Day 2: My Grandpa Holt

I know I briefly talked about my Grandpa Holt already, but he recently was in and out of the hospital with pneumonia. I am so blessed that my aunt took him in early enough so the doctors could help him get better and with just 2 days, was able to come home! You never know what can happen at his age! I love Grandpa SO SO much!! He has been such an amazing example for me and has taught me a lot! I look up to him for the wonderful person he is to everyone, and I mean EVERYONE!! He is the most Christlike person I know. I am one lucky girl to be blessed with such an amazing Grandpa :)

Day 3: Friends

Throughout my life, I have met some awesome people, many I consider friends. I am so blessed to have those people in my life that have been there for me. I am very grateful for all of my friends I had in high school and happy to still have those close relationships with. I am blessed for the friends I am dancing with right now. We have such a fun group and I am so blessed to be a part of it :) So, thank you to all that have touched my life, have been a good influence, and who care about me and my family!! Love you :)

Day 4: Douglas' Job

Through out our marriage, Douglas has worked at various jobs that have been good and bad. The last 4 years, he has been working for CLS landscape company with his friend Mike. With some of the rocky things that we have dealt with in the past with employers, I am just so grateful now that Douglas has a good, solid job and an awesome boss like Mike is. I am also so grateful for the hard worker Douglas is. He has always been a self motivator and is continually looking to better his skills. He says he is dedicated to his job and I pray that things will continue to be successful for them in the business as well as providing for our family!

Day 5: Trinity

As much of a rascal our pup is and for things she just loves to chew on, I really am thankful for Miss Trinity. She has brought a lot of joy into this family, especially the kids. They adore her and love playing with her! She's a good dog and is such a cutie!

Day 6: My primary class

I am a teacher in primary for the 7 and 8 year olds. It has been such a blessing to teach these cute kids. I have learned so much from them and enjoy seeing them at a special age of being baptized and receiving the Holy Ghost. It'll be sad for them to go into the other class shortly, but I am excited to get new kids that will be ready and excited to turn 8. It is so fun to teach them and I really love being in primary :)

Day 7: My Home

We have lived in our house for 2 years now. I am so grateful that we were able to get into a place that we love and enjoy. It's nice to have a place of our own that we have worked our "you know whats" to get it!! Douglas and I have gone through a few struggles before, so to be able to have a home was such a blessing for us! We love working on projects that will better our resale in the future or just for fun that make our house our home! Like a saying I have hung up, " A house is built with walls and beams, a home is built with love and dreams" :)

Day 8: Work

For just over 3 1/2 years, I have been working for Jetblue. It has been a great job for me in being able to work from home and have flexible hours. There are days lately where I get frustrated and a little bored with the job, but really, I am very thankful to even have a job, especially one that has been good with my schedule and helping provide insurance and extra income for the family. I love talking to people all over the world and helping them with their needs. I am also grateful that it has given me and my family an opportunity to travel like to Florida and the Dominican Republic.

Also, I am grateful to be a consultant for Paparazzi. It has been so much fun to get out of the house, meet new people, and play with jewelry! It has also been so good for my sister Trisha and mine's relationship! I enjoy being business partners with her and hope that our work will stay busy and successful!!

Besides on what my actual jobs are, recently I have been able to help my Grandma Holt around her house since she is having such a hard time doing things than she used to. I am so glad to be that help she needs to get stuff done. I love my Grandparents so much and what to do all that I can to help them :)

Day 9: My Health, Talents, and Well Being

Being a girl and always finding flaws about myself, has pretty much been a part of me my whole life. Thinking about it and seeing how silly it is, has opened my eyes on things. I might not have the perfect body, hair, looks ect, but why should that matter when I have been blessed with the good health I have of being able to do a lot of the things that others may not. I am so grateful to be in the shape I'm in to do all of the races I participate in. I love every minute of it and feel so much joy in accomplishing them.

Recently, I just started to dance and perform again, and I am so grateful to have the opportunity at my age. It makes me so happy and I enjoy sharing my musical talents. I am also so blessed to be in Jenny Phillip's choir. It is a huge testimony builder for me as well as an awesome way to share the gospel.

I am so blessed to have had the experiences so far in my life that have made me stronger physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I went through quite a bit in my childhood and have suffered on and off with depression. What I am grateful for is the help I've had to understand myself and to accept the weaknesses in my life. It has motivated me to be a better person and to not focus so much on the bad, but the good that has come out of it. I am so much stronger as a person and know I wouldn't be if I didn't have those trials in my life!

Day 10: Family

So, I thought I'd start on one of the most important things I am grateful for, and that is my family! There are a ton of people in my life that have made a huge impact on me and about 90% of them would consist of family members.

First off, let's start off with my cute kiddos. Words cannot express the joy it is to be a mother, especially to 2 amazing, beautiful, smart, fun, children! Haiden and Mekenzie are the light of my life and I am SO blessed to be their mom! They bring me so much happiness and love each day! I pray that I can continue to be a good example for them and help them along their beautiful lives ahead of them.

My parents. I have to say that I was quite spoiled as a child. No matter how hard my mom and dad struggled financially, they did everything in their power to make sure I could do the things I wanted to like dancing, singing, swimming, school functions, ect. I can't even imagine what kind of money they put into all of it! It helped me during the hard times with family and myself to be involved in something that kept me out of trouble at a young age and to grow as a person. I will always be grateful for the things they did and still do for me! They are great Grandparents too :)

My In Laws. Bill and Susan are such great people and I am very blessed to have them in my life! I have learned so much from Susan and enjoy spending time with her. I look forward in being able to get together with them, especially at their home in Colorado! They have so much love for their family and Grandkids! I appreciate everything they have done for both Douglas and I!! Can't wait for Disneyland :) Douglas' siblings are also great people who I have enjoyed spending time with. Tylor, Robert, Steph, and Karee, I love you all so much and hope we can always be there for each other!

My siblings. I am so blessed to be the youngest of a big family! There are many things I have learned from each of my brothers and sisters. I look up to my brothers Jaren and Jeff so much! They have always worked so hard to provide for them and their families, plus they are just awesome guys! My sisters Amie, Taunie, Angela, and Trisha are all different, but alike in many ways too. Amie is the amazing big sister that I have always wanted to be like, Taunie through her struggles, has taught me a lot on how I've wanted to be as a person, Angela, is such a sweetheart, and Trisha is one of my dearest friends where we have gone through a lot of ups and downs, but I will always love her no matter what! I hope they all know how much I care for them!

My Grandpa and Grandma Holt. They are the most loving, giving people I know!! I am so grateful for the MANY things they have done for me as well as everyone else in the family. They are amazing people and I have so many wonderful memories with them! I Love them so much!!!

Extended family on both sides. Like I said, I have so many wonderful people in my family. I am so blessed to be close to so many of my cousins, uncles, aunts, ect. where we have had many traditions together to bring everyone together and I am so so blessed to have married into an amazing family as well with awesome cousins, aunts, uncles, too! I am one lucky girl to have such great realtionships with those on both sides and hope to continue and strengthen them :) Love you all!!!

Then of course to save for last, Douglas. With everything we have gone through in just our short 6 1/2 years of marriage, I am truly blessed we have gone through these trials, beacause it has brought us closer as a couple in understanding one another and relying on each other. I am so in love with him more than I could ever possibly imagine and I know it'll just keep on growing! He is my rock, my best friend, the one I can ALWAYS count on no matter what. He sees me for who I really am and loves me even though I can be a pain in the butt sometimes. I love him so much!!!

Wow, that was a lot of writing, but like I said, family is SO important to me. I love all of you so much and am grateful for your support, love, and friendship :)

10 Day Countdown to Thanksgiving

Starting today, there are 10 more days till Thanksgiving!! Since there is so much I could talk about on what I am grateful for, plus it'd take me forever to write them all in one post, I thought it'd be fun to do a countdown till the 24th and write a total of 10 things I am grateful for in my life. I'm sure I could do a whole lot more, but 10 is a good number I think, plus I can expand more each day on them! Enjoy!!

Great Grandma Wilson

On Sunday October 23, Douglas' sweet Great Grandma Wilson passed away. She was 102 years old. When we found out, I knew it was coming soon due to her age, but knowing that she was gone was difficult, but bittersweet to me. Having her return to her loved ones that have passed before and being united with her husband made it easier, but to not have her here is going to be hard getting used to. Ever since I have been a part of the family, she has always been there for family to support them whether it being a wedding, baby blessing, baptism, ect. Even at her age, she amazed me with how on the ball she was! I loved talking to her about her life and stories about the family visiting her in San Diego when she lived there. She did so much for others and still did even in her last days. I am so blessed to have known such an amazing lady who had such an unconditional love for her family! I am so glad that my children was able to know and spend time with her too!! Here are some pictures I was able to find over the last years of her life.

 Just after Haiden was born

January 2007

 Grandma's 99th Birthday

July 2008

 Mekenzie's Baby Blessing

November 2008

April 2009

                                         

Grandma's 100 Year Birthday Celebration

We celebrated her 102nd birthday in July, but I unfortunately don't have pictures of her then, except the one on top. That was the last time we saw her. 

Her funeral was this last Saturday. Everything about it was so nice! She looked so good. The talks were good and the music was beautiful. One of the Grandsons played 'Be Still My Soul' my favorite hymn, and I could not help but cry listening to the beautiful song. It was good to hear so many special stories about her and again celebrating 102 wonderful years of her life and the amazing things she experienced. Definitely a century of so many changes!!

We love you Grandma and know you are in heaven continuing your work and watching over us!! May we all learn from your example and strive to be the same to others around us. Until we meet again.

Much Love