30 Days of Thankfulness-Day 20

Today I am thankful for Ethan's teacher. 

She is an amazing woman. 

Each year the 5th and 6th graders collect canned goods for a week

then they deliver them to our local food shelf and shelve them. 

This is such a great experience for these kiddos. 

I am thankful she organizes this and encourages her students.

And I received this note this afternoon:

On behalf of the Fergus Falls Community Food Shelf: "Thank you Ethan and the rest of your classmates!!!! I can tell you that we serve about 400 kids each month, with each of their families receiving over 100 pounds of food from us. Your efforts will be felt by them all! I'm so happy you also sorted and shelved it all too...what a huge help! Blessings to you and your family!"

30 Days of Thankfulness-Day 19

Today I am thankful for opportunities.

Opportunities that neither Steven nor I had.

I'm thankful for Ethan's school band.

Small as they may be, they are mighty.

Their band director is amazing and works incredibly hard with them.

I pray that Ethan will continue in band and LOVE it.

30 Days of Thankfulness-Day 17

Today I am thankful for a good deer hunting season to be OVER! 

Blaze orange is already in the wash and soon to be packed away until next November. 

Thankful for the one deer our group got and incredible friends who we hunt with. 

Until next year deer hunters...

30 Days of thankfulness-Day 16

Today I am thankful for my XM radio channel 17 

that has already begun playing Christmas music.

I ABSOLUTELY love Christmas music and this time of year.

Thank you XM!

30 Days of Thankfulness-Day 15

Today I am thankful for Christmas movies.

We LOVE Christmas movies.

We've already watched a few...

A few of our family favorites are:

and...

and the parents favorite is:

30 Days of Thankfulness-Day 14

Today I'm thankful for these boys I've been entrusted to raise. 

I'm thankful they're brothers. 

I'm thankful for their faith. 

I'm thankful for their willingness to read
 morning devotionals as a family 

and I'm just thankful I get to be their mama.

30 Days of Thankfulness-Day 13

Today I'm thankful for my love of laundry.

My sister's washing machine took a dump so she blessed with my her hubby's dirty laundry today. 

Seriously...the joy I feel in doing laundry is unnatural! 

And the smell of her laundry soap almost beats out the smell of coffee!

and I'm told that magical smell was Gain...

30 Days of Thankfulness-Day 12

I'm thankful for Facebook and the ability to see a So. Cal sunset 

from 23 different Facebook friends tonight. 

What a gorgeous sight for sure! 

Here are a few...

30 Days of Thankfulness-Day 11

Today I am thankful for all those who are serving and who have served our country. 

It doesn't go unnoticed and is certainly appreciated by my family. 

THANK YOU to two of my brothers Marvin and Aaron who have served as well.

Happy Veteran's Day!

30 Days of thankfulness-Day 10

Today I'm thankful for days with just Abram. 

He's not as into deer hunting as his dad and brother are

and one day was enough for him 

so today it's just him and me! 

Loving this season in my life.

30 Days of Thankfulness-Day 9

Today I'm thankful that my hubby learned to hunt. 

Being a California boy, it's something neither of us thought would ever happen, but moving to Minnesota and being blessed with two boys that wanted so badly to hunt, he learned. 

He's patient, willing and I think he loves it just as much as they do. 

He makes me proud to be his wife, the mother of our boys and partner on this journey we call life!

This is Thomas' deer. 

He was VERY excited, look at that smile?! 

We are all very happy and excited for him!

Happy Deer Hunting boys!

2013

30 Days of Thankfulness-Day 8

Today I'm thankful for leftovers. 

I love to bring leftovers to work for lunch the next day. 

Saves money and food doesn't go to waste! 

30 Days of Thankfulness-Day 7

Today I'm thankful for sunshine. 

It warms my soul. 

It brings me peace. 

It makes me smile. 

I LOVE sunshine and am thankful for its presence today.

30 Days of Thankfulness-November 6

Today, I'm thankful for my health. 

I am thankful for my body and it's ability to function, move, support and house vital organs and do it well. 

I'm also thankful for our boys and my hubby's health.

I'm thankful we have the ability to run, bike, swim, plank and be active as a family.

I am thankful for our healthy body and minds.

30 Days of Thankfulness-November 5

Today I am thankful for health insurance provided through my employer.

It will not increase in 2014, but rather DECREASE by 10%.

I am very thankful for this!

30 Days of thankfulness-November 4

Today I am thankful for coffee and devotional time on Monday mornings. 

I love coffee. 

I love Monday morning and I love devotionals. 

Today, I am thankful.

30 Days of Thankfulness-November 3

Today I am thankful our church and for our Pastor. 

For his passion to teach us and his love for people who don't yet know the gospel.

Pastor Eric and Steven baptized Ethan this summer. 

What a beautiful testimony of faith.

30 Days of Thankfulness-November 2

Today I am thankful for weekends and time away from school and work with my sweet family.

These boys and my hubby make me smile.

30 Days of Thankfulness-November 1

Today I am thankful for music. 

I love the way it makes me feel. 

I love to sing and I love that music can change my mood. 

I love that both my boys can play the piano and I love the way it brings calmness to my soul. 

I am thankful for music.

I am also thankful for the "just because" flowers my hubby sent me to work.

He is such an amazing man.

Oh hey...I DO have a blog!?!!

Oh my...it's been a while since I've used this space...
I'll jump back in with the ABC's of me, tagged by my seester Heather.

A. Attached or Single? Attached. 15 years of wedded bliss.




B. Best Friend? My hubby, my sister and some of the most lovely ladies in my life.



C. Cake or Pie? If I *had* to choose I'd say pie. I like pumpkin pie in the fall.


D. Day of the Week? Monday



E. Essential Item? chap stick or gloss.


F. Favorite Colors? red.



G. Gummy Bears or Worms? Bears...covered in choclate, the only way I'll eat gummy or choclate :)



H. Hometown? Current hometown is Fergus Falls, MN. I was born a So-Cal girl but I really do think I am a mid-west girl at heart.



I. Favorite Indulgence? A simple one I have is watching The Bachelor/Bachelorette and buying a People magaize. But a vacation alone with my hubby would the BEST indulgence.


J. January or July? Both. I LOVE my birthday and that's in January but I also really LOVE July because that's summer and living in Minnesota we take full advantage of summer!


K. Kids? Yes, the Lord has blessed us with 2 boys who have my entire heart and then some.


L. Life isn't complete without? coffee and sunshine.



M. Marriage Date? June 27.


N. Number of brothers/sisters? 3 bros and 1 sis.


O. Oranges or Apples? Both. Golden Delicious are my favorite apple.



P. Phobias? snakes, frogs and anything flying close to me.



Q. Favorite Quote? "Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different." -Oprah


R. Reason to Smile? When I see my hubby pull up the driveway each afternoon.



S. Season of Choice? Fall. Football, back to school, sweater weather!!!



T. Tag 5 People. Play along if you wish and let me know.



U. Unknown Fact About Me? I don't wash my hands after I use public restrooms. Ick.



V. Favorite Vegetable? I love veggies......from asparagus to zucchini.



W. Worst Habit? cussing.


X. X-Ray or Ultrasound? Had them both, don't care for either one.



Y. Your Favorite Foods? Salty and crunchy.


Z. Zodiac Sign? Aquarius...water baby!



Now friends...... what is a fun fact about YOU?!

Wordless Wednesday: Christmas Eve

Happy New Year! 2013

Happy 2013 to YOU! I hope you had a fabulous 2012.
Last year I chose a word, one little word that I wanted to use, or incorporate into my life.
That word was embrace.
I wanted to embrace life and all the things in it.
I wanted to embrace my children, now, in this season of their lives.
I wanted to embrace MY life, my relationships, my body.
I think I did a fairly good job of this, although I know I could always do better. (my body)
I made time for my boys, individually, for dates.
I made time for my hubby, to listen and embrace him and our time together.
I became closer to my sister after a time of misunderstanding and hurt.
I reconciled a relationship in my life with a sister that means a lot to me.
I embraced the fact that people ARE different than me and my family and that's ok.
I embraced the long days of summer. I stayed at the water park hours later than I wanted and
drove out to the lake, just for the afternoon. We got a dog because my boys are old enough to care for her and realllllly wanted one. I "got over myself" and embraced their wants and desires too.
I tried hard to embrace this life that I'm living, right here, right now.

In 2013 I want to continue to embrace life, but I want to do it with contentment. I want to be content in all things. I suffer from anxiety and often times instead of being content with situations I tend to stress, get anxious and then crabby. I need to change that.

content
— adj
1.	mentally or emotionally satisfied with things as  they are
2.	assenting to or willing to accept circumstances, a proposed  course of action, etc
— vb
3.	( tr ) to make (oneself or another person) content  or satisfied
— n
4.	peace of mind; mental or emotional satisfaction

So here it goes...2013 is my year for contentment.