Gratitude ensues...

I am super-grateful for fam. I am glad that some of us live so close, and the rest of us actually like to spend time together - which is not as common as you might think! I am grateful for our chitlins, and the extra one on the way (especially thankful for that). I love my husband, and I am thankful that he puts up with me. I also am grateful that my dad took the kids over to his house for most of the day to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and I get to cook in peace!!!! Hope everyone is great, and have a fabulous holiday!

I'm off to do-si-do the cranberry sauce....

I guess this would be a "thanksgiving dinner country style". (That's a Bing Crosby song reference, for those of you that are confused, or those of you that block out any reference to cranberry sauce whatsoever. ) :)

I am grateful . . .

For a wonderful family, including all of the in-laws (and soon-to-be in-laws).

For the opportunity I have had to have learn so much about running a household and a family, even if it has been a baptism by fire and brimstone.

That I have had such a testimony building experience showing me the power of the Church and testifying of the truthfulness of so many aspects of the gospel.

For friends in Germany who have taken such good care of me, even from far away.

That I made it to the seemingly non-existent half-way mark and that I now have so many fun things to look forward to until I get home.

That I have a home to come back to, even if I don't have a place to live.

I love you all so much! I miss you even more from thousands of miles away. Happy Thanksgiving! I'll see the Brookings and Provo folk in February and the rest of you (hopefully) in April!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner

Let's hear what you are thankful for...

I'm thankful for

A beautiful wife
2 sweet daughters
a third child on the way
and four cheers that it is a boy.

I'm thankful for the chance to do what I love, even when it doesn't seem to feed the family
a second job that gets me up early twice a week
and a third job that takes up my evenings...(only because it is helping to pay the bills)

I'm thankful for good friends both in Brookings and in Monmouth
and a best friend who decided to show his faith and get baptized.

I'm grateful for good food, great weather, and a possible tackle football game on saturday.

and I'm grateful to all of you...(I think someone still reads this thing.)

Now...my challenge is for you to post your thankfulness in your own post so everyone can read it.

Here are the pictures of family members that I got at Halloween

Jer in two incarnations as a Sumo wrestler...of course we had to wait for the suit to "properly inflate." according to Jer.

Perry as a guess what? Soldier? Spec Ops?

Rebekah as Pooh
Rebekah and Alana together
Alana as a princess...Holly made the costume from fabric received from my mom.
Hmmm...Carmen as a "she-devil" fitting isn't it? I think that my Alana needed to have a matching outfit.
Ella as a super cute fairy...and such a happy smile.

My apologies to the rest of the family...I was set up at the church taking pictures of all the little kids for the trunk or treat, and if my nieces and nephews didn't come through...I didn't get pictures of them.

You can see those pictures of all the little kids at: http://www.hatchphoto.smugmug.com/Holidays/408445

Fun Run and Halloween

Hello again. I had a ball at the fun run. I thought I was just going to trot along with my friend but she had to walk before we got to the 1 mile marker and told me to go ahead. Well my competitive juices kicked in and I passed about 30 people. I ended up getting 8th out of the girls and could have gotten at least 3rd if I would have started out quickly, but I didn't know I would be racing at all. I was a bit light headed the rest of the day. I guess that will teach me to curb my drive now that I am not in high school anymore. Anyways, thanks to all of you who pledged me so I could run.






The kids had a great time at the ward trunk-or-treat. THe kids all looked really cute. Denton was baby Frankenstein, Haley a 50's girl, Logan OB one from star wars, and Mishonne a surgeon. They ran around with their friends and got lots of candy which Mom will be monitoring the consumption of closely due to our dental bills over the last year. Hope everyone is enjoying the fall.
Congrats to Jer and Heather. Looks like 2008 will be a huge year with all the babbies, weddings, and hopefully moves. Can't wait to see you all again.

Yikes! Another one!

Yep, to help with our portion of grist for the rumor mill, Jere and I would like to add that we are expecting... again. For some of you who know all that we went through to get back to this point, you know that this has been long-awaited news! We are very excited, though not as much as the kids - they have been telling people we are having a baby for the last 6 months or so, and we've had to 'untell' people so many times, I am going to sound like the boy who cried wolf!

I am due sometime in June, so we have a ways to go yet, but we wanted everyone to hear it from us, not from whoever you happen to sit next to in sacrament meeting. (And for those of you that live far away, we thought you'd be pretty glad to hear it at all, so why not from us?)

I am starting to feel a little sick, but I'm crossing my fingers that this one will be easier than the last four! Hope everyone is doing well, and talk to you soon.