Thankful November:  Part IV

November 19:  I am grateful today for black lights.  They make everything so fun!  We celebrated a birthday for my little man today with his sisters and friends and the indoor course had black lights all over the place.  They had used what looked like special black light paint to decorate the place and of course everyone had a least one thing glowing on them.  So cool.


November 20:  I am grateful that I have discovered I am an alto instead of a soprano when singing.  Why I haven't known this sooner, or at least done something about it, I don't know.  I've only been singing alto for maybe 2 years now and like singing in the choir because it helps me find my new notes!  (I sang today in church)  A lot of times if I have a hard time finding the notes I still just sing soprano because I'm more use to hearing it.  It's like learning a whole new song when I sing something in alto that I've been singing all my life in soprano.


November 21:  Today, other than birthdays for special boys, I'm grateful that our town has a recycling program.  We fill our big trash can full by the time two weeks rolls around (they come every other week) and I feel so much better knowing that the trash is going to be reused instead of just tossed in a large hole somewhere and buried.


November 22:  I'm thankful for the 2 little kids I babysit, one boy and one girl.  As soon as we moved here I started looking for some part-time work I could do, preferably at home, that offered little enough hours I wouldn't be stressed.  I've found I really enjoy doing babysitting because it allows me to feel like my time is better spent, essentially because I end up playing more with my own kidlets too.  This opportunity came up kinda out of the blue when I was just starting to give up thinking I could find something.  It's only an average of 5 hours a week and my youngest is getting along great with the two kids and I feel great about it and really enjoy the sweet kids.

November 23:  I'm grateful we started birthday lunches with the kidlets.  Big J said his family use to do this when he was younger and at first I thought it was cheesy but then once the kids started school I really missed eating lunch with them every day.  This is a chance for me and one of my kids to have fun one-on-one time.  And we go out to eat so little that it is a treat for them.   Little J and I went to Cracker Barrel, because he wanted Mac N Cheese--go figure.  We had lots of fun together!

November 24:  THANKSGIVING DAY!!!  The culmination of the thankful season.  There are so many things that I am thankful for.  I am thankful for my parents and siblings and my extended family and  a whole added family of brothers and sisters in law, parents and grandparents in law, new uncles and aunts and cousins of J's family, new nieces and nephews and especially my own children and husband.  They are so amazing!!  My hubby and kids just put up with a 7 hour shopping/lunch marathon with me!  I'm so grateful for a husband who sees his duty as providing for his families needs, and I help by trying to make those needs minimal.  :)  He has always worked hard to provide for us and I feel his sense of duty is a lot of what compels him to do that.  My kids waited patiently since January until a few days ago to get a Wii.  At the beginning of the year we all decided to put half of our birthday money toward a Wii and after the last birthday of the year we could get it (November!).  I was blown away when the kids would mention it throughout the year without whining or asking why we couldn't get it sooner.  Such incredible patience!  I also have to include here the wonderful friends I've had throughout my life.  Those who have helped lift and inspire me.  Those who have believed in me and cheered me on.  Those who have at least attempted to understand me (I'm very complex) by getting me to open up, rather than judging me.  And I must also mention being thankful for the gospel and Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father.  I've not always been the most faithful member of the church but I'm thankful I have the gospel.  I'm thankful for the people I've gotten to know, for the source of strength I draw from each week at church and the ways in which I've grown and developed from challenging callings and from challenging myself.  My heart swelled on Thanksgiving day when I thought of all I have to be thankful for throughout my life!

Thankful November:  Part III

November 11:  Of course today I am thankful for all the veteran's throughout America's years.  My Grandpa being one of them.  He flew airplanes for the Air Force.  I am thankful for their dedication, bravery and sense of duty.  I am also thankful for their parents, wives and family who support them.


November 12:  MmmmMMm.  More food.  Japanese food.  We went to Tsunami in SLC tonight for dinner and it was scrum-diddly-umptious!!  I'm thankful for restaurants who make a point to serve good food, have a good atmosphere and good service.  I love to watch Restaurant Impossible and I am more thankful for these goods.

November 13:  Fake Thanksgiving.  J's parents are going out of town for Thanksgiving so they had an early Thanksgiving.  That means two turkey's!!  Not much better than a turkey hot out of the oven.  (yes, yes, more food. I guess I'm really loving food)

November 14:  I'm thankful for J's wisdom in getting the cheapest car in America.  I wanted something bigger and better (like a truck......) but with all the money we've put into our house and down payment on the house, etc. I am thankful he was insistent on buying as cheap as possible while still new.  And I LOVE that it gets great gas mileage.  (much better than any truck)





November 15:  I am thankful for the internet and for crafty people who blog tutorials.  I love being crafty, but I'm not very naturally gifted with crafts so I love that people who are naturally gifted share their wisdom and I can reproduce it.  It makes me very happy to find something that is cool to make that I wouldn't have thought of or known how to do by myself.  This is a Kindle cover that I plan to eventually make.  Awesomeness.





November 16:  I am thankful for 10-11 year old girls.  At church I co-head a group of 10-11 year old girls and we have so much fun!  We've tied blankets for needy children, made cards for moms, practiced manners and had a fun daddy/daughter dinner.  They are a great group of girls.

November 17:  I'm thankful for people who are willing and able and love to do co-op preschools with me.  This is my 3rd year, I believe, to be the one to rally troops and set up a co-op preschool.  These are great for me because I love teaching cute, adorable little minds and also love a little break the other weeks.  I also can't stomach paying so much money for a preschool when I can do it myself.  Sure, three of the four years I've done co-ops we couldn't come close to affording a preschool but I sure enjoy using that money other places this year now that we could afford it.  And, my kids have loved it too and that makes it all worth it.

November 18:  Today I'm thankful for good Doctor's because we went to one who was not so great.  Little J had an allergist that he went to in NJ and I'd like to keep him going to one since he has so many allergies.  We went to an allergist today and he was definitely sub-par.  He comes in and introduces himself by just his name and then asks what his symptoms are.  What?  We're here for the first time, wouldn't he like a history discussion first?  We weren't there for symptoms but to get to know him.  Besides which, what symptoms is he talking about--food reactions?  environmental allergy reactions?  Then when he goes to check my little man he pulls so hard on his ear that I cringed and just about jumped up and smacked the dr.  I remembered that I didn't always think his allergist in NJ was the best but she was knowledgeable enough that I stuck with her and ended up liking her more.  So maybe I should give it more time but I don't think it's a very good sign when the dr. looks over his food allergies and says, "so what does he eat?".   And "boy, if his wheat allergy ever gets worse he'd have a hard time eating anything."  Uh, a Dr. is there to help not to be negative and glass is half empty.  So, I appreciate a Doctor who is willing to have a positive mind-set, good manners and ever-increasing knowledge.  I'm not sure this dr. possessed any of those qualities so we may not be back again.

Thankful November:  Part II

I am going to be away from my computer this weekend so thought I'd do my second "Thanks"giving post before I go!

November 6:  People who make me laugh.  I've always wanted to be bubbly, but it's just not in my jeans.  It is a quality I admire in others so I love to be around people who are bubbly and cheerful to add some spice to life.  One of my favorite things to do is make others laugh--even though I'm not bubbly I still attempt humor.  My little A came in the room one day last week and said, "Mom, I fell and was sad and laying on the ground but when J tickled me it magically stopped hurting!"  Laughter is magical!  Our choir director here is a ball of laughs.  It makes going to choir fun and tickles me to see her have so much fun singing.




November 7:  Tilapia.  As I said I've gotten into food.  And fish is one of my favorites to cook and eat.  ShopRite (which I dearly miss!) often had fish that went on sale.  I hadn't had tilapia since leaving NJ and had been seriously craving it.  Finally I saw tilapia on sale a couple weeks ago and  bought some.  Now if I could just find some salmon or halibut on sale..........




 November 8:  True Friends.  I had a friend whom I love love love dearly and miss terribly write an email about her having a hard time.  My heart immediately went out to her and I really just wanted to book a flight to go give her a hug and help her however I could.  This is a friend during my college years who I've laughed so hard with that it left us gasping for breath, cried with during sad times and one who has inspired me and I'm sure many others to be better just by being who she is.  I would trust her entirely to never speak ill of me or put me down to make me feel bad.  I hope I've been that kind of friend to her and I will hold her friendship with her my entire life even if I never get to see her again (but I hope I will!)  She is super cool!  I have several friends that I would consider this way and I feel very fortunate for that.


November 9:  My bike.  This is the sweetest ride I have EVER owned.  I LOVE riding it around the neighborhood and with the kidlets.  It gives me a different sense of freedom, feeling of good health and of reducing waste.  As winter has come on I've wondered if I would still ride it for short commutes.  Most of the time, I just can't stomach starting up the car and driving one block to book club or visiting even though it's 30 degrees out.  I don't know that'd I'd ride in rain or snow but I really love riding when I can!


November 10:  Little gems that I get to hear every day.  "J, do you still eat your boogers?; I don't" from my 4 year old to my 5 year old.  Yes, hunny, he does.  And my 5 year old, "Mom, I just saw the garbage man come. Can I get my shoes and jacket on and bring the trash cans up the driveway?"   Yes, yes my sweet boy, if you really want to.  {Precious and humorous.}  There's nothing quite like being a mom.

More Halloween!!!

Little J's cute little Kinder class decorating cookies for part of their Halloween party

The kids did such a cute little Halloween parade where we could see all the kids in costume.  I found Waldo and thought he was SO cute that I had to snap a picture.   ;-)

Cute little Waldo took his excited little sister by the hand to lead her around the parade

Sweet fairy parading around, preceded by none other than Papa Smurf

We had ghost shepherd pie for dinner on Halloween and topped it off with ghost jello

B is amazed at how much candy she got

Once again we have spooky pumpkins!!

The Halloween adventure aftermath.

Thankful November

I decided that at the end of each week I would blog about the things I have been thankful for the last week.  These will be more of the smaller, frivolous things that make life fun for me.  Of course I'm thankful for home, husband and children so don't worry.  I read a great definition of happiness the other day.  It's not so much having what you like but liking what you have.  These are the things I'm glad I have in my life at this moment.

November 1:  Thankful to have a daughter who loves to write her parents nice notes about how cool we are.  Can I hope this will continue into her teenage years?

November 2:  Thankful for books that I enjoy reading so much that it is hard to put them down for bedtime and can't wait to get a chance to get back to it the next day (even if I have to wait all day!).

November 3:  Flannel Sheets.  Jeff and I put on our flannel sheets and I'd forgotten how warm and cozy t hey are to slip into on a chilly winter night.  I was so excited about them that I went out and bought a set for everyone!! 

November 4:  Thankful for a garden/yard.  As I mostly finished preparing our yard for winter today I thought about how therapeutic an hour or so working in the yard is for me.  Whether it's weeding, planting, projects like mulch circles around our front yard trees or a raised garden bed I really enjoy working outside.  I've always been a little bit of a black thumb and I'm hoping I can learn really fast and become a green thumb!!

November 5:  Thankful for good food and always having food.  One of the basic necessities of life, but I've been more excited about food than ever in the last couple years due to a few things and I love trying out new recipes.  This picture is of our Halloween meal of ghosts in the graveyard (shepherd's pie) and tonight I made my first chili and it was delicious with a side of homemade bread, fruit from J's mom and pineapple upside down cake that I'd been wanting to make again!