Routine

I love sleeping in and not keeping to a schedule.  But in some weird way it is comforting to go back to a routine the majority of the week.  What is wrong with me?

Smooth Transitions

I am so thankful for things going smoothly. Especially when you are prepared the whole time for it to be really stressful and rocky. It is amazing how one little thing can put in motion a completely different outcome.

I Stand All Amazed

8/18/13
Almost 7 years ago on September 6 on the first Sunday of the month, my mom passed away less than two months after being diagnosed with cancer.  I  found out that she had died when I received a phone call at church from my sister. We were singing the hymn "I Stand All Amazed" when I was told there was a call for me from my sister about my mom. I knew immediately what that call was about. As I stood in the hallway and talked to my sister I could hear the rest of the song being sung in the background. It was the perfect song for the moment and for my mother.
Every year since she died, within a couple weeks of the anniversary of her death that song is on the program to be sung. Today it was the sacrament hymn. The person that chooses the songs each week has no idea of the meaning of that song for me, or of the timing of it being chosen for the program. And the person making those decisions has changed more than once in the last 7 years.  But every year it is a comforting reminder that my Heavenly Father knows me. Knows my sorrows, my worries, and my joy. And above all else that he loves me.
I do most definitely stand all amazed.
8/19/13 - When talking to my sisters about this, I learned that they had sung this song as well the same Sunday.  Although it held no special meaning for them to sing it. But in learning we had all been singing it at the same time it made it even more of a comfort that our Heavenly Father is aware of all of us.

Parental Tech Support

I am so thankful for friends and family that support and strengthen my job as a parent.  I love that they are open enough to share their own struggles with the hard days that come.  I think too many people think they stand alone, and assume that they are the only one with a child that is finding their own way.  Too many assume that everyone else's family has it all figured out.  We are all together in this job we call parenting.  We all started in the mail room, and we are each others tech support.  No one got the deluxe model that came with the multi-lingual instruction manual.  No one got a map, or GPS, or child raising app updates, or a lifetime warranty.  We just willingly got on the roller coaster and clicked the tiny metal buckle. Sometimes we wave our hands wildly trying to get someone's attention in hopes of having them stop the ride.  Sometimes we just close our eyes and hang on.  And in between those moments we have courage and faith that helps us let go and hold our hands above our heads and smile.  Because we know it is worth it.

 Our children take a little piece of our heart when they are born, and walk around with it for the rest of their lives.  And we don't ever get to put it back.

A Whole Week

I haven't posted for a week?  Wow I must be having some spectacular living going on.  Well, maybe not, but I am loving the beauty of the regular everyday stuff that I have had a chance to do.

Timing

Timing is everything.  And I am so thankful today for the great timing of things in my life.  Because I have realized that timing is one of those things we think we can control - but most of the time we can't.  At all.  So when it works in my favor, I am really grateful.

Sports Car Pedicure

I don't know what it is about red nail polish that looks so fancy, but it does.  I used to always wear pink polish on my toes. It was subtle and didn't show up right away when it chipped.  I envied my friends with their fire engine red pedicures.  It just seemed to be too bold of a color to stick on my short, uniquely shaped toes.  But I took the plunge to red this summer and I can't believe I waited so long.  It's like I am a candy apple red sports car when I am wearing sandals.  Vrrrooom.

Make Up

I like natural beauty and all that - but I am so thankful for make up. That way I can enhance what I want you look at and camouflage what I don't want you to notice.

Driving My Own Car Again

Tahoe is back from the shop.  I didn't realize how much I would miss it.  I hope we can keep it running for at least a couple more years.  It has just over 170,000 miles now.  This is really the first major repair we have had to make on it.  We did replace the brakes but that is wear and tear.  And it is so fabulous NOT to have a car payment.

Filing Cabinets

I hate to file.  I really do.  But I am happy to have a way to organize all my paperwork.  I shudder to think how I would find all of the paperwork I have to keep otherwise.
I do get a little wistful at the Staples store when I walk past the electronic receipt and paper organizer.  You just scan it and you have a digital file. Then... wait for it... you throw the paper away.  Forever. Takes up ALOT less space in the house.  I just haven't been able to trust everything to digital yet.  Plus those puppies are expensive.  And - spending money on a/c in the Tahoe comes waaaayyy higher on the priority list than space saving 21st century filing.  But it is on the list.

July 29 - Mechanics

Yesterday I was talking to a friend about having to take our Tahoe to have the a/c compressor replaced.  A spendy but well worth it repair.  He told me how he and his grandson had to do a similar repair to his truck not too long ago.  They were able to buy the parts and do the work themselves saving him a lot of money.

 I grew up in a home like that, with a father like that.  He is still like that.  But I am so grateful for mechanics that will do it all for me.  I am grateful for a loaner car to use while they do it.  And I am grateful for a multi-talented hard working husband that makes it possible to hire the mechanic.  (I think my husband may be even more grateful for the mechanic.)

Unexpected Free Time

I love it when I have my time scheduled and have some free time.  I love it even more when the schedule changes giving me even more free time.

Independent Son Home

I love having a son that is independent and social.  But I love even more having a son that is responsible enough to give himself a curfew that is better than I was willing to give.

I Love it When a Plan Comes Together

I love planning something and then seeing it fall together without having to force it.  It makes me happy.

Chocolate Before Bed

Just one piece, or two.  Makes for sweet dreams.

Summer Nights

Even when it is hot and muggy, I still love summer evenings.

Getting Out of the House

Sometimes it is just fun to get out of the house.  It is even funner when you are sitting around eating great food with a bunch of fun women.  Why don't we do this more often ?

A Good Day

Today was a good day. Just that simple.

Clean Kitchen

When I was growing up my mom had the rule for us as well as for herself that the kitchen and living room were clean before we went to bed.  Many times I have ignored the kitchen before I went to bed because I didn't want to deal with it.  That always makes for a not so great start to my day.  I love waking up to the house in order and a kitchen that is clean.  Sounds so simple, but it is the best way to give me a head start on tomorrow.

Home

I love to travel.  But, I love home the most.

July 18 - Art and Food Choices

I enjoyed going to the art museum today.  I had never seen works by Picasso, Matisse and many other artists in person before.  I am one of those people that look at art, and once in awhile a piece will really move me.  Most of the time I am just really confused as to the authority that has officially deemed something "museum quality" art.

The best part of my day though was getting to eat some Greek food(which I LOVE) for lunch.  Don't get me wrong - I hadn't been starving.  We had been eating some good Asian cuisine (which I like) and French pastry(which I usually can't find) most of the week.  But it is a beautiful thing to eat something that you LOVE.

Help on the Homefront

So glad we have good friends that take care of the kids and the critters and the house when we are away.

Japanese French Bakery

It was a great surprise to be able to get yummy desserts and pastries in Little Tokyo. I am so glad we will be here a couple more days so I can try most of them.

As the Crow Flies

I don't get to travel as much as I would like. I have some minor anxiety about flying. Mostly the idea of making orphans of my children gives me the anxiety. But when I do get to fly it is so cool how quickly I can get from point a to point b just by getting on an airplane.  It takes me almost 5 hours to drive to see my family. It takes me 20 minutes to get to Wal-Mart. But today I went from SW Washington to southern California in 2 hours. It's an amazing thing mankind has figured out that is so commonplace only a hundred years later that we have let it lose some of it's wonder. If only the Wright brothers could see us now.

The Thrill of the Hunt

I have discovered in my life that I love to hunt for stuff.  Real estate for friends, bargains, missing stuff my kids can't find (don't tell them I like to do it).  There is just something I love about a mystery to be solved, a puzzle finished, and a missing item back home.

My Kids Like Each Other

I know it sounds like a really simple thing how happy it makes me that my children all genuinely like each other.  It is a simple, awesome thing.

Tidy

Sometimes I have projects I am working on in the house that make it start to look, shall we say, disheveled.  Piles of this and that on every horizontal surface.  Two days worth of dishes in the sink.  And if I haven't had to leave the house it might occur to me that I have been in the same pjs for 3 days.  But one of the best things ever is when I have finished the project.  Taken a shower.  Put on a bra and regular clothes.  And the house is once again tidy.  For now.

Moving Furniture.

Something about moving furniture around in a room makes me feel happy. Maybe it's the treasures you find underneath. Somehow it always seems to make the room feel bigger. I feel like I have more stuff than I realized too. Because nothing multiplies stuff like moving it around.

My Size 14 Gift

I, like many women struggle with self esteem issues attached to how I look physically.  I find myself reducing my worth to pounds and inches and years.  I have never lied about my age.  I see no reason to. I have always been comfortable with my age.  But my body weight and clothing size haunts me from time to time.  The scale is my least favorite part of any doctor visit.  But as I have gotten older I have had the epiphany to look at my body more as an awesome piece of equipment than a squishy prison my spirit is trapped in.  I know too many people that are fighting cancer, Parkinson's, fibromyalgia, have lost limbs, eyesight, hearing.  Many are on a list waiting for another person to lose their life so that a new heart, lung, liver, kidney or other vital organ might prolong theirs.
I am getting much better at embracing my healthy imperfect body for all it does for me.  Because, it is doing it's job.  And I am blessed each day that it does.

July 9 - My MOM

July 9 would have been my mom's 69th birthday.  That still sounds SO young.  I miss her each day.  I am thankful that she put so much energy into teaching me the things I needed to know to be an independent adult.  I am thankful for the decision she made when I was born to be active in church despite my father having no interest.  She did it alone.  I am thankful that she loved a rebellious, stubborn child despite the bad decisions I made many, many times.  I never felt unloved.  Even when I knew I was doing everything she wished I wouldn't.  I hope that she left this world knowing how loved she was.  I forgot to eat some Junior Mints yesterday in her memory.  I will have to do that today.

Spontaneous Movie

I love doing things that are unplanned.  They don't have to be extravagant.  There is something about the fact that they are spontaneous that makes the simplest thing more fun.  Tonight it was a movie with the kids and Chinese take out.

July 7 - Knowing What I Have

Every once in awhile I hear a new convert talk about finding the gospel. Finding answers to questions they have asked their whole lives. Finding light in the darkness.  I know people that have searched for the answers for years. I know people that are living with answers but are afraid to know for themselves.  I know I am a person that was born into a situation that gave me the gift of the answers being there before I had the question.  I have often wondered if I would have asked the questions if the answers weren't as easy to find.

July 6 - Knowing Potential

I went with Luke to a track meet in Seattle.  A big track meet where kids go to compete that have money, and programs backing them and training them from very young.  It was an eye opener for the kids.  I am so thankful that Luke sees it as a potential to step up to the situation instead of an impossible expectation.

Knock Knock, It's Dinner

I did not grow up being able to order food and have it brought to me.  At my house. This is one of the downsides of living out of town. So anytime I can make a phone call and have dinner brought to my door - it is good.

Freedom to be Lame

We for all intents and purposes are a boring lame family when it comes to big holiday celebrations.   I put my most effort into Christmas I will admit.  Today I am thankful for the many freedoms I have, but mostly I am thankful for the freedom to participate as little or as much as I prefer.  God Bless America!

Finding Something You Were Looking For When You Weren't Looking

Sometimes you are shopping or looking for one thing and stumble upon something else.  Something you have been looking for long enough that you have just about given up.  And then you turn around and bam! there it is.  I love that.  I will just find what I was actually looking for later.

Answered Prayers

Today prayers were answered for a friend of mine.  She has been living in limbo waiting to hear the results from medical tests that would let her know how serious some findings were.  She texted me with very good news.  She has been in my prayers and the prayers of others.  So happy to hear the news was positive and hopeful.

Faith in the Busdriver

I read something wise once.  It said "fear and faith cannot occupy the same space at the same time".  I try each day to live my life by faith and not fear.  Faith is such a gift.  Faith can bring great peace when you are troubled.  Faith that God is in charge and that he knows what is best for all of us.  To let go of the illusion that WE are in control is a struggle.  But it is important, to let the bus driver that knows the route and the road conditions,  drive the bus.  All we are asked to do is get on the right bus and stay on that bus until we have reached our destination.  Well, that and not stick gum under the seat while we are riding.

June 30 - Hanging Out in Nursery

I really enjoyed just getting to have my sisters hang out and participate in nursery today.  I love it in there and love that they had a chance to meet some of my favorite people.

June 29 - Unexpected Visits

So thankful for the unexpected visit of Leasa and Ann.  I love any time that I get to spend with my sisters.  I am so blessed to have 3 that are so awesome and amazing.

June 28 - 17

Birthdays are blessings.  Every single one.  I am so thankful for the birthday of my daughter.  I am so thankful of each year that we get to celebrate that occasion.

Online Scholarship Hunting

I really appreciate that I can find scholarships online.  Not only are they easy to find, but Hannah is much more likely to apply to them online than on a piece of paper.  Let the safari begin...

Raspberries From My Garden

If I had nothing else grow and produce in my garden but my raspberries it would still all be worth it.  I LOVE raspberries.  And I think I would have a mental breakdown if I had to buy them in the store, or even at the fruit stand.  They are pretty spendy.  The raspberries were the first thing I planted in the garden.   I basically let them go wild in there since I can't bear the thought of cutting down a plant that would give me more raspberries.  My grandmother planted some decades ago on the ranch.   They pulled them all out a few years later because the yellow jackets would lay claim to them every year.  So I was determined to have my own someday.  Somehow I feel richer because I have my own raspberry patch.

Cleaner Than It Was

It always makes me feel better if I go to bed with the house cleaner than it was when I woke up.  Especially if I didn't get everything done I wanted to today.  At least I can look at a couple spots and feel accomplished.  I tend to get so easily sidetracked that many times there is no sign that anything got done at all.  Even if I have been working on stuff all day long.  But with that I have almost perfected the ability to make 30 minutes of focus at the end of the day look like I was on task the whole time.  Which I know is very, very rarely the case.

Henry

There is a little boy I get to see almost every Sunday.  His name is Henry.  Henry has to be one of the most innocent, happy, loving people I know.  He makes me happy just to get to spend a couple hours with him in church.  He is fascinated with everything and takes so much joy in the simplest of things.  Although he doesn't know it, he brings me great joy.  I am so blessed to say I know Henry.

Potential

I am so thankful that we all have endless potential.  We are able to grow more each day. Learn more each day. Improve more each day. Love more each day.  Give more each day.   It would be so sad if we all had to be stagnant no matter how great we are at the moment.

Baskin Robbins

Cup, waffle cone, dipped waffle cone,  one scoop, two scoops, the choices are endless. And that's even before you get to choosing your ice cream flavors. A whole shop dedicated to ice cream. What a beautiful thing.

chocolate before bed

Nothing ends the day like a great piece of chocolate before bed.

My Son Makes Me Laugh

My son has a sense of humor.  He always has.  But I never get tired of him saying things or doing things that make me laugh.

Crispy Bacon

I love bacon, I really do.  But only if it is crispy.  If it isn't crispy, don't waste my time.

June 17 - Bread and Checkbooks

Had a lot of fun teaching Hannah and her friend Kianna some "survival" skills yesterday.  We covered making some artisan bread, a little soup making and how to write checks and balance a checkbook.  Next week we are covering some basic car skills.

Sunday June 16 - Fathers

I am so thankful for great fathers.  I am thankful for all my father taught me.  I am thankful for his unique way to show he loves us.  I married a man who is a great father.  His children are better people because he is their father.

Surprise Parties

I really enjoy surprise parties.  We went to one today for my brother in law.  It  really says something about how important you are to people. They all go out of their way to lie to you for weeks in order to plan something fabulous.

Fresh Baked Cookies

I love the way the house smells when I make cookies.  Any kind of cookies.  Even cookies with raisins.

June 13 - The Listener

So thankful for a husband that listens when i need to rant a little.

Clean Cupboards

Sometimes it just makes me happy to clean out and reorganize a cupboard.  It doesn't happen a lot.  But when I do, it always makes me feel better.

Glasses and Contacts and 20/20

I am really thankful for modern day eye doctors that make it so that people like me and my family not only have healthy eyes, but can see everything in focus.  Not to mention how much cuter the glasses are now than when I was a little girl.

Hot Shower

I am so so thankful for having hot running water and a shower that I can use anytime I want.  Nothing feels better after a great Zumba class than a nice hot, soapy shower.

June 9 - Reading

I love that I know how to read.  I love the information and joy I get from reading.  I love being able to curl up in a blanket on my bed or on the couch on a Sunday afternoon and just read until I fall asleep. Bliss.

First Official Day of Summer

I don't know about when the calendar determines the first day of summer, but at our house it is the day after school gets out. You can sense the feeling of new found freedom in the house.

Last Day of School

Whether as a kid or as the mother, I love the last day of school.

Good Zumba

Love a good Zumba class.

Clumping Cat Litter

I have had cats for a very long time.  Growing up they lived outside for the most part.  But since being  being married we have had several cats that live in the house.  Some choose not to do their business outside.  I would like to give a hug to whoever came up with cat litter that not only smells good, but clumps up and makes it easy to clean out of a litter box without throwing away the whole thing.  Genius I tell you.

Experimental Baking

I love having the time to experiment with baking.  Today I am starting the perfecting of artisan no knead bread.  First loaf was slightly undercooked and did not rise or have the texture I had hoped for but was still really good.  So loaf #2 is sitting in a bowl on the woodstove making its first rise.  I also did an experimental cake that is just cake mix and a can of diet soda.  Not the best cake I have ever eaten, but still it was pretty good.

Good Coaches

I am so grateful for good coaches.  Luke has had some good ones and some great ones.  I appreciate the time they spend imparting wisdom to the kids they coach.  Not only wisdom of the sport they are learning and skills they are improving, but wisdom on life as well.

2 year Olds

I love 2 year olds.  They are what I find to be one of the most genuine group of personalities you will ever meet.  They are just starting to figure out the world.  They really don't care if people think they are cool or not yet, so they are just themselves.  They find joy in simple things and consider goldfish one of the main food groups.  You don't have to wonder what they think, because they will tell you.  They won't lie if they don't like something.  And if they do like something, their eyes light up and they giggle and do a dance in the middle of a public place and don't care what anyone thinks.

June

I love the month of June.  School gets out.  Schedules loosen up for awhile.  The weather isn't too hot yet.  And best of all, my raspberries arrive in the garden.

One More Year

Helping out with graduation tonight I am so thankful that I have one more year with Hannah in high school.  I am looking forward to many things that will happen for her in life.  But, I am so glad to have her home for one more year.

May 30 - Cheesy Bread

In general I just plain love food.  But toasted cheesy bread with cream cheese.  YUM

No More Secrets

I am really grateful for truth.  Whether it be in my personal life, the political world or in my everyday interactions with others.  Truth is always better than lies.

A Kiss at the Door

I love it when I am able to be here when Tim gets home from work.  I love that he kisses me goodbye in the morning and kisses me hello when he comes back in the evening.  Many mornings that goodbye kiss is in front of my seminary class.  I especially love that the hello kiss is so much better than the goodbye kiss.  That moment is always worth putting down what I am doing to meet him at the back door.  I take that back.  It's the best when he has to come into the kitchen to kiss me hello - in front of the kids.  Eeeewww!

On His Day Off

I am so thankful to have a husband that is so willing to help others.  He has many times helped someone out with a project on his one day off that week.  Now that Luke is older Tim brings him along to help as well and is such a great example to him of what it means to serve others.

Family Prayer

I love when we end the day with family prayer.  It is such a great way to finish the day as a family.   I just wish we did it on a more consistent schedule.

Grass Carpet

I love this time of year when I go places that have really good lawns.  I love being able to take off my shoes and walk barefoot the whole time.  I love being able to just lay on the grass and read or watch the clouds.  I know for some people this would be considered such a luxury. A carpet of grass to call their own.

Going to bed without setting the Alarm

I LOVE it when I get to crawl into bed at night and curl up with my book.  I especially love it when I don't have to set an alarm for the next morning.  I especially, especially love it when my husband remembers to turn off his alarm.

Under One Roof

I am so thankful to have all my kids under one roof again.  It was too quiet even though when they are all here it isn't necessarily noisy.  I just love having them all home.

Not Going to Town

I love having several days in a row where I don't have to go to town.  I love staying home.  I love having friends that will pick up apples and bananas so that I can put it off for one more day.

Firefighters and Police

I am especially thankful for firefighters and police today.  Locally they responded to a fire down the street today.  In Oklahoma they are digging survivors out after a horrific tornado, and across the world they respond to dangerous situations everyday.  We are all so much better off because they do their job.

May 20 - Digital Photobooks Saved Me from Scrapbooks

I love love love digital photo books.  They have taken a huge amount of stress off of me from the scrap booking days.   I love that within a couple hours of organizing I can make a photo album from a whole year of pictures.  And... I still have copies of the photos (that I don't have to store in a box!) if I want to use them for something else.

Kids Old Enough to Pack

I really appreciate having kids old enough that they can be given a packing list and for the most part pack themselves.  I just double check a few things and we are done.  I think it is actually easier to pack my kids than my husband.

Happy Couch

I love a quiet night just laying on the couch with Tim watching some good tv or a good movie.  Simple things make me happy.

May 17 - All Night Packing

I am writing Friday's post at 3:30 am Saturday.  This is because I have stayed up all night with Hannah packing for outdoor school.  We have been having a lot of fun.  We have not been to bed. The closer it got to the time we need to leave for the school (4:30 am) the sillier it seemed to go to bed.  I will miss her this week.

May 16 - Seminary

I have really enjoyed teaching seminary.  Even at 5:30 am.  I love the interaction I have with the kids and the chance we have to discuss things from the scriptures.  I love how much I have learned in the process.  I love the moments that we all learn something together for the first time.

Clothes Dryer

I know they suck up a bunch of electricity,  but I love my clothes dryer.  I love that I can throw a big pile of wet heavy clothes in it and less than an hour later I can go retrieve a fluffy pile of fabulous smelling clothing or towels or blankets.  And on cold days I just pile them on my lap on the couch as I fold them just so I can be cozy.  I love that I can throw wrinkly clothing back in the dryer and spritz it a little with water and a few minutes later - no wrinkles.  It is magical.  Sometimes I just use it to warm up towels or blankets on cold days.  Just because I can.

Freshly Mowed Lawn

I love the way my lawn and yard look in late spring and early summer before it gets too hot.  I especially love how it looks when I have just mowed it and everything looks so crisp and green. Kind of like a pile of  freshly folded laundry, empty laundry baskets, empty kitchen sinks and a freshly made bed.  A job (temporarily) well done : )

Soft Pajamas

I really, really love a great pair of new pajamas.  No goofy design. Not too heavy, not to light. Pjs that don't cut off your circulation while you are sleeping and have a top half that can pass as normal clothing at school drop offs. Heck, if the bottom and top can pass as normal clothes (excluding the standards at Walmart), that is even better.  Although I would still have to put a bra on underneath.

I Am A Mom and Upside Down That is Wow

Hardest job ever.  Best job ever.  Only job I can never quit, resign, or be fired from.  There are no demotions.  But if you stick around you can get promoted to Grandma or even Great Grandma.  Love this video to moms.  Don't name your kid "Phone". : )

Day Before Mother's Day

For 12 years now Tanya and I have been running away on the day before Mother's Day.  It has kept me sane.  It has kept me connected to a good friend.  It has gotten me some great massages : ).

May 10 - Fridays

I have always loved Fridays.  Whether there are plans for the weekend or not.  Fridays are a door that opens up to the weekend.

Bedtime Cereal

It's a little thing.  Nothing fancy or expensive.  But a bowl of cereal as a bedtime snack makes me happy.

Lawnmowers and Sprinklers

Even though the last couple weeks has involved what feels like an almost daily dispute with either the lawnmower or the irrigation, I am very thankful to have both.  I can't imagine trying to cut my grass with scissors or even with (gasp) a push mower.  I am glad I don't have to rely on enough rain to keep my grass green and my garden alive.  I don't have to pack pails of water with a ladle from plant to plant.  I get to have green grass to walk on instead of just dirt and rocks.  I think sometimes I don't appreciate all the beautiful things I have growing in my yard.

Getting Tucked In

Abby is our last original cat.  She is coming up on 16 years old unless her actual birthday has passed already.  She keeps those kind of things a secret.  All we know is she is about a year younger than Hannah.  Abby likes to tuck me in when I go to bed at night.  There is usually some sort of short bath involved (mine) and then she prefers to curl up on my chest.  This makes it difficult for me to read a book so after a few minutes she tends to move and then take care of her own bath.  She is probably the closest thing I have to a mom to tuck me in.  I'll have to make sure and get her something special this Sunday.

Cats With a Bedtime

Lola the cat has a schedule.  She knows what time Hannah is supposed to go to bed.  Between 8:30 and 9 pm she will come out and meow and then walk down the hall to the bedrooms.  If Hannah doesn't come she does it again, and again.

People That Love My Kids

Thankful for all the people that love my children and go out of their way to make their lives better.

May 4 - Getting a Chance to Do My Thing

It was such a little thing.  But getting a chance to help out on the drama club performance was fun. I got to put myself to work backstage again.  My favorite was getting to age some characters.  I do miss doing this on a professional level - but it was nice getting to get a taste of it again.

Animals in My House

I love living with animals in the house.  Nothing crazy like livestock or exotic reptiles.  Just cats and up until a few years ago a dog or two. I love watching their personalities interact with each other in their own family group as well as with us - the humans that serve them.  We have been dog sitting for a few weeks and it has been fun watching the cats interact with a dog.  They have decided to either befriend or ignore her for the most part.  The most upsetting thing in the house has been the new cat Lola.  She is now coming out of Hannah's room on a regular basis to terrorize the village and play with the occasional golf ball.

Exhaustion

Sometimes it just feels so good to be tired at the end of the day.  The kind of tired that tells you that something got accomplished today because you didn't get to sit down at all. The kind of tired that makes you sleep like a rock.  It's a good tired.

One More Birthday

Thankful today for Tim celebrating another birthday.  Thankful for every day that I get to spend with him.

Breathing

Sometimes it is just enough to be thankful for the ability to breath on my own.

Borrowing

Have you ever thought how much better life is because other people let us borrow their stuff?  I think this is such a great thing.  Being able to have the use of something you only need temporarily.  I think it all evens out in the end because we all have something we own that we use all the time that can be easily loaned out.  And, we all have stuff we don't own that we only need to use once in a blue moon.  Handy I tell you - handy.  And whoever came up with the idea of a whole institution that revolves around borrowing a book - genius!

Writing it Down

Really thankful to be able to write stuff down.  Whether it is a list to accomplish things or a journal to sort things out.  A letter to a loved one. Lyrics to a song. Letters to the editor. A thank you note. A poem that makes you think. There is a certain sense of power in the written word.  It records history and reconstructs memories. It immortalizes the common man.  But only if we remember to write it down.

Change of Heart

It gives me hope to see how people can change.  For the better.  To experience things and witness things, and let them change our hearts is always a good thing.  To take the time to empathize with others and try to understand their perspective helps us gain compassion and restrain judgement.  I continually learn not to assume that someone's viewpoint is so set in stone that it cannot be softened.  I think that is why God gives us each personal struggles so that we feel the need to reach out to others that struggle as well.  It keeps us from being so quick to say "that is about them, not me."  Because as we all know "There but for the Grace of God, go I."

Time with Luke

It isn't very often I get to have one on one time with Luke.  I got to spend quite a bit of time with him today - especially in the car.  I really enjoy just talking to him and having him tell me stuff about his week and things that are going on.  He really is a pretty amazing and awesome person.  I am so thankful to be his mom.

April 25 - Educated Girls

I went and watched the movie Girl Rising with Hannah.  It is a documentary about several different girls around the world and their struggles in the cultures and poverty they live in. It tells stories of amazing bravery and determination to overcome.  It tells of abuse on many levels. The one thing that has proven to break the cycle and change the future of these girls and their families is for them to get an education.  I am so thankful that we live in a country that values educating not only boys but girls as well no matter the economical situation.

Lunch with Friends

Love having the twice yearly lunch with my friend Tanya.  For years we have taken each other out to lunch for our birthday.  Over the years it has been great because it is one of the only times in our schedules that we actually talk to each other in person.

April 23 - Little Old Ladies

I really love little old ladies.  I hope to someday be a little old lady.  I love the ones that are spunky and fun and have that little all knowing twinkle in their eye.  I think they have earned that twinkle and we need to all appreciate what they have to teach us and spend more time with a little old lady you may know.

Earth

Today on Earth Day I am reminded of how thankful I am for the earth I live on.  The beautiful things I see, hear, smell, touch and taste everyday that come from nature.  I try to do my part each day to leave it a little better than I found it. I hope I am teaching my children to do the same.

Doing Nothing

I don't know what this thing called being bored is.  I love having a whole day of doing nothing.  It is so relaxing.  As long as I don't think of what I have to do tomorrow anyway.

Able to Keep Up With Busy

So thankful today for a body that makes it possible to keep up with a crazy schedule on days like today.  I know many people have physical challenges that affect the simplest things that they need to do each day.  I try to be aware of how blessed I am that other than some annoying signs of aging that are creeping in, my body is holding it all together.

Reruns

I love getting to watch reruns.  Whether they are a few weeks old, a few years old or a couple decades old.  Oddly though when it comes to my favorite shows that I usually miss, when I do get a chance to catch a rerun, it seems to always be the same one.

April 18 - Movies That Give You Hope

I love watching the type of movie that reminds me of the goodness in people and that it only takes a few people to begin to make a difference.  I went and saw the movie "42" last night.  Hannah's history teacher for the second time this year (first was for the movie "Lincoln") has offered to pay for his students to see a movie he has felt helps them better understand some of the history of our country. Luke and I had been wanting to see this movie anyway so we went as well.  It only takes one person's courage to begin a change for the better.

Good Days

Today I am really thankful for good days.  Enough said.

Heart to Heart

I love being able to have a good heart to heart with my kids.  I love that they feel comfortable enough to talk to me about just about anything.  I am not delusional.  I know they talk to their friends about things they don't talk to me about.  I am not so old to forget how that works.  But, I am so so thankful for the things we do talk about.

Taking Little Bites

I am so thankful that I don't have to deal with everything all at once.  So grateful for the opportunity to take things one day at a time.  Sometimes just getting through the day can be a concentrated effort.  But, I know that each new day brings new possibilities and blessings.

Good Friends for my Children

I am so thankful for the friends that my children have had in their lives.  They have some really great ones.  It makes this whole growing up and being a teenager so much easier when you have someone to trudge through it with you.  I know.  Been there.  Done that.

April 13 - Chauffeur

I really don't mind being the driver for my kids.  I enjoy giving not only them, but their friends rides as well.  It gives me a little extra time when they are not distracted by other things to talk to as I drive.  It also gives me more of an idea what their friends are like as I listen to them all talk to each other in the car.  I am really going to miss this someday.

April 12- Nieces and Nephews

I love being an aunt - I really do.  Especially to my sisters' children.  I love being the aunt that is a little on the edge - even though most of them aren't old enough yet to fully appreciate that yet.

April 11 - Going Home

I just never get tired of going home to visit.  I had a good childhood and am proud of how and where I grew up.  I love that all of my sisters still live there making it easy to see all of them often.  I love seeing what has changed and what hasn't over the years.  Even more interesting is seeing who has changed and who hasn't.  It is so strange to see people and have them know exactly who you are but not be able to recognize them.

Heat

Nothing makes me appreciate heat more than being cold.  Tonight my hands are still thawing out from sitting at the first baseball game of the season with a cold nasty wind blowing.  I am looking forward to getting on my pajamas and my fuzzy socks and crawling into my warm toasty bed.  The only thing missing is my electric blanket - which I gave up for marriage.

Fresh Fruit

I think living where I have all my life has made me really appreciate fresh fruit.  Especially berries. We can devour pounds of berries in a day at our house when I do bring them home.  I decided long ago I could easily live on chocolate, cheese, bread and fresh fruit (as long as it isn't part of the melon family) and be a happy camper.

Just to be Breathing

Some days it is just enough to be thankful to be breathing.  To inhale deep and slow and just be fully engaged in being alive.

Surrounded by Art

I love that I have a daughter that fills our home with art.  Finished and in progress.  This is Hannah working on the official prom picture backdrop canvas she was asked to do.  In our living room of course.

Answers

Until today, I have never approached General Conference with a deep desire to have questions answered.  I have never had the need to be reassured or comforted or given hope. In the past I may have noticed a theme, or a repeated message but nothing that I needed to know or understand on a very personal level.  Today I needed that.  Today I was blessed to get that.

Prayer - You Can Do It Anywhere

Thankful for the gift that prayer is to me.  I am able to speak to my Heavenly Father anywhere, anytime, and about anything.  It has always been a great comfort.

Teachers

So thankful for teachers that go above and beyond.  Thankful that I am not the one trying to teach my children all of the subjects that I struggled through.  I think teachers should be paid better.  But then again what kind of teachers would we get if they were just in it for the "big bucks"?

Support Systems

I am so thankful for support systems.  Whether it be family or friends or professionals that have studied how to help with certain issues.  I can't imagine going through this life dealing with the things we do without others to lean on.  I know that is part of the reason we each have trials is to make us more empathetic with others as they go through their own trials.  I also am glad that my Heavenly Father is part of my support system and gives me trials that  help me be a support system for others as well.

My Double

I am so thankful today for someone that has become a much closer friend in the last couple years.  This friendship means so much to me.  It is nice to know I have a backup.  And she is even named Jeanette : )

No April Fools - I Love my children

I didn't post this yesterday but wanted to make sure I kept up on my daily gratitude.  Yesterday was a rough day but I ended it very, very, aware of how thankful I am for my children and how much I love them.

Backyard Family - Easter Extended

Spent a beautiful afternoon for Easter with Tim's side of the family.  I am so thankful that they  love to host these things. It has been especially nice adding Kevin and Michelle in the mix here in Hermiston with their giant backyard and laid back hosting skills.   I loved watching most of the cousins hanging out, playing baseball and bonding.  It was amazing to see Luke and Ryan next to each other and remember they are 10 years apart in age.  Loved visiting with family we don't see more often.  It is so nice just to get together with food and family in the backyard.  No fancy invitations, no scheduled activities, no decorations, just family and time together.

His Sacred Name - An Easter Declaration

Thankful for the atonement of our Savior for ALL mankind.

Going Back to Bed

This week has been Spring break for us.  Do you know what the number one best thing about school vacation breaks is for me?  Getting to crawl back into bed and go back to sleep after Tim leaves for work.  It's even nicer when it falls during a layoff because then he and I just completely sleep in.  But, there is something so decadent about going back to my bed while it is still dark outside and crawling back in without needing to set an alarm.  Knowing full well that I will wake up in plenty of time for anything that will be needing attention that day.  And the best part is - it is totally FREE.  It's made even more cozy by the fact that all the cats take the cue and crawl back up on the bed and fall asleep too.  Bliss.

Sunshine On My Shoulders Makes Me Happy...

I am so thankful when Spring really starts to take it's business seriously.  None of this tiptoeing around winter being over.  Let's bring on some flowers blooming and birds and bees doing their thing.  A little sunshine, a little rain, a little weather without needing to bring a jacket.  Now that is what I am talking about.  Oh shoot, is that my yard work calling?

Brownies

Oooey, gooey, chocolatey, brownies.  That is what my breakfast and lunch consisted of today.  Well that and a glass of milk and a mug of Choffy.  But what a tasty way to spend a day.  I did feel the need to supplement my diet by dinner time with some other food groups.  But I in no way feel any guilt about my brownie intake for the day.  It is after all Spring vacation.

Diversity

I love living in a world of diversity.  I love the color cornflower blue, but I also love that not everything is cornflower blue.
Diversity gives us the opportunity to see so many different colors and flavors and shapes and styles and cultures everywhere you look.  We get to experience all the things that are different. All the time.
But it also helps us appreciate the things we love the most. Even if we have been away from them for a long time. Because a midst all the variety we will always recognize what is home.  We will always recognize the voices of those we love the most.  We will always be able to appreciate what is unique and special to us.  And at the end of the day, when given a choice we will always come back to cornflower blue.

Reconnecting

I am thankful for the opportunity to reconnect with friends even when we live far apart.  I love that when we see each other it is as if no time has passed and we are able to fall right back into that broken in, comfortable, faded denim friendship.  I especially love that I am able to do this with friends I have known at pivotal points in my life.  Friends that know things no one else ever will.  Friends that will make it much more interesting to grow old.

Fuzzy Socks

I love my fuzzy socks.  I don't even know how many pair I have.  I appreciate the psychological boost I get because they are cute colors and extra fuzzy.  I am sure my feet would be just as warm in boring white athletic socks, but what fun would that be?

Beef - Its What's For Dinner

I would make a terrible vegetarian.  I grew up on a cattle ranch and have eaten my fair share of high quality beef. Which has made me picky when it comes to what beef I eat.  I don't choose to eat it every night but some nights, like tonight I just want a really good steak.  And tonight thanks to a Texas Roadhouse gift card, fillet mignon medallions made the end to a beautiful day.  It will be quite awhile before I crave a good steak again - but it will call, and I will happily answer.

Two Days

I had a busy enough day yesterday I forgot to post what I was thankful for on Thursday.  I was and am thankful for days that end better than they begin.  That one is pretty much self explanatory.   Today I am thankful for lack of routine once in awhile.  I like routine for the most part.  But things like spring break are nice to mix it up a little.  I am looking forward to the next week of the unexpected.

Surprise Cheesecake

Today I am grateful for a friend that brought me "belated birthday" chocolate cheesecake.  I don't drink, smoke, or do drugs as a way of coping with a stressful day.  I do however do "chocolate".  It has saved the lives of my children many times.  It may have saved one today.

Anticipation

I know some of you that have just read the title are singing a little Carly Simon in your head right now aren't you?
I love anticipating something great that is coming.  Right now it is Spring break.  But anticipation helps spread out the happiness of an event to several days, weeks, or even months.  You get to dream a little about what will happen, maybe go shopping, pack and repack.  It makes the time leading up filled with possibilities.  Nothing has gone wrong, the flight hasn't been delayed, the luggage isn't lost, everyone is getting along.  
Anticipation is the perfect picture of what it can all be before it becomes reality.

Tacos

I love tacos. I love to eat them, and as a mom they are a favorite to make for dinner. To begin with as a kid they seemed exotic.  It was one of the few nights we weren't eating "American" food.  They are hard to ruin. They are so versatile.  You just lay out all the ingredients and everyone makes what they like.  And then there are the leftovers... tacos if you want, but nachos are even better.  And I know I wasn't the only person surprised as a kid that people originally ate them without olives.

Healthy Stock

Oddly enough I don't think I have posted yet how thankful I am for the general great health our family has.  Aside from the occasional sprain, pulled muscle, cold or sore throat we are pretty healthy stock.  We don't break easily, we bounce back pretty quickly from being sick, and don't tend to catch most of the stuff that goes around.  I have always known what a blessing that is.  Sometimes more than others.

The Second Act

Tonight it is breezy.  OK gusty, and windy.  But I had a few minutes to step outside and look at the sky. It is so beautiful with its wispy clouds, crescent moon, and countless stars.  I am so thankful that we are able to see past our own world.  That we are able to contemplate life somewhere else. That there is a bigger back yard, a wiser universe, a master plan.  I am thankful for the knowledge that this is not all there is.  That there will be more after I am here. That I will again see my loved ones.  That although I will not have the opportunity to use all my talents in this life, that doesn't mean I will never use them.  That this is only the second act.

Everyday is a Gift

I am thankful today that I go to bed feeling "good tired". Nothing out of the ordinary. I have been with people I love, doing things I enjoy, or the occasional nothing at all.  I have been blessed with another day of breathing air and soaking up sunshine. I am not going to bed tired from fighting illness, or war, or famine.  I am tired because I have had the privilege of living another day on this earth.  I am tired because I chose to open the gift of the present and play with the box it came in.

Pi(e) Day

I love that today I had an excuse to eat pie.  Not that I really need one, but it still is quite satisfying. Especially because I prefer eating pie to working with Pi.

Employment

Today I am thankful for being able to take the "un" off of "employed". Tim has headed back to work after 4 1/2 months of being laid off.  The lay off was well timed for him because he was able to swim and coach wrestling.  He was good until wrestling season ended and then he seemed to start wandering a little aimlessly and staying up until 1 or 2 am.
This job is about 45 minutes away in Pendleton building the new hospital and not horrendous hours.  It was nice to have extra time with him at home.  But I will admit it will be nice to use my desk in the morning without having someone asleep in my office.

Found Children

Tonight I am especially thankful for lost children that have been found, safe.  Locally there was a girl missing and she was found because of people sharing her photo and story on Facebook that had been posted.  There are so many ways that children can be lost.  It isn't always physical.  But when they are found it is a joy and a relief and a prayer of thanks to have them back.

Good Phone Calls

Today I am thankful that a business phone call I had been dreading for a week went so smoothly.  Sometimes phone calls are just the hardest to make when you are not sure where you stand.  I think I prefer it when I can look people in the eyes.  Good phone call has led to potentially great business meeting tomorrow morning.  Worst case scenario I get to see the beautiful scenery where I am driving for the meeting and that is always something to be thankful for.

Families are Forever

Today I am especially thankful for the knowledge that our families can be together forever, not just while we are here on earth.  A dear friend had her husband pass away this weekend.  Many years ago her son died as well.  I know she is finding comfort in the fact that she will see them both again someday and that they will all be able to be together again.  I remember after my own mom died several years ago my sisters and I talked about how we almost felt guilty for not being more upset after her death.  We all felt so much comfort in knowing where she was, that she was happy, and that we will see her again.

The Capri Transition

I don't have a favorite season.  I love the transitions in between.  The changing of the leaves, the first snowfall, the first crocus to bloom. The first official signal that spring is actually here is when I start wearing my capris.  I don't know why the lack of about 10 inches of pant leg makes me feel like the weather has officially made the change, but it does.

Expiration Dates

I love expiration dates.  I think one of my unwritten goals in life is to never pay full price - for anything. Especially food.  I can't believe how expensive it would be to buy it all at full price.   I tend to gravitate to any store signs or tags or stickers that are bright neon orange or yellow.  I love the fact that stores sell food with dates on them, because something that was full price on the 5th will have to be half price on the 6th - just because time has caught up to the date stamp on the package.  It is amazing how long after those dates you can eat something...and not die.

Sherlock Holmes

I have come to the conclusion that I am a big fan of Sherlock Holmes. I love the way his mind works. I love his quirks. I love the many versions of him in books and on film. But most of all I love that he has inspired me to pay attention to the little things.

Little Helper

Tonight I had one of the little boys we babysit helping out.  He loves my handheld vacuum and after seeing how I use it to vacuum up the piles I sweep, asks to help often.  So tonight was one of those nights where I am going to bed with clean floors thanks to Bryce.  And tonight he even insisted on mopping as well. It's hard to turn down help like that.

Saved by a Crockpot

I have days that I don't know what I would have done without a crockpot to cook the dinner while I am gone.  I personally would love to be home all the time for the most part.  I would love to have someone else run my errands and deliver groceries to my door.  But since I live in the real world of rural America (which I love) I have to leave the house for long periods of time sometimes to get stuff done.  I love knowing that I can just put a bunch of ingredients in and when I get home it will be dinner ready to go. Not only that, but the house smells great when I walk in the door.
The only set back I have found is the fact that I have to remember to both turn on AND plug in the crockpot for it to work.

This is the Way to Watch TV

I am really loving watching tv shows that are on Netflix or Amazon Instant Video.  I love that because we don't have satellite or cable tv there are shows that have been on for years that we had never heard of - that are fabulous.  We keep managing to find shows that have 3 or 4 seasons already behind them.  This is great because we have weeks worth of watching ahead of us without having to deal with hiatus or holiday breaks in the shows, we can pause the show if we need to, and there are no commercials.  These are great for watching in between the very few shows that we follow that are current.  I love this technology.  

More Value Than Many Sparrows

I am thankful for a bag of cookies and a heartfelt letter delivered to our family by a young lady we love.  I am thankful for the blessings and miracles I have seen in her family this last year as well as in her own life that the teachings of Jesus Christ have made possible.  I am thankful for the gospel and the tender mercies that it brings to those of us who at times in our lives have felt that we are lost and forgotten.  It makes me think of one of my favorite scriptures -
 Matthew 10:29-31  "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows."

He knows us. He loves us. He wants us to know that He loves us.

The Pen

The older I get, the more I appreciate good writing. Whether it be a song, a book, a movie, or a television show. I love writing that takes me on  journey. Makes me think, and deduce, and discover. I love writing that makes me introspective and connected to the world at the same time. It is a great way to gain a different perspective and in turn more love and compassion towards strangers as well as people you have known all your life.
Maybe the pen is mightier than the sword not only because it can conquer or destroy, but because it can heal.

Backup

Today I am ever so thankful for backup. I love when my husband and I work as a team. Especially when it is the kids vs. mom and dad. I realized today that I really don't rely on it like I should all the time. I am like the rogue cop on tv who never waits for backup and gets shot.
From now on I am calling for backup.

Thursday Nights

I have grown over the last several years to love Thursday nights.  On a normal school week it is our "Friday".  So it means the beginning of our weekend. You can feel the stress of the week just go away for a little while.  It is also a rare night of favorite tv shows that I can watch without stressing about losing too much sleep.  It is a simple thing but it really makes me happy.

Distractions

I am more thankful on some days more than others that I have a world full of distractions.  Can you imagine if you couldn't get distracted.  What if you were stuck in the middle of whatever you were doing until it was over - no matter what.
I think that is why it always floors me when I hear or read about someone saying how bored they are at this moment.  Really?  I just don't think they are paying attention very well.

A Computer That Tops My Lap

I cannot begin to express how thankful I am to have a laptop computer.  I love that it is so portable.  It makes me think of the Dr. Seuss book Green Eggs and Ham.  I can use it on a house, I can use it with a mouse (pun unintentional but relative), in a box, with a fox, here there or anywhere. I can use it in the dark, in the rain, on a train, with a goat, on a boat. - You get the idea.  I love that I can use my computer without being strapped to a desk.  Well, as long as the battery holds out I am good to go.

Early to Bed

I love going to bed early now.
When I was a kid, a teenager, and even a single adult, I loved to stay up late.  I wasn't responsible for anyone but myself.  Not to say that I didn't have mornings that made me regret the choice to watch a movie, read one more chapter, or stay out a little longer.  But I loved the late night and that it was mine to do with what I pleased.
Once I got married and started to have kids early bedtimes started to take on such a magical quality.First it was early bedtimes for the kids.  The heavenly state of my home in complete peace and quiet and no one demanding my attention after 8 pm.  Now my kids are old enough to get themselves to bed with only a little coaxing and it is their turn to come tuck me into bed.
I hear that when you are old you need less sleep than when you were younger.  Yeah, I don't think that is going to apply to me.

A Son Who is Willing

I am really thankful to have a son that is willing to help with things when asked.  Even at home he is really pretty good about doing what he is asked.  I don't have big drawn out arguments with him over chores or most things in general.  When asked to help with scout projects or church responsibilities he is quick to be available to help.  I know I am partial, but I know how blessed I am to have him as my son.

It's Not What I Planned to Do, But This Was Even Better

I am so thankful that I am able to be spontaneous.  It has given me some of the best experiences and memories of my life so far. It has taken me down the road, up the roller coaster, to a last minute concert and on long anticipated trips away from home. It has taught me to trust my gut, trust those I love, trust my friendships, and trust that the seat belt will do what it is supposed to do.  It has given me courage, made me laugh, made me cry, made me smile, and made me think deep thoughts.  But most of all, it has made me feel alive.

New Pillow

There is something so cathartic about getting a new pillow. I don't think I realize how bad the old pillow is until it has been retired. It really makes me question how many other things I have let go too long. You know what I'm talking about - socks, toothbrushes, bath towels, mascara, undies...

TV in Bed

I know, I know, all the fancy interior designers say no tv in the bedroom. But there is just something so decadent about curling up in my own bed, in my pjs, watching my favorite show.Decadent and free. How many things can you say that about?  And when its over I don't have to get up and go to bed. Because I'm already there.

Crackers and Cheese

What a beautiful couple crackers and cheese make. Versatile too. Soft cheese or hard. Sharp or mild. Square, round, oblong, or rectangle shaped cracker. They both just make such a fabulous combination.

Man Made Bed

My favorite thing about today was when I walked into my bedroom this morning to find that Tim had made our bed.  He rarely if ever has made our bed.  I especially  loved the artistic license he took with the placement of the decorative pillows. Not as much Better Homes and Gardens, as Classic Pillow Forts for Cats. But I love that he did it. Because I know he did it to make me happy.  And he did - more than he will ever know.

Modern Laundry

I love that I don't have to leave my house to do laundry.  I love that the machines I have are simple enough to use that it takes very little training for the kids to do their own laundry.  I love the smell of a great fabric softener or laundry soap.  I love putting on clothes fresh out of the dryer.  It is a popular request of anyone sitting on the couch to have me dump the pile of clean toasty clothes on them.  I love that the hardest part for me is getting it all folded and put away.  Not to mention that I feel no guilt catching up on my favorite shows while I fold socks.

That Smells Good

I was thinking how blessed I am that 99% of my life is associated with good smells. Whether they are natural or man made. I can't imagine what it would be like to be constantly surrounded with things that smelled horrid.  I have an especially sensitive sniffer and if something smells bad it can ruin the best situation.  On the contrary though - if something smells good it makes what ever is going on 1000% better.  I am really thankful that God put so much on this earth that smells AMAZING.

Girl Power

I am thankful for being able to work on projects with other women. Especially my sisters. There is something just amazing about how a group of women  can come together and get things done so efficiently and have so much fun doing it. One of the things I love doing most is projects with my sisters. And Linda too. Who I think is an honorary Reed girl anyway.

Road Trips

I love taking road trips with Tim. We have some of our best conversations in the car. Nothing to interrupt us. Beautiful scenery. I love being stuck in the car with him.

Hot Tamales

I love cinnamon.  I love that Tim will bring me home the occasional box of Hot Tamales candy just because or like today for a specific occasion.  I love that he thinks outside the box.  I love that when he brings me flowers it has most often been wildflowers that he has picked himself. I love that I have a little white stone sitting on the ledge above my kitchen sink in the shape of a heart that he found and brought home to me.  I love that part of why he brings me cinnamon candy is because between us it has a double meaning ; ).

Cranberry Seltzer

For as long as I can remember I have loved cranberry juice.  I love that it is zingy and tangy.  I then discovered mixing cranberry juice with seltzer water.  It is such a simple drink but so elegant at the same time. (A distinction made mostly by the choice of stemware.) And last year I got a machine that I set on my counter that I can use to make my own.  Anytime I want. (Well as long as I have water.  Which I believe I posted great amounts of gratitude for earlier in this blog.)
But really.  As a kid I would never have dreamed that I would have a machine in my kitchen that would make me soda water.  I am living the high life I tell you.

Spouse Love

Today it has been 19 years married. Almost 1/2 my life with him. Another 5 years and it will be 1/2 and after that I will have been with him longer than without him.  I love being able to talk about so many different things with him.  I love that I still miss him if we are apart for very long.  I love that he can be silly, really silly. I love that he is free with the "I love yous" and the "good morning beautifuls". I love that the things he loves about me are the things that make me crazy.  I love that HE loves ME.

Sibling Love

I am so thankful that 99% of the time my kids all love each other and get along.  I have been really blessed in that respect.  I know of many other families that have daily sibling boxing matches.  Nothing makes a mother feel like it is all worth it more than watching her children love and take care of each other.

Ice Cream Sundays

No that is not a typo.  At our house we have pizza and ice cream Sundays.  When our kids were little they tried to come up with an excuse to eat ice cream everyday.  Now don't get me wrong, I love ice cream and could eat it everyday.  But there are two problems with that - one, I am trying to set a good example to my kids to eat healthy 90% of the time so that they can eat the fun stuff too and not have guilt and unhealthy habits the rest of their lives.  And two - I don't want to become roughly the size of the broad side of a barn.  So we look forward every week to pizza and ice cream when we get home from church.  Plus the bonus of that is I don't have to cook other than popping a few pizzas in the oven.  Life is good. My ice cream is calling me.

Lazy Saturdays

I love the rare lazy Saturday when no one in the house has to be anywhere or do anything.  There is the great luxury of no time table to keep.  We usually clean leftovers out of the fridge as we feel the need to eat lunch at 2 pm or dinner at 4 pm.  My kids are all old enough that no one starves if they are left to their own devices.  I will occasionally make a suggestion that someone start their laundry or finish a chore from the day before, but for the most part we are all on our own schedule and it is fabulous!

Missionaries

I am thankful that there are young men and women that put their life on hold (including two of my sisters) to teach others about the gospel and the teachings of Jesus Christ.  I am so blessed to have watched as their selflessness and dedication has changed the lives of friends and family around me. I love to have them in our home for dinner and visit with them about their own families and homes they have left to come here and teach others.  It is a noble cause now just as it was in the days of the New Testament when Jesus apostles did all they could to spread his message.  It is a message of love, and hope, and happiness.

Perspective

I don't know that there has been any day in my life that I have not been thankful for the gift of perspective. Not only my own, but the effort I make each day of trying to understand the perspective of others. It helps me take a breath and step back from something that at first sight may have appeared to be really, really, bad.  But at second glance is just a bump in the road.  But the best thing it has done for me is to help me embrace the beautiful and happy moments that really matter, no matter how small.  Because perspective has taught me that those are what I will cling to and fall back on when I am trying to drive over a speed bump.

Daughters - mine or borrowed

I attended New Beginnings tonight (it's a Mormon thing for young women for those of you wondering).  It was a great program talking about the beautiful creatures that we as women, (young and and a little bit older than young) are in the eyes of our Heavenly Father.  We are reminded of the value of integrity, faith, virtue, choice and accountability, good works, knowledge, divine nature, and individual worth.  These are things the world seems to forget have value on a daily basis and tries to convince our daughters of as well.
I am so thankful for my own two daughters and for the friends they have that I get to adopt from time to time.  I am thankful for their sweet spirits in our home everyday.  I am thankful for their innate sense of nurturing and caring about others. I am thankful most for the fact that they have other people in their lives besides me that remind them each day just how fabulous they are -
 just as they are.

Unexpected Alias

I have never really thought about getting or needing an alias.  But needed or not, I have acquired 3 of them.  The one I am known by really is determined by the crowd I am in.  If they are in the 15-18 year old bracket I am known as "Hannah's mom", the Jr high crowd refers to me as "Luke's mom" and the tweens that frequent our house or see me in public know me as "Elizabeth's mom".  I don't know that I could have chosen a better alias.  I am proud to use each and every one of them.  What will throw me is when the high school crowd starts calling me "Elizabeth's mom".

Good Mood Biscuits

I have always loved biscuits. They are light and flakey and oh so filling at the same time. I love then with honey and butter, with jam and butter, or just plain butter. (I know you see a pattern here.) My mother made great biscuits, I have seen my sister make beautiful biscuits like it was nothing.  I am in the process if trying to perfect my biscuits. I think part of the secret is to sift all the dry ingredients together and not to take out any of my frustrations on the dough. You aren't supposed to "punch" down biscuit dough like you do with bread dough. You are supposed to gently persuade it to become light and fluffy. Somedays are biscuit making days, and some are definitely bread making days.

Superwha?

Today, as I have been for the last almost 19 years of marriage I am SO thankful that I am married to a man that does not follow basketball or football.  SO THANKFUL.  There are no debates over team loyalty or questionable refereeing. No half dressed cheerleaders. No money spent on team apparel. No parties with sports themed food.  The house is peaceful and quiet on a Sunday evening.  The only thing I have ever liked about the Superbowl is some of the commercials. And I can watch all commercials on YouTube tomorrow. 

That Really IS Good Medicine

I love that there is this thing that exists called comedy.  The fact that other people want to go out of their way to make me laugh.  Even little kids with their "can I tell you a joke".  And some of those are FUNNY.  I have for as long as I can remember loved the "laughter the best medicine" section in the Reader's Digest.  Other people choose to scare me, or perplex me, or just plain shock me.  But I truly appreciate someone trying to make me laugh so hard I am afraid I will pee my pants.  Laugh so hard that my face hurts and I look like I am crying.  I love that there are things I can read, or watch, or listen to that are always so classically funny that on a really bad day - can make it all just go away.

Restaurants

One of my life's luxuries is going out to eat. I love trying new foods and eating favorites again. I love having somewhere besides church to wear jewelry and my nicer clothes, and a little color on my lips. I love sitting with my husband and talking about grownup stuff. But most of all I like that I can sit  down at the table not having planned 8 hours earlier what I was going to eat. Have someone else to make it, having someone else serve it, (get to eat hot food), and refill my drink before I realize it is almost empty. Then I get to get up and leave the dirty dishes just sitting on the table.
There is no way this is as exciting to men as it is to women.

Facials

I started my day hoping to catch a nap this afternoon. Then I remembered the gift card I had for a facial .  Wayyyy better. Now I am not only well rested, but moisturized too.

Quiet

I am so thankful that there is such a thing as "quiet".  Sometimes it is hard to find.  Sometimes it is allusive and has to be searched for - like keys, or cell phones.  Sometimes it finds you and you don't even know you have been found until you are surrounded by it. It can recharge you, and calm you, refocus you, and keep you from completely "losing it".  
My husband prefers his quiet pure and without sound.  For some reason I like my quiet with a little bit of beautiful music playing in the background.

The Wisdom Of Children - and a little Pep Talk

I love the wisdom of children.  It is so pure and untainted from adult prejudices.  It is simple, loving, obvious and sincere.  I really think sometimes that we have the whole thing backwards.  I think it might work better if we had 6 year olds running the world.  I think they understand how to fix the problems more than the adults that over-complicate everything and make it cost so much.  I saw this video and it just made me smile.  I would vote for him : ).  

Cheese+burger

Whoever invented cheeseburgers was a genius.  What a beautiful food.  Tater tots crispy on the side.  Sauteed onions and mushrooms, whatever your sauce of choice and a nice toasted fresh bun to keep your fingers from getting sticky.  Any vegetarian I have personally known that has fallen off the vegie wagon has always done it for a cheeseburger.  They can just be that darn irresistible.

Joints

I really appreciate having joints  - you know, elbows, knees, hips, wrists, ankles - that sort of joint.  I appreciate even more the older I get when they function correctly and without any snaps, crackles or pops.  For those days I am thankful for anti-inflammatory meds and a hot shower.

All the water I want, and when I want it...

Today I am especially thankful for having water in my house - any time I want it.  My sister Leasa and her family are not so lucky right now.  After many days of sub-zero weather their water supply has frozen up and as far as they can tell it is in the pipe running to their house - 2 feet under the ground.  So until said ground decides to thaw, (say March maybe) the water comes to their house in jugs, and showers happen at grandpa's house.  Leasa said she didn't realize how much of her morning routine involved using water.
I am feeling pretty luxurious in my house today with water whenever I want it.  Whatever temperature I want it.  As much as I want.  Well, as much as I am willing to pay for anyway.

Homemade Bread

Nothing compares to fresh homemade bread.  It makes the house smell like home.  It is a good thing I was not home alone tonight because I would have eaten the whole loaf.  I am not kidding.  The WHOLE  loaf.  And I would have felt no guilt.

Snow Days/ Ice Days

Nothing makes children happier (and some parents) than the unexpected day off from school.  An excuse to sleep in.  No lunches to make.  No schedules to keep.  I love being stuck at home with a fire going and a book to read.  I don't know that I actually get cabin fever.  As a kid we had snow days because we had very hardy school bus drivers that could handle most roads.  It had to be deep drifted snow or blizzard conditions to cause a snow day. Many times if this was the weather we wouldn't have been able to get to the bus even if there was school. So later in the day that usually meant a trip out to the corrals where the drifts would make magical mountains to dig a tunnel or cave into.
Now where we live and are raising our kids there isn't enough snow for a day off.  But it can ice up nicely.  No bus driver wants to be sliding sideways down the high way towards oncoming traffic with a bus load of law suits.  We all stay home : )

4 Wheel Drive

I grew up in a place that needed 4 wheel drive. I really appreciate that what I drive now can switch from 2 to 4 wheel drive with a push of a button.  I don't have to get out in the weather, in my nice shoes with a flashlight in one hand while I try to put the truck in 4 wheel drive.  I can even have my Tahoe on Auto 4 Wheel drive and let the car decide for itself.  Which is a good thing because you really can't count on a man to come and save you these days.

Good Gravy

Is there anything so lovely as good gravy?  I mean, there is even a saying of that exact phrase.  Potatoes are just sad and naked without.  It makes a good roast or meatloaf divine.  Bread just asks to be dipped in it.  The Italians call gravy what we would refer to as thick spaghetti sauce.  It is a beautiful thing no matter what country you are from. Yes, I do love good gravy.

Clorox Wipes

God bless the woman that came up with the idea of putting sanitation in a portable, disposable, fabric like square.  This miracle has saved me on many occasions of dog messes, cat messes, baby messes, husband messes, kitchen messes and anti germ warfare.  It makes freeing germs from such things as phones, remote controls, and the ever virulent door knobs as easy as a quick swipe.  The only thing I still battle with is getting that first wipe to line up with the opening without getting my finger stuck in the hole.

Modern Supplies

I will make this brief and to the point. I could not go a whole year without being thankful for modern supplies and pharmaceuticals to accommodate my monthly visitor.

It's Not Memorex, it's Live

I love music. But there is something magical about hearing it live. The interaction of musician and audience. The possibilities of something unexpected.  You don't just hear the music. You can literally feel it.

Sleeping Cats

I have always had cats in my life. I was very blessed to marry a cat person.  I enjoyed several hours this evening just curled up with a book in front of the wood stove. It was so peaceful and relaxing with the occasional mug of Choffy to sip on. But the thing that made it feel like home, was the cat asleep on my lap.

My hero the garbageman

I love that I have a garbageman.  I really do.  I take stuff that makes me roll my eyes and hold my nose outside to a big plastic box on wheels.  I quickly toss it in and walk away.  And once a week a big truck comes by and takes it all away and we start all over again.  I know this is not the "greenest" attitude to have in this day and age, but I love to be able to make stuff disappear once a week.  I do recycle pretty regularly and donate all my pop cans to the current fundraiser in town.  But it is really satisfying  and cathartic to have someone just come and take away what I don't want to have to deal with anymore.

Book Series

I love finding a great book.  But what I love even more is discovering that the author has written several more books in the same series.  What I love the most, is when I discover the series after 12 (or was it 13?) books have already been written in the series.  I am set for awhile at the library.

Spelunking and Taxes

Today was the day I gathered up my courage and set out on my yearly mental journey into the badlands.  I brave this journey alone every year.  It feels a bit like the start of a spelunking trip wearing flip flops and no jacket, with a leaky canteen, 2 wet matches, a stick of gum, and a smashed up granola bar in my pocket.
If you knew of my claustrophobia, fear of heights, great dislike of being wet and cold, and appreciation of heat, light, food, and a comfortable place to sleep, it would make this even more impressive.
Luckily for me someone had the brilliant idea of personal idiot proof tax software that I can use at home. In my pajamas.  It's like someone came ahead of me and set up camp. They even left me a map. And the best part of all is that I can leave anytime I want and come back later.  No one will move any of my stuff, or eat my food, or lose the map. I come and go as I please. And the echo effect when I curse is highly entertaining as well.

Conditioner- a deserted island must

I must have hair conditioner. I don't know what I would do without it.  My shampoo bottle lasts 10 times longer than my conditioner.  I have seen movies where it's anywhere from 100 -500 years ago and the women with curly hair look spectacular. No frizz, no pouf, no baseball cap. Tropical rain forests, parched deserts, mountain peaks. Location had no effect on their hair.  It's false advertising. I dread to think what my hair  would have looked like back then. What did these women really do for their hair? I shudder to think what my blunt cut, unconditioned, mass of hair would have looked like. One big long braid I am thinking. Under a stylish hat though of course.

There is no heat like wood heat

I hate to be cold.  HATE.  I make it a point to use that word sparingly but in this case it is necessary. I love wood heat.
One of the things I took most for granted growing up was the fact that our house was heated with wood.  I learned that very quickly when I moved away from home and lived in apartments with (I shudder to say) baseboard heat.  This was the most insane type of heat.  The heaters were always under the windows.  If I was really desperate I would wrap myself in the curtains to get warm.  Lucky curtains.  If it is within my power I will always have wood heat in my house.  Always.

Sleep - Jan 12

I love sleep.  LOVE it.  I think I learned to love it even more after I started having kids and never have seemed to have enough of it when I really want it anymore.  The days when I do have an opportunity to catch the elusive catnap always seems to be the day that people decide to stop by or call on the phone.
So because I took the opportunity to get to bed early enough to wind down before I actually needed to be asleep, I totally missed posting last night.  So I thought it only appropriate that my gratitude be focused on that elusive thing we call sleep.

Sense of Direction

I don't know if I will ever fully appreciate my husband's sense of direction. Once he has been somewhere he can always get there again. He can always tell you where north is. Always. 

He is my permanent GPS. In more ways than one. And if we ever get lost (because I was the navigator), I love the adventure we have together while we are getting there.

I Can Fix it Myself

Tonight I made it to Zumba class.  I was so bummed 3 or 4 songs in as we were experiencing a little  "Gangnam Style" when I felt something "pop" in my Achilles tendon neighborhood.  Not cool.  Do you know how hard it is to Zumba without being on your toes?  I pulled something - didn't tear anything luckily.  Anyway... that led me to my gratitude for today.

I was thinking tonight how awesome it is that our bodies can fix themselves the majority of the time.  Just imagine if all the injuries you had happen to you NEVER got better.  Even if it was JUST the minor injuries.  I am horrified to think what shape I would be in if this was the case.  In my 43 years I have been cut, burned, sprained, strained, broken, poked, and thoroughly bruised.  Oh the picture is too hideous to imagine.

It is really quite nice to have comfortable rental where the landlord seems to take care of fixing what breaks in a reasonable amount of time.

Gentlemen

The world needs gentlemen.
Tonight all my kids went to an etiquette dinner for their church activity.  The look in my 12 year old daughter's eyes when she told me how the boys at her table stood when she got up to leave the table and again when she came back said it all. She felt treated with respect. She felt special. She felt like the daughter of a king.
How different the world would be, could be, if their were more gentlemen.

Pillows

Have you ever thought of how much sadder your life would be without pillows?  I remember after surgery once having to lie completely flat.  It drove me nuts.  I kept raising the bed a little to get some incline and the nurse would come in the room and notice and lower it back down.  At least I think I remember this happening.  Maybe it was just a bad dream I had.
And then there are the plethora of extra pillows on the couch.  Somehow we are always short a blanket but, thank goodness there are usually enough pillows to go around.
I am exhausted and a tad fixated on my pillow tonight.  And I am dreading the moment in the morning that I will have to be separated from it once again.  I do love a good pillow.

Diphenhydromine has always been one of my best friends

It takes care of itches and allergies whether they be airborne, plant born, or stinger born. It sedates airplane riding babies.  It has been around for decades and still manages to keep a certain mystique about it by selling itself under sexier names like Zzzquil.  It is a cheap drug to keep on hand (like $3 for a bottle of 400 at Costco).  It comes in a beautiful pink color.  But for me, the best thing it does, is give me that little push into dreamland that my hormones or lack thereof  seem to snatch away every so often. And now that I am feeling that warm and fuzzy feeling I am headed to bed.

Dishwashers

I am so thankful for a wonderful machine in the other room that takes my dirty dishes from my hands and gives them back in the morning clean. And all I have to do is remember to push the start button after I add the soap. It's a beautiful thing.

Libraries

I love that there is a place I can go to borrow books. And if the book I am looking for is not at my library, they will request to have it sent from miles away to my library.  I think sometimes we take for granted that this is available to us. For many people in the world the idea of this is a luxury or a dream.  I am so fortunate that for me it is just around the corner.

Conversation

I had two different conversations with two different people today.  One has made me turn inward and question myself about how I view people and their belief systems. How I view my own belief system, and why I feel the way I do about certain topics.  Why do I  tend to be defensive about certain things? Why do I not question others? It was a conversation that I am still thinking about.
Then I had a completely different conversation about books and movies and travel and history. It made me hungry for knowledge and answers as well but in an entirely different way.
I love that my life is full of conversations each day. Brief or lengthy, heated or laid back. It gives me another person's perspective and reminds me that I am so blessed to not be in isolation.  It grants me the opportunity to benefit and learn from the knowledge of another person.
I am thankful for that daily gift of the human experience. The luxury of sharing it with, and learning from others.

Abundance

This morning as I am making my breakfast I am looking at all the fabulous things in my fridge that I have to choose from to eat.  I am looking at my fabulous fridge that keeps the food cold.  I am looking at my fabulous stove and microwave that will cook my breakfast.  I am struck by the realization that the most difficult thing each day may be for me to choose what one thing I will focus my thanks on that day.  Which day will I choose to be thankful for chocolate?  It will have to be a day that chocolate was unusually significant.  SO MUCH to be thankful for each day.  I think today I will be thankful for the abundance of blessings I have each day.  Yep - today I am thankful for abundance.

So starts a year of gratitude

While driving home today I noticed a man crossing the street carrying a laundry basket full of clothes . He was obviously on the way to the laundromat down the street. It hit me how thankful I am to have a washer and dryer right in my house to use at any hour of the day, as much or as little as I want.  I also got to thinking how I bet I could find something new everyday for a year to be thankful for without repeating the same thing twice. So I have decided that will be the focus of my blog this year. I will find a new thing each day to be consciously grateful for in my life.

Today is January 2, so even more than a home laundromat, I am grateful today for my beautiful daughter Elizabeth born 12 years ago today. My baby who isn't a baby anymore. My baby who now that she is 12 will be doing her own laundry. 

How is that for poetic?