Gratitude 7 of 7

Wow! I've got a lot to be thankful for today ~

Gratitude #1 - Survival Skillz

Yup, I've got Survival Skillz! When I went all "Biggest Loser" last night and tried to hop up onto a bench at the gym proving my strength -- and then fell off . . . but I Survived!

My hand is bruised, my butt and my head (where I banged it on the wall as I fell). Not to mention my pride is really tender today too.

Don't mock those players on Biggest Loser who can't jump on the step . . . it's freakin' hard and dangerous!

Gratitude #2 - Melanie

Everyone needs someone who will babysit your vomiting child while you go to meetings. Thanks Mel, for helping me out.

She even cleaned my sheets and remade my bed after Emma threw up on them. How awesome is she?!

Gratitude #3 - Stacy Martineau

Stacy saved my bacon today doing stuff for the Arts Commission. She has been so reliable in helping me and I think people don't realize how much she does, and how calmly she does it. Stacy holds me together and listens to my rantings. She's also an amazing mother!

Gratitude #4 - Ethan's Science Teacher

Thanks, Mr. Whoever You Are. Thanks for not giving Ethan the "F" he deserved in science and giving him extra credit at the VERY last minute so he can have a "C". Now instead of tossing him in the dungeon he will be my work slave for the next week. Also, I have unlimited zit popping rights now. Sweet!

I love November and Gratitude!

Gratitude 6 of 7

Do you ever just have one of those days?

I did, yesterday . . . .

I couldn't even remotely find something to be grateful for.

The day fell apart.

However, here's today's list:

1. I'm Grateful today is not yesterday.

2. I'm Grateful for Diet Coke and Ho Ho's.

3. I'm Grateful for Shauna who took the fall for my missing treasurer report this morning.

I think that's as far as I can got today. Let's hope tomorrow will be even better

Gratitude 5 of 7

I'm sure this is old by now, but I can keep thinking of stuff.

Gratitude #1 - Fandango

I'm grateful that I can go online and purchase my ticket to see New Moon. You will want to do the same. I'm going to the movies on November 21st at 4:30pm at the AF Cinemark 12. Get your ticket and we can carpool over. I can't wait to rip the movie apart . . . . although Jacob looks pretty hot in the clips.

Let's do dinner after!

Gratitude #2 - Taco Soup

Don't ask, I just like it and I'm still having good memories of it from last night. That's weird I'm sure.

Gratitude #3 - Gift Wrapping

I wrapped my first two Christmas gifts! I'm ahead of the season and I still have some holiday spirit left -- woohoo!

Gratitude 4 of 7

And so the list continues:

Gratitude #1 - Microsoft Word

I've been typing my little fingers out like crazy today as I write new grant applications and grant evaluation forms for my PGAC meeting on Friday. The thought of using a typewriter for any of this makes me cringe.

And to think my children have never seen a typewriter . . . .

Gratitude #2 - House

House is on tonight! Did you see last week's when they went to do an autopsy on the body and they started sawing his chest open and he started bleeding? And then the 'dead' man sat up screaming? I'm still not over it.

Gratitude #3 - Microwaves

I'm grateful that microwaves work to hide the leftover birthday cake so that SOME of it remains for Jeff to eat tonight. Now if only the microwave disappeared after I hid something in it . . . .

Gratitude 3 of 7

Gratitude Day Number 3

#1. I am Grateful for Jeff's Birthday

Mostly I'm just grateful that Jeff doesn't ask for anything for his birthday except white cake with white frosting. I can do that. Anything above and beyond that is hard for me -- I'm not a great wife. Luckily he's not high maintenence.

#2. I am Grateful for channel 21 (The BYU Channel)

I love getting ready for church and catching the past week's devotionals and firesides. Last week I watched Greg Mortensen (Three Cups of Tea) and this morning was President Uchtdorf's talk to the Young Adults.


#3. I am Grateful for Karen who had us sing ALL the verses of the sacrament hymn today.

It was unexpected to sing all the verses today. But I was feeling the spirit so strong during what I thought was the last verse, and singing the rest - it really filled my bucket.

#4. I am Grateful for friends who let me fall apart over their baby.

Hmm. . .sorry about that Tammy. I think it was a cumulative thing with Gratitude 2 and 3 from today and the fact that your baby LOOKED at me. He looked at me like he saw my heart. Thanks for the cuddle.

Gratitude 2 of 7

Gratitude Day 2

#1 I am Grateful for: BYU Football

Ah! After a bye week and a loss against TCU, BYU redeemed themselves with a sweet win over Wyoming.

(Sidenote: We had a young man from England hanging at our house today. He saw the game on and finally clicked that the big "Y" on our vehicles, mountains, etc wasn't for "Yahoo" - but for BYU. So funny.)

(Additional Sidenote: They don't have Rootbeer in England)

# 2 I am Grateful for: A Good Book!

I spent the last week reading "The Thief" by Megan Whalen Turner. It was GREAT! I would particularly suggest it to young adult readers and their moms who like a little bit of fantasy. I'm sighing internally as I think about this book.

#3 I am Grateful for: A Good Book and its Sequel

I spent time this week reading "The Queen of Attolia" by Megan Whalen Turner -- sequel to "The Thief". Man it was good!

#4 I am Grateful for: A Good Book, its Sequel and its Sequel

Again, spent time reading this week: "The King of Attolia". Holy crap, talk about true love! There isn't crazy mushy stuff in this, but you know what love is by the end of the book. I really enjoyed this series and am looking forward to the next installment come March 2010. I hope I can wait.

Gratitude 1 of 7

Well, Miss Shauna over on her Celestial Circle blog is showing her gratitude each day this month.

I have been moved and motivated enough to share my gratitude each day for the next week.


At this point in my life blogging 7 days in a row is landmark!


I'd never make it for 30 days.

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Gratitude #1


Halloween is OVER!


It's just not my favorite holiday.

Getting tossed into the middle of costume prep time on Hallow's Eve didn't suit me either.

Especially after spending the weekend with 55 teenagers in Cedar City.

However, kudos to Melanie and Ethan for putting together his Swine Flu costume and including Aidan. I'm very happy about that.

(Emma, the Rockstar, and her friend Tia, the Ghost)

Gratitude to Jeff who took them Trick or Treating while I cleaned the house.

(Swine Flu boys - Ethan and Aidan)

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Gratitude #2

Dishwashers!

Try going a week without one and this will be towards the top of your list too.

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Gratitude #3

A husband who stores computer hard drives in the storage room and can magically copy my dying hard drive stuff to the new one.

Also, gratitude for hard drives that still work when computer handicapped wife installs the hard drive herself and manages to drop it on the floor.

Can you imagine my gratitude when my email and Bejewelled game were useable again?

Family History

I've 'inherited' a lot of family history stuff from Jeff's Grandmother who passed away this year.


My craft room is overflowing with boxes of photos, slides, negatives, cards, etc.


I've digitized many of these things.


And here's just a little sampling of some Vincent Family slides from 1971 - ish.

(Jeff and his sister Jennifer)

(Jennifer)

(Jeff, Jennifer and baby Becky)

(Jeff!)

I'm looking for suggestions on what to do with a bazillion greeting cards, birthday cards, Christmas cards that Grandma kept.

Do I just bundle them up and pass them along?

CliffsNotes

In case you've missed the last few chapters of my life, I thought I'd update you quickly with the cliffsnotes version.

(Note: It is not correct to refer to them as Cliff Notes - you must include the "s" after the Cliff. Also, I have never resorted to reading a Cliffsnotes publication. It seemed like cheating.)

1. Emma's Birthday

My baby is now five.

I thought having her turn such a 'milestone' age would be hard for me. But it wasn't. It's comfortable, and I am ready to step into a new stage of life where babies and toddlers are now to be saved until I'm a grandma. (YIKES! that just freaked me out)

2. Ethan's Contacts

Ethan is the proud new owner of contact lenses. He has begged for a year to get them, and so we did. Of course I told him he needed to take care of them, not lose them, etc, etc. So when he 'lost' one at the Pirate Place (think Chuck E. Cheese runs into the Dread Pirate Roberts) where we were celebrating Emma's birthday, it was a big deal!

Let's just say:

• That I didn't lose my mind completely when it happened
• Ethan was devastated
• We searched through a darkened, sticky, messy booth looking for a contact lens
• Ethan prayed while I scoffed that we'd find the lens
• We found the lens
• I humbled myself and repented while thinking Ethan is the coolest person I know.

Good times.

3. Jeff is Grounded

Jeff was out of town last week. He will not be out of town for a LONG time. I suck at being a single parent and the house makes too many weird noises while he's gone. My feet are too cold at night without him. My back is ruined because of the contorted way I slept on the bed trying to keep my eye on the door, yet poised to call 911 to report a fire or intruder. I also am not the bedtime ritual parent -- managing teeth brushing, potty and story was harder for me than I'd like to admit.

4. Josh is 14 and Swims

This explains everything about my interaction with Josh. He swims well. In fact he swam a freestyle 500 in a meet against Lone Peak and AF and came in 10th - not bad for a freshman. And he dropped time in his 50 freestyle.

Meanwhile, any conversation with him is a complete mental exercise to make what I'm saying mean the same thing as he's hearing and vice versa. He has also adopted some cat-like attention spans where he'll be engaged with you one second and then WHOOSH! he's off on to something else!

Shout out to Josh, however, who should have a 4.0 in school this semester while carrying AP Geography, and three other honors classes. He has a concert this Thursday too (thank your lucky stars you didn't go shopping for all black clothes with him, that was . . . . something else)

5. Mom Sinks Into Seasonal Depression

Amongst all the fun being had around here I'm sinking into my pre-winter blues, which will be followed by my winter blues and wrapped up by my pre-spring blues. I think it all started after the Ragnar race when I mentally came apart. I have been doubting my leadership abilities since then -- and the culmination of snow yesterday and possibly today has my heart as heavy as lead.

I am planning on a recovery plan today which is:

• Diet Coke and Pumpkin Pie for breakfast
• Giving a talk about leadership to student council members at Melanie's school
• Pretending I don't hate Halloween as I dress my kids up for the ward party and preschool
• Ditching the ward Fall Party as I make Jeff take the kids to it while I go tanning
• Enjoying more Diet Coke and Pumpkin Pie for dinner

I'll let you know how it works.

Falling

Ethan

Mrs.Kaylor

Falling

A small, unnoticed seed, the size of any index finger’s nail, can become the largest of things. Looking at trees around my neighborhood, you would never think they started from a small seed. A majority of them are taller than most of the houses. Planting a seed takes a lot of dedication. You need to plant it, water and nurture the undersized plant that has spurted from the ground, then, from that unnoticed seed, becomes a large majestic tree.

Then the leaves sprout from the long, snaky branches. These vegetations will sometime have to fall. As a bird nests, they might collide with these petite leaves. As the stem connecting the two breaks, the small leaf falls unseen, it is practically invisible. This leaf falls silently and at a snail's pace. The tender leaf spirals to the emerald stalagmites below. The leaf tenderly lands on the earths surface, there it is more vulnerable. A small average kid, who is fascinated by nature, walks up to admire the highly elevated, majestic tree. The small boy steps on the worthless leaf. That small leaf is now pinned onto the flattened grass. The boy leaves the tree to do something besides look at trees. Green veins on the poor, insufficient leaf, have become murky from the filth and grime on the bottom of the boys worn out Sketchers. Edges have been folded and frayed; the leaf is now just an old antique of nature. All of this from one plain old seed.