Thanksgiving 2012

Today was a great day. Super low key. We were going to spend Thanksgiving w/the Golds, but Angela welcomed the day all rosy cheeked and 103 degrees hot. So we found ourselves pretty much stuck at home and nothing to eat (I had been in charge of the turkey, but put it in our host's oven to cook as my oven is teensy weensy. Yes, I just said that: teensy weensy oven w/7 kids.) Anyways. We let them know we weren't coming and they told us to at least come get food, as the gathering had prepped food enough for everyone, including our family. So Matt drove over, dropped off the desserts I had made (I did keep portions of the desserts for us) and picked up a bunch of food. When Matt unloaded the food, he worried that he hadn't gotten enough. To his amazement, there were plenty of left overs! :) Anyways, kids were disappointed and kept asking Ange, "do you feel better now?" That got old real quick though and I told them to lay off of her, she felt bad enough being the cause of our Thanksgiving derailment, don't make her feel worse! Addi even told me, after she had finished her plate, "Mamma, dis is da wurs Tanksgiving evah!" I asked her why and she said cuz we didn't go over to the Golds. I had to laugh, especially since she said this to me right after the kids read my notes I had written them. Whenever we have Thanksgiving by ourselves, I write gratitude notes to my kids and Matt reads them out loud for the family to hear. I had told each of them what I loved about them, what I was grateful for, and thanked them for basically, being wonderful kids. Addi chose to tell me that Thanksgiving was the worst ever after we read those letters. I just had to laugh. Later on tonight, however, Colby says, "You know, today was actually pretty good! I liked it!" He helped pick the desserts and even helped make them. He did laundry all day yesterday and some today and was also incharge of the fireplace burning bright. The rest of the kids of course had their own chores, but it just goes to show you that work makes kids happy. That's all there is to it. Lazy kids, or kids who aren't expected to do much around the house, I think are totally unsatisfied. Anyways, that was critically judgemental of me! Sorry. So, all in all, great day. I sincerely do have so much to be thankful for. My wonderful marriage, my 7 healthy kids, my one baby in heaven looking out for us, my own healthy body. I'm so blessed to have kids who do well at school, in sports, enjoy church ~ sorta, who have good friends. We're always laughing here in the house. My kids sure have senses of humor! (they get it from me of course. LOL) OK, it's almost 1AM, so I best turn in. And sleeping in late. No black Friday shopping for this girl! Ever! :)

Nov 4th 2012

Today's been a good day. It's been a good week. I'm going to start really attacking my physical goals. I need to get into better shape. I need to lose 20 lbs. I'm doing it not just for myself, but for my kids and family. Even extended family. I feel like I need to be a good example. But that's not the only reason; good example. I just love it. I love feeling healthy, strong, and NOT fat. It's so empowering. I miss that feeling. I felt that right before I got pregnant with Addi and Riley. I felt so good. So I'm going to start working on that now. Happy with photography. I feel like it's really heading in the direction I need it to go. I feel much more confident about it, more at ease. And I feel like I'm in a place with it that I can be more creative. Not the crazy creative that's so popular (I don't think popular and creative belong in the same sentence. Popular is not creative. It's copying.) But what I mean is being more creative to fit the needs of those I photograph. Everyone has different likes and different "goals" they want to accomplish w/a photo shoot. I'm just saying I feel like I'm in a spot now w/photography that I can better meet the needs of people I photograph. I'm just really happy where things are in that area right now. Anyways, that's pretty much it for now. Soccer will be totally over this Saturday. Bitter sweet. I just love it SOOOO much! But the busy schedule will be something nice to put to the side for a bit. OK, I'm tired. I'll chat later!