Happy Thanksgiving

Sorry, but I got a little busy and didn't finish off my Gratitude quotes. Here are a few to finish off the Thanksgiving season.

“To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.” ~ Johannes A. Gaertner

“Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.” ~ William Faulkner

“When you are grateful fear disappears and abundance appears.” ~ Anthony Robbins

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. Here is a fun poem that I found. I hope you like it.

May your stuffing be tasty


May your turkey plump,


May your potatoes and gravy


Have nary a lump.


May your yams be delicious


And your pies take the prize,


And may your Thanksgiving dinner


Stay off your thighs!

Anonymous

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am grateful for no sleep?

It was a busy weekend, especially for Christian. He had his last Arnold Air Society training (15 hours!), the candidate service project (an interactive science fair for elementary and Jr. High school students - which he was in charge of), and a research paper (due today at 8:00 am). I was helping as much as I could. Sleep has been kept at a real minimum around here. With that in mind here is a quote for those days when it is hard to think of a reason to be thankful.

“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.” – Buddha (I think)

We are still alive ... and, thanks to his research paper, we both know much more about the aerial contributions to combat in WWI, so I guess we learned something too.

We should be thankful. And we are!

A Reading Assignment

First, a quote from Dr. Seuss. He really is a fount of wisdom (and had great illustrations too). Here is a line from Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are.

"Just tell yourself, Duckie, you're really quite lucky!”

Go to the library and take a moment to read this fun book. Celebrate all the little ways that you are blessed. Then follow this advice from Charles Dickens:

“Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes of which all men have some.”

While you are at the library, read through The Giving Tree as well. Remember that giving isn't about what we get back but rather the joy that exists in the chance to bless the lives of others.

Two for One

I didn't have time to post yesterday so I didn't post a quote. If you suffered yesterday because you were missing my quote then here is a fitting one today:

“So not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” – Epicurus

And now you need not long for a gratitude quote. You have one, and that is something to be grateful for!

“Who does not thank for little will not thank for much.” - Estonian Proverb

Only five more days until Thanksgiving.

More on Gratitude

"Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone." Gladys Browyn Stern

Say thank you to someone today!

"Gratitude is the sign of noble souls." Aesop

Thanksgiving Countdown

Thanks giving is just over a week away and I have decided to count down to the big day with inspiring quotes on gratitude. Every day from now until Thanksgiving I will post a quote at least loosely related to being thankful: some serious, some...not. Enjoy.

“What to do if you find yourself stuck with no hope of rescue: Consider yourself lucky that life has been good to you so far. Alternatively, if life hasn’t been good to you so far, which given your present circumstances seems more likely, consider yourself lucky that it won’t be troubling you much longer.”

Douglas Noel Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Fancy Mac

Fancy Mac is a staple in our diet. We eat it almost once a week; we even had it tonight (thus the inspiration for this blog). "What is Fancy Mac?" you ask. Well, for the most part it's left overs and Macaroni and Cheese. Basically we use what we have in the fridge to fancy up the macaroni. How do you do that? Easy.

1) Make macaroni and cheese

2) Add shredded cheese and whatever else you want to it

3) Bake it for a little while in the oven

Chicken is our favorite addition. With Mac & Cheese you would think ham, but no, chicken is the best. Tonights Fancy Mac was onion, corn, and leftover barbecued chicken from last night. maybe this sounds strange to you, but I suggest you try it if you have never done so. I am telling, you it is good stuff.

Veteran's Day

My Veteran's Day actually began on Wednesday. I was a sub in a third grade class. The last segment of the day was spent with students getting to hear from veterans who were invited to their classrooms. They rotated through and met with five different individuals. It was wonderful to see them listen and ask questions. They were completely engrossed (though that may have had something to do with the Humvee that the Army ROTC brought for them to see and sit in) It was good for the students to see many of the different ways that veterans serve. They met an Army cook, a Navy fireman, a Navy engineer's mate, a Master Chief of the Air Force who transported diplomats all over the world, and a WWII Veteran who later became one of the original soldiers in the missile and rocket programs.

On Thursday we went to the Veteran's Day Parade held through the large VA Hospital grounds. I went to watch Christian march with the AFROTC cadets. I have never really enjoyed parades before. I always found them a bit boring, however, yesterday was different. It was very moving to watch the flag lowered to half mast and learn that an guard of cadets had been standing watch for the past 24 hours to honor veterans, to hear a small choir of children sing a sweet and heartfelt "Thank You Song," and to see the unveiling of a new memorial. When the parade started this time I enjoyed watching the various entries pass, but most of all I enjoyed seeing the veterans in the crowd stand a little straighter and silently salute every passing American flag. I am truly grateful for their service and sacrifice.

Sarah and Gilbert got married!

Christian and I drove to Salt Lake City this weekend for his sister, Sarah's, wedding. It was a wonderful weekend with great time with family. Sarah was beautiful in her dress. Gilbert is a really great guy. We are happy to have him as part of the family. Unfortunately we did not take many pictures, okay hardly any. Here is the only picture we have of Sarah. She was singing a song with her dad.

Christian did get this picture of the car. He and Jake were pretty proud of the job they did (with the help of Gilbert's buddies, of course).

I will try to get some pictures of the bride and groom and post them.