Three Things...Gratitude Thread

Wow! Colleges starting already? We don't start until September 3rd, with dorms opening on August 30th/31st. I still have 3 weeks of summer left!!

Classes start Monday, but freshman have a 5 day camp to help get acclimated. Some kids moved in as early as 8/5 for things like band and Greek rush/recruitment. My younger daughter went back to school (high school) on 8/7.
 
Orange 🧡🧡🧡

Like @leebee a part of my orange gratitude is tied to Syracuse! Now, I’ve always been pretty fond of Otto, the kind of ridiculous big orange mascot for SU, but I know there are mixed feelings among the masses. I had no strong feelings for or against the color before college, but because of SU, I 🧡🍊. My experiences there are part of who I am today. It’s also a lot of what’s guiding my trust and such for DD17s collegiate journey…even if her school colors don’t involve orange.

Pumpkins…it’s too hot to display real ones here during September and October, but I’m usually able to grab some late season ones on sale and keep them out throughout November. The minis the girls got last year lasted well into spring! I just love the look of them and pumpkin is tasty too.

Passion fruit - it is my favorite tropical fruit. It tastes like vacation, which ultimately helps me relax.
 
Orange 🧡🧡🧡

Like @leebee a part of my orange gratitude is tied to Syracuse! Now, I’ve always been pretty fond of Otto, the kind of ridiculous big orange mascot for SU, but I know there are mixed feelings among the masses. I had no strong feelings for or against the color before college, but because of SU, I 🧡🍊. My experiences there are part of who I am today. It’s also a lot of what’s guiding my trust and such for DD17s collegiate journey…even if her school colors don’t involve orange.

Pumpkins…it’s too hot to display real ones here during September and October, but I’m usually able to grab some late season ones on sale and keep them out throughout November. The minis the girls got last year lasted well into spring! I just love the look of them and pumpkin is tasty too.

Passion fruit - it is my favorite tropical fruit. It tastes like vacation, which ultimately helps me relax.
🧡🧡🧡
 

I just smiled to remember that our friends Pooh, Pluto, and Tigger are semi orangish. My favorite Kroger Brand (from Ralphs) pancake mix box is orange. There's also some orange in the summer placemats dad and I currently have on our table. A daily orange=our soup pot that enables dad and I to share a can of Campbell's Chicken Broth together with God.
 
When the Good Humour truck came around the neighborhood, I always got a Humorette- an orange creamsicle!

I eat an orange every morning

I love the Halloween decorations at WDW, especially the Mickey Jack o’ Lanterns!
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And then there’s one of my favorite Bath and Body Works soaps: Purrfect Pumpkin!
 
*Being far enough away from neighbors and civilization that I can relax without concern of noises and other issues associated with living close to others. Yes, the tradeoff is I have to travel further for things and be away from it all, but I think it's worth it because I like the simpler, plainer kind of life.

*Going to the shelter and cuddling with the dogs and cats (when the cats allow it) all together in the play room. I've never felt joy, love, acceptance and all other kinds of emotions from anything else but they all just bring immense joy and happiness to my life. I love them all to death and find their company relaxing in ways that are hard to communicate.

*I enjoy growing houseplants so putting an audiobook on and spending time planting, re-potting, watering and tending to the plants is a great form of relaxation for me. My mother and I used to do gardening and planting together and I still find it very enjoyable to this day.
 
Happy Thursday Friends! :wave:

#1 - Our Pool - My favorite place to relax

#2 - Our Gazebo & Outdoor Furniture - I love sitting outside at night and watching TV.

#3 - My Puzzles - Working on puzzles is very relaxing for me. I just bought my new one and it’ll be delivered tomorrow. I hang my puzzles when they are completed. I have one frame and switch them out - they are all themed to different seasons. The one I just bought is a new winter one with a snowman ⛄
 
Thank you Thomas for the love you give animals. I would love to volunteer helping dogs :dogdance:in some way in the future.

Slo, puzzles really are great fun and way to relax🧩

Times of quiet 🙏 and being able to truly be still and know by my faith God is with me.

God willing one day when I am back to normal being able to shower will be extra relaxing.

Reading is joy and way to safely travel as well while relaxing📕
 
Being able to grill our supper. It's so easy to throw protein on the grill, whip up a salad, and eat. Minimal fuss, minimal clean up. Relaxing. Cracks me up when someone says "Let's have nachos, they're easy!" No, they are not- cooking meat, chopping a bunch of veggies, grating cheese, etc. Gimme a piece of steak to throw on the grill and a couple of ears of corn in a pot, and I'm good.

Sitting outside, on the deck, reading. If it's too hot, I will set up a fan, outdoors, to keep me cooler. I can only do this for about an hour, but man, does it relax me.

Jigsaw puzzles. A good friend got me involved with this, and it really IS relaxing. Keeps my mind busy but in a different way from dealing with everyday stuff.
 
1. Laying on a chair at the beach - when we were younger, DH and I would not rent chairs at the beach and just lay our towels on the sand and lay on them. Now - it is definitely worth it to get the chair! So relaxing!

2. Listening to music!

3. Sitting out on the deck reading a book!
 
Soooooo, truth be told...I don't relax very well. My mind is usually still going a mile a minute no matter what I do. So, maybe my relaxation is more the things I can do to collect those thoughts enough to calm down a bit.

Walking Outdoors- A nice long walk on our local greenbelt trail system really helps me relax enough to sort things out. My ankle still isn't ready for sneakers and the weather isn't great for walking right now. Upper 90s to low 100s every day, heat index around 110-115, and being in the woods adds in a rainforest humidity effect.

Sitting on a porch in the mountains- Again...mind still swirling, but the scenery is usually enough to get it into one organized swirl vs. a bunch of mini tornados and dust devils.

A good meal and drinks...maybe even with some sports on in the background- Maybe it's just a distraction, but it usually is good for settling me enough for a little bit to recharge my batteries a little.

Bonus- adding in some kind of photography component to all three of these things gives my mind enough of a creative outlet to relax a bit more.
 
I'll second the morning coffee routine. DH usually brings up coffee about an hour before our day starts. I sit in bed, drink my coffee while checking me email accounts, messenger, and of course, the DIS! Very peaceful, relaxing start to the day.
 
3 relaxing things you're grateful for...

Freezer meals!

Music.

Breeze moving through branches and leaves. ETA: Especially, if I'm looking up through the tree, so it's framed by the sky. ...Actually, if I'm out and about and need to take a breath, just looking up at the sky really helps.
 












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