thanksgiving | But I Smile Anyway...

Happy Thanksgiving!

22 Nov 2018 28 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Happy Thanksgiving, thanksgiving

Wishing all my followers, and blogily over the other side of the Atlantic a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Whilst we don’t celebrate over here in the UK, there is always a good time to be thankful.

Tonight, I spent over an hour looking at old photos and compiling my kid’s school photos into year order, labelling them so when I am old and decrepit, I can still look at the back and know when they were taken.

Looking at them get virtually older through the photos made me feel grateful for the fact I had all their primary school time working in the school they attended. I was able to see so much more of their childhood than a lot of parents, and I feel thankful that I had that opportunity.

Old family photos, friends gatherings, days out, holidays, silly snaps… I am thankful for the cameras and the memories they captured.

Thankful for love.
Thankful for family.
Thankful for friends.
Thankful for my blogily.
Thankful for my colleagues.
Thankful for life.

Have a wonderful day all!

Lorna’s Gin-spiring Prompt #11 – Friendsgiving #Ginspired

19 Nov 2018 15 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Christmas, ChristMates, Friendsgiving, Lorna's Ginspiring Prompt, thanksgiving

The lovely Lorna over at Gin & Lemonade With A Twist Blog has started a new writing prompt.

She hasn’t named her challenge, so I have – Lorna’s Gin-spiring Prompt!

This week, we have the word: Friendsgiving

Now, I am not Canadian or American, so here in the UK we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving – it’s straight from Remembrance Day to Christmas, in our National celebrations.

But of course, I hear a lot about it, with all my friends and family, both blog ones and real life ones, who live on the other side of the Atlantic.

And Friendsgiving – sounds like something cooked up in the era of Friends! But I know it wasn’t. It appears to be a way to celebrate Thanksgiving, with the ‘family’ you choose, i.e. your friends. In a time where many are living away from where their loved ones live, and with increasing costs, it isn’t always easy to get back home for the special day, so groups of friends celebrate together instead, or they choose to have their Friendsgiving just before, or after the real deal, so they can celebrate with those other special people in their lives.

I think that’s kinda cute.

Back when I was at University, the girls I lived and I became very close. I was like the big sister to them, and we used to do something similar for Christmas. A proper Christmas dinner with all the trimmings a week or so before the actual day, so we could celebrate and exchange presents with each other. I played mother, and cooked, then we enjoyed the meal, and each others company before we all travelled back to our homes for the festive season.

So not Friendsgiving, but ChristMates!

And I look forward to another one of those ChristMates meals next week as my Tootie Frootie group of mummy friends are getting together for a festive meal, and a shot of Secret Santa too!

I’ll have another ChristMates meal when we have our work Christmas do too, as I consider the majority of my colleagues to be friends. (And there will be another Secret Santa there too!)

So, I’ll leave you with this thought: Whether you are celebrating with friends or family, I wish you a wonderful meal full of thanks for the people surrounding you, and all you have been blessed with this year.

Happy Thanks(Friends)giving!

https://ginlemonade.com/2018/11/19/11-writing-prompts/

Be Thankful

11 Oct 2015 29 Comments

by Ritu in Challenges, Family, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Happy, Thankful, thankful challenge, thanksgiving

I love being involved in new challenges, and Steph from Scale Simple has started a new challenge, coinciding with Canadian Thanksgiving! What a lovely idea! She sent a little note to me inviting me to take part, so here goes!
The Challenge rules are simple

*Share this image in your bog post

*Write about 5 people in your life you are thankful for

*Write about 5 things in 2015 that you are thankful for

*Spread the love and challenge 5 other blogs to take part

So here goes!

Five people I am thankful to have in my life…

Wow, this is quite hard, as there are so many people I feel thankful to have here in my life…

My Mum – my reason to become a hopefully good wife and mother. A woman who I have seen go through the ups and downs of life with dignity, and a true inspiration. Love you Mum! X

My Pops – my first hero. Isn’t a father always that? I feel thankful to have a dad like Pops, who has always put his family first, and taught me right from wrong, and how to cope with all manner of situations, in a calm manner. Love you Pops! X

My Hubby Dearest – I was indeed lucky to have met hubby when I did. He is truly the most wonderful person, and I see so much of my Pops in him. He loves me unconditionally, and I wouldn’t be anywhere without him. Love you Hubby Dearest!

My Lil Man – you came to us after such a journey. Not only am I thankful for having you in my life son, but I feel lucky that of all th twinkles in my eye, you were the one that came to us! Love you son! X

My Lil Princess – I am thankfu for my Lil Princess, you came and completed our family, after seeing two possible siblings leave mummy early, and go take their placin the sky, as stars. You are a little diva, but you are our little diva, and we wouldn’t t change you for anything…(though having you sleep through the night would be a good thing…!)

Five things in 2015 that I am thankful for

The continued support of my family – without them, I am nothing.

My friends – I don’t get to see my friends often… Life has made it hard, but no matter whether we are together physically or in spirit, they make my life easier to live.

My new job – it was earlier this year I was given the chance to finally take the step, and start teaching properly. I thank my Head for having the faith in me!

The chance to see my nephew – last year, I was made an aunt, a real one, for the first time, and I was aching to see my nephew. And finally, this year I got to see him, only for a few hours, but still… What an emotional time! And next week, still in 2015, I get a whole weekend with him! They live abroad, in Finland, you see, so I can’t just drive over to them…

My Blogily – I may have started this blog in 2014, but the real connections I made were cemented this year, and I come to the end of this year, with some new people who have gained a huge importance in my life. I am so thankful for the opportunity I have been given to read amazing writers work, and to write alongside them.

And now my Five (hopefully) Thankful Nominees!

Erika
Rich
Linda
Judy
Sandra
Happy Thanksgiving to all those celebrating on the 12th October!