As November comes to a close...

Thanksgiving dinner was at this house for the first time EVER - and it was a success! We had a total of 15 people, I believe. After borrowing 2 tables and several chairs from our church building, we were able to all sit around one table! Matthew made the arrangement and set them up himself, thanks hun! I cooked the turkey (for the 3rd time, I believe) and it was fantastic. I put honey and butter under the skin, wrap the turkey in cheesecloth, and this year I experimented by throwing half a lime inside. Sometimes I put some poultry seasoning on it, but that seems to just stay on the surface, so I didn't do it this year. I also made the rolls, stuffing, cheese balls, and mashed potatoes. Visiting family provided cranberry sauce, pies, green been casserole, sweet potato casserole, fruit salad, a green salad... and I think that's it. I'm not putting the family member's names because they're a tad paranoid about being spied on by the government through the internet. Weirdos. ;)

I know December is going to POP out of nowhere, so I wanted to share my facebook Gratitude posts all in one place before it's forgotten. Many people on facebook posted what they were thankful about each day in their status updates and that's a tradition I hope continues every year... obviously it's good to be thankful every day all year round, but not necessarily on facebook.

A friend is posting something she's grateful for every day in November. I like that idea. Today's is I am SO thankful for how beautiful and enjoyable October was. Temps were nice and cool, the snow kept it's distance and we were blessed to enjoy more time outside


I am thankful for this pregnancy being so healthy and easy for me!


My mom had a son that lost a battle with brain cancer. Today makes the 1 year anniversary for the same diagnosis of a friend's little boy -who is winning the battle! Today i'm grateful for the reminders around me of how precious life is.

Today i'm thankful to experience for myself and pass on to my children...if you stop and pray to your Father in Heaven, your day goes so much better.

I am thankful for having more time together as a family every Saturday. I'm also very thankful for my husband helping me clean today!

I am so thankful for patrick. He is creative, curious, compassionate and one heck of a big brother... for Stephen, he has enthusiasm for life, wants to share fun times with others and patience w/being stuck in the middle...William-where there's a will, there's a way.

I am thankful for facebook. While we shouldn't allow it to replace a phone call, letter or visit, it sure has helped me feel more connected to friends and family.

I am thankful for tylenol.

I am thankful when my boys wake up happy and like to play together... Even if it's 7am.

I am thankful that God put cocoa beans on this planet to make all-things-chocolate possible!

I am thankful for Fridays!

I am thankful for 2nd chances.

I am thankful for luxuries like a heater, an oven, microwave, television, plumming, refrigerator, computer, phone...hats off to people that lived 200 years ago,i know I couldn't.

I am thankful for Matthew, I never called him my "best friend," as a lot of couples do... then I realized, he's the one I WANT to talk to and do things with. I try to get involved in his interests and I want him to be happy. He cares about my happiness. He is my best friend. :)

I'm very very thankful Patrick's little head injury didn't end in the dr's office. He hit his head on a pipe in the laundry room, about 1/2 inch cut that stopped bleeding in just a few minutes. Good way to kick off his bday! I was in labor with him today,7 years ago :)

I am thankful for knowledge and how accessible it is! If we don't know about something- we can look it up in a matter of seconds :)

I am thankful to be living in a house! We found the perfect house for our family and have zero regrets. I'm thankful for the 7 years of living in apartments to appreciate it more.

I am thankful for family. I am so looking forward to being together with a lot of family members from Matthew's side for Thanksgiving!

I am thankful to be alive with reminders to savour what moments I have on this earth. I had to read obituaries and write my own for an assignment. Physical death is a stranger to no one.

I am so thankful for Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice. I know he didn't do it just for repentance of sins, he also wanted to know exactly how I feel so he could know exactly how to help me. That level of unselfishness is beyond my understanding.

I am thankful for music and dancing! I love watching the kids dance :D

I am thankful for the nights when I get quality sleep, I am thankful to be in awe of watching my children grow and learn, I am thankful for hot cocoa and cinnamon toast.

I am thankful for my pregnancy going so well to this point, i'm thankful we all get a little break for Thanksgiving and I am very thankful for a bed to sleep in in...at least, sleep in when I fall back asleep.

I am so thankful for my family- immediate and extended, for the beauty around me all throughout the year and for the kindness of others. I am very thankful for this holiday that has inspired myself and others to first be thankful before we complain, vent, share an opinion or anecdote. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I am thankful we don't have the money for Black Friday "fun"... I am extremely thankful even though we don't have any form of health insurance and this pregnancy was unplanned, we can afford to pay for our medical care. AND we are 2-3 months away from being out of credit card debt.

30 weeks today! And I am thankful for Michigan football giving my husband and our family to cheer for every saturday.

I am thankful for music and the joy it brings into our lives... I just hope I don't bring sadness into the lives of the children in our primary as I get the hang of being the new Primary Chorister!

I am so thankful that the sprinkler in our back yard burst in time for our neighbor to hear it at 3:30am when he was going to work, otherwise water would have guzzled out for hours!
So there you have it. Guess what? We're actually paying off our last two credit cards this week - ahead of schedule! Woot :) That feels so nice. I AM SO THANKFUL to Matthew for making a plan and following it through to no longer feel the weight of that debt. Now we're tackling our student loans.

I hope you all had a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!