Days of Thanksgiving 13

1. I am thankful for Google Reader. I spend less time visiting blogs to check if something new has been posted. The only downside: I am less inclined to leave comments because it is not an option from reader, I still have to go to the blog.

2. I am thankful for the Interstate Highway system. We get to clip along at a fast speed to drive to visit family.

3. I am thankful for the family we got to spend time with over the weekend. I missed the ones we didn't get to see.

4. I am thankful that my talk on Service is in the past. It was great to share, however, I prefer to hear others speak.

5. I am thankful for Concrete. The kind you buy at Nielsen's Frozen Custard. I'm thankful that my Brother-in-law Glen treated us to one after attending the Bountiful Temple.

6. I am thankful for temples. Thank you Heather for inviting us to go with you on Saturday!

Days of Thanksgiving 12

1. I am thankful for adventurous children when it comes to trying new foods (occasionally, at least). Tonight they all tried Pumpkin soup and were pleased that it tasted good!

Soup is cooked and served in the pumpkin.

2. I am thankful for naps. I wish I had them more often.

3. I am thankful that Ryan found the lost camera tonight. It feels good to be able to take pictures again.

Days of Thanksgiving 11

1. I am thankful that my daughter said when she arrived home today, seconds after walking in the door, taking off her jacket and backpack, "I'm going to go outside and rake leaves."

2. I'm thankful that after she had created a large pile of leaves and jumped in them a couple of times that she raked them again and then invited her brothers and neighbors to join her in jumping in the pile of leaves. Then they started burying eachother in the leaves and then they cleaned them all up.

3. I am thankful that this flower is still hanging on to remind me of warmer days...

I hope this clemantis sticks around until Christmas.

Days of Thanksgiving 10

Day 9 will be posted when I find the pictures needed...

1. I am thankful for generous music arrangers who post their choir music on the web for free download. I found this one last week when I was searching for an arrangement of Far, Far Away on Judea's Plain for my ward choir to sing. It is awesome.

2. I am thankful for my local church leaders. Stake Conference was this weekend and Every. Single. Talk. in both the Adult and General sessions were on how the Scriptures have changed the speaker's life. Just what I needed to hear this weekend. The challenge given by the Stake President on reading in advance all the lesson materials for Sunday School and Relief Society was timely as well.

3. I am thankful for pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin soup and a myriad of other recipes to use up the pumpkins that Ryan harvested from our garden. YUM!

Days of Thanksgiving 9

Happy Veteran's Day!

1. I am so very thankful for the men and women who serve our country daily in the armed forces!

2. I am thankful for these 3 veterans in particular:

My grandpa, Glen H Christensen
he served in the army in Italy during WWII, leaving his wife and baby girl at home

My grandpa, Theodore W C Bateman
he served in the army during WWII and was on a boat on his way to Japan when the Japanese surrendered

My dad, Glen Earl Christensen
he served in the army in Vietnam leaving my mom and 2 children at home

3. Most of all, I am thankful that these 3 veterans came back home. That is why I'm alive today; because they came home.

Days of Thanksgiving 8

1. I am thankful for visiting teachers who bring me cookie-in-a-jar mix. I can't wait to bake them!

2. I am thankful that I had an opportunity to help my awesome neighbor tonight. She has been helping me a lot lately and it felt good to return the favor.

3. I am thankful that my (older) kids will wake up and get their own breakfasts made. Here is a favorite of Roderic's: toast with nutella. Doesn't he just look pleased that he made it all by himself? And the kitchen was not a big mess - just his face.

Days of Thanksgiving 7

1. I am thankful that my awesome neighbor drives my kids to school each morning.

2. I am thankful for a freezer full of whole-wheat homemade waffles. They are so good for breakfast on mornings when I am not in the mood for cold cereal or oatmeal. Ryan had such a good idea months ago to make a huge batch - he likes to 8x the recipe, but I prefer 4x - cook them all up and freeze them. Yum!

3. I'm glad that I get to play with Hyrum while the others are at school. This morning we worked on letter names and sounds with a Thomas the Tank Engine puzzle.