Nov 30th...

I'm using this last day of "gratefuls" to say thank you to my family for being the individuals they are...each one unique, yet working as a team. I love you!

Nov 29th...

I'm grateful for days that wear me out because I got so much done!

Nov 28th...

I'm grateful for the times I get to spend with Sabrina and her great friends from church. They are a great group of youth!

Nov 27th...

I'm grateful for a fridge full of food, easy dinners for the weekend!

Nov 26th…

I'm grateful that going into the Christmas season, I'm nearly done shopping.

Nov 25th...Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'm grateful for my family, my friends, my faith and my freedom. I'm grateful to be in this place at this time of my life

Nov 24…

I'm grateful when I learn something new from friends. We're trying brining the turkey this year.

Nov 23rd...

I'm grateful for sweet Valerie Fillmore and always being willing and able to help!

Nov 22nd...

I'm grateful for pictures to enjoy years later and the memories they revive.

Nov 21st...

Today I'm grateful for the strength and growth in my faith I've experienced being here in Hawaii. Being "at" the rededication of the Laie temple (via satellite) was a true pleasure.

Nov 20th...

Today, after a hectic Saturday, I'm grateful to have been able to sit in the same room as a prophet of the Lord at the Cultural Celebration for the rededication of the Laie Temple. What an amazing experience!

Nov 19th...

I'm grateful for technology that keeps us close to those we love.

Nov 18th...

I'm grateful for McKenna's bright smile and exhuberance for little things, like learning to tie her shoes and her first loose tooth.

Nov 17th...

Today I'm grateful for fudge, and bearers of fudge.

Nov 16…

I'm grateful for my calling at church, where I get to plan fun stuff to do with women I enjoy being with

Nov 15th...

I'm grateful for some quiet time to get things done today.

Nov 14th...

Today I'm grateful for that one day a month when I get to hang out with the best Bunco gals ever! We have such a great time!

Nov 13th....

I'm grateful for happy coincidences and a whole lotta luck!

Oh, and I'm also grateful that by staying in the house and away from windows, I can pretend it's fall weather by baking decidedly fall recipes.

Nov 12th...

I'm grateful that Sabrina's hybrid school is supportive and helping us set her up for success!

Nov 11th...

I'm grateful for being a military wife and the freedom my husband protects today and every day. Happy Veteran's Day to all of you!

Nov 10th...

I'm grateful that the military makes the world seem so much smaller...I can't wait for the Scott's to get here!

Nov 9th...

I'm grateful to live in this beautiful place with sunshine and rainbows in November!

Nov 8th...

Today I'm grateful for my mom, giving me independence and showing me what I need to be for my own family.

I'm Grateful all month-long...

This month will bring us Thanksgiving, so I've been thinking about all that I have to be grateful for. I'm hosting Bunco, and I used some of these blessings as themes for my prizes: Family, Friends, Freedom, Faith, Creativity, Health, Love, and Being in Hawaii.

This whole month, when I check Facebook in the morning, I'm listing something I'm grateful for that day...But, I decided that since this blog is my journal of sorts, that I need to be listing them here. So, here are Days 1-7:

Nov 1: I'm grateful McKenna has an awesome little friend, that they get along so well, and we LOVE having her over!

Nov 2: I'm grateful for made-up holidays, like Election day, that allow me to sleep in past 5am since there's no seminary.

Nov 3: I'm grateful for 2nd chances, giving and receiving them.

Nov 4: I'm grateful for a supportive husband that respects what I do.

Nov 5: I'm grateful for my children...teaching me something new everyday, often about myself.

Nov 6: I'm grateful that I have a responsible son that I can always count on to step in and help out.

Nov 7: I'm grateful for the gospel and how it blesses my life every day.

Join me tomorrow, and everyday this month for more of my blessings. And, consider all of the things in your own life that you can be grateful for as we go into the holidays.

Halloween

Our Halloween started early this year with our Ward Trunk or Treat weeks ago. The week before, we started decorating the house, pulling out the costumes, hanging nets, setting jack-o-lanterns everywhere. With Halloween on Sunday this year, we had decided to have a party on Saturday night to make up for not going out trick-or-treating. So, I wanted to really make the house look eerily festive.

McKenna got these cute pumpkin earrings, which she wore for about 5 minutes.

Weeks before, McKenna and Hayden had picked their costumes. Sabrina said she wasn't going to dress up. McKenna wanted to be a clown again, and Hayden wanted to be a vampire (I think that makes 4 years in a row???) I talked McKenna into trying a queen's dress we picked up during Fasching in Germany. I think it was the glittery bling and getting to wear makeup that swayed her. Sabrina ended up deciding to be a "bad babysitter." I told her she was probably doing herself wrong...no one would ask her to babysit anymore, but she stuck to it. Sabrina was a little old to beg for candy, but she had fun walking around with her friends. Here they are the night of the trunk-or-treat:

And here's the Queen with her BFF, Princess Peach (aka Claire).

The night of our Halloween Spooktakular, we welcomed witches and clowns, skeletons and super heroes...

We started by bobbing for apples, then had games, crafts and ended with watching Disney's Haunted Mansion. The grown ups got to hang out and enjoy all the yummy treats.

The monster punch with the alien ice was a hit. Especially in the mini martini glasses. They only hold a swallow, so you have to constantly refill, which I think was part of the fun for the kids.

On Sunday night, I hadn't planned to hand out candy, figuring it was a little hypocritical to not let the kids go, but then support it for others. But, it was still light out when the trick-or-treating started. So, the porch light off didn't help. And, McKenna actually enjoyed handing some out. But, it was short-lived, because after dark, no one else stopped by. Problem solved.

Trunk or treat + Cute kids in costumes + fun with friends + sweet candy = success. It was a great Halloween.