#12 Running

I'm a new comer to this sport but I will make up for lost time as best I can. I love the personal challenge running can give you when you are competing with yourself. I love the energy and fitness it gives me and I love the peace it gives when I am running early in the morning and the rest of the world is still asleep. It rejuvenates my tired body and my weary mind.

#11

Veterans Day and all our holidays that give us an excuse to take a pie to our neighbor and thank them for what they've done.

#5,6,7,8,9,10

My kids! (Is that an easy way to get caught up and brag about my kids? Yes)

 

Jack:Great babysitter, cook, black belt and wonderful running partner.

 

Grant:  Smart kid, great sense of humor, helpful around the house and fun sense of humor.

 Hailey: Charming, smart, great fashion sense, helpful with her younger siblings and so cute!

 Mackay: Slow to warm up but oh so cute when he does, inventive, friendly, and great company.

 G and N: So adorable and lovable, they bring life and excitement to our family.

#5 Neighbors

We love our neighbors! We have a couple of families around us that have kids our own kids' age and they love to play together. In the cooler months its not uncommon to see a bunch of kids roaming the street! We've been invited to a few fiestas complete with Carne Asada and have neighbors who will watch our dog, bring in our barrels when we're on vacation and just chat as we pass. Each spring we have a block party and hang out and BBQ together. Its just nice to live around kind and friendly people.

#4 Appliances

I am so thankful for my appliances!Don't think me shallow, we are so lucky to live in a day where we have machines in our homes that clean our cloths, and carpets, keep all our food fresh, filter our water, wake us up as early as we want, keep our homes warm and cold and even water our landscaping.  Its the little things in life right! 
This cute picture comes after the ugly fridge that came with the house finally died! We thought the timing was awful until we found a fridge on craigslist that was less than a year old, has water and ice in the door, matches our colors and was such a steal, we payed cash for it!  Here my little ones, plus some neighbors had fun giving it a polish before we plugged it in! LOOOVE IT!

#3

Enthusiastic, talented People
Have you ever meet someone that you thought was just so over the top enthusiastic about something that it almost made you sick?  There was a time when I felt that way... but really now I am so grateful for them. When I feel tired and beat from my own routine and then go to a Cub Scout meeting, Band Boosters, preschool drop off, Institute or anything and the people are so enthusiastic about what they do, I feel so overjoyed!  I think to myself "thank you" for being enthusiastic and passionate about what you do for me or for my children. I love that they are so able to put energy into something I currently have no energy for! I am glad to pay for people who love to teach piano, dance, and karate and are serious about having my child succeed when I think my only victory was getting them there! I feel their energy and am inspired by it. Thank you, Thank you to those people in my life who give me a lift, when I need it and are the village it takes to have wonderful children turn into wonderful adults!

#2

My husband. This isn't just a 'yada yada spouses are great kinda' post.  I love my husband but let me tell you one reason why. He has such an even personality, it takes a lot to really get his feathers ruffled. When trials come, as they do and I am struggling and wondering if this will ever end, he is very calm and can always tell me things are going to be OK, even if he may not be sure about it himself.  He reminds me of the scene in Princess Bride (celebrating 25 years of movie greatness) when Buttercup and Sweat Wesley are in the fire swamp. After the sand pit and the fire, Buttercup is just sure they will not make it out alive (I relate some days) and even after Wesley has seen the ROUS's (in our case Rowdy Offspring of Unusual Sounds) , he still assures her that they will be fine.
Yep, that's my husband. And so I am thankful for how he can smooth out bumps in life and still be as sexy as he as shown above.  He is a big reason for my sanity and peace and although I once wished he would open up more about what worries him, I am glad he stays the rock in our relationship.
P.S. Did I mention he didn't complain when I convinced everyone a desert hike in October's 90 degree weather would be fun!

A month of Thanks

To take from my wonderful sister-in-law Molly Jackson (check her out!), there are so many things to be thankful for. So I'm starting my month of thanks with Prayer.
#1
Prayers of Gratitude
I started this great institute class where the teacher suggested to pray to see things that we don't normally give thanks for in our lives but are there none the less. I tried it and I loved it! I continue to love it and am surprised at the tiniest things that I don't think about but that really make such a difference in my life.  I have had so many wonderful experiences, for example...
One evening I was preparing for a devotional and found a small sentence in a manual. It talked about adaptations that could be made for certain church activities and meetings in places where it was not safe to travel at night or on weekends or where bus and other transportation could be interrupted because of  violence or political unrest.  
My 13 year old son goes to a week day activity each Wednesday, often walking with friends and I don't worry about a road side bomb keeping him from getting there. How blessed am I?  We have such a great support in our church of classes, activities, meetings, friends who visit and all of it takes place safely and routinely because of my address.  I don't even worry about snow (sorry Molly)
And that was just one of my experiences in praying for true perspective in all of my blessings.  I love how the Lord answers Prayers with more blessing and more insight and I'm grateful for the chance to pray to Heavenly Father.  'Course this really could be labeled 'revelation' or 'location' or 'evocation', or what else ends in tion?
I've got 30 days and how will I fit it all in?