Thanksgiving...

What are you thankful for?

I am thankful for: (in no particular order) (also added by my family now...)

7 healthy children
1 child in heaven who has taught us so much
8 siblings who still love me lol!
our parents, both inlaws
computers that work
food
good health
our church family, past and present
our church leadership
this beautiful Earth God has given us stewardship over
good movies
hot chocolate
the 4 seasons
our country
the men and women who keep our country free
the scriptures
scripture study with my family
home education
living prophets
General Conference
inspired local leaders
friends
more friends
old friends
new friends
email
blogs
pictures, family pictures, and digital cameras
telephones
phone calls
blankets
air conditioning
books
good books
childrens' books
Christmas
Thanksgiving
St. Patrick's Day
Easter
New Year's
my husband's employment
ebay
one on one time with each of my children
Wal-mart
the Ensign
the Friend
the New Era
Winnie the Pooh
"Cars"
Legos
temples
cold cereal
sleep
M&Ms

More to come... we're just getting started here!

Life's a laugh...

I've been accused of not having a sense of humor. What? "You need to laugh more, Tab, don't be so serious." This person apparently doesn't know me at all.

What ISN'T there to laugh about in a house with 9 people living in it? All different ages, tastes, opinions, senses of humor?

Whether it is laughing at the 7 month old's face as he smooshes a pea, or the nearly 12 year old laughing at a pun he'd just understood from mom, we're full of laughter. Or giggles. Or grins. Or all of the above.

We aren't laughing at each other, we laugh together and I think it brings us closer every day. We watch movies together whether it is Pooh (yes there are funny parts for those of us older than 3), Wall-E (yesterday!) or Lord of the Rings.

It isn't crude or inappropriate humor either, though the 3 and 5 year olds get off on potty humor at times. I think that's just the nature of little boys. Ah, to go off in gales of laughter at the word "poop".

And then there's the ringleader. Maybe that's usually Dad, but sometimes it's 10 year old Benjamin.

Maybe you can just tell from this photo...


Now, is this really a family who takes themselves too serious-ly? Even Timothy can't get enough of figuring out his Dad... and Mom... and the car, covered in spiders... so he wasn't looking at the camera.

Try again...


So, we amuse our selves. We also play games together, entertain each other, and read together.

From the Proclamation on the family, given by a modern day Prophet of God, we read "Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities." Not that we don't work hard at the rest, but we are getting this in too, and laughing together often.

Get to know us.

Just for laughs...

Here's Christopher laughing.


7 months old.

Meredith inspired me to share a video, thanks!

Ignore the messy computer desk.

Is this our house?

"... he stubbed his toe on a pile of books, which was hardly surprising. Stacks of books were piled high all over the house- not just arranged in neat rows on bookshelves, the way other people kept them, oh no! The books in Mo and Meggie's house were stacked under tables, on chairs, in the corners of the rooms. There were books in the kitchen and books in the lavatory [bathroom]. Books on the TV set and in the closet small piles of books, tall piles of books, books thick and thin, books old and new. They welcomed Meggie down to breakfast with invitingly opened pages; they kept boredom at bay when the weather was bad. And sometimes you fell over them."

from Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Hmmm.