A month of gratitude

I feel silly for the name of my post, as it refers to the month of November being the month of gratitude. While I think Thanksgiving is an amazing holiday and everything, gratitude is something I feel all year long. Even my patriarchal blessing was very specific about the constant thanksgiving I would feel in my soul. Matt taught me through example what it is to be thankful in all things. He served a really tough mission, sometimes tracting 10 hours a day and not talking to anyone. He was down often because of the lack of success they had. He said his focus on his blessings-what he had versus what he lacked--got him through. I love that he experienced that so early on in life and that he passes that wisdom onto me often. Despite any challenges we may face in life, there is always so much to be grateful for!

Sunday evening I was spiritually fed. The youth in our stake performed the musical From Cumorah's Hill in a fireside. They practiced for weeks and really put heart and soul into this. I was totally uplifted by the music and especially the example that these kids set. Being in junior high and high school isn't easy and they are faced with so much, but this is a strong generation and a strong stake. I hope these are the kind of kids my children are surrounded by in years to come.

This Friday we will have the opportunity to attend the sealing of my sister and her fiancee--and my future brother in law--in the Salt Lake Temple. We are really excited for this and to get some time with family. I am proud of my sister and the choices she has made. I have said before, back when my sister Lindsey got married, that it is fun to see brothers get married, but there is something so special to see my younger sisters go through the same thing. Maybe because I am a girl and I can relate to them more. We haven't even made the 12 hour trek to Utah yet, but I feel emotional just thinking about it.

Perhaps the thing I am most grateful for and my most prized possesion on earth is my family. I lucked out in this department. My kids are amazing and the gift of being their mom is the best ever. I learn so much from them and they are in turn sure lucky to have Matt as their dad. He is one selfless person. He gets that from his parents. Matt comes home everyday and plays with his kids, never bringing the stress of work or outside influence in. He is a mirror of his own father that way. I sure love my family.

I can't help but shove sports into my kids faces all day. We expect them to attend church, we expect them to clean their rooms and say prayers and clear their dinner places, and BY ALL MEANS, those kids will play sports!! LOL :)

Our next door neighbor rescues animals who are in danger or sick. A few weeks ago she got these 7 week old pups (2 of them) who were on the brink of death. She took them in and now they are thriving and seem like they will survive. My kids love seeing them and they are the perfect size--right now anyways--for my kids!

I just thought I would end this on a funny note: Reagan loves Shrek! She loves the movie and loves Fiona and watched it a lot. Mom finally had to limit the Shrek time when she caught Reagan calling her brother a "stupid ugly ogre." But regardless, she has the Shrek face down pat. She always comes up to Matt and I and says, "This is how Shrek smiles" and she demonstrates with this half smile, almost like a shrug. She let me take some pics of the smile and Matt and I could barely contain ourselves.

For your personal enjoyment, here is Reagan's very own impersonation of Shrek:

Happy Thanksgiving!

My Liberty Mutual moment

I was driving home from a friends house today and as I waited at a 4 way stop light, I saw a car stalled in the middle of the intersection, struggling to turn left (I was several cars back, waiting to turn left, too). A man was out pushing the car with all his might as the driver steered. Two or three cars behind them each swerved around them hurriedly so that they wouldn't miss the green light.

Out of nowhere and almost instincively, I see another car, that had been waiting to go straight, turn and get right behind this stalled car and turn on their hazards. Two teenagers jumped out of the back seat and immediately started helping this man push. They helped him and followed him until he was safely in the gas station parking lot.

This just warmed my heart. I thought of those Liberty Mutual commercials, you know the ones with the sappy song playing and everyone doing good works for each other and paying it forward. I watched this scene play out before my eyes and I was reminded of the good that is still in the world. There is so much focus on the bad--crime rates, the economy, the insane politicians in office--that it is so easy to forget that most people really have a good heart and want to do the right thing. I am thankful today for witnessing that and for receiving my own "Liberty Mutual" moment. :)

TV TIME!

Well, it has been a while since I have posted about all my tv shows, but don't worry, I am still watching. This season we say good-bye to Michael on The Office and I am wondering how the writers are handing that. Will he get fired? Will he quit? I have a feeling Holly will make her way back into his life so that we can assume a happily ever after for him. But there are many changes taking place. I didn't think this last episode was very funny (the Christening of Cece), but most this season have been hilarious. Dwight cracks me up. And Gabe is just too weird for words. I wish they gave Kelly and Ryan more screen time, as well as my other oldie favorites, Stan the man and Phyllis. We shall see where this goes...

Well, without a doubt, the show that has had me going all along is VAMPIRE DIARIES!! Do not laugh. This show is seriously so good and if you aren't watching, you are missing out. The writers are brilliant, they take an already used up theme (vampires, ala Twilight and True Blood) and make it completely its own genre. Each episode leaves me hanging on the edge of my seat. There are so many characters, plot developments, and twists in storylines. I love all of the characters. I cannot wait to see Elena and Damon get together, you know it will eventually happen, maybe not for another season or two. And I love all the other relationships, Matt/Caroline, Alaric/Jenna and now, Bonnie/Jeremy. I love how they kill off characters just like that, but it is always okay, because so many other plots are developing. My sisters and I call each other each Friday and discuss the episodes.

I have been slacking on many other shows. I kind of gave up on Glee, the first few episodes this season bored me and I felt like too many characters changed over the summer. Rachel isn't as geeky anymore and I loved her. She is skinnier and has bangs. Too much change. I haven't tuned into Biggest Loser either. We catch up on 30 Rock and Outsourced through On Demand and that is nice. They are pretty funny. 30 Rock is one of the wittiest comedies ever. But the live show stank, I thought.

I love watching Curb Appeal, Dear Genevieve and Designed to Sell on HGTV. The style in those shows is really cool. I love Genevieve's style, classy but not boring.

This is Halloween....BOO!

A fun thing about October is the plethora of Halloween songs that we get to sing, but it isn't so pleasant when they get stuck in my head...all month long. For many reasons, I am actually glad Halloween is finally over. It lasted over a week, with friends parties, multiple trips to the pumpkin patch, ward trunk or treat, then another friends party. We ended the week with WAYYYYYY too much candy. Three freezer bags full...stuck way in the back of my freezer where mom cannot reach it without removing all the frozen vegetables. But my kids had a blast and that is where Halloween is just so much dang fun.

Reagan made sugar cookies and rolled them and cut them all by herself. She loved it, they tasted so-so and keeps asking when she can make "playdough" cookies again. Nolan happily licked the beaters of the dough and left the hard work to sis.OK, this is his face he makes lately. Cute, huh? All bashful and shy, yet mischievious at the same time.
We were blessed with a pretty princess, a binkied Batman and a mean old witch. Oh and Matt was "Jack Johnson", an ensemble of jeans, t-shirt and flip flops.

I was able to attend a field trip to the pumpkin patch with Reagan's preschool class. My, how cute. It was fun to put faces with names.

It only took her 15 seconds to find "the one."

Here is Reagan smothering her friend Katie.

We also went to the patch with Addie and Josh. Laura and I attempted some cute kiddie shots, but most of mine turned out like this...kids running here and there :)

Some were decent...

Some were silly...Addie would agree with me.

Some were just too obsessed with handling the pumpkins.

And some resulted in weird smiles like this, but still dang cute, huh?

Well, we are paying the price this week. I don't know if it was all the late night partying, the candy or just being around so many people, but both my children are sick right now. Our first day hanging out home was fine, I got to tackle some indoor projects while they laid around and it was sort of nice. Now I am going insane. The whining, the messes, the complaining, holy freakin cow, someone GET ME OUTTA HERE!!! But honestly, better now than in 2 weeks when we will partying in Utah.

LOVE TO ALL!!! Here come the holidays...