My So Called Life....

Despite my spate of recent posts, I am sometimes reluctant to blog because I'm not sure that I have anything that is particularly "blog-worthy."  When I read other people's blogs sometimes, it can be overwhelming when to see how funny, entertaining, and/or talented the bloggers are or how exciting their lives may be.

I think sometimes, however, we can be blinded by how mundane our routine tasks can be that we don't realize that we can still be uncommon despite the fact that we are performing common, routine tasks.

In addition, given that it's November, I've been thinking a little bit about gratitude.  So with that in mind, here are five mundane, common place things from "My So-Called Life" that I've been up to in the past week and that I'm grateful for:

#5 - Went To Church

We were recently released from our service in the Spanish Ward after several years.  Truth be told, I miss it.  Not necessarily the calling I had, but I miss the people.  Now that we are back in our "home" ward, I feel like I don't know a soul and I'm starting over.  It is very surreal.

Still, I'm grateful for the opportunity to go to church and for our friends  and neighbors who have been anxious to get us back (at least that's what they tell us!).  ;-)

#4 - Did Stuff With My Kids

I've been frantically working with R. trying to finish up the requirements for his Webelos Arrow of Light.  Poor S. keeps asking me when we are going to work on his Cub Scout stuff!  I told him that we still have months to his birthday so we're good.  R. has only another few days to finish up his last two requirements!  We are in triage mode here people!

As soon as R. finishes those requirements, we can spend lots of time teaching S. how to do really important Cub Scout stuff like a front somersault and how to properly tie his neckerchief!

I've also been spending some quality time with M.  We have a standing date pretty much every night.  Here's how it works.  He starts crying.  I go get him and feed him his bottle.  Then I change his diaper so it doesn't explode in the middle of the night.  M. cries because he hates his diaper getting changed.  However, once it's done he calms down and I put him back in his crib.  He goes to sleep. I pass out, but I am grateful for my kids.  They really are a true blessing.

#3 - Laundry

Is there anything more glamorous than doing laundry?  It reminds me of that quote from Christmas Vacation where Chevy Chase ("Clark Griswold") gets his Christmas bonus--a membership to the "Jelly-of-the-Month" Club.  To say that Chevy Chase was disappointed would be an understatement.  As Chevy prepares to go ballistic,  Randy Quaid ("Uncle Eddie") leans over and tells Chevy Chase: "Aww Clark, that's the gift that keeps on giving the whole year round!"

Laundry is kinda like the gift that keeps on giving the whole year round.  Just as soon as you finish one load, there are more dirty clothes!  I got all my laundry done yesterday, including folding it and putting it away.  I know, I know, it's a miracle!

Exhausting and unending as it may be, I'm grateful for a nice washer and dryer that make the laundry process as painless as possible.

#2 - Worked Out

I went running at least once this week!  It wasn't very far, but I kept up a decent pace and I wasn't too sore the next day!  Ever since the Pumpkinman, my race calendar for the year is pretty much done, so it's been tough to go motivated to go running--especially late at night when I usually have time to do it.  If I don't keep up though, I am going to look (and feel) like Homer Simpson at my next race!

Still, I am grateful for a body that allows me to do fun things like triathlons, races, play basketball with my brother (we played together in the championship game tonight and S. had 6 three-pointers, including 4 in the first half!), and keep up with my kids--even though I'm getting old and slow with every passing minute!

#1 - Got a Haircut

My haircut wasn't quite this short!  ;-)

Yes, this is incredibly mundane, but it can be a bit stressful.  I've never been able to quite find a barber/salon that I like in the city where I live, so I often find myself driving for what seems like hours to get a haircut at the salon in the town where we used to live.

Sadly, I feel like I've had some bad haircuts and it's not that fun.  I have blogging friends who have tried Groupons for haircuts and had bad experiences.  Mine weren't that bad, but I always worry that that's going to be the worst case scenario.

Frankly, I'm not sure what's harder...trying to find a decent salon or actually getting a haircut that J. thinks looks good.  The last time I got a haircut, she didn't even think that I'd gotten one!  Apparently, this one didn't make the grade either.  ;-)  Oh well, everyone's a critic!

I guess I'm just grateful that I still have enough hair to need a haircut at my age.  I can't say that for all of my friends or high school buddies!

My haircut

What mundane things are you grateful for?