30 Days of Thanksgiving Day 30

Last day!
Hmmm, what have I missed besides just about everything?
I am grateful for:

• my children. They make me smile when they're not making me pull my hair out.
• my mom and dad. I love them. period.
• my husband. (but I said that already).
• friends
• my home. I miss my house, but I'm grateful to have a place to live. And I'm getting used to the new place, slowly.
• my job. most of the time.
• the sun
• the moon
• the stars
• flowers
• trees
• bees
• my microwave
• blankets
• my wii fit
• netflix
• my cell phone. sometimes.
• pictures
• electricity
• furniture
• art
• whipped cream
• cocoa
• pumpkin pie
• do I really need to say In n Out?
• Pepsi
• purses
• shoes
• boots (I don't have any, but I want some!)
• candy bars
• candy canes (even though I'm trying not to eat any this season).
• candles
• kids shows
• sight
• all my senses
• music
• heating and central air
• my washer and dryer
• a nice warm garage to park my car inside of. Keeps it nice and warm on those frosty mornings.
• clean running water
• oh so much more.

I think I'm gonna' take a week off of blogging now. Well, I'll actually be posting on this site.
I'm trying to get back on track with my weight loss/maintenance efforts. I need to lose about 25 more pounds. I think, I'm hoping to at least maintain through the holidays, and then after the first of the year, those last 25 are history!!

30 Days of Thanksgiving Day 29

I can't believe it's almost December.
If I say that enough, do you think I'll start to believe it?

Ok, really quick. It's late and I'm exhausted. You'd think I'd learn to post during the morning when I'm home instead of waiting til I get home from work at almost midnight.

I'm grateful for sensory memories? Is that the right expression?

I was at work tonight, and some guy pulled out the Purell, to disinfect his hands with.

Ah, the scent of Purel Antibacterial handwash.
I was transported back twelve years to when Ashley was a newborn. I will always associate that smell with Ashley as an infant (we kept it on hand so people wouldn't spread their germs on our new little bundle o' joy.
When I smelled it this evening, I got all choked up.
I'm so happy that there are things like that in this world. Those scents that you associate with some special time in your life. When you smell them, you're taken back. I love it.

30 Days of Thanksgiving Day 28

I am grateful for RETAIL THERAPY.

 I love it!

Did you get up early on Friday morning to go shopping?

I didn't. I went shopping, but I didn't get up early for it. I'm not THAT crazy.

I got a few of the things I was looking for.

Every time we go shopping, I usually find something I love to take a picture of.

This is at Target. I love the vintage toy line they have. Do you remember this little classic? I do. Don't remember if it was mine or a cousin's, but I want one.

 My boys love Iron Man. Every time we go through the toy aisle, they have to don the masks. (shhhh they're each getting one for Christmas!)

 At the grocery store the other day, I had to take a picture of the bins of nuts. It reminds me of my dad. We always had these on hand during the holidays when I was growing up.

Oh my gosh! Smurf toys! Can you believe it? I suppose they'll be re-doing the cartoon series soon. There's supposed to be a movie coming out.

OK, so I've been trying to locate a new Christmas tree for our apartment. We got rid of our ginormous pre-lit tree when we moved. It was just way too big for the apartment.

We saw one at Walmart that we loved. It was a six foot, with little pine cones on it and it was just lovely and really looked nicer than the artificial trees of years past. It was $128, but I was hoping it would go on sale. Sadly it didn't. So I was just going to buy it anyway. It was out of stock. I went to another Wally World, and they didn't even carry it.

So, my sweet husband decided to see if he could locate it for me. No such luck.

On a whim, he decided to stop at Target to see what they had.

He found a 7 1/2 foot pre-lit slim Virginia pine. It's gorgeous. Normally retails for $150, but it was on sale for $100!

It's even got the little pine cones too.

I am thrilled.

So today, after church we put it up and decorated it.

I think it's beautiful.

30 Days of Thanksgiving Day 27

I am grateful for the fact that November is almost over and then I will be taking a bloggy break probably.
I think I'm having a serious gratitude problem. I have, like a gratitude block. I'm grateful for many things, I just can't seem to think of them right now.

I'm grateful for my sweet daughter Ashley, who just resolved a "pillow situation" amongst my boys. Such a sweetie. Thanks Ashley!

30 Days of Thanksgiving Day 26

I'm grateful for coats and hats and scarves and gloves!!
It's c-c-c-c-cooooollllllddddd outside!
Like, fifteen degrees cooler than normal for this time of year. Freezing temps in Vegas!
I think it's going to be a cold winter!

30 Days of Thanksgiving Day 25

I am so grateful for family and friends.

Those both far and near.

For their warmth and companionship and love.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I hope you have a beautiful and blessed day.

30 Days of Thanksgiving Day 24

I'm thankful for the fact that I get to write the schedule at work, and that enough of my awesome employees volunteered to work tomorrow, so I can have Thanksgiving off and enjoy it with my loved ones.

30 Days of Thanksgiving Day 23

I am grateful for my dishwasher!!
I'll be baking a bunch of pies tomorrow in preparation for Thursday.
And boy, am I glad I don't have to wash all those dishes by hand!
Hallelujah for modern amenities!!

30 Days of Thanksgiving Day 22

I am SO grateful for this stuffed nose

 of mine that I've had now for about a month.

Why?

...

......

enough said?

and yeah, they're 3--not potty trained yet.

ugh.

Jason is halfway there.

Justin is not even interested.

30 Days of Thanksgiving Day 21

I am grateful for answered prayers.
Even when you're being too silly or stubborn to pray.
How do I know my Father loves me?

It's those times when I've been so angry or hurt that I just can't bring myself to pray, and He gives me an answer anyway.
Just a fer instance.
Several years ago, after Jon was baptized our sweet bishp at the time offered him a calling. Jon accepted it  but felt inadequate; as a result he stopped right there in his progression in the gospel. It wasn't the bishops fault and it wasn't Jon's fault (if anything, I blame myself. The bishop had asked me what kind of calling I thought Jon would be comfortable with. I should have told him he'd be most comfortable without a calling at that time). Regardless, I was very disappointed. Very sad.
We were getting ready for church one morning shortly after this event, and I was just in a bad place that day. I wouldn't pray. But the Lord knows the desires of our hearts, he knows exactly what we need.
It was Fast Sunday and the Bishop was conducting that morning. So he got to bare his testimony. What he shared with the congregation was Jon's testimony when he had interviewed with the bishop prior to being baptized. It was exactly what I needed to hear that morning.
I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who knows our needs, who guides others to help us out in those times when we need it most, and for a bishop who was truly in tune with the Spirit.

30 Days of Thanksgiving Day 20

Harry Potter--freaking awesome!!!
I can't wait til next year.
sigh.

How can it be the twentieth of November already? Did this month not just start like, two minutes ago?

I am so thankful for buttered and salted popcorn.
Love it.
It's the little things ya' know?

30 days of Thanksgiving Day 19

I am so grateful for the days I don't forget to switch my wallet from the diaper bag to my purse before leaving for work; as opposed to days like today when I do forget it and don't take anything to eat-so I went without supper. I am also so very grateful for midnight snacks!!!
(or midnight MEALS, but you know--whatever).

30 days of Thanksgiving Day 18

Today I am grateful that hardly anybody apparently read yesterdays blog post.
Because, I wrote something embarrassing there, and now I'm going to go remove that little tidbit.
Just too much information ya' know?

30 days of Thanksgiving Day 17

I love dreaming.

Do you ever have those dreams that you hate to wake up from? You want to see them play all the way out. The funny thing is that they never really play out properly. They just keep jumping from one thing to another, and somehow it all makes sense in the dream. When you wake up and you're explaining it to someone, you're like "well I was walking down the street naked and all of a sudden the sidewalk turned into a car and...." Then all of a sudden you realize how strange it was.
I have a lot of dreams where I'm losing control of a vehicle. Wonder what that's about? I also have a lot where I'm in the buff. I like those the least.
(post edit: Here is where the part I deleted was......)
I dreamt I went hiking once, and seriously, I woke up exhausted!

I'm grateful for dreams.
I just get so much enjoyment out of them (most of the time anyway).

I've had some dreams that are very precious to me. I don't want to say they were visions, but sometimes I wonder. I also wonder sometimes if they're dreams or memories?

What do you dream about?

30 days of Thanksgiving Day 16

Gonna make it quick, cause it's almost the end of the day.
The water heater in our apartment has been acting up lately.
I don't know if it's because of the change in temperature, and it's just harder for the thing to heat up water or what.
I had to take a lukewarm shower the other day.
HATED IT!!!!
Today the water was back to normal. Yay!

I am grateful for lo-o-o-ong hot showers
the hotter, the better!

30 days of Thanksgiving Day 15

I am SO looking forward to this...


google images

I just don't know how I'm going to wait til next year for the second installment. Patience and I have a tenuous relationship at best.

I am grateful for the sweet getaway of the Cinema

and extra butter on my popcorn.

Some of my favorites over the years:

• It's a Wonderful Life
• The Sound of Music
• X Men (all of them)
• Star Wars (all of them)
• Indian Jones (all of them but mostly Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Temple of Doom)
• The Lord of the Rings (all of them)
• Willow
• Some Kind of Wonderful
• Pretty in Pink
• Sixteen Candles
• um, anything with Hugh Jackman in it pretty much.
• Top Gun
• Ferris Buellers Day Off
• Ghostbusters
• The Last Starfighter
• Starman
• Twilight (all of them)
• Star Trek 4 and any of the Next Generation movies
• Actually, any of the Star Trek movies.
• Disneys Beauty and the Beast
• The Little Mermaid
• Cinderella
• ok, pretty much anything by Disney

and many, many more...

So, what's your favorite flick?

30 days of Thanksgiving Day 14

Whew! Almost forgot to post today.

We just finished watching Toy Story 3.
Didn't get to see it in the theater.

I was a blubbering mess at the end! Have you seen it? Who would have thought a bunch of toys could make me break down and weep?
It was so bittersweet.

I'm thankful for the magic of childhood.

I wish I could go back to mine.
I wish I could go back to Ashley's, she's still a child, but she's on the cusp of adulthood. I don't like that.
I'm glad I still have a couple of little one's who are knee deep in childhood. I need to remember to stop and enjoy it, especially now as we're heading into the best time of the year for the kidlets.

Enjoy the magic!

30 days of Thanksgiving Day 13

I love Saturday mornings. I usually get to sleep in. Jon's so good to let me sleep in even though he never really gets to.
This morning he got up and ran to the store for a few things, came home and made fried potatoes and onions with melted cheese on top and right now he's in the kitchen baking cookies. What a guy!

I love my hubby.

I am grateful for my man.

30 days of Thanksgiving Day 12

Did you know that banging your head against a wall expends 150 calories per hour?
Good to know.
If the following story is true, I might just resort to banging my head against a wall.


According to KGO-TV in San Francisco:
"There's a shortage building for the past six years. The main reason - farmers in West Africa have little incentive to plant cocoa trees. They take three years to mature and growers earn less than a $1 a day selling to big corporations.
One expert says in 20 years, the average joe won't be able to afford chocolate unless new research into growing higher-yielding trees prove fruitful. "

~~~~~~Ok people!!! This is what I call a crisis!!!!

To heck with food storage, I'm stocking up on chocolate! Wonder what the shelf life is.

Ladies, can you imagine life without chocolate?
I can.not!!!!!

I am SO grateful for chocolate. I think I'll have a piece each day for the rest of the month to prove it!

30 days of Thanksgiving Day 11

peace and quiet

30 days of Thanksgiving Day 10

Today I want to express my gratitude for....
 my mother-in-law, Patty.
As I kind of alluded to the other day, she's staying with us right now until she can get on her feet.
She's a sweetheart, she really is. Super helpful.
In all honesty, sometimes she drives me crazy. But you know that that's going to happen at some point right? She's a neat-nick type of person and I am SO not. Needless to say, my house is currently cleaner than ever.
The only reason it gets on my nerves occasionally is because sometimes it feels like we can't just make a mess and deal with it when we get around to it. Feels like I'm walking on eggshells in my own house. Ugh. This on top of walking on eggshells already just because of the neighbors downstairs--don't want to be too noisy too early in the morning. Insert two raucous little monkeys here, and you'll understand why I think I'm getting an ulcer.
Despite it all, I do love her and appreciate her. Jon yelled at her the other day after she complained that the bathroom was messy. I felt bad that he had yelled at his mom.
So I just really want her to know how much we do love and appreciate all that she does, and we know it's just her way and nothing personal is intended by it.
I've got to say there are several things I really admire about her habits. One is that she just does things. For instance, I'll look at the kitchen floor and think, "oh, I need to sweep and mop.", and that's the end of it. Patty? She'll see that it needs to be done and just do it, instead of procrastinating about it. I really admire that. She's being a good example for me. Now, if there are dirty dishes on the counter, I'm more apt to either load them quickly into the dishwasher or just wash 'em up real quick.
My mom taught me all this stuff, by the way, I've just gotten pretty lax over the years in my cleaning habits and allowed the kids to be my excuse.
Also, she's helping me to see where I need to delegate to my kids more. I've always known this, but I just don't have the patience for it. Maybe cause she's a grandma, she's got the patience, I don't know-but my kids are doing more chores these days, and that's a good thing!
SUPER BONUS::::she's taking all the kids to the zoo tomorrow. Oh. my. gosh!! I could jump for joy! Thanks mom!!! I am SOSOSOSOSOSO looking forward to a morning without any little monkeys to herd around!!! Can anyone say retail therapy? Or maybe a hot soak in the tub with a nice trashy novel? 
Or maybe I'll watch Pride and Prejudice again with a BIG tub of super buttery popcorn.
One thing I'm not going to do? Clean a thing!!! (sorry Patty!)

30 days of Thanksgiving Day 9

Today, I'm so grateful for nature.

 The sunrise yesterday. It was just gorgeous, and the second best thing about having to wake up so gosh-awful early! (The first was being able to spend a few precious minutes with my gorgeous daughter, before getting her out the door to school.)

The view out our patio window. I love hummingbirds. So cool to actually be able to capture one on film!

30 days of Thanksgiving Day 8

Gonna' post about food today.
I love food!
Here's some pics of what we've been cooking up lately...

mmmmmm, fried eggplant!!

(before you ask, the coffee pot is for my mother-in-law, she's staying with us currently. It is a good way to heat water for cocoa though!).

 of course, the pictures are out of sequence-sorry.

 Above is what I like to call tostada crisps.

Just fry up some corn tortillas and then sprinkle them with a bit of salt and some parmesan cheese. Of course they're great for tostada's with all the usual trimmings, but they taste great all by themselves too.

 Here's the fried eggplant. Yummmy!

 Fall calls for beef stew. Love it!

 I just thought this was purty! It's celery.

It would be cool to do some paint stamping with this.

 Bountiful Baskets. Have you checked it out? All this for like, $15.   Pretty cool!

I am grateful for food!!!

30 days of Thanksgiving Day 7

There are some truly amazing people out there. You all know this.
There's a lovely clip over on LDS.org about one of them--Brandon Jackson. Just a young man, still a teenager, making a difference in the world.
Sharing the Light of Christ

Here's another one.

I went to middle school with that one! Yup, I even had a crush on him. Gotta' admit I'm pretty proud of him and what he's done with his life.

The awesome thing about these two people is that they aren't afraid to make the change. They realized that
just because they are only one, it doesn't mean they can't make a difference. I think that's awesome!

I'm grateful for people like this. People who inspire others to do a little better.

30 days of Thanksgiving Day 6

I am so grateful

 for my membership in

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

30 days of Thanksgiving Day 5

Who thought I'd be digging deep already? I mean I guess I could take the easy road and list all those things I say rotely all the time. I'm thankful for my family, and my job and food and shelter and yadda yadda yadda.
I AM thankful for those things. But I want to try to think of things that I don't normally throw out there.
So hmmmm, ...
Did you hear that talk this past Conference on gratitude by President Monson? It was awesome.
I love President Monson. I loved President Hinckley. I was kind of (and by kind of I mean totally off in my own little strange parallel universe) inactive during President Hunter's time as our prophet. I'm sure I would have loved him too. I loved President Benson, and President Kimball.  The rest were a little before my time, but I have a feeling I would have loved them all as well.
I sometimes think of what it might have been like to actually know Joseph Smith. To be addressed by him as "Sister Mikki", that would have been awesome.

So, now that I've rambled down tangent road a bit---I'm thankful for ice cream cones. Yeah, especially those waffle cones with the little bit of chocolate down at the bottom, and loaded with starlight mint ice cream.
Ok, not really.
(well, I AM grateful for ice cream cones, but...not today)

I'm grateful for our prophet. I'm grateful for the revelation he receives, for his dedication and devotion. For his sweet, warmth of spirit, that twinkle in his eyes. He's just freakin' awesome!!!

Have you seen this on Facebook?
What a great idea! Is there any better thing to do on Facebook tomorrow? I'll be sharing my testimony, will you?

30 days of Thanksgiving Day 4

Ready for some creepiness???

 This girl has a creative streak!! She did her own hair and makeup. Pretty creepy! Zombie Schoolgirl.

 Construction Worker. We created her costume from odds and ends

Not much creativity here. Found their cute firefighter costumes at Kmart, then found a cute little fireman accessory kit at Dollar Tree. Jason loves black right now, and Justin loves red. And of course, what little boy doesn't like firemen? Perfect!!

Caught my theme yet?
I'm so grateful for CREATIVITY.
Where would we be without it?  I mean really, without the CREATION where would we be?

What a divine characteristic.
I love being able to create something out of bits and pieces, odds and ends, strips of fabric.
I love being inspired by other creative people.


For example, aren't these pretty?

 I used to go to church with Angela, she creates these. Check out her Etsy shop here.  One of these days, I'm actually going to purchase something from her shop. I think Ashley would adore anything from her shop.
Great Christmas idea!!

DeNae inspired me yesterday without even knowing it. After reading this post, I decided to sign up for nanowrimo.  I think I must be crazy. Like I have the time to dedicate to such a thing. But, it spoke to me.

I've always loved making up stories. They're silly and I'd really be embarrassed to share them with anybody, but I'm going to try it anyway. Wish me luck.