Happy Thanksgiving!

Just a quick post to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. Here is a darling photo I came across of my boys. They look so little! It was just 4 years ago. On this day I am so thankful for my boys and for my whole family and for good friends. And... well I gotta get going but my list is very long. I am so blessed!



There will be lots of great scrapbook sales going on with Black Friday. Here are a few of them from the Creative Teams I am on. Images are clickable to go to the stores.

Double Whammy

As you read, Tuesday was a rough day for me. I couldn't believe it when a second whammy hit me that day. I didn't want to overwhelm any blog readers by putting it all out there in one day and so I saved this one to share today.

I posted that I couldn't even be home when Clayne came home to get Sophie to take her to the vet on Tuesday and so I decided to go and visit a friend who happens to live up in Quail Ridge. (which is up on a hill) When it was time to go home so I could get Savannah fed and on the bus for school, I thought my steering felt tight but figured that I would just get home and then be sure to have Clayne look at it later. I got down 21st street about half way and there were some Qwest trucks doing some work on the side of the road. They were a bit in my lane and so I needed to go over a bit into the oncoming lane. As you know the roads are not well maintained on the outskirts of town (heck even sometimes in town.) The roads had deep ruts of ice and packed snow which when I tried to move over made it impossible for me to control my van. I slid and couldn't correct it with my steering problem. I did a 180 degree turn and found myself lodged into the snowbank on the other side of the road. I was only a few feet from a telephone pole and was so glad that I didn't hit it, a fence, or any other vehicles. If anyone had been coming in my path just then, I would have certainly hit them. It was very scary.

I got out on my shaking knees and was looking quite forlorn I'm sure. A nice man stopped and helped me. He was so prepared. He had a shovel which he used to dig some of the snow away and then he hitched a chain that he had with him to my van and pulled me back up onto the road. I then drove the van to the shoulder of the road. It was soooo hard to turn the wheel. I could hardly even steer it. He took a look under the van and said that a belt was dragging and said that he'd be happy to give me and Savannah a ride home. When we got into his truck, I found that he had his little 1 year old baby with him this whole time he was helping me. Heavenly Father certainly was looking out for me to send this super nice guy along to help me. I feel bad that in my state of mind I did not get his name so that I could take him a loaf of bread or something. I did thank him, but somehow that doesn't seem like enough.

I was able to hold it together until I got Savannah on the bus and then I just sat down and had a good cry for about an hour. I am not the kind of person who cried easily or often so this was a major break down for me. I just was so overwhelmed with the grief of loosing our dog and then the trauma of the accident.

Later Clayne towed me in the van to the shop. As I said, there was not any body damage to the van for which I am so grateful. Now I do not think or speak like a mechanic but it was something like a tension pulley that held the steering belt on that had given way and then the belt fell off. This could have been so much worse if it had happened somewhere else. I am counting this as one of Heavenly Father's tender mercies in my life. The repair was only $140 and we already have the van back.

Later when Savannah overheard me say what a hard day I had just had she simply said, "A perfect day depends on you." That is word for word what she said. There is such wisdom in that and it astounds me that a 5 year old would say that. Out of the mouths of babes. She certainly is wise and very old for her age. I will carry that quote in my heart for always because it is true. Even when life is hard, it is what you do with it that counts. It is up to you to make a day be a good one. So here's to perfect days. Thanks for a listening ear... again.

Five for Today

1. Productive Monday - I forced myself to be very productive yesterday. I went to the home show last week and got really behind in my own home by doing so. There were a couple of the homes that I really liked, but some of them were just over the top. It was good that this year, I was able to come home and be happy with my own home Ü Anyway... I did 6 big loads of laundry and some house work. It is kind of fun (if you can call house work fun) to do a "home blessing hour." This is an idea that I got off of http://www.flylady.net/ The idea is that you make a list of 6 house cleaning tasks that each take 10 minutes, then you quickly get them done. I try to pick the 6 items that make the biggest visual impact after the weekend. In addition to my domestic duties in the home, I made a quick run to the grocery store and put in my 30 minutes helping with centers in Savannah's kindergarten class. Oh and then I got on to http://www.winkflash.com/ and ordered some pictures. They have a deal going right now for 6 cent prints.

2. Christmas shopping - Yep... gotta start thinking about it again. I was excited to come upon one of my family's favorites at the grocery store yesterday. I know that I told you I'd share all my good grocery deals, but this one I am keeping to myself. I bought 3 cases of this great deal. There were 24 in a case and they were 25 cents each, making the case $6. Whahoo! My neighbor/family friend gifts are purchased. You will just have to wait until the season is upon us and then we'll see if I remember to post what I gave my neighbors. Now all of you who are my neighbors will know how "thrifty" I am Ü Today I went to Deseret Book and got some really cute wall hangings to give as family gifts. I know there is a chance my SIL will check my blog and see this, but oh well. The rest of her family gift will be a surprise. I was hoping they'd have these on their web site, but the image is not available. You'll have to take my word that they are soooo cute and better still they are on sale for less than $9 each. Maybe later this week I'll take a picture and post it.

3. A bit of gratitude - I must say that I am so thankful to be able to be a stay at home mother. I love being here when they come home from school. I love having time to do my housework and even a bit of my hobbies. I remember the days when I worked - what I don't remember is how I managed to do it. I am especially grateful for the quiet time that I get each school day for 3 hours. It took a long time to get them all in school and I must say it is worth the wait. I decided to try a temple session while Savannah was at kindergarten today. I wasn't sure that I could get home before the bus brought the darlings home, but I did. I am now planning to attend the temple each Thurs at the 1:00 session. I know that there will be times when I won't be able to make it, but I'm going to try to do most Thursdays. I am not posting this to boast... I am posting this to let you know that I really do need to go to the temple more for self improvement and I also post this to invite any of you who live locally to join me. I'll admit that one of my motivations in increasing my temple attendance is to show Clayne that I really do need to be able to stay home because if I worked I wouldn't have time to do my temple work as well Ü Not that he is thinking of sending me back to work - but I'm gonna make sure he doesn't think of it.

4. There was quite a buzz on my posting for my yummy chocolate chip cookies and also some requests for the yummy gingersnaps. Not only do these taste fabulous, but they make your home smell so "fall."

Gingersnaps

4 Cups Flour
2 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Ginger
2 tsp Cloves
2 tsp Soda
1 ½ tsp Salt
¾ Cup Shortening
¾ Cup Margarine
2 Cups Granulated Sugar
2 Eggs
¼ Cup Molasses

Sift dry ingredients together and set aside. Cream shortening, margarine and sugar. Add eggs and molasses. Beat well. Stir in dry ingredients. Roll into walnut size balls then roll in granulated sugar to coat. Bake on greased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes 4 ½ dozen.

5. Almost Wednesday - Are you getting excited? Are you anticipating the great deals? Ready to grocery shop? Be sure to check on Wednesday when I'll share what I find noteworthy in the grocery ads.