Wanna Play?...

So I've really become addicted to this whole blogging world. No really, I need to be committed to some institution for some help, but they would take my computer away and thus no blogging... Anyways, I thoroughly enjoyed sharing and reading about our Grateful Hearts in November. So...I was wondering if anyone wanted to play with me in December? Here's what I am thinking...the 12 Memories of Christmas. I don't even know if I have 12, but I promise to dig deep and come up with something. I am posting this early, because I know some of you are not quite to the addiction level I am and check your blog every day (um, hour). Just kidding...kind of. And, since I wasn't quite diligent enough to post my Thankful Blog everyday, I thought we may need the entire month of December to post the 12 Memories (not just the 12 days before Christmas.) Get it? Kind of? Okay, so if anyone wants to play with me - start anytime in December. Ohh...so fun. The wheels are already turning...I can't wait to see what some of you share...what did I do before blogging...

Thanksgiving, Family, Home...

My heart has been full of gratitude this month, but especially on Thanksgiving when we traveled home to spend the day with family. If memory serves correctly, we haven't ALL been together since Thanksgiving of 2004. I am so thankful for my family...all of them...these are all the grandkids and one great grandchild on my parents side...16 in all...each special to me in their own way...

Going home is an interesting thing...so nostalgic...I like to wander around from room to room and notice the little things that are always the same...Mom's jewelry is still on the top of her dresser, her lotion still smells the same, Dad's keys and wallet are still on the kitchen table, the bread is in the same drawer. And some things are different...the trees are more mature, the rooms seem smaller, my old room seems more of a guest room than mine...but the love is the same. And for that I am grateful...

When we were little, we used to have one of those old rocking horses with the springs. We would try to see how close we could get the nose and tail to the ground. We succeeded many times, but enjoyed the hours of trying more than actually succeeding. That poor horse is now outside, faded, and cracked...but Emma still hopped right on and rode it like the cowgirl in all of us...


So, as November comes to it's finish, I carry my grateful heart into a new December...

Emma...

Today I am grateful for Emma. It seems I spend my day picking up the messes this little tornado makes...but I wouldn't trade it for the world! Here are just 5 of the reasons I love and am grateful for my Emma...

1. She has perfect timing...I thought I had it made - a great husband, a 6 year old in first grade, all day to do according to my own plan, no crying babies in the middle of the night, no diapers, we could pick up and go anywhere as a family on a whim, etc. etc... She entered my life to remind me what I was missing...

2. She gives the best hugs and kisses...open mouth with tongue...gotta love it!

3. She has been sleeping through the night since we came home from the hospital...angel baby!

4. She reminds me each day of how special it is to be a "Daughter of God" and what a privilege it is for me to be her Mom and raise her. I like to think we were best friends at another time and place...

5. She likes her Daddy more than she likes me. It does hurt my ego a little, but there is nothing sweeter than a "Daddy's Girl".

Gabriel...

Today I am thankful for Gabe. I get a little emotional just writing that. I never knew the extent that my parents loved me until I held my little angel Gabriel for the first time. We have been through a lot together his first 8 years. I love him more today than eight years ago and look forward to many years to come. Here are the top 5 reasons I love and am thankful for my Gabe:

1. He says the funniest things...He has such a great sense of humor. He loves to watch movies and then repeat the entire thing to me. I think he gets this from his Uncle James...

2. He sleeps on my floor every night. And it is NOT, I repeat NOT, because he is scared to sleep alone in the basement. He just thinks my floor and his sleeping bag are especially soft...

3. He has the most tender heart of any little boy I know. The other night while driving home, he was mad at me for not giving into him for something (I don't even remember now). So he starts calling me stupid mom and names that actually were hurting my feelings, but I kept quiet. We get home, and I go into the house. Gabe stays in the car. I go out to see if he is coming in, and he is just sobbing. He proceeds to tell me that he is not upset about what happened before, but he is sad because of what he said to me. Hugs and kisses all around and all is forgotten...

4. We had 6 years 9 months just the two of us. Well, Jesse was there too - but you know what I mean. He was my little sidekick. We went everywhere together. I didn't do anything without him. He was and still is my best buddy. Of course, I am not so cool anymore. But that's okay. I have so many great memories of just the two of us - trips to the zoo, shopping, going to the farm, the museum, riding the escalator at the mall a bazillion times, Christmas, Easters, Halloweens, Summer picnics....

5. He taught me an important lesson on the Atonement when he was just 6 months old. Gabe had Bacterial Meningitis at 6 months, and we almost lost him. There came a point in our 16 day stay in Intensive Care that I knew that no matter which "home" he went to - mine or our Father's - that he was mine forever because of the Atonement. We were a Forever Family and still are. All I have to do is look into those chocolate brown eyes, and I see a love greater than either of us can fully comprehend. I love you, Gabriel...

Five Interesting Things About Me...

Sheila tagged me to post 5 interesting things about myself that perhaps some of you would not know. Some of you may already know some of these and just think I am weird. If you just can't handle only 5 weird things about me, go to my October blogs. There are 6 more there. Here goes...

1. I was a cheerleader in high school...and so were my 4 sisters. You should see all 5 of us do the school song together! Goooo Dragons!!

2. I am named after my Grandma Kate. I am Tricia Kate. My daughter is Emma Kate. I know, cute, huh?

3. Men with long fingernails give me the heebie-jeebies. It is so disgusting...

4. I am not a fan of condiments (please read that correctly) as in ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce... I did not eat a sandwich with mayo on it until I was in college. My first salad was when I was in college, also. The things you'll eat when you are hungry! I still eat a lot of foods dry.

5. I have not watched TV in 4+ years. I know...now you all KNOW I am weird. We just never got cable when we moved here, and then we kinda liked not having a TV. I do see advertisements for shows when I am at other peoples homes or restaurants and think, "wow, what am I missing?" I have no idea what goes on with the reality TV shows. I am so out of the loop. We do a lot of reading, walking, blogging, etc. over here.

There you go. Hope I gave you something to think or laugh about!!

Family Pics...

Our dear friend, Becky Kimball, took the greatest pictures of our family last week in the Sugar House area! They turned out SO great! Becky is so talented and captured the true personalities of our kids...Emma is a mover and Gabe is stubborn with a few giggles in between! If you are interested in Becky's amazing talent, her photography blog is beckykimballphotography.blogspot.com Here are just a few of my favorites...I could have posted about 16 more, but didn't want to overdo it :)

My Man...

Today I am thankful for my darling husband, Jesse. We met our Freshman year at College, and I fell hard for him! I thought he was much older than he really was and was so disappointed to find out that he was waiting for his mission call. I knew a good thing when I saw it, so I waited two years while he served in Brazil. The day after he returned home, we were engaged.

Here are just a few of the things I am grateful for with Jesse in my life: a best friend, a kind and wonderful father, a worthy Priesthood holder to bless our home and family, someone to make me laugh everyday, and a hard worker so I can stay home with our kids. Jess, I love ya...

My In-Laws...

I know this is atypical, but I love my in-laws! They are like a second set of parents for me. Today I am thankful for them. I am grateful to have them in my life everyday, but especially today. They are serving a mission in Greece, and I got to talk to them this morning. So now, I have been reminiscing since the phone call. They are those friends and neighbors everyone wants because they are so kind to everyone. They would drop everything to come to someone's rescue. I am grateful to have witnessed many such occasion. They have always treated me like I was a daughter to them - even before we were married. One of my favorite memories of them is when Jesse was on his mission. They took me and Katie (my now sister-in-law) and three of my roommates to St. George for Spring Break. Who does that? They do...and poor Wayne...putting up with all those girls when he only raised boys! A saint, I tell ya! I especially miss them with the holidays quickly approaching. I am grateful for their example to me, Jesse, and our children for choosing to go on a mission. It is not the easiest for them, but we are all being blessed for their selfless service. Wayne and Susan, I love you and am so grateful to have you in my life...

Temples...

Today (and yesterday) I am thankful for the Temple. Jesse and I spent our date night on Friday night at the Temple. What a better date? I am so grateful that we have a multitude of Temples so close to us, and I am embarrassed to say that I don't take advantage of their close proximity. I won't elaborate, but I am overwhelmed by the Spirit each time I go and leave with a greater desire to be better and try harder in every aspect of my life...

Sense of Humor....

Oh, I am so grateful for a sense of humor with our busy Emma! I thought it was so cute when she wanted to sit like a big girl on the potty...I am so naive! She actually wanted to sit IN the potty, and then add toilet paper, and then splash around and laugh. Now it has become a daily ritual. So not funny...but we giggle anyways. Isn't she cute?

Christmas Lights....

Today I am thankful for my Christmas Lights. I know that sounds really shallow, but read on... I am actually more thankful for those I just paid to hang my Christmas Lights. Last year Jesse hung our Christmas Lights and I got two things out of it: An ulcer because I thought he was going to fall off our roof, and frostbite because I couldn't be inside if indeed he did fall off the roof. I can laugh about this now, but last year he resurrected his climbing gear and harnassed up. He put all of his weight plates in a wheel barrow and then basically repelled down our roof. He thinks he is a genius. And you are, honey. But thankfully today, I stayed in my toasty warm house and watched three men hang my Christmas lights without the fear of them falling off my roof. Okay, once I worried about them falling and wondered if they would sue me...but they are all fine. Here are the pictures of Jesse hanging our lights last year...

Health...

Today I am thankful to be healthy. I am grateful to have a body to take care of - I try to eat right and exercise so I can be strong to serve my family and others. I think I often take for granted my health, because at the moment I am healthy. It's not until I get sick and am in bed, that I long for the days to be strong and carry out the responsibilites that come with being a mother, wife, and woman. So today, here's to my health and the health of my family...

Thankful...

I am starting a list of things I am thankful for. One "thing/person/place/whatever" for the month of November. Two things are prompting me to do this. One, I teach a Spinning class every Monday morning at 5:30AM - that is not a typo. I must admit that I have become attached to the members who get up at that forsaken hour to come sweat with me. Mind you, I don't really know all of these members on a personal basis - some I do - but most no. One member has let me have a sneak peek into her life through blogging, and she has inspired me - Thank you Sheila. She has started a Thankful Blog for each day of the month of November. I am copying her - give all credit to Sheila. But she has invited all to copy her idea, so I am! Next, I get an e-mail every week from Jesse's parents who are serving a mission in Greece. Susan is always reminding us of how grateful we should be for the little blessings in our lives. I giggle and shed a tear in the same sentence as she describes their trials and experiences - Thank you Susan.

So my first Thankful Blog, I am thankful for my Mom. Today is her birthday. She probably won't even read this because she has a phobia of computers - she is afraid of breaking them. I have tried to explain to her that all she has to do is turn it off and back on....no luck. Anyways, Mom, I love you. Thank you for giving me life. I never realized what a sacrifice a mother makes just giving birth - and then for the rest of her life!! - until I had the blessing to become a mother myself. All the late nights talking, the sick days and nights, the crying, the boyfriends, never judging, letting me grow, encouraging me, and always loving me. I could go on and on.... If any of you have the opportunity to meet my mother, you will soon realize she is one of the most humble people around. I love you, Mom. Happy Birthday!

(this is the day we blessed our sweet Emma)