Thankful for:

living near our extended families for lots of cousin time
for the times when it's just the two of us
my mom for always sending me home with food
a wonderful husband and father to our two
Coke Slurpees at Common Cents
my dog; the little fur ball who wants to play every night
Bajio nights
our home
my sweet (still my baby) boy who's learning new words
friends who I can laugh & laugh with
pumpkin pies from Costco
a neighborhood full of little friends for Avery
opportunities to serve in my faith
my little first grader, the artist

just a few today...I really am so very thankful for it all.

Have a wonderful day of giving thanks and a great weekend too!

Thankful:

for the pile of clean clothes on my bed waiting to be folded, because it means we have clothes to wear.

for the eternally messy art drawer, because it means we have a creative 6 year old.

for the holes in the wall where a book shelf once hung, because it means we have an active baby boy.

for the doggy-noses (aka dog snot) left on our bed skirt, because it means we have a happy dog excitedly looking for his ball to play.

for the dings in the wall from the glider rocker, because it means we are reading to and rocking with our children.

for the fingerprints left on the sliding glass door, because it means that we have kids and a dog at home (and apparently, I'm too busy commenting on friend's blogs to clean...).

The idea for this post came about from a poem similar to this one. It's crazy how many things we complain about are actually blessings with the right perspective.

Gratitude

Gratitude is an app for your iPhone or iPod Touch that gives you a spot to jot down 5 things everyday that you are grateful for. I have loved doing it everyday, because it helps me to take a minute and recognize all the good I have in my life, especially the little things. Also it stores all of your entries by date so you can go back in time and read them on a day when you might be feeling down and you need a reminder of all the good in your life.


Here's a screen shot of my list from Saturday. Here is that Coupon for UP. What's fun about that coupon for the DVD, is that it also comes with a digital copy so you can put the movie on your iPhone or video iPod.

Melissa, Alma, Elaine, Marie
Jyl, me

Also Allison, Carina and Emily joined us later too.


Thank you to Melissa of ISLY who planned a fun Saturday Morning of Waffles and Shopping Downtown SLC. Sad that my morning was cut short, I still had a fun time. If you'd like to see more photos from that morning, you can go HERE.

a thank you note

We did great this year with our Christmas thank yous, and by we, I mean me. I loved this idea I saw on Design Mom. It took a bit more effort, and with one of Avery's little friends over at our house, this one was as far as we got...bummer. Just know that we are thankful for you all.

It's a good thing to be Thankful, and on a Thursday?! Even better!

ps. She's still wearing the birthday girl shirt because it's still her birthday...month. ;)

pps. What's a Glitter Ball you ask?! Only the most twinkly-sparkly giant bouncy ball you have ever seen. :)

Name Them One By One

1. wonderful family and friends
2. a smart and sassy little girl
   
3. good health
4. adoption
5. to be a mom to those two...my two
6. birth moms and their oh so supportive families
7. cafe rio and blimpie
8. Kyle
9. for trials and the strength gained
10. a sweet baby boy with the cutest open mouth smile
    
11. GNOs
    
12. my faith and testimony
13. a home...sweet home
14. the holiday season
15. Rukkus-ralphy-rookie
    
16. the internet...ahh, why not
17. our savior and example Jesus Christ
18. loving parents
    
19. my camera...to capture moments like this
    
20. music
    

So much to be thankful for, and the count continues. Have you counted your blessings yet?

I'm Buggin'...

Cuttlebuggin'!

I really am trying to avoid sounding too TAMN-ish in this post. So I apologize about the title...it was the best I got. For a non-scrapbooker, you would think that I wouldn't be as into this thing called the Cuttlebug as I am. It's just that it's too fun!


Because not only does it cut shapes...it embosses them too! Can you tell I like it?! (I'm really trying to limit my exclamation points, but it's just too hard.)


The possibilities are endless.


From banner making


to place card setting.




Oh the fun to be had when you're buggin'... Cuttlebuggin'. ;)



You can check out all the possibilities, right here. I mean right Here!! ;)

Hey Bloggers...

I thank you.

Lately there has been a bit of buzz about the dangers of blogging from the local media. And while there is always the good and the bad that comes with anything, Today I want to see the good, and be thankful...on a Thursday. Here are a few on my list...


Tired of your tunes and want to find something new? LaceyJ...she's your girl.

For a darling homemade holiday craft - say hi to Elise!

Want to be reminded of the character building car that you drove in high school and reminisce for a bit? give a word to my girl Mindi

Do you have a picky eater? I loved this idea from Jill

Have you ever used Steam rollers to curl your hair? I hadn't either...that is until I took Emily's word for it. (ps. they are cool!)

Need something for your spirit? Hop on over to Aimee on a Sunday

Are you wondering what's for dinner? my girl Tib has got you covered.

Want to make S'mores this weekend...inside? I'm with Veeda...Whoa.

ps. And to all the bloggers that pop in to say Hi...I thank you...all of you.

Thankful Thursday

We truly have so much to be thankful for. So many friends and family have been so kind during this time as Aiden joined our family. There have been so many thoughtful gifts. I wanted to highlight one of them today on this Thankful Thursday. My good friend Laurie made that little Rag Quilt for Aiden, and I think it is darling. What touched me so much about this gift is that she also made another (big one) for Megan, so that when she left the hospital that night she would have something soft and warm to wrap around her. When she gave it to me to give to Megan, I thought it was so nice that she thought of Megan too. I love looking at this quilt and knowing that Megan has a matching one. I wanted to talk about it back on this post, but I thought it was too special, and I wanted to save it for a later time. I also wanted to wait until we gave it to Megan. Thanks Laurie, you have been so thoughtful.

Thankful Thursday

My list this week:

1. Instant Messenger - for those late nights at the office.
2. Cupcake Week on Martha, inspiring me to want to make these.
3. This promo - for almost bringing me to happy tears. (It's that darn music.)
4. The Internet for keeping me in touch with family far away.
5. Swim lessons - for giving her confidence in and out of the water.

Thankful Thursday

It is a great thing to be thankful and I truly have so much to be thankful for.

1. I am thankful to be an American, where we have so much that one of our biggest challenges is to not over eat.
2. After seeing this, I realized that I am so thankful for my feet. P.S. Please don't send me anymore pictures of feet.
3. I am thankful for Adoption and the wonderful people that have come into our lives because of it.
4. I am thankful for blogs and bloggers. After reading this, I was reminded of why I love blogging.
5. I am thankful for General Conference Weekend. How lucky we are to listen to great messages in the comfort of our homes and in our jammies if we want.
6. After hearing all about this and feeling sad for this family, it also made me feel so thankful for my little one and all the little things:
- the way she continues to keep talking to us as the door is closing at bed time.
- watching her close her eyes for a good solid minute before she threw in her penny to make a wish (I hope it came true.)
- all her artwork that she brings home. I think this one looks a little Kwazi - esque, and I love it.
7. I am thankful for Kyle for being such a great husband and father and having an amazing work ethic.
8. I am thankful for the safe arrival of Baby Blake on Monday, Congratulations Matt, Julie & Brooklyn!

So those are just a few for a Thankful Thursday, play if you want to.
Thanks Tib for starting such a great Thursday Tradition.

My List

This year has definitely had its highs and lows, but I love this time of year
because it helps me see the good in my life
and remember all that I am thankful for,
because there is so much. So here is my list.

I am Thankful For...

My best friend and husband...Kyle
Our one little Indian (Avery)
Good health
Both of our parents for all their love and support
A fun neighborhood filled with lots of little friends for Avery
My sisters (and brother too)
My Grandma Tyler for making Thankgiving such a special holiday in my life
The hymn "Because I Have Been Given Much"
Filtered water
Adoption (and its process)
Friends old and new
A wagging tail every time I walk in the door
A great ward family
A warm bed with heavy covers
Modern medicine
Craft stores close to my house
Education and opportunity for constant learning
Family
The gospel
A place to call home
Peanut butter fudge (recipe coming)
Tivo
Swim lessons (for Avery)
Blogs and their bloggety blog bloggers
Training Table cheese fries with dip of course (thanks Lori, it is a good one)

Mosaic Monday

1. delicate arch, 2. Fall, 3. Golden Harvest, 4. vintage stamps, 5. red barn, 6. Wisp of Fall, 7. S w i n g, 8. Barn Owl Release, 9. First Snow for the Cardinal, 10. Untitled, 11. this harvest season is stretching on for miles, 12. The Cook the Thief His Wife & Her Lover..., 13. Pumpkin Pile, 14. up above, 15. Fog Rolling into High Park in Fall, 16. Red Squirrel in the Early Snow

Thankful - for seasons. I feel like this wonderful fall season we have had is coming to an end, and I have just loved it. I love living in Utah and experiencing all four. Although I wish some would last longer than others, I am glad to have all of them.

Thankful - for family. We are so blessed to come from such great families and I love having a little family of our own.

Thankful - for the Primary Program. Yesterday was Avery's first Primary Program and it was so cute to see her give Kyle a big thumbs up after saying her part. I loved it.

Not Thankful - for headbands on four year olds. Avery took her headband off and put it on all the kids by her including her male teacher (7 times) while I sat three rows behind her with my class unable to do anything about it. I should have gone with a bow. Dangit!

If you have a Flickr account you can make one of these mosaics here. There are so many amazing photos on Flickr - you can get lost for hours. All these photos are in my favorites category (all posted from other users). This is also how I created the mosaics I did for Kyle's birthday post. It is great fun, you should give it a try.