Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving

I am looking forward to a wonderful day filled with family and food and football! Hope no broken bones are thrown into the mix.


I am also thankful for

cute turkeys
holidays
electricity
air conditioning/heating (I remember hauling wood as a kid)
baby laughter
hot breakfast
Christmas music
literacy
digital cameras
my hair straightener
freedom
good books
my talents
letters from Nate
when Ryan sleeps in
a clean kitchen
the gospel of Jesus Christ
all 5 of my senses work
my glasses (okay so that sense needs some help)
homemade strawberry jam

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

My Children

I can't believe I have gone most of November listing things I'm thankful for and haven't mentioned my children yet! I am so grateful to be a mother! Hannah, Nikki, and Ryan are three of the greatest blessings in my life. I am very grateful for my children. My beauties!
Our little genius

After school today, the girls just couldn't seem to get along, so I sentenced them outside to play and take care of Ryan together. What do you know -- all three of my grumpy kids got happy really quick.
(By the way, in the background is the little blue sporty car that I squished backing out of the driveway earlier this year. He's still parking in the same spot on the other side of my driveway -- doesn't seem too smart to me!)


Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Cooking Skills

I'm grateful for the ability to cook. My grandparents were amazing cooks. Granddaddy White served as a cook during WWII. Those were some lucky soldiers. And we were lucky to be served every Sunday afternoon by him. Grandma White made the desserts and fruit salads and sides. Oh, such good food! I loved Grandma Bass's chicken and dumplings, apple pie, potato salad (and I didn't even like half of the ingredients she put in it, but I loved her potato salad), strawberry shortcake, and she always had homemade bread and strawberry jam. I loved that! My mom was a good cook too, but she was so busy that eventually she would have Kellee or me make dinner before she got home. We ate a lot of Hamburger Helper, tuna casserole, spaghetti, and even Spam casserole sometimes. But I did learn how to cook the basic things to be able to take care of a family. I have since learned how to make bread, pies, more complex meals, and a variety of other things. I absolutely love the Everyday Food Storage website. If you haven't checked it out, it is definitely worthwhile. I was going to go to the store tonight to get a couple of things we are running low on, but then I decided I really didn't want to, so that meant I needed to make graham crackers to make a graham pie crust instead of buying either the crust or the crackers at the store. I got the recipe from that website. It's really not that hard since I've done it a couple of times before, and it's fun to be able to make it. In other pinches (can you tell I hate going to the grocery store?) I have made my own cream soups, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and cool whip. That's just what I can think of from the top of my head right now. Oh, we made milkshakes for our family night treat last night with no ice cream -- and they were really good! I have a lot of fun in the kitchen, and I'm grateful for that, too because it seems like I spend a lot of time there!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Friends and Family Traditions

It's getting late, and I want to read a little more before I go to bed. I actually got into a book today that I've been trying to read for a couple of weeks but haven't had time to sit down for it. And after I got into it I put it down to finish the laundry! I was so proud of myself. Anyway, yesterday I didn't get to post because we were pretty busy during the day and then some friends invited us over for dinner. It was really fun, and I am grateful to have good friends.

I am also grateful for family traditions. I'm too tired to make the post that I really should about this one, but we think a lot about traditions during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. However, they are important throughout the whole year. We have traditions surrounding birthdays, summertime, Sundays, Halloween, snowfalls, vacations, and thousands of other occasions. They are all important and help define who our family is and what we do. My aunt Nell sent me an email of my Grandma White's potatokin (sweet potato/pumpkin) pie, which is one of my all-time favorite holiday recipes. It just wouldn't be Thanksgiving and Christmas without that. I'm even going to try to cook my sweet potatoes this year instead of using the canned stuff. I've only done that once before and I ended up with lumpy pies. Here's crossing my fingers. We might have to take a quick trip to Nell's house Thursday night if it doesn't work out!

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Answered Prayers


After almost three years, we may finally be saying goodbye to our yellow house. That's how long we have been trying to sell it. As of today, we have a signed contract. Of course, nothing is final until closing and there actually are a couple of issues to work out. But, this is the closest we have come to a sale, and it seems like we have been trying to sell it forever. I took this picture a few months after we moved in. I can't believe how little the girls were. We really loved living there, so surprisingly this feels kind of bittersweet. Well, okay, it's more sweet than bitter. We have prayed long and hard for this because it is what is best for our family. Today I'm grateful that the Lord answers our prayers on His timeframe because His plan is so much better than ours. We have learned many things in these years that we wouldn't have learned if we had sold it when we first put it on the market. We're going to have milkshakes for lunch to celebrate!

Friday, November 20, 2009

Dessert

I'm grateful for yummy desserts! Tonight will probably be popcorn, but I'm really looking forward to Thanksgiving dinner next week. Of course I love the turkey and potatoes, but I can't wait for the pumpkin pie. And I'm going to make a No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake, too. Haven't ever made it before but it sure sounds good. Here's the recipe I've had for years but haven't ever tried. I'll let you know next week how it turns out.

No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sugar
11 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups whipped topping
1 graham cracker crust

In a small microwave-safe bowl place chocolate chips. Microwave on high 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Set aside to cool. In large mixer bowl beat cream cheese, sugar and butter until smooth. On low speed blend in melted chocolate. Fold in whipped topping until blended; spoon cheese mixture into crust. Cover; chill until firm. Garnish with whipped topping and some shaved chocolate.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Gratitude

"Like the leprosy of yesteryear are the plagues of today. They linger; they debilitate; they destroy. They are to be found everywhere. Their pervasiveness knows no boundaries. We know them as selfishness, greed, indulgence, cruelty, and crime, to identify but a few. Surfeited with their poison, we tend to criticize, to complain, to blame, and, slowly but surely, to abandon the positives and adopt the negatives of life.

A popular refrain from the 1940s captured the thought:

Accentuate the positive;
Eliminate the negative.
Latch on to the affirmative;
Don't mess with Mr. In-between.

Good advice then. Good advice now.

This is a wonderful time to be living here on earth. Our opportunities are limitless. While there are some things wrong in the world today, there are many things right, such as teachers who teach, ministers who minister, marriages that make it, parents who sacrifice, and friends who help.

We can lift ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues." (Thomas S. Moson, "An Attitude of Gratitude," Ensign, May 1992, 54)



I think I have been blessed even more just by this act of writing down something I'm grateful for everyday. My attitude has improved, and I have felt happier over the past couple of weeks. No trials have disappeared, I don't have roses magically growing in my flowerbeds. But the more I look for things to be thankful for, the more I see them all around me. So today, I'm thankful for the blessings that come from gratitude.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Temple


I am grateful for the temple and the many tender blessings it has brought to my life and my family.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

That's Pretty Big

Yesterday got a little crazy, and I didn't get a chance to post, so here's two things I'm thankful for today. Nikki and I found this leaf on a walk a few days ago. A leaf bigger than my head?! It was pretty impressive. I'm grateful for Heavenly Father's creations. They are amazing.


And, those are some pretty big shoes to fill, Little one. I think I've already said I'm grateful for the husband Nate is, and I'm also grateful that my children have a father whose shoes are worth trying to fill. And of course, I'm grateful Ryan didn't break his neck trying to walk in these.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Mom and Dad


I am so grateful for my parents. I love them, and I am still learning from their lives even after they have been gone for all of these years.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Sunny November Day


I'm grateful for a beautiful afternoon today that came after a long cold and wet week. And it came on a Saturday afternoon when Nate was home to play with Ryan outside for hours!

Friday, November 13, 2009

Disposable Diapers


I don't need to explain why I'm thankful for disposable diapers today. I just really am.

Quick and Easy

I didn't post anything yesterday, but I was thankful for an easy recipe last night, Tex-Mex Lasagna, that my family ate. I did have to lay down the law before I brought it to the table because you could see that it had tomatoes in it. I told the girls it was impolite to ask for something else to eat without even tasting it, and if they did that they weren't getting anything to eat until breakfast. They decided they liked it. :)

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Laughter

Tonight I'm thankful for a sense of humor. I remember Sister Hinckley said something to the effect that there are times in life when we can either laugh or cry, and crying gave her a headache. Well, I don't feel like bringing on a headache, so I'm just going to laugh at myself.

This morning, I cracked my egg over the counter instead of the frying pan, so it dripped down in the burner as I was trying to get it to the pan. Then I got caught in the thick of things, and I never cleaned it up. So tonight when I started preparing dinner for our company I remembered it when my boiling water started to smell like it was burning. Oh well, just open the kitchen window. Then I went to pick up the sister missionaries while the rice finished cooking on the stove and Nate oversaw the last minute preparations. When I got home with the missionaries, something was much more burnt than just what was on the burner. Well, there went the rice -- at least the bottom layer of it. A few blackened grains in the bowl never killed anybody. Then I went out visiting with the missionaries, and as they didn't have any specific appointments set up we just tried to find someone home that we could stop by and chat with for a few minutes. At the last house, the nice lady told us no thanks and we tried to leave. But it was dark and raining and I'm a terrible driver. I drove over this huge log that was lining the driveway and got it wedged under the car. We had to go back to the door and ask the woman if she had maybe a broom or something to push it out with (we didn't know at that time how big it was). Since it wasn't moving I got the jack out of the trunk and she took over and got the job done. I pulled it out from under the car, and a few wet and muddy minutes later we were on our way. That woman must surely be shaking her head in her sleep tonight. Just another chain of events to add to my long list of most embarrassing moments.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Planning Ahead

For a couple of different reasons this year we decided that we want to have a homemade and service Christmas. Carrying two house payments is one of those reasons, but we also just want to have Christmas be what it should be about this year. There is no way a kid is going to be more excited about the Savior's birth than the magic of Santa. Having said that, our girls still expect him to bring roller skates. I tried to reason with them that roller skates aren't homemade, but they said if the elves make them then they are homemade. I still have some work to do there. I'm just not sure how to handle that. If we didn't have aforementioned second house payment I'm sure I would just get them. But Nate and I agreed that we're not spending anything on presents this year. And then I also keep thinking that this is our chance to be done with Santa forever. Ryan doesn't ever need him. We can put presents under the tree on Christmas Eve that the kids have never seen before, and we can fill stockings, and we can claim that it all came from us because we love them more than any fluffly old man hidden in the Arctic. But anyway, besides the Santa issue Hannah and Nikki are really excited about it. They have made their little lists of things they are going to make for everyone else in the family and service coupons that they are going to give. It is really sweet watching them get excited about making things for others. We have Kellee's family to get presents for this year on my side of the family, and it has been so fun coming up with ideas of what we can do for them. Kellee, just don't let your kids be expecting too much because we all know how crafty I am! Except I did just make a tree topper out of twigs and branches that I hotglued into a star shape, and I think it looks pretty good. We have plans for making cinnamon applesauce ornaments for our tree. I have made lists of decorations and food and gifts to prepare, and I'm grateful I started before Halloween. It's going to take a while, but I think I can really have the bulk of the work done by the end of November and then enjoy the month of December. So, today I'm grateful that for once in my life I didn't procrastinate. I have planned ahead! And I think we can make this a beautiful Christmas season that will fit perfectly into our holiday budget that went MIA.

Monday, November 09, 2009

Washer and Dryer


I am grateful for my washer and dryer. As much as I hate laundry, it could be SO much worse.

Sunday, November 08, 2009


Sundays are such a wonderful day of renewal. Church was so great today. The focus in every meeting was on the Savior's atonement, and I am so grateful that His sacrifice is for me. I love this picture because He loves each of His sheep, lost or found. I can so easily picture myself as that little sheep needing His protection and care. I am grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for His suffering, death, and resurrection. I am grateful that He extends so much mercy to me. I am grateful to know that the Atonement covers our sins, pain, sicknesses, afflictions, and can make right everything that is unfair in this life. I am so grateful.

Saturday, November 07, 2009

Naptime

I am thankful for Ryan's naptime. I got my wall of family pictures rearranged and updated today without having to worry about him taking off with the hammer or getting into the toolbox while I worked. He even gave me enough time to write a quick post on the blog! "There is beauty all around when he's fast asleep."

Friday, November 06, 2009

Family Tree


This was a cool project I got from a lady at church. It's our family tree, and I'm quite excited about how it turned out -- even with my lousy handwriting. I think it will look nice with our family pictures in the living room. I just have to get a frame for it now.

Cleanliness


I am thankful for my shiny sink today. A couple of days ago I looked at the FlyLady's website which Brigette mentioned on her blog, and I learned how to clean my sink. And it's pretty neat because my kitchen has been clean for three days now. The FlyLady was right, the shiny sink really has made a difference for me.

Thursday, November 05, 2009

Encouragement


Back before the sun took so long to come up in the morning, I used to go jogging at 6 am. Sometimes this guy would come flying by me as I puffed up a hill. As I struggled to manage a "Hi" during one of my dramatic exhales, he would give me a "Good morning" as if he was sitting at the breakfast table rather than sprinting through the neighborhood. He always amazed me. Today I was beginning the ascent of the last hill of my run (we live at the top of the neighborhood so no matter which way I go the end is always uphill) when I saw him waiting at the bus stop with his kids. I didn't realize it was that same guy until he called out as I went by, "Keep running!" I kind of laughed and said, "This hill is killer." He told me, "You'll get used to it." Then I managed to run up the very hill that I have walked up all week long.
I have been surrounded my whole life by people who lift me up and encourage me to do more than I think I can. I am grateful for Mr. Sprinter and all the other people who have ever believed in me along the way.

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

I Am Thankful


Today I am thankful for Nate. He is so patient with me. A lesser man couldn't handle the job. Well, this morning he was pretty frustrated with me, but I think it's amazing that he doesn't get upset with me more often. I better go read with the girls and get the house cleaned before he gets home!

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

I Am Thankful

I have so much to be grateful for. Yesterday when we were in the grocery store the girls were surprised that Christmas decorations were replacing the Halloween things. What about Thanksgiving, they said. My thoughts exactly. And since we had so much fun with our Halloween chain we are doing a Thanksgiving tree leading up to Thanksgiving. We'll add a leaf everyday with something we're grateful for. Here's mine today:

I'm grateful Ryan hasn't been to the ER, or that we haven't had to call poison control yet. Nate considered it yesterday when he got out of the shower to see him eating deoderant, but thankfully he had just started.



Doesn't he look so sweet and innocent? He is really sweet.
I'm actually not just trying to be funny with this one. I do think that he has had extra protection beyond what I have given him. He has had some scary falls and scrapes and has been into more cabinets and drawers than I have really been prepared for. Whoever it is watching over him, I'm very grateful.

Monday, November 02, 2009

Halloween


I have neglected the blog lately, and there is a lot to catch up on. But for now, since family night is on the way, I'll just put this up. Halloween was actually really fun this year. It's never been a holiday I really cared for, but our Halloween chain gave us lots of good times.
***So now that I have a few more minutes, I'll try to list out some of our Halloween activities. Everyday we would do an activity that we had listed on our countdown to Halloween chain.
decorated gingerbread haunted houses (with graham crackers instead of gingerbread, and I forgot to make the icing chocolate, so they thought it looked more like a Christmas activity than Halloween)
Caramel apples
Orange Rice Krispy treats
ghostly marshmallows
spider pops
ghost pops (since we already had the lollipops)
witch coloring page
Halloween shaped Jell-o jigglers
painting pumpkins
carving pumpkins
read a spooky ghost story (it was a children's story, but it made me pull my toes up close to Nate when I went to bed that night -- it was called The Tailypo)
made paper scarecrows, but they never finished those so this was a flop
decorated Halloween cookies
were going to go to the pumpkin patch, but that day ended up a little too crazy
made paper Halloween decorations to hang up
tie dyed jack-o-lantern T shirts
Halloween-themed paper dolls (I thought they might be bored by this but they had fun making Frankenstein into a princess with skeleton legs and other crazy ideas)
Halloween lunch -- pizza mummies, apple bites, and a melon brain
and of course, trick-or-treating!
There were a few more things, but I can't think of them and don't have pictures so they must not have been all that exciting. It made the holiday so much better. I never have liked the scary decorations and costumes. The cute pumpkins and ghosts are fun, but I just don't get why people like to be scared. Well, I do like the story "Where's my Golden Arm." I found that on the internet because I couldn't remember all of it, and Nate keeps saying "You've got it!" all the time making me laugh. We had a record of that story when I was little. Anyway, I think we may have to make this a tradition because we all had fun with it.