DAY 15

DAY 15  The first real snow of the season....

Sorry, I am not a photographer, but these are the mountains right outside my front door (THEE same ones that I saw the mountain lion frolicking around).  I love the first snow of the season.  I wish it would snow like crazy through January 1st, and then on January 2nd it needs to be 60 degrees until June.

Mini-me

DAY 14  Today I am grateful for my little look-a-like...Lolo.  She is one tough, beautiful, funny, charming, stubborn, sweet, kind, mischievous, active, polite, soft spoken, goofy little twerp.  Trevor always looks at her and comments about how there is nothing resembling him at all in her-that's okay, Honey, the other 3 were all mini-yous, so this one is ALL mine.  I love this little girl.  She has been through a lot lately and she is one tough cookie.  She has severe eczema and has been through medicine after medicine, cream after cream and doctor visit after doctor visit.  We took her to an allergist about 2 months ago and she had that darn awful back scratch test done-poor kids was miserable, but she made it through-all tests were negative.  Then she had 8 shots in her fore-arm for some more testing.  Oh she cried, but she held very still-again, negative.  Then the Doc sent us to the hospital to have her blood drawn.  Again she cried (soft sobs, not screaming-that would be Diva) while the vampires took her blood-again, negative.  THEN she had the patch testing done, which is horrible for a 3 year old.  First of all her back is tiny, so the patches went down on her bum; then anytime she moved the tape would pull the hair on her skin, so she was so uncomfortable and in pain; plus, during this week, she could not take a bath (sponge baths are very tricky for 3 year old); THEN the tests came back negative.  Conclusion-she has chronic eczema.  Enter Sarcasm:  ya think?  At least we know she is not allergic to anything on this planet-but her poor body!  Lolo was such a trooper.  If this had been any of the older kids they would have had a melt down.  Diva freaks out when she has to get the FLU mist-the mist, not the shot!  Oh goodness.  Anyway, Lolo takes things in stride.  She loves to be funny and she says very funny things all the time.  I just happen to have a TERRIBLE short term memory and forget what she said or did before I can type it on my blog.  This little girl is destined for big things and she'll do great things!  We love you Lolo!!!!
These pictures are typical Lolo-she wanted to wear my ugly comfy blue zip up  robe....Diva would NEVER wear something like this for a picture.  She would want to look her absolute best.

More Gratitude

DAY 13  I am thankful for mornings like this one where I get to play with my little Z-man.  It's just the two of us and we are building block towers, playing on the phone, learning body parts, etc.  He loves to show his belly and gives me a very quizzical look when I ask where his chest is.  Z-man doesn't get a lot of mommy and me time, so I take advantage of it when all the other kids are at school.  He is such a blessing in our lives-such a sweet personality, and just FLAT OUT DARLING!  I know I am biased, but oh well.  I LOVE this munchkin-actually, he's my "bug".   LOVE LOVE LOVE him!  I have 4 AMAZING children whom I love with all my heart!  Trevor and I are very lucky and VERY blessed.

Eternal Gratitude

DAY 12  I am thankful for this....


Courtesy of http://www.lds.org/

Thankful for Veterans

DAY 11 I should have posted this on November 11, but I am behind....so sue me.  I am thankful for those in the armed services.  My grandfather was in the military (although I never knew until I read his obituary-I thought he was JUST a doctor), my uncle (previously mentioned) was in the military, Trevor's grandpa was in the military and was shot in the leg (a cool story behind that to come later), my mom's cousin was in the military and was shot and killed after being out a few weeks, and my list could go on and on of everyone I know.  So, THANK YOU for what you do to keep us free-to keep me free-to help others to gain that freedom.

One person I do want to call out is named Shawn.  He is not only  my friend, but he married one of my bestest friend ever, Melinda.  He is deployed in Iraq right now and this is not his first deployment.  He is gone all the time on missions and stuff (I don't know military lingo) while Melinda holds down the fort at home with three little ones.  I think of his personal sacrifice by leaving his loved ones behind and for putting his own life on the line and am grateful to him and others like him.  He is made of some tough material to do what he does and to keep pluggin' along.  I am fortunate to read emails that he sends out from trainings and actual deployments and I would have to say that the crap he goes through would probably almost be up there with child birth-I said ALMOST.  I can't believe the things he has to physically put his body and mind through to prepare himself for combat.  WOW.  I have know Shawn since we were 14 and he is one good dude doing what he can to make our world a better place-so THANK YOU SHAWN!  And thank you Melinda for trusting in the Lord every time Shawn leaves your side.  I get a glimmer of what you go through when we talk about it, but I still sit in awe at your faith in God's Plan for your family.  You are an amazing person, wife, and mother and your family is always in my prayers.  You are a great example to so many people.  So thank you Melinda. We love you both!

Thankful for what????

DAY 10   I am thankful that I started running.  I know, weird, but true.  After the birth of Baby Z and then the complications which put me on "not quite bed rest", I began running.  That's been over a year ago, and I am proud to say that I have continued on that path-not always consistant, but I have endured.  When your not training for anything it's easy to say, "Eh, I will go tomorrow."  If you have read my blog from the beginning then you know that I ran the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving (highly recommend it), I ran the Ogden Marathon Relay, RAGNAR, and  then the Provo River Half Marathon.  My plans are to do all that again except I will be running in the Ogden Half Marathon instead of the relay. 

So, my reasons for running:  it gives me a chance to clear my head; it gets me out exercising and pushing my body to limits it has never endured before (and I have had 4 kids!); my butt and thighs look HOT!; okay, I meant to say that it tones my lower extremities and I like that; it gives me "ME" time;  it gets me out in the fresh air; I get to run with some awesome gals and chat away until our hearts are content-or our legs give out; it gives me a sense of accomplishment when I have completed a race or even just a long training run; it gives me a chance to see wildlife (I saw a cougar just a few blocks from my home one morning); it makes me face my fear of getting chased by dogs-haven't been chased yet, well, just once, but it was a tiny dog.

I am sure I will come up with more reasons why I run after I publish this post.  Truth is, some days I think I hate running, but then I get out there and I feel FANTASTIC.  In fact, I took my sweet puppy on a run this morning and so we got to have some quality time together AND I got to feel good.  Oh, running.

Day 9 of Gratitude

DAY 9 I am thankful for....my suburban.  I know, silly.  But you know what?  It is one AMAZING machine just for the fact that my family can not only sit in there very comfortably, but I have TONS OF CARGO SPACE!  I loved my Explorer, but once we had 4 kids, my cargo space disappeared.  In fact, I searched high and low to find the perfect double stroller that could fold down to about 3 inches wide so it would fit in the back-I found it, but at a price.  My suburban can EASILY fit four or five strollers.  Not even kidding.  I have even put my double jogger in the back and had a plethora of room to spare.  I know!  AMAZING!