8th and 9th

I've been doing pretty good with this whole "write down one thing you're grateful for during the month of November" thing. I've only missed two days so far, and it's giving me something to do besides homework.

November 8: I'm grateful for the two little shits that I call my brothers. Big T (Trevor #1) and Tedo (Tyler) are two of the most hardworking, well behaved, loving young men that I know. And even though I really, REALLY wanted a sister, I can't imagine life without my brothers. We've had our fights, and ohhh have they been awful fights. But I still love them. Trevor is 18 and lives at home. He is under a lot of pressure to go on a *stupid* mission and is under even more pressure to go to college. Trev isn't the type of kid to serve a mission nor go to school, and that's okay. He is good with his hands, and is a great builder/laborer. He works for Lehi City and for a hunting company out by Cedar Fort, often putting in over 70 hours a week. He still finds time to help out around the house, work with his steers, and watch football. He just bought his first truck by himself with his own money, and is quite proud of himself. Tedo, at only 11, is more successful in life than either Trevor or myself. He plays competitive soccer, kicks ass at showing animals, is always happy, very charming, hardworking and independent. He's going to go far in life, mark my words.

Family pictures, 2010

Christmas, 2012

Wedding, 2013

November 9: I'm grateful for our little apartment, and for a husband who has better housewife skills than me to keep the apartment clean. We were extremely blessed to move just across the street from our studio apartments into a two bedroom-two bath with low rent. We have plenty of space to move around, and I've turned it into a place that we can call home. We try to make home as comfortable as possible, and we definitely "live in it" as my mother would say. The dishes are often left in the sink, clothes litter our bedroom floor, and sometimes the trash overflows. I came home Saturday afternoon to Trevor doing the dishes. He had also taken out the trash, unloaded and reloaded the dishes, wiped down the counters, had the vacuum out, and had hangers ready to hang up his clothes. I was content with being a lazy bum, but I helped my husband clean our apartment. I didn't think I'd ever be lucky enough to marry a man who wasn't opposed to cleaning. Home feels so much better when it's clean. I'm excited to decorate our little place for our first Christmas together.