Happy Thanksgiving!

For the first time in 3 years, all of my children were together at Thanksgiving! I loved every second of it! Our kids are at such different stages in life ...the silly ones, the know so much ones, the calm ones and of course the perfect parents! It was just plain relaxing and fun! As usual, we went around the table and said what we were thankful for:
Katie: I'm Thankful for the Earth
Melissa: I'm Thankful for Heavenly Father
Nicolas: I'm Thankful for My Brothers and Sisters
Cory: I'm Thankful having a roof over our head and not being homeless! (Go Cory)
Brian: I'm Thankful I'm not in jail this year (We are too)
Daniel: I'm Thankful for having our whole family together and for having such great parents.
Robin: I'm Thankful for this side of the family and that we're together.
Tabb: I'm Thankful for my wife and for all of you.
Michelle: (While crying) I'm Thankful that all of our family is healthy and happy. I'm proud of each of you.

So there you have it...2008's Gratitude list. A few more things I'd like to add. I'm grateful for my Mother and Step-Father, for the love and support they show us, for my siblings Mark, Carolyn and Chris (I'm sorry I'm the oldest...I don't like going first). I'm also grateful that I beat my mother for the very first time in Canasta!!! I'm grateful for my wonderful Mother in-law, Audrey- she is the most Christ-like person I've ever known and Aunt Alese - for her wonderful example. I'm grateful to work as a Nurse and to serve families and babies - I feel that I've found the most perfect job anyone could ever have. I'm also grateful for such amazing co-workers. Finally...yes...finally I'm grateful for my friends...it's wonderful to be on this journey with people who love and care for you. Enjoy the photos!

Busy as Usual

Here's some interesting reading! If you would like to read the articles just click on the photo to enlarge.

Oh.. to not look like a Thanksgiving Turkey! I have a gobbler neck!!

Raleigh Christmas Parade

I can't begin to tell you how cold it was Saturday morning! Melissa had to be in the parade starting area by 8:30 am. It was 22 degrees - the coldest parade day in 30 years! Did I complain....no......did I want to complain.....yes! I was so cold. You couldn't drink hot chocolate because there's no where to go potty. The cold went right through our blankets. Katie and I stood in the sun and made shadow puppets. When I picked up Melissa at the end of the parade she was crying and said she couldn't feel her fingers. At the end of the parade we dashed to the nearest Golden Corral (with our lovely "hat hair") and ate every warm food we could find!!! Oh the inhumanity of it all! By the way....the pictures of the kids in uniform are all from our Ward

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Couponing Apprentice

Better late than never...with the encouragement of a friend who is a Jedi Master of couponing, I went to CVS to start my apprenticeship. 1st thing I did.....transferred 4 prescriptions there. Each prescription was worth a $25 gift card. The co-pay was no different from my old pharmacy to CVS. That gave me the money to start saving at CVS. I looked for products that had ECB's (like rebates). I earned $22 in ECB's for future purchases, spent $ 55 in cash. But it didn't cost me anything because I had my gift cards. I also asked for rainchecks on the items that had good ECB's but were sold out. If I understand how to do this, on my next visit I'll use my ECB's on products that have ECB's. Bottom line, I have a $22 coupon for anything I want to buy at the store. I've also learned that other people must know the secret because some of the best items were not stocked. However, rainchecks are available and they will give you the earned ECB's.

Daniel went with me on my shopping adventure....we bought Cr of Mushroom and Chicken soup for .60 cents a can at Walmart (bought 24 cans of each). Bought 24 cans of green giant vegetables for .50 cents a can. We went to Harris Teeter and bought $45 worth of groceries for $17 - all on stuff we needed. To make this adventure perfect...we went to Quizno's for lunch and used a coupon for a free sandwich. Oh...we also ate our way through all of the samples at Sam's Club. We had such a good time. So...thanks to my Jedi Master who is introducing me to the ways of the force!!!

Baby It's Cold Outside!

The glory of Fall is almost over...makes me just a little sad. I really loved this Fall....it was amazing. From breathtaking Aspens, mountain meadows, salmon spawning, snow in October, Icicles in Virginia City, picture perfect Fall Days...it's hard to let it go! I honestly think that this was the most wonderful Fall season of my life! To end this beautiful season, it snowed a little this morning. I don't want to sound too sappy, but the greatest of Heavenly Father's gifts often come in the majesty of his creations. I'd take the beautiful scenes of nature, the sound of my children's chatter (most of the time), the look on a new mom and dad as they see their baby for the first time, over any material gift. I told you I'm a little sappy today!

Here's a photo of the girls in the snow storm this morning. Lasted about an hour, but fun all the same! I've also posted pictures of Tabb and Daniel visiting Audrey, Chas, Clark, and Gil Granger this week in Richmond.

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