Gratitude Challenge - Day 3

 10 Living People You are Grateful for:

1. Owen - There really are no words for this so I will just sum it up by saying he is absolutely perfect for me in every way.  I am a lucky girl to have him!



2. My Children - I love being a mom.  I love that I get to be with my kids full-time and that we can play and learn and love altogether all the time.  It's hard sometimes but so rewarding and I love that I can see life through their curious eyes and that they teach me so much about how I really should be.

My cute girls playing in their "cars" while we were unpacking.

3. My Parents - I have the best. parents. ever.  Seriously.  My dad is amazing.  My mom is amazing.  Anyone who knows them, knows this.

4. Sisters - I have lots of sisters.  Two I grew up with and a whole bunch of sisters-in-law.  I love them all.

5. Owen's Parents - I am so grateful for good in-laws who raised a good, strong man for me to marry.  I'm also grateful that they love me and my children.

6. Carrien - Best. Friend. Ever.  Carrien is the perfect friend for me.  She drags my behind out of bed so I can go on big long walks and work the cookies off that we ate while crafting the night before.  She even drags me to the gym in the evening so we can really work off the fat.  Plus, she's funny and crafty and a good cook/baker and gorgeous.  She's kind and always watching out for everyone else.  There's just a lot of great things about her.  Of course, I went and left her all freezing cold in Rexburg so now we just get to text and chat on the phone.  It's not nearly as fun but I am still so grateful to have met her and become friends with her.

Carrien and I the day before we left Idaho.  Lots and lots of tears that day.

7. Rachel - The other best friend  in my life.  Rachel and I have known one another since we were 7 and been friends almost as long.  That's close to 20 years!  That's a long time for someone who's only 25.  She was my next door neighbor for 5 years and ever since we were 12 we have had a long-distance relationship.  So, although we don't see each other much now, we are still great friends and can pick up right where we left off last time we talked.

8. Young Women's Leaders - Young Women's feels like a really long time ago, but I often think back on my amazing leaders and how influential they were to me.  Becky (Sister Goodwin) and Jodi (Sister Parker) were my favorites and boy, oh boy, did they have a tough job being my leaders.  I was not an easy teenager to deal with, but they loved me despite my strong personality and helped me develop part of who I am to day.

9. First Presidency & General Authorities - I am so grateful to live in a time when Prophets are on the earth again to lead and guide us.  I really love listening to and reading their words.  They always say just the right things at just the right time for me.  It's just another testament to me that Heavenly Father is aware of me personally and that He speaks through His Prophets.

10. Jesus Christ - I have a hard time putting my relationship with my Savior, Jesus Christ, into words.  I owe Him everything and I will never even come close, yet He loves me anyway.  He has provided me not only the opportunity to repent and always try to become better, but hope and strength through trials and the chance to be with my family forever.  So, any profession of gratitude will never be enough, but I will continue to say it anyway.

Gratitude Challenge - Day 2

10 Material Possessions You are Grateful for:

1. Minivan - Once upon a time, as a dumb teenager, I said I would never be a minivan mom.  Then I had kids and practicality hit me over the head.  And now I have a minivan and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I love being a minivan mom.  And I really love MY minivan, in particular.  Leather with heated seats, awesome JBL sound system, automatic everything.  It's pretty awesome.

I also love that we paid 4,000 less than blue book for it and 2,000 less even than all the other comparable vans we looked at that were standard, no nothin' special at all included, minivans.  The best part?  It's technically paid off.  We took out a loan on it to build our "I Love Debt Score" (yeah, we are Dave Ramsey nuts) credit score because we will be buying a house next year and our credit score will make a huge difference in our mortgage interest rate.  So, just for the van purchase we created a minivan savings account that will pay toward the loan for a year when it will be paid off.  So I love my minivan and I really love not having to worry about how to pay for it.

2. Bosch Mixer - Oh man, my mixer.  We have quite a few kitchen appliances, most of which I truly love and would be sad to cook/bake without.  But of all of them, the one I am sooooooo grateful for is my mixer.  Now, if you don't know what a Bosch even is, just imagine your top-of-the-line Kitchenaid and then imagine waaaaaay better than that.  Because it is.

I grew up with a Bosch and you could say we are a Bosch family.  I'm sure having any stand mixer is better than none, but for a foodie, the Bosch is the way to go.  It will last FOR-EV-ER.  Whereas, just regularly making bread in a Kitchenaid will wear it out FAST!  My mom's Bosch is old, like really old, but still works like a dream.  I make bread almost every week in it and will continue to until I decide I don't like homemade bread as much as store-bought anymore (like that will ever happen).  It's amazing for cookies and brownies and cakes and frosting and all sorts of delicious things too (even non-desserts -- but why would I make any of those?).  I plan on mine lasting me till I'm a grandma and then I can pass it down to my grandchildren.

3. Comfy Bed - I'm truly grateful for all the "stuff" I own and grateful just to have a place to sleep in general.  But every time I sleep in a bed that isn't my own, I'm am reminded just how comfortable my bed is.  It's just a Sam's Club mattress, nothing special, I suppose, but it is so comfy.  I love it.  And it has a nice, worn-in quilt on the top (more on that in a second) that makes it dreamy to sleep in.

4. Quilts - I mentioned yesterday that I was raised by a quilter, but there is just something so cozy and comforting about sleeping or snuggling with a quilt instead of a duvet/comforter/blanket/whatever.  Once you have, you will never want to go back.  Plus, there is just something so sweet about being wrapped up in something someone worked so hard on and put so much love into.  One of my visiting teachers made a snarky comment to me one time that she just couldn't understand why someone would take so much time to cut fabric up into little pieces just to sew it all together again.  She obviously doesn't understand the heritage of a quilt.  Each piece is carefully cut, sometimes out of special (occasionally even heirloom) fabric, then arranged artistically to create a new picture, then quilted and bound and gifted to someone with love.  See, if you meet a quilter, you will find that while they do keep a fair amount of the quilts they make, they usually gift quite a few too because quilting is about the love poured into it, not just about sewing little pieces of cut up fabric together.  Phew, off my quilting soapbox.  Find yourself a quilt (or better yet, make one) and then snuggle up with it and tell me it is better than your store-bought one.  I dare you.

5. Crafting Tools - This was too hard of a category for me to narrow down, so I'm just including it all.  I guess if I was forced to pick JUST ONE thing, I would go with my sewing machine.  But I love my Silhouette (electronic cutter) and all the other little things that help bring my creativity to life.  My fabric stash, my 20 types of glue, markers, crayons, pastels, oils, paint, paper, thread, yarn, ribbons, ric rac.  Oh, I could go on.  It is so nice to have when I'm working on a project because I can just grab parts and pieces and get my projects done fast.  If I have to go to the store to buy something to fix or finish a project, it seriously slows down my progress...and motivation.

6. Washer and Dryer - I may complain about having piles of laundry on occasion, but really, I have it so good.  I don't have to go down to the river to scrub my clothes on a rock, or have to boil water and wash them by hand on a washboard and ring them through that ringer outer thingy.  I just throw them in, add some soap and turn it on and voila! it's done.  I'm am so blessed.

7. Computer - I have a love/hate relationship with the computer.  I hate it because I don't fully understand it and it is frustrating to use a tool that doesn't always work how you think you told it to.  I also hate it because it can be a huge time sucker.  There is a lot of good available through computers too and I'm grateful for those aspects.  I try to use the computer for good and wise purposes only to make sure I am using my time the best way possible.  Reading blogs used to make it tough for me, so I cut out a bunch of blogs and now only read good friends, family and a few crafty blogs.  Facebook used to make it hard too, so I got rid of it.  Now, Pinterest makes it difficult for me to stay in the "only choosing the best" game of life, but I justify it because I get so many great ideas and am able to organize them so efficiently.  But I still often wonder "at what cost?"  Am I giving myself idea overload?  Does being on Pinterest make it easier to be content with who I am and what I have or does encourage comparison and feelings of inadequacy?  I haven't yet come to terms with giving it up too.  So, for now, just know I am grateful for my computer, but I feel like I fight battles with it EVERY stinkin' day.

8. Books - I was raised by readers in a book-filled household.  I am a reader.  I've turned my husband into a reader.  And now I am teaching my kids to be readers by reading to them and even by teaching Miriam to read on her own.  I love the books I own and I love that I have many libraries available to get even more books to read.  There's a whole other world out there in print and I love discovering it!

9. Furniture - Owen and I have been very blessed throughout our marriage to have been given a lot of furniture.  Other than our mattress (and our girls' mattresses, come to think of it) which was brand new, every piece of furniture we own has been a hand me down or bought second hand.  And of the money we have put into furniture, we've spent under $500.  We have super comfy couches that I hope to recover in a neutral someday soon, a solid hardwood table Owen and I refinished and many fun accent pieces (bookcases, end tables, desks, etc.) that all bring a relaxing ambiance to our home.

10. Pooh Bear and Piglet - There's just something to be said about a child's comfort object.  There is no price to them.  They are soft and worn in and smell just right.  If lost, it would be hard to duplicate a replacement that was good enough, so lets just hope that never happens.  Miriam received Pooh Bear as a gift from Aunt Wendy when she turned 1.  We decided that having a different Pooh character would be a fun tradition for our children so we gave Liesl Piglet for her first birthday.  Each girl LOVES her animal dearly and for that I am grateful.

Gratitude Challenge - Day 1

10 Physical Abilities You are Grateful for:

1. Healthy Body - I currently have a cold, so this is actually on my mind quite a bit today.  I don't get sick often though and when I do get sick I recover quickly.  My body is amazing.  I remember my dad always pointing out to me how cool it was that my body could heal itself when it had a cut or bruise or whatever.  It really is cool!  So, while I'm not indestructible, my body is healthy and knows how to repair itself when something comes along and throws a kink in its usually perfectly functioning rhythms. 

2. Motherhood - Another friend of mine is also doing this challenge on her blog and she posted about her easy pregnancies and how she is so grateful for that.  Mine aren't quite as picture perfect as hers (she doesn't get sick or even get really big...lucky duck) but I do get pregnant easily and have never had the sorrow of losing a child through miscarriage or at a later time.  And despite morning (all day) sickness and some typical aches and pains that I'm not a huge fan of, I have textbook perfect pregnancies.  I have always wanted to be a mom as far back as I can remember, and I know that many struggle to receive the blessing of motherhood  and I try to be extra grateful that it has come to my life so readily.

  

3. Coordination - I'm no star athlete or prima ballerina, but I have been involved in many sports (clogging and tennis are my favorites) throughout my lifetime and I generally pick up new kinesthetic skills with ease.  

4. Strength - Again, nothing most would seem noteworthy, but I consider myself a very strong person.  Maybe mentally more so than physically, but I have given birth to two babies without medication, so my body obviously has a fair amount of gusto in it.  I would love to run a half marathon (dare I say a full?) someday, but I haven't convinced the physical side of me that it's possible yet.  Someday, though, someday...

5. Vision - I'm not talking about by eyesight, although that's on my list too...getting there.  This is more of my artistic vision.  I have a strong sense of visual spacial aspects.  When I am working on a project or thinking about working on a project I can usually see everything down to the last tiny detail clearly in my mind.  I'm obviously not so good at explaining my visions though, because I often get the "You want to do what?" look from friends and family members only to do the project anyway and be met with "Wow, that turned out really nice!"  Always the tone of surprise.  One day, maybe people will stop questioning my vision and just roll with it.  

6. Crafty Capabilities - Anyone who knows me well, knows that this is my passion.  I love to create!!  My mom is a master quilter and she began teaching me quilting basics when I was 12 or 13.  I've made a number of quilts since then and with the exception of matching a point on triangles or a little pucker here and there, I have a natural knack for quilting.  Maybe when my kids are grown and I have time to be bored (ha, what is that?) I can make quilts all the time like my mom, until then, I will sketch, plan and delegate cute quilts for her to make my kids and me.  I don't just quilt though, I love my sewing machine for all sorts of other sewing crafts (except clothes, making clothes still scares me, not that I couldn't do it, but that I might spend a lot of time on something and then not love how it fits...scary thought) and I am a master with a glue gun.  I make hair bows and home decor and whatever else pops into my brain.

7. How Children Develop - Having had babies of my own, I have sat in awe and how perfect those little beings are.  They come to this earth with the basic reflexes needed to survive with a generous, full-time caregiver.  From there, they gradually learn everything they need to know and do to be independent and self-sufficient.  They learn to crawl, walk, feed themselves and talk all within the first years of life.  From there they learn more gross and fine motor skills and develop the ability to read, study and reason.  I love watching life and this world unfold through my children's eyes.

8. Musical Abilities - I have a pretty good singing voice and I do know how to play the clarinet and some basic piano, so although I have some capabilities in this area, I really appreciate others' musical talents more than my own.  My sister is an amazing (like seriously amazing) pianist.  She has little children and lots of other obligations and doesn't get to play very much now, but when we were growing up she practiced over an hour every day.  Good stuff too, classics.  I loved it then, but I definitely took it for granted.  What I wouldn't give to have a real live person playing a real live piano at my house everyday.  Until then, Pandora will just have to do.  

9. Basic Body Functions - You know, ears that hear, eyes that see, a heart that pumps, lungs that inhale and exhale, etc.  So many things about my body just happen; I don't have to think about them.  But by them I am able to fully enjoy so many of the other things I am grateful for.  

10. My Eyes and Hair - These are kind of a stretch as they aren't really physical abilities, but rather attributes.  Either way, I am really grateful for gorgeous dark brown eyes and silky soft, yet surprisingly strong hair.  I would be very sad to lose either of these.

The Choice to Be Grateful

I love the December 2011 First Presidency Message on choosing gratitude.  It is so fitting for this time of year when people are all consumed with lists of things they want, often forgetting all the great blessings they already have (I know I'm often guilty of this).  President Henry B. Eyring begins the message by saying, "Our Father in Heaven commands us to be thankful in all things (see 1 Thessalonians 5:18), and He requires that we give thanks for the blessings we receive (see D&C 46:32). We know that all of His commandments are intended to make us happy, and we also know that to break commandments leads to misery...So to be happy and to avoid misery, we must have a grateful heart."

Well, that's easy then, right?  Just have a grateful heart, you'll be happy, avoid misery.  Life will be great!  Oh, well sometimes my brain thinks it should be that easy and then reality hits.  President Eyring continues, "We must ask in prayer that God, by the power of the Holy Ghost, will help us see our blessings clearly even in the midst of our trials. He can help us by the power of the Spirit to recognize and be grateful for blessings we take for granted." 

So all I have to do is ask Heavenly Father to help me recognize my blessings and I will have a grateful heart?!  Woohoo!  Again, not always that easy...but, I have found that developing gratitude is one of the easier character traits to develop, at least for me.  So, when I'm feeling grumpy, entitled, ungrateful, bitter, jealous, etc. etc. etc. here's what I do.  I grab a sheet of paper (any kind will do) and then I write down a whole bunch of blessings.  Anything I can think of.  Before I know it, I have usually filled a whole page or two and my mind and heart are instantly overflowing with gratitude for everything I have.

So when I saw the Gratitude Challenge for the Youth at the bottom of the First Presidency Message, I was super excited to participate.  I plan to do one of the 10 categories each day leading up to Christmas, then by Christmas day I will have a list of 100 things I am grateful for as my gift to Christ this year.  Feel free to join me!

Trunk or Treat 2011

Blogging Hiatus

It's been a while.  Meh.  Not because I haven't had anything to blog about or because we've just been so busy I haven't had a chance.  I just haven't wanted to.  And I'm stubborn, so when I don't want to do something, there is very little that will change my mind otherwise.  So, although for months I've had person after person nag, prod, poke, remind, etc. that I haven't updated my blog even once in 2011, I knew deep down I wouldn't be satisfied unless it was my own will pushing me to post something.  It's finally happened...I want to blog!  Tonight, at least! So, don't get your hopes up, but at least you have something to look at for the next little while in case I disappear from your updates for another nine months or so.  I'd promise a family update from 2011, but I'm not feeling that motivated today.  Maybe another day...maybe.

Primary Program 2011

This year was Miriam's first time participating in our church's annual Primary program.  I was really excited for her.  She loves to sing and loves to be the center of attention, so naturally I figured the Primary program would be the perfect place for her.  I was right that she would love singing in front of everyone, but boy was she crazy up there on the stand!  She was hopping around and going up and back from her seat to the front of the stage.

We've been working on her part for a couple of weeks and she knows it well, but she's a little stubborn and when she got up to the microphone she looked right at the Primary President with the "I need help" look so she didn't say it on her own for the actual program.  Oh well, at least she can recite her line to me all day long.  "I am thankful for Joseph Smith."  I caught a video of it this morning before we left for church.

I also tried to grab a picture of her since I had gone though the effort to fight the hair battle.  You know, the one where the child will do anything to avoid having their hair done (Heaven forbid Mom might comb the tangles --not to even mention the curling iron)?  Well after nearly 30 minutes of wiggles, I got it combed and curled and slipped a bow in to keep it out of her face and I wanted a picture to prove it!  Plus, I scored this adorable navy polka dot dress at a consignment sale and I think she's just precious in it.  Here's how the photos turned out:

Miriam is slightly stubborn.  These are seriously the best I could get!  And since Liesl is Miriam's tag-along, she wanted in on the action too.  After not even getting one child to cooperate, I knew my chances of a decent picture with both together was slim, so after just a few I got this one and called it good.

The picture may be lousy, but the girls sure are gorgeous and photogenic!  Oh, and that little Liesl girl...two weeks ago was her first official day of nursery (we've been taking her in for a month or so, so she could warm-up to the idea or being away from mom and dad -- and then of course we were called to be the nursery leaders).  Can't believe she's 18 months already!!