Browsing Tag

gratitude

Alaska

November 30th

30 November 2014

Sunday.

Tis the last of my daily gratitude posts.

I’m grateful for this great blog journal and blessing to record and remember and share my thoughts and experiences.

Today at church I was sustained as the new Young Women president for our ward. How exciting and happy. :) I’ve been serving in YW since I got home in May, and it’s so great to have a purpose of helping the girls. This is going to be great.

Chris and I also had tithing settlement with our bishop and talked about our temple recommends so we can be sealed in December. I am grateful for tithing and for the blessing to give fast offerings. Giving is great. I’m grateful for our bishop’s words and guidance and the inspiration of the spirit. Oh! And I’m grateful we were on time to church today. We’ve been doing good yay.

This evening, Chris’s friend Richard came over. I’m grateful to have him in our lives. I went over to my mama’s house and helped her move stuff. I’m so glad she lives so close, and my dad and sister too. It’s so nice to have family around. I stopped at my sister’s too and that’s always pretty good. She always has snacks for me to eat hehe.

When I got home, the elders called and asked if I could go on a visit with them. I’m grateful I said yes because it was such a great and rejuvenating visit! Yes yes yes.

Here’s one of my only pictures from the day. Chris took it as I was sleeping, apparently with the cat on my head. haha. IMG_0641

I am grateful for my life and for who and how I am. I always have more progressing I want to do in many areas, but I feel like I’m on a great path in many aspects of my life. And I’m grateful for the people and forces who have helped me on my journey thus far. I’m grateful for my testimony and that I know God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit love me and want me to have joy. I’m grateful for the promptings and guidance I receive to help bring me that joy and allow me to share it with others. So grateful to have the family I do. They’re the best for me.

Alaska

November 29th

29 November 2014

I’m grateful Christopher is feeling a little better each day! Today he actually came on a little walk and we cut down our Christmas tree! :) There are so many wonderful things about our life. Though Chris hasn’t been feeling well lately, our down time together has been memorable and good.FullSizeRenderIMG_0598IMG_0605We cut our little tree down with a kitchen knife. We liked the blue and green tones on this gem! And that’s why we brought her into our home. Turns out she was much smaller than I expected when we brought her inside. But we made it work. :) I went to Ulmers and got a little strand of lights, and we strung some plastic pearls around her, and then we put a bunch of sand dollar ornaments on (this sweet lady in our ward gave them to us when we got married last year). Our tree is still a work in progress, but it makes us happy.

IMG_0610IMG_0637We ended the night by watching Netflix (S.H.I.E.L.D!) and I eventually came across Dinosaurs! Joy.

 

Alaska

November 28th

28 November 2014

I’m grateful for warm showers, and when the bathroom isn’t very freezing when I get out of the shower.

I’m grateful for the great trail by our house and the Christmas tree hunting I’ve been doing.

And I’m grateful for our delightful evening. Tonight Chris and I have had some great Christmas celebrations with Christmas movies and paper snowflakes and pumpkin pie and thanksgiving leftovers. Really really good and simple memories.IMG_0579IMG_0584 IMG_0585

Alaska

November 27th

27 November 2014

THANKSGIVING! Complete with hand crafted fruit turkey.IMG_0565I am grateful Chris was feeling good enough today to go for a drive and eat some food! I am grateful for the abundance we have in our lives and the delicious feast we were able to partake of with some wonderful friends and family, including Chris’s good friend Richard, the Joneses, Bowdens, elders, and my lovely mother.  And omg, Carolee’s coconut cream pie… so good. As well as my mashed potatoes and Richard’s corn and Shona’s stuffing and Carolee’s rolls and the Jones’ salad. Yum, makes me want some right meow.IMG_0572 IMG_0568 IMG_0567I am really grateful for the seasons, and that it’s chilly out, and for the beautiful walks we Palmers go on.  IMG_0541 IMG_0544IMG_0552IMG_0553IMG_0556

Alaska

November 26th

26 November 2014

I’m grateful Chris is feeling better than before! He’s still not moving around much, but he didn’t throw up all day! Maybe because of these delicious ginger candies I found at saveumore! jk. The apple ginger ones are good though. IMG_0535Okay, so here in Homer we have Safeway (formerly called Eagle), Kachemak Wholesale, and Saveumore. Can I tell you what, I am grateful for saveumore. It’s sort of like a mini costco, but more expensive of course, but they just have so many cool things there and some really good ethnic food aisles. Lots of great stuff. Their produce sometimes isn’t as good as Safeway’s, but it’s still a good place to go. Really with grocery shopping here, you gotta hit up both places, and in the summer, the farmers market is a must. What I plan for next year, is a little bit of gardening and growing some of our own food. Nothing better than that homies.

Anyway, I am grateful for truck drivers, and stores, and so many many people along the food production process that get potatoes (or bananas or chocolate or squash or bread) from the ground (tree or field or wherever) to the store and to my house. Ideally I’d like us to be able to be as self sufficient as possible with our food, but I am grateful for those who help provide so that I can make a nice lovely meal at home for me and my dear.

At safeway today, I am grateful that I saw my favorite and previous neighbor Kate, Mom, Alan, Jason, and Daniel at the store. How nice it is to live here, and to have a variety of things to buy. Oh!! I am also very very grateful that we have monies to buy things with! Chris does a good job working hard and making monies. We also use a budget/track spending program and app called YNAB. It’s cool and useful to us. Apps are great.

Especially the sims freeplay app. :) Here’s one of my few pictures from the day.IMG_0539

Alaska

November 25th

25 November 2014

FUNNY picture of BelIMG_0464

Scary day today. Chris woke up with like a vertigo attack (probably not just because we watched Interstellar last night ;)) and he just kept throwing up and feeling horrible and weak and his eyes were going kooky. He was diagnosed with MS when he was 17 but today was his first ever episode.

I am grateful for good health and for healing. I am grateful for a great physical body that moves wonderfully and feels good. I am grateful for helpful people with such genuine concern. I’m grateful for priesthood blessings, because they always make things so much better and hopeful.

I’m grateful that we can make good decisions, and that we can communicate with good people who offer guidance and love. Aside from our families, Chris and I feel very thankful for our friends Glen and Shona today because they really went out of their way to offer us any sort of help they thought we might need.

On a lighter note, I’m grateful for our neato blankets, and that we have a good couch for laying on, and for falling asleep to movies on (Cool Runnings today, such a classic).

I’m especially grateful to have my Christ honey lover sweet mancub and for the blessing it is to serve each other. Chris has a wonderful family and I do too, and that is very nice indeed. I’m so very really grateful we are together. And I’m grateful for bedtime and the recap at the end of everyday and that Chris is feeling slightly better.

IMG_0500IMG_0511

Alaska

November 24th

24 November 2014

IMG_0400IMG_0412IMG_0418IMG_0422My walk this morning was extra lovely. I’m thankful that our loving creators made this beautiful world for us, full of diversity.

Holly and I helped Mom move today, and that was very nice too. It is very good to serve.

I’m grateful for this sight I saw today!!!! A guy cruising around with a cat on his shoulders!!

FullSizeRenderIMG_0431IMG_0438I’m grateful for our food. We had pita pizzas tonight before going to watch Interstellar. They were pretty grand. The movie was good too. Kinda cuckoo to wrap your mind around all the three hours of black holes and time warps, but twas good indeed.

We got a glow in the dark chuck it ball for Edel. It is so funny playing with it with her in the dark! First this glowing ball soars off into the distance, and then Edel books it, puts it in her mouth, and the glowing orb comes bouncing along back at us. So funny.

As always, I love the end of the day, praying and talking with my honey husband.

Alaska

November 23rd

23 November 2014

I love sundays. The day has a general feeling of loveliness.

Today I am grateful for the time I took to prepare for my sunday lesson. Also, our sacrament meeting today was super! The musical number was fantastic. It was awe-some. And the speakers were inspired too and I’m grateful when people take the time to share their thoughts and experiences with others. Church is great for me.

I’m thankful that Chris and I have funny animals that make us chuckle everyday.

I’m thankful that my sister and her family live so close. We went over there tonight and I played sims with the girls. :) And I had some goat and deer. It’s very nice having healthy meat around. And then Chris and I went to the Bowden’s house and tried some homemade granola. Yum. And piña coladas. Food is quite nice.

So pumpkin pie is reeeeal good to me these days. I’m grateful for a loving mother who brought some pumpkin pie over for us. Sharing is caring. :) I’m also grateful she brought us mouse traps… because we killed the mouse who has been living under our stove. It was kind of traumatic, but I think it’ll be better than adding a mouse to our house.

ALSO, the song Glorious by David Archuleta from Meet the Mormons is one of my new favorites.

IMG_0392

Alaska

November 22nd

22 November 2014

It is lovely to live so close to the beach! We need to go more. It’s just a walk away! I’m grateful we went to the beach this morning, and that there was a really nice lady who took a picture of Chris and Edel and I!

I’m grateful for Homer’s delicious food. Maura’s, the Bagel Shop, Finn’s Pizza, Fat Olives… Chris and I love the Bagel Shop. I do desire more yummy food around here though. This summer Chris and I ate out a lot (lots of good pizza), but now that I’m not cleaning boats at night, evenings are free for cooking and making delicious food of our own!

I’m grateful for savemore’s Christmas festivity too. Yahoo wamu.

IMG_0390-1IMG_0378IMG_0382IMG_0385

Alaska

November 21st

21 November 2014

Happy 11 month anniversary. <3

Today has been a good day. I loved being a Chapman school. Loved it and I’m so grateful for that. The past two days I’ve overheard some funny quotes.

IMG_0361I’m grateful for our car, that has no car payment (because I think that’s silly). It faithfully gets us from here to there. And it’s nice and comfy and a perfect size and the gas mileage is decent. We don’t really call our car by name, but at the beginning I thought maybe we could call her Blanca, but it hasn’t stuck, in case you were wondering.

I’m grateful for the Boxcar Children Movie and blog time in front of the heater. :):) I like cartoons. Apparently Edel likes them too. IMG_0373I’m grateful the we live so close to family.

Grateful for the yummy dinner we had a fat olives with Mama tonight. I haven’t been there in forever. Good eats, and I’m so glad Mom was there with us. And we even saw my brother in law and nieces and their friend there too. Funny.

I’m grateful for warm showers, and a world full of people. IMG_0370

Alaska

November 20th

20 November 2014

Thankful Thursday and today I am most grateful that Chris made me go to volleyball! Note to smelf: I love playing volleyball. GO PLAY.

Today I subbed as a librarian/intervention teacher at Chapman School. LOVED IT. It was really good and I’m so glad I said yes to the job. It’s like a twenty minute drive to Anchor Point. I went to Chapman for kindergarten, first, and second, and it was great being out there and with the kids and staff. What a great school.

I’m grateful for my school days. What great experiences. In elementary I was in quest with Mrs. Ladd, and I did lots of library stuff with her. I loved my time with her. Anyway, my library days came in handy today as I labeled a bunch of books and organized the library. It was a really good and valuable school day for me. So grateful for how it’s working out. Say yes.

IMG_0336I’m grateful I followed the spirit and went to the sign language class at the church. Good to learn and good fellowshipping and a good time with beloved people. I felt like I should go, and after trying to talk myself out of it, I just went. And it was good.

Our kitty Bel pooped on the living room floor. LAME. I was playing piano and smelled poo, and then I saw it. My honey husband came and cleaned it right up like a champ. And that motivated me to clean the kitchen and unload the dishwasher after three days. :) I love our life, kitty poop and all, and I’m grateful for the life Heavenly Father has blessed us with.

Alaska

November 19th

19 November 2014

IMG_0282 IMG_0291 IMG_0296 IMG_0297I am grateful for my beautiful morning. Edel girl and I went out for our walk, and just decided to head all the way down the beach. Being the end of November, the sun rises pretty late in the morning, so fortunately I’m usually awake during sunrise, which is one of my very most favorite times of day.

I’m grateful for the bagel shop and their heavenly bagels and schmears. We had a girls lunch there today and it was quite nice. Than I went back to my sista’s house, where her cat Spike gave her a hug, where she gave my dad a haircut (but absolutlely no beard trimming), and then I said cheers to my pops since he’s headed back to the slope for work work. IMG_0304

I am so so grateful for my nieces and our adventures together. They fill me with life and love. I picked them up from the bus stop and then we went to safeway (formerly Eagle:)) and got some things to make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. When we first walked in the store, there’s all the flowers. And the girls were like, “Can we get Mom some flowers?”

And they really wanted to get her some flowers. So we did. And it was splendid. We decided on tulips, but they couldn’t decide on a color together. So I’m grateful for the florist working there, because she offered some help and made a half pink and half orange bouquet of tulips. Then the girls wrote a little note on those little flower cards for their wonderful mother. So precious.

A buch of us peeps got together for dinner at a friends house, where I partook of half a burger of a real, wild cow. It was good. Grateful I liked it. :) I’m not a burger eater, but with all the yummy burger fixings, and an opportunity at healthy meat, I’m grateful I said yes.

I felt really grateful to be a mutual too. We prepared thanksgiving food baskets tonight for some needier families. I’m so grateful for the faithful relief society sisters who came to help. And I’m grateful for the words and conversation we all shared. I’m grateful to serve in the YW presidency with Katie and Brittany (and Tammy), and for their wonderful lessons and their love for the Lord, his gospel, his church, and his children.

I am so grateful to come home to my sweetest sweet, and our animals (or our petting zoo as my silly sally sister Stacy calls it). IMG_0349(Amelia kitty not pictured, since she was out and about doing who knows what. Cats are funny.)

Alaska

November 18th

18 November 2014

Today was a hard day. Lots of crying.

As much as I like free play time, it’s really good and really important to work. The past month I haven’t really been working. Somedays I go a little cuckoo and don’t know what to do with myself and the time I’m given. At other times I really really enjoy the time I have to make quality food, play piano, blog, go on walks, make smoothies, keep the house clean, make our home more lovely. I’ve been able to do some lovely things and I’m grateful for that freedom.

I’m substitute teaching now and I still have freedom, but I also have the blessing to do quality work and to make some monies. I’m reeeeal grateful for that. It’s working out well.

Anyway, today I was struggling with useless thoughts of purposelessness and purposeless thoughts of usefulness. It was hard. But our loyal furry creatures and my lovely caring husband and family made me feel much better. I’m so grateful for these souls.

FOTOS. At the end of my day, I decided to go read with the girls, since they are full of light and love that rubs on me. :) I took the Little Prince to read with them. Katy fell asleep, and so Natalie and I just kept reading and talking on the top bunk. It was so good and happy. We talked about baobabs and all sorts of other things. Also, pictures of my precious nephew that come to my phone throughout the day make me happy and grateful. I love my family peeps.

IMG_0256IMG_0258IMG_0242

Alaska

November 17th

17 November 2014

Monday. FHE – noite familiar.

Everyday, I feel so grateful for our home. I love it. Chris bought it shortly after we met two and a half years ago. What a good choice he made for a first home! I love it so. I love that it’s ours (I mean the mortgage company’s, and a small part of it is ours – I’d choose the wall in the kitchen and the natural wood doors and trim, and the black door knobs, and the two huge windows in the living room).

I’m grateful our house is nice and clean (right meow) and that we have a washer!

I’m grateful for this family nap moment that I saw at my sista’s house. IMG_0240Here’s a picture of Chris’s yellow breakfast. Grateful for our foods. Thank you farmers and so many other people along the way that help bring food into my home!!IMG_0165I’m grateful that instead of saying “no”, I said “yes” and did a puzzle with little Natalie girl!IMG_0239I’m grateful for a foot rub from my honey boy. I’m grateful for clean sheets. I’m grateful for our kitchen table and chairs, and our other furniture too. I love our home.

I’m grateful that my dad is funny. IMG_0179Today, I am most grateful for Empty Nesters FHE. Chris and I hosted it at the Palmer Palace tonight and the empty nesters in the ward and the missionaries came over. It was great! Yummy sourdough waffles, and a super good veggie quiche with basil in it. I’m really picky with eggs, but these were goooood. And I’m grateful for that. I want to like eggs. :)

It was soooooooo good getting to know everyone better. I love the conversation space in our home. It is so good to sit around and talk.

Alaska

November 16th

16 November 2014

Shabbat Shalom.

Okay, Christopher Robin is very very helpful with mostly anything technological. It’s super nice and useful he’s so handy that way to everyone. At church, it was Chris’s job to set up for the stake conference broadcast (we watch broadcasted since we live an hour and half from the stake center). Well we were going to leave our house at 9:30 to allow enough time for set up and stuff. Well… we woke up at 9:33. Eek! the Cat!

It was so funny, and we were up and out the door in like ten minutes (miracle) and everything got all set up in time! With a couple minutes to spare even. Wowie. I’m grateful for that little miracle. And I’m grateful for the many days that I don’t need an alarm clock.

I’m so grateful for PIANO and that I’ve been playing a lot more. I love it soooo much. So grateful that I’ve been blessed with that gift.

I’m so grateful to have my parents and oldest sister and her family around. Here’s a mediocre picture of great people doing normal things — Holly highlighting her own hair, Natalie drinking, or pretending to drink, pickle juice, Katy eating sweet potato pudding, and Mama listening to her.IMG_0155The girls and I played outside for a while today and it was so nice and fun. Katy and Natalie put their swimsuits on to jump into their little pond. They put their feet in it. And they enjoyed being in their swimsuits, as well as using their new umbrellas from Grammy. We worked on building a fort too and it reminded me so much of when I was a kid. We had so many forts. I loved it. And the air tonight was so clean and cool and refreshing. I love being an aunty.IMG_0151Chris and I have been watching a movie like every night. Usually I whip out a couple of snowflakes while we’re doing that. I do love all my paper snowflakes! :) Grateful for them. IMG_0164

Alaska

November 15th

15 November 2014

Saturday is a special day; it’s the day we get ready for sunday.

I’m grateful for the lovely Aurora Borealis we saw last night.

I’m grateful that I love making food. It is such a good way to create. We’ve got some nice chicken eggs right now and Chris has been quite into omelets lately, and I like making omelets for him. I’m grateful for that. And oh! I am grateful when the eggz do not get stuck to the pan. Cleaning eggs of the pan is not one of my favorite things to do.IMG_0133Speaking of food, I finished off my hagendaz dark chocolate chip gelato this morning that Chris so lovingly got for me. :) And I ate a bunch of parmesan cheese. I’ve been into yummy (kinda stinky) cheeses lately. Here’s a lovely picture I took for my sister of myself eating parmesan.IMG_0131Okay, bikes, they’re super cool. In Hawaii, I had the two greatest bikes ever – Lola and Charlotte. I got a used cruiser bike here, unnamed and not custom painted yet, but she’s a gem. I’m grateful that I can only think of good times had on bikes. Biking is usually always a good time.IMG_0138I’m grateful for leggings. Goodness yes I am. Especially my snow leopard leggings.

I’m grateful for birthdays. Today is my step niece Lauren’s birthday, and also my dear ol’ friend Katie’s birthday. It’s nice that everyone has a special day.

It’s stake conference weekend. I’m grateful for a husband who wants to grow and improve, and who goes to the priesthood meetings. I’m thankful for the counsel we’ve received and for the small positive changes that happen in my life as I embrace that loving counsel. Small and simple things.

P.S. Our dinner was really yummy. Delicious grilled veggies and our favorite salmons.

P.P.S. my iPhone photos have been uploading weirdly, and vertical pictures go horizontal, so I rotate them, and then they load really funny on my phone. Anyway… yummy food and a day with ups and downs! :) Glad that my days usually always end on a high note. IMG_0141

Alaska

November 14th

14 November 2014

IMG_0095Aloha Friday.

I woke up nice and early, which is quite rare these days. At a dark 6 am, I got out of bed and laid in front of the heater. I’m so grateful for our heater so that I don’t have to freeze! Someday we’ll have a wood stove and that will be ever so lovely.

I’m grateful for beautiful mornings. And for a puppy who gets us going in the morning.IMG_0099

I’m grateful that I said YES to a phone call for substitute teaching at the school in the Russian village, Nikolaevsk! When I was little we lived right by the Russian village in a little cabin and we had so many great forts in the woods. Today was my first day of substitute teaching. It was great. Really great.

IMG_0111The school is so unique, with maybe like 70 kids K-12. There is focus on preserving the Russian culture and remembering the Old Believers. Not all the kids are Russian of course, but it was great because I felt like I was in a different place. It was all new and exciting and the kids were really great.

The half hour drive in the North Fork wilderness was beautiful and brought back lots of memories. So I’m really grateful for how all of that worked out. IMG_0118

IMG_0119

I am especially grateful for the inspiration of the spirit, and that I followed the spirit and made a salad for the ward Thanksgiving dinner. :) I didn’t feel like using the salad spinner (because I don’t like it very much) and I didn’t feel like cutting up veggies (I was being a sloth), but I felt like I should so I did. And pretty much it was like the only green salad there, so I’m glad I could make a nice contribution. :) IMG_0126

I’m grateful for our wonderful Homer ward and the lovely Thanksgiving party. I’m grateful for the crayons and paper leaves so that we could write down things we were thankful for. I’m especially grateful for the moment when little Katy came over and said, “Can you help my write ‘my sister’?” Goodness those two nieces of mine are so precious and such good sisters.IMG_0124

I’m thankful for texting and picture messages so that my siblings and I can stay in touch. :) I’m grateful for my in-laws and that I love them and they love me. I feel wonderful being in Chris’s family.

I’m grateful for movie time with Christopher — we watched Gattaca (the first ever dvd my family owned when I was a kid) and folded all the laundry, which is great! Grateful for Chris, who got me some chocolate gelato, which made movie/laundry time even better.

AND I’m grateful that our friend told us “the lights are out” and we got to watch the Northern Lights for a couple hours on a dark chilly hill under a beautiful sky. (This picture is obviously not an iPhone picture, like the rest of my pictures these days. Also, with the slower shutter speed, the camera captured a lot more light than we could see with our lovely eyeballs and supervision. We couldn’t see any pink, only green. Nevertheless, twas really beautiful and lovely.) The sky was magical with the northern lights and starry starry night.

aurora

Alaska

November 13th

13 November 2014

IMG_3098I’m extremely grateful for pillow talk. I love talking at night with dear Christopher, sharing our thoughts, victories, struggles, funnies. Chris and I are far from fantastic with diligent scripture/gospel study, though we do usually at least have some sort of spiritual thought type thing. I’m grateful for the peace that the gospel brings. Husband shared these words with me by President Uchtdorf:

“Perhaps focusing on what we are grateful for is the wrong approach. It is difficult to develop a spirit of gratitude if our thankfulness is only proportional to the number of blessings we can count. True, it is important to frequently “count our blessings”—and anyone who has tried this knows there are many—but I don’t believe the Lord expects us to be less thankful in times of trial than in times of abundance and ease. In fact, most of the scriptural references do not speak of gratitude for things but rather suggest an overall spirit or attitude of gratitude.

It is easy to be grateful for things when life seems to be going our way. But what then of those times when what we wish for seems to be far out of reach?

Could I suggest that we see gratitude as a disposition, a way of life that stands independent of our current situation? In other words, I’m suggesting that instead of being thankful for things, we focus on being thankful in our circumstances—whatever they may be.”

I am thankful that the Lord puts such wonderful people and blessings and experiences in our path.

And goodness, after months without a functioning washer (thanks to my sister for letting us borrow hers), we found a cheap used one that works great. Hooray! I wonder how long our clean clothes will sit in the baskets before I put them away…

Chris and I watched How to Train Your Dragon 2 and I thought it was a gem. Dragons and people can live in peace! Amen. And of course our movie was accompanied with Whirly Pop (get one) popcorn with coconut oil. Yum. Grateful for moments like that.

Oh, and I’m especially grateful for a certain girl’s comment on Facebook that made me feel much much better. She wrote it just when I needed it and I’m grateful for the spirit that guides us so we can help each other.

I’m grateful for the time I have to play music and that we have a keyboard so I can play piano. It’ll be lovely to have a nice old wooden upright piano someday, but no space for it now in our lovely home which I love so much.

Grateful for the beauty everywhere!

IMG_0047-1 2