Thankful for neighbors/community

I truly live in one of the best communities around. I love my neighbors (even the biker grandma chick who smokes next door and the heart/cancer patient on the other side who smokes, it's like nicotine in stereo). I have neighbors who watch out for me (like the one who said to Jana and Rocky a few weeks ago "Did you see Stacy? She's huge pregnant?") I didn't know they knew my name. There is, of course, Jana and Rocky a few houses down, the Cirks used to live a few houses the other way, and I can't forget the Saragers and the Fritz families who are within rock throwing distances from here.

I am also keenly aware of the closeness of our ward boundaries. We are all within a few blocks and that makes visiting teaching, home teaching, activites, and friendship within easy reach. I never want for that can of cream of mushroom soup or stick of butter cause my neighbors and ward family are so close.

I am also very grateful for my community. Yesterday, most of my kids ran in the 3rd annual Turkey Waddle put on by our school district. (Vance won it for the 3rd year in a row.) We had football friends there, church friends there, neighborhood friends there and it was great. Each year, the recipient is someone in our district in need. This year, the money will be divided between a mom of 3 who has cancer, and Marly's friend, Hanah, who is waiting for a heart transplant. All of our friends and family finished the race quite early, but we sat and waited for the mom of three to finish so we could cheer her on. I don't know her, but I cried as she walked past me, and I was overwhelmed at the support our community was offering her. It's a good feeling.

Thankful for my nose

Today my nose is stuffed up. Well, it is stuffed up a lot being pregnant, but I think I am actually coming down with a cold now too. Anyway, it has made it difficult to smell all the wonderful things around me that I love so much. I am not as sensitive to smells as one of my sisters (who constantly reminded me when she would sit on an old couch of mine how much it stunk, but she was the only one who could smell it). I just enjoy things that smell good. Here are some of my favorite:

We all know I love the smell of bleach, it's a given. This includes Comet cleanser with bleach. I actually miss being able to bend over the bathtub to scrub it with Comet. I am good at dumping the Comet in the toilet, but the thought of actually cleaning it (since I haven't been doing it regularly) makes me want to vomit. I like to clean my sheets regularly because they are white and I can dump bleach in the load.

I love candles, especially my fall scents, like pumpkin, cinnamon vanilla, and one that smells like wassail. But, only if the house is clean. I went and got a pedicure yesterday and there was a candle burning in the bathroom, I was in heaven.

I love the smell of lemon cleaning stuff. Maybe I just love the smell of a clean house. I have been known to wipe down the counters and kitchen table more than twice a day just because I want the house to smell clean. It's a close tie between lemon and bleach.

I love the smell of pine, but it has to be natural, no candles, no spray, just a fresh tree at Christmas time. Of course, I can't keep it watered, so my tree is fake. If I had a housekeeper, then I would have a fresh tree.

So, I don't even want to clean my house today because I can't smell today from the junk in my nose. I hope it gets clean anyway.

Attitude of Gratitude

We had such fabulous speakers at church on Sunday. I am so grateful I was able to make it one more week. I think I'm about done trying to sit that long, we'll play it by ear. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed their topic, which was Attitude of Gratitude. I'm glad I've been thinking about it all month anyway, but it got me thinking about things I complain about and how I can find an attitude of gratitude about these things. So, today I am grateful for inspired Sunday lessons.

For example, I am not going to do my best not to complain about being pregnant anymore, I am going to think about what a miracle it is that I have a life growing inside me and my discomfort is for a small moment in the grand scheme of things.

I am going to try and not worry about my house being so cluttered with kid stuff all the time, I am going to be grateful that my kids (and their friends) enjoy being in our home.

I am going to try and not complain about the dirty dishes piling up in the sink. I am going to be grateful that we always have enough to eat.

I am going to try and not complain about all the activities my kids are always involved in. I am going to be grateful that they are all healthy and active, and they are learning to make a difference in the lives of others.

What situtation can you turn around and find an attitude of gratitude about?

Thankful for small acts of service

Yesterday, as I attempted to get ready for church, I really wanted lotion on my freshly shaved legs and feet. Ben was nice enough to lather up my legs for me (with a girly smelling lotion) and include a mini massage while he did it. Small act, huge kindness.

When I came off the stand after leading the music in sacrament meeting, Marly asked me if she would like me to go up and do the closing hymn because she knows how hard it is for me to walk right now. Small act, huge kindness.

After I had been in bed for about 45 minutes lastnight, Ben came in to go to bed. He could tell my back was aching and he was nice enough to get out of bed and come over to my side and rub it for a while. Small act, huge kindness.

I am blessed.

Happy Thanktivus for the 9 of us

Today I am grateful for my "little" family. We have a fun tradition that we started years ago. We got the name from Seinfeld's "Festivus For the Rest of Us." We just wanted to be able to celebrate a holiday with just our own family. While we love our extended family, we like to do stuff with just us too and since we have so much family close by, we also don't like to miss out on family get togethers with the rest of them. Plus, when everyone is assigned one food dish for Thanksgiving, we dont get to enjoy any leftovers. So, the Sunday before Thanksgiving is reserved for a huge turkey dinner for just the Ben Johnson Family. The turkey is prepped and ready to cook, the green bean casserole and yams are in the fridge, the potatos are cooked and ready to be mashed, and the pumpkin pie is sitting on the counter, along with the apple pie in the freezer that will cook while we eat. I'm already exhausted and it isn't even 10am yet. I need a nap to be able to make it to choir today.

So, Happy Thanktivus from the 9 of us.

Weekend Thankfulness

Friday - So grateful that Ben stayed home from a football game so he could watch Twilight with me, when I know he would have rather been watching football.

Saturday - Grateful that I work with so many fabulous people on the Pop Warner football board. So glad that we have been friends with the Whitings for 7 years. We met them through football.

Thankful for PBS

I'm not a t.v. watcher. It doesn't mean I think it is wrong, I just haven't found much that can keep my attention; I rarely have downtime anyway. But, lately, Anny has found Sesame Street, specifically Elmo. She LOVES him. I love Sesame Street, I always have. I had an album with lots of songs when I was a kid and loved to sing and dance to it. Marly had one when she was little and I loved it even then. Since we have been without a toddler for so many years, it is kinda fun to get back into it. I especially love it when celebrities get on and sing the alphabet song, or whatever they do. I love Big Bird, Snuffy, Cookie Monster, and the whole gang. Has her t.v. watching become a problem? Well, we'll find out in January when my life returns to normal.

Obviously, I don't sleep well lately. I am able to get up about 5:45 and get my kids and the house ready for the day (somewhat). The last kid leaves about 8 and that is when Anny and I climb back in my bed. I can turn on PBS and she will watch t.v. while I sleep next to her. Today, she even fell asleep next to me and we got a good nap in before running our errands. Thank you PBS for allowing me to not worry about what she is watching while I sleep.