Gratitude Project

November 11th - Veterans.  From the earliest days of this country, I have had family members fighting for freedom.  I am immensely proud of all the veterans in this country.  They have signed up, put their lives on the line, some have lost their lives, some have been maimed physically and/or mentally and did all of this for themselves, others and for a better life.  They deserve our unwavering respect, love and support.
November 12th - Snow.  I do not like driving in the snow but I do  love watching it fall from the sky.  The water we will have or not have next spring/summer depends on how much we get or don't get now.  Heavenly Father's hand is so evident in this it makes me wonder how anyone could ever question His existence.
November 13th - Nursery Ladies - Susan, Cherri and Kaylee.  They are AWESOME!!!!  I have in the past referred to nursery and scouts as the hell of primary.  No more!  Scouting is something I love now and nursery I am gaining respect for, esp. the people who serve there.  They are kind, loving, firm, fun and wonderful!
November 14th - Public Libraries.  Where else can you go (and we don't have a Walden books anymore) and be surrounded by books, movies, puppets, magazines and other fantastic modes of learning?!?!  We LOVE the library!!! 
November 15th - Modern Medicines.  They can wipe out pain from a suffering loved one, help with life- threatening conditions, treat physical and mental maladies.  There is nothing else so wonderful.  Also, I wouldn't be sane without them!
November 16th - Teachers.  They are wonderful people who get an education to teach it to others!  The low pay and long hours are frightening to me, these are the people we trust our children with everyday for a majority of the day.  People our parents trusted us to!  They should be making the money we give to our sports players and celebrities!  They will be blessed in heaven and hopefully a little here on earth!  Thank you for the wonderful teachers I have had, my children have had, have now and will have in the future, you truly are making a difference in our lives!

Gratitude Project

Today I am thankful for blog readers who don't point out my flaws.  I mixed up some dates.
Nov. 1st - Craig
Nov. 2nd - the children
Nov. 3rd - extended family
Nov. 4th - friends
Nov. 5th - the Gospel
Nov. 6th - America
Nov. 7th - Primary
Nov. 8th - a warm house
Nov. 9th - modern appliances
Nov. 10th - the right to vote

November 9th - Modern Appliances.  I would have made a horrible pioneer!  I need my stove, oven, microwave, fridges, freezers, washer and dryer, vacuum (of course if I was a pioneer I probably wouldn't need this!).  I can't imagine my life without these things!
November 10th - The right to vote.  To decide who I want to lead the government with my tax dollars, is a human right.  So thankful for the women who fought for this.  Hope everyone in the world has this one day.

Gratitude Project

Nov. 4th - The Gospel.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true.  End of story.  I know this and I will never not know this.  Amen.
Nov. 5th - Living in America.  No other country on the face of this earth has the freedoms we have and the people to defend those freedoms, not only for us, but for others around the world.  Grateful I was born and raised here. 
Nov. 6th - Primary.  If you want to feel the Spirit, all you have to do is come into Primary.  On any given Sunday, you will find the most sweetest, strongest members of the ward there.  They know what is right and wrong and are not corrupted by others (yet), they know the Gospel is true and nothing can sway them.  They sing with all of their hearts and always touch mine.  I LOVE my Primary kids - they are the best!
Nov. 7th - A Warm House.  I have seen several homeless people this week and can't imagine what it is like not to have somewhere warm to go to call your own.  Thankful for a working furnace and all the warm air it gives me!  Also thankful for the warm feeling I know that I have when all of my family is home and safe and snug.

Graditude Project

November 4th - Friends.  We have amazing, fabulous, awesome, talented, loving friends.  I can never list all of them or the things they have done for us over the years.  They have laughed with us and cried with us, helps us physically, emotionally and spiritually.  We have been blessed with wonderful neighbors and ward members.  It truly takes a village to raise children and I feel like we have an awesome support team.  I appreciate all of their examples to me, Craig and the children.

Gratitude Project

Day 3 - Extended Family.  Craig and I are both blessed with amazing families!  My parents will be celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary on the 10th of December this year - woo hoo!!!  They are incredible people!  My dad is a a rock and an example to me with his life.  He is the most honest person I know, he doesn't even speed!  He is funny and no one loves their grand kids more than him!  My mother is talented beyond belief - she sews, cooks, bakes, do flowers, make you feel loved and the most important person in the world!  She cherishes each of her grandchildren and is a great example to me in patience.  My sister Jennifer is awesome, she got most of mom's talents passed down to her and is quite the seamstress!  She is a world-traveler, professional business woman, and ultimate party planner!  Kimberly is a manager at work, home and on the field.  She organizes her children's lives so they have experience in a little bit of everything.  My brother Adam loves the country life and the great outdoors!  He is a great friend to others and excells at his job.  My brother Aaron is also a great worker, husband and father.  You can find him coaching baseball or changing a diaper and he is great at both.  My sister in law Julia is a wonderful friend and mother.  She loves her kids and works hard for them.  I have wonderful nieces and nephews - Kierra, Emmett, Shanna Lee, Bryan, Cordell, Jacob, Noa and Nathan.  Craig's dad is great example to us of perseverance and determination.  He is a great grandpa.  Craig's mom likes to have visits from family especially to celebrate the holidays.  His sister Michelle and brothers, Dean, Kevin and Scott are all hard workers and take good care of their families.  His brother in law, Ron and sister in laws Deanna, Sharlene and Julie make family get togethers fun!  He also has wonderful nieces and nephews - Nicole, Kelsey, Megan, Alex, Ashley, Rachelle, Travis, David, Michael, Nathan, Angela, Jacob, Joshua, Samantha, Stephanie, Logan, Brayden, Whitney and Brenner.  Many of them are married and have the cutest kids!  Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins on both sides of our family are supportive and loving and we try never to miss an opportunity to see them all.  Our heritage is of great people who did amazing things and made our lives all the richer for it.  We are grateful for their hard work and sacrifices for us to have a better life. 

Gratitude Project 2011

I am going to use this month to express my gratitude for everything in my life, big or small. On my Facebook, I am putting what I am grateful for, but on here I will elaborate.

November 1st - Craig. He is a hard worker, funny, helpful, loving, and creative. He is lots of other things too, but these are just the top ones I could think of. He really is a people person, and loves to meet new people. He can build me almost anything I can dream up and loves to be in the kitchen whipping up something new. He loves to garden. even if he is the most impatient person I know. Gardening is supposed to teach you to slow down and enjoy time, but he wants to plant in the morning and harvest in the afternoon! He has lots of talents - drawing, making up songs for the baby, cooking, landscaping. I love him dearly and am glad I get to spend eternity with him.

November 2nd - Ryan, Courtney, Joslyn, Chad and Chloe. Ryan is a good person - funny, kind, handsome, etc. He is also a hard worker and willing to try new experiences. He has already accomplished a lot in 19 years - Eagle scout, high school graduate with a 3.75 GPA, graduated Army Basic Training, graduated from Advanced Individual Training - radar repair. He is getting ready to open the next chapter in his life - college. He has a lovely girlfriend, Darady, who we really like and it seems he is head over heels. He sends her flowers and cards, it's good to see him treat her so well and her him. He's not sure what he wants to be yet, but he doesn't have to know yet! Courtney is a beautiful young woman. She is incredibly smart AND talented! She is very talented with pen and paper, paint and other materials, or the piano. She loves to sing and can! She is interested in science and the human body, her latest career choice is mortician. She has a firm testimony of the Gospel and has had to defend it vehemently. She is a true example to me and others. Joslyn is a great girl, she is going to be beautiful and tall! She does very well in school and loves the social aspect. She has lots of friends, especially Olivia. She also loves to sing and can! She likes art, horses and her guitar. She has a developing testimony of her own and is very inquisitive about everything! Chad is the typical 10 year old, he loves video games and playing with his friends! He is super smart like the rest of them (I don't know where they all got that from, but I will take the credit!) he excells in math and science. He likes to play with Chloe and is a great big brother. He is a great friend, (unless you cross him, and then tomorrow is a whole new day) and is fiercely loyal. Chloe is our baby angel/devil. She is either super sweet or destroying something! She loves to be the center of attention and is such a little performer. she loves to snuggle when it's bedtime and has to hold my left earlobe. I am grateful for my family and the opportunity to raise these little people. I am grateful that we can be together forever and for the time I get to spend with each one of them here on earth.