Happy Thanksgiving

As you may remember at the beginning of the month I told you about our Thankful Turkey . Notice the size of the Turkey from then . . . till now. We went through all of the feathers of what everyone said, and here they are in no particular order. . .

1. My brain
2. Potties
3. Food
4. Sharing
5. My house
6. Aunts & Uncles
7. My Meanah (blankie)
8. School (including colleges)
9. Friends
10. A healthy body
11. People who do their jobs
12. Nursery
13. Camera
14. My Parents
15. My bed
16. Rainbows
17. My Kids
18. Laws
19. Ceiling fans
20. Being and making Creative things
21. Knowledge
22. Grandmas & Grandpas
23. Technology/Computers
24. Daddy
25. Church/Scriptures
26. Cousins
27. Bananas
28. Free Things
29. A Job
30. Special Days
31. Thanksgiving
32. Clocks
33. Medicine/Doctors
34. Juice
35. Being a Grad Student
36. Turkeys
37. Kleenex
38. My country
39. Jewelry
40. Toys
41. Missionaries
42. Flowers
43. Cups
44. Yummy Food/mom’s cooking
45. Animals
46. Education/Teachers
47. My family tree
48. Water
49. The Prophet
50. Service
51. Cars
52. Armed Forces
53. Journals
54. Jokes
55. Our Government
56. Temples
57. Christmas Bonuses
58. Neti Pot
59. Four Seasons
60. Meatballs
61. Shovels
62. The Priesthood
63. Weather
64. My 5 senses
65. Winter hats
66. Freedom
67. My Brothers and sisters
68. Exercising
69. Lagoon
70. My wife
71. Glasses
72. Dedication
73. My teachers
74. Soap
75. Rain
76. Hair
78. Lysol
79. Auto Mechanics
80. Pilgrims
81. Relief Society
82. Band Aids

Some were really cute, and some were doubled up (which is fine with me). Malia only had a few up there because every time we would ask her what she was thankful for, the same 3 things came out of her mouth "Papa, Dee da, Dally" (meaning grandpa, Kristi, Dallin). So we gave up on her and just let it be. We are truly blessed to have all that we do, and to have each other. NOw we are off for Turkey and all the fixins so . . . Happy Thanksgiving to all and to all a goodnight.

Gearing up for Thanksgiving

I know that it isn't quite time for Christmas things, but I love decorations and the feeling of Christmas that I decided I would actually change my template to be festive for at least one holiday. Plus snowmen work all winter long and it has already started snowing here, so I'm good to go for a while.

Anyway, we are really excited for Thanksgiving this year. Randy's brother is flying in this week from Texas and so we get to spend time with him and his family which is great. Our Anniversary is the day after Thanksgiving (which is like the year we got married, we actually got married Black Friday, what were we thinking?). Randy's parents told us we could leave the kids with them Thanksgiving night and come home "kidless" to celebrate. We actually get to hit Black Friday sales together, instead of one of us (meaning Randy) having to stay home with the kids. We are pretty excited. The kids have various things going on this week like pilgrim plays, birthday parties and such and I get to go to a Rheumatologist this week and hopefully find out what is wrong with me.

I know I haven't really posted anything about my problems just cuz I thought I was being a baby about this, but I really don't think I am anymore, and this pain I am in is ridiculous and am getting tired of it. So here it goes. Back in July when we g0t home from our awesome trip to Wisconsin, I started having hip pain. I figured it was just from sitting in the car and having to turn around a lot helping kids. Well, then in August my neck and upper back started to hurt. On my birthday Meg's friend's who is a massage therapist for a chiropractor gave me a massage and told me how bad I was. So I gave in and started going to a chiropractor close to the end of Sept. to hopefully fix me. Every time I would go in, he would have to readjust everything and I was still having a lot of pain in my hip. Towards the middle-end of Oct. other joints started to hurt and I really couldn't figure it out. It has progressively moved to seriously almost every joint in my body (including my jaw, fingers, toes) weird joints that you think shouldn't hurt. So at the beginning of Nov. I went to my doctor who took my history and some blood tests to try and figure out where this pain was coming from. He tested me for various arthritis', Lyme disease (which totally fit since I was in the backwoods of Wisconsin), and even Lupus, which scared me a little. All of them came back negative except the one that says I have inflammation (duh I could have told you that) and so now I'm going to see a Rheumatologist to hopefully figure out what is going on. All I know is that I can't handle the pain anymore. Aleve and Ibuprofen don't even touch it. If I lay around trying to take it easy it gets worse, if I over do it, the same. I have given up, I am soo tired of being uncomfortable all of the time. All I want is to move without pain and get a good night's rest. Is that soo much to ask for? Hopefully Santa will come early to my house this year and give me the greatest present of my life, mobility.

Rad Kids and New Moon Party

McKenzie just finished her second round of Rad Kids. The last time she did this was in 1st grade and she loved it. (Which means Morgan will be doing it later on this year). I love how it brings awareness to kids about the dangers that are out there and what they can do in scary situations. The cop that was there said that when it comes down to a fight or flight situation, only 3% of people actually do what they've been TOLD to do, the rest kinda freeze or do the wrong things. These kids practice and go through scenarios for about 3 weeks practicing skills and then on the final day, the cop dresses up in protective gear (so he doesn't get hurt) and the kids go at it on him, kicking and hitting and yelling, anything they can do to get away from him. It's pretty amazing what they can actually do. On another note, New Moon came out 2 days ago and my friend Kelly's mom rented out a theater and sold all of the tickets to people that she, or her daughter's knew. Kelly was so excited for this that she and another friend, Beth, put together a pre New Moon celebration dinner and game night. It was a blast. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures cuz apparently I was having too much fun. I brought my heckling sister, Bacon, with me. Apparently she's really not that into Edward and Bella and just likes to make fun of them through the whole movie.

Burger King has Twilight crowns which of course we wore.

And a few of us made T-shirts just to make sure everyone knew we were ready.

Here's Michelle and her sister all stoked for the movie to start.

Miss Vera Jean who was the reason I was able to finish the books so quickly. Thanx girl, you are awesome.

Steph, Bridget and Sarah from my ward.

The Albach sister's. They remind me of me and my sisters when we were younger, only much nicer to each other. I love these girls, they are soo cute. Oh ya, and Buffy in the background trying to get in the fun.

Me, Beth, Buffy and Jess. I love Beth's expression, the guy who took the pic told us to think of Edward, and Beth took it to heart. Too funny.

It was a ton a fun. The best thing was we didn't have to watch the annoying previews at the beginning and we could start whenever we were ready. Kelly's mom had a bunch of stuff to raffle off before we started. It was awesome. Thanx ladies for a great evening. Oh and the boys got together for a New Moon bashing night. It sounds like they had dessert and played games till the kids got tired. Can't wait for Eclipse to come out. Bring it on.

Our Thankful Turkey

I was given the assignment of giving a lesson in Relief Society yesterday on Gratitude. At first I was having a hard time researching the topic for whatever reason, until I found this devotional given by Elder Joseph B Wirthlin back in 2000 about living Thanksgiving daily. It was an amazing talk and it really opened my eyes on how my attitude really needs to change. I need to be grateful for everything I have and everything I can do. The happiest people out there are the one's not with the most money or the nicest things, but are the most grateful. I enjoy being happy, as I'm sure most people do, so this month we are making our Thankful Turkey again and we are actually starting at the beginning of the month, so this year our poor little turkey is going to have feathers to the living room (ok not that big but close). I hope that my children will understand the meaning of this, and that they can learn to be happy and grateful for all they have. I also use a poem entitled

I'll be Happy when

by Marie Lundeen

A small child sat in the fullness of spring, surrounded by the beauty of each living thing.
All the wonders of nature never caught her eye, and she said to herself with a discontented sigh.
“When I get to be five, I’ll be happy then.” So continued her thoughts of I’ll be happy when.
The little child grew to a girl in her teens; still feeling that life is never quite what it seems.
I wish I were sixteen and had my own car; I’d be happier then, much happier by far.
That teenager grew to a young woman then wife, standing with her young man on the threshold of life.
Still she was not happy, and she thought perhaps, if I had a child to cuddle on my lap.
Children did come and the young mother often said, “I’ll be happy when these little ones have all gone to bed.
I’d be happy if I just had more time to myself, if I didn’t have to keep my nic-nac’s so high on the shelf,
if I didn’t have so many children to care for, I could buy a lovely new sofa, and rug for the floor.”
Well time passed by and the young woman’s hair turned to grey, and she found herself all alone one day.
With all the time in the world and her home most exquisite, she wished her children would come home for a visit.
I’d be happy if only they would visit me more, it’s so seldom I see a grandchild at my door.
She had lived with her motto “I’ll be happy when” never pausing, content, with the blessings of then.
And so she drifted through each season of life, neglecting the beauty while noting the strife.
Till at length she arrived at winter’s last days, feeling life was so unfair in so many ways.
Finally humbled and trembling on bended knee, she prayed to the Lord to answer her plea.
Dear Father, if thou art above, why ‘hast thou withheld thy love?
Am I not one of thine own? Yet, I am old, unhappy, and all alone.
All I ever wanted was happiness, instead, I find disappointment, and distress.
The answer came as a seedling of thought, to her mind. Perhaps, happiness isn’t something you find.
It’s not where you live, but how, and the time to be happy is not someday, but now!
It’s not something you buy, or win, true happiness comes from peace within!
“That peace my child is the key that comes only from serving me.”
Then she begged for forgiveness, as the tired heart swelled, the blessings had gone unnoticed, but never withheld.
So in the winter of life, instead of the spring, an old woman sat surrounded, by the beauty of each thing.
And not a wonder of nature escaped her eye, as she said to herself with a contented sigh,
“So this old body will soon be laid to rest, I, of all people, am truly most blessed.”
Now old and feeble with shoulders bent, she was finally happy and truly content!

May this Thanksgiving season be one of great happiness. Be happy just to wake up in the morning, to give my kids hugs see the beauty of the earth. I am grateful for this country that I live in, where I am free to believe the things I want. I love my family, and am truly blessed to have them.