Thanksgiving 2019

We had a great thanksgiving this year. As I’ve expressed, I feel so blessed to live this great life I do. We spent Thursday at my cousins, Deverie Jensen, house in Shelley, Idaho. My parents, grandma, uncle and cousins, spouses and kids were there. It was such a wonderful day! We spent the day laughing and reminiscing on the days of old. My grandma provided the kids with arts and crafts. Everyone had a blast!! Now onto Christmas!

Grateful Turkey

Today, Kyle had his preschool Thanksgiving program. Its was the cutest thing and he did great. He was worried he would be a little shy, but he stood up and said his part perfectly. The kids sang a couple of songs and all said what they are grateful for. Kyle said he was thankful to play Legos with Mom. My heart soared. I cannot tell you how much I love my baby.

The past few weeks I have really been reflecting on how grateful I am for my life. I've had conversations with friends and family that have been going through hard things. Infidelity, death, money issues, parenting trials, mental illness, physical ailments, and sickness. All around the world there is heart ache, hunger, stolen children, scared parents, confused people and so on and so on. And all I can think is what a wonderful life I lead. Its almost unfair how great my life is.

First of all, I have a husband who loves me. He gives me a hard time, doesn't always agree with my ideas, and laughs when I cry, BUT he loves me. He loves me more than anyone. He makes me laugh, he holds my hand and takes me to church. He works tirelessly to provide for our family and works hard when he gets home to better our life. He loves our kids. He protects them and holds them to a high standard to push them to be better.

I have wonderful boys. Just the best. They are rough and loud and its a never ending wrestling match, but they love each other. They stick up for one another and choose each other over and over. They shower me with hugs and kisses and come to me with their problems. They trust me. I am the love of their life. How amazing is that?

We have a home that keeps us warms and safe and provides a refuge from the world.

We have two cars that get us to all of our individual activities.

We have the money to provide those activities and sports for the boys.

We have clothes on our back.

The kids are being educated.

The sun shines and our seasons change.

We know the truth. The real honest truth about our Savior, Jesus Christ, and his gospel. I have been endowed and sealed to the love of my life. My children have been born under the covenant.

We have health.

We can put food on our table. And then more food when our kids don't like it.

We own an amazing piece of property in Gods Country.

Scott has a great job and is really good at it.

I've been blessed with Christ like attributes, namely patience.

Our families are supportive and understanding.

We live in a country with freedom and rights.

We've had life experiences that stretched us and molded us to become better.

I'm in Young Womens and get to not only rub shoulders with the girls but with some of the most amazing women.

I feel love. And loved.

Life is so so good. I feel extremely blessed. The older I get, the more I feel it. Deep down in my bones. I am blessed. And I'm blessed to know it.

Warm Face

My baby boy is sick today. And has been for the last day and a half. He’s had an awful fever and chills and just feels yucky. It breaks my heart, but I’m soaking in all the snuggles. 

My very favorite thing about Kyle right now is how he says he loves me because my face is so warm. He’ll hug me cheek to cheek and say, “Mom, I love you so much! Your face is just so warm!” It makes me feel like a million bucks. 

Halloween

Halloween’s not my favorite. And this year, was no different. We do love the Halloween party that the Hansen’s host and somehow the kids make trick or treating fun, no matter how cold it is. And this year especially cold. Over all, we made it through and even Scott dressed up. He was a “dorky BYU fan”. 

 

National award

I wish you could feel my radiating pride for this man. Scott was presented with the Outstanding Security Award from the Department of Energy this morning. This award is given to ONE team in the WHOLE COUNTRY. Scott specifically helped facilitate a technology that is now being implemented and utilized in other national laboratories around the nation. This has been recognized by Homeland Security and the Department of Defense. This is a big deal!! I’ve known Scott was good at his job, but being there today and listening to his superiors rave about his work and thank him for a job well done, was extremely eye opening. I’m so proud of him and so thankful to call him mine.

Impromptu Pumpkin Patch

October has been crazy. And I've wanted to get to the pumpkin patch time and time again, but we've been to busy with sports or the weather has been too cold. We found ourselves with a couple of free hours last night, so I took the boys to the pumpkin patch. I had submitted to the idea of just getting our pumpkins at Walmart this year, but when Tayden expressed interest in going to the field to pick them, I jumped at the chance. I feel like his years of this kind of stuff are fading and I want to take advantage of every minute I can.

It was expensive, but worth every minute watching the boys play and laugh together. The arguing and bickering has increased over the last year, so it was really great to watching them interact without any malice. It was two hours of straight fun!

First Deer

Last Monday Scott was trying to decide if he wanted to take Tayden hunting or not. The dilemma wasn’t in missing school (although I made it very clear all makeup work would be done before privileges) it was in football practice. It was the week of playoffs and Tayden simply couldn’t miss, which meant they would only go for the morning. Scott hemmed and hawed about what to do, but last minute (like 11pm) decided to take him. While Scott loaded the truck, I gather clothes and tayden slept soundly in his bed unaware of the surprise that waited for him in the morning. 

It turned out to be the right choice. Not only did they get to spend the morning together in the mountains, Tayden got his first deer. The week prior he shot a deer, but they couldn’t track it and it ended up getting away. This time, they found it and he could not have been any happier. 

I’m grateful for the jerky this deer will provide. And I’m grateful for the skill Tayden is learning. But most of all, I’m grateful for the memories he gets to make with his dad!