thankful.

So, I LOVE Thanksgiving and the weeks leading up to it. It makes me, and everyone around me happy. We realize how blessed we are. And we're thankful.

I'm thankful for the "regulars"...the givens. You know, our house, our clothes, our cars. So thankful. But this year I've been thinking a lot about all the little things I'm thankful for.

Like how all of my girls say “don’t let the crocodiles get you!” every time they say goodbye to someone in person or on the phone. 

Or how Ellie will take it upon herself to “read” stories to Macie forever until Macie’s little heart is content.

I'm thankful for Grant and how he get so “into” things and they make him so happy (right now it is Bey Blades, before that it was origami, before that it was baseball cards…)

I'm thankful for digital scrapbooking.  That I can document our family history and photos and let my creative juices flow. I need that. And that I can make pages without making a mess.

I'm so thankful for the way Macie shakes her bootie (gotta get it on video), and how she cracks me up everyday.

I’m thankful for great co-workers/friends. If I have to be at work, at least I can hang out with them.

I’m thankful for disposable diapers and garbage bags.

I’m thankful for Ellie’s young, pure testimony. The other day out of the blue she said, “Mom, it is so cool that if we do something wrong, we can pray to Heavenly Father and he will forget about it, huh?”

I’m thankful for Addie and her big brown eyes and how they twinkle when she is really happy. And how she loves Elvis. Seriously.

I’m thankful that my kids genuinely love each other.

I’m so thankful for L.J. and what a great dad he is. That he takes time for the kids and that our family is his #1 priority. And that he backs my car into the garage every night so it will be a little warmer when I leave for work at 6:15 am.

I’m thankful for my (recently inherited from L.J.) iPod. I’m thankful that I can have my music, book, scriptures, day planner, kid entertainer in the store, and brain (notes) all in one teeny tiny place that fits in my pocket.

I’m thankful that I get to be a mom.

And most importantly, I'm thankful for my testimony of what I know is true....we have a loving Father in Heaven who wants us to return to live with him again some day. I'm thankful for the example of Jesus Christ in my life and that I can share all this with my kids.

And I’m thankful for my warm bed that is calling me.. :)