Gratitude List

This was actually an article published for Thanksgiving, but the thoughts tied into Christmas as well. The author has really defined gratitude as a parent...I'll just quote of few of the ideas that were listed:
"I'm grateful my children demand I talk to them when I don't feel like talking, feed them when I'm not hungry, and change their diapers when I'm all dressed up and ready to go somewhere special. I don't think I'd discover the world outside my own needs without them."
"I'm grateful my children have broken nearly everything in my home and used a crayon or ink marker on the rest. They've taught me that things aren't important, but people are."
"I'm grateful my children get their pants dirty, pick their noses, burp without saying 'excuse me' and quarrel in public so I'll never be able to get too arrogant, proper, or judgmental of other people's children."
"I'm grateful my children always need new shoes, piano books, haircuts, food, and underwear. That way, I don't have to think about a new sofa. It's difficult to get wealthy and think about luxuries when you have to buy toilet paper and milk by the truckload each week."
"I'm grateful my children insist I hug, kiss, rock, or put my arms around them often. Otherwise, I think I'd forget how the sense of touch is so healing."

I've been tagged!

OK...it's been a while since Aimee tagged me and I'm finally getting around to complying! So, here goes (it probably shouldn't require so much effort to think of six mildly interesting facts about myself)...these thoughts are totally random:

1. Having baby #3 and turning 30 changed my life! I love the confidence they brought me...just feeling totally comfortable with who I am and the direction that my life and my family are going. I feel like I'm starting to have a clue about being a mom, being a wife, and life in general. I have been able to let a lot of things go and know that I'm still an okay person even if I don't always make homeade bread and bathe my kids every day! (now we'll see what baby #4 does to change my life!)

2. I got a sewing machine for my birthday last month and just finished my first project on that machine...I made little Christmas bags for Zach's kindergarten class so they can collect items for their scavenger hunt at the Christmas party. It was nice to feel like I have at least enough skill to complete a little project that will elicit smiles from five year olds!

3. My favorite thing about Christmas are Christmas lights...lights on houses, lights on trees...wherever they may be! I think my favorite thing about the holidays is turning off all the house lights, turning on the tree, and chatting with family or reading the scriptures.

4. I love smelling scented candles. The warm, sugary scented ones are always great (sugar cookie, vanilla, cinnamon, etc.), but cranberry-orange (Bed, Bath & Beyond) is also way up on my list! I would love to have more of them so I could enjoy them in my house and not just at the store! :)

5. My least favorite chore is also the one that needs to be done the most and that I find the most joy in when it's done...keeping up on the dishes! I always go in cycles of doing really well for a while of cleaning up at night...then I don't do so well...and then I do again! Since the missionaries were over for dinner tonight and helped clean-up, tonight I'm doing really well!

6. I've been craving peppermint ice cream for at least a month or two, but still can't spend the $5 or whatever it is to buy it (I can only find it in the more expensive brands)! Maybe for Christmas I'll splurge...

Baby News

So...some of you know already, but for those of you who don't...we're expecting! I have the same due date that I had with Zachary: June 16th! I'm hoping the baby isn't born on his birthday! This picture is over a month and a half old...I am actually 13 weeks along now (still a little sick, but getting better on most days)! We're excited and we'll keep you posted on baby #4's progress!

Thanksgiving Travels

Unfortunately, during this trip, I kept saying, "Send me copies of those pictures!" to everyone because I never seemed to have my camera with me...so, I don't have a whole lot to choose from right now! We started our trip by heading up to Idaho and spending several days with Noall's family. Camilla loved the Christmas train, Zach loved going out to eat, Noall loved going hunting with his dad, and I loved that Noall wasn't at work so she could sneak in a few naps while he watched the kids! Then we headed back down to Utah to spend Thanksgiving day with my family. We took a little trip to my dad's farm in Fountain Green and had a freezing cold picnic that I wasn't quite prepared for (In the picture are my dad, me, Camilla, Alex, and my sister Rachel)! Thanksgiving day was full of lots of aunts and uncles and cousins eating and playing and "crafting". The highlight for me was being in the temple with family for most of the day on Friday.

Emily's Birthday

I got a little behind on my posts...so taking a trip back it time leads us to my birthday. The big 31! I'm officially in my 30's now and I LOVE them! Life just keeps getting better! Noall made me a wonderful breakfast (note the sparkling cider!) that the whole family enjoyed, he helped me process all my temple names for Thanksgiving over lunch, and we had cake an ice cream with friends. It was low-key and perfect!