THIS I AM THANKFUL FOR

I love holidays, so much. There are so many reasons to love them but I love them most because if you think about it, most holidays are focused on pro-social behavior. How beautiful is it that we have these select holidays in our country that reminds each person to be a better person and focus on the good? I just love it! Sometimes I feel our society is gradually forgetting about the values of kindness, sharing, helping and loving with the pure intent of just making someone else happy. These days we are so inclined to do something good to better our selves or our lives in someway that we rarely take the time to look at our neighbor and make sure they are doing ok. Anyway, before I get on my soapbox I just want to say I am so excited for Thanksgiving I cannot even contain myself. I have already celebrated it with Clark's family which was so sweet and special. We went up to my brother and sister-in-law's in Northern Utah to their cute and cozy apartment, ate some yummy dinner, talked, and played some games. This week my entire family is coming out {except Tiff :( }. It's going to be a HUGE family event and I'm so excited to get to spend so much time with my family!

^^^ Yummy fruit tray we prepared for our dinner with the Brimhalls^^^

As Thanksgiving is only a couple of days away I really just wanted to write about my top things I am thankful for this year. I'm sure most do, but if you haven't yet, take the time to write down a few of the good things in your life that you are grateful for too.

MY FAMILY
K, I know you can see how obsessed we are with our family but seriously, I am feel so lucky to have the people I have in my life which includes my parents, my grandparents, my cousins, my aunts and uncles, my siblings, my in-laws, my nieces and nephews and of course my sweetheart, Clarkie Bear :). Over the weekend I was at my grandparent's house with some family and on the drive home I just contemplated the importance of families and the impact we have on each other. You know, it really is interesting to think you have this instinctive bond with these people that you love and think the best of. I seriously need to have my family times. It gives me such a confidence boost in who I am and I feel so energized from the love I get from them.

MY RELIGION, and yours
I am so grateful I live in a country where I can worship in the religion that makes me happy. I am also thankful that others can practice in the religion or denomination that makes them happy or choose to not practice a religion at all. I think we as humans should all have the right to believe and think and hope for those things that make us feel uplifted and full without the fear that others will condemn us for it. The sad thing is there are many out there that cannot believe as makes them happy. I am SO grateful I can.

MY JOB
You all that are close to me know that most of the time I feel like Julie from the movie Julie and Julia when she is at work speaking on the phone with customers {please tell me you've seen it... I couldn't find a clip online!}Anyway, even though my job isn't the most glamorous, I still am sooo incredibly grateful I have a full-time job and started 2 days after I graduated (coming on a year!). I am also soooo grateful my job is at the University of Utah. They offer amazing benefits here for full-time employees and I get to eat lunch with my hubby everyday since he is a student here at the U! Plus I feel pretty cool that I am the sugar-mama too.

^^^ Just a BYU girl workin at the U^^^

MUSIC
I do not know what I would do without music these days. I am constantly listening to it at work when I am sitting in my cubicle or at home washing dishes. I also just received a responsibility at my church (also referred to as a "calling") where I teach music to the children age 12 and under. I know I know, it's pretty hilarious but I have learned to love hearing these sweet children sing about the things they love. Music has a way of moving me emotionally and I am so grateful to have it in my life.

^^^ Listening to this right now^^^ 

PHOTOS
I am obsessed with pictures. I love love love looking at them, taking them, editing them mostly because I love reminiscing on memories and things that have happened in my life as well as things I have never seen before or have heard a lot about but never experienced (such as things in my husband's life before I met him). I recently have gotten a hold of my grandparent's old pictures and it is so fun going through and seeing what my grandparents looked like when they were young as well as the different things they did together. I love pictures and am so grateful that moments can be saved and shared forever.

^^^ Some fun pics on my phone as of late^^^

CHILDREN
This is going to be the last one I write because I could seriously go on forever, listing the things I am thankful for. I want to end with children though because they are seriously the sweetest beings in the world. We recently just had a slumber party with two of my nieces which was of the most fun Friday nights I've had. The pure innocence of a child is such a good reminder to look at the simple things and not fret about too much in life. Have you ever just sat down and taken the time to sit and talk to a child? Have you asked them about their dreams, hopes, things they love, or ideas they have? It is probably the most adorable thing I have ever experienced and very enlightening as well. I love children and am grateful for their sweet spirits and all that I can learn from them.

I hope you have a great Thanksgiving! This time of year can be a bit stressful but please take the time to reflect on what you are grateful for and the good in the world, because there is a lot of it if you really take a second to look.