The Last Day!

This has actually been a pretty fun month for me and my bloggyness. (yes, i'm totally making up words. I can do that.)

I wasn't sure if I would actually be able to keep up and write a post each day about something for which I am thankful. It really wasn't a hard thing to do and it helped me to realize all that I do have and all that I should be thanking Heavenly Father for each day. OK, maybe I shouldn't be thanking Him for Reese's cups each day, but you catch my drift.

I have days where I am having the biggest pity party for myself in the history of all pity parties! It's true! And, I've come to realize what a dolt I am for that. Not that I  think we're not allowed to have down days, but I'm realizing that I should have far fewer of them.

This past year has been a year full of change. A year full of firsts for me, some  firsts that I never wanted to face. But, I'm thankful for them. I'm thankful for the changes within myself. I'm thankful for our growing family. My kids bring me much joy. They also bring me much frustration and grief, but I know life without them wouldn't, couldn't be the same. Totally in a good way. :)
This month has helped me to see more of the positive...in just about everything. I didn't think I was such a "glass half empty" kind of gal, but I think I got into a funk and stewed in it.

I have much for which I am thankful. And I am, indeed, Thankful.

Day 29....

Kindness.
so much kindness has been shown to us. Sometimes by people we know, and sometimes by people we don't.

I am so grateful that it has shown my kids that there are, indeed, kind and loving people in this world who do care about them...even if they don't know them directly.
They have lived lives up until they came to us, that all too often showed the darker side of humanity. They were exposed to things that I wish they hadn't, so much I wish for that. I hope and pray that it will help them as they grow to show kindness to others, to not assume the worst in all people, to have faith, to love, and to care. I wish so much for our children, but showing kindness to others is tops on my list.
  Even if the scumbag  individual doesn't deserve it.
Especially If.

Heatuhs

So thankful for warm homes, warm cars, and most especially warm beds!
I'm thankful to have a heater that works faithfully and has never left us frozen as little ice cubelets.

Medz, I needs 'em

I'm thankful for modern medicines. If I didn't have them, I would be one sneezey, red-eyed, coughing, heart-burn having girl. No fun!
Seriously, modern medicine  is helping Cary and I in many ways.
I'll report more later.
Over and out.

:)

A child's eyes

Yoalli gave this to me tonight at bedtime.

"My Testimony
    I believe in Jesus and Heavenly father. I know that they live. I know that Thomas s. monson is our prophet, and I trust in the bible as long as it translated the right way. I believe in this church and know if I choose the right I can live with Heavenly Father again. I love my family and friends, and I'd like to bury(sic) my testimony in saying that I know my Savior lives and that as long as I stay faithfully strong, repent, partake of the sacrament, and follow my important steps, like baptism, sealing and all sorts of steps I can return to my Savior and Heavenly Father and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

"I love you Mom!  Love, Yoalli"

I am indeed thankful for this.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This whole month has been about what I'm thankful for, so in keeping with that I may repeat myself today.

I'm supremely thankful for my amazing husband and stink kidlets. I'm thankful that we are able to have a lovely dinner and eats lots of yummy food with our whanau.

I hope you all were able to do the same!

Gobble Gobble Mr. Turkey! :)

Turn the page of change....

I probably won't ever say these words again, but I am thankful for change. It helps me to grow, learn, and realize things can even sometimes get better because of change.

Change is difficult for me. Very. Difficult.
But I realize I need to try to embrace it more.

play time!

I'm thankful for the time that Bug and I get to spend each day before she goes to school.
Most mornings are fantastic and we play games, read, write, and get a few chores out of the way.
My most favorite times are when we have dance parties downstairs. She likes to "shake her boomboom" and it never fails to crack me.right.up.
:)

Aye Ya Ya

I'm having a rough time with this post today for some reason. Maybe it's the sleep deprivation. Maybe it's the fact that I keep getting distracted by the words "Blizzard" "Huge Snow Storms on their way!!!" on the TV in the background.

I'm thankful for my extended whanau. Cary's parents have been so kind and loving to me since the day I met them.
Here I was, this weird Southern girl who had no idea what being "Mormon" was really all about, married to their son, and standing in the living room. So scary.
I remember as we were on our way to Utah, I think we were in New Mexico, and I decided that I wanted to go back home to Arkansas. I didn't want to live in a place where I knew *no one*! Cary, not so kindly I might add, told me I was out of luck! Punk. I was extremely nervous. I didn't know what to expect, and I hate that.
I remember pulling up to Tam's (cary's sister) house. She came bouncing out of the door and gave me a big hug. Justin followed and was just as kind. We came inside and I saw my beautiful niece in a cute little lump on the floor. Love that girl! After a quick visit, it was time to meet Mum. Oh crap! We went over and she was lovely. It was as scary as I though it was going to be, however. :)
We had a reception that evening and I was able to meet everyone. All in all it turned out extremely well. I love the parents and am glad to say our bond has grown strong. I know what it's like now to have brothers and sisters and I love them dearly.
They've stood by our sides during the happiest and saddest times of our lives thus far and have made us stronger because of it.

Good Friends

I'm thankful for good friends and the influences they are on my kids.
We are supremely blessed to be surrounded by the most wonderful, most humble, most sincere, and dearest friends where we live. I'm thankful for our friends and their children. I'm thankful for the good influence they all are on me, Cary, and our children.
We are blessed, indeed.

Mommy Dates!

Tonight I was able to go on a date with my Gabbers.
Each week Cary and I  take one of our kids on a special date; it being just Mom and ______ or
Dad and _______.
Since we have five kidlets, it's important to us to make sure that each of them get special one-on-one time and that they have a time to feel like they are the most important child in the world.
Our older kids, especially, were not able to be spoiled or have that special time with their birth parents. None of our kids, however,  had birth fathers that were active in their roles as such. It makes us sad that they weren't able to have these experiences since their birth, but we're grateful that we get to share these experiences with them now.
They need this special time with us.
We need it with them, too.
I love the quiet time that I get to share with my child. Each time we go I am able to learn something about them that I did not know before we went on the date.
Today I'm so very grateful for my Mommy Dates with my Tonathiu, Cuauhtli, Yoalli, Gabby, and Bug.

Toooo sweets.

This post is neither insightful or reminiscent.

I'm thankful for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I just ate two of those peanut buttery and chocolate discs of goodness.
nom.nom.

Bedtime Loves

Ooh, Bedtime, you are my most favorite time of the day. Events of the day have finally settled down and all of my dear whanau are nuzzled around me. I love the quiet stillness of the house that comes when all of my stinkies have meandered to their beds. Most especially I love all the cuddles, loves, hugs, and kisses I get as they teeter off to their rooms. I love being a mom. I love being their mom.

I'm thankful to be loved by these wonderful children and feel their love, especially at bedtime.
:)

Ability to Laugh...

I have been known to be dramatic, believe it or not. Sometimes things with me snowball faster than I realize.
If I get mad about something, everything the teensiest bit bad or wrong becomes a  
VERY BIG PROBLEM and someone will surely get beheaded or lose a limb. I hate that. My dear sweet, patient, pain-in-the-neck, loving, cheesy, stubborn, wonderful husband can make me laugh in spite of myself.
Tonight was one of those nights for me. I was frustrated and tired and cranky and thought for sure the world would end if my children didn't "sit quietly and obey". Seriously, when do they *ever* do that? Anyway, Cary and his uncanny ability to immediately lift the frustration from me worked his magic. And, not in the fun way. HA!

I'm so thankful that my husband helps me see the humor in things, even myself. We all need a little dose of that once in a while, don't we?

Love you, CaryJos! Forevuh! 
And, please remember that sometimes he *is* the source of my frustration and probably nudges that snowball toward the edge of the hill. :)

I Stand All Amazed

I'm thankful for the Atonement. I found this video and it pretty much sums it up for me. 

Testmonies

I have a testimony of the Gospel. I've shared it on my blog before. I'm thankful for my testimony. It has sustained me through some very difficult times the past couple of years. Sunday morning, however, I was able to hear my oldest son's testimony. Tonathiu was asked to give a talk in Sacrament meeting and he accepted.  

(He was also called to be the first counselor in the Deacon Quorum, and he accepted the calling without hesitation.)

  As I sat in our meeting, I was so nervous for him. I know how frightened I am when I have to give a talk, and I assumed that he would be feeling the same anxiety.
Wrong again.
He stood up bravely, walked to the podium, and suddenly a peace came over me. The same peace that had already enveloped him.
His talk was about being "converted and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ". He spoke of his own conversion story and even how he didn't want to really be baptized in the beginning. He spoke of the missionaries coming to our home and teaching him and the change that came over him. He spoke of being baptized by his Dad and receiving the Aaronic Priesthod. It was beautiful.
I'm so thankful for his growing testimony. I'm grateful for his heart, as hard as it was and as soft as it is.
I'm grateful that he is my son.

I Love To See The Temple.....

Mt. Timpanogos Temple

I'm thankful for this place. I should go more often than I do. I love the feeling that I have when I'm there.
  Wonderful things have happened in this temple. I was sealed to my CaryJos, our girls were sealed to us, and our older kids were sealed to us here. Wonderful things are still to happen there.  I can't wait.

My DaddyO

I have written so many posts about my Dad. I'm going to keep this one short and simple. I love my Dad. I miss him everyday. I'm so thankful that I had him as long as I did have him. I'm thankful that he was Poppie to my girls. I'm thankful for all the things he taught me. I'm thankful he is My Daddy.

Wow. I miss his smile. And his hugs.

Mis Madre

My mom and I had some rough times as I became a teenager. She and my dad got divorced and it was a hard time. Unfortunately, we had some rough patches. It took us a while to get through those. As I've grown older, I have been able to become somewhat wiser.(I hope)
I learned to value our relationship more and to value her more. When we were blessed with the girls, we became even closer. It has been a lot of fun watching her be "Nana" to our girls and our boys. I love my mom and I'm thankful for her, her love, her compassion, and her friendship.


Love you Mother.

(ok, so this picture makes me laugh so hard. I was in the middle of a laugh attack and so was she. We were perched atop a rock and there were jokes. Lots.Of.Jokes. :) )

Sons

My Boys. I am so proud of these fellas. I love watching them grow. They are very special little spirits and I'm grateful to be their Mom. For Eternity. :)

Daughters

Today I'm thankful for these beauties. I love my girls. They are some of the most dramatic children I have ever seen in my life, but I love them with all of my heart. :) 

Yoalli and I

The Bug and Her Mumma 

Numero Nineo

Snow. Hate it or love it, it's coming.
I, for one, Love it.
Growing up in Arkansas, we didn't see much of the fluffy white stuff. Ice. That's what we got. Ice storms galore in the winter. I had some scary adventures in some of those ice storms. Beautiful as they may be, nothing can compare to waking up to a world of white. It brings back all of my childhood wishes and dreams. Seeing everything blanketed in the glistening white flakes makes it, to me at least, seem as though everything is clean and pure. Everything is perfect and everyone is child-like.
I'm thankful the snow is coming. I'm thankful for those feelings of happiness and reminiscence.

Now, if only a horse and buggy could take me everywhere I needed to go while there is snow on the ground.....

little girl laughs

Bug and I have this ritual, if you will, every night at bedtime. We read books together snuggled on the couch or my bed. We have family prayer and then it is time for her to go to bed. The big kids get to stay up a bit later than she. She pads off into her room where she awaits the "tuckels innels" from her Daddy and I. Cary usually goes first while I finish reading with Gabbers. When Cary is finished, I "sneak" into her room where she is hiding under her covers and pretending to sleep. She starts giggling as soon as I enter her doorway.
I. love. it.
I creep up to her bed, where she is huddled under her princess blankies on the top bunk. More giggles.
I put my hands under the blankies, and the tickle monster comes alive! More giggles.
more loving it.
We talk for a bit about whatever her little heart desires, usually what we have planned for the next day. Give kisses. More kisses. and even more kisses, then it's time for closed eyes and stinky bums to sleep.

I love hearing that little girl laugh. It truly makes my heart happy and reminds me how blessed I am to have her.

Today, I'm thankful for little girl laughs. Very Thankful.

7th day....Home

When Cary and I were house hunting a couple of years ago, it was torture! We'd find a house here or there that we might like, but then it was in an area that we didn't necessarily love. We finally found a house that I loved, but it wasn't in the area that we wanted. We wanted to stay in the ward boundaries, but were sure that we wouldn't be able to find a house here. Then, we found it. A house right in the middle of great people, but the house needed work. We jumped on it.  We bought it. Our house still needs work. A lot of it. But, it's home and we're happy.

I'm thankful for our home and all the memories that we have made thus far. I'm excited to think of all the happy events that are to come.....in our home.

and on the sixth day...

Sundays are my other favorite day! I love my calling and I love the kids that we teach. I don't necessarily love getting up at 7am, but  I love the lazy Sunday afternoons that follow such an early morning.
  I'm thankful to be part of a ward that is full of so many amazing, loving, and humble people. I have been so blessed by so many friends that I would have never known had we not been part of this congregation.

Hopefully we can work on that whole 7am thing in January.

:)

Five-O

Saturdays are one of my favorite days. All of my kidlets are usually home and Cary is here to help! Huzzah!
Seriously, I love having him home and I love it when we are able to do things as a family.

I'm so thankful that we are such a close little family. We have our fights, our grumbles, our bad days, but through it all my kids know that we love them, forever. We are sealed for eternity as a family. I love to think back on that moment in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple  sealing room when all of us stood in front of those gorgeous golden framed mirrors and we could see into the eternities. Together.
It's a moment that I will treasure forever. I hope that Tonathiu, Cuauhtli, Yoalli, Gabriella, and Bug will always remember that and hold it dear as well.

Quatre

I love to travel. I love road trips and staying in fun, exciting places.
However, there is nothing quite like the warmth and familiarity of ones own bed.
I'm thankful for my beautiful king size fluffy pillow topped bed.
It's divine.
Positively.
Even if I have to share it with my stinkyface.

Thirdly....

I like to have my mommy-only time. Who doesn't? I love to hang with my gals, but sometimes I like to sit in the quiet deliciousness of my room and watch my mommy shows.
That's right, I'm thankful today for my mommy shows!
Grey's Anatomy, House, and Castle---oh how you make me swoon! Granted, they might not be the most reverent of shows. But, to that I say, get the stick out! Ha!
I love these shows. Love. Them. Grey's  is kind of hacking me off  this season, but oh that Hugh Laurie and that yummynummy fella from Castle is making up for their lack of a good story line.
Cary even watched Castle with me this week. I did not feel the need to tell him that I started watching it because of the main guy. The mocking would have been too much. 
What's your guilty pleasure? What's your mommy-only time consist of?
And, if any of you say that your guilty pleasure is reading an extra hour of scriptures, there will be mockage.
:)

Gratitude

So, I've decided that I'm going to use this month as a daily reminder
of all the things for which I am thankful.
I am so blessed in so many ways, but  I often
get too wrapped up in the problems and disheartening moments.

There will be some giggles, some serious, and some that may make you want to delete me.  Hopefully you will make it through with e to the end. 

*disclaimer: these are in *no* particular order*

I will make the first one the mushy one and get that nonsense right out of the way!

My husband, CaryJos. That man puts up with you through my ugliest moments and cheers me on when I'm frustrated or down. He makes me laugh when I'm about to blow my top, so that I don't blow my top! He loves me unconditionally and Forever. I know it. He is my best friend and my eternal companion.
Love you dahhhhling!

Numero Dos

Second thing for which I am thankful...

Indoor toilets. Oh, flushing toilet, how I love thee!
Now, yes, I have been without my beloved. It was torture. I've been camping and it is fun, well it can be.
I remember camping with my Dad in the fall/winter during deer season. No toilets. You had to find your tree and be quite sure that no one else could find your tree, or at least see your bum behind the tree.

I look back fondly on those days, but know that it could have been so much better had there  only been a flushing toilet involved.

:)