56 Reasons Why My Husband is Great...for his 56th Birthday!

 It's my husband's 56th birthday today, and I didn't know what to get him. He's not into gifts much anyway, so I thought I would just talk about all the reasons I'm glad I married him!!

1) He does karate kicks in public.
2) He washes the dishes every night.
3) He genuinely loves his students, and people in general.

4) He's quick to forgive.
5) He knows how to do mechanic work....
6)....and basic electrical stuff....
7)....and basic plumbing...
8)...and construction too (teaching the kids...)

9) For the last 3 summers he has been working on our log cabin. It's A LOT to do during a 7 week summer break.

10) He lets me plan all our travels without even knowing where we are going.

11) He loves to grow flowers.

12) He humors me and grows vegetables also.

13) He doesn't let me feel sorry for myself.
14) He's incredibly organised.
15) He's the opposite of messy.
16) He tells me he loves me every day.
17) He values family.
18) He's frugal like me, so we rarely have money issues.
19) He's quick to apologise.
20) He taught the kids to respect me always.
21) He loves Maine more than Michigan.
22) He takes me fishing.

23) He once restored a GTO....but he really doesn't care what he drives now.
24) He loves to travel as much as I do.

25) He's willing to go wherever God leads.

26) He makes sure we go to church and supports the Pastor and staff.
27) He makes sure we tithe (at a minimum).
28) He prays for me and the kids every day.
29) He lets me give away money to causes that are important to me.
30) He sings silly songs. (OK...it IS annoying sometimes, but still great.)
31) He picks me wild flowers in the summer.
32) He loves my family.

33) He is a great dad to our 4 kids.

34) He understood teens way more than I did. I am so thankful we were a parenting team.
35) He listens when I'm being totally irrational.
36) He's willing to do all the frugal things.
37) He doesn't complain about my cooking, and he's not a picky eater.

38) He's even learned to eat (not like) onions.
39) He watches Chick Flicks with me.
40) He points me back to rationality when I am anxious.
41) He takes care of his health.
42) He fixes all the things I haul home.

43) He loves to read.
44) He's always trying to be a better person.
45) He doesn't make excuses.
46) He likes to tell stories.
47) He likes to meet new people.

48) He'll try any food.

49) He loves teaching and his former students.

50) He makes the best eggs...and breakfast every Saturday morning.
51) He wears the thrift store clothes I buy him.
52) He likes to go camping.

53) He loves traditions.

54) He honors his parents.

55) He tells me I'm pretty.
56) His love language is encouraging words....this should get me some Brownie Points!!! I love you!!

Friday's Thrifty Five---Saving Money this Week

Happy Friday from Hong Kong, my friends! TGIF...and because Monday is Buddha's Birthday, we have a 3 day weekend. Nothing big planned, and I am so looking forward to sleeping in.

Here are 5 things I've been doing to save money this week:

1.) Does anyone else make sure that they get every last drop of detergent out? I do with most everything. Always surprising how much you can eek out if you try:

2) Another little thing...rewashing plastic bags. I don't always do this, but if they aren't too dirty I do. 

3) I bought a gift on ebay. I can't tell you what it is, but I saved almost $100 USD by purchasing the item on ebay instead of Amazon. The seller says it is a new product and that just the original box was damaged. I'm pretty excited about this one!

4) I clicked through Ebates first (now renamed Rakuten) to get $4.37 back on some items I needed for Maine this summer. Everything helps! I also got a $29.00 "big fat check" from Ebates this week. They payout quarterly and put the money directly in my Paypal account.

5) My husband and I are going on a date tonight using gift cards from a friend, so the meal should be free or almost free! Keep dating people....almost 27 years, and he's still the best date!!

I also packed salads for lunches for the whole week last Sunday, picked up a free book, Stash Camomile tea and some cooking oil on the free table, walked to work everyday and talked to 3 different friends about how to get good deals on airline tickets and credit cards.

How about YOU?? What thrifty things did you do this week??

5 Things I'm Thankful for this Week.

1)  Living in a country that has 18 public holidays! May 1 is Labor Day in Hong Kong. It fell on a Wednesday this year, and it was great to have a day off in the middle of the week. We decided to make it a date night. The Van Gogh Alive exhibit is currently in Hong Kong, so we took the train to the area and checked out a big 18 story mall that we had somehow managed to escape visiting since arriving here. 18 FLOORS! Hong Kong knows how to do malls. Along with all the requisite stores and restaurants, it has a huge IKEA, a theater, an indoor ice hockey rink, a fitness center and floors 14-16 are for parking. How about them circular ramps!

The Van Gogh Exhibit was lovely.  It had two rooms full of movie screens that bring VG's paintings to life. I realized just now looking thought my pictures that I have no still photos of that...I guess that's appropriate! We came away saying that is was NOT a waste of money, so there's that!

2) My siblings. I'm the youngest of the bunch, and I love them all so much. I don't get to see them nearly enough. Today, May 5th, is my youngest's brother's 63rd birthday and my oldest brother's anniversary.

Happy Birthday, Doug!

Happy Anniversary, Larry and Lauren!

It's also Kentucky Derby weekend, and some of my siblings get together for the event every year. Even though I can't be there, I look forward to the great pictures!!

3) I'm also very thankful for technology that makes it easier to feel connected. There's a lot wrong with social media, but there's also mucho righto!!

4) My job. I complain, (then I complain that I'm complaining!!), but the reality is, I have a good job with great benefits. I have the same vacation days as my husband and they allow me to take the summer off without pay so I can go home to Maine. I am thankful. Very thankful.

5) Access to health care. It's something that I take for granted. I had to go to the doctor this weekend (nothing major!), and as I was paying on my way out, I took time to marvel at the blessing of not only having good doctors but also having the funds to pay for them. 

Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings see what God has done.