It's the small things in life....

This time of year I usually make a list of the top 50 things that I am thankful for. I've obviously been slacking on my blogging and every day when I check facebook or twitter I see people's daily thanksgivings for the month of thankfulness. I decided today was the day that my list was created. Crazy thing about this list is that after a life changing trip to Africa I have found great pleasure in the small things this year and so that is what my list is about this go around....it truly is the small things that happen on a daily basis, things that aren't elaborate, usually don't cost any money...but make my day brighter. This are in no particular order so enjoy:

1. Being at the hospital for Noah Lee Chandlers grand entrance into the world.


2. Falling in love with a dog more every day because she is so stinkin cute when she sleeps.
3. Coming home and having Matti greet me at the door like she hasn't seen me in ages.
4. Free haircuts from a dear friend.
5. Using a towel fresh out of the dryer.
6. Seasonal flavored coffee creamers...thank you pumpkin spice and peppermint mocha.
7. Being the first one to use the bathroom at work in the mornings...I love finding the toilet with the lid still up and blue in the bowl (weird I know).
8. Making Noah Lee Chandler cackle...it's precious!
9. Having a biscuit with homemade pumpkin butter made by Amy.
10. Finding a great new station on Pandora radio that makes the work day better.
11. Walking around the corner in the morning and seeing my Christmas tree lit.
12. Walking out in the backyard and seeing new blooms on my plants.
13. Getting home from a grocery store trip and realizing I have so many options to choose from.
14. SAM's hotdogs....they are amazing.
15. Watching Auburn football on Saturdays.
16. Catching up with old friends over the phone or on facebook.
17. Cleaning out my closet and taking bags of stuff to goodwill.
18. Finding a "too good to be true" deal on something you didn't even know you needed.
19. A good heart to heart with a student.
20. Taking Matti on a walk around campus on a beautiful Fall day.
21. The first morning of Daylight's saving time change.
22. Finding a book that I just can't put down.
23. The first time I was able to run a mile this year without stopping.
24. Blowing my diet and realizing that today is a new day!
25. Getting to camp with my dad for three days in Tennessee.
26. Having my mom and sister come for Mom's weekend.
27. Resetting my gas gauge after filling up at the gas station.
28. Getting new plug in air freshners for my house.
29. Getting to go home for the holidays.
30. Finding the perfect ringtone for someone so that when they call you literally laugh out loud.
31. Buying new undies.
32. Eating a Reese cup egg or two.
33. Getting to sleep in.
34. Getting bear hugs from Cliff Magee almost on a daily basis.
35. Rearranging my office or living room.
36. Stumbling on a great movie on TV on Saturday afternoon when you should really be cleaning the house but instead you settle into the couch.
37. Getting a note from a mentor that starts with "I'm so proud of you..." (thanks Tommy McGregor)
38. Getting a thank you note from a student's parent (it's a rare thing)
39. Getting a new bottle of shampoo and conditioner.
40. The way my teeth feel after leaving the dentist office.
41. Laughing until you cry for no reason at all.
42. Finding money in the washer or dryer.
43. Finding boyfriend tees on sale at Target and buying one in every color (that's for you Jill)
44. Mastering another Louisiana dish (I've got Sara's gumbo down now)
45. Pecan cobbler from Portabella's
46. Buying an ice cream cake and sitting around with a group of girls digging in without an occassion except we wanted ice cream cake.
47. Hearing the LC marching band play "Living on a Prayer"
48. Getting to hold a sting ray.


49. Buying chickens for two wonderful families in Uganda...you would have thought we gave them a million dollars.


50. Having great friends and family who read my blog because they care what goes on in my life...love you all dearly.

Back from a week in Paradise

Well I am sitting at my desk on Monday morning eating an apple, drinking water and trying to figure out why my desk is swaying. Diet and workout begin today and vacation is officially over. We had a blast on our cruise though. I enjoyed getting to hang out with friends outside the office and I always love vacationing with my pops. I got to do some amazing snokeling in Jamaica with Eric and Lauren....then I got to swim with the sting rays in Grand Cayman. I won't lie that was a little unnerving to me at first but once I got used to them I love it. They are like big babies...they love being held and petted and fed. Our tour guide was fabulous and made our trip unforgetable. He was explaining to us the differences between male and female sting ray. The females are really large and the males are really small. As he was showing us a male and female side by side he said "now this is the joke portion of my tour....if I died and came back as anything I would want to be a male sting ray for two reasons. The ratio is 1 to 8, male to female so the odds are in my favor. The second reason is this (as he pulls up to things from the back of the sting ray)...I call this one Oscar and this one Myer" (and then he proceeds to laugh). Who knew male sting rays were so well endowed.
Our last day in Cozumel was a bust. We went to an all inclusive result to spend the day on the beach only the waves were too rough for us to snorkel or get in the water...the "mexican buffet" was terrible and because of the weather I couldn't parasail, which I had my heart set on doing.

Regardless of our last day in Cozumel and a cold, rocky day on the boat the last day headed home....we had an amazing time. Pictures to come but for now here is a picture of me and the sting ray I got to hold and kiss on.