More to be grateful for

I have been trying to notice things throughout the day that I am truly grateful for that I usually take for granted.  Tonight I am grateful for dinner with the boys.  I love sitting around the table with them and talking about their days.  But it usually ends up with all of us laughing over something silly.  Usually some nasty bodily function - because boys think that's appropriate talk at dinner - or anywhere for that matter.  We usually do more talking than eating - no wonder Noah is so skinny! The sad thing is I can't remember what we talked or laughed about tonight - but I know we had a good time doing it!

Gratitude

I love Fall and I love November and I love Thanksgiving!  It reminds me to be thankful for everyone and everything I have in my life.  I have truly been blessed and sometimes forget to actually say "Thank You".
Today I am grateful for an amazing husband.  I keep telling him that I am the lucky one in our relationship.  He is more than I deserve.  I will spend this life and the next showing him how much I love him and how grateful I am to be his wife, his friend, his confidant, and the mother of his children.

I am grateful that he feels it is important for me to be at home with the kids.  So he works hard to make sure that I can.  I am grateful that he talks to me about work and asks for my opinion on things.
 I am grateful he drives carpool in the mornings on his way to work. We bought him a brand new car (Ford Escape) three years ago and he is now driving the mini-van everyday and I get the "new"car so he has room for all the kids.
 I am soooooooo grateful that he is a "hands - on" type of dad.  He is the project manager - which means I do the day to day homework with the kids, reading, spelling, vocab, math, etc., and he is in charge of all projects and book reports.  They have done some amazing projects.  I am grateful that he takes the time to show the boys how things work and answers their questions.
 I am grateful that he supports me and my "craft" habits.  He even is trying to show interest in things I make and do. (Not totally his fault - after 16 years of marriage I am realizing that Greg - and men in general - really do not care or have an opinion on anything cutesy and crafty.  Huh? - go figure)
I could go on for several pages, but you get the idea.
The thing I am most grateful for is that he loves me despite my moments of insanity (usually at 3 am), and despite my nervous laugh, my many character flaws, and my embarrassingly awful cooking skills - to name a few things.  He has loved me through thick and thin - literally. He is my best friend and puts up with me when I get "needy" and when I get all "emotionally girly" on him.  It doesn't happen too often thank goodness!
THANK YOU GREG!!!

Indian Project

Hmmmmmm.....  Didn't we just turn in a project last week?  Why, yes we did!  But Nathan came home Friday and said he had an Indian housing project due Wednesday, BUT he forgot to bring home all of the "stuff" he had to use to make it. Now the project had been assigned for over a month and this was the first we were hearing about it.  So Greg - being the project manager, started helping him Monday night.  We have spent the last 3 to 4 Family Home Evenings doing various school projects. They made good progress Monday, and Tuesday night (after scouts) they were finishing up his "Wikkiup" at around 8:45pm  when Nathan informs us that it was now time to make the "environment" piece of his project.  WHAT????  So they were up till 10 pm making a 3D "environment" for his Indian hut.  And the final result....................

We then found out that this was a "group" project and Nathan had volunteered to do the replica and the environment and the rest of his group did a poster.  

I am indeed grateful for Greg and his patience and his creativity.

Election Day

I took the opportunity today to vote.  I firmly believe it is EVERY Americans duty and responsibility to get out and vote.  I believe that everyone needs to do their research and know what and who they are voting for, otherwise - does it really matter who wins?
Now, my big beef for the last several years has been that I feel like I am voting for the person who will do the least amount of damage in the time they will be holding office - of any kind.
I absolutely loathe campaign commercials, at least the slandering ones.  Didn't your mother teach you that if you can't say anything nice, then ZIP IT!??  I don't want to hear you whine about what you think the other guy (or girl) did, or how unfair it is that they have more money, or whatever your advisors tell you to say.  I want to hear ONLY what YOU are going to do AND how you are going to do it.  And what consequences you will pay if you don't do what you promised if I vote for you.  Really, is that asking too much? (Rhetorical question.... I know.)  After the mudslinging is over - I feel that there really isn't a "winner" and I (we) are the biggest losers of all.  It goes back to the "lesser of two evils" thing.  I am waiting for the day when I get to vote for the "best of the best" not the "least of the worst".
I know that me sitting here complaining isn't going to change anything.  Nor is moving to New Zealand.  (Yes, we thought about it.)  I need to be more involved. I am just trying to figure out what to be involved in.  Getting involved in the "grass roots" effort of the Republican Party was very eye opening and frustrating.  People,~ talk is cheap - and so are "slogans" and those great catch phrases you toss out.  Answer the question with a real honest to goodness ANSWER!

 I am actually very interested in the Constitutional Party.  If  you haven't heard of them, you should look them up. Just weighing my options.
With all that being said -I feel a little better.

But without a doubt - I owe a great deal of gratitude to all those who have made it possible for me to even be having this conversation.... (with myself).
I am grateful to live in a country where I HAVE the opportunity to vote and to be a part of change.  I am grateful for the sacrifices of the men and women who believed and fought for my freedom and the freedoms of my family.  THANK YOU!

 And so I will continue to vote and be involved and work for the betterment of this state and country, and pray that good men and women (and common sense) will prevail.