Thanksgiving Weekend

Our family had a fabulous Thanksgiving this year. We spent the weekend with both of our families. I love Thanksgiving, it's a holiday designed for families to be together and I totally love it.

I wanted to list 10 things that I am grateful for this Thanksgiving Season.

• I am grateful for my husband. Jim has worked really hard this year with work, certification, school, his callings, and being a great dad. I love to watch him play with his kids, it just melts my heart. I am so grateful for him and all that he does for our family.Jim is so sweet and played with the kids. What a great guy
  
  
  
  

I am grateful for my sweet children. I love my children so much and they give me so much joy. They keep me busy and I wouldn't have it any other way. When they say I love you it just melts my heart. I love being a full-time mom to these sweet kids.

We went on a hay ride the day after Thanksgiving.

I am grateful for my family. Jim and I have such great families and we love spending time with them. It is so great to have parents, brothers, and sisters that you can count on. During my trip to Utah, my brothers and sister-in-law were so sweet and were willing to go the extra mile for me. I love the family get-togethers that we have with those living in AZ. It's so wonderful to be yourself and know that you belong. I love my nieces and nephews and I so many pictures of them. During our trip to Utah this year, a nephew came up to me and told me that he found a perfect spot for me to take his picture. I just had to laugh. I love them all.

I am grateful for the Gospel. It is such a comfort to know that I am a daughter of God. It's great to know that there are prophets and leaders who can help guide us in our daily lives. I'm grateful that we have the scriptures and prayer to communicate with our Heavenly Father. I am reading the Book of Mormon with Josh. We are reading it really fast to meet our deadline. I love reading the Book of Mormon fast and remembering how the pieces fit together. I love reading the Book of Mormon slow and pondering on the meaning of the verses. What a great tool we have during these times.

I am grateful for the health of my family. We have enjoyed great health, and I am so grateful for that. We are enjoying the cool weather and getting outside and getting in better shape. Josh is working his Physical Fitness merit badge and it is benefiting the whole family. Josh participated in the Turkey Bowl this year. I think he made a touchdown.

The kids played Basketball before, during, and after Thanksgiving Dinner.

I am grateful for education. I'm so grateful that my children have the opportunity to get a great education. My kids are enjoying school and are doing their best. I'm grateful that we found a great program for Angela. Jim is currently going to school too and is learning a lot of good stuff.

• I am grateful for good music. My family has been listening to good music and playing their various instruments around the house. Josh is playing the clarinet for the second year. He really enjoys it. Dani is taking piano lessons, plays the bells and drums in band. Angela is taking a music class and learning about music through singing. She is learning to play the bells in the class. I've been playing my violin a bit, especially around Christmas time. I just love Christmas music. Of course, Angela continues to sing whenever she gets a chance. There is such power in good music and I really enjoy hearing it in my home.



• I am grateful for the rain. I love the rain and so do my kids. Every time it rains, they run out to play. I love the smell of the rain and how it cleans the air. It rained on Thanksgiving morning and sprinkled a little in the afternoon. It was a treat!
  
  
  
  

  Dani playing in the rain
  

  
  

  Dani found some snow. No, it was just a snow machine.




• I am grateful for my home. I'm grateful for not the house I live in, but the home we have created to shelter us from the world. It's a place that we can come and find peace and enjoy each other's company. I can't totally relax until everyone is home and I know that they are safe.




• I am grateful for technology. I love the technology we have to preserve our family's journal, pictures, and memories. It is so much easier and funner to create and preserve those memories our family has shared this past year. It was a year ago today that I started my blog and it has blessed our lives to relive this past year and remember the fun times we have shared.