Journal Jar

What was your best Thanksgiving like? Where were you? What did you do?

I love Thanksgiving because the food is always so good. I don't have a favorite Thanksgiving but I, like my sisters, love the Sock Sales. There is nothing like checking the adds over and over and over again, making a plan, and then getting up way before the sun rises to get the early deals. Honestly, Jacob doesn't understand but he should because he's a hunter and he get up even earlier to go sit outside and freeze his bum off. Plus, I feel justified in making him go (until my sisters move closer and we can all go together) because I go hunting with him. Anyway, back to Thanksgiving, I love spending time with the family, eating food, and sitting around watching movies and playing games all day. I CAN'T WAIT FOR TURKEY DAY!

Happy 1st Birthday!

I'm one today!

I See You

My Perfect Day

I had a day a few years ago that was almost perfect. My father-in-law, Dwaine, had asked us to help get some stuff out of a shed on the property. He said it would take all day because there were several feet of snow and we would need to snow shoe to the shed, dig out the the entrance and then pull the needed items back on sleds. Sounds like fun (NOT)! We rounded up the needed equipment (snow shoes, sleds, and shovels) and headed to the property. When we got their we were able to quickly snowshoe to the shed and get the stuff. Because we were so quick we were able to play around with the snowshoes, climb to the top of the pavilion and ride down on an avalanche of snow, and ride sleds all the way down the mountain. IT WAS AMAZING! It also happened to be Valentine's Day. That was a real day that was almost perfect. The next of course would be the day Ellie was born. Even with all the pain that day was amazing. Jacob and I got to sit around and watch movies and wait for our little girl to come. Then, when we did get to hold her it was beyond description.

If I could somehow create my perfect day it would start with my family waking up in a log cabin to to a crackling fire and delicious breakfast. We would sit together (in our footsie pajamas) eating our breakfast and watching a good movie. We would look outside and see the snow falling. Flakes would hit the window and they would be those perfect snowflakes where you can see the amazing uniqueness of each flake. We would then get bundled up and go for a snowmobile ride (maybe in Yellowstone). After our ride, we would get back into our pajamas and have hot chocolate and donuts. We would use candy canes to stir our hot chocolate and we could have more than one donut if we wanted. We would sit around and play games and make blanket forts and tell jokes. Then we go sit in the hot tub and the soft snowflakes would keep falling on us but we would still be able to see the stars. Finally, we'd have a nice dinner, read bedtime stories and go to sleep in beds with thick down comforters. Ahhh...yes...perfection!

Leaf Blankets

Irene B. Crofoot

Leaves are falling, soft as snowflakes,
Red and yellow, gold and brown;
The breeze laughs gaily in the treetops,
Shaking all the color down.

Leaves are covering the gardens
As my blanket covers me.
When cold winter comes, the flowers
Will be warm as warm can be.

Feeding the Ducks...and Ellie

Yesterday, Grandma and Grandpa took Ellie to feed the ducks in Liberty park. At first, Ellie just wanted to eat all of the bread. Towards the end she understood that she needed to drop the bread for the ducks. It was a fun afternoon! Plus, that night we got to go to dinner with Grandma, Grandpa, Grandma Grandma, and Grandpa Grandpa (Thanks Alyssa for those cute names!).

Halloween Pictures

Sorry they are late! Ellie was a duck for trick-or-treating and a cheerleader for the ward party. (And, yes, I did cut my hair.) My nephew, Samuel, was an awesome pirate. My other nephew, Xavier, was a dinosaur and my niece was a lamb. We had a lot of fun trick-or-treating. Although, I can already tell that Ellie is going to need extensive training in trick-or-treat longevity.

Journal Jar

What is on my Bucket List?

Like everyone else, I have a lot of things that I want to do. I think it's so fun to think about. Here we go...

• Teach my children to love and be loved.
• Have a TOTALLY AWESOME playroom for my kids.
• Have a TOTALLY AWESOME Man room for Jacob.
• Buy Jacob a Harley Davidson trike and tour the US.
• Write and illustrate a book (I've started two but neither are going well).
• Be in a movie.
• Go rock climbing (really climbing, not just a rock climbing wall).
• Become a photographer.
• Win the lottery (I keep trying!)
• Start a business with my sisters (and sisters-in-law if they would like).
• Have a treehouse inside my house with a rope bridge.
• Travel (Alaska, Hawaii, Australia, Brazil, England, Spain, South Africa, China and Guatemala again!)
• Get one of my inventions mass produced (I would tell you what they are but the last time I did this someone, years later, really did sell the idea. Do you remember the vacuum broom, Mom?)
• Be on Saturday Night Live
• Visit all of the temples
• Have a home where my kids and their friends feel at home and where they want to stay and hang out.
  

Please Help

My niece, who lives in Texas, is in a kissable baby contest. The winner gets $5000. If my niece wins she, and her parents, will be here for Christmas. Voting ends Thursday. If you can, will you please vote for her. Here is the link

http://www.1061kissfm.com/pages/contests/baby/

Her name is Himaya Grace Hunsaker!

If it would be easier I will vote for you and then you just need to go to your email and complete the vote by clicking on the provided link. Let me know if I can do this for you. I would appreciate your help.
THANKS A Million!
-Liz