Gratitude Day 19, 20, 21 & 22

I've been so busy over the Thanksgiving Holiday that I haven't had a chance to do my gratitude days. I've saved the best for last and that is my family.
Gratitude Day 19 Doug
1. I am grateful when Doug starts the laundry.
2. I am grateful when Doug takes me out on dates and I can spend one on one time with him.
3. I am grateful that Doug can fix anything (at least that's what he tells Mya). Gratitude Day 20 Mya
When the photographer was going to send us the DVD of the pictures she had taken of our children above she wanted to put it to music. One of the songs that she suggested was "Ordinary Miracle" by Sarah Mclachlan. I couldn't pick that song because for us children are no "ordinary miracle" so...
1. I am grateful for the extraordinary miracle of Mya! Mya came to us after going about trying to have her the "traditional way", 5 artificial inseminations, seeing an iridologist with a colon cleans etc., acupuncture, much vitamin c, and 2 invitro fertilizations. Mya was no ordinary miracle. The embryologist that we used worked in the same office that I worked in so technically when I got pregnant with it was at work while Doug was out of town in Colorado. Kinda crazy how that all works out. I saw Mya through a microscope when she was literally 2 days old. She was just a bunch of cute cells then.
2. I am grateful for the friend that I have in Mya. I love to have mother daughter outings with her and enjoy her company just one on one. She is a wonderful person to be around.
3. I am grateful for Mya's beautiful voice! Since Mya was a child she has woken up singing. She would sing every time she went to the bathroom when she was younger and now she sings in the shower. Her dream is to be on American Idol but right now she'll settle for singing a solo in church.

Gratitude Day 21 Alexa
1. I am grateful for the Extraordinary miracle of Alexa! Alexa came to us after 5 invitros. One with Dr. Andrews and Dr. Richards, one with Dr. Ringler in LA, one with Dr. Blauer, one with Dr. Bryner and Dr. Richards and the final one with Dr. Blauer again. You could say that we went with the idea of never give up never surrender. Just at the time we were about to surrender was when our little Alexa became a reality. I too was able to see Alexa when she was at cellular level. At the final procedure we asked our doctor if the two embryos that we had chosen where going to be smart kids and he said he didn't know about that but that they were good looking. And Alexa is, she is a very cute little girl.
2. I am grateful for Alexa's loving face. Alexa will look at you with such love and a beautiful smile when you smile down at her in the morning when you go to get her. Seeing a face like that at the start of your day is so wonderful.
3. I am grateful that Alexa is a fast bottle feeder. At the 10pm feeding Doug and I are always running to be the one to get Alexa so we can get to our beds quicker. Oh, thank you Alexa for being so fast!

Gratitude Day 22
1. I am grateful for the extraordinary miracle of Preston! At the ultrasound where we find out what we are having I'll say we were glad to have whatever, but I think secretly Doug and I both wanted at least one boy. We saw Alexa first and then Preston and we were soooo excited. We had the name Preston picked out for about 15 years and were glad to finally have him.
2. I am grateful for Preston's playful personality. There have been nights at 4am when Preston's making noise and you go in to quiet him down and he looks up at you with the biggest grin and starts moving around as if to say, "hey, I'm glad you came, let's play!" It's hard not to give in.
3. I am grateful that Preston can just sit and chill. He is quite mellow and so fun. I can't wait to hear his first words.

Gratitude Day 18

1. I am grateful that Preston has found his thumb. When he was in the NICU there was one day that he had his thumb in his mouth, I think he found it by accident, but since then, nothing. Over the last couple of days though he, either by accident or on purpose, has found his thumb again and has figured out how to get it back in his mouth. Right now I'm grateful he can get his thumb in his mouth because at 4am he can't get his binky back in his mouth but he can get his thumb in. Yesterday I saw Alexa with her thumb in her mouth. I think Preston may have been filling Alexa in on his new find!

2. I am grateful for good friends. Meals, vacations, parties, conversations, etc. are always so much better with good friends.

3. I am grateful to have family close. I can't imagine the holidays without family. Some holidays get a little overwhelming spending all day going from one family to the next but in the end the holidays are a good tradition BECAUSE OF families.

Gratitude Day 17

1. I am grateful for the times when I'm in a hurry and the lights are green when I need them to be.
2. I am grateful for Carnation Instant Breakfast and fruit leather. I'm always in a hurry in the mornings and if it weren't for these two food items I don't know that I would get anything in me until noon.
3. I am grateful for warm coats when it's cold outside. I just got a new coat for this ski season and I'm hoping that it's a warm one!

Gratitude Day 16

1. As winter inches closer and closer I am grateful for God's paint brush. The photo here is from Powder Mountain a few years ago. What a picturesque day it was!

2. I am grateful for "powder days"! Some people don't like to ski powder, I can't think of anything better. While on the trip from the photo above, Doug and I were privileged to be the first ones down a run that was just opened for the season after a big dump of the white stuff. You can't help but smile as you're going down a run like that!

3. I am grateful that Mya and Doug both ski. Actually according to Doug we wouldn't even be a family if I didn't ski because that was a MAJOR requirement for his wife. Skiing is one activity that we do as a family where you have multiple chances of one on one time with your child and they can't go anywhere! The lift is a great bonding tool to use with your children and spouse. I highly recommend skiing as a way to cultivate relationships.

Gratitude Day 15

1. I am grateful when BYU wins! That didn't happen last night against the University of Utah so we have some sad boys in our house.

2. I am grateful for God the Father and His son, Jesus Christ. As literal spirit children of our Father in Heaven we would not be here if it were not for him. And without Jesus Christ we would not live again! As the season of Christmas approaches I am grateful for His birth. His life was an example to everyone of the kind of life we should strive to live.

3. I am grateful for frozen cookie dough or good sister in-laws like Mindy who will make cookies out of scratch. Last night as the BYU vs. Utah game was looking worse and worse and I was feeding a baby I thought we needed something sweet so I asked Mindy if she would make us some cookies. I told her to pick some cookies out of our freezer and make those up (I like things quick and easy, plus our family gets tired of cookies when I make a whole batch and we don't finish them all). Mindy said, "that's OK, I'll make some from scratch, I have a recipe!" Mindy's like a boy scout, she comes prepared with recipes....

Gratitude Day 14

1. I am grateful for times of rest and relaxation. Oh, I'll get to that time in my life again someday....I hope!

2. I am grateful that Doug has never been out of work since we have been married. We have really been blessed in that regard.
3. I am grateful for good memories.

Gratitude Day 13

I thought I would ask my daughter what she was grateful for, many I have listed, but some I haven't here are a few.

1. Trees. Trees seem to make everything more beautiful.

2. Animals.

3. Temples.

Gratitude Day 12

1. I am grateful for the sunshine. I can't imagine waking up to darkness. I guess in certain parts of the world there are times during the year where they don't experience much light. I would get so depresses during that time of the year. Love the sunshine!

2. I am grateful for the moisture that we receive. I love it when it snows during the winter and I love a good rainstorm when it comes down hard (assuming I'm indoors). The sound of thunder and the bursts of lightning are a wonderful show unless you're in the Uintas and someone was killed by lightning a week before there, then it's not fun--been there--really, not fun!

looking out of our tent during a rainstorm in the Uintas

3. I am grateful for washing machines. Enough said!

Gratitude Day 11

1. I am grateful for my eyesight. I have terrible vision, I'm something like a -13, but at least with contacts or glasses I can see, I'm not totally blind! When I take my contacts or glasses off I can only see colorful blobs, so I am also...
2. Grateful for glasses and contacts. Maybe someday I'll have corrective eye surgery, but not until the procedure will correct someone with -13 vision.
3. I am grateful for the color black. It gives the illusion that you are thinner than you really are. I'm wearing a lot of black these days!

Gratitude Day 10

1. I am grateful for modern medicine and equipment. Especially after having the twins I wonder if they could have even survived without modern medicine. At 6 weeks premature their little bodies weren't ready to survive without help. 2. I am grateful for sleep. When you don't get much of it and then little by little get more of it again you realize just how much you can't live without it.
3. I am grateful for music. Music can put you in a good mood, give you energy, relax you, enlighten your mind, bring you to tears...you get the picture, music is wonderful.

Gratitude Day 9

1. I am grateful for hot showers with good water pressure. I few years ago Doug and I took a trip to Costa Rica, which was absolutely wonderful! There was however a hotel that we stayed at that had no water pressure (it was a trickle) and a little hot water. It was after this ride shown in the picture that we went to this hotel/motel to stay.

2. I am grateful for my health. Looking at the picture above just reminded me of all the fun things that I get to do because I am healthy. What a blessing our health really is!

3. I am grateful for the internet. I absolutely hate to shop. I want to go into a store grab what I need and get out. Shopping on the internet provides me with that. The only other thing that I really want when shopping is a good deal every time!

Gratitude Day 8

1. I am grateful to be an American. To live in and be a citizen of the land of the free and home of the brave is something that I take for granted every day because I have lived no other way. Being a woman in particular in this country is especially wonderful when looking at other nations and the freedoms that they have taken from women or never allowed.
2. I am grateful for my home.
3. I am grateful for good teachers. Learning from a good teacher, a spiritual or scholastic teacher is always a treat!

Gratitude Day 7

1. I am grateful for Mi Ranchito (and the various restaurants around the valley that have the same menu but a different name) and La Dolce Vita. Why, because when Doug and I can't agree on a restaurant to go to (which is often) these two restaurants are our go to restaurants. They are locally owned have good food and great prices.

2. I am grateful for the times when the twins take their naps for the amount of time that they should, both at the same time! Doug is grateful too!

3. I am grateful for my organized office. Wait, I don't have that, but I would be grateful if it was organized!

Gratitude Day 6

1. I am grateful for my education. I've always taken my education seriously. I remember overhearing a conversation that a few of my Young Women leaders were having regarding if they regretted taking the time to get a college education and then raising a family and not working. One was a respiratory therapist and one was a chemical engineer. At the time I thought that's a lot of schooling to go through and some hard classes and then just raising a family. Their thoughts were that no they didn't regret the work that it took them to get their degrees because they were in a sense using what they learning in college while they raised a family. I agree!

While I wish that I had had the opportunity to go on and get my Masters degree and become a physical therapist the bachelors degree that I did receive has helped me as has the semester abroad that I took in Jerusalem. I use the problem solving skills that I developed in my chemistry classes and the anatomy and physiology classes have come in handy as well. English, well, I'm using that right now (not well, but I'm using it). Education opens doors and grants you more freedom.

2. I'm grateful for my mother. She has been a real help every Sunday by bringing in dinner, with a dessert so Doug or I don't have to worry about that. Sunday's are very busy days at our home with Doug being the Young Men's President. It's nice to get a good meal on Sundays.

3. I'm grateful for summer. I know it's fall but I love summer. Warm weather makes me happy!

Spanish Immersion Dance Festival

Last night was the Spanish Immersion Dance Festival at Orchard Elementary. It was wonderful. Mya's class performed the Mexican Hat dance. They did an awesome job. The costumes were so beautiful. They also sang a number of songs in Spanish. It's a joy to see Mya doing so well in school and learning another language to boot!
This is Mya's second year in the Spanish Immersion program. She loves it! Her Spanish is very good and she has an accent of a native. We can't wait to take her with us as our interpreter on Spanish speaking vacations!

Gratitude Day 5

1. I am grateful for the book Baby Wise and the Baby Wise blog site that I visit frequently. The twins started on the feeding program that they outline in this book on day one. The NICU had them on a three hour feeding schedule and that is exactly what baby wise does. You feed your child have awake time and them put them to sleep. There's a little bit more to it, but in general it gets there metabolism set and somehow, I'm not sure how it works exactly, but they start sleeping through the night. At 3 months the twins were sleeping through the night! I love, love love that I can sleep from 11pm to 7am!

2. I am grateful for airplanes. Airplanes have taken our family on some amazing vacations. From Thailand to Spain to Florida to Costa Rica and more. They are also frequently the mode of transportation that Doug uses for work.

3. I am grateful for prayer. Frequently it is people who are not members of my faith that remind me of the power of prayer. Just the other day on a web site that I frequent the financial advisor gave three steps to change the Nation's future, the first step: pray for our leaders to resist a spirit of FEAR and embrase WISDOM. That is some good advice!

Gratitude Day 4

1. I am grateful that my husband cooks! He rarely uses a recipe either, some how he just knows how to put the right stuff together. He knows that when he is out of town I may just starve. OK I won't starve but I won't eat the best. I want stuff fast and easy so that might mean macaroni and cheese or a peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, especially when it's just Mya and I eating. With babies I for sure don't have time to cook, even a 30 minute meal. Maybe I could cook it but I wouldn't have time to eat it. Thanks Doug for cooking so I can eat!2. I am grateful for a living Prophet in these latter-days. Many people don't believe that we have a Prophet in these days. And many people didn't believe that a Prophet was on the earth when Noah was the Prophet. I can understand that. President Hinckley died earlier this year and the new Prophet became President Monson. President Monson is a wonderful man but I still needed a personal confirmation that he indeed was a true Prophet. Over this past year to me there seems to be a quiet change in President Monson, it's like the Lord has taken an individual who was good and made him better. President Monson didn't do it by himself. Much like the Atonement works in our life when it comes to repentance. We do our part and then the Lord does his part. I have seen the Lord working with President Monson and I can say that I believe that President Monson IS the living Prophet for the world in these latter-days. I had to seek to receive that answer, it's too bad that more didn't seek to know that answer for themselves when Noah was the Prophet. Knowing that President Monson is a true Prophet brings me peace. 3. I am grateful for disposable diapers. Seems crazy to go right from being grateful for a Prophet to disposable diapers, but hey life without these things would be rough, with twins very very rough, and messy and smelly and require more laundry detergent.

Gratitude Day 3

1. I am grateful for our nanny Ashley. If we didn't have her helping out 4 days a week then with days like today (having gotten up at least 10 times during the night to get--mostly Preston back to sleep--he wanted to play--and with Doug going out of town this morning) I would be pulling my hair out.

2. I am grateful for my membership to the gym. My workouts each morning are my time away from home just for me. It's a priority. The endorphins from the work out really give me the energy that I need. It also helps take off the pregnancy weight, although I wish that it would come off faster!

3. I am grateful for the microwave. I can't remember very well the days without one but I remember that when we got our first microwave growing up my mom cried. What a wonderful time saver microwaves are!

Gratitude Day 2

1. I am grateful for Edavia. On Mondays Edavia and a friend come and clean my house. I really don't know when I would clean my bathrooms, scrub my walls, clean my floors and vacuum unless I did it around 11pm at night when the twins were sleeping! To have a clean house in 2 1/2 hours is so worth the money! It would take me a week at least to do what they do.

2. I am grateful for the Book of Mormon. I know that most people in the world don't believe that the Book of Mormon is scripture and another Testament of Jesus Christ, but I do. If I didn't believe in the power of the book I wouldn't find time in my day to read it. These days you'll find me at 7am pumping, breast feeding and reading all at the same time so that I can fit it into my day (we moms can multitask). I need to have this book in my day for me to remain calm, focused and rejuvenated when life takes over.

3. I am grateful for my dad. On Mondays he comes to my home and stays for a good 5 hours to help out with the twins so that I can go to the gym and get a shower in and feed the babies at 10am and 1pm. Traditionally it's not your father that would help with your children but since he retired he's made it a point to spend a day a week with each grandson. Preston doesn't know it yet but he will have a wonderful relationship with his "papa" as do the other grandsons in our family. What lucky boys!

Gratitude Day 1

I noticed a friend had started this challenge, to list three things each day during the month of November that she is grateful for. I thought "that sounds like a good thing to do, but I don't have time". That's been my thought process for almost 4 months now. I changed my attitude today...everyone should have time to be grateful.

Here's how it works:
Each day during the month of November you will list 3 "things" for which you are grateful.
Definition of "things" is used to encompass a myriad of stuff including (but not limited to): a set of circumstances, an event, an inanimate object distinguished from a living being, possession or effects, a deed or act, a product of work or activity, an idea or notion, a piece of news or information, a person, a memory, anything that makes you smile.

*The challenge is to come up with 3 ORIGINAL "things" each day. Try not to repeat entries.

WARNING OR POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS!Please note that challenge participation may result in any or all of the following:

-You will be surprised at all the Lord has done for you

-Angels will attend

-You will feel help and comfort

-You may find yourself singing as the days go by

-Your doubts will fly

1. Doug--he is a good father, provider and friend. You always know when he's in a good mood because he whistles. He loves to spend time with his children. His favorite time of the day is getting the twins up to feed them. He loves how they smile at him. He works hard to provide a good life for us. He is a good friend. He likes to have a good time. Nothing is boring when he is around!

2. The heater. That means the fireplace, the heater in general, hot chocolate, a warm blanket, etc. Doug knows that my favorite smell in the fall is the smell of the heater on the first day that we turn it on. Oh how I love the heater!

3. TiVo. What a wonderful invention. Better than sliced bread, much better!

Halloween 2008

With three kids Halloween has become an all day event. Not that it wasn't an all day event before, but now it's a three ring circus!

As soon as Mya got home from school we dressed the twins in their costumes (wig made by grandma Massey, bib designed by Doug, PJ's ordered by Holly, idea by Heather). The wigs took some getting used to especially for Preston. Then we went and saw grandma great Thompson. She had a stroke a few years back and now has limited use of one side of her body and struggles to communicate. She loves to see the grandchildren and great grandchildren. She really looks forward to visitors.

The grandmas at the care center and other places we went on Halloween loved Preston, Alexa and Mya's costumes, some even took pictures!

After seeing grandma great we went home for a feeding and then to Trisha's work, generations.com (Trisha is Heather's youngest sister). Every year each department at generations has a theme and they decorate their work area and give out candy. Some of the themes this year were Mario Brothers (that was my sisters department), Willy Wonka Land, Teletubbies, spiders, etc. My sister Holly and her children, Danielle (pirate), Ashley(vampire) and Kamen (dracula), and Doug (sherrif), Heather (Halloween colors), Preston (thing 2), Alexa (thing 1), Mya (devil princess) were lead through the departments by Trisha (Mario).

Our Halloween day continued with trunk or treat in the church parking lot. This lasted about an hour. The weather was perfect. There were a few drops of rain but not much. Trunk or treat is fast candy and then you don't have the door bell ringing for all hours of the night. When we arrived home for the next feeding for the twins Heather's parents were there to see the childrens costumes. After eating we drove to Doug's parents home. Doug's mom had hip surgery on Monday so we went to her. Doug's dad though retired was working (at his old job) so he wasn't there. It had been a long day. Mya even fell asleep at grandma Massey's and the twins after they ate at 10pm slept until 8am the next morning!
Saturday morning Doug's costume finally arrived---a day late! Sorry Doug.