Being Thankful

In church last week a speaker spoke about ingratitude and how it may be one of the worst sins because we are returning bad for good. So because of this, gratitude ranks as one of the most divine qualities we can emulate.
It is a good thing for me that Thanksgiving comes every year because I am not always the most grateful or gracious person. It's sad to think that I sometimes forget to say simple things like "thank yous " or even forget to notice when people take the time to think of me.
Recently, Mckinley has started saying "thank you mommy," or "thank you daddy" about every little thing we do for her. We always laugh about it because it sounds so cute coming out of her little mouth. But it also reminds me of the sweetness of little children. They never forget the important things.
It seems a little forced but if I make a list of the things that I am most grateful for I can allow my mind to really dwell on how blessed and lucky I am. So here goes:

I am so grateful for my husband David. I fall in love with him more every day.
I am so grateful for McKinley. She really is the light of my life.
I'm grateful for my church and the guide that the gospel is in my life.
I'm grateful that even in this time of economic hardship, I have everything that I really need.
I'm grateful that I have a job that I get to help sick people everyday, to remember how lucky I am to have a healthy family.
I'm grateful to be surrounded by family who are always willing to help with the daunting task of raising a child.
I'm grateful for the good friends we have that unknowingly make us better people by sharing their differences.
I'm grateful for my freedom. That I can be who I want to be.

It doesn't take a long list to put in perspective how lucky I am.

Fashion Diva

McKinley is quite the little diva. We have long been in the stage of changing outfits 20 times a day and accessorizing with items that a less catwalk minded person would find unattractive or cheap, like canning rings for bracelets. Yes, this little girl is taking the fashion world by storm. These are some of her most creative outfits, designed exclusively by none other than Mckinley Jane Holmgren.
This is a favorite of mine. You can't tell her that this sweater doesn't have a hood.

No one is safe from her make overs. This rocking horse was actually a horse before she watched The Last Unicorn. But not anymore.

Those are my shoes.


This is her "modest Skinny dipping" outfit.


Safety glasses: You always knew deep inside that they were cool.

We love this little girl so much. She is so creative sometimes and hopefully she will always be as confident to be herself as she is now.

A wise man once said

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. --Abraham Lincoln.

Kristin P, I borrowed this from you. Thanks! (When I say "borrowed" I mean you aren't getting it back. I'm THAT kind.)

November update

David is snarling at me. Right now. Anyone know what to do for this? Hmmm.

Other news. We got released from primary. And now we will probably become inactive because we have been in the same calling for such a long time. (like since I was 18, I have been in the primary.) And we have always taught the CTR superstars. AKA the five year olds. I cried my eyes out the last week we taught because I am going to miss all the funny and cute things they do.

So now we have to go to adult class. What will we ever do? I feel like this is a mid life crisis.

Halloween Night!

We had such a fun Halloween this year. The weather was nice and warm, not even breezy. I also didn't have to work during the day, so that made it nice to be able to stay home and get the last things ready for costumes.
I promised you all that you would be scared when you found out what we were being for Halloween and, true to my word, you should be because David and I dressed up as Pligs! AaaaaaH! David really looked the part and, although I couldn't get my hair ratted up to Jesus enough, I did wear pants and running shoes under my skirt and the plainest shirt I could find. We also carried around several of Mckinleys dolls. We spent the whole night laughing because we thought that a lot of people didn't realize we were dressed up.
Mckinley dressed up as a ballerina and she looked so cute. She loved wearing her tutu and she was so cute trick or treating. She really got into it this year.

Our night started out with going over to my parents for the annual sloppy joe and homemade rootbeer dinner. So good as always.
Then, we went to dinner number two at Pizza Factory with some of our friends. These guys looked GOOD for Halloween! JJ and Valeena and their boys were a family of Batman characters. I didn't even recognize JJ when we saw him. Valeena was a very hot Catwoman, and Jesse and Elijah were both Batman.(Jesse was the new batman, and Elijah was the old school batman.) Very cute!


Brandon and Amanda were looking excellent also. Brandon was Beetlejuice and Amanda was Hannah Montana. It makes me feel old that Hannah Montana did not even come to my mind with Amanda. I really thought she was Barbie and the Rockers. She is way cuter than Hannah Montana anyway.

Derek and his wife Candy came also and they brought their adorable baby who was THE cutest pumpkin ever. Derek was dressed up as an army guy and Candy was an Angel/Devil. I loved Candy's costume. It was really original.

After dinner, everyone went to the Haunted Hospital. We actually didn't go because we wanted to take Mckinley around to trick or treat to some family members houses.
Halloween was so fun this year and Mckinley was old enough that she really liked it and wanted to do all the stuff we wanted to do too.

We took a picture at Pizza Factory of Derek, Brandon Jj and I because we are rookies with the fire department.
Mckinley and Sadie had fun playing with the karaoke machine at Mooney and Todds house. Sadie was so cute as a ladybug.

Mckinley could have also been an aerobics instructor for halloween when we took her tutu off.