November 2012 Gratitude Journal

In November, I like to write my 30 days of gratitude on Facebook. I love doing it. It really makes me look for good things everyday for the whole month.
So, here's this year's offerings...

Day 1- Today I'm grateful that I get to be a stay-at-home mama so I can spend days like today snuggling with my sicky.

Day 2- Today I am thankful for my washer and dryer. They've been running almost nonstop for 11 years. I don't know how my ancestors survived with a slew of kids and all that laundry. While laundry is one of my LEAST favorite household duties, my washer and dryer make it almost bearable... ALMOST!

Day 3- Today, I'm grateful to be part of the Stewart Clan. From day 1, they welcomed me in as one of the fam. I had a fun chat with Maitlin Stewart tonight, and it makes me grateful for another set of parents, brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews I now have. I'm grateful for the memories we've made together. I love you ALL!!!

Day 4- Today I am thankful for the Lindsay 2nd Ward! I have never been in a ward that felt more like a family. It's filled with great people, working their hardest to do good things. So blessed!

Day 5- Today I'm grateful for Eric Stewart. He sees things in me that I can't see. He pushes me to be better than even I think I can be. He knows me better than I know myself. He's the husband and father to my children that I always wished I would have in my life. How did I get so lucky?!?!

Day 6- I know it's cliché on this Presidential Election Day, but today I'm grateful for this country. The chance to vote and take part in elections is such a blessing.

Day 7- Today I am grateful for Proverbs 3:5-6… “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Sometimes this is hard to do. However, when I trust and acknowledge His hand in my life, everything seems a little brighter and clearer.

Day 8- Today I'm grateful for my brain... I mean... My iPhone. Without it, I'd NEVER be able to keep up with 4 kids and a very busy hubby. It literally keeps my life (and the lives of my family) going strong.

Day 9- Today I am thankful for my kid's schools. They are both so great. It's far more than the education they're getting... It's the sense of community they feel there.

Day 10- Today I'm thankful for Costco. Where else can you buy work gloves, pretzel buns sliders, gas, and Christmas dresses all in one place? You say Disneyland is the happiest place on earth?!?!... I think not! ;)

Day 11- Today I’m grateful for stake conference. Not only was it a wonderful conference, but it meant that I could sit with Eric in church and spend the ENTIRE day with him… No meetings!

Day 12- Today I am grateful for the power of prayer. I love that people on opposite sides of the world can unite in prayer for those in need. Our prayers are specifically for the Malabi family in Burundi. We’re praying that the hearts of those who persecute them will be softened.

Day 13- Today I'm thankful for circle k. Some days it takes a full 44 ounces to get you through the day.

Day 14- Today I'm thankful for my Chan man! He handles being the only brother pretty well. He's talented, smart, a good friend, and has a great sense of humor. And I'm not the only one who thinks so... He was named "Student of the Quarter" at school this morning. The teacher who nominated him said some really nice things about him. Makes a mama bear proud!

Day 15- Today I'm grateful for my good friend, Tammy Moon. She's my therapist, parenting coach, friend, and favorite comedienne. I know that no matter the trials or stages of life, we'll always be there for each other. I'm lucky to have her in my life!

Day 16- Today I am thankful for my Harley girl. Her name totally fits her... She's louder and wilder than any "Harley" I could buy. She was sent to us to keep us all laughing and happy. She has a flare for the dramatic, and we LOVE that about her. All that said... She's also one of the most tender hearted, sincere, thoughtful, and loving people I know. This world needs more people like her.

Day 17- Today I'm grateful, as I plan Thanksgiving for the Jameson fam, that my mom taught me how to plan a great party. She's the party throwing master! Even in Africa, where resources are minimal, she's pulling off great party after party. Party on, mom! ;)

Day 18- Today I am grateful for my Aunts and Uncles. Because they live in other states, my kids don't really know them, but they've heard LOTS of stories. Some of my happiest childhood memories revolve around vacations with them. They're such amazing people who I admire and respect immensely!

Day 19- Today I am thankful for music of all kinds. I can't cook or clean without a good beat to back me up. And I've never felt the spirit of God more than I do through sacred hymns. Music can often reach people in ways nothing or no one else can. I'm a lucky girl to have had parents who recognized its importance, and encouraged us to pursue music education.

Day 20- Today I'm grateful for the grocery store... I hate going there... But I'm grateful I have so many, so close to home. It makes my life so much easier!

Day 21- Today I am grateful for my home. It's not big, or extravagant, but it's enough. It keeps us safe from the elements. It holds all of the things we've collected over our 14+ years together. It's filled with lots of love, which makes it a sanctuary for my children. And it's the place I prefer to be, more than any other place in the world.

Day 22- Today I'm grateful for my parents. They've taught me so much through their examples. They still teach me things almost daily through their tireless missionary service.

I missed them SO MUCH this Thanksgiving. But, it was very special to have them on Skype when everyone arrived, and to have dad bless the food in French. Less than 8 months until they'll be home. Can't wait!

Day 23- Today I'm grateful for my Shelby girl. She's spunky, creative, funny, a great helper, and loves cooking with me. She loves horses, and is happiest when she's carrying a toddler. She has a way of making babies happy when nobody else can. She's getting so grown up so fast, and I'm so proud of the young lady she is quickly becoming.

Day 24- Today I am grateful for the temple. Being there is so peaceful and brings so much clarity. I can't wait until the Gilbert temple is finished next year. It's going to be so wonderful to have one just down the street. We're so blessed!

Day 25- Today I'm thankful for my crockpot, and slow cook liners. I use them at least 3 or 4 times per week, and they make my crazy life so much simpler.

Day 26- Today I am grateful for Pinterest. I don’t have many original creative ideas, so I’m grateful that others are willing to share theirs… so I can steal them and make really fun crafts and parties. J

Day 27- Today I am thankful for the scriptures. They help me parent, give me hope, see me through hard times, and teach me how to be more like Jesus Christ. I took on the challenge to read the B of M in 2012, and just finished this morning. Feels so good, I think I'll start over again tomorrow. J

Day 28- Today I am grateful for online shopping. I'm SO happy that I don't have to fight the crowds... And that I can shop in my jammies, at all hours of the day or night, from the comfort of my own bed.

Day 29- Today I am grateful for my Tater Bug (Tater Tot, Taterater, Tatester, etc.). She is an absolute ANGEL! She has the most infectious smile and a wonderful sense of humor. She has wonderful manners, and is a joy to be around. She loves her daddy more than anyone else in the world, but she's pretty sweet to her momma, too. :) She's definitely the "baby" of the family, and she milks it for all it's worth. However, nobody seems to mind. We love our Tot!

Day 30- As I come to the end of my “30 Days of Gratitude”, I am thankful for the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The world seems to be a little nicer, more patient, more tolerant, and more willing to serve and reach out to those in need. I love the stories of those performing acts of kindness… just because they can. I hope to try and create that feeling for those around me all year long.

Challenge Completed!

At the beginning of 2012 Bishop Moon challenged our ward, as individuals and families, to read the Book of Mormon from start to finish during the year. So, I accepted the challenge and got reading.

Well, 2 days ago I FINISHED!!! Woo hoo! Go me!

Eric accepted the challenge, too. He finished a month or so before me. We were trying to race to the finish, but he beat me. Boo!

I've read it quite a few times before, but I've only done it one other time with a deadline. (That was when I challenged the YW to read it in 3 months. That was REALLY hard!) Reading it in a year was just the right pace for me. I could read and study, and I got SO much out of it.

I'm ready to start it again. :)

An old dog tries new tricks...

I guess you're never too old to try something new. Over the last few weeks I've decided to branch out a little...

New trick #1: While we were sitting, watching people run on the beach in California, Eric and I decided that we wanted to try jogging. I've always said, "the only reason I'd ever run was if a crazy person was chasing me." Well, we decided we were going to tackle this challenge together.
So, we found a "couch to 5k" schedule online and headed out. Now, 3 weeks into it I can't say that we're super fast or awesome runners, but we're enjoying it! I just hope my 80 year old knees will keep up with my enthusiasm for jogging.

New trick #2: Shelby and I are reading a book together! That's right... I said READING!!! Shelbs is definitely my child. She's never been a fan of reading. I know it's important, so I've tried to encourage her. However, she seems to have a hard time finding books that she can stick with. So, I told her I'd read something with her. I've heard good things about "The Secret Garden". So, I downloaded it into my iPhone, and got her the book from the library. We're now 10 chapters in, and we're really enjoying it. Plus, it's awesome to spend this time with my Shelby girl.

So, I guess you really can teach an old dog new tricks.

Band concert

Last night was the first band concert of Chandler's Junior High years. He's in 3 different bands at school, and was asked to help a 4th for their concert.

He plays the keyboard for the Jazz band, which meets before school every day. Then, he plays percussion for Concert band, and helped the Symphonic band on percussion as well.

He was a little nervous about the concert, but he did a great job, as always!

My pics aren't very good, but you can get the idea...

Can you spy him in the back?...

Well done, Chan! We're sure proud of you!

Election Day 2012

Yesterday was election day. This was a big one... the Presidential election (among others). This time around we had a candidate that we really believed in. It's been a long time since that has been the case. It seems like it's often a choice between the lesser of two evils, but not this time. So, Eric and I walked over to our polling place at 6:45am, and were met with a nice line. I don't mind waiting in lines on election day. Plus, I like to get my sticker. *wink*

It was very disappointing when "our" candidate didn't win. However, I found solace in this scripture...

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path."

I frequently rely on this scripture. It keeps my eyes turned upward, and my heart soft.

I also really appreciated this statement from our church leaders...

"The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued the following statement Tuesday:

We congratulate President Obama on winning a second term as President of the United States.

After a long campaign, this is now a time for Americans to come together. It is a long tradition among Latter-day Saints to pray for our national leaders in our personal prayers and in our congregations. We invite Americans everywhere, whatever their political persuasion, to pray for the President, for his administration and the new Congress as they lead us through difficult and turbulent times. May our national leaders reflect the best in wisdom and judgment as they fulfill the great trust afforded to them by the American people.

We also commend Governor Romney for engaging at the highest level of our democratic process, which, by its nature, demands so much of those who offer themselves for public service. We wish him and his family every success in their future endeavors."

I add my prayers to theirs, and will trust in the Lord!

Cheer practice

Shelby's on cheer again this year. This is her 3rd year, and she loves it! She has practice every Monday. Last week, Shelby and her friend Sabrina were asked to help teach the younger girls some new cheers. She was in HEAVEN! I took video of one they were teaching... pretty adorable!

Harley and Tatum always just hang out while Shelby's practicing. This week, they brought a volleyball and played together all through cheer. It was so cute!

A little sicky

Tater was sick last week... Croup! Blech!

I couldn't resist taking her picture. She just looked SO pathetic!

She's feeling much better now (although her nasty barking cough still lingers). Love this little lady!

Halloween 2012...Rocked it!

Halloween isn't one of Eric or my favorite holidays. We TOTALLY celebrate it for the kids. We try to stay low budget, and still make it a good time. This year... mission accomplished!

Chandler didn't want to dress up. So he threw on a Halloween shirt and a mustache, and he was done.

Shelby wanted to be a cowgirl. We already had all the clothes, so we bought her some cute boots (that she wears everyday now), and she was done.

Harley used a Cleopatra costume from our old bucket of costumes, and she was done.

Tatum wanted to be a cute witch. So we used a witch dress that we already had, and bought her a cute $3 hat and matching tights, and she was good.

Here's the final product...

 And here's the really deal...

The Friday before Halloween, we went to our ward's trunk or treat and had a great time, as always. The kids even brought along a couple of friends, which made for a great time.

 Then, on Sunday night, we carved our family pumpkin. This year we went at it with power tools...

 The girls were excited to dig in and remove the guts from the pumpkin.

 Chandler didn't love the guts part quite as much. He preferred the carving part.

 

 I stayed at arms length from the whole thing. :) But, Eric did a great job with the kids. They had a great time.

I love the look on everybody's face in this picture...

Well done, y'all!

 

On Halloween, I was able to go to Tatum's class to help with her "Pumpkin Festival". (Because we're not actually allowed to celebrate holidays in school. BARF!) It was fun to hang with her for a little bit. Here's Tater with the cute pumpkin lantern we made together...

Later that night was trick or treat time... Chandler and Shelby took the little girls to trick or treat. This is the first year that Eric and I didn't have to go. It was AWESOME! We just sat and passed out candy, and watched the kids walk up and down the street.

After a little trick or treating the girls decided they wanted to hide in the back of Papa's truck and scare people as they came past. It was pretty hilarious!

I think this Halloween was a great success!

Teaching my boy

Eric is great at so many things. I really lucked out snagging this guy.

One of the things that he's great at is all things mechanical. His motto is, "I can't break it any worse!"

He feels like he might as well try to fix it because if something's broken, he's not going to make it worse by trying to fix it.

Just this morning, I told him that my car was squeaking. (I had put off telling him for a while because I know he's had so much on his brain, and fixing the car was not high on his "to do" list.) So, what does he do? Not take it to a mechanic... He climbed under it, and did his thing. After tightening 2 bolts (totally 5 minutes of his time), the squeak is gone! That's my man!

One of the things he's been really good at, is teaching Chandler about cars. Last week, my car battery died. After pulling it out, he and Chandler went and had it tested. Sure enough, it was dead as a door nail. So they went and bought a new one. When they got home, it wasn't Eric that put in the new battery, it was Chandler! Eric stood back and held the flashlight, and gave Chandler instructions as he went along.

Someday, Chandler's wife is going to be very happy that his dad taught him to do this...

Thanks boys! My car fires right up... every time!

Such drama!

Harley and some friends in her class decided to put on a play for one of the 1st grade classes. So, during their free time they auditioned with Alicia (the "director"), and rehearsed.

Yesterday afternoon, Eric and I went to watch the "production". Harley had the lead part! And was so excited, but SUPER nervous! She did great!

Here are some pics from the big event...

After it was over, the cute little 1st grade teacher came up and asked if Harley was taking acting lessons. We said no, to which she responded, "She NEEDS to! Someday I'm going to see her in some movie and say, 'Remember when she did the play for my class?'"

So, I guess Harley's a little dramatic... Tell me something I didn't know!!!

Love you, Harls!

Glasses

Shelby got glasses last week, and I HATE them! Why? Because they make her look SO grown up. Boo hoo!

After she got them, she had to take all kinds of pictures in them to see what she looked like... 

with hair up...

with hair down...

in a hat... etc.

Like I said, she looks so old. Boo! But, she looks absolutely ADORABLE!!!

Back bend, baby!

The girls have been taking gymnastics for a while.
Shelby started when she was 4, and has been going strong ever since. She's taken a summer off here and there, but has pretty much done it strong ever since. She's currently working on her back handspring, and hopes to be able to use her skills to do cheer next year in Junior High.
Harley and Tatum have been taking classes off and on for the last few years. Occasionally, they take a break so they can do other things, but they always come back to gymnastics.
A couple weeks ago, Harley and Tatum earned their first gold medals. (You get medals when you pass of a skill.) Tatum and Harley have mastered their back bends. Consequently, they spend the majority of their lives upside down and on their heads. And Shelby loves to use her wicked good skills to help her sisters master their own skills.
It's pretty awesome to watch!

Brace Face

Yesterday, Chandler got braces. OUCH! He's expected to have them for the next 2 years. The process will also eventually include 2 implanted teeth.

Can you say "$$$$$$"?!?!

Chandler's missing the 2 teeth on either side of his front teeth. He never had any baby or permanent teeth there.

He's been in some pretty significant pain both yesterday and today, but it seems to be easing up a little bit tonight. I think he'll be back to eating all the things he loves in no time at all.

Here's he is, Mr...

train wreck...brace face...track mouth...metal mouth...etc... ;)

The Chandler East Stake Youth can do hard things!!!

Last Saturday Eric and I joined 300, 14-18 year old youth of the Chandler East Stake in doing something hard... VERY hard! We walked from the Mesa LDS temple to the (still under construction) Gilbert temple. Yes, you read that right... We walked from temple to temple!

My pedometer clocked it as 14.1 miles. A LONG 14.1 miles! The final 4 miles were walked in 94 degree weather, too. It was super HOT!

We met at the church building across from the Mesa temple at 6am, where they fed us breakfast. Next, they showed us a video, "Only A Stonecutter". It's the life story of John Moyle, who walked from Alpine, UT to Salt Lake City, UT to work on the temple while it was under construction. Part way through his life, he lost his leg. Within a short amount of time, he recovered, made himself a wooden leg, and began to walk the trip from Alpine to Salt Lake once again. He spent most of his life working on the temple, and never had the opportunity to see it completed. He died before it was opened. It was an inspiring story, and was the perfect video to show the youth before heading out on the temple trek.

We finally started walking about 8am.

We made a few stops along the way for water, snacks, lunch, and uplifting messages prepared by a few of the Stake's bishops. There were 12 groups walking, but we didn't have youth from our ward in all of them. So, we started off with the first group, and filtered back through the groups to spend time with each of our youth. It was wonderful to see them trying so hard to accomplish their goals. We were able to talk with, and encourage each of them on their journey.

About 7 miles in, I started to feel the effects of the heat and sore muscles. I think Eric could see that I was losing it, and he said, "What would Phebe do?" I knew he was referring to my ancestor Phebe Draper Palmer Brown. She was 1 of only 4 women who made the entire trek with the Mormon Battalion, start to finish. I'm so proud to be her descendant, and am grateful that I was able to find some energy and strength from her at that moment. (I've since shared that experience with my girls, and have asked them a few times, "What would Phebe do?")

Along the way, I noticed that we all walked with our heads down... Placing one foot in front of the other... Just trying to make it to the end. Then, about 4 miles before we made it to the Gilbert temple, we saw a quick glimpse of the Angel Moroni through the tops of the trees. From that point on, we all walked with our eyes up... looking for every hint we could see of the finish line.

Finally, at 3pm, we reached our goal of walking to the new Gilbert temple. It was such a welcome sight! I know that each of the youth will get something different from this experience. However, I know that all of them will have a new appreciation for the temple. I'm sure that every time they see it, they will remember the time they made this trek and reached their goal.

WE MADE IT!!! 14.1 miles!!!

It was a great accomplishment! We are so proud of our youth for attacking this challenge without fear. There wasn't grumbling or murmuring. Sure, there were LOTS of hot and sunburned youth with sore legs and feet. There were even some pretty nasty blisters. However, they were all troopers! We're so grateful that we were able to share this experience with them.

And, we're DANG proud of ourselves!

California, here we come! ~ Days 3 & 4!

On Day 3 of our trip, we hit a some of Balboa Park's museums.

The Automotive Museum...

The Air and Space Museum... (Where we learned how to fly.)

There were also TONS of planes and jets to see. It was all very fun!

After that, we headed to lunch, and then the BEACH! The kids could hardly wait for this time, but I thought it was going to be a waste of time... I thought they would not like the sand or salt water. I was WAY WRONG! They totally loved every minute of it, and spent hours rolling in the sand and swimming in the surf.

They were all searching for shells, and they scored... big time!

Eric and I didn't get in the water, but we had a good time sitting together, watching the kids enjoy themselves.

After the beach we went back to the hotel for dinner, and to watch the Presidential debate.

Another great day in San Diego!

On Day 4, we had to head home... BOO! I guess all good things must come to an end. So, we took one last opportunity to swim and play at the pool, complete with a few games of chicken.

Finally, we made a quick stop at the San Diego temple before loading up and heading back to the AZ valley.

It was a wonderful trip full of lots of activities. However, the greatest thing of all was just being able to spend time together. It was much needed. We're looking forward to the next family trip... whenever it will be.

P.S. Our car battery died the day after we got home. Thankfully, it waited until then so it didn't put a damper on our trip. Thanks to Shelby for praying before we left, that the car wouldn't have any problems on our trip. It worked, Shelbs!