Thanks a Lot

Today We Are Grateful For:

Andrew- Bats

He was watching the final segment of Fantasia this afternoon with the scary demons dancing around and I guess he appreciated those "bats."

Weston- Popcorn

Emma- Our house

I thought this one was interesting because we live with my parents right now but I am grateful they have opened up their home to us.

Mom- My Van

It's an older Ford Windstar so it's nothing stylish or fancy but it fits us all comfortably with storage space and it has proven to be a great vehicle.

Jamie- Diana Ross

She was in his elevator today.

Gina- "How did you know it was her?"

Jamie- "She performing at the colosseum. Who else would be walking around with body guards a fancy dress and big hair?"

Thankful Indeed

Today We Are Grateful For:

Andrew- Chickens

We went to the Gilcrease Sanctuary today and the kids enjoyed chasing the chickens, feeding the burros and petting pregnant goats. Then there was this goat.....

Jamie- 24-Hour Nurse Lines

For when your little guy has a headache, stomach pains and a temp of 104 in the evening. I'm grateful for this insurance feature so I can stay home and care for my boy instead of waiting in an ER and paying $100 to have a doctor tell me to give him Tylenol. Also glad to be insured! Got the orthopedics bill for Weston's cast yesterday. Good timing on that job and insurance babe!

Weston- Weston was too out of it to participate but I'm thinking he's grateful for Alfie Bear, the bear he's snuggling in the picture. Aunt Shayla and Uncle Brent gave him the bear as a baby. Alfie's like the Velveteen Rabbit, he's been loved on so much his nose strands are wearing thin and his fur's a little matted but what better way to go than to be loved to death. All my kids have a lovey compliments of Shayla and they have been well-loved and appreciated in this house.

Emma- Kisses

She gives generously and receives thankfully.

Gina- "Accidents"

It wasn't until I was an adult that it occured to me that with 2 three-year-olds and a 10-month-old my parents probably did not plan to get pregnant with me. But I had the distinction of being the first girl which hopefully added some charm to the mania of having four children under 5. Many years later my sister slipped into the family after 5 kids and a six year break. Glad us girls were able to make it into the Cannon family. Similarly, although we had planned to have a third child we certainly weren't thinking of doing it when Weston was only 9 months old (when I got pregnant). But I'm glad now that it happened that way. Andrew is at such a fun age and is such an entertaining and complete addition to our family. And the age span between the boys has proven to have many advantages that I love. We watched Kung Fu Panda tonight and the wise old turtle keeps saying, "There are no accidents."

A couple of days ago I mentioned that my computer crashed and I lost my pictures. Turns out Jamie "accidentally" saved some onto his backup drive when he was trying to load his work files off the drive onto the computer. Doesn't look like all of them but at least I have some of Andrew's baby pictures now (something I cried over the loss of) and evidence of our life in Georgia. There are no accidents, just blessings we need to recognize.

Gratitude is a Divine Attribute

Today we are Grateful for:

Weston- Rubie

Rubie is Weston's girlfriend and she is a doll! One day she told her mom, "Weston is my prince and I am his Aurora and we are happy together!" These two really are happy together (can you tell?) and I'm grateful Weston has such a good friend from such a good family!

Andrew- Spongebob Underpants

I know the name's Spongebob Squarepants but Andrew has underwear with Spongebob on them and he is grateful for them. And I am grateful for anything that motivates him to use the potty!

Jamie- Gina's Hair

Because I made a rule that I can only put positive things on my Gratitude posts I will simply say thank you dear and leave it at that.

Gina- Tenderhearted Little Girls

Tonight we watched "My Dog Skip." There's a scene where the boy gets angry with his dog and hits him. After seeing this, Emma buried her head in her arms and sobbed for a few minutes. Then she pulled Rascal off the top of the couch to hold him close for the rest of the movie. In her prayers she asked that "we will never act like that boy in the movie and ever hurt any living creature." Then she tucked the dog in and curl up next to him putting her arm around him to make sure he didn't run away and get lost in the night (another scene that affected her). She is a sweet, sensitive child. At the school carnival she didn't want to play laser tag because she didn't even want to pretend to shoot anybody.

Emma- Nevada

"Home means Nevada. Home means the hills. Home means the sage and the pine..." As other parts of the country are freezing in the snow already I am grateful to be here in Las Vegas where we were out in our shorts last week. I was looking at some pictures I took last Fall in Geargia and missing all the color but then I saw a pic of our backyard and thought, "boy, I'm grateful I won't be spending all those hours raking leaves this year."

Die Dankbarkeiten

Today we are Grateful for:

Jamie- Artichokes

They were on his pizza for lunch today. Yum!

Emma- My body

So she can run and jump and play and help people.

I'm glad she's still young enough to be happy with her body and active enough that her body's happy with her. A lot of older girls are not grateful for their bodies. I hope Emma can remember how truly amazing the body is and how very blessed she is to have one that can do so much.

Ender- Cody (?) Song

I can't elaborate on this because I'm not really sure what he's talking about. He likes singing and being sung to. He knows several songs, apparently some that I don't know.

Weston- Chips

We had chips with our taco salad tonight. Weston picked the chips out of the salad to eat. So they were on his mind during scripture/thankful time.

Gina- To be a parent

One thing that has really struck me time and again as a parent is that trying to understand and teach my children helps me better understand my relationship to my Heavenly Father. Those days when I get frustrated when I tell a child over and over again not to do something and warn them that this thing is dangerous to them, I think how often the Lord has warned us against temptations that will bring us sorrow and how we are often slow to hearken and learn.. Or when I try to explain to my child that I know how to do something but they insist on doing it their own wrong way, I think how often I have trusted in my own knowledge and not relied upon my wise Heavenly Father. Or when I get fed up with the constant whining I have to remind myself not to be a whiner and complain. Or when I struggle with how much to do for my children and how much I should trust them to do for themselves and remind myself how much the Lord has trusted me with (His children for example) and that equipping them with Gospel knowledge is the best thing I can do for them, as He has done for me. This insight has helped me be more patient and loving as my Father is with me and helps me better appreciate and rely upon the patience, love and trust my Heavenly Father has. My faith increases as I better understnad that He truly knows best for me and my family and can see much further than my immature vision reaches. Parenting isn't easy but I can learn through the ultimate example. I think this is why "family's are central to the creator's plan." How can we learn these lessons and progress without ourselves being a parent. Truly, this is what it's all about.

Acknowledgements: My fabulous photographer brother Nate took the three pictures of the kids. I want to give credit where credit is due because I can't take pics like that and because I wan him to keep taking pics like that for me.

In all things give thanks

Today we are Grateful for:

Andrew- Weston

Actually he really said something about Weston flying somewhere and started into a story (did you know this boy is a major chatterbox) but Weston was a good enough answer so we left it at that. My boys are only 18 months apart so they're close enough to enjoy some of the same things and share the same friends so they spend a lot of time together and I think it helps them learn important social skills and they have the advantage of always having a friend around. I don't know what Andrew's gonna do next year when Weston goes to kindergarten (yeah that's next year, scary huh?).

Weston- Cookies

With Weston it's always about the sugar. I'm not generally into bribes but if I ever want to get through to Weston, taking away or giving a treat will always do the trick. We had cookies for family night and he was grateful.

Emma- Best Friends Forever, BFF

Emma had a good school friend over today. Emma always seems to attract the most outgoing, confident girl in her class. Nice, well-behaved but strong personality. Which I find interesting because at school Emma is pretty reserved and very proper, too shy to approach the other children. I'm grateful for outgoing kids who are bold enough to approach the quiet child.

Mom- Cheese

Today I was eating some crackers with sharp cheddar and apple slices on top and thinking how much I love cheese and how grateful I am for it! I cannot ever be a vegan, I am in love with dairy. Well, I don't much care for straight milk but I love cheese, cottage cheese, cream cheese, yogurt, chocolate milk, nacho cheese, and well mostly anything with cheese. Halloween week I had yummy cheese balls at two parties in a row and spent the next week craving them. Wanna give me something for Christmas, I will be perfectly thrilled with a cheese ball and crackers or Triscuits and a block of sharp cheddar. Yum!

Dad- Birds

"They can fly and they sing ridiculous songs"

Something to Smile About

Today We Are Grateful For:

Andrew- Train Tracks

My boys love trains! They have some tracks that they build and trains they drive all over.

By the way, you probably noticed most the pictures don't match the text (besides the name). I can't find pics. to all our topics in my album but want to use our own pics. to get them on the web. I lost a bunch of pics. when my computer crashed and received the look of horror from techno-savvy relatives who could not understand how I could be dumb enough not to have a backup drive (don't be me, be smart). Definitely gonna look into one of them but getting these on the web is my best backup at the moment.

Emma- Shoes and Socks

Aren't you glad you can cover your feet and keep them soft and safe. Stories about pioneers tend to make me grateful for shoes. Especially the nice form-fitting tennis shoes we have nowadays and those cozy, fluffy socks I like slipping into in the winter. Good one Em, socks and shoes are definitely something we take for granted. Now if I can only convince my barefooted park runner that shoes are important.

Weston- Hula Hoops

I chose this deep, thoughtful pose for such a deep and thoughtful answer. Okay, hula hoops are fun. Ever used one in a kiddie pool full of soapy water to make giant bubbles? Neither have I but it looks like lots of fun.

Dad- Playtime

Jamie played with the kids this afternoon while I did visits and choir. They played puppies, drove through California (the backyard) and wrestled. He was passed out on the couch when I got home then went to bed at 7:30. I'm glad the kids have a parent that does that stuff because I'm a pretty boring mom not good for much active playtime.

Mom- My Calling

Jamie and I teach the 10-year-old primary class at church. It's a great age to teach. They're old enough to read and understand scriptures, sit still (mostly), and participate, but still young enough to not have an attitude or give you teanager grief. We have some good discussions in there and preparing the lessons help immerse me in the scriptures and share my testimony and love for the scriptures. They're good kids and I've enjoyed teaching them.

Nana- The Sabbath Day

Emma passed this on to me and I said, "oh, good one" and Emma says, "yeah that is a good one, why didn't I think of that?"

It is wonderful to have a day of rest and worship. To evaluate your week, straighten priorities, sing, pray, learn, teach, gain strength from other members at church, be together as a family, and think about our Savior. For all these reasons and more I love the Sabbath and going to church. And I am grateful to parents who established this habit in my life so early that I've never been tempted to do differently.

Pop- Chocolate

Yes, the world is a better place because of it, fatter, but yummier for sure!

A Few of Our Favorite Things

Today we are Grateful for:

Andrew- Bellybuttons and eyeballs

Ah man, he took mine! But really I'm grateful for my eyeballs so I can see firsthand the stuff going on in these pictures.

Mom- Electricity

So, so grateful to have lights, and air, and computers, and curling irons, and washing machines, and fridges, and microwaves, and....

Weston- McDonalds

Weston enjoyed some golden fries and burgers with Nana last night while mom and dad were at the temple. Gotta love those golden arches.

Jamie- Storms

"I just love the smell and sounds"

Emma- Gymnastics

Emma just started a gymnastics class over at the Leisure Center. She's very excited. And I'm grateful and excited how cheap and convenient the leisure center is. Weston was bummed he couldn't do any classes but he's a little limited with his cast right now. The video above is a Tiny Tot Sports class Emma took many years ago.

Thanktitudes

Today (well yesterday, we got home really late) we are (were) grateful for:

Mom- The Temple

My mom babysat yesterday so we could to the temple together. We have such a beautiful temple and it recharges me. I can come home and do what I know I need to do.

Weston- Wall-E

He loves that funny little robot guy!

Jamie- Random Encounters
After the temple we stopped to get a bite at Applebees and ran into these characters (Jamie's brother and his wife). Okay, thankfully they weren't looking like this last night so we were happy to see them and chat. But looking at this picture I think I know why you have night terrors Jeff. Seriously, had you looked like this last night we would have requested a booth on the other side of the restaurant before you saw us.

Andrew- Carter

I've never actually met the kid but he's the only child from nursery Andrew talks about so he must be pretty swell!

Emma- Rascal

Rascal is my parent's dog (well technically my sister's) and Emma is absolutely in love with the creature! My family got Rascal the same year Emma was born so they've grown up together. Here's a great video of her as a toddler chasing the poor animal. Now she's after her brothers for doing the same thing to him. Emma would be horrified to know she ever did this now she sleeps with him and makes sure he's cozy with a blanket and reassures him he's cute and has cleaned up her language and calls him by his real name. I'm grateful for Rascal too, he has put up with my kids for years.

Appreciation Dedication

Today we are grateful for:

Dad- Emma

He says she's a good older sibling for her younger siblings. She really is a good girl, good for her brothers and good to her parents. She's a hard worker, loves the Gospel, and is a good example to all. Tonight I was having a hard time gathering my chicks and getting everyone ready for bed and I was very frustrated. Emma hugged my arm and told me she could just go lay me down for a rest and she would take care of the boys. I didn't take her up on it (although tempting) but the offer was touching. I don't know how I'd manage my three kids if I didn't start with an Emma.

Weston- Pillows

Weston falls asleep quickly without a fight so I guess those pillows really are great.

Mom- Sheets

I too love pillows. And I do mean pillows, I've become quite addicted to having multiple pillows to sleep with for my arms and legs. Body pillows rock. But I also really love sheets. Even when it's hot out I still climb into bed and pull a sheet over me because I love the feel of sheets. I love finding cool spots when it's hot out and having that extra layer of coziness when it's cold. Add a down comforter on top of some nice sheets and I am in heaven! I take sheets camping instead of a sleeping bag. I need space to move around and there's nothing like climbing into cozy, clean sheets after roughing it outdoors all day. Jamie doesn't share my passion for sheets. He actually used to sleep on the floor before we got married and now he's content just to crash on top of the blankets sideways in his work clothes. I can't have that, how am I supposed to get into my sheets with him all sprawled out across my bed? Come now let's have order here, I need pajamas, a clean face and room to slip into my sheets. And I can't tolerate crumbs, sand or any sort of grain in my sheets. I need them smooth and clean (even if I'm not). Alright, my bed's looking tempting, I'll wrap this up.

Emma- Neighbors

I didn't have any neighbor pictures but here's Andrew in our neighborhood. Our next door neighbor is Andrew's nursery teacher and is real sweet. They let us come swim any time we want and help out any time we need them (like when my parents house was flooding when they were out of town and they shut off the water and pulled up carpet to dry and put up fans to air things out). Hmm, I need to be a better neighbor and reach out more, because that's the only neighbor I know here but certainly one worth knowing.

Andrew- Baby Einstein

You know the addictive baby/toddler movies that play classical music and show cute little toys and puppets that are supposed to make your kids geniuses. Even Emma's still mesmerized whenever I put one on.

Daily Thanks

Today we are grateful for:

Jamie- Horses

He really did mean the animal horses but this picture of the Steeds is the closest thing I have in my picture album. And that's all the depth we get from the dad tonight. One day I think we shall prod deeper into this man's soul but not today.

Weston- Ellie

Weston and I are in a preschool co-op that consists of all of two kids (and the sibling whose house is being used for preschool that week). The other preschooler is his partner in crime Ellie. We wrangled up a couple of friends for our preschool Halloween party and Ellie proclaimed it to be the best Halloween party she'd ever been to and says that Ms. Gina is a nice teacher. We shall be having Ellie back next week.

Andrew- Family Night

Treats and dress-up, Family Night is akin to Halloween some nights. What's not to like?

Emma- Prettiness

"You know pretty things, like you mom." Well Emma, yes you may have another cookie.

Gina- Teachers

This is the magical Ms. McKenna. She runs a tight ship but is lots of fun and loves her "little friends". We are very pleased! I also love that other preschool teacher (who happens to be Weston's primary teacher too. She deserves a halo!) and the sweet primary teachers who love and teach my little lambkins. "It takes a village" and I am grateful for the generous and kind contributors! How dare I ever try to pretend that my kids are wonderful because of me.