A few things to be thankful for

I cannot believe this Thursday is Thanksgiving! Time just keeps going faster and faster. I am so excited to pack up my family and head to SLC for the holiday and even more excited that my little sis and dear friend Emily have offered to drive me back home so my little beauties and I can stay a few days longer. I love everyone being in the house on Thanksgiving eating, preparing food, listening to Christmas music, and watching football. It's just a great day. Despite all the naysayers...I have been listening to Christmas music for about two weeks now and am LOVING it. I can't believe that a year ago my little girls were teeny tiny and were just trying rice cereal for the first time and this year they will enjoy a real Thanksgiving feast of turkey, mashed potatoes, and pie. But who knows what they'll actually eat....they've been obnoxiously picky lately. Nevertheless, I am thankful for holidays, music, trips to see family, and delicious food.

We had a very fun visit from Grandpa Meakin who happened to be in Denver for a conference last week. The girls acted a little shy when they first saw him but it only took about 16 seconds before they were climbing all over him and having the best time. I am thankful for wonderful Grandparents.I finally finished the last of the raking and leaf bagging on Saturday. OOooof. I have a major love/hate relationship with it. For the first 45 minutes or so I really enjoy being out there in the crisp air, raking up leaves, and feeling some pride in taking care of my home. But from then on it is pure drudgery. I swear I have spent at least 10 hours out there the last couple weeks...which doesn't sound like much but IT IS. Most of the work has fallen on me because it's dark before Ben gets home during the week and our Saturdays are always very busy. Fall is my favorite season but that has been tainted a bit by all this blasted yard work.

I grew up in a house where we had very few leaves (or so I recall...I probably didn't help much with the raking) but I do remember always wanting more leaves to pile up and play in. I definitely now understand why my dad got mad at my older sister and I for going down the street to the church lawn and hauling bags of leaves back to our house to dump all over the place. Awesome. I am thankful for such a wonderful childhood, my own home, and hard work (kinda).

While I was busy with the leaves, Ben put up our Christmas lights. I wanted them done early because I won't be back in town till December 2nd and that's too late to start decorating. Once the lights were all up, we went and stood in the street to see the official lighting and I was bummed to find out that the white lights we had bought were those bright white LED lights that are more reminiscent of a tanning bed than Christmas. BOO. But because I'm a shrew of a wife and Ben is a champion of a husband, I requested that these lights be taken down and exchanged for different ones-- and it was done with almost zero complaining! It just seemed silly to keep lights (that will hopefully last a few years) that I'm not happy with and Ben agreed. Round two with colored LED lights was a complete success. Ben is the very best and the only one who would ever treat me so well. I'm so thankful he's mine.

Rosie and Evie are absolutely mesmerized by the Christmas tree. Eve was throwing a major fit upstairs because she didn't want her pig tails put back in after nap. When we got to the top of the stairs and she spotted the tree glowing in the front room she went completely silent. They love it. I am thankful for twinkling lights and things that make Christmas magical.We also made it out to the zoo on Saturday and saw the sweetest pair of lions napping together. We stood and watched them for a long time and eventually one stood up, licked and nuzzled the other one, and let out some awesome roars. They reminded me of Rosie and Evie. I am so thankful for my girls and that they came as a pair. It is just an awesome experience being their mom. I am also thankful for the zoo and sunny days that let us get outside as a family. (Here is the favorite stroller that was eventually destroyed from too many arguments and too many little girls trying to climb inside it.)As part of NO Nonsense November, Ben and I have been reading the scriptures together every single night. It has been the most successful run of complete consistency that we have had for a very long time. I am proud of us and I'm loving the stories we are reading and how much I WANT to read before we go to bed. I am so thankful for the Gospel in my life and the power and peace that comes from doing the little things. The simple, daily choices make all the difference.

I have A LOT to be thankful for- so much more than mentioned here...and a pan of chicken black bean enchiladas that need to be taken out of the oven.