THANKFUL Thursday - Merry CHRISTmas

I am irrevocably thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ. This is an easy time of year to be thankful for Him and truly I am overwhelmingly thankful all the time for my savior but today, Christmas Day, provides a perfect opportunity to express my gratitude, testimony and love for this remarkable being who is my personal Savior. I think it is interesting that this year both Thanksgiving and Christmas both fell on a Thursdays which means to me, Thankful Thursday, I am grateful for that coincidental opportunity. So for those of you that are bored with testimony's, I will apologize in advance, there is no way to avoid such declaration on a day like today.

I am so grateful for my Savior and I am SO grateful that I have a testimony of what he did for me. I am so grateful that I KNOW... Know KNOW! I know far beyond any ability I could muster to express, that He is the Lord Jesus Christ and it is because of Him that I have purpose and hope. It is through Him that I am able to experience peace happiness and joy, He embodies all that I regard meaningful and valuable. There are really very few things under the stars that have any REAL meaning, to me I could lose it all, everything... if it meant I have done something, learned something or experienced something that as brought me closer to returning to live with Him. That is was REALLY matters. Am I closer to Him than I was yesterday? Am I closer to him right now that I was an hour ago? I had a conversation recently with a dear friend and she was telling me about a conversation she had with her Bishop some time ago, he asked her "are you better today than you were a year ago?" That question has lingered in my mind (and heart) a great deal since that conversation and as a result I have made a conscience effort to make SURE I could answer that affirmatively, at ANY time. My Savior has given me the most valuable gift and through His plan, if followed I can give a little something back as I yearn to be at rest with Him again. Alma 12:34 Therefore, whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his heart, he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son, unto a remission of his sins; and these shall enter into my rest.

Below are a few interesting quotes from Presidents of the Church relating to Christmas and the Savior. I enjoyed them and found them to be very inspiring and hope they are to you as well.

When we referring to the power of Jesus Christ it is "that power has influenced for good the hosts of His followers on the earth for more than 2,000 years. It is the power in the knowledge that Jesus Christ is our Redeemer, our Savior, our Advocate with the Father, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, and the Prince of Peace. It is the power by which, through faith and obedience to His teachings, we can find joy and happiness, peace and comfort." James E. Faust "The Power of Peace"

"There is no better time than now, this very Christmas season, for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the principles taught by Jesus the Christ." Thomas S. Monson "
The Gifts of Christmas"

"And so at this Christmas season, we sing His praises and speak our words of faith and gratitude and love. It is His influence in our lives that stirs within us more kindness, more respect, more love, more concern." Gordon B. Hinckley "A Testimony of the Son of God"

I will close with a very powerful verse of "Away in a Manger". We sang this in church on Sunday and I nearly had to get out of my chair to weep in private as we sang this last verse, it is tender and sweet and just precious to my heart.

Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven to live with thee there.

I love you all and I am so grateful to all of you that bless my life. Very Merry Christmas to all of you.

THANKFUL THURSDAY

Things I am thankful for today...

1) The funny movie we just went to go see. A good laugh always feels so good.
2) I am ready for Christmas and can enjoy the rest of the holiday with my sweet family.
3) Ibuprofen
4) Val and for the great conversations we have had and for prompting the best parenting strategy (letters) ever. Doesn't it just flood you with excitement when you can tell a strategy is actually working (because so many do not), it is like having an out of body experience.
5) My husband - I know ... I know... we all think our husbands are the best but I have to say, never a day (or a second) goes by that I am not over overwhelmingly thankful for him. After recently helping a friend cope though a terrible marriage and the inevitable destruction of their life together, I feel so Thankful that mine is so wonderful and SO easy. I walked in those other shoes before and am not sure why I have been SO blessed but I truly have been! I am SO Thankful!
6) The door bell ditcher that keeps leaving pretty things on our porch at night.... it is making our evenings very exciting :)
7) This day.

Glutton For Punishment

This was our white elephant gift, a limited edition Benny and Jenny Christmas Album. And you think the picture is bad, you should hear our music, pure masterpiece. What were we thinking...?

Putting Up Christmas

Fun Christmas memories!

Build Your Testimony - Bread of Life

Read more HERE at BUILD YOUR TESTIMONY

Hacking it Up Christmas Party

Party Harty Harr... This was a really fun Christmas party our good friends the Hackings had. It is a yearly event rich with traditions that involve a wild traveling wreath.


These silly fools clearly have never had a 25 dollar gift certificate to Home Depot before so to win the prize they had a ridiculous contest to see who could swallow the most "Liquid Stoopid" (hot sauce)... silly men.

Let it Snow ... Let it Snow ... Let it Snow

A perfect storm. Just enough and not too much!

Eddies Holiday Choir Performance

Eddie had a Holiday Choir perfornace at the Circle C CDC. It was really sweet. Eddie has so much fun doing this.

This is Jingle Bells TEXAS Style :)

Twins Circus Circus Musical

Ok Seriously, the kids school is just the cutest dang place, ever... They do the funnest things. The entire 3rd grade did a musical with a circus theme and the boys had a great time and did a great job in their performances.

THANKFUL Thursday

Things have been so busy and I have been very behind on my journaling. Even though I may miss a week here and there I still consider everyday the many things I am thankful for which is the purpose of this tradition anyway, to keep me thinking all the time about the things I am thankful for.

1) Glad I am done baking bread - I made 55 1/2 loaves for a Relief Society event and though it was worth every minute of the work I am glad that it is over.
2) Thankful for my new good chiropractor that got my pelvis feeling better and told me I need to be a "ninja" with my kegels.
3) I am thankful that the magic of Christmas is still alive for our older children and obviously thriving in the little ones. I love Christmas. I am especially grateful that the older kids are understanding that Christmas is about CHRIST. This season has been more meaningful that way and for that I am thankful!
4) For the wonderful time of year this is and for all the fun things we have been doing that make it so christmas-ie.
5) Grateful for the constants in my life. The many good friends and family that are never far, no matter the miles that separate us they are always there.
6) I am thankful for a very satisfying Thanksgiving full of THANKSGIVING!
7) For new opportunities to serve. Along those lines I am also grateful for the recent opportunity I have had share the gospel, I'll share the details later.

Gathering & Giving Thanks

To grandmothers house we go. We went to Ben's parents house in Dallas for Thanksgiving and it was absolutely wonderful.



The boys went to Utah to visit their other Dad and they too had a great time.

The FEAST



You can only handle SO much sitting around. It just wears you right out!
These sweet little cousins, Douey had SO much fun with them!

Thankful Thanksgiving - Oh... So Grateful

This past week has provoked a great deal of contemplation. Like many of you, I have been thinking of the things I am MOST thankful for. It goes without saying that most of us could rattle on and on about many things on every side of the spectrum to be grateful for, many things that are truly ordinary and basic but are necessities life that make our life more comfortable and enjoyable. There is also a long list of rather substantial things I am truly grateful, all of which bring great happiness to me. What has resonated in me the most this past week are the things that sustain the eternal relevance of my existence and because of that I am most grateful for the spiritual elements of my life that promote my happiness and insures even greater happiness forever ever...

READ more HERE

Red Rock Film Festival

We just had the best time in Utah for the red Rock Film Festival. Ben's film played twice and was well received. The film festival was a bit disappointing, it was very disorganized and very poorly managed but we got what we came for so it was well worth the trip. It was so fun hanging out with our fabulous friends and partners the Anderton's and Ben's brother Chad. We had a WONDERFUL time at my parents place Deer Hollow... did I mention it is HEAVEN on earth? Thanks Mom and Dad for letting us camp out there, we LOVE YOU! It really was a wonderfully relaxing and romantic weekend and we got our "fix" for fall!

As always it is good to go, but so good to come home. Ben flew straight to Denver from Utah so when I got home it was after midnight and I just had to go snuggle up my children, it was getting painful to not partake of their smell. They each responded so sweetly to me. It was really amazing, each of them sensed me in the room near them, Eddie nearly ripped my head off in a head lock, Douey gave repeated tight squeezes as if one was just not sufficient. Ronnie embraced me like he usually does but for about a minute and a half he took big whiffs of my neck, smelling me over and over again as we hugged. It was SO sweet. I was so glad to come home and even more glad they were so happy to see me.