Gratitude Challenge - Day 5

10 Things About Nature You are Grateful for:

1. Sunsets - Idaho has some of the most beautiful sunsets ever.  Seriously.  I've been told the latitude has something to do with it.  Also, it's always windy there, so the debris always floating throughout the atmosphere makes more vibrant colors.  I'm sure it doesn't hurt that it's wide open there too so you can actually see the sky.  Oh, I miss my Idaho sunsets.

2. Seasons - I love autumn and usually tell people it's my favorite, and it is.  But when spring comes around I love it too.  And although I don't say I love winter or summer, there really is a lot to love about both.  They both hold my favorite holidays (Independence Day and Christmas), so I'm sure that helps.  Really though, I just love that it changes and that the earth renews itself.  There is something to love from every season of the earth.

3. Mountains - I love me some big Rocky Mountains.  I grew up in the Snake River Plain where you are nearly surrounded on all sides by the Rockies.  They aren't super close but an hour drive gets you so near the Tetons you feel like you could throw a rock and hit them.  You can't really; they are still VERY far away, but it is such a fun illusion that I always want to try anyway.

(Source)

4. Clouds - Do you remember lying on your back in the grass or on the trampoline watching the cloud float by and arguing with your friends about which was what shape?  Maybe that was just my childhood, but we definitely had a unique neighborhood.  I loved looking for cloud shapes then and I still love it now when I stop long enough to look.

5. Trees - Even before I met Owen, I always had a thing for the east coast.  I loved looking at pictures or watching movies set back east because there were so many trees!  It was almost magical how many there were.  I still love all the trees and I am grateful for their beauty throughout the seasons.

6. Flowers - Oh, I love flowers.  My mom has a pretty good green thumb and growing up we had tulips and roses in our yard.  I loved the roses.  When my parents built their new house my mom left the higher maintenance type roses out of her yard plans but she now has daffodils, irises, dahlias, poppies, daisies and all sorts of other wild flowers along with the tulips.  She plants lots of annuals every year too and I love all the color and variety.  My oldest, sister, has caught my parent's gardening bug and her yard is so fun to walk through now too.  She has mums and primoses and probably 15+ more that I can't think of or remember the names to, and she knows each of their names and sunlight requirements and she just keeps a beautiful flower garden.

cherry blossoms in my mom's yard.

7. Rain - I love rain.  I don't love driving in it; that scares the daylights out of me.  But I love the pitter-patter, I love the smell, I love the colors and sights it brings and I even love the storms (when they aren't interrupting my sleep - I have no idea how Owen can sleep through the crazy loud thunder).  Best of all about rain...puddle jumping.  My friends and I used to go to a part of our neighborhood that would flood every time it rained and go wade through the nasty water and jump and splash.  Now, with little ones of my own, I love watching them gravitate to every little spot of standing water just to jump into it.  Not to mention, where else would we get rainbows?

8. Gardens - I've already mentioned that my mom and sister have some mad gardening skills, but it doesn't just stop at flowers.  They both grow amazing vegetable (and some fruits) gardens every summer.  My dad and my brother-in-law, Kelly, both get involved with this endeavor too.  It really is a family project and we all enjoy the fruits of our their labors, namely tomatoes, green beans, zucchini, cucumbers, corn, carrots, onions, bell peppers, radishes, peas.  Oh yum, is it garden season yet?  I could really go for a good garden-grown tomato.

9. Snow - Yes, you read that right.  I am grateful for snow.  I probably wouldn't be so grateful for this if I were still in Idaho right now, but I'm not so I'm slightly missing the snow and the probability of a white Christmas.  Snow really can be fun though.  I learned to ski when I was 14 and I loved it.  I haven't been at all since Owen and I got married because it is ex.pen.sive. but hopefully one day I will get out in the powder again and maybe even teach Owen!  Plus, sledding and snow angels and snow ball fight and forts.  I remember doing all of those every winter as a child.  So, although I'm sure I would curse it if I was in it now, I am grateful for it and slightly wish I could see a flake or two.

Miriam making snow angels at Grandma's - January 2011

Liesl all bundled up and plopped in the snow - January 2011

10. Wind - Again, I know it sounds crazy, but I've come to appreciate wind a little more now that I'm not bombarded with it daily.  Wind really can be refreshing though and it certainly is to our earth.  It is a necessary part of nature and I am grateful for it.

Gratitude Challenge - Day 4

10 deceased people you are grateful for:

This one might be a little harder for me today.  I haven't had a lot of people close to me pass away yet and that's something I'm very grateful for.  And I don't have many words to write about the people who are deceased that I am grateful for.  We will see how it goes...

1. Joseph Smith - He translated the Book of Mormon and brought about the restoration of Christ's true church.  I am grateful for the many sacrifices he made to make The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day-Saints possible.

2. Gordon B. Hinckley - He was the Prophet of my youth and I always loved him dearly.  I loved his push for more temples throughout the world.  I loved his Book of Mormon challenge.  I loved his optimistic outlook on everything in life (his wife's too).  He was just a great man and I am grateful he was the prophet for so long and during such an influential time of my life.

3. Grandma Rose - My grandma rose just recently passed away actually and I wouldn't say we were very close, but I am grateful for her raising my amazing mom.  I'm sure she taught my mom many of the skills she knows and I am very grateful for that because my mom has taught me a lot of her trick too!  Oh, and she's Italian and used to make a killer lasagna.  Mine never even come close.

4. Owen's Mammaw - Owen's grandma was one of the first converts to the church in this area of the south.  She is considered a pioneer for the church around here.  Because of her, Owen's dad stayed active and raised Owen in the church also.  It is easy to underestimate the choices we each make, but this shows how much of a legacy for good or bad we create by our choices.

5. Grandpa Norman - I didn't know my Grandpa Norman very well.  He passed away when I was 8 and he was sick most of the other times my family visited.  I am grateful he raised my dad though.  My dad is a great man and I'm sure he picked up some of this from my grandpa.

6. Grandpa Leo - I loved my Grandpa Leo a lot.  I may have been a spoiled little girl to him, but boy, did he let me get away with it!  I'm grateful he put up with me so I can now have many good memories of my grandpa.

7. Johannes Gutenberg - He invented the printing press and because of that many religious texts (including the Bible) were available to more people.  Little catalysts like this were vital pieces to the full restoration of the gospel.

8. Martin Luther - My sister did a project in school about Martin Luther and I remember learning a thing or two about him then.  He is most well known for being the German priest who posted the Ninety-Five Theses on the door of the Catholic church.  This sparked the Reformation.  Many churches came about after this time and the commotion between them all during the 1800s influenced Joseph Smith's desire to find which church was God's true church.

9. Lucille Ball - This one might seem silly, but I first discovered 'I Love Lucy' when I was 12 or 13 and fell in love.  I knew when each episode aired and rarely missed any of the repeat episodes that were played on TV for months and months until I started seeing them over again...and even then I still watched some of them again.  So, I had a lame teenage existence.  Oh well.  I thought she was hilarious and I probably still would if I went back and watched them again.

10. Founding Fathers - I am so grateful to live in the United States of America.  We may have our problems and have definitely come a long way from the world the Founding Fathers lived in (some good things, some not so good at all) but this is still the greatest nation out there.  I am blessed to be a born and raised American.

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