Thankful For Historical Sites!

 

Who would have known that in the outskirts of my own backyard there are pockets of old historic homes and estates with a lot of history! It's amazing what we take for granted when we don't venture out in our own area and so thankful for social media where various influencers from my neck of the woods will post about a place they've been and since there was no school the monday after his birthday weekend we decided to take Noah to Historic Walnford. 

And it was indeed Historic.

So much history and the house and mill was incredible. It was so calm and peaceful touring these sites. I love the architecture inside the house and the location it's at. Who knew this little gem is only 15 minutes away from my house! So thankful for history and for all the historical sites that are literally a few miles away from our little town!

Thankful For My Girls!

 

These girls are my everything! I honestly don't know what would do or be without them in my life. They are the first to have made me a mother. Sierra, Lexie, and Chelsea. All five years apart and counting my blessings everyday that they were born with that age gap. In hindsight it was good for my mental health. That five year age gap has been a blessing and continues to be a blessing. I love them all unconditionally and there is nothing in the world that I would do for them. So thankful for all their differences and for who they are. I sure do learn a lot from them and pray that I will always be open minded and supportive in all the decisions they make with their lives. Motherhood is truly the best and I'm so glad that I decided to have four instead of just one kid! 

Thankful For My Only Boy.

 

November has to be my luckiest month because that is when my son, our only boy Noah was born. He's 14 and till this day he is as sweet as they come. He has inherited at least one attribute from each of his sisters. Me and his dad. He is every percentage of all five of us which makes him unique in his own way. I love that he's kind and giving. He loves to help the homeless. If he sees someone that looks like they are in need whether on the side of the road as we are getting off the turnpike or in the streets of New York he wants to help. 

One time we saw a man walking down fifth avenue in the city looking inside every single trash can for food and here comes Noah asking me if we can get him something to eat. Those homeless people that mind their business and don't panhandle are usually the ones that really need it. And you can tell. I always go by my gut and will give if I feel that nudge. Noah is a lot like me when it comes to caring for the needy. He's crazy and sassy sometimes like Chelsea, super sensitive yet very agreeable like Lexie. Artistic and creative like Sierra, and sometimes too nice like his dad. He does have latin in him which will rarely come out. Like ever! I hope that he won't have that Spanish heat like I do. He's a jersey boy through and through with the way he speaks and I love it! Sometimes I have to tell him to enunciate his words and not talk too fast! But that's the way of life here in Jersey. At least he talks fast and doesn't like being rushed. Living in Jersey can be super rushed and I have been teaching him that life doesn't have to be like that. Just because you're from here doesn't mean you have to be like it! So thankful for this kid who still likes to play with action figures, reads comic books, talks about social media, dystopias, friendships, and constantly sends me tiktoks that relate to love and moms, and also geeky ones that I sometimes don't get! 

Thankful For My Sis.

Grateful for sisters who stick together through the thick and thin of life. I'm so thankful for this wonderful sister of mine! I'm glad she was able to take time off from work last month to spend a few days with me. I sure needed to see her and it was so fun to have kept our time together chill and simple without feeling the ne need to go everywhere. Sure there was a moment where we could have gone to the city but she was like, "I've already been to New York." We did go to Philly and she was able to see some the main historical sites such as the Liberty Bell, Rocky steps and statue. She took most of the pictures in Philly and I mainly took pictures of us in Princeton. It's pretty sad that when she visited me last time we never ventured out in my own backyard! LOL! 

Autumn In New York & An Expression of Gratitude For This Season!

It's been over 10 years since I've been blogging and it's been a few years since I've kept up with gratitude posts. I blame it on Covid and the lack of motivation that it has caused me to "keep up." There are times when I just want to "live" without feeling the need to post and blog all the time. The fact that my back is beginning to hurt as I sit down in front of a computer for hours doesn't help my motivation either. But alas here I am expressing my gratitude and love for autumn online. I love this time of year where the leaves change and the temps become cooler. Fall is indeed becoming my favorite season over summer. Now I know I'm getting old having written that! So let's see how long I will keep up with these posts. There might be days when I'll skip a couple days and a month where I literally write something everyday in November like I did back in 2018. But for now I want to express my gratitude for autumn in pictures. I especially love Central Park in the fall. The fall foliage, the people in the backdrop of some of the pics, the energy that you can sense by looking at them. I love it all and so thankful to live close to this magical city that can make you happy and cry at the same time! It's bittersweet not having the girls around anymore during this colorful  time for photos but luckily Noah doesn't mind being in pictures...for now! 

Lighting The World!

Two years ago the church began a campaign called Light the world where we can help share the light and joy though simple acts of service all through December. I love this campaign, and the kids loved getting involved as well. It seriously helps us forget our own issues when we focus on others. I love simple Christmases anyway.

For Sierra & Lexie.

"Give them wings to fly. Roots to come home. And reasons to stay." I love that saying. It is something I hope for every time I talk to my older daughters whenever they plan on visiting, or coming home for breaks from school. Hoping that they love coming home no matter what. Having two adult daughters is bittersweet. Bitter because I wish they were closer to home, and sweet because they are away from familiar territory where they are growing, and learning new things all while being challenged with the ways of the world. 

For Not Procrastinating.

There are so many things we procrastinate on, and when it comes to the holidays I know that some us feel rushed, and are so overwhelmed that we wait to do things until the last second! I personally have never been one to seriously procrastinate, especially when it comes to the holidays. My gifts, and cards are pretty much mailed the last week of November, or the first two weeks of December. I have never mailed cards or gifts after the holiday, and that makes me feel good! I have my list of who to send cards to already prepared, and they are ready to be mailed. I live for Christmas cards! I love receiving them, and putting them up on our card holder. 

For Journal Writing.

I know I've written so much about journaling in the past, and how much I love it. I have various journals in which I share my day to day. Of course I have this blog in which I share the most, but the one where I brutally write my heart out is handwritten in pen on a daily basis, and sometimes I'll skip a couple of days only because I've blogged about it, but it's nice to write it out in even bigger detail. I love how my life all comes together whether good or bad. Some days are bright, some moments are not. What's written online or in a handwritten journal are the snippets of my life, and as mundane as they may seem I know that one day all my kids will look back on these days and laugh, cry, and probably be in shock at some of the entries, but it's okay! I want them, and my future posterity to know how my life as a young adult before, and during marriage was lived. I also wistfully still pull out my old journals, and regardless of what was written inside am grateful that I wrote it all down! 

For Music Lessons.

Every week for the past 20 years ALL my kids have taken up music lessons. Whether it's been the guitar, piano, oboe, or violin. Music lessons are a luxury. A luxury so great that makes me especially grateful we can afford. My two adult daughters continue to play the violin, and piano, and sing on their own time, and my two younger children who are still at home play the piano. 

For Jon.

I've know Jon for more than 25 years and I'm so grateful to have met him! I am thankful that he served in my hometown as a missionary while I was investigating the church of Jesus Chris of Latter-day Saints, and that we instantly became friends. So thankful that the church had our paths meet once again when he returned home from his mission, and after dating for a few months became his wife! He works so super hard to provide for our family, and to make sure we are taken care of. He has a great love for The Lord,  is compassionate, caring, a great cook, and an amazing father to our four children. He truly is my best friend! So thankful for you Jon!

For Education.

I want to express my gratitude to live in a country where education is provided for all of its children. Noah has a classmate in his class who is disabled, and has become good friends with him. When I've volunteered in his class I see how happy that little boy is, and how sweet all the kids are with him. Noah has learned not to complain about something being too hard because he has seen Luis commit to the tasks that are harder for him to do while being in a wheelchair.  I love that Noah is learning from his example, and that at the same time is teaching him to do work that is 10 times harder! I admire the teachers that work so hard on his behalf because...third graders! Seriously though, I have loved participating in both Noah, and Chelsea's classes, and look forward to continuing to help out until they finish school. We certainly are fortunate to get the education we receive here not only for us, but for our kids as well! 

For Tradition & Happy Thanksgiving!

This time of year is filled with traditions, and I love that we have created some of our own with our family. In our third year of living in Jersey we decided to "not cook" on Thanksgiving, and to go to the parade in NYC instead. I honestly don't know how long we will continue to go to the annual Macy's Thanksgiving day parade, but we've been going for the past five years or so, and it never gets old! 

For Volunteering.

These are the days I will miss once Noah graduates from elementary school! I have always volunteered at all my girls schools, but in all honesty I have spoiled myself with constant volunteering at Noah's school. This time I brought Chelsea with me to do a Thanksgiving craft with the kids, and she had such a great time experiencing working with 20 third graders for an hour. I have so much gratitude for being a room parent, and for the opportunity I have to volunteer at the school when it comes to holiday parties, craft days, picture day, book fair, back to school picnic, and various activities. It brings me such joy knowing that I am doing some good by relieving extra duties from the teachers. 

For Manhattan - FAO Schwarz.

There are many places, and cities in which I am grateful for, but there is a unique, palpable energy in Manhattan that no other city has. A million cultures rolled into one amazing city, and a ton of different things to do, and see. Maybe I'm being bias because I live an hour away from here, but the times we go we never want to leave. It's energetic, and I feel like the energizer bunny from all the walking we do when we come here. 

For Chelsea.

Chelsea...she's the only girl left in the house, and as much as we butt heads we have loads of laughs, and lots of fun. She is my new movie buddy, and is happy to now be the only child who comes home early from school so we can eat at Chick-Fil-A alone together. Our mother and daughter dates have increased, and I am truly grateful to have her in my life, and to have another female in the house for at least another five years to pick on, laugh with, eat out with, shop with, go to concerts with, go to the city with, and just have good ol' fun! So thankful for Chelsea! 

For Miracles.

I know I'm continuing to go backwards here with my blogging, and I certainly hope y'all don't grow weary of my temple posts, but this one is super special because in all honesty, on our way home from Utah, we were not supposed to have driven down the road that led to the temple in Star Valley, Wyoming. Miracles happen, and were waiting for us, and I can't express how grateful I am when they happen! 

For Our Home.

No matter where we have lived we have always managed to make our home a loving, cozy, and safe environment for our kids. We've lived in four different states, and lived in about 14 different apartments  and houses in almost 24 years! Don't ask how or why we do it, but jobs change, and transfers come, landlords sell, and some apartments just got too small for our family. 

For Veterans.

After a long weekend in New England I failed to blog and give thanks on this little corner of the net, but today I want to express my gratitude for all the veterans who have served, and are currently serving. Who put their lives in harms way in order for us to have the freedoms we desire. Who sacrifice all that they have by leaving their families and comforts of home behind. Who go out in unfamiliar territory not knowing what to expect, and how their day is going to end. To each and every one of you, I say thank you! I am so grateful for my citizenship in this land, and for your sacrifice. We pray for you daily, and your service is appreciated!

For Noah.

This past weekend flew by like a leer jet, and I can't believe that my baby boy is NINE! I never thought that I'd have four kids let alone a boy! Three girls was a charm, but this boy is a dream! When this boy came into my world he gave me more than I expected.....