I am thankful

for so many things not just on thanksgiving but everyday. Since its Thanksgiving though, I want to share with you some things I am thankful for:
My family of course. I am so lucky to have such a great family. I know I can count on them for anything because they are always there. I am also lucky to have such a loving family as well. I am also thankful for all my extended family but I don't have permission to put all their pictures up on here so I will have to settle for just saying it.

My dog. I love my dog, shes such a good and faithful dog and things wouldn't be the same without her around!

The girls. They have helped me grow as a person so much. They love me unconditionally as I love them unconditionally right back. They are just a light in my life, always shining and helping me in ways they don't even realize.

My amazing best friends. I couldn't ask for better best friends, they are like sisters to me. They are always there for me when I need them, when its convenient and even when its not. They make me a better person in so many ways. I know I am never alone and can always count on them. These girls are also very important to me and also part of my closest friends group they just were not in the other picture. They also mean the world to me and help me in many ways.

My neighbors. I am so glad that I have such awesome neighbors, we used to have some pretty crazy ones (and still do, but at least we have one set of cool ones to make up for it) its so cool to have such amazing people living next to you. Landon and Gavin are so cute and so fun to be around and by being around them I learn so much. Brian and Randi are awesome role models and they are always so helpful and great to talk to.

I have so much and so many more people to be thankful for but if i kept going this could go on forever, plus I can only share the pictures of people who have given permission for me to do so.

I am so blessed and ever so thankful for all the blessings in my life even if I don't show it all the time. I have it good and to everyone who has helped make it that way, all my gratitude goes out to you.

And to all my readers- thank you for reading and being some awesome blog friends, blogging wouldn't be as fun without you!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

Love,

Some flare on my blog,

for IheartFaces! This weeks theme is sun flare. I actually have quite a few pictures with sun flare but none that are particularly IheartFaces material. Aand of course, its been raining where I am so there has not been any sun for me to make flare with. None the less, I didn't want to be left out so I found this one...

Who can go wrong with such a cute kid? Oh, and I got the flare in there to ;)

Thank you for viewing, would you like to share your flare or do you want to just check out some more flare? Well then head on over to IheartFaces! Oh, and don't forget to leave me a comment because I love comments!

Love,

Give thanks,

for IHeartFaces and the beautiful picture opportunities autumn brings! Mix them together and what do you have? Another week at IHeartFaces with an awesome theme! Have you guessed the theme yet? Just in case you haven't, I will tell you. Its autumn beauty! And this is my entry:

I did this lil guys photos a few weeks back and I thought they turned out great! It was hard to pick one but I decided on this one for the bright colors, the blueness of his eyes, and the silly little half grin on his cute little face!

I hope you liked my pick, feel free to leave a comment- they are always appreciated! Would you like to enter your own or check out the other entries? Well then what are you waiting for?! Head on over to IHeartFaces and get in on the action!

Love,

So I have this sister,

who celebrated her 12th birthday on the 12th! That means its her lucky year, and hopefully that turns out to be very true! She was so excited talking about how she is a preteen now! lol.

Dana,

Happy Birthday! I am very sorry I didn't get this up on your actual birthday, blame college- its not my fault! Lol. I just need you to know that I love you very much. I remember when I was little I would tell Mom all the time that I wanted a little sister. She said I was stuck there was not gonna be anymore kids for her but then I got my wish! I was ecstatic and still continue to be, even though you take my clothes despite how they do not fit you at all! I love all the notes you leave me. Its wonderful coming home and finding a note from you. And of course having my own personal model around is pretty awesome to. I am really glad that your my sister and I look forward to the many more fun moments that we will have together.

I love you very much and hope you had a great birthday...
and I am not just saying that because you seemed to like my present the best ;)

Love,

Halloween festivities!

I have to tell you, usually not much happens around my house for Halloween. We simply observe the holiday by wandering around with my sister and a few other small children to receive candy, then call it a night. This year was different though, and it was a very wonderful change to celebrate and enjoy the holiday more in its entirety. Having the girls living closer has certainly made a difference because having children around to enjoy holidays with makes them much more enjoyable, especially the little holidays where if they were not around it would not be as big of a deal. Its so nice that they are closer, not just in distance but in heart to. They have been permanently embedded into my heart and my family, along with my actual family (of course) as well as the other people that are near and dear to me. I am so blessed to have the people I have in my life and more so to be able to spend even the littler holidays like Halloween with them.

Here are some pictures of my wonderful Halloween:
The night before we carved a pumpkin! And then cooked the seeds. And just so you know, Mikayla wore that costume every chance she got, she really liked it! Just a new picture of me and the girls after the pumpkin carving!
Kelley and Me! She is one of my best friends. She took the pictures and helped bake the seeds.
TRICK OR TREAT! The girls all dressed up for trick or treat!
Taylor was a kangaroo. Here she was holding up her candy bag, signaling that she wants to go get candy and not stop for a picture lol.
Mikayla was a unicorn, and boy did she love that costume!One of my favorite boys! My neighbor boy Landon who made the cutest cop in the universe! The other of my favorite boys! Gavin who is also my neighbor makes the cutest koala bear!Dana did not allow me the chance for an individual picture of her so here is my lovely sister with Taylor.

Then comes the big kid fun!

Here is me, Jodi, and Whittney all ready for a Halloween party we attended. Don't you just adore our costumes? We wanted to do a group thing so we went as a cheerleader, football player and a Ref. We were the most awesome themed group there! I must say, I was so very filled with pride and thankfulness as we trouped up for that party together. Most of my life I have struggled with friendships and have never had a true friend I could could count on, the ones I did have decided I wasn't good enough for them. I hadn't had a friend who would do the things a real best friend would do (like coordinating Halloween costumes) until these lovely ladies came around and I am ever so thankful to call them my best friends. It was the greatest feeling in the world to be able to enter that party feeling apart of a tight group of friends- to feel accepted, loved, and knowing that I have two best friends who will stick by me no matter what. I have realized these things quite often but walking in as a group was just another bittersweet moment when I realized how truly blessed I am.
Because Jodi has problems with getting her picture taken (yeah, I don't know either. I mean I don't like getting my picture taken either (despite how it looks the opposite with all the pictures of myself on my blog) but i love the memories pictures give me so as long as i am in the picture with people i love i don't mind it as much) well she ran off after we took the one of all three of us. So I asked Randi (my lovely neighbor) to get in a picture with us and so she did. Which made my night ever so more the wonderful because Randi is another person I am so very thankful for- another great influence on my life and i am so very glad she is my neighbor!

Boy am I blessed and even a Holiday deemed Satan's holiday couldn't make me think otherwise! I have terrific family and friends and I had a great Halloween as well. I hope yours was spooky and wonderful!

Love,