100 days of Gratitude. I did this in 2011. It was a really fun project. Below are 100 things I am grateful for.
#1 My wife Jodi. She is my rock, the heart and soul of our family, she is my best friend. #2 My daughter Grace. In short, she is her mother. A wonderful child with a heart as big as she is. #3 My son Sam. He is a pint sized version of me only better. He will grow up to be an exceptional caring young man. #4 I am grateful for my dog Madison. All she knows is love. Every night when I get home she is waiting at the top of the stairs freaking out and waging her tail. She practically hyperventilates until I lean down and give her some love. Now that is a welcome home! #5 I am grateful for warm workout clothes. I was not able to run on the treadmill this morning because we had overnight guests staying in our guest bedroom where the treadmill is. I took my first run outside since early winter. Was cold but refreshing!#6. I am grateful for my wife's family. You've never met such nice people. It's almost like they are not real. (Kind of like my wife Jodi) We spent most of the day with Jodi's mom, little sister, younger brother and his family. We finished the day by having pizza at the incredible Red's Savoy pizza in Saint Paul. #7. I am grateful for Tivo. I can not even imagine life without it now. I wake up at 5:15 and turn the Tivo on. Then I pause it for an hour. At 6 I am ready to watch the news. I can get through an hour of news in 15 minutes. Thanks Tivo.#8. I am grateful for my neighbor Dick. He is a wonderful retired guy that thinks about everyone but himself. Shortly after we moved to Medina he started snow blowing our driveway in the winter without us even asking. Years later if we even get an inch of snow, he comes over to "clean er up" Thanks Dick. You rock. #9 I am grateful for my mom. I could write a whole book on how awesome she is. She is kind, she is caring, and a little bit crazy. She lives in Berkeley, CA in a sorority house with 64 girls. We are flying out to visit her one week from tomorrow. I can't wait! #10. I am grateful for eBay. I just got a new Iphone 4 for $200. I was able to sell my old iphone 3GS for $300 on eBay. I made almost $50 after the fees, and got a brand new phone! Thanks eBay! #11 I am grateful for my health. A year ago I was 6' 2' and 242 pounds. Today am still 6'2' and only only 209 pounds. I still have 20 pounds to go but I feel great ! #12 I am grateful for water heaters. Can you even imagine life without them? Just think about it for a minute. All the daily things you take for granted that are a result of water heaters. Think about that next time you take a nice long hot shower. #13 I am grateful for my brother and sister in law. Today they close on a new investment property. Thanks for letting me be part of your investment strategy for the future! #14 I am grateful for vacations! Tomorrow we leave for California to visit my mom. Should be a GREAT time! #15 I am grateful for coffee. It is one of those simple pleasures in life. #16 I am grateful for the rockin fireplaces in our house. Even though it was 41 degrees when I got home yesterday, my wife still started a fire. I came home to the wonderful smell of campfire smoke! This really gets me anxious for summer. And there is nothing like sitting in front of a roaring fire in the winter watching a movie on the big screen! #17 I am grateful for my safe, reliable car. For the last 10 years I usually drove a late model BMW. I made a decision to give up my last car and buy a 3 year old Camry. Wow! What a great decision. I love this car. So, thanks Camry. #18. I am grateful for reminders... I was reminded yesterday that I was not keeping up with my 100 days of gratitude. My commitment is to finish the next 82 in 82 days. We all have so many things to be grateful in our lives. This should be a piece of cake! #19 I am grateful for the wireless mouse on my computer. It is so nice not to have a cord attached to it. Now if they could only come up with wireless charging for the laptop! #20 I am grateful for my attorney and friend Dennis. He is a really smart guy with good advice. It was nice having a couple of beers with him last night. #21 I am grateful the Minnesota Twins. They are a competitive, small market team with an almost brand new stadium to play in. Hope opener tonight, can't wait! #22 I am grateful for rainy days in the spring. It helps get rid of the remaining snow and it wakes up the grass from a long cold winter. Plus this year my wife is excited when it rains because she just bought a new rain coat. #23. I am grateful for Mondays. Over the weekends I focus on how much good I can do for people in the upcoming week. When Monday finally gets here I can't wait to get to work. #24 I am grateful for Craig's List. Just as good as ebay with no fees. I was able to sell my old projection style tv yesterday to a very nice family in Minnetonka. Now I get to buy a new TV. #25 I am grateful for fax machines. They may be an old technology, but they are a tremendous time saver in real estate. I can't even imagine the "olden" days where you had to drive all over the metro getting signatures. At the current $4.00/gallon, that would get pretty expensive! #26 I am grateful for the AWESOME school district we are in. Our children are blessed to go to the Orono School district. Great schools and great teachers. Today my 8 year old Grace is "scholar of the week" Can't wait to go see her at 3 today for her presentation. #27 I am grateful for king size beds. Some mornings I wake up and all 5 of us are laying there. Me, Jodi, Grace, Sam, and or course the dog Madison. I just love my family! Happy Friday! #28 I am grateful for being self employed. I felt like taking some time off Friday afternoon so I did. I went home and spent some quality time with my family. We finished the night by having amazing pizza at Maggie's in Wayzata. #29 I am grateful for coupons! Saturdays are double coupon days at Rainbow. Yesterday Jodi saved $21 on things we would have bought anyway. Thanks Sunday paper! #30 I am grateful for my office. It may be small with no windows, but its all mine and only 1.5 miles from my house. And the price is right...Thanks Farmer's state Bank of Hamel! #31. I am grateful for the internet. You have no idea how much you need it until it goes down for the day. I was not able to update my website yesterday! #32 I am grateful my kids are tough. My son Sam, who is 5, fell out of his bed last night. At about 1:30 we woke up from a huge THUMP. A pretty scary 30 minutes late last night. I am grateful he is just fine! #33. I am grateful for decisions. We had a big one to make over the weekend. Now that we had decided, everything is becoming more and more clear. The future truly is bright! #34 The other day my 8 year old brought home a ceramic bowl she made in school. My first thought, which I said out loud, It looks like an ash tray. She said what is an ash tray? So today I am grateful my 8 year old does not know what an ash tray is! #35 I am grateful we found such great renters for our house in Madison. I am certain they will take good care of our home for the next 4 years. Our last hoorah will be Memorial Weekend. Mom will be home that weekend. It's only a month away! #36 I am grateful the sun have finally come come back. Today looks to be a wonderful spring day. #37 I am grateful for our armed forces and to be living in the greatest country in the world. On May 1st 2011 President Obama announced that Osama Bin Laden, after 10 years on the run, had been killed by American military forces. God Bless the USA. #38 I am grateful for dishwashers. What a time saver in the kitchen. We don't have one in our house in Madison. But hey, 8 or 9 times a year is not so bad. #39. I am grateful the sun is starting to come up now on my morning jogs at 5:15. It is nice to actually be able to see where I am going without a flashlight. We are truly blessed to be living in such a wonderful area. #40 I am grateful for Redeemer Grade School in Wayzata. My son Sam goes there and they are just fantastic. They had a May 5th celebration yesterday. It was so much fun to see all the children participate. #41 I am grateful for closure. We buried my father in law yesterday. After a year of research the Mayo Clinic said we could pick him up and take him home. Jim was a good man. We put that sick, cancer ridden body into the ground where it belongs. All the grandchildren put dandelions in the ground with him. Funny thing, Jim hated dandelions on his lawn. Jodi did well at the ceremony. I am grateful I have such a strong wife. Rest in peace "papa". #42 I am grateful for Mediacom Cable. I was able to drop Qwest (who raised my rate $40/month after my contract expired), and save $50/month even before the Qwest price hike. Oh, and I am thankful for Vonage too. They are saving me $50/month as well over Qwest. #43 I am grateful for Lean Cuisines at lunchtime. Tasty, fast, and only 2 bucks at Target. #44 I am grateful for 2nd chances. Many of the people I work with are getting a second chance with short sales. The phone call to me took a little courage, but they will all tell you it was worth it. 2nd chances are a good thing. Don't you agree? #45 I am grateful for all the high quality Realtors in MN. Yes, there are a lot of bad ones, but the good ones, make my professional life so much easier. So, to all the good realtors out there, thank you. #46 I am grateful for sunny days! It looks like the rain will FINALLY stop. 5 days with no rain in the forecast. I am hopeful by Wednesday I will finally be able to mow my lawn! #47 I am grateful for change. Yesterday we switched our couches from upstairs and put them downstairs. We brought the sectional couch upstairs. I looks so good the new way I feel like we went out and bought new couches. Remember, change is good. Even if you are just moving a couple of couches around. #48 I am grateful for "coffee" appointments. They are short, sweet, and usually right on point. I have three this week. One to learn about a moving service, another with one of my favorite attorneys, and one to just catch up. I am looking forward to all three. #49 I am grateful for Tom Miller in Wayzata. He is the best bankruptcy attorney I know. He bought my BMW from me, he used me to help him buy a lake home, he gives me referrals. Does it get any better? Oh, and he is a heck of a nice guy. Thanks Tom! #50 I am grateful for commitments. I committed to 100 days of gratitude and I am halfway there. Will I stop at 100? We will just have to wait and see. Have a fantastic Thursday everyone! #51 I am grateful for mixing it up. Today instead of taking my morning run clockwise, I took it counter clockwise. It was a whole new experience. Same distance, same route, different outlook. The houses looked different. The trees looked different. Couldn't we say the same thing about life? Mix it up a bit. I am certain you will like the results. #52 I am grateful for time spent alone with my kids. On Friday night I took my 5 year old son to a baseball game. It got rained out, but we had a great time anyway. On Saturday mornings my 8 year old daughter and I go on "space cruises". We don't really go anywhere special. We just get in the car and go somewhere and talk about our week. Talking to an eight year old can be quite therapeutic. #53 I am grateful for riding lawnmowers with a 58 inch deck. If I had to do our lawn with a push mower it would take 5 hours to mow the lawn. So thanks. I am also grateful for the beautiful sunny day we are going to have today. #54 I am grateful for all the men and women serving in our armed forces here and overseas. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication. Thank you to those that have given their lives. Thank you for the freedom you have helped provide. Thank you for all you do...#55 I am grateful the price of gas finally seems to be going down. It took over $110 to fill up our suburban the other day. #56 I am grateful for my credit union West Financial in Medina. They are a great credit union with a bunch of nice people that work there, and they all know my name. Can your bank say the same? #57 I am grateful for oatmeal. My morning staple. It fills me up, keeps the bad cholesterol low, and helps keep my arteries clean. I have no interest in having a heart attack! Happy Friday! #58 I am grateful for air conditioning in my car, work, and home. At one point yesterday the car said 100 degrees outside. Not sure if it was true, but that is what it said. It is supposed to be another scorcher today. Are you ready? #59 I am grateful for pain relievers like Tylenol. I nailed my big toe this morning moving a couch. I am hopeful I can walk on it soon so I can get back to work today. I am also grateful a a wonderful long weekend in Madison. #60 I am grateful my toe is felling better from my accident yesterday. I think there is still a 50/50 chance the nail will fall off, YUK I am prepared for the worst and will pray for the best. #61 I am grateful for half birthdays! My baby boy Sam turns 5 1/2 today. Where does the time go? Jodi has a mini party and birthday cake planned. Should be a fun night. #62 I am grateful for lazy Friday mornings. It is 9:26 and I have not left for work yet. The kids are still sleeping. Jodi and I have had a nice quiet morning together. Do I have to go to work? Yes, I do. Lots more people to help. #63 I am grateful for Father's day. Yesterday was such a nice day. I spent some time on the phone with my own dad, and had a really nice day with my own kids. We had lunch at Smashburger and then went to Lowe's. We finished up a movie, watched the Twins win their 7th in a row, and watched the end of the record breaking performance at the US Open. Busy, busy day. Now back to work. #64 I am grateful for vacation bible school. The kids are at Redeemer Lutheran in Wayzata this week. For only 5 bucks Jodi gets a nice morning break for the next 4 days. Thanks Redeemer! #65 I am grateful for new friends. Yesterday I finally got to meet an overseas buyer that bought a condo unseen (with only my recommendation). She loved her new home, and afterwords we had the best lunch I have had in a long time. She is no longer just a client but a client and friend. #66 I am grateful for my friend Ross. He is a great mechanic and tonight he is fixing the brakes in my car. In two weeks he will be taking a look at our Suburban. Usually we pay him with beer and steaks. This time we are "swapping services". He will be fixing our cars and Jodi will be watching his girls on Friday. Ross and his wife Annette are awesome!! We have such great friends!! #67 I am grateful for mornings like today. It was a little cool but the humidity seemed a bit high, which makes for a good walk. I had a cup of coffee out on the patio, and zoomed through the news in about 15 minutes thanks to Tivo. It is going to be a great week! #68 I am grateful for mistakes. I am grateful for them because I learn from them. I made a mistake on one of my listings and now 2 families may not get to close on time. I am hopeful and I pray my mistake can be fixed quickly. #69 I am grateful for air conditioning! Wow is it going to be hot today! #70 I am grateful for Costco. Enough said. #70 I am grateful for the offer we got on our home over the weekend! We are all very excited for the next chapter in our life! #71 I am grateful for being so grateful today! Had an amazing day in business yesterday. Thanks to all of you for letting me help you out of a difficult situation. #72 I am grateful for my new Ipad2. Even though the kids have been using it more than me. I will get my chance someday... #73 I am grateful my cold is almost gone! I must admit, this one was so much easier than the last one. So I am grateful for that as well! #74 I am grateful it is going to be 47 degree in MN today! #75 I am grateful for referrals! I have received 2 already today! Happy Friday! #76 I am grateful for Lien Cuisine's. For about 2 bucks I get a pretty good lunch. They taste pretty good, they are fast to make, and I don;t have to leave the office! #77 I am grateful for the new gym I just joined. It is nice and close to my house, and I have already lost 9 pounds! #78 I am grateful for good friends like Dennis Smith! he is a great guy who is running for State House in Maple Grove. Best of luck on your campaign Dennis! #79 I am grateful for for the incredible, super, amazing, open house I had yesterday at 6970 Oak Ridge Drive! I had over 30 families stop by for a visit. A heart felt thank you to all that stopped by! #80 I am grateful I sold my first foreclosure in only 2 weeks. #81 I am grateful for this easy winter we are having so far. Sure keeps the gas bill low. #82 I am grateful for the awesome time I had sledding with the kids today. Lots of fun and good exercise! #83. I am grateful for double coupon Tuesdays at Super America. #84 Today, I am grateful for the amazing January I had both professionally and personally. 2012 is certainly going to be the breakout year of my life! #85 I am grateful for the Apple one to one service. Without it, Would be completely lost on my new computer. #86 I am grateful for Orono Fun Fest! It was a great opportunity to meet other parents and to help raise money for the Orono PTO. #87 I am grateful for Saturday night church. It makes Sundays just that more laid back. #88 Today, I am grateful that I no longer have a car payment on Jodi's Suburban! On Friday I paid that bad boy off. How nice to have an extra $492 in my pocket each month! Day 89. Today, I am grateful for the 2 phone calls I received yesterday. One was from a family looking to short sale their house, and the other was from a first time home buyer. I am grateful they both have enough faith in me to help them out. Day 90. I am grateful for old friends. Yesterday I got together with an old friend over a cup of coffee. It was nice catching up with him. He is going through a lot right now, but he can certainly see the light at the end of the tunnel. 2012 is going to be pivotal for him. I know he will make the best of it. Day 91 Today I am grateful for Amazon.com I ordered another program from Tony Robbins. Instead of new I bought a slightly used set. I saved over 67% ($200). I love saving money! Day 92 Today I am grateful for days off. Yea that's right, I'm taking the day off. I am going on a field trip with Grace this morning. This afternoon Sam and I are going to the credit union to cash in all his coins so we can buy him a new Itouch. He has $100 from Christmas burning a hole in his packet. Even though I'll be out of the office you can still get a hold of me. I am always here to help. Have a great weekend! Day 93! I am grateful for great ideas. Especially those that happen in the shower. Those always seem to be the best ones. Well, I had a great business idea that just so happened to take place in the shower. This will almost certainly take me to the next level of my business. I am so excited and cannot wait to implement. Day 94. Today I am grateful for love and family on this Valentine's day. Every day I hug and kiss my wife and children. Every day I tell them how much I love them. Each day it is clear to me that I love them just a little bit more than the last. In our family, every day is like Valentine's day. I feel so grateful and blessed to have such an amazing family. Happy Valentine's day everyone! Day 95 Today I am grateful for Napa Auto Parts. Yesterday I saved over $50 by buying my own air filters for the cars. They are very easy to install and will save you money every 6,000 miles. I am also grateful for Poquet Auto. They only charge $20 for an oil change. Day 96. Today I am grateful for GREAT neighbors. Yesterday Grace sold over 100 boxes of Girl Scout cookies in our neighborhood. Thanks everyone! You helped Grace get off to a great start! Day 97. I am grateful I made it home safely last night. I had a long drive in the freezing sleet and rain. It took a while, but I made it home safely. I hope everyone else made it home safely as well. Day 98. I am grateful for Open houses where they offer a drawing and a groovy prize. Yesterday at Lennar Homes in Medina I entered a drawing for an Ipad 2. Wouldn't you know it, they picked my name. Thanks Lennar for my new Ipad! Day 99. I am grateful I didn't gain much weight over my Birthday staycation! I just got off the scale and I was only only up by 1 pound! That pound will be gone by tomorrow. Day 100. I DID IT!!! 100 days of gratitude!! I am grateful for committing to this project and actually finishing it!!!
Jeff Garthwait