Final Thankful Post - Day 30

I am thankful for this reminder to count my blessings. It seems that gratitude can make any day better. The more I think of my blessings, the less I think about things that I don't have. The more gratitude in my heart, the more joy that I have in my life and the happier I am each day.

I'd like to thank all of you for bearing with me through this marathon of posts. I'd also like to thank Morgan and Jess for the idea in the first place. It truly made this month one of thanksgiving. Thanks.

Thankful - Day 29

I am thankful today for answered prayers and for people who have served me throughout my life. There have been so many times that someone has stepped in and helped me up when I have fallen that I completely take for granted. In fact, I usually end up forgetting about the act of service completely. I'm glad that I can be reminded of these little and big instances when someone has served me.

Yesterday I was reminded of an act of service performed for me almost 10 years ago. It was something that I had forgotten, but it brought such a warm feeling when I was reminded of it. I wonder how many more things I've forgotten over the years. Wouldn't it be great if I could remember all of them? Think how good I'd feel.

Thankful - Day 28

I'm thankful that I had a lot of class participation for my lesson today. There is nothing worse than asking a class a question and then standing in front of them with the room in a dead silence.

Thankful - Day 27

I'm thankful for my calling as a teacher in Relief Society. I teach every 4th Sunday on a selected Conference talk. Teaching in Relief Society has been a challenging, but rewarding undertaking. It has led me to dig into the Conference talks deeper and more prayerfully which has blessed me in my own life.

Tomorrow I am teaching on Elder Holland's talk which focuses a lot on gratitude (fitting, I know). At this moment I am most grateful that I think I am prepared to teach it and won't have to stress over it tomorrow.

Thankful - Day 26

I'm incredibly thankful for my cute little boy. He is such a wonderful little guy and I'm so lucky to be his mom. He loves helping around the house and can even put all the dishes away, with the help of a stool. He can be so sweet to his sister and is especially sweet to me. He loves being outside and being active and has a great imagination. He loves learning new things and is always begging me to read him a book. He is always ready with a hug, a kiss, or a huge smile whenever I need one. I'm a lucky mom to have such a sweet little boy.

Monkey enjoying the outdoors up at Cascade Springs

My little scientist doing his first explosive experiment (gotta love Coke and Mentos)

Doesn't my monkey look dapper at one of Grandma Bunnie's sponsored tea parties?

Monkey loves going to gymnastics where he gets to swing like a real monkey

Yes, I am a soccer mom (minus the mini-van)

My cute baby boy - they grow so fast

Thankful - Day 25

I'm thankful for Thanksgiving. I love that we have a holiday where we get together with family, eat lots of good food, and thank God for all of the many, many blessings he has bestowed on us.

Thankful - Day 24

I'm thankful for my brothers. They are silly and full of fun. They are there when you need them and they like to go hiking with me, which I appreciate. I'm thankful for all the time they've spent getting to know my husband. It means a lot. And I'm thankful for the many Timp hikes and jumps into Emerald Lake, they were awesome.

Did I mention they were silly?

Thankful - Day 23

I'm thankful to live near the mountains. They're beautiful and provide me with endless hours of recreation. I love being in the mountains.

Thankful - Day 22

I'm thankful for my sisters. They've given me advice, helped me to be a good mom, laughed with me, taught me so much, and have been there when I've needed them most. My favorite times have been when we've stayed up too late and have become way too silly or when we have shared our memories while making new ones. Thank you for always being there for me. I am so very grateful.

Thankful - Day 20

I am thankful for my furry friend. He's a dopey, lovable meat-head and I love him. I especially love when he lays his huge, warm head on my feet during a movie and keeps them warm. I also love the fact that I feel safer just because I have a huge, muscular dog running around in my house for all the would-be robbers to see. Built-in security system, furry style.

Wasn't he the cutest little puppy?

Thankful - Day 19

I am thankful for fruit. It's the reason that I can actually exist as a vegetarian. Fruit is better than candy for me most days and I try to include it in almost every meal. I add blueberries to my breakfast cereal. I usually have grapes or raisins or apple slices with lunch. And I almost always have some sort of a fruit plate to go with dinner (see below). I love fruit. It's awesome. Plus, no other food is quite as pretty as fruit is, in my opinion, although maybe I'm biased.

Thankful - Day 18

I'm thankful for modern prophets and revelation. About 2 years ago I decided to use the General Conference issues for my personal scripture study. We read the Book of Mormon as a family, so I decided that I could branch out a little. After thinking about it for a while I thought that I should study revelation that is specifically tailored to my time and circumstances, General Conference.

Since then I've really enjoyed my personal scripture study. I wish that I was more consistent at times, but when I am I really get a lot out of it. All of the talks are amazing and when I use them as my personal study material I get to read all of them more than once. Plus, I get to mark them up and think about how they apply to me personally. I've never gotten more out of Conference than I do now. We are so lucky to receive modern revelation and I am very grateful for it.

Thankful - Day 17

I'm thankful for disposable diapers. Otherwise....yuck!

Thankful - Day 16

I'm thankful for my little Panda. She is spunky and cute and makes me laugh and want to cuddle with her every day. She is tough but she is also a huge girly-girl. From the time she was tiny she was into clothes, jewelry, babies, and especially shoes. In fact "shoes" was one of her first words, and she said it perfectly. We'll see how well I do in the future with all this girlyness. 

Panda with her favorite toy, her bear, and her baby.

In her pretty (necklace) and her favorite color (purple).

Getting a drink. This girl will do anything for food or a drink.

My mother is already taking advantage of my daughter's frillier nature. This is my Panda at an elaborate tea party. (She loves the hat, by the way.)

My cute Panda this afternoon. (I like this hat.)

My Baby

Thankful - Day 13

I'm thankful that I can sleep in on Saturdays (sometimes). I love sleeping in.

Thankful - Day 12

I'm thankful to live in the United States of America. It's a great country that will be as great as we make it.

Freedom is Fabulous

Thankful - Day 11

I'm thankful for my washer and dryer. I dread the hours that I must spend every laundry day moving clothes in and out of the washer and dryer and then folding those clothes and putting away those clothes, but how much worse would it be without my washer and dryer.

I can't imagine what it would have been like to wash clothes by hand and then hang them up outside to dry. Scrubbing and scrubbing on one of those little boards, oh the horrors. I think my children and I would be wearing our clothes until they were horrendously dirty if that's what I had to do to clean clothes.

I found this nifty little washer while I was searching for images and just had to post it. I'm all for saving the earth and using our resources, but this eco-friendly washer/toilet combo was a little much for me. What if you dropped your clothes as you were getting them out of the washer? (eeeww)

Thankful - Day 9

I'm thankful for my mom. She has taught me so many lessons throughout my life and is such an example to me. She is the most selfless person that I know and I can only hope that someday I can follow in her footsteps.

I was so lucky to have her as my mom growing up. All my friends loved her, she was always trying to do fun things, she constantly left me surprise notes of encouragement for tests or other things, I don't remember one of my athletic games that she wasn't at, and she always made me feel like I had the potential to do anything.

Now I'm lucky that my kids get to have her as a grandma. She constantly does fun things for them, takes them cool places, and they are always excited to go to grandma's house.

Thanks mom for always (and I mean always) being there for me and making me feel special. You're amazing.

Thankful - Day 8

I'm thankful for a nice warm house and soothing hot chocolate when it's rainy and cold outside (like it is right now).

I'm pretty much thankful for hot chocolate at any time of the year, but I relish it when it's cold.

Thankful - Day 7

I'm thankful for God's gift of nature's beauty.

This beauty is all around us, but most of the time we take if for granted. Take a few moments today and look at God's touch in the world around you.