Unique Ninja

On Thanksgiving we watched Kung Fu Panda. It was a marathon. I had forgotten how cute that movie is.

After we came back home, I was on the floor (in front of our new heater that I love) and Boaz was on the couch.

I could look up and see his eyes, full of mischief, peeking over the cushions.

He announced he was the Kissing Ninja and swooped down to kiss me on my cheeks.

I love him.

Friends

We have a lovely man in our ward. My Josh plays with his oldest. His wife is pregnant with their third. We've had them over for Wii tournaments, and been to their house for rematches. They are great people.

He knows a lot about computers. He helped us one day and the computer was running great. Then it got slow. And then it got slower. And then it wouldn't go at all.

He and his lovely family came over and Craig and he practised a song for the Ward Christmas party -- held on Civil War Saturday, no less.

I tried to video him singing so Craig could practice during the week. I am technology challenged. I can do basic stuff, but have been left way behind by all the phones and gadgets out there.

We admitted, sheepishly, that our computer was a mess. He came in fiddled with it for a few minutes and . . . we are back in business. He chidded us a bit and said, "I wish I had known about your computer." I felt like I didn't want to take advantage of a friend.

Maybe I can have the kids over (a lot) for a huge thank you. He didn't want calories.

Thank you, Lee.

A gaggle of turkeys

Don't they know Thanksgiving is next week?!?

Eight turkeys wandered across my lawn this morning. They were unconcerned by Thea leaving for school. I hurried in to get my camera.

They pecked here and there and strolled on over to the neighbors.

 

 

Our hike

We had a beautiful day for our hike. The sun played hide and seek with the clouds, but no rain.

We saw tons of geese, of course at a refuge set up for geese and abundant water fowl. :) We saw a bald eagle, a Western Meadowlark (Oregon State Bird), circling red-tailed hawks, a little black newt, a banana slug (icky), and a few deer.

I was amazed that we saw that much. They boys were excited and running around crazy. They laughed and shouted and played chase.

We met two very nice Rangers who talked to us about the Wildlife Refuge system and were our tour guides for part of the hike. They pointed out the eagle and meadowlark and identified the hawk.

We only did the loop once, the boy that needed the 3 miler yesterday was sick. So I will plan a 3 miler in April when the whole refuge opens up.

We talked about hiking, how to be safe, what kind of food to eat. We worked a bit with a map and compass. We talked about life cycles and conservation.

I wanted to talk about different trees, but the leaves had all fallen. So another reason to head out in April or later. :)

I am enjoying this calling. :)

My Josh :)

Josh loves to read. A few days ago, he had read almost all evening. His neck was stiff.

Craig was attempting to help him relax. He studied massage therapy for a year and is very good. He said, "you have a kink in your neck."

Josh asked, "Is it a real kink, or is that an idiom?"

How can I be grateful for . . .

MOLES?

I know they are one of God's creatures.

I know they have an innate sense of entitlement to burrow where ever their search for food takes them.

I know they do not recognize people's property lines.

I know it is not personal for them.

BUT . . .

it is personal with me. They have moved from my back yard where I don't have to see it everyday to the side of my house by my poppies and then to the front of my house by my window planter.

I HATE them!

We have a vacant house next door. I think they are infested there too. Ancient mole tunnels crisscross my backyard.

They dug into my tomatoes this summer.

They create holes everywhere.

I have shoved 8 fake poison worms down their holes, and still they burrow and burrow and burrow.

If I had a shotgun, I would shoot down their holes and hope the blast would scramble their brains.

Gratitude

Why is it so easy to see what is lacking?

President Monson's Conference talk spoke right to me. Here I am surrounded by blessings and gifts from Heaven. And still, I tend to fuss over slights and unfulfilled wants.

So, being this is November, the month of Thanksgiving, I want to focus on blessings that I am grateful for.

Today I am grateful for next Wednesday's forcast -- chance of showers. Our Webelos troop will be hiking for three miles, looking for wildlife and native plants. I am grateful I can turn on the computer (even though it is plagued by a possible virus and is as slow as molasses) and look up information on our chosen site, Basket Slough National Wildlife Refuge. I am grateful such a place is close enough to take 4 10-year old boys (plus my tag along 6 year old). I am grateful I have two other women who are willing to give part of their day and come and help me.

I am grateful for a full pantry and a freshly filled freezer.

I am grateful for sisters who show faith in the middle of hard trials.

I am grateful the temple is close enough to attend regularly, and that my sister's goal of weekly attendance is helping me get there more frequently.

I am grateful for a stake president, who set a goal more than a year ago to fill the third floor chapel. And I am grateful that the stake responded then and still does now. Our Wednesday Stake Temple Night ran much more smoothly than the first time we ambushed the temple workers. Now they have a plan and expect us to show up in crazy numbers. And we have a plan and fill several sessions before our chapel appointment. A brand new member of the temple presidency spoke at our meeting. His and his wife's second day. He said our reputation preceeded us, and that we did indeed fill every seat. I know a few were empty, we didn't have people standing in the aisles at the back of the room, but the chapel was full and it was wonderful to hear the stake sing "Redeemer of Israel" and have the organ and voices echo in my soul.

I am grateful for music.

I am grateful for my happy, healthy boys.

I am grateful for my sewing machine and my fabric stash.

I am grateful for scriptures, for reading the Old Testament this year and having enough time to read the Book of Mormon again too.

I am grateful my husband teases me. Somehow that is sunshine to my soul.

Too many blessings to count. Just a few listed. But enough to change my mood, and again I am grateful.