Thanksgiving

We spent this Thanksgiving with Zach's brother and his family.  Nick and Rochelle cooked up a huge feast for us and it was very yummy! It was a nice evening and I missed seeing my family but it was nice not having to jump from location to location. 

During the past few weeks surrounding Thanksgiving I have been trying to teach my kids how to express gratitude. I would ask them what they were grateful for and they would respond with something I would expect 6 and 5 year old to say.  What is hard is trying to help them understand that it is not just the big things we need to be thankful for.  This is defiantly going to have to be a work in progress and not one that we approach once a year, but every day.

I realize I must be the example and show much more gratitude in my everyday attitude, I know I spend way too much time stressing about silly stuff when I should just be thankful for all that I have which is so much!

I am thankful for my husband.  Good times, bad times, I know he loves me no matter what and that is all that matters.

I am thankful for my children.  They make me a better person each and every day.  I love learning from them and I love teaching them and I only wish I could be on my A game for them everyday!

I am thankful for my family.  Did I ever get lucky to have such supportive people to call my family.  I am truly blessed for all they do.

I am thankful for my friends.  I have amazing friends.  Such strong, amazing moms who set such good examples for me everyday!

I am thankful for school.  Not only do I love seeing my children learning I am also so grateful for the opportunity to go back to school myself.

Things are not always easy but by taking a minute to jot this stuff down, I realize just how lucky I am!

Proud

My Mom has spent her entire life taking care of people.  She is a giver and would give you the shirt off her back if you needed it.  A few years ago she decided that she was going back to school.  Mind you she still had a full time job, was a full time Mom to my sister Samantha and still managed to fulfill all her Grandma duties of spoiling the Grandbabies.  I am so amazed by her determination to finish and so proud that as of Monday she is officially an RN at UMC in the Labor and Delivery Department.  I foresee many good things in the future for my Mom and she has been and still is who I look up to everyday!

In May my Aunt Susan threw my mom a huge party for her graduation and my sister's and I put together a pretty cool desert table for the occasion. 

My Mom got exactly the job she wanted...it was worth the wait!!!

Halloween Festivities

My four girls all dressed up in their costumes for the school trunk or treat. They were really excited to finally get to dress up, and of course get their first candy of the Halloween season.

Natalie was so stinking cute in her fairy costume. She was twirling around in circles, it was adorable!

Next was Trunk or Treat for our ward. I love seeing all the costumes that the kids are in, there are some seriously creative and talented women in the ward and they always impress with their costumes. It was a fun night except when Maile got lost. That was just scary, good thing for the awesome Missionaries who found her and brought her to us. She went to the car when she couldn't find us. Smart girl. Hopefully I will get some pictures of actual Halloween soon, I was in such a rush I forgot my camera, so now I just have to wait to get some from my mom and sister. To be continued....