I am grateful for Friday morning walks.

On Thursdays & Fridays Ethan goes to band up at the jr high so Grayson is alone in walking to the elementary school.  Even thought I know he knows the way, I walk with him because I don’t completely trust his control of his impulsivity.

As grateful as I am that he has Ethan to walk with the other three days of the week, I love our walk on Fridays.  I’ve started getting in the habit of taking my camera with.  Even though most of the leaves are on the ground, the colors are still gorgeous.

Very cool Veteran’s/ Remembrance Day post I found by another NaBloPoMo participant:  http://drawntocatholicism.com/

I am so grateful for my little Grayson who makes me laugh on a daily basis.  Grayson is our 7 year old.  Of all our boys he is the very boyest.  (I realize that is not a word but I don’t care because it sounds fun.)  Grayson is the most rough and tumble boy in our house.  He loves to wrestle, he loves to show you how fast he can run, how he can ride his bike with “no feet,” how high or far he can jump, how big his muscles are, anything that shows how masculine he is.

On the soccer field, he isn’t afraid of anyone or anything.  He has his focus on getting the ball (no matter who from) and getting down the field.  He will plow through a huddle of boys and pay no attention to who gets knocked down.  We had to work on that one and by the end of the season he was politely but assertively elbowing his way into the huddle and taking the ball.

He’s the boy in the house who loves to tell the fart jokes, the one who thinks he could beat just about anyone else up.  I’ll never forget the night we watched We Are Marshal as a family.  He watched wide-eyed as the football players tackled each other, looked at me in wonderment and said, “I wanna play that.”

I love my BOY.  I cringe every time he comes home with a slip from the principle because he couldn’t keep that boy inside of him under control.  He tries so hard but he’s so physical and when he comes across another boy who’s the same way they have a blast “rough playing” until the recess teacher catches them and takes them to the office.  I understand the school’s responsibility to protect all of it’s students.  It’s just so hard as his mom.  I have to constantly remind him, don’t be rough, don’t get in other kids’ faces, she doesn’t want to be hugged till she’s gasping for air.

I love my Grayson and I’m grateful that my Heavenly Father sent him to me.  I love his physicality, I love his sense of humor, I love his easy-going personality, I love that he is ALL BOY.  And I love those chubby cheeks!  *smooches, smooches*

last.fm playing- Acid House Kings- Sing Along With Acid House Kings- Do What You Wanna Do

Wow, what a morning!!!  Our pack attended a Veteran’s Day Service at a funeral home in Bellevue today.  It was a wonderful experience.  On our way out Hayden said he felt very humbled and asked if anyone else felt the spirit.

Our Cubmaster had been in contact with one of the managers of the funeral home.  When we got there, he came out and greeted us and gave really cool folded flag pins for the boys.  Then after we got seated, he brought over a soldier who had just finished a tour in Iraq to talk to the cubs.  He was dressed up in his Class A’s.  The boys were impressed.

They had two Veterans speak, one from the Korean War and one who recently returned from Iraq.  Then VFW Post #2995 did the Laying of the Wreath, a Flag Folding Ceremony which included specific meanings ascribed to each of the 13 folds, then their bagpiper played Amazing Grace.  After that four VFW members did a 21 Gun Salute in the garden right outside the chapel windows (a favorite of ALL the boys) followed by their bugler playing Taps.

It was a very moving experience and I hope the boys enjoyed it.

I’m excited for den mtg. next week because we are going to practice flag folding and outdoor flag raising.  It will be neat to talk about what happened today with them and find out how they liked it.

A pic of me & my boys before we left the church. (Ethan’s gonna be a Boy Scout in one week!!!!!)

I’m grateful for having the chance to be there and share the experience with my boys and with our pack.

last.fm playing- Radiohead- In Rainbows- Weird Fishes/Arpeggi

Just as last Monday was a great day for all of it’s productivity, today was just as great for just the opposite reason.  Today I am grateful for a lazy day spent in my pajamas and only leaving to take the boys to seminary/ jazz band and scouts.

I’m also grateful for a day off from scouts.  Instead of having den meeting today, we are having a pack field trip tomorrow so it felt nice to not stress over our usual activities.

On another note, yesterday I picked up a new tool, a gathering foot for my sewing machine.  I am so excited to use it.  It’s going to cut down a huge amount of time in making some of the gifts I plan for Christmas this year.

played with it just a little bit today, it is awesome!!!!!!

Well, I knew this day would come.  I’m blank.  Had a very busy day and just feel exhausted and numb now.  I thought I had an idea earlier today but now it’s gone.  Wow, what does that say about me?  Yeah, I’m forgetful but am I actually thankful for whatever it was I was thinking of?  I’d say maybe not if it’s gone so quickly…………

OH, oh, oh I remember!!!!  I am grateful for late afternoon naps on the couch with Hattie!!!

We had done a lot of running around earlier today, came home, had lunch and picked up the house because the missionaries were coming over for dinner.  Then we sat down to do a reading lesson.  My smarty pants little girl is doing such a great job.  After that, I pulled an afghan over me and closed my eyes to rest for a little bit before I started dinner.  Hattie climbed up between me and the couch and laid her head on my shoulder.  As I started to doze off, I felt her little body grow relaxed and heavy.  I let myself happily fall asleep with my little girl.

I’m also grateful for afternoon naps that don’t leave me feeling like a truck ran over the top of me.

 
gotta start trying to take a picture to go along with my thought of gratitude each day.

Listening to:  Some Karen O (yes jen, delicious soundies) some Arcade Fire (eh not so much, but thanks for playing Sarah) and some Regina Spektor (jury’s still out kim.)

Today I am so grateful for my baby girl!!!  I will never forget the day we had our first ultrasound with Hattie.  I was pretty far along because we had moved up to WA in June and it took me a month or two to find a mid-wife.  We drove to Federal Way assuming we would be told we were having another boy, and we were OK with that.  We knew how to deal with boys, even though every one of them is different there’s this common thread of loud noises, rough play and dirt caked faces.  We liked our boy house.

When the technician told us the baby was a girl… Silence!  I remember the look on her face, like she thought she was giving good news but then we weren’t responding with the joy she expected.  We had to explain that we were pretty surprised.

The ride home was more silence.  We were in shock.  We had no clue how to raise a girl or how she would fit into our boy house.  Over the next few months the idea of a little girl started to become a welcome one, still nervous and scared but the excitement began to build.  Then the day came.  November 8th 2004 at just about 9:00 PM  Hattie Kay Dean was born.  Aaron and I both fell head over heals the minute we saw her.  I knew immediately I had finally found my best girl friend.  Aaron later told me, “don’t be jealous but I’ve fallen in love.”

At some point during labor the shirt had to come off.  All I remember is the feel of it was driving me absolutely crazy!!!!

We brought her home early the next morning and got the boys up to see her.

I love these pictures.  Hayden and Forest were so peaceful and quiet, just amazed that they finally had a baby sister.  Ethan was so happy and well, Grayson didn’t know what to think.

Aaron and I never really discussed having another baby till a few months ago.  We both agree that we feel done.  I would have babies forever if I could, but the issues of raising ADD children can be overwhelming.  I feel like my cup runneth over.

It’s a weird feeling to be out of the baby group at church.  A few weeks ago I went to a baby shower for a friend in our ward.  At one point I realized that most of the ladies there had babies, a couple hadn’t started having babies yet or weren’t married but I was the only one past the baby stage of my life.  For a moment or two I felt completely out of place.

The more I think about it though, the better I feel.  I’m glad to be at a new stage in life.  I’m enjoying the different phases my kids are in.  I’m happy to not have a baby in tow.  I’m getting more and more excited of having all five kids in school and having the opportunity to finally go to college.  I’m ok with getting older and no longer being a baby making machine. 

But I am so thankful for all my children, for the experience of giving birth to each one of them, for having four busy, loud, crazy boys to play with and now a sweet, independent, bossy little girl to hang out with.  I’m grateful to be a mother.  And I’m grateful for my Hattie Girl.

Last.fm- Iron & Wine- Lovesong of the Buzzard

The photog class went well.  But I am grateful it’s over.  I hate teaching or giving lessons or classes to adults.  I hate the nervousness and the self-consciousness.  Luckily only a handful of ladies were there so it was pretty low key.  I hope it was helpful and not too technical.

I’m also grateful today for friends.  We are headed out the door to go to a baptism for a friend down in Auburn.  It will be so fun to visit with their family.

Details:

Week 45-  52 1/2 weeks of 2009

And the others:

I love my Friday morning photo walks.

i am team teaching a photography class tomorrow at our relief society super saturday.  i’m feeling very unqualified to do this.  there is still so much i need to learn myself.  so i hope it goes well.  i’m just really glad that the other teacher is a much better people person, much better in front of crowds.

in other news though, i am grateful today for family, for having a sister so close to us now, for cousins to play with, for birthday brownies and ice cream, board games, movies and the day finally being over. 

also loving last.fm- We Are Scientists- Brain Trust Mastery- Altered Beast