What I am thankful for

I love Thanksgiving. I get frustrated that so much of the holiday is skipped over and almost forgotten in the rush into the Christmas Season. In our home, I refuse to put up any decorations for Christmas until after Thanksgiving is over. I feel very strongly that we need to take the time to feel grateful for what we do have, before we start thinking about what we want to get and to give. So I want to list the many things that I am thankful for today.

1. My Savior, Jesus Christ, and through Him, the Church, my testimony, My loving Heavenly Father, the Prophet Joseph Smith and our living Prophet today, Thomas S. Monson.

2. My Husband. Who would have thought that the dumbest decision I have ever made could have also been the best. He strengthens me, he adores me, he makes me laugh, he helped me feel that I am lovable and that I am worthy of being loved. That has been a true gift to me.

3. My beautiful children. I am so grateful for them. I truly feel so thankful every day that the Lord has given these amazing little people and thinks that I will be able to be the mother that I want to be for them.

4. My trials. I know that may sound strange to some people, but I have grown the most in my life during the hardest times. They have strengthened my testimony, made me learn to rely on my Savior and are truly refining me into the person that I need and want to be.

5. My Family. They have helped shape me into who I am and I love them all so much. They are always willing to help, they make me laugh, and I just adore them.

6. My Friends. I am so blessed to have so many people around me that love me for who I am and put up with me. I don't feel alone while surrounded by so much love and friendship.

7. Our jobs, our home, food to eat, our health. There are so many little things that I don't want to bore anyone with, but I am so blessed, much more than I am sure I deserve. I am thankful for my Heavenly Father and his patience, kindness and long-suffering with me. I am thankful for my life.

Harry Potter Party Pictures

Wow, that title is a tongue tangler! I know it's way late, but I talked about my Mom's Harry Potter party, and we just got pictures so I needed to post them. It was so fun to to dress up, play games, take quizzes, make our own potions and even make clay sculptures of a Harry Potter scene. I have to say thanks to my darling mother, who is so fun and creative, and also to my darling friend, Adria, who made amazing costumes and let us borrow them!

Us as Harry and Ginny

The Gryffindors and our sculptures
My brother Paul, his fiance, Kelsey, and brother Adam as the Weird Sisters

(which is a band from the books)

Coldplay

For most of those of you who know me, you know I adore Coldplay. I love their music and the fact they write all of it; Chris Martin is amazing on the piano and the guitar besides singing. I just LOVE them! Spencer, his sister Carrie, and her husband, Pablo, and I were all able to go on the 22nd.

Since life has been a little rough lately, this was exactly what I needed. I got out away from my kids with my hubby and our buddies, and I was able to truly let go and relax. There are not many things better for soothing the soul than a little singing and dancing to your favorite music. I am really able to not worry about what people think of my dancing or singing while I am there, which is normally hard for me to do. It's all about me enjoying the music. I still can't believe how great I feel after going. So any of you that don't know Coldplay or their music, I highly recommend them. They are even more amazing in concert.

On a side note...Am I nuts for thinking that it was a little rude for people behind me to ask me to sit down? Almost the entire arena was standing, but the people behind me wanted to sit so I had to too? Weird! It's like the time I went to Sarah McLachlan concert and some ladies next to us asked us to not sing, since they came to hear her. Remember that Janell? Ah fun times!

Halloween

I am really late about posting this, but the Internet wasn't working for a little while so I have several posts. Sorry!

We had such a great Halloween this year. Aidan got to dress up for pre-school and after we went to see Sienna at her school's parade. I ran around trying to find a wig to make Spencer look like Snape, and then I couldn't find the amazing full length wool coat I made several years ago for him to wear. I was pretty heart-broken about that. It was my blood and sweat! But luckily, my amazing friend, Adria, who always does fantastic costumes let us borrow her Harry Potter and Ginny (or Hermione) costumes. My Mom had a Harry Potter themed party the next day and we needed to dress up. When I get the pictures from that I will post them. Spencer looked super cute as Harry.

We went trick-or-treating just around our little loop neighborhood and the next one down. The kids got plenty of candy and then we had our tradition of donuts, hot chocolate and a Halloween movie after. This year we watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." I love Halloween so much. It ranks just barely under Christmas for me. It is so much fun to dress up and celebrate the Fall season.

Me as a blonde GinnySienna as a witch, Aidan as Jack Sparrow, and Mad as Eeyore

Sienna has glasses!

Sienna went to the eye doctor and got her first pair of glasses. She was hesitant about it, but I just told her that there are a million cute styles out there and that we would find the perfect ones for her. She is so cute and I think these frames just show off her darling little face. I couldn't wait to pick them up!

Witches Night Out

My girlfriends and I have a tradition of going to Witches Night Out at Gardner Village. Sienna is getting so big and growing up so fast that I decided that I needed to bring her along for the fun. We get together with about a million other witches at Brick Oven and then head up for the festivites. It was pretty chilly, but we still had fun dancing and seeing all the other costumes. I am so grateful for my sweet little girl and the fun times that we have together.

Bekah, Me, Siomara, Jenna and Sienna