So Much To Be Thankful For!

We had a great Thanksgiving dinner at my Aunt Janae's house. It was really fun to see everyone from my dads side of the family! We hope that all of you had a Great Thanksgiving too! I love Thanksgiving - it is so fun to be with the people we love and have delicious food! It makes me happy to think about all of the blessings that I have. I start counting my blessings and I think: "Wow - I am really blessed!" I have really enjoyed reading everyone's "Thankful lists," so I wanted to do one as well! These aren't in any particular order. :)
1. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 2. My Family - they are The BEST! 3. Good books 4. Good food 5. The opportunity to be a mom 6. Things that are beautiful - such as sunsets, mountains, the sky full of clouds, etc. 7. Good music 8. Sleeping in 9. laughter
10. Writing 11. new beginnings - like a new day,week, month, or year. I'm grateful for chances to "start over" and try to be better than I have been 12. Love 13. Being able to say "i'm sorry." 14. Adventures - even if they are simple ones! 15. Being able to have served a mission 16. good friends 17. the Temple 18. Rain and thunderstorms 19. good health 20. freedom :)

It is really fun to think of how many things I have to be grateful for! I think I could keep going with this list - but I have to go put my sweet little boy to bed.

A Rough Week!

I have enjoyed recording Scooter's "firsts" since he was born! You know - his first time rolling over, sitting up, eating cheerios, etc. But "first concussion" is NOT something I was excited to record. The middle of last week he fell and hit the front of his head really hard on the wall. He is a pretty tough little kid and so when he cries you know that he's really hurt. We hugged him and helped him feel better, and he seemed ok in a few minutes. But, later that night he started throwing up. Poor kiddo! We felt so bad for him. He threw up several times in the night, and Ry wondered if it could be from hitting his head. We called Lins the next morning and she got us in to see the Dr. she works for. He had to have a CT scan - and he did have a concussion. Fortunately there wasn't any bleeding or anything, and he was acting like he felt ok, thank goodness! Then, two nights ago he had a really hard time sleeping. He woke up and couldn't fall back asleep until around 3. We took him to the Dr. yesterday, and he has an ear infection in both ears!! I feel so bad for my little Scooter! He got an antibiotic and so that should start helping pretty quickly! It has been a rough week - but it has really helped me feel grateful that he is usually such a healthy little kid. I think we've only ever had to take him to the doctor for being sick twice before this, so that is definitely something to be grateful for! :)

Time To Catch Up!

These past few weeks have been pretty busy! Busy in a good way, though! Ryan's parents were here visiting & we had a fun time visiting with them. We went to the zoo with Ryan's mom, his sister Katelynn, Lins, Glendon, Mauri and Aubrey. That was a very fun way to start out our Halloween day! Derek had so much fun running all around the zoo and looking at all the animals. It was a perfect zoo day, too. It was cool but not cold - and it felt good to be outside! (In April when we went to the zoo it snowed on us!) It was not terribly busy and the animals were pretty active! Later that nigth we had sloppy joes at my moms (that's one of our traditions!) and then we went trick or treating! I love Halloween! It was a blast to dress up and go trick or treating! We went in a bunch - Me, Ry, Lins, Glendon, Aubs, Ry's mom & dad for most of the time, & Mar & Derek. One person we passed laughingly commented on how we had 7 adults to take 2 kids trick or treating! hee hee. What can I say? Who wants to miss out on that Halloween fun, right? And what fun it was! I've always enjoyed - no loved! - Halloween, but its been several years since I've been trick or treating. It was fun & brought back good memories to take the kiddos trick or treating. Mauri was a very considerate cousin and would ask for a treat for Derek if he wasn't at the door by the time she got there, (she'd say: "I need one for my Derek!" how cute!). I was so happy that everyone dressed up too! (there's a picture of that further down!).
We've also been busy planning a surprise party for my mom for her 50th b-day! Ryan made her a video with pictures from the time she was a baby until now! It turned out Perfect!! I got to scan in the pictures that weren't digital, and I'm really thankful I had that job! It was so fun to look at all of those pictures! I loved seeing pictures of my mom when she was little, and fun family pictures of all of us. I really have the greatest family! My moms b-day was on the 7th and she was surprised that we planned a party for her! I love my mom so much, and I don't think a day goes by that I don't feel grateful for everything she & my dad have done for us and all of the lessons they have taught me!

Here is Scooter at the zoo! Scooter & Grandma Miyake at the zoo!

Mauri & Derek

Oh! What a cute family!

Me & Scooter by the Elephants!
What a bunch of characters! Scooter was batman, Ryan was Mr. Clean, I was a witch, Aubrey was Edward Scissorhands (it was uncanny how much she looked like him!), Lins was Slash (when she told me who she was going to be I said: "Oh! Slash from guitar hero!...... Um, I mean from Guns 'n' Roses!" tee hee!), Glendon was an army man & Mauri was a witch!

Mauri & Derek at our ward "Fall Festival."

Mommy & Scooter at the ward party.

The fishing booth with Daddy at the ward party!