Introspection

Day 30 is here - my goal was almost fulfilled - I did complete it - for that I am thankful.

 Here's what this little lesson has taught me...

• I'm thankful for the little things like - I can move today after the Zumba! class I attended last night. I enjoy it don't get me wrong, I'm still not sure a woman like me is supposed to move that way but I'm trying!
• I'm thankful for the focus - it's so easy to get caught up in all of the unnecessary events that encompass November & December. It's easy to look on the negative side of things, especially after a major election that most of the country didn't even participate in, or the child that is too stubborn for his or her own good or that weight doesn't just fall off because you'd like for it too (hence the Zumba! class). 
• I'm thankful I have friends & family that are more amazing than words can truly describe. They take me with all my flaws and love me anyway.
• I'm thankful this type of avenue exists. This is an easier form of communication for some and no one has to feel obligated to read it. If nothing else it is a therapy for the writer, if you the reader glean something from it - that's gravy.
• I'm thankful for this time of year which allows you to move the focus to others so easily. There are so many ways to serve and help out your fellow man - that includes letting someone cut in front of you on the highway! When you get lost in service you tend to lose yourself and then your issues don't seem as daunting.
• I'm thankful that this is my little slice of heaven!

Here's hoping you don't make your December too busy but that you have time to enjoy it!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I'm thankful for "the most wonderful time of the year"! I think the only thing that would make it better is if I were at the "happiest place on earth" during the "most wonderful time of the year". Yes, that is a hint that I'd like to take a trip to Disney World, but I digress...

I love this time of year! I don't particularly like the cold, but I do like a crisp fall/winter morning. I like that most people this time of the year take the focus off of themselves and place it on others. Except maybe when driving, but most of the time in the stores and other places they are thinking of others. Since having kids we "adopt" a child to buy a Christmas present for so the kids get into the habit of exhibiting charity and service. We take drives to look at Christmas lights. We decorate, bake and do a million things in the name of Christmas. I think we do it because the Savior is so dear to us, we want everyone else to feel His love. I hope you get to feel His love this season, but remember it's available to us all year long.

Laughter

I noticed I hadn't given my thanks for laughter and that's one of my very favorite things. I'm grateful for people who can make me laugh - Steve Carell (Michael Scott from "The Office") typically can make me laugh much to the chagrin of my hubby. My hubby is pretty funny too!

Anyway - I am extremely grateful for laughter and for your pleasure here are a few of my "go-to" favorite photos that always bring a smile to my face!

There - now don't you have a smile on your face? :)

Pleasant Unexpected Surprises

Today I'm thankful for pleasant unexpected surprises...

you know the ones - a friend brings you flowers (those really brightened my day), a holiday bonus early, kids getting along with one another, a semi-sick husband that's not cranky - just things that you aren't planning on that can make live a tad bit easier.

I set a goal to update daily in November but didn't manage my time wisely over the Thanksgiving holiday and didn't count on Bedlam going into OVERTIME (Boomer!) so I didn't quite reach my goal. Maybe next year I'll set the goal for February and see if I can reach that one!

Problems, Issues or Troubles

Today I'm thankful for my problems.

Yep you read that correctly - I'm thankful for my problems, troubles, issues - whatever you want to call them I'm thankful for them. I'm thankful that the load I'm asked to carry isn't the load that others have to carry. I'm pretty sure if you ask them they wouldn't want to trade places.

Thanksgiving Traditions

I am so thankful for our family traditions.

We are so fortunate that our families get along. It's such a blessing for our kids. Instead of having to decide which side of the family we'll visit when on holidays and birthdays - our biggest dilemma is which location we'll invade! 

Thanksgiving is the holiday we all make sure everyone has their favorites so there is an absurd amount of food. And for 10 people it's really loud!!!! But it's also great to have us all under one roof for a short time. 

Here's to making memories. 

Music

Why someone would want to live without music I'm not sure - but I know I wouldn't. What a talent to have & share with others.

We love music in our house. I'm grateful the kids enjoy it as well. It's amazing the way it magnifies your emotions and how it can stir up memories. Everytime I hear one particular song it reminds me of someone from high school. Sometimes it takes me back to my childhood. I hope I'm helping my kids make these kinds of memories.

May you take some time today and just be one with some music of your choice!

Little Boys

Today I'm thankful for little boys!

This is my favorite little boy in the whole wide world! While I'm sure others will argue with me that their boy may be better I whole-heartedly disagree. He is Resourceful, Ornery, Bright, Energetic, Respectful and Thoughtful. He is also mischievous and loud. He's going to be 8 very soon! I can't imagine what we ever did without him. I hope I never have to find out!!!

He's also a Thunder, Rams & Sooner fan...our indoctrinating is going just as planned!

Sundays

Sundays or Sundaes - yes I'm thankful for both, but mostly for Sundays.

I love Sundays. What a great day! It doesn't seem like 24 hours is enough sometimes, but it's always good to be able to regroup. Right now church for us doesn't begin until 1:00 pm so we have time for a nice leisurely breakfast. Followed by time for reading and a snack/meal at least for the kids before we have to get ready for church. The kids seem to get along and play nicely with each other. Then we can go to church and worship our Savior. After that we have time to have a nice dinner and interrogation err I mean conversation about what the kids talked about in Primary. It may sound really old-fashioned and peculiar, but I really need this to catch my breath. It's just a really great way to start the week. 

Hope you have a good week and enjoy Thanksgiving wherever you may celebrate it! ;)

College Football

Today I'm thankful for college football!

Granted when you live in Norman, Oklahoma it's kinda hard not to be thankful for college football! We have our game day rituals and it's hard to stray from those. {Hanging Christmas lights will have to wait until next week at least!}

Now we're not face painters - but win or lose you have to support your team.

If you're unfamiliar with face painters...please enjoy the following clip...

And B O O M E R!!!

Perspective

Today I'm thankful for perspective.

Sometimes when we take our eye off the "prize" we lose perspective. It's nice when we can have our focus shift in a not so abrupt manner. Being able to be reflect and change is a great part of this earthly experience.

Health

Today I am thankful for health, health professionals and the technology they have to help us feel better. 

Health is something I know I take for granted so any time an extra test is needed or in the case of my kids when an office pulse oxygen test is taken more than once I get pretty apprehensive. 

She had to have an abdominal x-ray today. She did just fine and the x-ray just confirmed what the doctor and us had suspected. I'm thankful for our doctors, nurses, the x-ray tech, the numerous people it takes to make everything flow. I'm also thankful that the ailments we've had seem pretty mundane compared to others.

Friends

Today I am so thankful for all of my friends. I don't take photos when I'm with my friends as much as I'd like. Not sure why - it just doesn't seem to happen. Silly really when you think that we all have decently sized cameras on our phones...oh well - I'll just use the photo from last year. I know we haven't aged so it will work just fine.

While this photo was taken at a sad point in my life - it just reaffirms what friendship really is. It's when you connect on a much deeper level. It's when you can tell someone how you are with a simple look regardless of the words coming out of your mouth. It's being able to read between the lines in the picture perfect idealic reality that is painted in the status updates on Facebook. It's having inside jokes and laughing at them 20 years later. It's knowing that while mileage seperates you - it doesn't dimish the connection you share. It's the friends that you make in all stages of life and while you may not have as long of a history you have respect for one another. You don't judge one another. It's helping each other out without keeping score.

I just want to say thanks & I love each and every one of you!

Internet

I've been trying to think a little out of the box for some of my thankful posts. I am thankful for the internet...

without the internet how would I see what you had at your last meal? How would you see the most recent photo of the cutest kids in the world (imho)? How would we know immediately all the news of the day? How would we communicate? How would I get my lesson for Sunday done? for all these reasons and more I am extremely thankful for the internet.

Veterans

To those who have served and those are now serving...my sincerest Thank You!

To those who are considering serving - Thank You - I don't think there's a more nobler line of work!

Here's to a free America.

Oh the weather outside...

can be...well give it a minute and it will change. For example at one point yesterday it was 75 degrees. Tonight as I type this it's 36 degrees. This is why I'm thankful for the weather.

It can be frightful...

(This was actually the day of the Norman torado this year.)

 

(This was today!)

 

The weather here can be down right hot in the summer. Snowy & icy in the winter, but it's always changing which teaches us all good lessons:

• that change happens all the time, so just learn to go with it
• it's nothing we can control
• be patient - it will change soon enough.

For this I truly am grateful!

Nature

There are not enough words to express my gratititude for nature.

 

And you can find it anywhere...like Nebraska

 

 

or South Dakota

and Wyoming...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The thing about nature is that you have to be willing to go off the beaten path to find it sometimes. The lessons you'll learn from nature...it's just amazing!

Technology

As I sit here tonight I thought about my update for today I was just overwhelmed to think of all the changes in technology - it's amazing.

When I was young I had a pen pal in Japan and we wrote letters back & forth...a pen pal now is instantaneous. I mean the car I drove in high school had a cassette player - my kids don't even know what a cassette tape is. We were one of the few people who had a Betamax (those were the VCR's that took the small tapes as opposed to the VHS size - you can google it) to watch movies on rather than the digital options we have today. I don't think we had a cordless phone until we moved to Seattle after high school graduation. .  Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, MySpace (if anyone still uses it) and every other social media sight make it so easy to keep in touch with the world. Meetings that used to be only available via radio can now be viewed via web streaming. It's mind boggling all the things we had that were the hieght of technology at the time and now they seem so archaic.

When used for good technology is fantastic and I'm so grateful for the advances that have been made.

Animals

Today I'm thankful for our furry, hairy, four-legged friends. Some may have feathery, slimy or scaly friends, but for our home it's just the feline or canine variety.

At work we tend to have a few "wild cat"s around - gotta have a mascot right?

This little guy is one of four kittens we have around the office. Don't worry - he was removed from this temporary prison he put himself in.

This little cuddle bug is our boy Clifford. I've posted about him in the past you can find that here if you'd like. We all love him so much. He's quite the dog. He makes us laugh, keeps my feet warm at night and in a pinch if you have some rabbits you'd like to get rid of...he's excellent at that!

It's amazing how much joy animals bring into our lives. I'm so thankful for all their uniqueness and unconditional love. If you're looking for a dog (specifically a Yorkie) to share your life with might I suggest looking into OK Yorkie Rescue...these people work their tails off to care for these dogs.

Work

Every day I am thankful for my job. I feel so blessed to have the position I currently have. I'm not just saying that either. Currently my boss is out of the country so he can't even read this, I think! Regardless - I'm so grateful to have celebrated my 1st anniversary here. 

I'm also quite thankful for my hubby's job!

Both of which allow us to provide for the things we need to live. 

I've also just discovered this little gem...

This has started making me feel a lot healthier.

Then of course there's this little gig I have after school gets out...

Work can be hard. It can make days long. It can also be very rewarding and satisfying. It can give a sense of accomplishment. I am grateful I am able to work and provide. I am grateful I have a partner who does the same. 

Country

Another post from captain obvious here, but I'm going to go with it.

Today I'm thankful for our amazing country. There is no place like it on earth and for that reason alone people have died trying to get here and to preserve her. For all her faults I personally think she's amazing.

Today we have the opportunity to choose those who govern us as well as here in Oklahoma we also have the opportunity to choose judges and state questions. I urge you to get educated on the issues both federal, state and city and excercise your right to vote.

Lauren the Explorer

Last Saturday we had a party to celebrate the girl. She wanted a Do-Do-Do-Dora the Explorer (I think it's cruel the theme song does this to her name) party so we did the best we could. I consulted Pinterest of course! So I will link what I used so those who came up with it will get credit.

We had treat bags...the inspiration for which I took from this blog. I am very fortunate that I have a friend who improvised and I think the bags turned out really cute. Ours is now our Sunday bag used to carry stuff to church.

There were balloons...

 



Friends & gifts...

 

Crafts...
 

 

 

Dancing, flapping arms like a chicken...

Hopping, twirling...

 

All of which were part of a game I found here. The girls really seemed to enjoy it!

 

Last but not least there was cake with edible rocks!

 

 

Our little explorer seemed to have fun and really enjoyed having her friends over.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little Girls

Today's thankful post is pretty easy. I'm thanking Heaven for Little Girls today!

4 years ago today we went to the hospital to bring our sweet baby girl into this world. We had a few uneasy moments during the pregnacy and we even got to visit an geneticist - but she arrived at 10:48 am (yes an epidural can work in 40 minutes!) quite healthy!

 

Through the years she has given us so much.

 

 2009

   2010

2011

 

2012

 

 

I don't know what we did without her and I'm glad we don't have to find out. So thankful for her today and everyday!



Sundays

Today I decided I'd write about how thankful I am for my faith. Seems very apropos since it's the day of the week set aside for worship.  As you all know I'm Latter-day Saint or Mormon. Didn't grow up that way - but it just worked out. I enjoy knowing where I came from and the Gospel just makes sense to me. I'm thankful for a Heavenly Father who is merciful and loves us all very much.  I thankful for Jesus Christ my Savior who atoned for our sins. It's very humbling to stop and reflect on just that aspect of Christ's ministry. I'm grateful to raise my kids in the Gospel so that can have the assurance of a loving Heavenly Father.

If you have questions you can check out The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints website or this other website. Or you can ask any member.

Family

Family is so important and today that is what I'm thankful for...

We are so grateful that both sides of the family get along so well. No real horrible in-law stories. Able to spend holidays and birthdays together is priceless for the kids. We're grateful that we live within a short driving distance of one another.

thankful for talents

What a day! I do it to myself - but I really hate to disappoint my kiddos.

Today I ran errands to get ready for a birthday party we're hosting tomorrow. See this brown-eyed beauty? On Monday she'll be 4. And she wanted a Dora the Explorer party...what was I to do?

So being the overachiever I think I'm supposed to be I ran around Norman today to get the finishing touches that I hope the 5 giddy little girls will enjoy.

Now you're probably wondering why I titled this "thankful for talents". When the theme was picked I did what any overachieving mother would do...I went to Pinterest to see if I could replicate anything. Lo and behold...I found the perfect treat bag. Then I remembered that I don't sew...fortunately though I have a friend that does.

These turned out so cute!!! So this is why I am so grateful for all the many talents of which I am surrounded. I could not have had such a cute take-away gift and I think the girls will love them!

So I thank all of you for the talents you share daily - the ones that are obvious and the not-so-obvious ones. They are gifts from Heavenly Father and I truly appreciate you.