Just in Time for Thanksgiving

Gratitude ABC's

Some things I am grateful for...

Anniversaries: I love to go to Salt Lake for dinner every October to remember Casey and my first date. April 25 is the day we got engaged, August 15 is the day we were married, November 11 is the day I found out I was pregnant with Hiccup.

Blankets. I love to be cozy in a blanket and feel like you can never have too many in your home. Hiccup has his favorites and he gets so excited to cuddle with them.

Cereal! Although my grocery bill would be significantly less if I didn’t like it so much.

Dreft: I still wash Hiccup’s clothes in this and I love the way it makes them smell. It brings back that new-baby-memory when I fold his clothes.

Essential oils: I’m not an avid user of these but what we do use I will recommend. They are always a go-to for us in our house before we try meds or make a trip to the dr. Nine times out of ten they work for us.

Fall: it’s one of my favorite seasons and we usually don’t get to fully enjoy it living in Utah. It gets too cold too quickly and it ruins the pretty colors and the perfect temperatures. I love wearing jackets and sweaters and boots. I love gloves and hats and warm accessories. I love the crisp air and the smell of autumn. I love pumpkins as decorations and post-season baseball and the start of football.

Grandparents: Hiccup’s grandparents love and spoil him so much. He loves to go visit them and play at their houses. My grandparents continue to spoil and take care of me. I’m glad Hiccup has the chance to have his great-grandparents around.

Home to live in: it’s not our dream house but it’s our first real house. It has Hiccup’s first room and is the place where so many other firsts happened.

Internet: I rely highly too much on this and really don’t know what I’d do without it. I think it’s safe to say that most of us are addicted even if we don’t realize it.

Jr Mints: I can't ever pass these up. I've passed this love onto Hiccup which makes me giggle. He recognizes the look and the sound of the box so they are almost impossible to sneak when he's around. 

Kisses willingly given to me by my baby: I love that he will lean in to me and say ‘muah’.

Lotion: My skin is so dry lately that if I didn’t have lotion I’m sure I’d be one giant paper cut.

Morning cartoons: I wasn’t big on this when I was younger but Hiccup loves to watch a show as he wakes up and eats his breakfast in the morning. I love that he gets excited about seeing George or Jake or Daniel or Elmo and it helps keep him occupied while I get ready in the morning.

Nights that Casey and I lay in bed and talk: It reminds me of when we were dating and first married—that it didn’t matter how sleepy we were or how tired we were going to be the next morning, we just wanted to keep learning more about each other.

Old pictures and videos: I love to look at things from the past and reminisce about old, fun times that we had growing up.

Possibilities: of new babies, staying home with them and seeing them everyday. The future is uncertain and it’s scary but our dreams and goals make it so that we venture out into that unknown and try new things and work for what we want.

Quiet time: most of the time when it’s quiet my mind wanders, and plans, and stresses out, but sometimes I get a little quiet from myself and the rest of the world and it helps to recharge my batteries.

Rest: I feel like I am always tired so any chance I get to take a nap or go to bed early I take it. I love that Hiccup is realizing when he is sleepy and that sleeping can help him feel better. He is starting to go in by his crib with his blanket and wanting to get in to take a rest. 

Sunday dinners with our families: I love that our families take care of us on Sundays and feed us yummy food.

Tradtitions: I like getting together with family the Sunday before Halloween so we can have dinner and see everyone in their costumes. I love Easter egg hunts and having brunch with my family. I love watching all the Thanksgiving episodes of Friends with my brother on Thanksgiving. I love the breakfast my mom made us every Christmas. I love that we are creating our own traditions with our little family.

Umbrellas: besides being obviously useful, I find them to be really cute. 

Vehicles: I love my Subaru and am so grateful to drive it everyday. I feel safe in it, there's plenty of room, it gets good gas mileage, and we have 24 hour road-side assistance. I feel bad that Casey has to drive my little Honda and I get the nice car, but not bad enough to switch him! 

Words that my little one is learning and using each day: I love to hear his deep little voice and the excitement in it as he expands his vocabulary.

X-rays & modern medicine: I've had surgeries, tests, work-ups, labs, ultrasounds, and a delivery that I would have never made it through without knowledgeable doctors and great technology. Now if I could just finish paying for all of them. 

Yesterdays: that make me laugh when I remember them, that help me learn to not make the same mistake twice, that remind me of all that I've been through and overcome. 

Zippers: that keep my coats closed and my pants up.