It’s easy to feel happy when things are going great. But it’s when things have gone awry that we should focus our minds and hearts on that which we are thankful for. Sometimes it’s the big things like my top 3, other times its the small things in life that really make our hearts soar! Below is a list of 25 things that I’m grateful for in my life.
1. I am thankful for Jesus. He gave his life for our eternal life.
2. I am thankful for Dan. He provides for us and he loves us unconditionally.
3. I am thankful for Kerry, Grady, Brody, Kady, Kenny, Dally Cardy, Maddy, Rowdy, Emmy, Elly, & Coby. They are my heart and soul.
OK, those are truly my top 3, but they are all cliche’s EVERYONE says those things, unless you are an atheist and then I think you skip number 1 or Jewish, the Jewish people would skip number 1 as well. And #2 could be suspect if you are going through a divorce or have a husband named anything other than DAN and the same for 3, but really, I’m pretty sure like 50% or the people out there aren’t too thankful for their kids, but that’s in other blogs or my book or my everyday slur …
Here’s where the list really picks up …
4. I am thankful for my birth-mother. Even though she deserted me twice, at least I’m here to be deserted … the alternative would have been much worse.
5. I am thankful for my friends who listen and don’t judge when I’m having a bad moment.
6. I am so thankful for our health. I thank God for the fact that we are healthy and happy.
7 I am thankful for the 1 Year Rule where I ask myself, will it matter in one year and if the answer is no, I let it go.
8. I am so thankful that the majority of my kids still believe in Santa, the Tooth Fairy and The Easter Bunny. And that my older kids go along with it.
9. I am equally as thankful for the 40+ celebrity crowd that are still having babies … they make me feel young.
10. I am thankful that my 16 year old still holds my hand in public.
11. I am thankful that my kids all love living in the RV and that none of them ever thinks it’s too crowded.
12. I’m thankful that we’ve carved out our own little paradise and are living our authentic lives.
13. I”m thankful that I still feel like I’m 21 years old and that Dan and I can keep up with our kids and other people decades (shutup) younger than us.
14. I’m thankful for all the people we have met and connected with through our travels and our participation in kayaking, snowboarding, etc. You have all greatly increased the quality of our lives and inspired us to continue pursuing our dreams.
15. So very thankful that we do not spend our days chained to a desk or a cubicle working jobs that we hate.
16. I’m thankful for the Unfollow Button on Facebook so I don’t have to listen to all the political dribble from the people I think are morons. It’s so passive aggressive of me, but instead of unfriending, I simply unfollow.
17. I’m thankful for full hook-ups in campgrounds so I can charge my phone that I’m wayyy too attached to.
18. Toll Free Directions on MapQuest cuz I hate toll roads, I already pay taxes for roads!
19. Free Wifi! Need I say more?
20. Free Showers. Yes, there is a pattern developing, but pay showers annoy the hell outta me!
21. That we don’t have TV in the RV. We read a lot more books and spend a lot more time outside.
22. That I wrote and published a book, a real life, 100’s of pages long book! All by myself.
23. That my husband lifts weights and looks unbelievably hot even though he’s way way way older than me and could actually be my father … ok, wait I went too far with that one.
24. Manicures and Pedicures — they make me feel feminine whilst living a life of a nomad, hippie, granola chic!
25. And I’m thankful for the fact that I have people who will read this and leave comments below (hint hint).
BONUS: I’m so super thankful to Jackson Kayak (www.jacksonkayak.com) for making such epic kids boats that they prompted Dan and I to think, what a great kid activity which then prompted Dan and I to think, what a great family activity … these two thought completely changed our entire lives!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
So. Now, go ahead, leave your thankful list in the comments below. I promise I’ll read them!! 🙂 Make me laugh, I dare you!
I’m thankful for Kelloggshow. You guys make me smile and look at life in a different way than I used to. I’m also thankful for my family and my health. And, I’m thankful that my neighbors are moving and the house is vacant, for now.
ha ha … neighbor problems … I empathize! 🙂
I’m thankful for you and your marvelous family. I am sprinkled with hope everytime I’m around you by your neverending love and zest for the goodlife!
Let’s go find some good (night) life in the coming days!! 🙂
I’m so very moved by your list.it makes me happy and I am very grateful I somehow stumbled upon your pge and now I follow y’all with excitement and joy.Truly there have been days when just to see the faces of your children has made me lose any anger I may be feeling and suddenly feel better.Ive never met you. It I will always be inspired by you and I can’t wait to see the great and awesome things your children will contribute back to the world.
Wow, that’s amazing, thank you so much!! Now I’m going to have to go spend some time getting humbled, call my mom or something!! LOL!! :))) Thank you!
I’m very thankful I found your page, your family is a breath of fresh air. I’m thankful for chocolate, coffee and retirement.
Wow, thank you! Chocolate coffee and retirement … LOL!
I’m thankful that I’m able to spend the majority of my time writing my second novel (I too wrote a book and self published it Susie and it’s definitely an accomplishment). I’m thankful for friends and family. I’m thankful for you guys and other vloggers who constantly let me know/show me what a real loving family can be like. I’m thankful that I no longer get frustrated/angry at the simple things, the things that I cannot change or the things thatsimply do not matter. I’m thankful for the ability to dream big and to try and make them a reality.
Name of your 1st book? :))) I’m thankful for people who keep me grounded as well!!! 🙂
It’s called Perfectly Scarred by DC Nixon and it’s available almost everywhere as an eBook and on a website called Smashwords 🙂
I’m going to go look for it!! congrats!!!
Thank you so much. I’ve been meaning to check yours out as well 🙂 I’ll have to get onto that. If you use this code on the Smashwords website ‘CB64C’ you can get my book for free at the moment.
I am thankful for Rv’s that don’t work, just for a day or so. I am thankful that my kids “pick up” strangers outside of Confession. I am thankful all the faithful that inspire me to be a better person. I am thankful for all the other big families out there that I can relate to. I am most thankful for washing machines and dryers.
I am very thankful to have met you … we all still talk about you guys so much that Dan really REALLY is bummed to have missed out. If ya’ll travel outta TX this year, be sure to let us know cuz we’d love to meet up with ya…even like amarillo! 🙂 Merry Christmas to all the T’s!
Sounds good. I am pretty sure we are headed to St. Louis for the highschoolers to go on a Steubenville retreat with my priest friend’s parish. Any chance your highschool age kiddos would want to join in? I don’t know your competitions go but if you are free that weekend, I know the kids would enjoy the company. July 11-13 is the weekend. We will be in St. Louis around that time. No plans set. J and I are talking about at least renting an RV for that trip to “practice” being cool like you guys!
I’m thankful for (in no particular order)
1. Kayaking
2. Skiing
3. Mountain Biking
4. Family
5. Guitar
6. Photography
7. Surfing
8. Friends
9. Climbing
10. All of my pets
11. God
12. Music
13. My teachers
14. My coaches
15. My teammates
16. MEDIC ambulance #77
17. and so on and so forth:)
Awesome list!! #16 … I’m curious! 🙂
About #16, I used to play soccer and once I was diving for a ball while another person was trying to kick it. They missed the ball and kicked my head and I messed up my neck (it’s better now) but that was the ambulance that took me to the hospital:).
Whoa, so glad you’re better!!! Stay safe!!
I am thankful for some friends online that I don’t really know who can make me actually smile and laugh…even if I have had a terrible, horrible very bad , no good day! Of course….I probably need to be careful with these online blog friends because sweet Mom “might” be a little out there( I’ m just sayin) and, although I can say who their kids are when I see a pic of them, I CANNOT say all of their names together! Seems they gave ALL OF THE KIDS NICKNAMES ENDING IN “Y”! Oh….and I am thankful they taught me one thing for sure……that when you are at the end of your rope, tied the knot and hung on, the knot gets loose and you are going to fall, there is always someone there to catch you and his name is Jesus. My parents gave me my strong Catholic faith, the Kellogg show reaffirms it for me…and for THAT, I am truly THANKFUL!
ha ha ha!!! Me, out there? Who wud think that? 🙂 Catholicism … saving souls! xxxxx
LOL, #23 didn’t get you in trouble??? hehe…That’s a good list! I’m thankful even for the sad things because it still means I’m alive and moving along. And thank you for your openness – and proof it’s very possible to live the lives we really want to and thrive. Stay true to your values and decisions and never ever let the morons get you down, they’re unworthy. They don’t get it, they don’t understand the big picture-long view of life. They can’t face their own lives so they pick on everyone elses’.
I’m gonna steal your 1 year idea. That sounds like a great plan. Thank you!
(naturegirl from Twitter 🙂 )
Awww, thanks!! And nope, no trouble at all!! ha ha ha!!! The 1 year idea … Omgsh, changes everything! 🙂
I am thankful for:
1.) Kellogg Show you guys make me laugh so hard especially you Susie!
2.) my iPad
3.) my cell phone
4.) my xbox connect
5.) outdoors
6.) motorhomes and traveling, especially Diesel motorhomes
7.) my family
8.) my friends
8.) my school
9.) my teachers
10.) my church and my Sunday school teacher
11.) my new family car 2013 Kia Optima
12.) restaurants
13.) medicine
14.) riding mowers
15.) my wonderful home my parents provide me with
Colton, you made my day!!! I love your list especially #10, #7, and #15!! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!
Such a great list! I’m thankful for all the cliche’s: Jesus, my parents, my siblings, my friends, my health, my upbringing, the ‘freedom’ I have in the country I live in.
I’m also thankful for headphones, pyjamas, doughnuts, writing, inspiration, youtube, cats, boys, christmas trees, baking, design, humor, diaries, student cards that give you discounts and you, yes you guys.
In some ways my life is the complete opposite of yours, but in other ways we’re much alike. I love living, I love exploring, I love learning and.. my full name is Cathelijne and my ‘shortened’ name is Cathy which ends in Y so I fit right in with your kids 😛 I have said it before and I will say it again, but you’re a true inspiration. I find humor, warmth and meaning in your lifestyle and videos. So thank you, I really appreciate every single blogpost/facebookpost/video! 🙂
Have a happy new year!
You are our soul child!! :))))) Merry Christmas, & Happy New Year!! And great list, I forgot PJ’s!!
I love your list and can relate in the top three with two and three being Jason (husband), Britni, Cody, Emili and Bayli (our four kids). I am grateful to you for sharing your families adventures with us. You have inspired my family to make our dreams come true. We are planning to move from Ohio to California this coming March. We will purchase a toyhauler and want to live a simple life and make the most of every day! You awesome and inspiring! Thank you for sharing your adventures and giving us hope that it can be done. You’re awesome! I hope to have the closeness within our family as yours.
WOW!!! Congrats, CA is the most amazing state, we were there for 33 days in Oct and soaked up all the sun, sand and saltwater we could!!!
Hi Susie! I’m so glad that a reader on my own blog told me about you! My husband and I live with our four children (ages 21 months to 7 years) in a 31′ camper. We don’t travel though, instead we live on a small, off-grid homestead while we cash build our house. We’ve been here two and a half years and will probably be here the same time again before our house is done. But I have really been enjoying reading through your posts! We are Christian, homeschool, and our life is an adventure for sure! Slowly trying to work our way out of the rat race by making ourselves more independent. As you can see, I think we have a few things in common! I’m adding your blog to my RSS feed and look forward to reading more of your stories. Thank you so much for sharing!
That’s so awesome!! Love when we meet new people with the same mindset!! :))) I will definitely read your blog!! The rat race is a soul killer!!
I’m thankful those guns aren’t real and that you WILL teach your kids it’s never OK to point a toy at someone including the photographer or themselves!
And your warped sense of humor.
And that your husband isn’t your dad.
C
Except when you are shooting at them! I’ll have that talk tomorrow! 🙂
Shooting at them? Did you mean shouting at them instead?
Ha Ha … no I actually meant shooting … those are airsoft guns and they have battles!! :))))
I love your bonus, that’s such a great thing. To have found something you love that you never even thought of that just changed your whole life. I’m waiting for that inspiration for our family and I think I might just have to jump and check out Jackson Kayak. I’ve watched your videos and seen the pictures and I mean, we don’t have to get as crazy, right? Because we are not as adventurous as your family. Happy New Year! Be safe on the road.
You really should, best family activity EVER! It was life changing and we were living pretty amazing lives at the time as well!! And, no, you don’t have to be extreme or crazy. Just have fun! Message me if you need any help — when we first started, it was crazy how overwhelmed we felt with all the different types of gear. Keep it simple! 🙂
I disagree with #15. “So very thankful that we do not spend our days chained to a desk or a cubicle working jobs that we hate.”
I do work at a desk and stare all day at the computer screen BUT, in these days of economic insecurity, I AM THANKFUL to have job that has lasted 29+ years. It is only the politics I hate. I like my co-workers – most of them.
Otherwise I love your thankful list and I am thankful there are Americans like your entire family who appreciate the gifts of life from God and live each day (in a cramped camper) to the fullest enjoyment you can get.
Finally, everyday (for the Christian) is a day of Thanksgiving, CHRISTmas and Easter; Thankful for being an American, for religious freedom and for Americans who stand-up for it like Duck Dynasty; the celebration of Jesus’ birth because without it there would be no Easter to celebrate His Resurrection.
May God continue to bless your travels and keep your family safe.
THANK YOU for sharing your thankful list.
You are absolutely correct … everyone has different perspectives and different dreams. Many blessings to you!!
You are so awesome.
I’m happy that you ignore all the negative people who like to judge.
I’m happy to see someone doing what they like to do when they want to.
I’m happy for my two little dogs who make me smile when things get rough.
I’m happy for the beautiful red sunset at night that reminds me of what a wonderful world it is.
I’m happy be being healthy.
I’m happy to wake up in the morning knowing that some close friends have recently passed away and I wasn’t one of them.
I’m happy that I have the ability to do what your doing , and I will be happier when I get the nerve to do it.. lol.
:)) Absolutely!!! Just do it!!
Thank you, great list of things to be thankful for!!!
I’m thankful for my wife (mama g), my son Tristan, our 3 dogs (mojo, jugo, zoey), and my Inlaws Jiji &Baba. I’m also so thankful for my brothers and sisters on ski patrol and my river rats. And now I’m thankful you friended me on Facecrack! Love, Life, Family, friends, mountains, boats and snowboards! That’s how I measure my success!
I AM judging you ……As awesome.
1. Family
2. Anne, my talented wife
3. That my kids make it easy for me because they stay out of trouble and find good friends.
4. that my family is excited about this kayaking adventure I imposed on them last summer and expanded to whitewater last fall.
5. Bee’s
6. the impact of faith on those who partake
7. My Drums
8. Violin’s and my favorite violinists Anne, Emilie and Kalie
9. warm weather
9. Freedom in America to pursue life, liberty, happiness and joy
10. Vacations
11. Outdoors
12. Education
…. just to many
#6 — YES!!!! 🙂 Thanks for this post!!