Thankful Me

  A walking path under cloudy skies, with mountains to the left and a red barn on the right It is officially fall now, and I love this time of year!  1. I'm thankful for General Conference, which is this weekend. The messages are always uplifting and inspiring and I come away from conference feeling encouraged. The sessions are broadcast live on ChurchofJesusChrist.org , as well as recorded for future viewing, so if you are interested, check it out!  2. I'm thankful to be able to attend some BYU football games in person. It's a fun date, and John and I are even considering sharing a cougar tail tonight. Imagine a maple bar the size of a cougar's tail, and you get the idea.  3. I'm thankful that I'm sticking with the 5K training. Not only does it helps burn off cougar tail indulgences, but it feels good to be getting back into running  jogging (even if my legs sometimes think otherwise!)  4. I'm thankful for the beautiful changing leaves. Last weekend, John a

  A hot air balloon flies in the sky above Utah Valley Recently, a hot air balloon soared overhead, and it seemed the perfect way to welcome in this week. Not only are we enjoying the last week of summer before the fall equinox, but this week also marks my grandson's 8th birthday and my parents' 60th wedding anniversary!  1. I'm thankful for my grandchildren. Thinking of each one of them puts a smile on my face. Happy birthday, grandson! 2. I'm thankful for my parents. I remember every election day as they left to go cast their votes, my dad would quip, "Well, we're off to cancel our votes out!" They are such different people, but somehow, it works. They provided me with a happy, secure, loving childhood and an eclectic exposure to music, books, and ideas. Happy 60th, Mom and Dad!  3. I'm thankful to live in a place with four seasons. Yes, winter can seem longer than the rest, but I still love experiencing the change of seasons.  One way I know the

  A yellow pear hangs from our green-leafed tree  I love this time of year. The weather is mostly sunny, with some rain sprinkled in here and there; the temperatures are comfortable; crops are ready for harvesting; and flowers are still blooming. (Thankful #1-4) Our Belmac apple tree is loaded with fruit Glass Gem corn (planted for decor, but also good for popping) displays many different colors of kernels September also means football season, and although I don't really follow football in general, I do enjoy going to the occasional BYU football game. (Thankful #5) The view from LaVell Edwards Stadium shows a large US flag and a Y on the mountain Fans are starting to fill LaVell Edwards Stadium prior to kickoff As we often do, we had our children who live close up for dinner and board games one night this past week. It's always fun to spend time together. (Thankful #6) Speaking of fun spending time together, I was able to get together with a friend for lunch one day this week,

  A pinkish purple petunia blooms in the lawn next to a concrete slab I did not plant petunias, and yet I have a petunia plant blooming in my backyard, at the base of the stairs leading to my backdoor. Despite having to compete with lawn and weeds, and probably having been stepped on a time or two by people or Drexel the Adorable Dog, somehow the little petunia managed to survive and bloom. It was a pleasant surprise!  The adage, "Bloom where you are planted," doesn't quite apply. "Planted" sounds planned and permanent, but this petite petunia was neither wished for, nor did it appear in an ideal location. To make this into a life lesson, I think the saying should be, "Bloom even when you aren't planted." No matter the circumstances we find ourselves in, by just being ourselves and doing what comes naturally, we can bring joy to those around us.  1. I'm thankful for unexpected flowers in unexpected places.  "Seatbelts and a heater" we

My four granddaughters harvesting raspberries and strawberries from my garden Can you believe it is September already? The Ten Things of Thankful blog hop took a break over August, but I actually also missed the last couple of linkups in July, so I have plenty of catching up to do! Without further ado, here is my "What I Did Over Summer Vacation" post, with plenty of thanks thrown in.  July was filled with family times. John and I drove with our youngest son to the Oregon coast, where we gathered with my parents, siblings, oldest daughter, a sister-in-law, and numerous nieces and nephews for a weekend filled with good conversation, laughter, and games.  A cousin came by for a couple of hours as well, which was wonderful.  Left to right: my brother, sister, dad, mom, and me We didn't plan tons of activities, but we did visit a local escape room one day. I'm proud to announce that we set the all-time record for quickest escape (23 minutes 13 seconds).  I was happy to ta