Happy Thanksgiving!

Thankful for a man who loves, supports, and respects me, who still makes me laugh after 11 years of knowing one another. Thankful that he works hard to provide for our family but also keeps the balance of being a family man and is there for me and our kids. Thankful that he never has missed one of Hailee's dance classes and always takes our kids to "school" in the morning. Thankful that he knows the only thing that helps me feel better when I am sick is a hot bath, even if I have to take one 4 times in one day. Thankful that he starts my car on really cold mornings to get it warm, thankful that he dances crazy and silly with our kids, that he sings Taylor Swift music with Hailee and watches "Handy Manny" with Jackson. Thankful that he cleans up our kids bedsheets, and our kids, when they have tummy aches and throw up in the middle of the night. Thankful that he loves to take afternoon naps with me on the weekends when our kids are napping and thankful that he is still the man that kisses me every morning and every night and won't let me leave the house without a good-bye hug.

I am thankful for two amazing, beautiful, funny, loving children. I am thankful for their good health and that their faces always light up when I come home, I'm sure that will change one day. I am thankful that they love being around one another and I hope their friendship continues to grow and strengthen with each day. I am thankful that they share with one another and that they love to be outside.

I am thankful for two parents who have raised me to be strong and independent but also sensitive and compassionate. I am thankful for ALL the road trips, tent camping, shopping with Mom, hiking with Dad, Saturday mornings cleaning while listening to "The Big Chill" soundtrack and even being woken up on the weekends at 7:00am when I was a kid to the sound of them vaccuming or mowing the yard. I am thankful for every prayer they prayed over me when I was sick, had a broken heart, or an anxious mind. Thankful for all the potato soup that they always made me, and still do, when I am ill. Thankful that they would drive 2 hours to see me on a week night when I was in college, because they could tell by the sound of my voice on the phone that I was lonely. I'm thankful that they cared enough about me to have a say and be a part of my friendships, my education, my marriage, my career, and my faith.

I am thankful for a sister who can always make me laugh, when she is not making me mad. I'm thankful that she let me sleep with her when I was kid that was afraid to sleep alone, even though I know she hated it. I'm thankful that she carried me a mile to my parents (okay, maybe a block) when I was seven because I crashed my scooter at the lake and had a freakishly bloody head. I'm thankful that she is the one who will hold all the memories we have of our parents with me. I'm thankful that she is a lady who has passion about everything in life. From her husband and daughter to a certain chinese food to helping our community by serving them, caring about people who struggle with mental health to, last but not least, all things "Twilight" with the highlight being Taylor Lautner aka Jacob Black.

I'm thankful for family and great friendships, some who have been there all my life or nearly all of it. Thankful for all their laughs, advice, shoulders, hugs, calls, cards, gifts, for being a part of so much of my life that it would be hard to imagine the biggest parts of it without seeing their faces there. Thankful for the chicken enchiladas and the Wal-Mart frosted sugar cookies (which are my fave) that they bring me when they can tell I need some extra help or a break! Thankful that they know I would most deeply love to be a real cowgirl that lives somewhere on a ranch in Wyoming and rode horses all day.

Thankful for a career that lets me be me, for the oppurtunity to help people by listenting and talking to them, thankful to know that I am trusted and a piece of what makes it all work. Thankful for the "family" that I have made there and that they cherish my own family and allow me to be a Mommy first.

Above all, I am Thankful for a God that has given me all of these blessings, who has showed His mercy to me over and over again. Thankful that I can always know that He is there and listening every morning when I am driving to work, in the middle of my day when I am looking for peace, in the evening when I am praising Him for my day. I am thankful that He is good and just, that He has a sense of humor but is also feared. I am Thankful that He has been there with me all these years through the celebrations, the tears, the darkness, the joy, the questions and the answers.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, I hope that each of you have something in your lives that you can be thankful for this year. I know I do.

Fall Camping

We took the kids camping a couple of weekends ago when the weather is beautiful, here's a few pics of the fun!

Hailee and her Papa (my Dad) watching the water, love this pic

Feeding the ducks on the dock

Yes, we already put it up...

Welcome to our home

Both of my kiddos first year ornaments


The stockings were hung...
















The handiwork of my awesome husband, full time career, full time graduate student, full time wonderful Dad and one amazing husband altogether!

Lately

Picture of Hailee getting ready for tap and ballet classes.


There are so many things I wish that I had more time in my day to jot down on this blog to share with everyone. Hailee is getting such a little personality. It's amazing that we have entire conversations and she speaks in complete sentences, it absolutely blows my mind to see how she has grown. She LOVES her little brother and loves to help take care of him and play with him. Last night, we were eating dinner and Nathan had cooked (thank you babe) and she told him, while we were eating at the table, "Mmmm Dad, this is good! Thanks for making dinner Dad."





Last weekend, I had left one of my towels outside of the shower on the floor. Many of you that know me well know that I like cleanliness, a little (okay, a lot) OCD about it. Well, apparantley, I have rubbed off on my daughter a little too much. She found the towel on the floor, brought it to me and said (with this look on her face) "Mom, is this your towel on the floor?" I said, "yes Hailee, it is. I was leaving it there for people to step on when we get out of the shower." She says to me, "Mom, I need you to put it away, I'm really tired of picking up after you, okay?" In that moment, I wanted to laugh but I kinda had this puzzled look on my face also, wondering where did that come from? Then, a feeling of pride, knowing it probably came from me. Ha!





Last night, we were reading books in her bed and saying our prayers together. She asked if I had to go to work in the morning. I told her that I did. She said, "Okay, thanks for going Mommy so that we can eat." Goodness, she is just too cute! She is just the most lovable and likeable little girl who is growing rapidly before my eyes and I am so proud to call her mine.

Halloween

Last night, we took the kids out to trick-or-treat around our neighborhood, to my in-laws, and my parents. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and, all in all, we had a great time with the kids and being together. I LOVE weekends when we have "no plans" and can just spend our couple of days together doing whatever we feel like, being together, playing, and resting.














I love this picture!



















In case your wondering, she's a butterfly.

Look at those cheeks

I tried to get a pic of them together, this is the only one that looked somewhat like they loved each other. This was at Gran and Pa's house.

Passed out from all the sugar, only kidding. I took this pic when we made it home and wondered, "how in the world is that comfortable?"