Much Obliged

• good friends
• chocolate milk
• Australian accents
• reunions
• fasting
• email

• Mike's willingness to iron
• children's laughter
• Carol Hatch and how she always speaks kindly of people
• history
• water

• homemade bread
• iPods
• people who extinguish gossip

• our church buildings
• self discipline
• courage
• Jesus Christ (and lighthouses. and that He is one for me)

KKS

Granted & Grateful

San Diego Temple - October 2010

• the Holy Ghost
• milk
• flushing toilets (There's been a whole lot of pooping going on here today)
• Mike's moonlighting job (because we need an extra $3500.00 in the next three weeks)
• clean clothes
• salad
• Liam did less screaming today (I think he finally got enough sleep last night)
• magnets
• sleep
• Harrison's beautiful eyes
• electricity
• San Diego (we had so much fun)
• people who care about my kids
• homeschooling (that it's legal)
• The Book of Mormon
• apples
• my Dad's recovery
• kindness
• my community
• the Temple

KKS

Secret

This tree is at SeaWorld in San Diego. I would love it if someone could tell me the name of it.

I don't know how much longer I can stand it. I have some very exciting news to share. There are some pretty big changes happening around here. The Lord has been working a miracle over the past few weeks and I can't wait to share it, blog about it and express my excitement. But I have to wait a little while longer.

Soon.......

KKS

Recovery Continues Elsewhere

He's out, done, released, fini, turned loose, discharged, dispensed, unshackled, vented, extricated, exculpated, unchained, bailed out, cleared, unfastened, absolved, delivered, unfettered, unbound, casted loose. Liberated! And he didn't even do it A.M.A!! (against medical advice)

He had open heart surgery on Tuesday, was ready to go home yesterday and was released today. And prayer works.

But he says, "Now I really need your prayers, I have to live with somebody and be taken care of. Now the hard part begins."

That's my Dad: Mr. Independent. I told him to eat some humble pie and let Janice take good care of him.

We are thrilled with his progress, but not at all surprised.

We love you, Dad!!! You're a champ.

KKS

Beholden

One of my most favorite parts about California was how different the plants are from anything we have here in Maine.

• Prayer
• Apple crisp
• nature
• the ability to communicate
• A husband who can cook
• naps
• erasers (and repentance)
• A funny Liam
• Ed Helper
• rain (rain in fall makes the forest smell so good)
• our local ski mountain and their great deals
• Cold Play
• stability
• The Library of Congress
• hard wood floors
• my baby's dimpled hands
• Lundi's compassionate heart
• the Priesthood
• the internet
• the different plants that grow in California
• my camera
• the sun
• a deep freezer full of berries (that we either grew and/or picked ourselves)
• my family

KKS

Eleven/Three/Two Thousand and Ten

A Blessed Day!

I am thankful for....

• A great day of learning
• Great Cub Scout leaders
• socks
• hot cocoa
• paper towels
• a library within walking distance
• a stapler that works (I finally fixed it)
• Caleb's wit
• the telephone
• modern medicine
• my Daddy (who had heart surgery yesterday and is recovering like the champ that he is)
• Janice
• a safe neighborhood
• long, uninterrupted showers (so rare)
• bloggers who inspire me
• kids who still fit on my lap
• a big washer and dryer (because I got a weeks worth of laundry done in three loads)
• the crisp Fall air
• Audrey's curls
• The Lower Lights
• My iPhone
• Laurette's 150(+) year old pot (because it makes the best soup)
• good books

KKS

le 2 novembre

Je suis reconnaissant pour:

• la langue française
• connaissances
• couches
• rires
• mes sœurs qui sont fiables
• mon droit de vote
• Liberté
• Mon travail maris.
• Temps
• le feu
• la musique
• des oreilles pour entendre
• lotion

KKS

A Whole Month of Thankfulness

November 1

• Fire in the woodstove.
• "Christmas Milk" (aka, Eggnog)
• Liam's giggle
• Maple trees
• Aunt Kathy's lentil soup (which we are still eating today. It has become a favorite recipe.)
• Our beautiful home
• The Holy Ghost
• Miracles happening in our (extended) family
• A good visiting teacher
• A forgiving husband
• Two reliable vehicles
• Sisters
• Good health

KKS

What Do You Do?

When Halloween falls on the Sabbath?

First, you go to church.

Then you come home and have a scary lunch.

Next, you watch The Adams Family on Netflix, all day long.

And if you are lucky enough to be in our family, the Papa will build a good fire on the wood stove (turned fireplace when the door comes off and the screen goes on), the mom will boil hot water for hot cocoa (or tea) and the lights will go out, candles will be lit and Papa will read Edgar Allan Poe until dinner is ready.

Perfect

(well, almost)

Because well planned events like this seldom go as planned. So of course we had at least one cup of spilled hot cocoa, at least one toddler who wanted to wrastle and play and squeal, more than one frightened girl who wanted to ask "Is this real?"and several kids who wanted to blow out the candles.

Like I said.....

Perfect (for us).

KKS

Halloween

I hate it. No, I mean- I really hate it.

I hate shopping for costumes, which is almost always put off until the very last minute.

I hate the candy.

I hate the trick-or-treating.

I hate the make-up and the hair color.

So this year I told the kids: I am not spending any money on costumes this year. I think we have enough dress-ups around the house for everyone to find a great costume.

And so they did. It was so much better. The kids had a lot of fun creating their costumes and nobody complained.

Best. Halloween. Ever.

Why didn't I think of this before?

KKS