End of November

The end of November came and went, but I was to busy hanging out with my family to get on and blog. I would move from the everyday thankfuls and go back to blogging sporadically, but the perfectionist in me won't let me stop without finishing the month. So here are the last few days of November thankfuls.

Wednesday-I was very thankful to have a bed to sleep in Wednesday night. The day before Thanksgiving meant that my parents house was littered with mattresses all over floor. People were crammed in every corner but I was one of the lucky ones who got a private room and a real bed. Definite benefits come from being married and the oldest.

Thursday-I'm thankful for the holiday that is Thanksgiving, it's a pretty big deal in my family. The whole weekend is spent with friends from Colorado. The tradition has been going on for the last 12 years I believe. Our time is spent eating, watching football, playing games and catching up on the last year everyone has had. It's an awesome weekend and I always look forward to it.

Friday- Heidi Pitchforth, one of the previously mentioned friends, taught me how to cut Carver's hair over the weekend. I want to be self-sufficient and frugal, but I don't want people to see my husband and say "Wow, his wife must cut his hair". I'm thankful for this new skill that she taught me and I will be trying it out soon. Fingers crossed.

Saturday-My mom sent me home with a Christmas Tree! It only stands about three feet high, but it makes our apartment feel like Christmas. Now that Thanksgiving is over it's a great way to lead into the holiday spirit.

Was blind but now I see

Friday-I really appreciate clients who give tips after a massage. For some reason tips don't happen very often at the chiropractor, probably the only thing I miss from working at the spa. So it's really nice when somebody actually leaves you something. It's a little boost; a "Hey you did a good job" and I like that.

Saturday-Have I mentioned my heater yet? Well I have one and it's wonderful. Things are starting to cool down quickly and it's nice to come home and find it all toasty inside. I get cold pretty easily so I really appreciate the warmth that is readily available.

Sunday- Sometimes I struggle to have really meaningful scripture study, but nonetheless I am very grateful for the scriptures. When I am able to actually think about what I am reading I find really interesting insights. The scriptures help me to gain perspective in my own life and help to see where I need to improve. I don't always have an understanding of what I am reading, but it still draws me close to the spirit.

Monday-My new glasses came in the mail. They look pretty nice sitting in the case, but I am not a big fan of them sitting on my face. (That wasn't meant to rhyme but as a happy accident it did and I don't feel like changing it.) Still, I would be lying if I said I wasn't really grateful to actually be seeing things. It's a little embarrassing to put them on an see what I have been missing. Hopefully I can embrace the four-eyed world and not avoid the mirror when they are on.

Tuesday- I am so grateful to have a washer and dryer sitting in my apartment. Yep, as I write this they are just a few feet from me whirling and swirling our clothes around. Due to my job I spend a lot of time doing laundry, almost every night. It would be a tragedy to spend my evenings at the laundry mat while the rest of the world goes on living. I am truly thankful for these marvels. At times they may sound like a rocket launching into orbit, (sorry to my downstairs neighbors) but they make life much much easier!

Pizza Pizza

I've decided that blogging one day after another is hard, so as long as I keep up on my thankfuls I'm calling it good.

Monday-My friend Elizabeth and I went to see Austen Land at the good ol' $3 theater. Sometimes you just need a good chick flick. It was cheesy, sappy and funny- a winning combination for two friends enjoying a girlie night.

Tuesday-Carver and I had a belated six month anniversary dinner. On the 18th we hit our 6 month mark of wedded bliss. I am grateful to be married, and that after 6 months we still like being around one another. Carver said that our trial run is over and things have been good enough that he's considering sticking around for a bit longer. Here's to hoping.

Wednesday- I love pizza. We had it for dinner tonight, but I am using it for Wednesday's thankful anyways. Some people may find it a little sad that so many of the things I am thankful for revolve around food. But that's ok, it doesn't change the fact that I really like pizza.Tonight we made a steak pizza with grilled peppers and onions and a garlic cream sauce. YUM!

Tonight- I am really grateful that whipping cream can be substituted for heavy cream. As part of our pizza experiment this evening we needed heavy cream. As I commonly do, I assumed I knew what I was doing and grabbed the wrong ingredient from the store. This seems to happen to me a lot. Then I end up having to turn everything off and run to the store, hoping that things aren't ruined in the process. But thanks to Google I was able to make the switch and it turned out great.

2 for 1

Here is another 2 for 1

Saturday-I am really grateful for snow that does not stick to the roads. I don't feel ready to accept the stormy weather that will soon be settling in on Utah Valley. It's easier to handle when the snow  melts on contact.

Today we had family dinner and Carver and I made delicious mint oreo truffles and peanut butter truffles. It was actually really fun making them together. I love treats, I'm trying to get better at having moderation, but it still really nice to have them once in a while. They make me happy.

If I were a rich girl

Today was payday! It comes twice a month and makes me feel like a rich woman. That feeling only lasts for about a day or two, but it's great. If only the money could stay with me forever.

Happy Birthday Sister!

Hey I only got behind by one day this time, go me.

Wednesday-Happy Birthday to my sister Becca! She turned 24 yesterday. I love my sister, I love her because we are family and you always love your family. But I also like my sister. That may sound like a strange comment to some, but to me it's a pretty big deal since we weren't always very fond of one another. I like her because she knows what it was like to grow up in our big crazy family. She understands and shares my love of food and cooking, she knows the frustration of dealing with a husband who is ignorant in all things Harry Potter and best of all she will be giving our family the first grandchild in April! I'm grateful to have a sister and a good friend.

Today I am really grateful for lotion. It sounds like a really trivial thing, but with the dry weather and multiple massages a week my hands are starting to look like sandpaper. Right now the lotion bottle is my best friend and I am glad it could be there for me.

I didn't forget!

Staying on top of my thankful posts is much harder than it was last time I did this. Once again here is a catch up.

Saturday-I am thankful for Becky, my little Nissan that continues to putter along. She is almost 14 years old and like any teenager she has her temperamental days, she has a sketchy complexion and she is constantly demanding money from me. But I love her still, she keeps me from having to ride the bus and that makes me very grateful.

Sunday-I got to see my family this weekend! I love them, they are definitely keepers. It was quieter than usual now that there are only three kids left at home. But it's still nice to just come home and be with your favorite people, I can't think of a better way to spend the weekend.

Monday-I am so grateful for my water pillow. Any time I am away from home I have to use a different pillow and I am reminded of how perfectly mine forms to my neck and cradles my head. Water pillows are the best, you should go get one!

Tuesday- Today I am feeling very very thankful for food. I enjoy eating it, making it, reading books and watching shows about it. Lately my pants tell me that I have an overabundance of food in my life, this makes me sad, but I am so grateful to never have to worry about where my next meal will come from. I've never really had to go hungry and that is a huge blessing.

Thank goodness it's Friday

TGIF-As a kid this was the coolest phrase ever. It meant school was done for the week and we had a two day hiatus from the classroom.  It also meant we got to spend the evening with a great TV line up- Full House, Step by Step, Family Matters, Boy Meets World-they just made good shows back then. If we had been good that week ice cream might also be included in the festivities. These days the awesome shows are gone and my ice cream consumption is no longer dependent upon my behavior, but I still love Fridays. It marks the beginning of the weekend and the end of a long week. I’m glad we get to have a Friday every week. Thank goodness for such an important mile marker.

George Banks is saying NO!

I'm grateful to have a roommate that will take care of me when I'm sick. My body had a bit of a rebellion after work today. Nothing serious, but I didn't feel like doing much beyond laying on the couch and watching tv. Carver let me be lazy and sleep, made me grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner, and then watched Father of the Bride with me. He did a good job with the whole "in sickness and in health" thing tonight. I've spent so many years just looking after myself, it was nice to have someone else take care of me for a change.

Three up three down

We have gotten home pretty late the last few nights. As soon as my head hits the pillow I remember that I was supposed to write a thankful blog for the day. So here are a few things I thought about over the past few days that give me reason to be thankful.

Monday-I'm really grateful that it's lighter in the mornings now. These past few weeks have been difficult, even if I was in bed by 11 p.m. I still woke up feeling exhausted. I blame it on the fact that it was so stinking dark outside, my brain was just confused. Thank goodness the sun has decided to rise a little earlier, at least for a while.

Tuesday-I love that I only have to work half days on Tuesday. It gives me time to actually get stuff done. It sounds strange, but I don't feel very productive when I have to work all day along. It's nice to have a few hours in the afternoon (before it's dark again) to check stuff off my to-do list. It just makes me feel better.

Today-I am constantly amazed at how far technology has come. I'm thankful for modern conveniences, specifically Skype today. I don't know how it works, but we were able to talk to have three separate groups of people talking at the same time on one computer screen. Who comes up with these things? We can instantly connect and talk to people who are far from us. It's amazing to be able to use such technology.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZ

I am so grateful for sleeping in. I have never been much of a morning person, luckily my current roommate is a very kind and patient person. I've always loved staying in bed as long as possible and it used to happen a lot more often than it does these days. I guess that whole being an adult thing finally caught up to me and I now find myself rolling out of bed early with the rest of the working world. Sleeping in has become something precious and I enjoy every minute of it. I'm thankful for those special mornings and look forward to having another in a few weeks.

Red, Yellow, and Gold

I am really thankful for fall weather. Not the cold,wet, windy, I can't believe winter is already here type of fall weather that can be so prevalent in Utah this time of year. The clear blue sky, warm in the sun, leaves crunching under your feet type of fall weather. Today was one of those beautiful days. We spent time at the park, played catch, spent hours in the backyard and even went for a light walk. The cold oppression of winter will be here in no time and it was nice to have such a pleasant day. I hope we can enjoy a few more before things really start to change.

Don't look down!

Carver and I rode the haunted ski lift at Sundance for our Halloween date. You get to climb up the mountain accompanied by scary music, hanging ghosts, strobe lights, witches and host of other creepy characters. It's a pretty fun ride, plus you get to enjoy the beauty of the mountains by moonlight. Carver however is not the biggest fan of heights. He wasn't cowering in his seat, but I know that being far removed from the ground is not one of his favorite places to be. I'm really grateful for Carver and his willingness to do things I like even if it means dangling high off the ground. What a guy.

Catch-up time

My attempts at being grateful and making note of my blessings has been pretty pathetic lately, so I am implementing a mandatory once a day blog for the month of November. It's a good time to get back on track and get into the season of thanks. But November starts tomorrow, so here is an update on what we've been up to lately. We have quite a bit to be thankful for.

In August Carver and I were able to go to Colorado and spend time with friends. I grew up in Thornton which is just north of Denver. I loved growing up in Colorado! We went to Elitches theme park, the Denver Zoo, the Museum of Nature and Science and we spent time with the Pitchforths who are pretty much the best people ever. I even talked Carver into taking a tour with me down memory lane. He was enthralled as  we visited my old house, the park I played at, the schools I attended-elementary through high school, and many other fascinating places that made up my childhood experience.

This is the house I grew up in! Not much has changed since we left.

Carver taking on the wolves at the museum.

At the museum of Nature and Science they had a program that would project how you would look at the age of 70. We ended up looking very similar to one another which is scary. I have to say that I am sooooo grateful I don't actually look like this. It's a good motivator to take care of myself in the future.

My BFF Elizabeth came into town on the only weekend I happened to be gone! It was a bummer. But when I came home I found a surprise at our door.We have known each other for 10 years now and this was to celebrate tinfinity! Some friends are just wonderful.

I convinced Carver to take me up the Alpine Loop one Sunday afternoon. It was a beautiful day and the leaves were just starting to change. Unfortunately everyone else in Utah County had the same idea. It was packed! We had to pass on a few scenic outlooks because everyone else who stopped created a traffic jam. But I was able to get Carver to pull over for one quick picture of us, the rest were taken from the car. I love autumn time!

Just last night we went with a group of friends to see the JAZZ play against the Oklahoma City Thunder. I'm not a huge fan of either team, but it's always fun to hit up the sporting events. The girls behind us were really entertaining and we got to fill up on Papa Johns pizza, always an enjoyable meal.

Just writing this update reminds me of how blessed I am. I'm excited to spend the next month looking for things that I am grateful for in my life. Happy Halloween!

Lucky Girl

I’m not one to publicly brag and tell everyone how great my husband is; normally I prefer to keep those things to myself. But today I just couldn't help it, so if those type of blogs turn you off you may want to skip this particular post.

I am so grateful that I married such an awesome guy. Wednesday night I came home tired, it’s one of my longer days so I usually drag myself home a little slower than normal. The door was locked when I got home, often this is a sign that Carver is sitting around in his underwear. Imagine my surprise when he opened the door not only dressed, but in a nice shirt and slacks. He took me into the kitchen where I found this waiting for me…….

Spaghetti with homemade sauce, a rose, candlelight and Frank Sinatra singing in the background. It was quite the surprise and very much appreciated. After dinner I found our new food processor sitting underneath the table. What more could a girl ask for? The icing on the cake was not having to clean up afterwards. Carver pushed me right out of the kitchen while he scrubbed away. I don’t know what I did to deserve such a catch, but I’m sure glad he’s mine.

We are family

Carver and I spent Labor Day weekend with a healthy dose of driving. We headed up to Lewiston, Idaho so I could meet some of the family members that weren't able to come to the wedding, and so I could catch a glimpse of the town my husband grew up in.

When I first met Carver I made the mistake of telling him that Idaho was basically an extension of Utah and that it all pretty much looked the same. He kindly but firmly explained that anyone who really felt that way had obviously never been to northern Idaho. I can honestly say now that I agree with him. I'm really sad that I didn't get any pictures because it was beautiful. Even with the end of summer tint that starts to turn everything brown, it was still very pretty scenery.

It felt like we spent most of the weekend driving, because that's what we did, but the stop in between were really enjoyable. I got to meet Grandma and Grandpa Papworth, Carver's aunts Lorna and Kristi, uncle Bill and his wife Cindy, we were able to see Grandma Stellmon again and a host of family friends who had nothing but good things to say about my new hubby and the family I married into. I am really grateful we were able to make this trip and I could meet more of my new family. It's nice to see where people come from and how their environment and the people in their lives can shape who they are.

Mirror Mirror on the wall

I really like nature and spending time outdoors; partly because I enjoy the beauty of God’s creations, and partly because it reminds me to be grateful for all my modern day conveniences. I always enjoy a good camping trip, but I also come back with a renewed appreciation for hot showers, a soft bed, no bugs, and a flushing toilet free from onlookers.

This weekend Carver and I decided to branch out from our usual campsites and headed up to Mirror Lake. I went camping there with some friends a few years ago and remember thinking it was a beautiful place. It seemed like the perfect time to check it out once again.

Sadly we aren't able to leave whenever we want since we are keen on keeping our jobs. This meant that we didn't reach Mirror Lake until around 9 p.m. Friday night. I married an Idaho boy which means that he feels it is fundamentally wrong to pay for camping.  This also means that we have fight and scavenge with all the other campers who strongly feel this way. We ended up on about 10 square feet in a small meadow surrounded by tons of  other weekend campers. Carver dubbed it the gypsy camp and it is where we spent our evening.

I am grateful that I married an outdoor manly man. It makes the camping experience much more enjoyable. After setting up camp Carver treated me to a dinner of steak with grilled onions and peppers cooked in his awesome new cast iron skillets. It was much better than the dessert I was in charge of. Both rounds of my Pintrest smores experiment ended up looking like torched waffles cones, which is basically what they were.

Carver warming up the pans for breakfast

 The rest of the evening was really peaceful and enjoyable, minus the sound of all our neighboring campers having their own peaceful and enjoyable time. That evening we climbed into the tent and were able to use our awesome new sleeping bags. I have spent the last few years firmly believing that being freezing cold while you sleep was just a part of camping. My friends usually make fun as me because even in July I am dressed for a trip to the arctic; yoga pants, sweats, at least two or three shirts, wool socks, maybe a beanie, a few blankets piled here and there, and then  if it seems really chilly I bust out my denim quilt. Even then I still spend most of the night shivering. With these new bags I was so warm and toasty that I had to remove layers! I didn't have to feel like the marshmallow man all large and puffy. I am so thankful for good sleeping bags.

Our new tent and SUPER warm sleeping bags

A scenic lookout on the way to Mirror Lake, behind me is our gypsy camp

The next morning we drove the last few miles to Mirror Lake and enjoyed the view for a while. On the way back we also stopped at Provo Falls which I didn't even know existed. 

Provo Falls

 It was nice to see the great outdoors and visit some new sights in Utah. I’m thankful for this area that I live in and for the ability to take off and enjoy them at this time in my life.

Giddy up little doggies

So I married a wannabe cowboy. Carver really should have been born a few hundred years ago; he was made for the Wild West. He loves guns, horses, John Wayne and anything else related to cowboys really. When we first started dating I let it slip that I had never actually seen a movie starring The Duke. He was shocked and appalled, our relationship almost ended right there. Luckily Carver took pity on me and instead of breaking up he instituted John Wayne Appreciation Evening, or as we now call it, Cowboy Night. Last Friday night we honored John Wayne once again with a rootin’ tootin’ good time.

Cowboy Night has three important elements. Part one is the food which consists of your basic cowboy grub; chili, bbq chicken, potato salad, etc. 

On this particular night Carver made an awesome cowboy pizza complete with a homemade tomato/bbq hybrid sauce. The pizza itself was delicious but the fact that I came home and didn't have to do anything made it excellent. 

Cowboy pizza and a frosty mug of root beer, what more do you need?

The second aspect of cowboy night is the activity. We busted out the cards and played a few rounds of Go Fish and Egyptian Rat Killer. Carver killed me at both games, so like anyone else in my family I decided I didn't want to play anymore and that we should move on to the crowning event of the evening......the John Wayne movie. Carver has selected each Cowboy Night movie with great care, only showing the films he felt I was prepared to see. Well I must have done something right because we got to watch the ultimate cowboy flick, what some would consider THE John Wayne movie-True Grit.

                                                     

                                                   

It was a pretty entertaining movie, one of my favorites so far. It was an excellent ending to another Cowboy Night. Carver on the other hand was still in the western spirit and proceeded to watch The Shadow Riders on Netflix. Who knew Tom Selleck was a cowboy? All in all it was a successful event and I'm really grateful that we can have fun evenings like this. They are inexpensive and a wonderful way to make good memories.

Auntie Erica

My new niece Claire got baptized last weekend. We spent most of our time Saturday hanging out with family and I realized that I really like being an aunt. My family is really new to the whole getting married and starting a family routine, so when I married Carver I went from zero to 8.5 in the niece and nephew department. So far I have loved being an aunt. It helps that my new nieces and nephews are some of the cutest kids ever, I love them already.  I don’t think they are so sure about me though. Some days all I can get is a shy smile before they run out of the room. But then there are days like Saturday where they warm up quite a bit and I get to hear “Aunt Erica come play with me!”  It’s a pretty awesome feeling because unlike my younger siblings, these guys don’t have to like me. I’m excited to watch these kids grow up and to meet the other ones who come along. Between Carver’s family and mine who knows how many we’ll end up with!

Welcome back

I decided to start blogging again. A year and a half ago I made it a goal to blog about something I was grateful for every day for an entire year. It got a little tiring towards the end, but constantly thinking about the blessings in my life made me a much happier person overall. Recent events have reminded me that I need to have that thankful attitude once again. Being on the lookout for things that I am thankful for helps me see how blessed I am and makes life challenges easier to deal with. Plus, entering this new phase of my life introduces many new things that I can be thankful for. This time I am waiving the required one post a day, but I would like to try and find a few things each week that I can be grateful for.

So, starting off with this new blog, I am very very grateful for Savings Accounts. This sounds obvious but they really do save you. Last week we had to fork out quite a bit of money for car repairs. In a few short days Carver and I saw a big chunk of our savings leave us and take up residence with the annoying Pep Boys down the street. No offence to those in the auto world, but I hate car repairs and everything that goes along with it. I don’t understand what they are doing and feel like all I can do is helplessly sit by while they take all my money.

 But back to being thankful, I am so glad we had money in our savings account to cover the cost. It’s not what I imagined spending that money on, but I was glad to have it available. I am so grateful to all the friends and family who helped contribute to that account over the last few months. We were blessed with a lot of generous gifts for our wedding and it definitely helped to cover the cost. It feels really nice to have the resources to pay for unexpected expenses. I’m glad that we have made it a priority to save money and  hope that we can continue to be blessed in this area.