Bowling

Chris found a Groupon for family bowling that allowed us to have one game of bowling, $40 worth of food, and 4 cards to play in the arcade section. The girls had fun. I bowled most of my game until I could feel my back beginning to protest. I should have stopped sooner than I did.

We all pretty much sucked equally at bowling. I swear the lanes were goofy. I am normally a pretty straight bowler, but every time I bowled the balls veered to the left or the right at the last second.

The girls came away with bags of treats with all of the tickets they won. Plus they took these gems in the photo booth.

Thankful Day 30 - Writing

I am grateful for all of the years of journaling that I can look back on. It is such a treasure to have the written word.

Our Center

A couple of years ago, Chris arranged to have our ward serve at the Our Center—a homeless shelter that provides meals every day. It has blossomed in to a larger effort so that in 2020, our stake will serve meals once a month.

Chris, Amy, and Misha went to the Our Center on Black Friday to cook and serve meals. My day started early with taking Shane to the airport. Kristen went to the temple for White Friday in the Baptistry (youth from different wards were scheduled to serve all day long) and after they were finished, I met her in Loveland where we did a little shopping. It beats the stomach flu I had last Thanksgiving!

Shane

My brother, Shane, came to visit for Thanksgiving. His two sidekicks were gone to Italy and he seemed happy to come for a visit. It was pretty chill.

He did go out sledding with the girls on Wednesday afternoon. Amy drove the four-wheeler and pulled Shane and the girls behind it. They all came back a little cold and sporting some sore unused muscles. Shane even managed to fill his pockets with snow.

Shane stayed through Friday morning. Fortunately we didn't have any more snow and the roads to the airport were still clear.

Thankful Day 29 - Snow Plows

For those times when I do have to drive in snow, I am grateful for snow plows and drivers who are working hard throughout the storm to keep the roads clear.

Thanksgiving

With all of the snow, I was glad we didn't have too many places to go for the week. Amy and Misha hung out with friends throughout their stay at home.

On Wednesday morning, all of the girls went to see Frozen 2.

We had dinner on Thursday with our girls, Shane, and Amy's boyfriend, Aleksey. I forgot to start the rolls earlier in the day, so I had to push dinner off for an hour. That gave Amy and Aleksey plenty of time to go and see his family and be back for dinner.

Shane peeled potatoes, Misha helped to cube them, and Kristen folded napkins and set the table for me using Grandma Andrew's china. Already, Amy has asked to have the china when I die. Hmmmm.

Thankful Day 28 - Snow

I am grateful for snow when I don't have to drive in it.

Switcheroo

My girls always having loved mischievously rearranging the letters of my NOEL candle holders.

It took Misha one day after being home to rearrange them to ELON. Kristen added the MUSK sticky notes (Elon Musk founder of Tesla).

New Couches

After 13 years, we finally got new couches. I posted a picture of the condition of our old ones. These ones are fairly similar but a lot more shiny. We had to find a spot for our beige couches, so one ended up in my office and another in Chris' office. The ones from the living room moved to the basement (after Misha cleared a path to the basement door so that Chris, Shane, and Aleksey could walk them around the house to the back door. They never would have fit down the basement stairs.

Thankful Day 27 - Food

I went to the grocery store on Monday. With the impending snow/blizzard/snowmageddon and Thanksgiving all in the same week, the store was packed. In fact, as I went to check out, the line to the cash registers snaked across the front and around to the back of the store. The line moved fairly quickly and people were friendly. I didn't pick up all that I needed simply because I didn't want to get out of line again, but I was grateful for the abundance of food in my cart and on the shelves. It is not this way throughout the world

Snow Snow and Worry

We had a huge snow storm scheduled to blow in on Monday afternoon. On Sunday, the airlines started sending out alerts that flyers could change flights without penalty. Chris and Shane (who was flying out for Thanksgiving with the girls) felt that keeping the original flight on Tuesday (landing after 10 pm) would be fine. On Monday morning, wishing that we had brought the girls home early, I had the girls check for availability. All flights were now booked and the only thing to change to would be Tuesday afternoon. That was a little better than Tuesday evening after 10 pm. Still I worried and lost sleep over the possibility of the girls not being able to come home or the potential for a car accident.

Turns out the snow started to slow on Tuesday afternoon and snow plows had cleaned the roads to the airport well enough that we had no problems getting to the airport. Still, I wished they had come home before the storm started, but I was grateful that we drove to get them around 5:30 pm.

I was just grateful they made it to Denver safely and then we made it back home Tuesday evening safely. I worry.

Thankful Day 26 - Musical Talents

I am grateful for people who have and share their musical talents. I love to listen to people sing and appreciate the times when I feel the spirit through their message and talent.

Grocery Line

I made the mistake of going to the grocery store on Monday morning. The combination of an impending storm and Thanksgiving caused the store to be bombarded by people. The line for checking out was divided into three lines: one for normal checkout and two separate ones for self checkout. Crazy. Fortunately, the lines moved fairly quickly and people were generally in good moods.

There were a few more items I would have added to my cart, but once I got to the yogurt section and saw the line, I opted to get in it and be done. The line was on the left side of the aisle.

Cookie Talent

My ministering sister brought me some cookies that she had spent hours working on before Thanksgiving. I love her talent. Apparently, she has an air brush to help with her talent.

Thankful Day 25 - Light the World

I love that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints promotes giving and love and kindness. I love that I can "Light The World" in my little corner of the world. I am grateful for reminders during the Christmas season and all year long to "try a little harder to be a little better" (Gordon B. Hinckley).

Thankful Day 24 - Hobbies

I am grateful for hobbies that make me excited for each new day. I have enjoyed writing over the past year. I love photography and have already set a goal to become more proficient with it next year. And, of course, journaling. I am grateful for the focus they give me.

Gratitude Jar

For Seminary, I created a Gratitude Jar and handed out slips of paper throughout the month of November for the seminary kids to fill out some of the things they were thankful for. On Friday before our Thanksgiving break, I read a few of the slips of paper. Bacon was the first slip I pulled out! Some of the other thoughts of gratitude included:

Modern medicine
Warmth
Having my mom help me get out the door on time
French Fries
Sunlight
Education
Fridays
Family
Color
Sunlight
Water

I liked that when I forgot to pass around the Gratitude Jar the kids were quick to notice and remind me.

Gentri

We usually like to attend a Christmas concert at this time of year. Since we have been to the symphony a couple of times, I thought it might be cool to try something new. I just happened to look to see if Gentri was going to be in Colorado for a Christmas concert. I lucked out and discovered that they were; unfortunately, they were all sold out. I called and asked to be put on a waiting list and found that I was the first to be added to the list.

The concert was to be held November 23rd and I got a call on the 22nd saying that tickets had been turned in and did I want them. Chris was flying when I got the call and so I had to make a spur of the moment decision and say that we wanted the tickets. Unfortunately, we had plans to go out with friends that we had to cancel.

The concert was fantastic. I loved all of the Christmas music and the encore number from Les Miserables "Bring Him Home."

Thankful Day 23 - Colorado

Chris and I ventured over the Rocky Mountains from Utah 18 years ago. I'm not sure that we thought we would still be here after 18 years, but three houses later we still love living in Colorado. As we look to future, we often say, "I'm not sure that there is any place that we would love as much." We are grateful for the many experiences, memories, and friends we have made in Colorado. For now, it is stuck with us.

Thankful Day 22 - Snow That Melts

I am especially grateful for snow that melts before I get out to shovel it. Mostly I am grateful that snow melts and Spring comes.

Thankful Day 21 - Girls Who Help

The other night I made home-made pasta for dinner. I have a fancy-dancy, handcrank pasta maker, and my girls always love to help me when I pull it out of the pantry. It has become a new tradition for Christmas dinner, but sometimes it is fun to make fresh pasta just for fun. Kristen was quick to jump in and help.

New Couch

Gotta love when you stop at the furniture store and not only have they started their Black Friday sale, but they are also taking an additional amount off through the weekend. Chris and I thought we would just look, but we found a couch and loveseat that was comfy and our style.

I would actually love it if my living room was big enough for a sectional, and I would even be okay with this blue color if it matched the blue in my house.

But we chose this one instead. The grey couch in the store didn't look so obviously grey. Next to the brown couch of the same style. We thought it could possibly match our decor. We "bought" the grey footstool to bring home and do a color check. It did not match.

Kristen and I returned the grey footstool to the store and walked in on a commercial being filmed. As I got to the desk, the sales guy asked if Kristen and I wanted to be famous and be in the commercial. I declined. However, we did sit in the massage chairs for about a half an hour. Kristen used to mock Chris and I for going to the furniture store to sit in the chairs, but I think she is now an avid enthusiast.

We have had our current couches for almost 13 years. They have been sat on and worn out a lot. New couches will be delivered next Wednesday.

Turkey-Flavored Pringles

Does the idea of roasted turkey-flavored Pringles gross you out as much as it does me?

Thankful Day 20 - Cool Things

I am thankful for the people who invented sticky notes, tape, velcro, zip-ties, staplers, paper clips and the like. We often take such brilliance for granted, but I am grateful for all of them.

Thankful Day 19 - The Internet

I use the internet all of the time whether it is in researching for my seminary lessons, helping my girls, or looking for gift ideas. I love how easy it is to find information. I am thankful that the world is at my fingertips.