My Late Thanksgiving Post...

...Better late than never though, right?

~ I am grateful, for starters, for the lovely gentleman who fixed our computer. This would be the reason I have not yet blogged about Thanksgiving. Stinking virus. But we are back up and running now, and all is right with the world.:)

~ I am also grateful for this little boy.

I am grateful to be able to experience all things "boy" among all of the princesses and dress-ups that we are surrounded by otherwise. There is something so fun about your little boy begging you to play Mario Kart with you when you've been doing hair all day. I am grateful for that grinning, excited face as he holds up his ticket to ride the train with his daddy.

And I'm grateful this sweet boy has a sweet daddy who took him to see the trains - just the two of them. Hayden loved it and still talks about it.

~ I am grateful for these two little girls, who love each other like crazy and couldn't live without one another.

I also love the sweet innocence and spunk they have. They always keep me laughing.

A couple of weeks ago, Lana was talking to her daddy about her day and proceeded to tell him, "Dad, today at school I told my teacher that E____ and C____'s butt cwacks (that is the way she pronounces it, and it is much cuter that way) were showing and she told me not to worry about it right now." I love that I have raised a girl who has deemed herself the butt crack police. Hey, at least she's modest.:)

Rylee is always quick on her feet. She was talking to me about how excited she was for Christmas a couple of weeks ago. I told her to slow down because we need to take time to be Thankful first. Without missing a beat she says, "I'm thankful for Christmas."

I love these kids!!!

~ I'm also thankful for this little stinker. I love that I have a kid who loves cookies and sweets as much as I do. Every time I start to make cookies, she will hop up to the bar and ask what I am doing. As soon as I say that I am making cookies she replies with, "Oooh, I LOVE cookies." Her daddy can't even resist buying her a treat when she says, "Daddy, can we go to the store and pick a treat? Huh, could we?" The 'could we' gets him every time.

~ I'm thankful that my kids have so many awesome aunts and uncles that they love and adore, and who love and adore them in return. This was how Kate stayed for the longest time on Thanksgiving with her uncle, Michael.

~ I'm grateful for a husband who gets up bright and early to go shopping on Black Friday with me, and even acts like he enjoys himself! Then he comes home and helps me decorate for Christmas. What a guy!

~ I'm also grateful that my hubby doesn't want to leave me for a younger, hotter chick on days when I look like this! (Hey, what do you expect after a shopping extravaganza on Black Friday?!) I'm also grateful I didn't have a big ole booger in my nose when Rylee took this picture!:)

~ I'm grateful that my kids have such amazing grandparents, who take the time to play with my kids and love them like only a grandparent can.

I love that my parents came over to watch the BYU/Utah game with us on Saturday. It was lots of fun.

Speaking of the game, last but not least on my gratitude list is this:

~ I am grateful I have a husband who makes it fun to be rivals with during "rivalry week." This year, Lana decided to be on the 'Red team' with her daddy. Rylee was on my team still. Good girl. I had so much fun that week pulling little pranks on Bill. He was even a good sport when he came home from work last Wednesday to find that when I made pies with the girls, I cut a "Y" into the top of one of the pies.

It was even better when my team won (not to rub it in), and he knew he was going to have to "pay up." The bet this year was that if my team won, he has to take me to see New Moon and then shout, "Yeah Buddy" when Jacob takes off his shirt. I know, I'm ruthless. He's a fantastic sport, and so fun to laugh with.

I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving. We are so grateful for the friends and family we have. We always have so much to be thankful for.