I have gratitude today for...
* being able to handle a few accounts that were really messed up from another sales rep. I felt really bad for one person that was really upset but after we talked she told me she felt much better and would consider doing business with us again.
* my chicken tortilla soup for lunch!
* the warm weather and a BBQ dinner. Homemade fries too!
* finding A Time to Kill on TV as I was flipping through the channels. It is one of those movies that I always get sucked into, no matter how many times I've seen it before.

I have gratitude today for...
* lunch with John at a new family owned breakfast/lunch place right down the street from our office.
* not dreading going back to work after such a fantastic week.
* catching up on all of the Oprah episodes I missed last week.
* Andy's homemade pizzas for dinner.
* finding fun Christmas presents for Jeffrey on-line from the Disney Store.

I have gratitude today for...
* sleeping in today. After the long drive yesterday I needed a good night's sleep!
* the homemade chicken tortilla soup I made today. I found a recipe this morning and tweaked it (significantly) to make this soup. It came out soooo good.
* our evening with Jeff & Megan and the boys. Megan made a yum filet mignon dinner and we loved seeing their house decorated for Christmas.
* an exciting Eagles game even though they ended up losing.

I have gratitude today for...
* Andy driving the first 400 miles of our very long drive home. I felt really tired when we get up at 5am this morning and needed to sleep for a bit before driving.
* our detour on Route 1 through rural Maryland to avoid the horrific traffic on I-95. It was a really beautiful drive.
* getting home safely.
* dinner with Andy at Carrabba's. We had our favorite, chicken marsala and caesar salads. We sat at the pizza bar and had a really nice time together.

I have gratitude today for...
* a nice walk on the beach with Andy even though it was a bit chilly and there were strong winds.
* quality time with everyone at the big house during breakfast. I got there early and cooked the bacon and eggs so Grandma would have a break.
* Thanksgiving leftover buffet for lunch!
* playing Scrabble with Alex & Dan.
* my cousin Dan making me laugh by sitting at the Scrabble table with a big block of mozzarella cheese and a knife. His thoughts "it's just like string cheese but in a block."
* our annual "Ring Golf" tournament. Andy & Christopher were the big winners this year.
* the ridiculous "potato gun" Brian, James & Sean constructed. Luckily no one was severely injured while they shot potatoes into the ocean from the beach. Boys will be boys.
* helping Mom with Italian night.
* the sentimental side of my grandfather. He asked to watch the 10 Year Holden Beach Anniversary video with the whole family. The last time we saw it was in 2005 so it was nice to see it again.
* playing Taboo and all of the great laughs that went along with it.
* talking with Mom, Dad and Kelly at our house before bed. We were talking about a whole bunch of things and couldn't stop laughing.

I have gratitude today for...
* making stuffing with Grandma at the big house this morning. She's 79 years old and still brings a cooler to Thanksgiving with her potato water and chicken broth so she can make enough homemade gravy and stuffing for 25 people.
* spending time on the beach, what a gorgeous day.
* Bloody Mary's with Grandma this afternoon.
* Kelly finding Uncle Gary's wedding band in the sand. It was missing for the majority of the afternoon and there was an intense search for hours. Kelly was the star when she found it!
* the fun dress I wore to Thanksgiving dinner.
* a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner with our big, crazy, fun, loving family!
* playing poker and Left, Right, Center with the gang.

About Thanksgiving: we're all programmed to stop and think about what we're thankful for on this day. Keeping this blog has helped me find the good in everyday. It's amazing how much we forget. There have been times since starting this blog that I've let it go for too long. I found myself not being able to remember a single thing about my days just a week prior. Life is short, we learn that over and over. Take in moments, journal, live everyday...because when we reflect back, it all seems familiar again.

I have gratitude today for...
* that Kelly, Alex & Andy arrived safely at 5:15am! I was so worried about them driving through the night.
* the french toast breakfast with Mom, Dad, Kelly, Alex & Andy
* spending time by the pool, in November, with everyone. It was warm and sunny and beautiful in Holden Beach today!
* Bailey sparing Kelly's phone. He had it in his mouth, dangling over the pool.
* Aunt Kathy's "Welcome Dinner" with the whole family.
* being with Grandpa to celebrate his birthday every year.
* playing poker with Grandma, Sean, Tommy & James
* good laughs when Lindsay did her "card trick show".

I have gratitude today for...
* the shopping trip with Mom this morning. We found cute Thanksgiving decorations at the Dollar General and I got an awesome pair of sandals at a thrift shop for $2!
* spending time on the beach with Mom, Aunt Kathy, Brian and Bailey.
* Grandma & Grandpa arriving safely to Holden Beach and spending time with them this afternoon.
* Aunt Kathy's fantastic Hawaiian Chicken dinner.
* beautiful weather today and tonight.

I have gratitude today for...
* warm and sunny weather today in NC!
* the beautiful house Mom & Dad rented this year, great decks and living space!
* walking Bailey on the beach.
* lunch with Mom, Dad and Aunt Kathy at Provisions. A great view of the Intercoastal from our table on their deck.
* hanging on the deck at the big house with Mom.
* watching Oprah's Favorite Things after it got cloudy and chilly outside.
* yum sausage and peppers for dinner with Mom & Dad.
* the John Lennon special on PBS tonight.

I have gratitude today for...
* a beautiful day for my trip to NC. I listened to my "Best of DMB" playlist and had the sunroof open the whole time.
* my unplanned stop at the outlets in NC. It was so nice out and I needed a break from driving. I got some good things at Bath & Body Works and two awesome pairs of jeans at Lucky Brand for a total of $12!
* watching the Eagles vs. Giants game with Dad. Eagles win!

I have gratitude today for...
* an easy drive to VA with no traffic.
* having time to visit with John, Jillian, Carter & Lily for a few hours before we had to leave for Charlottesville.
* Carter's reaction when I mentioned the Phillies. He said "uh oh". It was really cute!
* the ham dinner Jillian made made for us.
* Julie agreeing to trade our pair for a GA pair so we could be with Andy, John & Michelle on the floor.
* good times tailgating at the Econolodge before the show.
* a really great show to end the tour, especially the double encore!
* Jess & Christine giving me a place to sleep tonight.

I have gratitude today for...

* walking through the city on this beautiful morning with Andy back to Evan's place. 

* the perfect timing we had to catch the 11:14 train back to NJ. 

* Mom's leftover chicken picatta for lunch. 

* spending the afternoon with Mom, Dad, Kelly, Alex & Andy. We watched the Giants vs. Dallas game and ate an early Italian dinner.

* the amazing bread from Dolce & Clemente. Andy & I picked up a couple loafs to bring back to PA.
* a really great weekend with good friends, good music, good food & drinks, that ended with a visit to Mom and Dad's. 

I have gratitude today for...

* the good laugh we all got from Katie as she told us about her night last night. Getting the bill for a movie she ordered was also pretty funny considering the time of the order was 10:10pm! She's our rock star!

* being able to shower last so I could stay in bed a while longer. 

* Susan's friend Evan letting us keep our stuff at his place. 

* lunch with Craig, Deb, Susan & Andy at John's Pizzeria (No Slices). It was a really great atmosphere and we were able to use some of the Hilton Cash there. It was nice to eat a real meal!

* suggesting we check out the Bull Moose Saloon. I wasn't sure what we were going to get when we opened the door but the $3 Yuengling sign told me it was a good idea. We ended up having a really fun time playing video photo hunt, music on the jukebox and drinking cheap beers. John & Jillian, Katie and her friend Erin met us there. Could this be our new NYC bar?

* another huge gathering before the show at Mustang Sally's. 

* the Absolut Vodka girls walking around giving out tickets for free drinks/shots. 

* Andy & I having seats with John & Jillian for tonight's show (Katie managed to join us too.) 

* DMB playing one of the best shows I've seen in years, probably ever...It was a magical show with so many great moments. Highlights for me were #41-->Say Goodbye, Pig, Nancies, Christmas Song, Jane, Crush, BOWA & Last Stop. 

* hanging out at Sally's after the show. 

* Ben's friend letting us crash at his place tonight. It was a long day and I needed to go to sleep ASAP, haha.

I have gratitude today for...

* Katie arriving safely to NYC and being our morning wake-up call :-)

* my walk around the city with Andy & Debbie. It was a beautiful morning and it the fresh air felt great.

* orange drink from McDonald's and a New York bagel made me ready for another long day/late night.

* a beautiful stroll through Central Park with Andy. We found the ice skating rink and sat in the sun on rocks that overlooked the rink. The leaves on the trees were gorgeous---it was a perfect fall day.

* a funny "Hilton Time Share Presentation" experience. Andy's words "Christine wanted to buy a $100,000 time share, but was mad about a $6 slice of pizza last night." Katie yells "sucker!" Um, yeah, they made it sound super cool. Don't worry, we walked away without signing anything. 

* the awesome hotel rates and the $100 Hilton Cash we got for going to the time share presentation.

* hanging out in the hotel room while everyone got ready drinking Bloody Mary's and listening to music. 

* Andy, Katie & I being able to keep Craig & Deb calm (sort of) when they realized their N2 tickets were really for N1. There were some tense moments but I knew in my gut it would all work out. I was proud of them for quickly deciding to not let it ruin their night. 

* the cab ride through Times Square with Katie to Mustang Sally's. Cab rides in NYC are always interesting. It's hard to believe there isn't an accident every ten seconds. 

* good times at Mustang Sally's with the gang. We had some quality time with John, Jillian, Craig, Debbie & Katie before it got really crowded. 

* our awesome bartender at Sally's. He definitely hooked us up and let us keep our jackets behind the bar during the show.

* our GA tickets on the floor for N1's show. We had a pretty big group and every second of the show was a lot of fun! Highlights for me were Die Trying, Lover Lay Down, Warehouse, Grey Street, Shake Me & Watchtower. 

* hanging out with everyone after the show at Mustang Harry's.

* Katie making it safely back to the hotel.

I have gratitude today for...
* getting through the role-play in today's sales meeting. I hate role playing and get really nervous even though non of my coworkers would believe it.
* our awesome November issue and the phone call from John saying how happy he was with my work on the special advertising section.
* Dad giving us a ride to the train station.
* the hour Andy and I had at the hotel to just relax. No agenda, no running around---just watching TV and waiting for Craig & Deb to arrive!
* dinner at McGees Pub with Craig & Deb. Good food, drinks and quality time with them. Our waiter was really nice which made it even more enjoyable.
* walking through Times Square on our way to bar #2. It was a beautiful night and we had a fun time taking pictures and soaking in that "big city" feeling.
* drinks and DMB on the jukebox at an Irish Pub with Andy, Craig, Deb, Sarah B., Morgan & Bobbo.
* The $6 slice of pizza lesson, although I was really annoyed about this in the moment. After the bars Andy & I went to a pizza place to grab a slice, his was $6. I think that's crazy, even for NYC and I sort of freaked out. It's not the $6, obviously we're spending hundreds of $ to be in NYC this weekend. I just think it's taking advantage of your customers when you charge $6 for one piece of pizza. Anyway, I decided from that moment on that we are in NYC with our good friends that we never see. We haven't had a DMB weekend in NYC in 5 years, and I wasn't going to stress about the $ we were spending from this moment on. $6 slices, $4 waters, $7 beers---what are you going to do? It's New York. Sometimes you just gotta live, "celebrate we will!"

I have gratitude today for...
* the Chinese place I found down the street from my office. Excellent food and not too expensive.
* the wonderful early Thanksgiving dinner at Jeff & Megan's.
* being able to nominate Maura Manzo from Local for Global for our Superwomen article in Dec. She is raising $20,000 for her mission trip to Africa. I hope to go there someday and love her efforts!
* all of the excitment among our friends for this weekend!

I have gratitude today for...
* the sesame bagel I had for breakfast. I've gotten into the bad habit of skipping breakfast again. I get way too hungry during the day and that leads me to eating unhealthy lunches and junk food. Not good.
* realizing even more today, how much opportunity there is for me at this magazine.
* learning more about Constant Contact and all of the awesome things I can do with the program.
* today's episode of Oprah with George Bush. I did not agree with his decisions or views (most of the time) but I think he is a good person and enjoyed the show.

I have gratitude today for...
* feeling well rested when I got up this morning. Usually it's so hard for me to get up.
* decompressing and having some good laughs with Brian & Jane after today's sales meeting. It was over 4 hours long!
* Andy picking up pizza for dinner, I didn't feel like cooking.
* watching "Date Night" tonight with Andy. It wasn't the best movie but it was nice to put the computers and phones away and watch a movie together. We're always so rushed on weeknights.
* Conan's new show on TBS. I thought the beginning of the show was pretty funny. I fell asleep so I only saw the first 15 minutes or so.
* all of the emails going back and forth about this weekend in NYC. I'm so excited to see everyone!

I have gratitude today for...
* daylight savings time, the morning felt extra long!
* watching The Apprentice with Andy this morning. I've really enjoyed it this season and it's been fun watching it together.
* going to see Jeff & Megan's house in Narberth now that they're all moved in. It looks fantastic! I am so happy for them.
* a fun time with Jeffrey & Jame at the playground. I love those kids so much and feel lucky they live close enough for us to do things with them on a regular basis.
* our grilled filet mignon dinner. Yum!
* watching the Eagles & Flyers games with Andy.
* chatting with Debbie about next weekend. I'm so excited to see them and everyone else. It's been so long since we've spent a weekend in NYC.
* getting the pictures from the photo shoot I did last weekend with my friend Michael Franken Photography. You can check them out by clicking here.

I have gratitude today for...
* my trip to Staples today to recycle 8 old ink cartridges. It seems to me so many people are lazy about recycling items that can't go in their curbside pickup. To me, it's worth a little effort in exchange for knowing I'm doing what I can to be responsible for our environment.
* the awesome new camera we got at Radio Shack on clearance for $119! It's a Canon SD780 IS and sells on Amazon for $240. I love a bargain  and think the red color is fun and different.
* Tom's of Maine all-natural deodorant. I've wanted to try out an all natural deodorant for a while and think this one is really great!
* our awesome tailgate for DMB today. Lots of friends, food, drinks and good times. I was glad to finally have Jess & John join our group and it was fun meeting their friends. It was also nice to have Adrienne there.
* another fantastic DMB show. I really love doing the GA floor thing. We get to have a whole bunch of friends together and that makes the show that much better.
* Andy driving home after the show tonight.

I have gratitude today for...
* being able to go back to bed for an hour this morning when I wasn't feeling well.
* somehow all of my ads were submitted in time for the file upload this afternoon.
* the advertiser I spoke with last night signed a contract tonight!
* Andy being ok tonight when he got into a minor car accident. After seeing that accident last week my heart sank when I heard him say he was in one on his way home from work.
* leftover Celebre's pizza for dinner!
* our visit with P.J. & Brian at Champps. They were in town and we met them out for a drink to say hello. It felt funny seeing them in warm weather clothes!

I have gratitude today for...
* being able to take deep breaths when things got crazy at the office today. Deadline day is always fun, nothing has changed!
* the phone call I received tonight from a local restaurant owner. I tried to get him to advertise at LifeStyle and never had any luck, finally got somewhere tonight talking with him about different advertising options and I feel confident he will sign an agreement for 2011 soon.
* watching Private Practice tonight. It was a very emotional episode where one of the main characters was beaten and raped. This is one of my biggest fears in life and I found the show hard to watch; at the same time I felt they did a really good job with the episode. I hope it helps someone out there that has been silent about something so awful happening to them.

I have gratitude today for...
* Mrs. Roth making the ham dinner I was supposed to make since I was stuck at the office until after 6.
* a relaxing evening with Andy.
* cinnamon/spice scented candles, I just love how they smell!

I have gratitude today for...
* lunch with John at Bertucci's. We talked about the potential for me in this position at Suburban Life.
* our right to vote. Although I feel like things never change in Washington, we are very lucky to live in a country where we have a voice and the ability to change who is in power.
* finally getting my haircut after having to cancel twice. I've needed it cut for so long!

I have gratitude today for...
* being recognized for my success with the special advertising section this month in our sales meeting this morning.
* getting another $5,000 in sales today!
* the stew I had for lunch that Andy made last night.
* lower level, eighth row seats for the Flyers game tonight vs. the Carolina Hurricanes. It was a great game and they won 3-2!
* Celebre's Pizza near the stadium. It's always fantastic!