Five For Fridays...

1. I am truly thankful for my hair straightener. Between it and my great hair gal Marti, they help make a pretty awful situation, bearable!

2. I am thankful for my furnace. Holy Crap it's cold outside. I like cranking that sucker up to 75 degrees to stay toasty warm in my house. Neal appreciates me doing it too :)

3. I am thankful for this Christmas season. For the birth of Jesus Christ and that because of that one event, our lives are constantly blessed and we have the knowledge of eternity.

4. I am thankful for the library. I LOVE reading and I try to take full advantage of my local library.

5. I am thankful for my crock pot. I use that thing at least twice a week. It is so easy and convenient to throw in the ingredients and not touch it again until it's time for dinner!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...In Moab???

We started a tradition of going out of town for a little mini-vacation every year the day after Thanksgiving. We went to Moab this year and while we had a great time, we were surprised to arrive on Friday afternoon and find...SNOW!!! It was honestly FREEZING and we weren't very well prepared for it. But we managed to have fun regardless. Between shopping at the dollar store, eating and swimming in the hot tub, we BARELY had time to squeeze in a few hikes and some other sight-seeing activities... Boe and I left Neal and Gage in the hotel and went on a little hike in Moonflower Canyon. This is where we saw the most snow. It was extra cold because it is always covered in shade.
Here we are taking in the sights of the newly discovered dinosaur tracks. Boe's favorite part!

Fun at the hotel. I swear we could have just stayed in the hotel room the entire time and swam in the hot tub and the kids would have been ecstatic!
I love that we live in a state with such a diverse geography. From the North to the South you find incredible but very unique and different landscapes.
I love this picture. It describes Gage perfectly.

Five For Friday....On Thursday-Happy Thanksgiving!

Since we are going out of town tomorrow morning, I thought I'd post my Five For Fridays today. I also thought it was appropriate with today being Thanksgiving. I hope you all have a safe, happy holiday with your families and loved ones.

1. I am thankful for our dog Zepplin, otherwise known as Zep. We have had him for almost 7 years and he is the most loving and loyal pet. He lets my kids ride him like a horse and I have never heard him snap or even growl at them. There is just something about animals, we humans could learn a lot from them. Love you Zeppy!

2. I am thankful for Neal's family who I get to spend Thanksgiving with today. Out of our 7 married Thanksgivings, this will only be the second time that we have had Thanksgiving dinner with Neal's family. We've had some extenuating circumstances on my side of the family :) and have spent as many holidays there as we could. But now that things have settled down, I am excited to move back to the every other year plan. I love Neal's family for who they are and what they teach me and for the examples that they are to me and my family. There is NEVER a dull moment at the Gatherum's house and my kids love playing with their 12 cousins!
3. I am thankful for my Grandma Fillmore (my mom's mom.) She was one of the most wonderful, beautiful people that I have ever known and her influence is still felt in my life on a daily basis. She is one of the most generous, loving people I know. She would have done anything for her family and I feel that much of my love and appreciation for family, holidays and traditions is from her and her great example. 5. And last today, I am thankful for my house. Can you imagine being homeless these last couple of nights? It has been so bitter cold. I tried to go running a couple of nights and just about froze my tail off. It would be so sad to not have somewhere to go for warmth, shelter and love and I am so grateful for my house. I am truly so blessed. Have a wonderful day. Love, Adrian

Thankful for...

Today I am thankful for my little brother Nathaniel. Most of you probably know his story, but for those of you who do not, I'll just briefly summarize a most incredible little boy and life. Nathaniel was born (unknowingly) with a genetic, terminal illness called Adrenoluekodystrophy (also known as the Lorenzo's Oil Disease) which causes the loss of all voluntary functions of the body. He wasn't diagnosed until he was 7 and 1/2 years old and by the time he was 8 years old, he was a complete vegetable. Nathaniel was a great example of courage, strength and love. He faced these scary realities with the strength of a man at the age of a little boy. He endured pain and suffering for 11 years and was finally freed from his struggles on March 5, 2006. While I am glad that he is at peace and no longer suffers, I miss him terribly. Nathaniel was surrounded by a peaceful, white aura and emanated an incredible Christ-like love. People were drawn to him and he taught many people many things without ever saying a word. Our family gatherings are empty without Nathaniel's presence. It is strange to not see the hospital bed that he slept in for 11 years, or the cot in the family room where he would lay during dinners and other family events. I am grateful and thankful today to be able to call him my brother. I love you Nathaniel.

Thankful for...

Today I am thankful for my three sisters. Karidee is 14 months younger than me, Ashlee is next and Kaylee is the youngest of the four girls. We are all so different but we have so much fun when we all come home and get together. I love each of them for the unique women that they are and I gather strength from them and their many talents.

Karidee and her husband Jeff are in Washington D.C. while Karidee finishes P.A. school at George Washington University. She is smart and funny and honestly one of the most well put- together people I know. She is also very empathetic of others and I know that she is going to do great things for this world and make it a better place. I love you Kar Bear (hahaha!)

Ashlee is currently living in Nashville and working on her music career. She is an amazing singer/songwriter. You can check out her stuff here. She is also an awesome cosmetologist and I miss having her here to do my hair! Ashlee is truly one of the most sincere people that I know. She is a great example to me of genuine kindness. She cares about people and lets them know it. I love you Ash.

Kaylee is serving a mission in Washington state. She is doing an amazing job serving the Lord and teaching others His gospel. She and her companions have had many great successes. Kaylee is a people person and draws others to her, much like our mom. I miss her a ton and can't wait to see her in 6 and 1/2 months!!! Miss and love you Kay-Kay and can't wait for LAKE POWELL '08!

Thankful for...

In the spirit of Thanksgiving and this being Thanksgiving week, I wanted to spotlight one person everyday this week who I am grateful for. People who have not been mentioned on my five for Friday's yet. So, today, Monday, I am thankful for my dad. He is an amazing man and I look up to him so much. He has unshakable faith and he is such a good example of strength and enduring to the end. He is also a little bit quirky which just adds to his charm. He is the most anal retentive person I know, but he is also one of the most successful people I know, not only in his career but in his life. He seems to always do the right thing and tries so hard to make things right by me and my sisters. We've had a rough few years, but I want him to know that I appreciate all of his efforts and that I am very THANKFUL for him. Love you Daddy-O!

Five For Friday...

1. I am thankful for my education. I so did not want to finish college. But thanks to the support and encouragement of Neal and my parents, I did and I am so glad.

2. I am thankful for my mom. I love her so much and even though she is gone, I feel her influence in my life daily. She was the greatest mom who loved her kids more than anything else and would have done anything for us. I can never thank her enough for all that she taught me and sacrificed for me. 3. I am thankful for my kids. They sometimes get a bad rap (from ME!) but they are good kids and they are trying to do the right things and make good decisions. They end up teaching me a lot more then I ever teach them and I love them to pieces.

5. I am thankful for the neighborhood I live in. We were so lucky to have bought a house in such a great place. We immediately felt apart of the community and I love it here. We have the best friends and neighbors and I am so grateful for all the people who influence and teach my kids.

As my Grandma used to say...

If I didn't know better I'd swear that this kid has cotton in his EFFING ears (Granny, of course did not include the "Effing" in her sentiments :) If I have to repeat myself ONE MORE TIME...well, I don't even want to THINK about what might happen. Yep, it's 8:00 in the morning and I can already tell, it's gonna be ONE of THOSE days! Fun for me.

The Real Me...

• The Real Me likes to wear huge over-sized t-shirts and sweats to bed (I know you are all thinking, LUCKY NEAL eh?)
• The Real Me likes to stay in my pj's till 3 p.m. and lounge around doing nothing (note that this doesn't happen very often but believe me, if I could, I'd do it a few times a week at least!)
• When I sit down, The Real Me has to tuck my baby fat-roll into the top of my jeans, yes, that dang roll is still there after 3 long years, and I have just decided that it is probably here to stay so I might as well get to know it and love it.
• The Real Me LOVES FOOD and LOVES to EAT. I am not just talking about the regular human portions that most people enjoy, I am talking that if it were a perfect world, I would EAT, EAT and EAT some more. I love it. I believe it is something I inherited from my mom's side of the family...me and my sisters all have binging tendencies :) love ya sissies
• The Real Me has a MAJOR spending problem. Seriously. I am working on measures to correct this.
• The Real Me still bites my nails, regularly.
• The Real Me has a huge problem with letting my guard down and being vulnerable, even with people I love and trust.
• The Real Me cries at least once a day, still, because I miss my mom :)
• The Real Me has a major OCD problem that I am trying to get on top of. (See spending problem bullet-point!)
• The Real Me yells way too much at my kids and is way too impatient with them.
• The Real Me doesn't wash my face at night, gross I know, and actually I don't wash it in the mornings either except with facial wipes...I do however brush my teeth every morning and night and lots of times in between :)
• The Real Me has conversations with myself ALL the time (i.e. I talk to myself regularly :)

These are all the short-comings I care to share with ya'll for right now...c'mon and play along!

FIVE FOR FRIDAY

This has been a good week, busy, but good. I had a hard time narrowing my list to just 5 things this week:

1. I am so grateful for this beautiful fall weather we have been having. I love that my kids and I can still wear t-shirts and flip-flops and play at the park. I love when we are able to experience the 4 distinct seasons that makes Utah's climate so great.

2. I am grateful for the material luxuries that make my life so easy. I am grateful for my microwave and dishwasher and central vacuum and for my hair straightener. I know that this one is kind of shallow, but I really am thankful for all the technology and knowledge that we have to make our lives easy.

3. I am grateful for my husband. He is such a good man and I love him for all the things he does and is trying to do in his life in order to make our lives better.

4. I am grateful for the wonderful invention of padded bras. Two pregnancies and two kids in 18 months-no need to explain further.

5. I am grateful for my freedom and for all the men and women who give of themselves or who have given of themselves in order for me and my family to enjoy the blessings of liberty and democracy.

That's all for this week. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

The Battle of The BULGE...

So Neal took me to the Ballet last night for a surprise night out. I love the Ballet. The music, the costumes, the graceful lines of the dancers, all of it. We had excellent seats and I was totally consumed by the beauty of it all, except for one bulging problem. Now, I don't mean to be crude or rude or offensive and I have gone to the ballet dozens of times so I should be immune to it, but for some reason last night, I could not get over it. The BULGE. The big, conspicuous BULGE. You ALL know what I am talking about. If I didn't know better, I would think that the tights are SUPPOSED to accentuate it. The dancers tops I swear are CUT to land just above it thus making it all the more noticeable. I really was completely distracted by it. I can't believe that I am admitting this to all of you, but I just wanted to get it out there. Does it make me a dirty, perverted girl? I don't know, I don't think so, I feel that it is something that is not in my control. Something that is just BAM there, following me around the entire performance. Just as I would start to lean back and enjoy, another AMAZING dancer would enter the stage with even TIGHTER tights and I would be back where I started. So, after much deliberation and yes, discussion with Neal, I am still just as puzzled as I was from the start. I don't understand it, don't get it and I really REALLY wish that with all the technology and knowledge that we have today that someone, SOMEWHERE could figure out a way to eliminate this problem. That being said, it was a great night and I loved the performance!

The First Five For Fridays...

Last week in Relief Society, our lesson was on Gratitude. I started thinking of all the things I am grateful for that I take for granted or don't fully appreciate. So, this past week I decided to try to take time every day to list the things I am grateful for. It is easy to let life get us down, sometimes the negative aspects of our lives seem to out-weigh the positives but I know that I am so incredibly blessed and have much to be grateful for. I decided to make a weekly post "Five For Fridays" and post five things that I have been most grateful for that week. So, here is the first "Five For Fridays" post with my top 5 things from this week:

1. I am so grateful for my children's health. Lately it seems that I have been surrounded by so many people who have sick children and babies. I have been incredibly blessed thus far, to have very healthy kids and I couldn't be more thankful for that.

2. I am grateful for my own health. I too have been blessed with very good health and I am so thankful for it. I try very hard to not take it for granted.

3. I am grateful for my testimony. I don't know where I'd be without it.

4. I am grateful for my family. This group is comprised of my own parents, sisters and brother, Neal's family and the family that Neal and I have made together. I gain so much by my associations with all of you and I am grateful for the support and love you all give to me.

5. I am grateful for my friends. Some of you have been around for longer than half of my life and others I have picked up somewhere along the way, but either way I am blessed to have wonderful friends who give me love and support.

Well, that is my list for this week. Feel free to join in and play along...

Happy Halloween!

We hope you all had a terrific Halloween. I thought I'd post some picutes of our fun night. Hope you enjoy!
The boys love to play with Grandpa Kent. I really appreciate how he riles them up just in time for me to start getting them ready for bed :)

Boe practicing up on his "computer geek" skills!
We were visited by Larry the Cable Guy and a Computer Geek...Fun times!

Gage, Boe or (Spiderman and Leonardo) and the Wilson Family; James, Kiera and Abbie...
Gage, Boe, James, Alli and Tressa some of our fun neighbors from the circle...
This is our neighbor Scott. He is honestly hilarious as you can tell from his ingenious Halloween costume. My kids LOVE him...

My dad, Kim, my sister Ashlee (here visiting from Nashville) and her boyfriend Johnny...

Ever since I can remember, my mom made chilli for dinner on Halloween night-that is one tradition that I am glad to keep. I love chilli, here are my kids trying to concentrate on eating. They are brushing up on their witch cackling skills...
What a little ham...always up for posing for the camera!

Well, so long to October, November, here we come!