Easy Thanksgiving Project - Blessings Bucket

November = Thanksgiving = Gratitude. Instead of just writing about the people and things I am thankful for, I decided to create something that I can use all year long to remember how God has blessed me.

Enter the Blessings Bucket. First I thought of a Blessings Box, then a Jar, but I found a really cute bucket at Hobby Lobby for 50% off! This whole project cost less than $6, but could easily be done with things found around the house.

These were my project supplies. My bucket, jumbo popsicle sticks and Washi tape. I wanted my Blessings Bucket to have a little bit of pretty to it.

I added the Washi tape to the top of the popsicle sticks. I used all three colors of Washi tape for variety. But you could give each member of your family a different color to use. Or you don't have to use any at all.

This is the fun part! Write down what you are thankful for. I have sticks for my family members, my home and of course, for my dog, Luna. There are many empty sticks waiting to be filled up.

The unused sticks are upside down, so I can easily grab one to write on. I am looking forward to filling out my sticks. And when I am having a bad day, I can look in my cute little bucket and see I have so much to be thankful for!

Learning to Breathe, Pt. 11

Happy November!! Autumn is moving right along. Some of my friends already have their Christmas trees up! I am going to hold off until next week. :) It is going to be in the 70s this week in NW Ohio and I am having a hard time getting in the Christmas spirit with the warmer temps.

November is a bittersweet month for me. I love Thanksgiving and the start of the holiday season, but it is also the month when I lost my dad. It will be four years this year. Every year, I can't believe it has been that long. This year is no different.

I have had a few friends lose their dads in the last year or so. It always bring back memories of how I felt during those first few days after my dad was gone. I was blessed to be with my dad for the last week of his life. That time is so precious to me - both the good and sad memories.

This November, I want to not only be thankful, but to show my thankfulness. I am still working out what I am going to do, but will be sharing my ideas throughout the month. Even though my home will be filling up with Christmas cheer, Thanksgiving is not off my radar!

Enjoy the last of the fall colors and be thankful!

Happy Thanksgiving

Thankful for What?

The last couple of weeks have been absolutely crazy. I was so proud of myself for finishing and completely 31 posts during the month of October. I planned and prepared so I could post. They were not all my best work, but I was really happy that I finished. Then November hit.

Besides working on all my posts for October, my work life was tossed up into the air and I was waiting to see where all the pieces fell. A division of the company I worked for was acquired by a competitor. Because the majority of my responsibilities revolved around this division, my position was also acquired. As with any merger or acquisition, there is a real fear that I could lose my job. There was a lot of uncertainty, including where, as in location, was I going to work. The division is headquartered in Chicago. The new company is headquartered in New York. I am in Pittsburgh. Was this now going to be an issue?

In the month since the acquisition was announced, I am feeling much, much better about my position with the new company. Earlier this week, I traveled in New York to meet my new boss. I had talked with her several times on the phone and already liked her. Meeting her face to face reinforced how great she is. Not only that, but the offices are in New York City!

I have been to New York a handful of times. Never have I gone as a 100% tourist. I have always been there for other things. I have done a little sightseeing, but not a lot. However, the views from the office provided some pretty spectacular views. The office is in the Financial District in lower Manhattan. Their conference room has a view of the Statue of Liberty. And HR has a view of Freedom Tower. It was pretty cool since I don't have a view at all.

Why is that? Because I am not a remote worker, which means I work from home. And even better….I can work from any where, so I can freely move back to Ohio without worrying about finding a job. And will still be able to go back to New York to see their fantastic views.

This acquisition has been a blessing in disguise. Through some conversations earlier this week, I have been presented with some pretty great opportunities and I can't wait to start them. Who knew that I would be thankful for an acquisition?!?! Well, God did. He knew this would be happening in my life. This is a complete blessing that He has bestowed upon me. But even more than that, I need to show my thankfulness by doing my job well. In this day in age, job security cannot be taken for granted. And I definitely don't want to forget that.