'Tis the season to be grateful. Check out our list of 26 things to be thankful for as we kick off the holidays with warmth and love.
Automatic Withdrawal Did we forget to pay the electricity bill today? Why, yes, we did—but good ol’ automatic withdrawal never forgets. Bless you for saving our credit score.
Babysitters And backup babysitters And in-law babysitters. And strangers we meet on the street who look like trustworthy babysitters. (Okay, maybe not quite that far…but then again.)
Coupon Codes Let’s face it, the only way we’re going to buy a new t-shirt to replace the one with the spaghetti sauce stains from Meatball Monday is to find it online. So scoring a coupon code for 5 percent off gives us that added fist pump we need to make it through the week.
Delivery Without it, we are sunk. The end.
Early Release Days when the kids are let out early from school keep us on our toes and make sure we are reading the school newsletters!
Friends Never underestimate the power of a friendship. Whether we’ve been friends for 20 years or only six months, friends are the backbone of our lives. They listen, never judge and are always willing to go to a terrible ’80s band concert for a night away from the kids. Cheers to you, sisters!
Grandparents They are living proof we will get through our children’s teen years—eventually. A grandparent’s gentle smiles and never-ending patience are like scotch tape for our souls.
Hugs Who doesn’t live for the big unexpected bear hugs that come from a child who is just super into us in this moment. For comfort. For love. Forever.
Ice cream It tastes amazing and never talks back. Pair it with a delicious glass of whatever’s in the wine cabinet, and Tuesday night just went from meh to MADE.
Jokes Did you hear the one about…? Whether it’s a dad joke or a kids knock-knock joke (c’mon, those are funny, too), a witty wisecrack is one of the many keys to a happy life. So tell a good knee-slapper tonight and fill your home with giggles.
Kindness This world can seem downright hopeless sometimes. With tragedy and hate filling the news cycle, we’re especially thankful for the kindness others show to us, and we know others are grateful for the kindness we show them.
Love It’s easy to forget about this in our busy day-to-day lives, but love is what keeps us moving and striving to be our best selves. And you can’t truly love anyone until you love yourself first.
Moments A fit of laughter that just can’t be contained. An unexpected burp at the dinner table. A high math grade that truly was earned. These are the things we can never get enough of, so let’s stop and appreciate them when they happen.
Nights Out Do these even still exist? The answer is yes, but chances are we’re going to have to take the initiative and plan them ourselves. Either way, they are necessary, they are important and they are worth it.
Opportunity Every day is a new chance to try something new. We couldn’t be more thankful for the amazing opportunities each day brings us…if only we’d jump on them when they show up!
Pets They love us, protect us and drive us crazy. But they are our family. Go find your dog or kitty and give an extra snuggle tonight. Let him know you’d be much less happy without him.
QUIET Those few fleeting moments in the morning when the kids are still dreaming and our morning joe is bubbling….ahhh, serenity. We know the storm will break in 10 minutes, but we relish the peaceful moments in between the madness.
Recipes Grandma’s homemade biscuits. Mom’s four cheese lasagna. We all grew up with recipes that were made with love and warmed our hearts. Break out the classics (and probably break your diet) this season. Bonus points if you can make the dish for the person who created it!
Singing Toe tapping, voice-stretching, family gathering songs are on our list of favorite things to be thankful for every year. Nothing unites a family like music. So put on the ol’ 45—or the Alexa app—and get moving to the beat with your little rascals.
Technology For all its disadvantages, technology is what keeps the train of our life running on time. And let’s not forget, it allows us to watch Game of Thrones four seasons after it started.
Uncles And aunts and cousins and all those other crazy family members that come together during the holidays.
Village Parents, teachers, friends and neighbors. A village is truly what it takes to keep a family and its members functioning, and we are grateful for all the people who make up our village. Cheers to you!
Weekends Have you met our good friends Cab, Sauvignon and Malbec? They’re super fun and never turn us down for a great gossip session.
X Yes, we’re cheating on this one because nothing noteworthy begins with the letter. So, X marks the spot. Wherever that may be. For some of us, X is our spot at the local library with a new thriller and a cup of coffee. For others, it’s our toes in the sand at our favorite beach. Wherever the spot is, we’re so grateful for it and can’t wait to see it soon.
Yoga It may sound cliché, but nothing calms and centers a worn out, stressed body and mind like a great yoga session. And has anyone ever wished to be less flexible? Hardly. Quiet your mind and soul with a class and see where it takes you. Ohhhhhmmmm.
Zzzzzz Thank you, sleep. We love you. We miss you. We know someday we’ll get to hang out with you more…
Kim Antisdel is a freelance writer and interior design sales rep for KC. She lives in Liberty with her husband, stepdaughters and toddler son.