Day 26 November Gratitudes

I am grateful today is Thanksgiving. I love the relaxation of it and the tradition of basically doing the same things every year. The boys were up and at the football field for the ward's turkey bowl by 9:00am.

Talon ordered himself new cleats and gloves just for the event.

Talon, Tiffany, Garry and I played Zooloreto and Ticket to Ride.

Cynjyn jumped rope.

Tanner practiced.

Taz brought down a lot of Lego's and played all afternoon.

Cynjyn set the table with the good china.




The kids gobbled the skin!!

And we all posed for our annual picture around the dinner table. I am grateful for tradition and good food and good fun. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Day 25 November Gratitudes

Today I am grateful for Taz. I was typing up a poem he'd written last night for English. I'll let his poem be it today. Here are some pictures of him taken from spirit week a few weeks ago. He really got into dressing up and had a good time. School spirit day.

Jersey Day.

Crazy Hat Day.

Crazy Sock Day. We didn't get a picture of Pajama Day, but let's just say he was comfy that day. Now, here's the poem:

I am thankful for many importatnt things in my life.

For any type of meat, not vegetables, but fruits.

For my Grandma's cabin at Wallowa Lake.

For being able to watch football and play football.

For my first grade teacher who inspired me to like Sponge Bob.

For the computer to play Balloon Tower Defense Four and Facebook.

For my Grandpa who helped me live like I was in the olden days.

For playing any athletic sport (If I'm on a good team).

For being able to play the piano and swim.

For my kitty Mowgli or Mr. Momo.

This is what I'll be giving thanks for this Thanksgiving.

Well said Taz. I love you!!

Day 24 November Gratitudes

Today I am grateful for scouting. Having three boys, it has been a major part of our lives for many years now. I am grateful for all the hard work that goes into it. I am grateful that the cub scouting part of my life is now over. I am grateful that I have one son who is an Eagle scout and another who is in the midst of his Eagle project. I am grateful that his project is almost over. I am grateful that I only have one more project to get through!! I am grateful for a husband who has been scout master for at least 10 of the 15 years we've lived here!! I am grateful that when it's all said and done, I get a Mother's pin for all MY hard work!! I am grateful for the values scouting enhances in my boys. I am grateful that it helps them become upstanding men.

Day 23 November Gratitudes

Today I must be thankful for my sweet husband. I haven't been feeling too good for over a month now and he has just jumped right in and hasn't complained once. He's done most of the laundry, dishes and general cleaning. Saturday after New Moon, we went to dinner with the Thatchers after the movie. I started feeling sick during dinner. By the time we got home, I went straight to bed. Sunday I still wasn't feeling good, but got up and got ready for church and went. I had sharing time that day. Soon after Sac. Meeting started, I felt even worse. Of course I was upset and crying and Garry said he'd take me home and do sharing time for me!! Luckily, I had thrown my ideas around at him, so he had some sort of idea what I was doing. He brought me home and I told him everything I'd had planned and he prepped and went back and did both sharing times with ease of course!!

He is a keeper! I love him and I'm thankful he puts up with me!!

Day 21 November Gratitudes

I am grateful for sprinklings of summer amid fall/winter. I am grateful that I bought a ton of raspberries when they were on sale this summer at Von's. I am grateful that I froze them individually. I am grateful that I put them in quart sized ziplock bags for the future. I am grateful for tangy, tasty raspberries in my oatmeal on cold fall mornings!

Day 22 November Gratitudes

I am grateful for all the vampires I've known and loved throughout the years. I say New Moon yesterday and it reminded me of all the characters I've loved from books and shows and movies.

I first fell in love with vampires when I read the book Interview with a Vampire. I loved Louis and Lestat and really was happy when they made a movie out of it! I never finished all of Anne Rice's books in the series because they got a little annoying after awhile, but I loved the first two. Then came my beloved Buffy series. Truly loved that show. Angel was the tortured vampire with a soul and Buffy's first love. I even watched and loved his series once he jumped ship and got his own show. Then I fell in love with Spike. Who ever thought Angel could be replaced in Buffy's heart, but Spike managed to do that!

I must say I discovered the Twilight craze before it became a full fledged phenomenon. My friend Heather had just moved to Utah and recommended a book she'd just read. I picked it up at the library and the rest is history. I fell in love with Edward and will always and forever be on his team!! I do not particularly like Robert Pattinson as his portrayer, but the Edward character in the book is just the ultimate for me. Although the movies don't compare to the written word, at least I can still expect more Twilight vampire fixes for the next few years.

Then I thought I'd give these guys a try. Vampire Diaries is o.k. I'm not enamoured with either Stefan or Damon, but they'll do until I discover another true vampire that I can fall in love with.

Day 20 November Gratitude

I am grateful that it is November 20 and I still haven't turned on my heat yet. There are some perks to living in Las Vegas! Now, granted it is getting cold. As I type it is 41 degrees outside, but the days really warm up and are beautiful. We have put extra blankets on our beds and we curl up on the couch at night under a blanket. I have been wearing my shawls too. I know that withing a few more days, that heat will go on, but in the meantime, I will be loving our lower electric and gas bill until then:)

Day 19 November Gratitude

Today is easy and obvious!! I am grateful for my wonderful sister. It is her birthday today and I hope she has a happy one. She is so talented and creative and likes to do things big and with a bang. She has been the best aunt to my kids and has always been very supporting of my family even though we live far away. Now she has her own kids and she's a wonderful mom and I just love her to death!!

Day 18 November Gratitude

I am grateful for chocolate. Truly, I could eat something chocolate all day every day. I am not a fan of chocolate cake and real chocolaty desserts, but I am a fan of chocolate candy. 100 Grands, Almond M & M's, Milky Ways, Peppermint patty's...I could go on and on... I don't eat a lot of it now and this is a Snickers the kids gave me from Halloween, and I wanted more, but I resisited. I love chocolate!!

Day 17 November Gratitudes

I am thankful for Hot Chocotlate. The nights are cold now and nothing tastes better than my hot chocolate with whipped cream and a candy cane!! It's the small things;)

Day 16 November Gratitude

I am grateful today that my children have their own personalities and interests. I am grateful that they can entertain themselves and have great imaginations. I am grateful that they can be alone and don't need friends around all the time. I grateful that they like talking to and being with me. This is how Tanner spent his Sunday a week ago. It was a beautiful day out and he just camped out by the pool reading for about an hour or so after church.

Cynjyn has quite the imagination. She has taken an interest lately in drawing designs of clothing and coloring them and even pricing them. This is how she spent that same Sunday. Just this morning on the way to school we were talking about the snow day we had last year here in Vegas. It has become quite cold these last few days and everyone was guessing whether we'd have another snow day and I said the last one we had before this last year was 30 years ago and we probably won't have another one for another 30 years. To which Cynjyn replied: "I'll be 38 then and I'll be an adult and won't enjoy it because I'm not a kid anymore." That made me kind of sad that she recognized that. It made me think I need to play more and enjoy spontaeous moments more like children do.

Talon usually comes home for lunch between 2 and 3. Today, he came home at noon. I asked him why he was home so early and he said that he wanted to have me all to himself and when he comes home late, we never get to talk because his brothers are home. So, we made lunch and just sat there and talked about nothing inparticular for his hour break.

Taz did the dishes for me this afternoon while I was doing piano lessons. I did ask him to, but he did an awesome job and didn't complain. I am grateful for all my children and all their personalities. They make my life interesting and complete.

Day 15 November Gratitudes

Today, I am grateful for these two cutie patooties!! They have been practicing for over a month now to be in the primary children's choir for Stake Conference. They both wanted to participate and have been going to the church Sunday evenings for practices. They looked so cute as they got ready for church this morning and they really learned a lot from the stake lady who directed them. She even told them what to eat and not eat/drink before their performance. The choir sounded awesome and these two looked so beautiful up there!!

Day 14 November Gratitude

I am grateful for High School sports. Garry and I just returned from watching Silverado Girls Volleyball take the state championship. I loved watching Talon play and I can't wait to watch Tanner this spring. Growing up in a small town, HS sports was a very prominant part of our lives. LV is so big and it's hard to feel part of a community, but being involved and watching the local HS sports teams really brings that sense of community. I thoroughly enjoyed myself tonight!!

Day 13 November Gratitudes

I am grateful for the ability to learn. I have been dabbling in digital scrapbooking for awhile. I have really wanted to take a photoshop class and learn more about manipulating photos. I signed up for one online this summer and just got around to doing it these past couple of weeks. I have loved it and have enjoyed playing with the photos. These are my photos from each of my lessons:

Day 12 November Gratitude

Today I am grateful my husband has a job. I am grateful that I don't have to worry about him being layed off, or his company shutting down. As I sat in ward council Sunday, it was just depressing to hear about all the people in our ward who are jobless and or way underpaid and who are really struggling right now. The bishop said it had been the worst week for welfare orders and he just seemed so depressed and down trodden with worry about all the people affected by our economy. So, I am truly blessed to have a husband in a secure and well paid work place. I am grateful that he can provide for our family. I am also grateful Talon has a job and is going back to school in January. I hope the economy recovers by the time he finishes college and is ready for a "real job" in the "real world".

Day 11 November Gratitude

I am grateful for school holidays. I like having my kids in school, the peace and quiet is nice. But I also really enjoy a day off. Especially during the week. Today we had off for Veteran's Day. It was nice not to have to get everyone up and going. It was nice to take the kids to the park and let them hang out with their friends while I talked to the other mothers. It was nice that it was 70 degrees, it is nice that they are all at a friends now and I just have my blog to catch up, and then a hot date with a basket of laundry and a DVR'd Oprah.

Day 10 November Gratitued

I am grateful for the temple. Today was our wards fill the temple day. Garry and I were there by 8 am. We did three sessions and then an hour of sealings. I am grateful for the covenants I made there and the promises that I will receive if I keep them. I am grateful for the sealing ordinance that binds me to my family for all eternity. I am grateful for the whisperings of the spirit felt during any given moment in the temple. I am grateful for the peace that comes into my soul when I am there.

Day 9 November Gratitude

I am grateful for carpools. With three kids at three different schools going at three different times, I would be driving all morning and all afternoon if it weren't for carpools. Tanner is in seminary now and luckily, Garry takes him and Hunter and Cora on his way to wok in the mornings. My wonderwoman friend Cathy brings him and Chris and Mikey and Natalie home in the afternoon. (We offered to take Chris to seminary, but he was already going with Mikey). Every other week, I drive the middle school morning carpool. We pick up Lawson and MaKenna and Alexis and the week we don't pick up, Linda drives. Taz comes home in the afternoons with either Jen Hill(M, W, F) or Jeanne Holland (T, Th). I take Cynjyn to school in the mornings and she rides home with Syndney in the afternoons(I offered to take Syd in the mornings, but Lea wanted to drive her). Lea volunteered to do this because three afternoons a week, I have piano and it really helps me out, I appreciate all the moms who help drive our kids each week. Carpools rock!!

Day 8 November Gratitude

I'm grateful for my calling. I love being primary president and I'm going to enjoy it while I can because I realize that it is going to end all to soon. I'm heading into 3 years now. I love teaching the children. I love the look on their faces as they listen and soak in the things I teach.

Day 7 November Gratitude

I am grateful for cool evenings, being dark by 5:00pm and homemade soup. Even though yesterday was exceptionally warm, I had been craving homemade soup. The fact that it was dark by 5 helped set the mood. So, here's to a yummy recipe, a good dinner, and great leftovers.

Creamy mushroom chicken soup:
6 Tbs butter
1 medium onion chopped
3 Tbs. flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
6 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds mushrooms sliced
3/4 c celery chopped
3/4 c carrots chopped
2 cups baby red potatoes chopped
2 zuccini or yellow squash (I used both and I used three) chopped
2 cups light cream (couldn't find light, I used heavy)
3/4 c grated Parmesan
2 cups chopped cooked chicken ( I used a can of chicken)

In large pot melt butter over med heat. Add onion and cook until tender, about 6 min.
Stir in the flour, salt and pepper and mix until smooth. Gradually add the broth, then turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil. Add the vegetables. reduce the heat and simmer the soup, covered, until the veg. are tender, about 30 min.
Add the cream, Parmesan, and chicken. Heat the soup for an additional 10 min, but do not let it boil.

I served with fresh homemade rolls and it was a hit.

Enjoy!

Day 6 November Gratitude

I am grateful for jounals, scrapbooks and blogs. They all tell my story. I started my own journal when I was 8 and was pretty regular until I started having kids. Then, life got busy and I always wanted an easy way to journal. Then, when Talon was a baby, I discovered scrapbooking. Below are my three places in the house where I keep my scrapbooks. I have a lot, but haven't really scrapbooked for a couple of years. It does make me so happy though when I see one of my children sitting on the couch with a stack of scrapbooks next to them! Then came the wonderful world of blogging. It combines both journaling and scrapbooking and what could be more fun and easy. I love blogging and looking at other peoples blogs. I am grateful for this fun, easy way of chronicling my life.