Day 14, 15, 16

Day 14: I am grateful for temples. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve people I don't know just because I know they need the help. I have never really understood temples until I was able to go through for myself. I love it, and I have a goal of going every month, and even though that doesn't happen because life is so crazy- It will start happening when I am done with work. No excuses now.

I am beyond excited to do the marvelous work for the lord and all these wonderful people.

We will be going in Florida to the nearest temple and boy am i excited. "I love to see the temple" is one of the songs I love to sing to Kinlee- because I hope that one day she will have the desire to enter that sacred place of love and beauty.

Day 15: I am grateful for good friends.I am always feeling sorry for myself when I haven't heard from friends in a while and I feel just lonely. I don't know why, because I have the most amazing friends ever that teach me so much. I am grateful for the fact that they share the same standards as me. LDS or not, they are great people who care about me and others. I was able to go to a girls night last night, Bunco, with one of my great friends and I met so many amazing people. I see how important it is to be close with your ward family. They are all so fun and such great people. I had a great time. Thanks to those ladies for the great laughs, food, teasing, and loud FUN!

Day 16:  Today I am grateful for music. Music has always been a big part of my life growing up in a music teachers' home! I wish I was more musical myself, but I just LOVE listening to music. It always finds a way to be uplifting and gets me into a better mood! I love it because Kinlee dances too!! haha She is so adorable! I definitely will always cherish the silly little things she does!!

Day 11, 12, 13

Day 11 I am grateful that I get to teach the girls in Young Women's. I often wonder why I am the one who teaches them, when I feel inadequate. Not only is this calling for them, it is for me. I am learning soooo much and I am grateful that I have that opportunity.  I love to learn about the basic principles we learned as Young Women. Although it hasn't been long since I was sitting in my own YW class, i feel like I have forgotten so many of the basic things we are taught. I am grateful for the refresh in my memory it gives. I love the girls. I teach just one most Sundays and that makes it difficult for her I am sure because she gets ALL the questions, quotes, activities to herself, but she is amazing and SO smart!!

Day 12 I am grateful for Family Night and for quick dinners!  I love when Kevin comes home and it is play time for Kinlee. I love the sound of laughter and feet running around. She is so hilarious when daddy comes home. I am grateful for family night that gets me focused on what really matters in my life and not the unimportant things. I am grateful that I have a family to spend family night with! 

Day 13: Today, I am so grateful for Kinlee's prayers. Even though I cant understand a word she is saying, and she doesn't really know what she is saying either, but it is adorable and so innocent. I am grateful that she is learning so quickly the things that matter, and the commandments we have been given to keep us happy. Praying will definitely do that for her. I'm grateful also for the communication the Lord gives back. We are blessed big time.

Day 10

Day 10: Today I am very grateful for work. I'm not necessarily grateful for the work I do, but grateful that I have a job! I am grateful that I can learn from work, become a better person, and meet so many new people to become friends with. It will be sad to say goodbye within the next month, but I feel it is time to focus my energies on KINLEE and SCHOOL right now. Who knows...maybe somewhere down the line I will get to go back for the summer or something. :) 

Along with that, I am grateful for my parents, and my sister who always watches Kinlee when I am at school or work. 

I am grateful for Kevin being able to work so hard each day to support us and get us the things we need. Right now, with the holiday coming so fast, I was getting a little stressed about money, and how we are going to pay for presents we need to buy, and decorations I need in my house, and this and that, but still have a great feeling about quiting my job. It was confusing me!!  I know though now, that it is not all about gifts, and having things. I am beyond excited to have enough time to hang out with the two loves of my life. I'm also looking forward to finding some kind of creativity that might be hiding inside of me to get gifts for family and friends. Kevin and I also decided that for our presents to each other we are going to have about a $20 limit and do something special for each other. We are probably going to fall in love with the idea, and make it a tradition! I am SOOOO excited for CHRISTMAS this year!

Yeah, so what....I got a little off track ;)

Day 9

Day 9: I realized that I should have gotten caught up and had the days in sequence with the days of the month....but I didn't oops. Thats ok. Today I am so grateful for movies and books and toys that are used to occupy Kinlee while I am doing homework. Kinlee just loves Curious George, Shrek, and Dora! She sits on my lap for a few minutes while I am watching my lectures. I always feel really bad making her do things without me while I am doing homework, I just keep reminding myself that I am getting a degree for both of us! I will be smarter:) and be able to only work a couple days a week, and Kinlee will be able to have the things she needs, and possibly a sister. I am grateful for Kevin today also, for the many things he helps out with to make this possible.

And then....Kinlee comes grabs my finger and says come come come...momma please. AHHH she kills me. 

SO CUTE!

Day 8

Day 8 Today I am not feeling very grateful. I have been so busy with school, and flunking tests that I forgot to think about how grateful I am. But, today I am grateful for food. How grateful I am that my family and I can eat each day and be fully satisfied.  We have started a great tradition where we take food to homeless people each year for Christmas and Thanksgiving. We love the service, and they love the food. I am grateful that I can do that to help someone!

18 months!!

So Kinlee is now 18 months and she is cute as ever!

*Currently she is without diaper and pulling dvds out of their cases. AHH. But she is very persistant, and doesn't want that darn diaper on. I can feel a potty training coming on! 

She says so many words:

Momma, Daddy, Gus, Saige, Grandma, Papa

Banana, More, Please, Thanks, Shrek, Dora, George

Ball, Ka-Ka, puppy, kitty, cracker, food, movie,

sippy, blanky, baby, teeth, cheese.

She is not apposed to trying words we tell her to say. They are usually pretty close, but funny to listen to. 

There are too many words to remember at this point, but holy cow is she learning. 

She LOVES treats. (wonder where she got that?) 

She LOVES playing with her cousins

She Loves being outside. Uh oh for winter.

She loves her baby. 

She loves George, dora, and Shrek. Always asking to watch those three movies.

She loves puting my make-up on.

She always wants to go in her tent with us.

She loves bananas, grapes, waffles, and chicken noodle soup.

She loves being with mommy and daddy!

She loves brushing her teeth- NOT when WE brush her teeth, just her.

Her hair is getting long enough to put in pony tails.

She loves pulling clothes out of her drawers.

She LOVES LOVES LOVES shoes. 

She HATES baths. -ugh, she used to love them.

She wont sit in the grocery cart.

She is spoiled, but we wouldn't have it any other way. We love spoiling her! haha. 

We love our Kinlee!

Day 7

Day 7  I am grateful for my bed. I LOVE SLEEPING!!!  

I'm fortunate to have a nice bed, one I can sleep in every night!

I feel so warm and cozy when I'm laying there!

And then I wake up rejuvenated and ready for the day! (right)

List of items for Sullengers

PAY IT FORWARD PROJECT:

1 Box of Granola Bars
2 Trail Mix (Personal Size)
2 Goldfish (Personal Size)
6 Fruit Leather (At Costco you can get a box with 48 individual leathers for under $10)
Breath mints/Gum
Small Eye Drops (Visine)
3 Pens & Journal
Fleece Blanket for the parents (47" x 57" OR 42" x 52"- Try and go for the bigger one :) )
2 Pairs of Socks (preferably with grips on the bottom)
2 Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Chapstick
Small lotion (non-scented if possible)
Playing cards
Disposable Camera

I am donating a  full basket, their goal is 200 baskets, so if you go here you can stay updated on the items they need. Anything helps! Just let me know if you would like to send something up with me or if you would like to come up with me to donate your time!  They are putting them together on Dec. 17th.

Day 6

Day 6: I am so grateful for my in-laws. Every one of them!  Kev's mom, his dad, his brother, his step parents, his grandparents, his great grandma, his aunts, uncles, cousins (although I still haven't met his cousins). I feel so welcomed into the family and they are all SUCH amazing people. How lucky Kinlee is to have such loving family on both sides. She is one spoiled girl from these amazing people. I hope they all know how much they mean to me, and I cant wait to get to know them even better than I feel I know them. They are a huge part of our lives, and are the most giving people I have ever met. I feel loved by them, and I hope they know how much they mean to me. THANKS for all you do for us!!!

Day 5

Day 5: I am grateful for my siblings!  They are wonderful. Whitney, Chelsie, Shaylee, and Todd. They have always been my best friends and I am so glad that they are a part of my life. I have always loved having 4 siblings and I want that for Kinlee. I am grateful for all of us being so close to each-other.

Love you guys!

I was always told,

"Keep your siblings close to you, they will be your best friends when you are older."

Its true- and they are!

Day 4

Day 4:  I am grateful for my Mom and Dad. Having Kinlee has taught me a lot about sacrifice. My mom and dad have always been the most amazing parents anyone could ask for and they did it all without a fuss. I always felt loved. They dedicated their time, money, talents, efforts, knowledge, and love toward me and my siblings and continue to do anything and everything for us. Knowing now how much it takes to raise ONE child, I know they worked hard each day and night for all FIVE of us kids. They sure do know how to parent, I wish I could be half as good as them.

They are the very best grandparents. They love their grandkids so much and it shows. I know Kinlee and her cousins are always asking for her papa and grandma. She loves them so much.

"Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live."

 

My parents sure did that! If only I can no do that for my kids:).....

Day 3

Day 3: I am so grateful to have a home. 

One I can call my own. One that I can decorate. One that I can feel safe in. 

One that is small so that when I am in one room I can still talk to 

Kevin if he is in the clear other side of the house. 

I feel so blessed.

PS: These are in NO Particular order in ranking. Just wanted to clarify. If I had to rank them I would be in trouble because I am grateful for them all.

Day 2

"Family is Everything"

 

Day 2: I am indeed grateful for my beautiful Family. Kevin is the most incredible husband, and Kinlee makes me smile all the time. They are both great examples to me. So grateful they are a part of my life.

Grateful Challenge

"When we give thanks in all things, we see hardships and adversities in the context of the purpose of life."

- Dallin H. Oaks.

I have often wondered how so many people can feel so grateful after a very hard challenge. I know of 2 right off the bat that have touched me personally. The first, being Patrick And Ashley Sullenger. I dont know them, but they have touched me. I hope that one day I can bless as many lives as they have through their adversities. Since Thanksgiving is coming soon, I find it appropriate to find all of the things that I am greatful for. I often get too caught up in every day activities, and forget how blessed I am for all the "things" and people I have in my life.

I will attempt to update every day leading up to Thanksgiving. I will post something each day that I am thankful for. You are welcome to join along with me to do this yourself!! 

Day 1: I am grateful for the Gospel