Gratitude...

We seem to have a theme today of Gratitude. All our lessons at church were about gratitude, and I am pretty sure they weren't planned that way, it just happened. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving in Phoenix with Scott's family. This year we did something different, we ran a 5K race. It was hard! The head-wind we had almost felt at times that I was standing still! My goal was to not walk and I only stopped twice when the wind was too much to combat, but soon resumed running. Here is a picture of the group after the race. Scott's Cousin, Jim, and his wife, Tiffany were able to do the 1 mile "fun run" (we laugh at that name!). I ran it in 34 minutes and Scott ran it in 26 minutes. His brother, Jeff, was awesome and ran it in 20 minutes and was in the top 50. Christ wasn't too far behind and ran it in 21 minutes. Although it was hard, for me personally, I felt accomplished and was proud of myself for completely the little goal I had set for myself (to cross the finish line :). The people in the picture are (L to R, Back to Front) Paul, Chris (who just received his mission call to Russia!), Scott, Mike, Jeff, Heidi (who just had surgery two weeks ago!), Amy 2, Dan, Kent, Brad, Amy 1, and Emma.I am grateful, though, that both Scott and I have our health and were able to participate. As I was half-way through, I looked around and realized that there were all these people of all shapes and sizes, and yet we were all there to start off Thanksgiving by running!

We then went home and finished preparing the food assignments for the day. We had amazing food, and Jennie and Wes especially went all out. Homemade everything! It was a calm day and we decided it was because we have no babies and the kids don't need their parents like they used to.

Scott's grandpa wasn't able to come because his diabetes was acting up, got shingles, and pneumonia, and was put in the hospital. Scott's aunts and uncle went up to be with him during this time. It is his 90th birthday coming soon and we were hoping to celebrate it with him, but we'll have to do it in spirit. He is at home and doing better.

We were able to hold on another year to the tradition of all the girls going shopping and meeting for breakfast. I really love being with all my sister-in-laws. I really enjoy all of them. We were able to get some good deals (worth waiting in a checkout line for 45 min.!), but it was more of just being together that made it fun.

I just want to express my graditude for all the little blessings Scott and I have received, especially lately. We are fully aware of the little daily things like heat for our house, cars that work (even though one looks horrible), our health, etc. We continually have our needs met and know that it can only come from the Lord. I am thankful for family and friends that rally around us when life hands us hard times. I learned today that a gratitude is a spiritual principle in the sense that when we are grateful, we are humble and when we are humble, the Lord is able to speak to us. What a blessing! Hope your Thanksgivings were just as wonderful!

November, half over!

I cannot believe that November is already half over! One day it's never going to get here, and then it's half over! Not much went on this week. Derrek FINALLY answered the poor girl who asked him to Sadie's. Seriously I cannot get it into that boy's head that he needs to answer the girl within the same week that she asks him, no matter if she knows the answer is yes or not! She asked him three weeks ago and Sadie's was yesterday. He answered her on TUESDAY! He got a puzzle with a Star Wars picture on it and wrote "Yes" on the back of it. Then he wrapped every piece of the puzzle (48 pieces) in foil and then baked them into a brownie. He got her second hour teacher, who Derrek knows well, to give it to her. At the end of class, she was looking sick and the teacher was laughing. Anyway, they had fun, and to my surprise, actually went to the dance for an hour. I think that is the first time they have gone to any of the dances. During the day (they do "day dates"), they went to Olive Garden for lunch (Derrek was so excited about that) and then they went shopping at Deseret Industries for some old clothes and then the girls and their moms made all this food and they had a food fight! Here is a picture of Derrek after Mica dropped him off to shower and get ready for the rest of the evening. He said that they had jell-o, mashed potatoes, spaghetti noodles, macaroni & cheese and foods like that. Someone just came up to him and smeared a pile of mashed potatoes across his face and then dumped some down his pants! Gross!!! Then after they were all cleaned up, they went to Kaley's house for dinner. Then they went to the dance and then just hung out for the rest of the night. There were four couples. The girls had made sweat shirts to go along with the theme and Derrek loves it.

Calvin and Alec had a campout and the leader said he thinks it was the coldest one they have ever been on (including the klondike campouts). They were good eggs and went, even though they really didn't want to. I told them that their leader didn't want to go, either, and that they needed to help him. I think that helped take their focus off themselves and put their energy toward helping him. They really love and respect him.

Scott and I went with Jose to get his Patriarchal Blessing today. It is just amazing to me how much the Lord truly knows and loves us. It is crazy to me that here is this person who doesn't know Jose personally, but is able to give him a personal blessing that speaks about his personality and his strengths and his weaknesses and gives him promises and blessings according to his faith. We pray that it will give him the strength and guidance that he needs in his life. I know mine has.

Scott was able to do a small cabinet job to help us out (thank you!). We are just very grateful and feel watched over and blessed. It won't solve everything, but it has taken the sting out of not having a job and gives a little time to be able to find our next path.

Our microwave broke this last week. Can I just tell you that a week without a microwave is pretty much torture for my kids! They have been going through more eggs and cereal because they feel that is all they can cook quickly. They could cook other things, but it isn't in a quick amount of time because they are HUNGRY! Alec went to make cookies and "soften the butter" and realized that he couldn't do it in the microwave. It eventually got softened, but it wasn't quickly. I have found that I have to prepare for dinner even further in advanced so that I can have the meat thawed for the meal. This may even need to happen the night before! I am never that on top of things. For tonight, I do have some chicken thawed and so we are having something with chicken in it!

Scott was able to attend a LifeStar training with his brother, Mike. LifeStar is for Pornography Addiction, specifically, and they even have a teen program which seriously is an amazing program for both the addict and parents or spouse to heal from the damage that pornography has on all of us. My brother Geoff is a LifeStar trained therapist here in St. George and so we really know and love this program. Pornography seriously is a plague. Last weekend, Scott and I attended a UCAP convention where they had speakers (my brother Geoff was one of them) about Pornography and how to fight the fight. It's the Utah Coalition Against Pornography. With having all boys, I truly feel that this fight is personal. It's me against Satan and he messed with the wrong mama bear! Of course, it is definitely my sons' choice whether or not they give into the temptation and how far it goes, but they will have me (and Scott) fighting for their lives. I'm grateful the program is out there. Anyway, Scott had a really great weekend. They were able to see their Grandma Bowler, in Logan, and love her carisma and personality. She is over 90 and just is amazing with how much she does still.

Fall Festivities

Well, we have had some fun activities...

We carved pumpkins for Family Night with my side of the family. It was fun and we came with six pumpkins and left with three. The other three got mangled and therefore weren't worthy of setting out on the porch (according to the boys!).

Dallen and Ashton went trick-or-treating. It is Ashton's last year. He went all out as Michael Jackson. He even learned how to moon-walk! Dallen wasn't too excited to go, so maybe it is his last year, too?!? I wish I had the energy to do a Halloween party for the kids or something like that, but I don't think that is possible.

We finished up things with Jenette and Craig's wedding. They had their last reception in St. George last weekend. It was really nice.

My Grandma Gilgen (my mom's mom) turned 90 on October 30th. I still have to get the picture from my dad of my little family with her. We love her to pieces. My boys were over at her place yesterday watching the BYU football game with her and talking. I am so glad they get these moments with their GREAT GRANDMA! How many people can say they knew their Great grandparents? My kids still have 4 that are living! It's incredible and amazing to me that they get to have these memories with them.

Still no job, but we have been able to see the Lord's hand in our life. Just this week, our small car had the engine light turn on. I thought "just what we need". So, Scott took it into the shop to see what was going on and when they tried to diagnose it, the light went back off and it has been fine ever since. Also, Scott wasn't able to get his transcripts from the last school he attended because of some fine or fees that weren't paid (this was about 16 years ago!). So, he called the school and the guy he talked to couldn't figure out what they were for and removed them from his account and so he was able to get his official transcripts. I know these things are little, but they would have cost us money that I feel we don't have right now, and I really feel that these things were taken care of by the Lord. It's the only thing that makes sense! I like trying to see every day how He has been there. It helps me on those dark days where I just feel I can't do this again. But, even then He is there showing me the good in the situation and helping me to find peace and comfort.

Derrek was asked to Sadie Hawkins this last week (and he still hasn't replied!). He doesn't realize what he is putting the girl through! He said "she knows I'm going with her". Anyway, we have a little teaching to do! He has also been making graphic t-shirts (in a good way :) for everyone...I think he has been getting orders! He told me that his next one will be to make one that says "Cancer Sucks" for his Aunt Heidi so she can wear in on the days she has radiation. He is happy to make others happy :). This is a picture of him showing off the one he made for himself, and since then he has made a vinyl exactly like it and put it on the small car.

We have been working on talking nice to each other, lately. There was a period of 24 hours where we were told that the boys were not nice and made someone feel bad and then another father told us that one of our sons was saying mean things and now his son doesn't want to come to church and then Ashton was bawling saying that he feels that his brothers hate him and wish he had never been born (of course, that could have been attributed to 12-year-old hormones!). So, now when we are caught in a "not-so-nice" comment that tears down and doesn't lift that person, then we have to do something nice for that person. It's become a little joke that we have to go "fluff their pillow", but they get the point and we have all become a little more aware of what we say. Some days are better than others, and the boys have realized that they need to watch what they say. It is still a work in process!