Grateful

After about a year and a half of being unemployed, I was lucky enough to find a job.  I was even luckier to find one that pays more than my previous job did and to find a company that cares more about their employees than my previous "big name, worldwide corporation" employer does.  I am still working in the "corporate world" but it's more of a "corporate world with a heart" in a way.  Now I know I've only been there for three months, in fact I started a few days before Christmas (a job is a wonderful christmas gift!), but I felt right at home from the first second I stepped through the door my first day!
  When i first got to my desk on my first day, I was welcomed with a neatly wrapped Christmas gift and card sitting on my desk with my name on it, little touches like that stand out to me, it was a great way to make me feel at ease on my first day and set the tone for my new job.  I work both independantly and in a team setting. right from the beginning my team made me feel welcome and to me they are my extended family.  For the first time in years, I don't dread going into work, I enjoy it and at times it's actually fun. 
  Two weeks out of every month, we can wear jeans, and almost every week we have contests and drawings for prizes of all kinds and twice a week the company brings in breakfast for everyone and once in a while has lunch catered for everyone.  Yes it's great to feel appreciated!  I am grateful!

Sunny weather, winter thoughts.

For the past few days we have had absolutely beautiful "spring like" weather. Sunny and low 60's is very rare for Ohio in November. Even with this lovely weather, my mind is already thinking "winter thoughts". I am already making plans for Thanksgiving ( my husband has to work the day after Thanksgiving, so going away for Thanksgiving is definitely out of the question!) and both our families are far away, so this takes some planning. As of today, I have started to make Christmas gifts ( yes I am doing handmade Christmas gifts this year), I think they're more personal and I have the ideas and the time, so "what the heck!?". I do dread the thought of having to put in storm windows, but I have resigned myself to the fact that I will probably have to do it by the end of this week! Agh!
But again, there are things I love about winter. I love the first snow of the season, the sight of snowmen on front lawns and getting into "snowball wars" with the kids next door! I love snuggling up in my husband's arms while watching movies at night. I enjoy sipping my homemade hot chocolate while reading a good book, and chasing our pugs around in the snow in our back yard (they love it!).
So, while I am sad to see this wonderful weather leave us, I am getting ready for the "Winter Wonderland" that we will soon be living in for the next 4 or 5 months. I am ready, so "bring it on!"