Abundance

“Both abundance and lack [of abundance] exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend . . . when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present—love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us [happiness]—the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth.”
Sarah Ban Breathnach
As quoted from President Thomas S. Monson
in my favorite conference article
Finding Joy in the Journey October 2008

My most favorite meal!

Some would say that their most favorite meal of the whole year is Thanksgiving. Well for me it is the day after when I have all of those wonderful leftovers and pile them high onto a

Foul Weather Sandwich!

Toasted bread, miracle whip, turkey, stuffing, gravy and top it off with cranberry sauce! YUM! Of course you have to have all of the other leftovers along the side. Followed by pumpkin flan for dessert and I am in food heaven!

Hope your Turkey day was great! We had a terrific day cooking, chatting and hanging out with family! Just what the day should be!

A splashing good time!

This year we had the opportunity to join the Jones Family on their Thanksgiving tradition of going to Coco Key indoor water park and spending the night at the adjoining hotel. What a wonderful time we had!

On the way Paul decided to call and see if any upgrades were possible. Since he is always traveling he racks up the points and levels and we are always excited when we are with him and we get upgraded. Well upgraded is an understatement! We got the PRESIDENTIAL SUITE! WOW! We were so excited when we stepped through the double doors into a HUGE living area and walked to one side where there were double beds, a bathroom and a balcony then on the way other side was big our room, sitting area, bathroom and balcony.

The kids reaction to the suite

It worked out just perfect for a dinner party- ultra gourmet of course (pizza and soda) and a sleep over of Hallie and Brooklynn to follow! SO nice to have space, wonderful friends to share it with and 3 TVs to fit every ones viewing pleasure and to NOT have to pay extra for it!

The water park was a blast! We spent several hours there the first day a several more today! The kids HAD to be the first in line this morning which was great since it ensured us lounge chairs and a table. There were so many things to do- water slides with or without tubes, a huge play area with the dumping bucket, a huge jacuzzi, a lazy river, a pool with basketball, and a little kiddie area which all of the kids had just as much fun at. Our favorites were the water slides although I didn't know that one was PITCH BLACK inside and I was quite freaked out at first! The second day Alyssa tried the dark one and she too preferred the light one. The boys of course liked the dark! Xander and I going down on the double tube

It was so much fun hanging out with friends and the older kiddos running a muck and not having to worry about them. They would come and check in every so often and tell us what fun they were having!

The kids were exhausted after repeated trips up the stairs
You'd think they'd turn into fish!
Hallie was such a good sport! She only got to go down the water slide once or twice since she was a wee bit too short. But she took it in stride and found other things to do. I didn't hear her complain once about this! As a matter of fact I didn't hear one whine, gripe or complaint out of any of the older kids.

It truly was a wonderful weekend!

Thanks for the invite Jones Family! We can't wait to do it again next year!!

Order

I hate it when everywhere you look around the house something needs to be done! I have been sick for the last few days (again...) and yesterday only did laundry and read on the couch. It was hard for me to make myself stay put but I knew I needed to rest so I could feel up to par for Thanksgiving. Then today I look around and WHAM a pile here a pile there, clothes and books on the stairs, blankets on the couch from last night, dishes in the sink after our daily vitamin dinner last night, shoes in the living room and a BIG pile of stuff to be sorted in the kitchen. Thankfully it only took a while to get things back to where they belong-well for the most part that is. It is hard for me to thrive in chaos for too long! Order makes me feel calm and peaceful. As for the others in our home they are (somewhat) happy to help me when reminded.

1. a clean kitchen
2. small piles
3. happy helpers

I will give you rest

Come unto me, all ye that are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 11: 28-30

The Bishop quoted these verses from Matthew today in church. It made me think of a conversation that I was having last night with two of my girlfriends. We were discussing the trials and tribulations in our lives- present day and past. While none of our trials were the same we all could have empathy for one another because we all know how it feels to be so overwhelmed by our problems and feel the weight of the world on our shoulders. Thankfully there is complete understanding and love by our Savior and He truly is willing to help make our burdens light if only we turn to Him.

A daily vitamin?

Every morning I take the kids to school. I just love this time in the car together. Sometimes we sing along with the radio, converse about our daily plans or study for spelling tests. Our conversation today went something like this:

Mom: Tomorrow night at the Jones' we are going to have chicken bowls. Yum!

Lissy: Are the kids going to have pizza?

Mom: No you guys like Christy's chicken.

Xander: Yes we do, but we LOVE pizza! We are going to have it today at lunch and then again tonight at Connor's birthday party!

Lissy: Ya, you know it's a daily vitamin mom!

Mom: Is that so?

Lissy: Hey wait! We don't take vitamins we'll just have pizza instead!

Fun times in the car and daily vitamins for dinner! Those are my thankful 2 for the day!

Shades of gray

Tonight the kids reminded me that it was Family Home Evening night and once again I was thankful for the Deseret Books lessons that get sent to my email every week! It was a fun lesson about gaining experiences and how all the things that happen in our lives help shape and strengthen our testimonies- kinda like building blocks.
We played several little games in which they had to make a list of things that are useless without something else. examples: A lamp is useless without a light bulb; a pen is useless without ink; a car is useless without gas.

Alyssa's list:
t.v. without wires
book without words
picture without a picture
printer without paper
refrigerator without cold

Alexander's list:
t.v. without electricity
body a without heart

We then did this fill in the blanks together:
A body is useless without a heart.
The scriptures are useless without words.
Death is useless without the atonement.
A leader is useless without people.
The priesthood is useless without men.
Repentance is useless without prayer.
The resurrection is useless without Jesus.
A prophet is useless without the priesthood.
A blessing is useless without the priesthood and faith.
Faith is useless without you believing.
A family is useless without Mom. :-)
Baptism is useless without the Melchizedek priesthood and someone to be baptized.
A temple marriage is useless without a man and a woman.
You are useless without your heart, lungs or without God.

Well let me tell you this opened up a WHOLE OTHER CAN OF WORMS! Specifically the temple marriage part because of their answer of a man and woman. Xander says, "who else would it be? It's not like a man would marry a man." Oh boy! After that follows an explanation of why we believe a marriage should only be between a man and a woman and how each person brings something different and unique to the marriage and the one of the main reasons we are here is to have a family....I briefly explained about same sex marriages (living in MA that will definitely come up in the future) and what we believe and why we believe these things. At the end Alyssa says, "Mom that's just weird! Why would a woman marry another woman? It's like sisters!" Oh the innocence of youth and the black and white of it also. There are so many shades of gray as we get older, but then again maybe there shouldn't be.
1. FHE
2. a good book to read
3. innocence