Friday, July 20, 2012

Friday's Fave Five #200


Two Hundred posts!  Can you believe it?  200 weeks of choosing to look for blessings in our days and weeks.  200 posts of sharing those moments of good in our lives.  200 weeks of reading the small and large things that made others feel uplifted.  200 weeks of "meeting" new people over years and learning how they are blessed.   How good it 's been!  And to celebrate, this week we will list 200 blessings we can think of of in our lives.

Just kidding.  Although that would be an awesome exercise, I would not spring that upon you at the last minute like this.  ;v).  We will do our usual 5 favorite things from our week but as an added extra I'd like you all to share when you first started participating (if you can remember or look it up) and how participating in Friday's Fave Five has blessed you over the weeks, months or years that you've participated.

1.  Air Conditioning.  Oh how thankful I have been for ac this week.  I'm very thankful this house came with it.








My new summer addiction.  Hubby & Younger Daughter introduced me to these wonders of cold deliciousness.  And with a Starbucks within walking distance, I tell you I have to call on my very deepest reserves of discipline not to be running there for one of these every other evening.  Especially since it's been so hot.

3.  Enjoyable movies.  I watched this one all by my lonesome on Sunday evening when no one was home and to my surprise I really enjoyed it.  It wasn't a roll-on-the-floor-laughing kind of comedy, but a more subtle one that had very distinct lessons in it about the choices we make in life.


4.  Blooming Flowers.  Finally with the sunshine and heat, my flower pots are taking off and have filled in quite quickly.  I love the color it brings to my deck.  




Seems I'm into pink this year.

5.  Lazy evenings spent at home.  Love those evenings when I can enjoy sitting on the deck with a book and cool drink, or putzing about the house.  

Bonus #6:  Friday's Fave Five was started on August 15, 2008.  I bounced around a few names until I settled on FFF.  It has been such a blessing to me.  It has made me more aware of the everyday blessings in my life, more aware that even when times are tough there are blessings to be found if I hunt for them.  It has been an exercise and discipline and it has been good for me.  I've enjoyed meeting everyone who's ever participated.  And I've been encouraged when I read your posts.  It has reminded me that though life may be tough at times, life is also a gift.  Thanks to all of you who have been on this journey with me.  I thankful for each of you!

And to celebrate I'm giving away a Starbuck's gift card or two, so that you can enjoy yourself a tall, cold drink or a hot one if you choose, to all who do a post today with your fave five and the bonus question.  Don't forget to sign onto the linky linking the specific post!  Have a wonderful weekend everyone!



15 comments:

nikkipolani said...

I think I saw the Five Faves on Ellen's blog back in August of 2008 and have done most of them since then. They have certainly been a blessing to me -- both reading others' lists and rereading and remembering answers to prayers, special blessings, everyday graces, joys in the midst of difficulties.

And your fives this week are great! It's been hot here, too (about 90F+) so I cheer AC and iced tea and frapps right along with you. I'm loving all that summer color on your deck.

Willow said...

Like Anne, I began participating in FFF because Ellen told me about it during one of our walks when she was still living near me. I checked my first post and it was Sept. 5, 2008. Thank you for faithfully leading us for 200 weeks!

I haven't turned my AC on yet here but I certainly appreciated it when I was in Ohio last week!

Iced anything to drink during the summer has to be a fave. Love the colors in your summer flowers.

Gattina said...

Airconditioning ? You lucky girl, we have the heating on and the flowers are drowned ! No way to sit outside not even with an umbrella !
I like your meme very much it allows me to see what I have done last year at the same time, lol ! It already happened that my son pretended a thing hadn't happen and I show him FFF and he has to admit that he was wrong, lol !

Kathie said...

I'm thankful for the AC too - although it's been breezy so we don't have it on that often. And we don't need it today - it's gorgeous but a lot cooler after a flash rainstorm last night.

Love your flower pots - they're so pretty. I have too much white in mine but oh well . . . they're still lovely blooms!

I've never tried those cold Starbuck drinks - if I win I'll drink one in honour of you and 200 FFFs :)

Thanks so much Susanne - I'm glad to be part of our little FFF community!

Faith said...

We are thankful as well for the central air!! those drinks look amazing....I LOVE frozen mocha drinks!! I'll go re-do the last part of my post since I posted it auto last night and didn't see your question til just now. I have thoroughly enjoyed participating in the FFF and it really does help us look back on the week, whether good or bad and find something that God blessed us with...there are always blessings to be found!! (and your flowers are GORGEOUS!!! ...mine? not so much....too dry hot and humid here except forthe last 2 days!)....

ellen b. said...

Thanks Susanne for FFF all these many Fridays!
I am glad that you have A.C. and other great ways to keep cool like those great looking Starbucks drinks. My husband would love to even have A.C. here in the great Northwest for the 10 days a year it gets hot LOL! I'll have to go back and see when my first post was. Judging from Nikkipolani and Willow it must have been in August of 2008...

ellen b. said...

August 22, 2008 was my first post for Fave Fives on Friday! Kind of cool because I have a photo of Hope Solo and the women's soccer team at the Olympics and in just a few weeks I'll be watching the Olympics again and Hope Solo will be playing again along with the Women's soccer team. whoohoo!
http://happywonderer.wordpress.com/2008/08/22/fridays-fave-five/

Barbara H. said...

I just checked, and my first FFF post was Aug. 22, 2008. Was that the first one? My link seems to indicate I've only done 169 of them, but I think that's because in the beginning I was listing as Friday Fave Fave and later as Friday's, so I'm pretty sure I've done more than that.

Congrats on 200 FFFs! I've been thankful for it as some weeks that haven't been so great overall still have their highlights, and it is good to look for those. My husband told me a while ago it was his favorite part of my blog, and I think one or two of my kids read that when they don't read any of the rest of it.

My flower pots are blooming, too, with all the rain we've been having. So pretty. I had a variety of plants ion a couple of them but then the verbena took over.

Jerralea said...

Happy 200th FFF! Thank you for hosting this wonderful meme, Susanne! You have definitely been an encourager!

Laura@OutnumberedMom said...

LOVE your flowers. They're SO pretty. I'm looking to lazy evenings at home, just the two of us this fall.

I watched the trailer of that movie and it looks like so much fun! Going to see if we can rent it.

I don't know how I got started on FFF, but I'm so thankful I did! Thanks so much for hosting us each week, Susanne!

Laura@OutnumberedMom said...

Susanne, when do you plan to read Sacred Marriage? I've read about it, and it looks really good. I'll be interested to hear what you think!

Lynette said...

Those frap's look so good!

Lovely flowers! Enjoy many more lovely eveings on your deck.

Donnetta said...

Congrats on 200 Friend! You do realize that's 8 weeks shy of 4 YEARS, don't you?!!

I can't remember exactly when I started, but have participated on and off over the years. One thing I can say, even on weeks I didn't participate in the blog world, I often found myself creating my FFF list mentally. Thanks for the challenge and inspiration to do so! What a blessing!!

Iced Latte's and Frapp's, now you're talking my language. Had my 1st Frapp of the season this last week. YUM!

I was just noticing my flowers and how they have suddenly taken off as well. Yours are beautiful! Mine have more of a wild look to them, but still full of beauty and color.

I linked my post before reading yours. What a pleasant surprise to read at the end about an opportunity for a Starbucks card. How generous! Now considering that another favorite of my week. :-)

Happy Friday Friend!

Balisha said...

We watched The Big Year too. My husband didn't want to watch it at first, but he was laughing his head off by the middle of the movie. I love simple, fun, movies like this on a hot summer afternoon. I do enjoy your blog and your book reviews. I find that I have read many of the books that you review.
Balisha

Annette Whipple said...

I also noticed Sacred Marriage in your sidebar. I forgot I have that. I'm interested to hear your thoughts...and if I should read it or pass on it.

Congratulations on your faithfulness to FFF! Just this summer I learned how tough it can be to commit to a certain post each week...by a certain time...

Carrie, from Reading to Know, is the one who introduced me to FFF. I thought about participating long before I did, and love it! I just started in January. :)

Have a great week. Please be encouraged to know that many of us are thankful for a reason to count our blessings!