Thankful

It seems like these last few months have been a whirlwind. Like seriously, on my "to do" list I still have not crossed off buy books, let's talk about how the semester ends in 2 weeks. Actually let's not. Even though my free time is sparse these days it would be wrong of me not to publicly express my gratitude for some real important things. Gratitude lists in years past have included lots of silly things, like cookies and sweat pants, but more recently I've realized that at the end of the day cookies just make me fat and sweat pants...well they don't really help in that department either. Really the things to recognize are the things that don't go anywhere. The things that will rub your feet after a long day in the kitchen. The things that pick you up when you're certain your at your breaking point. The things that make you feel like you matter. Those are the things worthy of my gratitude list this year. 

I'm thankful...

...for a husband that gets me on a level that no one else does, and loves me more than I ever thought possible. 

...for this talent that has come out of what seems like no where. Culinary school has been one of the greatest things I could have ever done for myself. 

...for my family. The amount of love and support that exists between these people makes me feel whole and I'm so glad I get to call them mine. 

Thanksgiving Eve

Today, the day before Thanksgiving, I am feeling thankful. For so many things. It's nice to sometimes just sit and think about the things we are blessed to have. And today I'm feeling completely overwhelmed with all that I have. Unfortunately it's a rare an occasion where I actually ponder and recognize the big and simplest of blessings. But today that changes. Today I am thankful.

I am thankful for family. For a husband who loves me unconditionally, for a mother who worries about me constantly, for a step dad who is smarter than me, for sisters who inspire me, for a dad who knows me, for grandparents and extended family who support me.

I am thankful for a Heavenly Father who loves me.

I am thankful for friends, who are cooler than me, and smarter than me and funnier than me.

I am thankful for my talents and abilities. The ones that come easily to me and the ones I continue to perfect.

I am thankful for my job and for my education. Two things that contribute to making me a better me.

I am thankful for cookies.

I am thankful for technology including but not limited to: my cell phone, the internet, cameras, electricity, netfix.

I am thankful for my home and everything that inside of it, including but not limited to: my bed (ha) I'm glad I have a warm place to sleep at night.

I am thankful for the opportunities and experiences I have had/will have. Even the difficult ones, or as I like to call them "learning experiences".

I am thankful for really good food.

I am thankful for beautiful things. For the arts. For music and interesting buildings, and clothing. For nature and theater and all things enriching.

For the rest of this holiday weekend I hope to keep this spirit with me. What are you thankful for?

Last year 

Dear November

It's nice to have you here. You bring the holiday that is all about food, and with your arrival radio stations begin playing festive music. I get the green light to officially stop shaving my legs until at least April and we get to trade in homework sessions and answering the phone at work for eating turkey and making memories with family. Welcome November, thanks for coming. 

Easter

This year Easter was a bit unconventional. We're actually postponing it 2 weeks until we're home and can celebrate with the whole family. That, however didn't stop me from sporting my yellow Easter dress and eating a little extra chocolate. I loved going to church to listen to the story of Jesus life, death and resurrection. It fills me with hope and gratitude for Him and His sacrifice for me.
I hope you had a great Easter Sunday!

Thoughts on moving

The end has finally come. I'm still not sure that it has really sunk in yet. We're moving out of our apartment. Our first home together. Finally moving out of Provo. In the fall of 2009 when I first moved to Provo my original plan was to stay one, MAYBE two semesters. Thanks to the BYU student I married I have now been here for two and a half years. Although I never thought I would say this (Provo is not my most favorite place in the world) I will miss our sweet little apartment on University and University. I will miss driving to the Y on the motorcycle on warm nights. I will miss Rice King on center street. I will miss our first home.

This change is a really good thing and don't get me wrong I am so super excited for all of the new exciting things that are coming our way, but I think it's safe to say that this move will be bittersweet. I almost feel like I am deserting a good friend and that in some way my empty apartment will miss me too. I look forward to the day when I will be able to drive around Provo with my kids pointing out important landmarks in Adam's and my relationship, specifically "Mommy and Daddy's first home".

Mostly I'm just so grateful for how everything worked out with our first apartment and getting the job as resident managers. We have been so very blessed thus far in our marriage and I am thankful for my Heavenly Father's support. He really does know and care for us on an individual basis, that becomes more and more apparent to me every day.

Thankful

With the Thanksgiving holiday upon us I thought it would be appropriate to write down a few things that I am most thankful for.

Family - Particularly my husband, he is "pretty cool" and I am so proud of him, especially right now, for going after the the things that he wants out of life. He is so driven, and determined.
But mostly I am just thankful I get to call him "mine".

Music - I am thankful for the albums you get obsessed with and play over and over and every time you turn it on it makes you want to dance. Right now for me that album would be "It's not me, It's you" by Lilly Allen.

Ugg Boots - As ugly as they are and as much as my husband would like to burn mine, I love them. I love them with jeans and as slippers, I love them in the morning and at night. I love them on my eastern flight. I love them Sam I Am. I love green eggs and ham.
(Dr. Seuss...Where did that come from?)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - I am thankful for the gospel, for the answers and the truth and peace it brings to my life. More specifically I am thankful for the temple and for the eternal perspective that I get when I go inside.

Cooking - I am thankful for my ability to create delicious goodies. I am thankful for butter, and sugar, and molasses, and chocolate chips, and bacon, and Italian flat leaf parsley, and for yeast and cream, and peanut butter, and strawberries...

Indoor Plumbing - I am thankful for Hot showers, need I say more?

Free shipping - I am thankful for all of the free shipping this time of year. Can take 5 minutes of your time to convert you to doing all of your Christmas shopping online?

Cookies - I am thankful for warm just out of the oven freshly baked cookies, any flavor, just as long as they are soft and gooey and perfectly cooked.

Plum Nail Polish - Thanks urban.

Best friends - You know the group you email back and for with, quoting movies and inside jokes. The same ones you call begging for an intervention when you realize you just ate your 8th cookie. I am thankful for my bfs.

Sweats - Or the inverse: I am thankful for not having to wear jeans/dresses/skirts all the time.

Pictures - I am thankful for memories that I can record with a device I can hold in my hands. Love pictures, love that my new canon takes reallllly good ones.

Moms: I am thankful for moms everywhere, and how awesome they are. Naturally I think my mom is the best but so do you so it's ok. I love my mom and I am so glad she belongs to me.

Little Kids: Why are they so awesome? I am thankful for every hilarious thing I have ever heard a little kid say.

That's enough right? Probably, but here's one last one: I am thankful that Thanksgiving is here, and that I get to eat pumpkin, apple, banana cream and chocolate cream pie tomorrow. Yay!

Happy Thanksgiving!