thankful thursday #100 (the giveaway)

After last Friday's little tumble, it's been a sad week for exercise. I was hitting a nice running routine, and I was bummed to have it interrupted.

A perfect time to practice some gratitude, wouldn't you say?

On the up side, sad times are always delicious times in my world, because let's face it, I'm an emotional eater. This week of food indulgences probably shouldn't be in the I'm-thankful-for category, but I'm making it so. I have eaten well this week and enjoyed it.

And on the more legitimate up side, the ankle is healing up and the swelling is going down. I sure do take it for granted that my body can be pushed to run five miles, and when it's had a bad day, heal up when it needs to. It won't always be this way, so for now, I'm grateful.

Now, the giveaway!

So fun. I loved reading your thankful posts; they really do make the heart overflow. I hope yours did.

I really wanted to send some cards to everyone, but I stuck with the plan and selected two random names. I could have drawn names out of a hat, but that might have appeared shady, and well, I'm not shady.

So to be above board, I did it online, for-real randomly, and here's what I got ...

(drumroll, please)

... and ...

(Don't you just love how there's an exclamation point at the end of each selected name? It's like I really did draw your name out of a hat and squeal with glee.)

Katie and Deana, I will pop those in the mail to you tomorrow. Maybe they'll arrive just in time to brighten your Mondays.

Thanks, y'all, for humoring me, and for celebrating one hundred posts of gratitude. Here's to one hundred more!

Be thinking about how you're going to spend these cards, you two. Go on, be grateful!

thankful thursday #99

This weekend is my alma mater's Homecoming, which I never get to attend because of my job.  Boo.

But, I have a dear friend -- a fellow native Athenian, in fact! -- through whom I can live vicariously.  She is faithful to come to town for the festivities when she can, and better, her parents come too!  I love that they embrace her college as if it were their own.

Her parents had me into their home a bajillion times when we were kids, and I'm grateful that I get to return the favor tomorrow!  They're all coming over for dessert, and I'm pretty excited to serve up these Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars (why yes, yes they are as tasty as they sound), and brownie sundaes (because I have it on good authority that Cassie's mom loves a good brownie!).

Now, for the 100th Thankful Thursday giveaway!

When I first started this series, it was really about habitually and intentionally looking for the good around us, even for something simple.  Practicing gratitude internally. 

What is being increasingly revealed to me, is that gratitude should also be practiced externally, overflowing to the people around us every day.  Sadly, in my life, I might think I'm grateful for a person, but I don't thank them actively.

Gratitude is good for the heart.

But what if it was shared, too?

Simple math tells me it might have twice the impact.

So, those two cute sets of note cards up there from Bella Louise Paperie are up for grabs. For free!  Here's how:

1. Before the 100th Thankful Thursday post next week, leave a comment on today's post with something you're thankful for.  Or a person.  Or an experience.  Or anything you want.


2. Promise that if you win this little giveaway, you will send grateful words on these cards to friends, family, coworkers, whomever, not because they gave you anything.  Just because you appreciate them.


3. Next week, I will randomly select two people from the list of comments and announce them. I'll ship them right to your doors.

That's it.   And just think!  If you're one of my two readers, your odds are phenomenal.  It can't get easier.

So here we go.  In honor of #100, go on, be grateful!