Thankful Thursday...it's been awhile!

I realized today that there has been quite a dearth (great word, I know!) of blogging going on at Sunflower Eyes...not because I don't have anything to blog about (ooohhhh, do I have things to blog about!! Crazy, fun, exhausting things from the past few weeks...), but simply because I've been so busy living the crazy soon-to-be- blog stories that I haven't had time to write them down...I will soon, I promise, since Adam keeps bugging me about when I'm going to blog about the latest adventures of the Cupboard Dweller and other stuff...but for now: a short & sweet thankful Thursdays list.
Today, I am....
-thankful that my son is, although perhaps not a great sleeper, a great and flexible traveler.
-Thankful that I have family with extra bedrooms living in town (more about that one later...)
-thankful that my husband loves to take the time to plan surprises for me he knows I will LOVE (more about that later, too...)
-thankful for the kids I tutor-so different, so interesting, so fun to be challenged to help them learn!
-thankful for the BEAUTIFUL SUNSHINE we've been having this week...ahhh, flipflops!
-thankful for whoever invented toenail polish.
-thankful that my son loves people so much and makes it his personal mission to smile, wave and say "hi there!" to each and every one we pass.
-thankful for the sweet Sam's club lady who he charmed today...she gave him a sugar cookie, and it kept him busy almost the whole way home from Farmington!
-thankful for my station wagon.
-thankful that we get to go to the marriage conference for free this weekend because it's considered part of our job. We would have gone anyways, but it is nice to not have to worry about coming up with the money for it!
Sometimes we take for granted all the big and little things we have to be thankful for...what are you thankful for today?

The Great Debate...pt. 1

There are a few topics that inspire serious debates in our household...not so much finances or politics, but things like what is truly the earliest you can make chocolate mint cookies if you're planning to give them to someone on a Friday, and still keep the quality of goodness they deserve; what would be the ideal time to have another baby (if we have any say in it next time...); and tacos. Seriously, tacos have been the topic of a LOT of conversations in the past 6 weeks. You see, Adam is very nostalgic about the tacos his mother used to make when he was a kid...ground beef, grocery store seasoning packet, and all condiments in separate bowls on the side. Onions, cheese, beans, everything. No mixing. I, on the other hand, mostly care about how the tacos TASTE...and in my opinion, the grocery store seasoning just doesn't cut it. SO. I made tacos several weeks ago, a la Kristin--spicy and nicely seasoned, with lots of fresh ingredients (garlic, green chilies, onion, and so forth) thrown in. Adam ate 2. Now, if you know Adam, you know how many tacos he can eat, so I knew he wasn't a huge fan. Although he didn't say anything, I had to ask...and the debate began. Flavor vs. nostalgia. A few weeks later, we had tacos a la Adam-fine, but in my opinion rather bland. What to do?? Seriously, we have tacos frequently enough for this to be a big stinkin' deal! Pax liked them both, so he was no help...how could we come to a peaceful resolution??? We can't be a 2-taco family..."Ahh, mooooom.....I like DAD's tacos!" "Dad's tacos AGAIN?? when will mom make them?" we could picture the catastrophic division having 2 different kinds of tacos could bring to our future (seriously...this is the stuff we have loooong conversations about at our house). BUT...tonight. I made tacos, since the recipe I was trying to make in the crock pot just wasn't done...and tried a compromise. Taco seasoning packet + some extra flavor thrown in. Condiments on the side. SUCCESS!! Adam loved them, and ate at least 4...always a sign that he does, indeed, like them. I liked them, too, and Pax....well, Pax just likes good tasting food. TADA!! Great Debate #1 solved! tune in next time for more random debates from the Bleger household....

more adventures of the cupboard dweller...

Little P seems to have an unusual love of cupboards...or perhaps he just loves to climb, and being that every playground in Durango is covered with snow, he uses whatever is at his disposal! Either way, the little adventurer has discovered over the past few weeks that he can not only take lots of stuff OUT of cupboards (this is not a new discovery, of course...), but that he can put himself INTO them. Or at least, he likes to try! We find him in them at random times, singing and talking (and, yes, pooping) in them. He spends his days doing this.... and this...and, oh yes, this...

And of course this...and then he does this. What do I do with my days? Chase after him, mostly! And love (almost) every minute of it :)

Thankful Thursday!

Today, I am thankful for...great dental genetics and parents who were very dilligent about my dental care growing up!

Let me explain.

Adam and I have not been to the dentist for cleanings in at least 3 years. I know, I know. Well, we finally decided to go before we are not employed at the church anymore and therefore can't get reimbursed for it (we didn't know we had this little perk for quite awhile...one of the excuses for not seeing the dentist earlier). We both had appointments this week, Adam on Tuesday and mine today. We went to Dr. Caldwell's office (thanks Jill!), where there is a very nice hygenist whom Adam has known forever, making the experience just that much more fun! Adam's appointment on Tuesday took 1 1/2 hours...and he had 3 cavities. Now, you need to understand that Adam flosses DILIGENTLY and we both use Sonicare toothbrushes. I, on the other hand, floss about once a year, when i feel a little guilty about it.

My appointment lasted 45 minutes and I was told at least 8 times that I had "great teeth!" And no cavities.

Adam does not think this is in any way fair! But what can I say? I just have good teeth...never had a cavity, although i have had thousands of dollars worth of orthodontic work done...but then, so has he. We have beautiful smiles!! Mine just happens to be beautiful on the inside, too. Adam's...well...let's just say if they did gold fillings we'd be rich :) He has 2 appointments in the next 2 weeks to get his cavities filled, and has requested soup and Frostys on those days. So thankful am I for my "great teeth!" that I called my mom on the way home and thanked her, too.

You know you live in Southern Colorado if...

The more I think about moving back to the Front Range, the more I've realized that there are many, many little oddities that make Durango (and Southern Colorado) seem like another world to those who visit...some I'll miss, some I won't!

You know you live in Southern Colorado if....

....you think nothing of having to go to New Mexico to go to Target, Sam's Club, or a "real" mall.
....you think it's actually fun to make these random New Mexico trips, and consider them a great excuse to "get out of town".
....the closest (and coolest, newest, and nicest smelling) bowling alley around is in the new Ute tribe casino.
....your town has it's own weather patterns that have nothing to do with the rest of the state, since you live in a valley far far away.
....you actually know people who have never been to Denver.
....the closest "big city" is Alburquerque, NM and you like to go there for the Old Navy store.
....you have ever been to Boulder, then come home and had an odd sense of Deja Vu.
....you have ever considered moving to the Front Range simply so you could afford to buy a house...but then realized you wouldn't have the view.
....you know how to pronounce Florida.
....you see people running around in single-digit weather in very few clothes, often dressed as Egyptians, superheros, medieval cortesans, cavemen...
....you like to play "what country are they from?" on Main Street in the summer as you people-watch.
....at "rush hour" it takes you 20 minutes to get across town.
....you're not suprised when male church attendance goes down dramatically each fall...you just know hunting season has started.
....to you, "the Fort" means something compleatly different than it does to the rest of the state.
....you can confidently debate the merits of 285 vs. I-70 as routes to the front range.

You get the idea. There are so many more I could add...feel free to join in!!