Cell Phones!

Oh the convenience!! I have a love-hate relationship with mine :) Most the time having my cell phone around makes my life easier and less stressful because I can track my kids down at any time! Sometimes I want to let it go for a swim so that I can have a little peace and hide away from everyone and everything. I do have to say though.....what did we ever do without these! I think it's funny how Sierra cherishes her phones and keeps all her old ones just in case she needs them again someday. Ryan...I don't even know what to say about him and phones but somehow they last a week in his hands!

Work

I will always be grateful for LWE. Trent has worked for this company for almost 15 years. We are so blessed that he has this nice company vehicle, they always have had work during the roughest times, and he really likes his job and the people that he works with. I think they are lucky to have him as an employee. He is the hardest worker I know! I love that guy and am grateful that he works hard to support his family.

Teachers

I am so grateful my kids have great teachers! Livi and Cole always have stories about their teachers. I love that Colters teacher always shares personal experiences with his class about life in his younger years and just everyday things, like forgetting his wallet when he went to pay for a whole cart of groceries :) Livi thinks her teacher is so smart and nice. I worry that she might think I am a bad mom for letting Livi get her way and go to school one day without a coat! Liv and I had argued about it and she won...she is always so hot when everyone else is freezing so I decided I would let her win the battle since she had a sweater and long pants. When she got in the car after school, she said, "my teacher found me a coat to wear because you didn't send me one." I was sooooo embarrassed!

I don't want to forget the Jr. High and High School teachers who teach my kids way more that I ever could. I can't even help with homework very often, it's hard stuff!

There are many teachers in my family and so I have an appreciation for them in a huge way! My mother in law is a teacher, my grandma and grandpa Favero were both teachers, I also have an aunt and a cousin who are both teachers. I know it takes a lot of time, energy and patience to be a good teacher, I am very grateful for all of the ones in my life.

Food!!

We are grateful every day for food! We LOVE food and it seems like it's hard to keep it around. The minute kids are home, the fridge door and pantry are open non stop! We go through a serious amount of food between our own kids and friends :) Even though it's not the time of year right now for a garden, I love having one! It is so much fun to go out each day and see what has grown or ripened. Fun stuff to have a garden and usually fun stuff to do canning....I hated it this year and I think I only ended up with a little salsa and spaghetti sauce! Maybe next year:)

Good Health

I am so thankful everyday for the good health that my family has been blessed with! So far, we have not had any major illness or injury strike our family. I am almost nervous to write how blessed we've been (knock on wood). Through 16 years and 4 kids, we have only had one minor surgery, one broken finger, thanks Ryan for both of those. We had a few other random injuries and close calls like the time with Alivia and the baseball bat to the forehead, Alivia and the bike handlebar to the head, and last but not least, Colter and the out of control four wheeler. I truly believe we are so blessed and I am so so grateful! Oh yeah and don't forget....Sierra had the swine flu for 10 days!! Although these few illnesses and injuries were scary and awful, I realize they are so minor compared to trials that many people go through.

Together forever

I am so grateful that if we live worthy and do the things that are right, we can be a forever family. I am so grateful for this knowledge, it helps me get through adversity. I love my family!

Random Gratefulness

I couldn't help but feel grateful when I came across these pics of Livi and Riper. I think it is hysterical how she would lay there and watch a movie with the lizard just chillin on her shoulders! This was an amazing lizard, we miss the old thing. We took for granted how nice it was having an elderly creature until we got a baby one after he died. That thing was crazy!