Thankful to be thankful-Week 3

11/15-
Ben-my body, Cyndi-healthy bodies, Skylar-art, Nick-Thanksgiving, Kade-Cousin DylanI think the times you appreciate your body the most are the times when your body isn't feeling too great. Today was one of those days and this year has been a year of me not feeling too great with my slow c-section healing, migraines, bursitis, neuroma, eczema, and even a busted finger. I think it has really made me appreciate those days when I felt good. I know that all of my ailments are minor and I feel blessed for that. We recently talked about our bodies in Joy School and I showed the kids how I have to wear contacts to see and they all took a turn wearing my glasses. We talked about how amazing our bodies are when they work the right way. I feel very blessed that for the most part, my family and I all have pretty healthy amazing bodies!

11/16-
Ben-Skylar, Cyndi-the restored gospel, Skylar-cousins, Nick-Lexi, Kade-JuiceI feel so blessed to have the restored gospel. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that he helped in bringing forth the true gospel of Christ for us in these latter days. I know that President Monson is the prophet of the Lord today and I'm glad to belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am thankful to know who I am and to know what God has planned for me. I sometimes wonder how people cope day to day without a knowledge of the plan of happiness and what this journey is all about. The gospel truly gives me hope and peace.

11/17-
Ben-Nick, Cyndi-my home, Skylar-food, Nick-Bodies, Kade-my body

I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful home in such a great neighborhood and ward. We really do have an amazing ward with so many people that truly care about one another. I also am thankful that my home is filled with all of the modern conveniences of life that really make it so easy. I am thankful for indoor plumbing, lights and electricity, appliances that do so much work for me, and the amazing technology we've been blessed to have. I'm also extra thankful that this will be arriving at my home in a few weeks to replace the current one that doesn't cook on 375 and has burners that spark (scary!):

11/18-
Ben-McKade, Cyndi-Temples, Skylar-clothes, Nick-Skylar, Kade-Darth CatterSo on this day I just wasn't feeling too grateful for too much. It wasn't really a bad day but just a blah day and I was just feeling kind of down and such. I was trying to rack my brain all day for my thankful for the day and just not coming up with anything I really wanted to put down. Anyway, I had to go grocery shopping at 10:30 to pick up a few things and I wasn't excited about that either. The Lord works in funny ways and I know he made that trip necessary because as I headed north to the store, I topped the hill in Lindon where the first thing you see is the beautiful Mt. Timpanogos temple all lit up and sparkling in the night. It is awesome! I love seeing it and thinking of the day that I was sealed to my sweet hubby there for time and eternity. It is so great to live so close and be reminded of this often. I feel so blessed to have temples and the covenants I've made in them. I feel so blessed I live so close to them. I don't get the chance to go as often as I'd like, but even just looking at them feels my heart with such joy and peace. I love temples!

11/19-
Ben-Birthdays, Cyndi-Birthdays, Skylar-Birthdays, Nick-Birthdays, Kade-BirthdaysHappy Birthday Ben!!!! Today was my amazing, wonderful, stupendous Ben's birthday. Around our house, birthdays are a big deal. We love them! It is the day that you celebrate being you and that is just awesome!! Every birthday we have a tradition of reading Dr. Seuss's Happy Birthday to You. This section from the book pretty much sums up how cool birthdays really are:

Today you are you!
That is truer than true!
There is no one alive who is you-er than you!
Shout loud, "I am lucky to be what I am!"
Thank goodness I'm not just a clam or a ham
Or a dusty old jar of sour gooseberry jam!
I am what I am!
That's a great thing to be!
If I say so myself, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!"

11/20-
Ben-Home, Cyndi-my parents, Skylar-Grandma Jensen, Nick-Grandmas & Grandpas, Kade-Grandpas & Grandpas (ha ha-I think he meant to put grandmas in there.)

I am very thankful for kind loving parents who raised me to be the person I am. Shocking as it sounds, I have not always been the most pleasant daughter to be around and my parents were still great to me. They put up with a lot of talking back and me acting like a total punk. I'm glad to say I don't do that anymore. I have learned that my parents are truly great people and awesome parents that have also shown so much love and concern for my well-being. They are wonderful grandparents who go out of their way to show my kids they love them. They do their best to be there for every little event-birthdays, performances, recitals, graduations, etc. My kids know they are so loved by them and I love that.

P.S. My parents babysat for us this day while we went on a date for Ben's birthday. Alexis didn't cry or anything! Yay!! We're making progress!!!

11/21-
Ben-food, Cyndi-music, Skylar- Grandpa & Grandmas Jordan, Nick-turkey, Kade-cheese

I love music-seriously love it! Confucius said "Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature can not do without." and I couldn't agree more. I don't think I could live without it. Back in the day when I had money to spend more frivolously, I spent a majority of my time going to concerts, buying CDs, etc. The way I even met Ben was through a local rap group that I was a "groupie" for. I don't have the time and resources to keep that up anymore but I still thoroughly enjoy when I get the chance to indulge in one of my favorite things. Sometimes I am just so thankful that we have Rock Band so that I can have the chance to rock out on occasion. On a more spiritual note, music also testifies gospel truths to me. I can't sing worth anything but when I hear others sing hymns, it touches my heart greatly. I feel so blessed to have music in my life.