{This is the season...Gratitude for the simple things....}

 THE

CHRISTMAS season. 

 I love Christmas. I love the music, the feeling. How it makes me feel rejuvenated feeling the Saviors example at every hand people are so much kinder and forgiving and serviceable. I love the family togetherness, the parties with friends and family and seeing excited faces everyday I wake up as it gets closer to Christmas I've loved seeing my kids get excited about our book countdown and advent activities that we've done with it.....

Above all I love the general  

MAGIC 

feeling of being all together

a simpler feeling

where the things that don't matter so much are put away for a bit,

there's always a few bumps along the way but generally

a overwhelming feeling of love and appreciation for family, for Christmas - for our  

Saviour

for his birth

for his life.

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.....I'm thankful for my elliptical that keeps me going and excited..... did I even mention that we got one yah probably not but we did and I love it! Its amazing how comfortable you get at doing something for along time{my treadmill} then get something or try something new and see the difference or feel the difference love it!

I  love that my kids are so goofy and I'm thankful everyday for them the blessings each one is in my life and for the many life lessons they teach me....and they fun they have and leave on my camera when they are hanging out with dad....

looks like the had fun eh! rough and rowdy...makes me laugh

I love it when they sit nicely and  listen like here they were watching Rudolph the red nosed reindeer the original so cute

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I am so thankful to be a stay at home mom. Especially in this day and age {I know there are some who have to work but I'm talking about me myself and I}

I love baking bread and having a clean house and a snack on the table when my kids come home from school, I love hearing about their day and what made them happy and what made them sad. I love hearing about their favorite things that day. I love hearing who they played with and what they played.... and who they helped make happy. I once heard K say to a friend when asked if he could play as soon as he got of the bus..I always keep them in about 15 minutes after they get home ...

He said 

"my mom wants to hear about my day and see how things went because she loves me, then I can play...

{ that made every effort worth it }

I love that my kids know I'm always waiting for them after school. 

Kind of like when I was growing up and was out late at a dance or on a date, I always knew my mom would be on the couch no matter what time it was she'd be writing in her journal or reading her scriptures and I really loved those late night talks and I knew that she cared about us and what we were doing. I want to be that kind of mom too!

Call  me old fashioned or what you want but

I love it 

{i just love this picture awesome eh lol} 

Lucky D this is pretty much us when
he gets home from work baha ha j/k!!!!

We could all learn a lesson from previous times...I'm sure of it...every year that goes by people forget what is important....

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I am thankful for friends who just randomly come by with a hot pot of  yummy homemade chicken soup...after hearing I got had the "flu" or whatever you want to call it {again} Wednesday night nasty whatever it was. Thanks to friends and hot soup it was greatly appreciated and so thoughtful ....i have some of the best friends a girls can have

I didn't have to cook and that was a blessing. Thank you.....

also to my sister who brought me some of her turtles they are better than boughten and evil but I love her and her turtles and look forward to them every year!

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I'm thankful that I finally have some gifts for my kids and D that I am so excited about.... gifts that have taken lots of time and love put into it ....I'm excited to see their faces and excited to give them something they will have for years...{i hope} I'll show you after Christmas!

Have a great weekend!

Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.
Oren Arnold

MERRY CHRISTMAS 

only 7 days....