Thankful Thursday

I'm feeling just crazy blessed lately. I have so much to be thankful for! I'll give you some highlights...

Connor was really REALLY hoping to go to the Lego KidsFest that was recently held at the Novi Suburban Collection. It looked cool, and I wanted to take him, but I wasn't sure about the price tag on the tickets. So I entered a bajillion contests, crossing my fingers that I'd win so that I wouldn't have to make the decision about purchasing the tickets. And then a fellow Michigan blogger who was supposed to be covering the event had something come up and couldn't go. I offered to take her tickets off her hands (I know, I know...I was doing her a huge favor! Ha!) and do a write-up for her. So I was able to take Connor, Mathilda, my friend, and her two boys, for FREE! Big thank you to Kerri from Momma of 4 Cutiez! You can read my Lego KidsFest post HERE. Maybe I'll get around to writing more about it here, too!

I was so excited to be able to fulfill Connor's wish, to do it for free, and to help out another blogger too. But...guess what? I also won one of the giveaways I entered! Those tickets were for a day & time when I couldn't attend, so unfortunately I had to turn them down...but that just means someone else got to go! And...yet ANOTHER blogger offered me HER tickets, because she ended up not being able to go. Don't worry, she found someone else to cover for her! I was just amazed that ***3*** options were presented to me to do something I really wanted to do. I guess I was meant to be there.

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Awhile back, I entered a blogger contest with a local-to-Michigan furniture chain, Gardner-White. The entry task was to write a blog post about what I would do with a $1000 Gardner-White gift certificate. In case you missed it, you can go ahead and read it now if you'd like...here is the LINK. Well, as it turns out...I WON!! The grand prize of a $1000 Gardner-White gift certificate! If you read my entry, you'll see that I was all over the place about what I'd do with the money. But I'm 99.9% certain that Chris and I have come to an agreement, and very soon we will be the elated owners of a brand new mattress. I can't wait! Maybe we'll get to the store to order it this weekend. I am SO thankful to Gardner-White for hosting the Blog for a Grand Contest, and for choosing me as the winner! And a big shout-out to the two first prize winners, Missy from Simply Raising 8 and Kristie from Saving Dollars and Sense. They each won $500 Gardner-White gift certificates, plus everyone who entered received a $50 gift certificate.

Here's me, tickled pink to be the winner of the Gardner-White Blog for a Grand contest!

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And my happiest and most thankful news of late: my cousin was in a horrible car accident a few days ago, and escaped with nothing more than a broken nail (and a totaled car, but who cares about the car?!). Someone ran a red light and hit her hard enough to flip her car. Thankfully, she was wearing her seat belt, which kept her hanging safely upside down until the rescue crew could get her out. In case you're in the market for a super safe car, she was driving a Dodge Caliber. Although apparently they don't make them anymore. The windows didn't even break out! I can't stop thinking about how differently this incident could have turned out. People die from accidents like this. She is sore but she is okay. I drive in the exact spot where she was hit all the time. Scary! Somehow the timing, the angle, the speed, the vehicles...everything worked together to create the best possible outcome in this situation. And I believe a few guardian angels were looking out for her too. By the way, the other driver and her passenger were not injured either.

My cousin and I grew up together...we are godmothers to each other's first born children...she is like a sister to me. I am so, so, SO thankful that she is okay!

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What are YOU thankful for at this moment?