I'm thankful for laughter

Me:  Son, why don't you tell me the Christmas story?
Guy: Ok.  There were three guys with gold that came to baby Jesus.
Me: You're getting a bit ahead of yourself, but ok.  Do you know what we call those, "three guys?"
Guy: No, what?
Me: They're called the wisemen.
Guy: I thought the wisemen built their house on a rock?

Noteworthy.

Music.

Running a little late.

I may or may not have missed more than a few days.
Let's catch up.

1) I love Thanksgiving.  It might seem a bit silly to be grateful for Thanksgiving.... too bad, it's not your list.  I love Thanksgiving.  It's my favorite holiday.  Why? Family, food, potatoes, chiffon pumpkin pie, a day where you go around saying grateful things, more family, even more family, and more pie.  What a great day.

1.5) Even though I love a good deal, I am NOT thankful for Black Friday, and I am NOT grateful to see it creep in on Thanksgiving time.  People trampling others for the "deal of a lifetime" does not have to END someone's lifetime.  It's outrageous.  I probably made 12 more enemies.  Sorry to all you who love it... I don't.

2) I love traditions.  Today we ate pumpkin pie, played Manheim Steamroller, and set up the Christmas Tree.  Granted, I was a tad short on patience what with lights not working, King's two trips to Lowes, a messy house, toddlers running everywhere, outbursts of crying, and a one-year-old taking things OFF the tree faster than we could put things on... but still.  I love putting up the tree. Every time I turn on Manheim I feel like I'm nine, sitting on the carpet in my family's living room, filling my little body full of music and letting my imagination run wild.  Maybe I should try that as an adult, I bet my kids would love it.

3) I am grateful for organization and cleanliness.  I know those are choices and habits- but still.  We were trying to deep-clean (aka seriously dust) the living room today which led to me unloading half the book cases, sorting through books, re-arranging shelves etc.  It took the ENTIRE day what with the Christmas set-up, phone calls, visitors, nap-time, salesmen at the door etc, but now that it's done- it feels GREAT.  Even if the casual observer can't tell a difference, I can.  It helps to have control over one tiny detail in my surroundings.  I have been working on happy attitudes with toddlers for MONTHS with no avail, but one day with my bookshelves and they are in line!

4)  I am grateful for pumpkin chiffon pie- this is not the same as Thanksgiving.  It's just something I love. 

5) I am grateful for the internet and pictures.  I just checked facebook and blogs and feel like I just saw my sisters' homes and kids, even though it been months.  That, to me, is a miracle.  It doesn't feel the same as a real visit, a hug, and a pop-in-and-say-hello, but it is nice and somewhat comforting all the same.

Night.

Details

I'm having a hard time finding something original.  Every time I think of what I'm grateful for, the obvious come up- again and again: King, my kids, my family, great friends, my nice home, food, king, my kids, my family... you get the idea.
So lets be more specific. 

1) I'm grateful for Rembrant Canker Sore Toothpaste.  I'm allergic to the foaming agent in regular toothpastes (sodium llauryl sulfate) and after lots and lots of searching- I've found a toothpaste that a) yes, costs an arm and a leg yet 2) doesn't taste like baking soda and  3) is nice to my mouth!!  I grew up with constant, constant canker sores.  I'd almost always have one, if not two, three or even thirteen (seriously!).  I'd heard everything from, "brush more!" to, "they're cold sores," to,  "it's just you."  Thanks helpful people.  Turns out those weren't accurate assessments.  When my uncle was in dentistry school he saw my mouth complete with several canker sores and a giant one to boot- he took a picture and sent it to a professor who quickly suggested taking away normal toothpastes.  Genius.  I need to find out who that was and send him a note!!  The extra cost for toothpaste is definitely worth the mostly-pain-free mouth.  It turns out all that extra brushing all those years were just making it worse!  I still get cankers (especially when my children whack my head/mouth with their little heads when sitting on my lap!) but they are MUCH fewer and far between.  Hence, I'm grateful for different toothpaste.

2)  I am grateful for popcorn.  Salty, somewhat healthy (as in its not full of sugar), quick, and delicious.  I love you, yummy snack.

3) My cousins.  I have a TON of cousins.  On my mom's side alone there are... 47? Is that right? I might have missed some.  That does NOT include their spouses, their children, or my siblings.  If you count everyone from Grandma and Grandpa down there are over 100 of us!!  I grew up with built in friends, buddies, companions, shoulders to lean on etc.  I love, love, love my cousins! Last night I got to play games with a cousin and her husband and I LOVED it.  I'm not sure how I got to be so lucky!

Food

I love food.  Really.  Not a huge variety of it... but the stuff I like... I LOVE.  My favorites are all things Italian: pasta, noodles (uh.. pasta), LASAGNA (also a pasta), french bread, garlic bread, most Mexican food: tacos, taco salad, burritos, chimichangas, American food: steak, roast, potatoes, chicken, salads, breakfasts foods of ALL kinds, baked goods of all sorts: cookies, cinnamon rolls.  That was not a real sentence.  Far too many commas, colons and a run-on-list. Sorry.
Why am I listing food? I'm making myself hungry.
The point is, I have so much.  Besides voluntarily fasting, I have never been TRULY hungry- and I'm not even sure going 24 hours without food qualifies us as HUNGRY.  I'm grateful I have food in my fridge, my freezer and the pantry is stocked.  I'm grateful I don't have to worry where the next meal for my children will come from.  I'm grateful for healthy food that keeps us feeling great!  King and I recently ended a a month challenge: no sweets.  It about killed me.  Really.  But it made me more aware of how the food I eat affects how I feel.  I ate a bowl of ice-cream last night and thought it was terribly sweet!  I don't think that had ever happened to me before!  I can honestly say I feel better and (after two weeks) crave sugar less than I did a month ago.  I'm grateful my biggest addiction is to baked sweets and for the counsel of the Word of Wisdom.  I have a pretty sweet life.  No pun intended.

Saturdays

This is officially Guy's (and my) favorite day?  Why? 
Ask guy- he has the universal answer,
                   "Cause Daddy doesn't have to go to work!!"
We've had breakfast with grandparents, played a game together, picked up Bountiful Baskets, and we're headed to DI to find pants for a four-year old with holes in the knees!  It's going to be a great day.

Naps!

All Naps in all forms- particularly the long form:
Baby naps, toddler naps, my naps!  What could be more wonderful?
Nuf said.

Its the little things that count.

Did I mention I'm grateful for great friends?  The ones who come work out with you, who inspire you, who motivate you, who help you watch your kids.  The ones... wait, oh yeah.  I did already.

On to the next item.
Raman Noodles.
Go ahead. Laugh.
But my one-year-old, previously fantastic eater, has turned on the picky-eater gene.  Foods she previously loved she despises.  Delicious foods don't appeal.  Case in point: her cupcake for her birthday was eaten as follows: bite - spit. bite - spit. bite - spit.  I'm not sure she swallowed any of it.
Hence.  I love raman noodles. She loves them. Devours them. Does not throw them on the floor or spit them out or dump her bowl.  Not to mention its as cheap as dirt and I can throw eggs, peas, and corn and there sneakily.  Ha.  Got your vitamins anyhow.  Thank you inventor of Raman.

I am also terribly grateful for music.  Good music.
Guy has been listening to the scripture mastery scriptures put to music.  Genius idea to the "Sons of Ammon."  I've known for a while that my children respond well and learn quickly through music.  Since they're bound to learn lyrics,  they might as well be learning scriptures.  Its working!  Guy has surprised me by randomly singing scriptures I had no idea he knew.  Its a beautiful thing- and yes, I might be bragging and slightly biast.  Even better, Eddie girl is picking up tidbits.  I've been trying to play uplifting, good, upbeat, good music in the mornings to help us start the day off right.   All in all I love, love, love good music.

Dates

I love dates.  That might have something to do with who my date is...
Last night we dropped the kids off at Grandma and Grandpas and hit the town.  After re-finding our favorite scone shop (NOT scone-cutters) we went to see the BYU Young Ambassadors.  It was fabulous!  Good music. Dancing. Cabaret.  A funny date.  A chance to dress up (very, very slightly... we were still in jeans...).  It was wonderful.
Not only was it good music, but good entertainment always leaves me wanting to improve.  Be a better me.  A better wife.  A better mom.
Good timing.
My first test came at 2:30 am when the toddler threw up for the first time... and then again at 3:00.  Needless to say, we had a napping party (or at least I did) during church while she watched a movie. 

Snow

My better half.

I'm not sure what I'd do without my better half.  Be half as good- that's what.  I'm thankful for his smile.  His great sense of humor.  His kindness.  His hugs when I've had a hard day.  His great attitude.  His great dad skills.  His thoughtfulness.  His concern for others- ALL others.  Just him in general.  You'll never meet another quite so good at accepting and loving others, despite how much he knows about them and their shortcomings.  He sure makes my live a whole lot easier, a lot better, a lot more meaningful.
That's all.  I love him a lot.  Lot, lot.

Sentimental

I'm feeling quite sentimental. Today I'm thankful for touch.  You know, hugs, holding hands, holding kids on my lap while I read them a story.  Seeing old couples hold hands as they walk down the street.  Giving my honey a squeeze before he walks out the door to work.  It spells comfort and love to me. 
Today as I laid my baby down for her nap she wrapped her little arms around my neck and laid her head on my shoulder.  Uncharacteristically, she stayed there.  Normally she is so busy she just wants to go, go, go and see new things!  Today, she sat.  I loved every single second of it.  I held her for a few minutes, standing in her dark bedroom, thinking about how much I love and treasure my sweet girl and my great kids.  Sadly, I was the first to let go since the two-year-old downstairs was starting to call for me.  But I am still grateful for those sweet, tender moments. 

Fine Feathered Friends

Today was a lovely day spent in the companionship with a dear, old, friend.  Not old in age, nor particularly in terms of years known.  What is it now?  Eight years since we met?  I digress.  It was a lovely afternoon with a lovely person.  Which brings me to today's item of gratitude: friends! 

 (Note: pictures aren't exceptional, chronological, all inclusive nor in order of importance.  They just ARE.)

I have marvelous, stupendous, exceptional friends.  Some have helped me through the toughest, most frustrating situations of my life and continue to love and support me despite the gained insights into my state of sanity.  They are kind.  Loving.  Inspiring.  Joyful. Individuals with testimonies of truth be they members of the church or not.  I am grateful for the mentors and help they have been along my way.  I sure love. love. love. them. 

Books are great

I've been trying to read good books! I love them! I am so grateful for them.  Some are self-improvement books, others are the word of God.  Others are just a good story, and still others are based on truth.  I have always loved to read and will always, ALWAYS be grateful for a good book to read.

Current or Recent Reads: The Power of Positive Thinking, The New Testament, The Book of Mormon, A Joyful Mother of Children...

Thanks, thanks, thanks.

A tad behind:
I'm grateful for strollers.  Silly, I know.  But I love having ours to take kids walks in rather than holding the baby and trying to keep Eddie out of the road.  Thank you stroller inventor: specifically the sit-n-stand inventor.  You make my days easier.
I'm thankful for King. Obviously.  He lets me take naps after church when I just. can't. stay. awake.  Subbing for nursery will do that to you!!  He also helps immensely when I'm in a bad mood.  Its hard to stay mad when the nearest intelligent source is cracking dry jokes and smiling at you. Bless you, dear husband.  He inspires (and motivates) me to do better, to reach farther, to push myself.  I am no good at that.  Give me an organizing task or a to-do list: fine.  But ask me to push myself, to exercize, to do something (ahem: no sweets) hard?  I need King at my side first.
I'm also very, very glad we get to vote.  I may not like the tone of the campains, I may not like who is elected, but at least I got to vote!! 
Just one more:
I'm very, very grateful for popcorn.  Going without sweets is made bearable by this salty little kernal of joy. 

Gratitude Day 1

November: the time I remind myself- REALLY remind myself- to be grateful.
Thank goodness the first day is easy.

 My baby turned one.  

I'm not quite sure how that happened.  Last Halloween I was walking around, sticking out a mile, and wanting this baby HERE!  Today she is B.U.S.Y.  She's our earliest walker, our happiest (post-colic) baby, our most social, our largest, and I'm thinking our most active.

 I love that her siblings dote on her and spent so much time and energy making her happy.  She spends a lot of time every day pushing the kitchen chairs around the dining room- using them like walkers, though she doesn't need them.

 We love her smiles, her funny/quirky expressions, and her joy when Daddy comes home.

We sure love you Millaker!! We are SO very, very grateful to have you in our family.  Happy Birthday little one!