At this time of thanksgiving I would be remise if I did not give thanks for my many blessings that I enjoy.  I am thankful for my Father in heaven who watches over me and my family each and everyday.  I am grateful for my family-my husband who takes his job seriously as a spouse, father and provider of his family, my boys who are healthy, happy and rambunctious, and for all the rest of my family who love me for who I am and who are willing to call me daughter and sister.  I am so glad that I have the opportunity to better myself by getting an education and for the support I get from everyone around me, they all deserve a pat on the back for being there for me.  I am grateful for a home, food, jobs, running water, heat, electricity, basic necessities that we take for granted everyday.  I love my thick, warm fleece blanket and my slipper boots that keep my feet warm.  I am grateful for bowls of hot soup on a cold day.  And a steaming cup of hot cocoa when I am up late doing homework.  I am grateful for peace and quiet when the kids are all tucked up in bed and I can just relax without any distractions.  I am grateful for date nights with my husband (which are few and far between because we are both so busy and TIRED!)  I love that my son is old enough to babysit for us :) I am grateful that my sons make good choices and have friends who have the same standards that they do.  I love that I am blessed each and every day. 

I normally love my Sundays.  I get to sleep in, I don't go to church until 10 am, and then I get to relax for the rest of the day, squeezing in a nap between church and dinner time.  Today was not as nice as normal, thanks to my four lovely boys.  One would think that they would know how to behave in church by now.  I felt like I was surrounded by a bunch of monkeys.  They could not be quiet, they could not keep their hands to themselves, and they could not sit still.  I realize 1 hour is a long time to sit, but this is not a new phenomenon for them.  They have gone to church since they were born!  Their behavior was a sure fire method that ruined my Sunday.  Thank goodness for my afternoon nap to unwind from their antics!  And for crock pots!  I had the good sense to put White Chili in the crock pot before we left for church, so I did not have to agonize about what to make for dinner.  Nothing like walking into the house that is full of a tantalizing aroma.  White chili is one of my favorite soups.  I topped of the meal with a batch of apple fritters.  Nothing like comfort food to turn the day around. 
As much as I write about my boys one would think that they are monkeys.  Like all kids they have their good days and their bad.  Today just happened to be a bad one.  They do redeem themselves at times.  For instance I love being able to go out on a date with my husband and then coming home to kids who are getting along and a house that is cleaner than when I left it.  Or times when I only have to ask them to do something once and they get right to it, rather than me asking 50 millon times or hearing a response, do I have to?  I do have some really awesome boys.  And they are growing up way to fast.  I was putting their most recent school picture in their frames, and spent a few minutes looking at their past pictures.  I seems like just yesterday that they were little guys and pretty soon they will be leaving the house to go on their missions, go to college and get married.  I keep thinking that I have all the time in the world, but my oldest will be 18 in 3 1/2 years, and then he will be gone.  Where does the time go?  I often wonder have we taught them enough?  Will they be ok?  Will they be successful in all their endeavors?  And I think about all the things I missed or did not teach them.  Will they still be ok even though I forgot some things?  I hope that they will always keep their family close and that the family will always be a priority in their lives.  I could not imagine my life without my family.  Not just my parents and my siblings, but my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins.  We make it a point to connect as often as possible, which is no small feat.  On my dad's side alone there are roughly 200 people.  We gather for a family reunion every two years.  It is big and crazy but I love it.  On my mom's side there is probably just as many people, and try to have family reunions too.  As I said I can't imagine life without family.