Friday, November 23, 2012

Thanksgiving DAY!!!! Day 1!

I am thankful for being able to spend time with my family! ALL of my family!!! Including (but not limited to) my brother Dave and his family who were here visiting from Colorado Springs! I got the pleasure of hosting them at my house for a few days and I am SO glad I have a house big enough for them all to fit! I am glad that the cousins could all get together and play for the short time that they had available for them to do so. I am glad the my youngest brothers baby who fell and bumped her head is okay. I am glad Megan & Justin and Ford were all able to be there. I am very glad that we do not  live next door to each other! :) I love spending time with my family, but it is also nice to be able to just go home! :)
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!

Day 2 Thanksgiving countdown....

I am going to be completely honest here....I am glad this count down is almost over! No really, I have enjoyed it as always, but not quite as much in years past. Perhaps it is the place I seem to be in my life, perhaps it is because I honestly wanted to think of new things I have never used before and found it difficult to do, without sounding totally lame to myself (let alone anyone else who might read it). Perhaps it is because I would wait till the very end of the day when I was tired and my poor brian had already been thinked to death for the day.... who knows, but this count down has been harder for me than every before. I am glad there is only one more day to go!

Day 3 Thanksgiving countdown....

Thankful for living in Utah. I really never thought I would say that and mean it like I currently do. I still think, given the opportunity and perfect circumstances, I would move out of Utah, if even for just s while. Just to see what it is like. For now though, in my current situation I am completely content to just sit back and love where I am living! I love the mountains, I love the scenery, I love the diversity of the people, places and things about Utah. I even for the most part love Utah's crazy weather, although the snow is becoming more and more difficult for me to tolerate with every passing year, but every once in a while you might get me to admit that it is okay to look at. ;) I am thankful to live in Utah.

Day 4 Thanksgiving countdown...

I am thankful for Memories! All of them. The good ones and the bad ones. While i have been typing out some of these entries, I have been thinking back on some of the things that have helped shape me throughout my life. My memories! No, not all of the memories have been happy, nor will all of the ones to come in the future I am sure. But without the bad memories I would not appreciate the good ones the way I do. They would simply be things remembered. Not anything special. Not things that make me smile.
Thinking about the things that I have been taught by my parents and things I remember doing with them and as a family when I was a child. Thinking back to the day I got married or the days I had my own kids....those feel good memories that came with challenges and lessons to be both taught, and learned! Give and take, happy and sad. I am grateful for memories! I certainly hope there are many more to come, and many more good memories than bad! :)

Day 5 Thanksgiving countdown....

Thankful for My Mom! For the good example she is and has been. For teaching me compassion and the value of hard work. For teaching me that caring for ones self is as important as taking care of those around you. If you fail to take care of yourself eventually your ability to care for those around you becomes weaker, until you take the time to care for yourself! Even though she has almost always worked outside the home, she is a great homemaker. She always tried to do things with us as kids, when she was home, to make things fun and or memorable. She always sewed her fingers off making us great clothes, or jammies, or whatever! She didn't like to cook (I found this out much later in my life), but taught us to not only do it, but to do it well! She taught us the importance of keeping a clean and tidy house, and having clean clothes! (especially underwear (; )
Thank you Mom for not being perfect, but for teaching me to always try my hardest and do my best at whatever I took the time to put an effort in. I love you!

Day 6 Thanksgiving countdown.....

I am Thankful for my feet! They carry me everywhere I need to walk to, and for the most part they don't hurt! I have some friends whos feet hurt more often than they don't. They wear special shoes or inserts for their shoes so they will help their feet not hurt as much, but their pain even though it may lesson, it never really stops. I am glad my feet still work the way they always have, and without pain! I will be running in a 5K this Saturday and I am glad my feet will be able to cary me through the race. I hope they will help me a s I try to better my personal time from last year. Even if only by a few seconds! I am grateful for my feet!

Day 7 Thanksgiving countdown....

I am thankful for mountains! I am thankful that I live as close to them as I do! I am thankful that I can look out each day and see them and watch them in the different cycles of the seasons. From the spring when things begin to green up, summer when it is green and cool, to fall when the leaves change and winter when the snow caps the tops or covers them all up! I love driving in and through then or looking at them from a distance! I love the mountains!

Day 8 Thanksgiving countdown...

I am thankful for my mind! The way it works and the things I think (most of the time anyway). Glad that I have the ability to reason and think things out. To figure out how to fix things a lot of the time when they break, without Having to have someone help me. Glad that I have been blessed with more common sense than a lot of people seem to have been. I do know that it might not work as well as it did a few years ago, but I am glad I have it all the same!

Day 9 Thanksgiving countdown....

I am thankful for Clothes! I am glad we aren't all running around naked! After all there are very few perfect bodies out there, and I am even glad they are covered up as they would only serve to make feel more self-conscious about the imperfections with my own body.
Clothing can make me feel fancy, churchy, ready to exercise or dance. AND I am glad I have it to cover up all the things I wouldn't want anyone else to see! :)

Day 10 Thanksgiving count down.....

I am Grateful for water! Yup! Water! Water to bathe in, water to wash things in, water to make things green and grow. Most of all, water to drink!!! It has become my favorite thing to drink. It quenches my thirst and refreshes me. It cools me off when I am hot, and just makes me feel better in general! Yep! I love water!

Day 11 Thanksgiving countdown...

I am thankful for music! The way it can energize me or calm me! Make a good day even better, comfort me when I am sad. It can take me back in time, or mark a day to the point that I know I will never forget it! I LOVE music!

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Day 12 Thanksgiving countdown.....

I am grateful for Megan being willing to come down and do some work around the house for me!
She and Justin are currently out of work (she just got a job, but still has no money), and since she is still on my phone plan, she owes me money, and so she has been coming down to earn her payment. It is helping her out, but it has helped me out more than she could even imagine!
She has mowed the lawn, blown leaves and mowed leaves. She has folded countless towels and wash clothes. She has ironed shirt after shirt for her Dad! The time she has saved me, and the things she has accomplished have been to me, well worth the pice of her phone bill!Especially when these things came during a time, where if she had not been there to help me, I would not have been able to get them done on my own. Thank you Megan for being willing to earn your way! You are growing into a fine adult! Wether you like it or not. ;)

Day 13 Thanksgiving count down....

I am thankful for driving! For having a car to get me from point A to point B and back again, or to no place in particular. I was driving home from work on the freeway and I realized I was totally enjoy the time I was spending just riding down the road.
For some reason it is relaxing to me! Since before Chet and I were married, if we were having problems our working it out ALWAYS involved a car! Probably because I couldn't just leave while we were driving down the road... There was much time spent and much fuel wasted if you and to look at it that way. I however; choose to see it as fuel well used. Because here we are today, still getting in the car when we need to spend time talking without having anyone hear but us! Not to mention all the other times we spend in the car/truck out of sheer enjoyment! We love to go for rides and the like. So I am grateful for driving!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Day 14 Thanksgiving count down....

I am thankful for good news!
Today I had to go in and have the second mammogram in a a three week time period. Why one might ask...well, most must really know the answer already. The first test came back with an unknown mass. :( Very scary stuff! When they called me to tell me I needed more views taken I almost got sick.
With my Mom being a breast cancer survivor, when you get the call that they want you to come back, my first thought was immediately that I had cancer! Then after the initial shock wore off I started coming up with possible reasons why it wouldn't be cancer and everything was going to be just fine.
The girl that did my first screening had asked me if I had lost a lot of weight since my previous scan. I had and told her so. SHe said that she figured I had both from looking at the last scans and then trying to get my skin to lay flat while taking these most recent scans. She told me that there were a couple of places where she thought the skin might have folded over after being squeezed.
Well, that is exactly what had happened, and it had made a spot that they wanted to be certain about. So I went in today thinking that it would be days before I would find anything out. The girl took the scans then told me the scan reader would review them and they would let me know if everything was good or if I needed to set up an appointment for an ultra sound. (when she said that it really shook me up) But I waited as patiently as possible for her, and when she came in she had me step into the dressing room and she closed the door and told me everything looked fine, did I have any further questions for her? I did not so she said I was good to go till next year.
After she left the dressing room, I started to cry. I was so completely relieved. I just sat on the floor and cried for a couple of minutes before I pulled myself together got my things and left.
Chet I think was almost as relieved as I was. I did not tell my Mom or Dad as I didn't want them to worry about nothing, but I do want them to know they were in my thoughts the whole time!

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Day 15 Thanksgiving count down....

I am thankful for my eyes today! Well, everyday, but I was reminded of this fact this morning on my way to work as I got to enjoy the beautiful sunrise! There are so many things of beauty and wonder to see and I am so grateful to be able to see what I do. (most of the time) ;)
I am grateful to see the faces of people near and dear to me. So much to see, so little time!

Day 16 Thanksgiving count down....

I am so very grateful for my Daddy! He calls me often just to check up on me and to chat! There doesn't have to be a long time spent, but I know that he thinks of me and cares for me a ton!
I do call him too, just not as often as I should. I am grateful for fond memories I have of time spent. I am grateful he is a good example to me and my family, and that he and my Mom are working so hard! That too is a complete example to me! Thanks! :) There is so much more he has taught me. Thanks again Daddy I love you!

Day 17 Thanksgiving countdown...

I am thankful for my kids! They make me laugh! They are smart, well rounded people, who have grown very nicely into themselves. Despite, myself and lack of educated parenting skills. Or perhaps because of them and the need to self preserve. Just kidding... Jeeze!
I am also grateful that they are finally learning how to love each other for how they are and learning how to help each other out, with out anyone nagging them to do so! I hope at some point they can be great friends! That is truly what I wish and hope for them!

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Day 18 Thanksgiving countdown.....

Today, I am thankful for the freedom I enjoy each and every day. The freedom to run errands, to go to work and better my personal situation and my families, grateful to be able to worship and believe in my Lord and Saviour the way I feel is appropriate.
Grateful for all those who have sacrificed so much my in this great countries behalf so that I might be able to have all of the freedoms that I so often take for granted!

Day 19 Thanksgiving countdown....

Grateful for the weekend. Those couple of days at the end of the week where you get to cram every thing you needed to do during the week but couldn't, into tow days. But really I am grateful for them. Without them, without that two day "break" I just might go crazy. Because even with all the things I spend doing trying to play catch up, there is still time to unwind and prepare for the next week to begin again!

Friday, November 9, 2012

Day 20 Thanksgiving count down...

Today, even though I am really questioning myself, I am grateful for the snow.
There is almost something magical about the first snow of the year. I am still as yet not sure what it is that makes it so magical. Maybe it is the feeling in the air when the snow begins to fly, or maybe it is because I have always associated the snow with Christmas time, and the magic made in a child's mind. I don't know what it is, but I suppose it is that little bit of magic that I feel when it starts to snow for the first time tha I am truly grateful for.
There are so many things about the snow that I don't like at all,  that they almost always out weigh anything good that might come of the snow. So this time instead of thinking of all the things I don't like about the snow, I am trying to find the good things. Maybe this way I will make it though the winter with a better attitude than I usually do.

Day 21 Thanksgiving count down....

Today (even though I am a day late) I am grateful for a comfortable bed! Really, you might say...
And to that I would have to say, Really! Have you ever NOT had a comfortable bed? Well, for many year Chet and I had foam pads that we had purchased for camping that we fit into our bed frame, because our mattress we had, in storage was stolen. I won't go into that, because it still makes me very angry.
Anyway, for years we slept on foam pads we "cut down" to fit in our old waterbed frame, because we could not afford a new mattress. Finally, we decided that our backs and our nights rest were more important that a few other things and we finally paid good money and bought a sleep number bed! I have to say for the money we spent on it, it has been a very wise investment! We bough a refurbished unit with a shorter warrantee, but all the amenities. There is nothing worse than tossing and turning on an uncomfortable bed, that you know is not going to get any better.
So, I and my back...and I am sure Chet's back are SO grateful for a good bed to sleep in at night!

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Day 22 Thanksgiving count down....

Today, I am thankful that we only have to deal with one day at a time! Sometimes in the hustle and rush of trying to get everything done that needs to be done and most of us trying to make it all fit in one day, sometimes it can get a bit overwhelming just to think about facing the day.  I can only imagine if we had to deal with more than one day at a time, and do it without the hope of a new day to start again with tomorrow. 
That is probably one of the biggest reasons I am grateful for one day at a time. The promise of a new day and a chance to do better tomorrow than we perhaps have done today!
One day at a time....and may we not take life so serious that we forget to enjoy that day. The here and now. Because once it has past, it is forever gone!

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Day 16 Thanksgiving count down...

Today, I am glad for things going smoothly when they could always have gone otherwise.
I am subbing this week at another school for a manager who is taking training at another school. I have worried about it all weekend, and when I got there this morning, the door was locked to the office and no one there had a key. All I could see if things just spiraling out of control from there out, but things managed to even out and went fairly smoothly after all was said and done. I got all the orders in and the regular manager even came in and checked on me right at the end before I left.
So a day that I had been fairly worried about ended up being not so bad at all. I am so glad.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Day 17 Thanksgiving count down...

Today, I am thankful for beautiful warm weather!! It is November and should in all essence be very cool if not right down cold! However; today being my last day of break off, before going back to work tomorrow, and I was hoping for a nice day.
Well, I got one! Today was an absolutely beautiful day! Almost short sleeve weather! 
I got to enjoy sleeping in, spending sometime with my sweet Chet and also my sweet son! Too bad there are not more hours in the day. I missed seeing Megan and Justin. That is all that was missing from today! :) Good days! I am glad for those as well...but that's another post I think...   ;)

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Day 18 Thanksgiving count down....

Today I am thankful for Lazy Sunday's! That's all that needs to be said!! Truly! :)

Day 19 Thanksgiving count down...

Today I am grateful for Chet's parents. My in laws.
Yep, you heard/read right. My in laws...(duh, duh duuuuu) 
I LOVE my in laws! They have always been SO good to me! They have always taken me with the grain of salt that is often needed to be able to deal with some of the things that I say and the way I often behave. I am not perfect, but I often take issue with the fact that other might also be as imperfect as me, and sometimes I am, oh so vocal about it. I don't mean harm or injury, but I can see looking back how it might often be taken as such.
My in laws or my "other Mom & Dad" have always loved me even though....
 I am so grateful for them and the parents they were to my sweet hubby! I am so blessed to be part of this wonderful family! I love you Mom & Dad Parker!

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Day 20 Thanksgiving count down...

Today (yesterday technically) I am grateful for good wholesome entertainment! It seems to be sadly lacking so much these days, but it does still exist. Chet and I went to the show tonight for the first time in a long time, and it was quite entertaining. It was a cartoon, so it was geared more towards the younger crowd, but for Chet and I that works just fine! Maybe that's because we have never really grown up! ;) EIther way, it was fun to go and get lost even for just a little while in someone else's imagination!
P.S. The movie was Hotel Transylvania. Thanks for the date Babe!
Okay, so I know I was tired when I made my last post...but how funny is it that I would make the same post two days in a row, with out even realizing it.
This was suppose to be the next days post....

Ok, I know this may sound  very trivial, but I am thankful for entertainment! Yes, you read right. Entertainment!!! The opportunity to lose ones self for a period of time, in someone else's imagination, is a great and wonderful thing as afar as I am concerned!
To be able to leave the here and now, if only for an hour or so and forget that there are worries that you have that must be taken care of at some point. It's just nice to have an out every once in a while.
No matter what that out might be. Be it, books, TV, movies or whatever suits your fancy. It is nice to have something to take you away from the here and now, if only for a moment in time.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Day 21 Thanksgiving count down....

I have a headache today so badly I can hardly think. I will be very grateful for when it goes away! I will try to post about being thankful for boobies tomorrow...  ;)

Day 22 Count Down to Thanksgiving....

Today is Halloween. And I must say that I am grateful both that my kids are grown and if they go out for Halloween I don't have to do anything for it, and that I live on a busy street that most people stay off of for trick or treating! I haven't had to purchase candy for the last 2 or 3 years! It has been wonderful!
I really am grateful for this!