two.

<3

Grateful for the smallest two


The smallest two....well, they are good little buddies.  They get along most of the time, and are usually inseparable.  (Unless it's day 7 of the cabin...then they start to annoy each other.) :)
Jack is the next youngest, and he likes to hang with the older guys.  Hanging with Kailey and Erin is not cool enough for him. :)
So, Kailey and Erin will play house and babies and whatever for hours on end.
Its awesome.
Sometimes its bossy.
Sometimes it the best thing ever. :)
But they are just happy being together, especially now since they are so far apart.
I am grateful for the wee ones.
<3

Day 281

Everyone needs a someone who they can count on.  I can always count on my Seesters.
~<3

Grateful for my someones

Sometimes, its just the quiet.  Sometimes its just knowing that if you needed to pick up the phone and talk about anything, they are there for you.  No matter what.  Its no questions asked.  Its they will be there and listen no matter what.
They laugh when you want to laugh and they cry when you need to cry.  They are the best things in the world.  I am so glad that I am blessed with my real sister and all of my SEESTERS.
Without them, life would be pretty empty. 
<3 
Love you all.