gratitude…
the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness
cooking dinner {grateful for the food, yes} on monday and the mail arrived…inside the pile of {basically} junk was a handwritten letter…inside was this beautiful wax-coated leaf…the gift of words exchanged, the gift of nature in my home, the gift of friendship
coloring mandalas with my daughter…bumping arms and needing to take turns in places, but we still fit side by side in the oversized armchair…one is never too old to color {especially when in good company}
last-minute gathering in our home…what to bake?…surprise! organic cranberries in the freezer, just waiting for me…and so cranberry bread it was
candles and toys on the table…though the mealtime rule is no playing with toys at the table, i still love that they sit with us most days…grateful for the creativity they inspire and the levity they offer
sending a little love your way, m
pick your favorite way(s) to play along:
1. share your gratitudes on instagram with the hashtag #gratitudeweek_2014
2. leave a comment sharing your gratitudes in the comments below
3. if you have a blog, write a post and share a link to your post in the comments below
4. send me an email…i love them, i read them, i respond to them all…your voice, your presence matters xo
5. reflect privately at home
6. sign up for gratitude notes
Michelle GD 
I can imagine the smells and the scene in your home. I can’t wait to begin baking this week. Today, I’m thankful for David working on our kitchen first. He knows I really enjoy preparing fresh and simple.
it’s so neat to see little bits of your day and gratitude. I really love that you displayed the leaf like that, it’s so pretty. I love that you received some great real mail too. I can’t wait to get home from work to cook some good food tonight, some soup we can smell simmer throughout the house, and cookies, I think I will make some of those. I only have 15 minutes left here at work!!
I miss those coloring days with little ones! I’ve been turning on my warming candle on the kitchen counter when the dishes are complete and the kitchen is closed for the night, so peaceful!!
I love, love, love your style.. Here’s mine for today.. http://sowsweet.me/2014/11/12/gratitude-week-day-three/
I am painting a mandala too!!!! A big one :) on canvas, in my spare time (HA!).
Love, love, love everything about this post, and that I *feel* that we are such kindred spirits! Totally glad and grateful I’ve risked my heart once again and re- joined IG (after failure, and my desire to quickly run as far away as I could!!!! LOL)… to finally find a community of kindreds. Thanks for this beautiful gathering.
Monica xoxo
My post is up:
http://monicasabollagruppo.com/gratitude-wek-2014-day-three/
more mandalas!!!
heading over to your post now…
Such a lovely post – all wonderful cozy endeavours on a typical November day. Thank you so much for sharing.
Hi Michelle, seems a cozy day you had. I love the way you write your posts starting them not using capital letters, is there a special reason for it. I feel make the post more relaxed, like if you are directly taking with us. I’d like to do the same with my ones, I’ve already seen other posts the same way, but I’m not sure if it’s a group thing, same kind of code. It’s cutie and I like it. And I’ve read your article in Savour, and you did the same in there, love article by the way! My link is here:
http://teandpaper.com/2014/11/12/gratitude-week-day-three
elizabeth, it was very cozy!!
i started writing in all lowercase years ago…because it felt more informal, more conversational in tone…which is exactly the feeling you’re getting from what you wrote {that it feels more relaxed}…i’m so glad you wrote that! there are people out there {because there is always someone “out there”} who say that people writing in lowercase do so out of laziness or that it stems from twitter,texting, etc. but i’ve been writing like this before twitter was around.
for me, it’s really about the conversation i want to have with the reader. it might not translate in all forums, so i think about using caps at times…but i find myself falling into my little letters so easily. no group thing, no code. just my style. great question!!
{also, thanks for your kind words about my piece in savor!}
Such a beautiful post. My little one and I colored mandalas together yesterday. I love the idea of waxing leaves. I must try it before they are all gone! Thank you for holding this space for gratitude week. It is wonderful! I am so glad I “found” you & this online place of yours <3
My post today: http://ihappyree.blogspot.com/2014/11/gratitude-week-day-3.html
i love the space we’re all creating together this week. xo
{and you colored mandalas too??!!}
Grateful for my coffee and books this morning, and for a late visit last night with good friends (old and new). Grateful for this space and for you, Michelle. Truly. Precious.
it’s an honor to hold this space. and i mean that with all my heart.
thank you for being here. xo