Day 8: Best friends!

Of course Stefan is my best friend, along with my mom and sister.  But every girl needs some girl best friends! I have the best two ever.  They both served missions the first bit I was married. I am so happy they both got home soon before Oakley was born.  She is lucky to have two extra aunts! I was telling someone the other day that you have a baby and you realize who your true friends are. They have still stuck with me! And we talk almost every day.  I never was a girl friend type person. In high school I had a rough time with girls and  I really lost all of my close girls friends.  Even though I went to high school with both of them, we really became friends after.  Jenni and I became best friends on our Europe trip. And Kylee and I became best friends in college up at good ole Weber State. I look up to both of these girls so much! They are amazing with personalities that anyone would love and testimonies that radiate! I don't know what I would do without them! We were lucky to do a trip together before they both left and I got married. Even though they weren't really friends before, I am so happy that they both came and we had an awesome time!

Day 7: HALLMARK CHRISTMAS MOVIES!!!

The day after Halloween something amazing happens.... Hallmark Christmas movies begin. It is so great. I love this time of year, it's getting to be Christmas time, well at my house it basically already is. The tree is up, music is on and Hallmark movies are a constant.  When I lived at home, my dad and I would stay up and watch all the Christmas movies on Hallmark, then one year my mom finally started watching them with us and we joke around because my dad and I have already seen basically all of them.  But every year they come out with new ones.  They are the most predictable shows, with not the greatest acting, but they make me feel good and so happy! Stefan is not a big fan but I slowly am converting him because we have to watch them all the time! This is really one of my favorite parts of this time of year.

Day 6: Jeff and Bonnie

Jeff and Bonnie are my absolutely amazing parents. (who knows why I call them by their actual names) But  I got the opportunity to get really close to my parents growing up. I was the youngest and the last one at home, so I got a lot of one of one time with my parents.  The older I get the more grateful I get for my amazing parents. In every aspect, they are examples to me. They are some of the most non judgemental, spiritual, caring, giving, people who are also so fun and great to be around.  If I go into much detail I will probably cry.  But I seriously owe everything to them. I am grateful for the million times I call my mom everyday and she always is happy to talk to me. And how my dad and I can laugh together and share our love for sweets and watching good shows together... even when I eat all his oreos he still loves me. They continue to help me, teach me, and show me their love and examples still every day.  I hope I can be a parent like they are! I don't know what I would do without them! I love you Jeff and Bonnie:) 

Here are a bunch of old pictures of my parents and I, mostly before I got married. I was lucky enough to go on a lot of vacations with them, especially my mom, who really is more of a best friend than a mom haha. 

My cute dad took my friend and I to dinner. He is definitely known to do that! 

Of course I am grateful they gave me my other siblings.  The original Crosland 7 here at my grandmas funeral. 

Gratitude Day 5: Heat and Shelter

The thing I was very grateful for this day was heat and shelter. Now that it is cooling down, I am so happy that I can have a home that is warm and we are protected from the elements. Something so simple that we don't think about much, is something so many people all over the world don't get to have.

Gratitude Day 4: Prophet

I know I have been way behind on these. But I have written down everyday what I was grateful for that day, just didn't get around to blogging. So here is the catch up!

I am a member of the LDS church. I have a testimony of living prophets today. I am so grateful for Prophets who receive revelation and are able to see the whole picture that we always aren't seeing. I don't want to get really into this, but I am so grateful that we have modern day leaders to lead and guide us. I know that they are not perfect, but they teach us exactly what God wants us to know. I know that they are priesthood holders who are truly called of God. To learn more about the LDS church you can read about it here.

Day 3: My Calling

Every Wednesday night at 6:30 I drive over to my church building and meet with girls between 12-18 for an activity. We also meet together every Sunday for one hour during our church block. I absolutely LOVE my calling. These girls that I serve with are amazing. I love each one of them! I also love the leaders that I serve with, we have become the best of friends! I learn so much from the other leaders and my girls, they have made my testimony grow so much! I can't even express how much I love doing this. I am over personal progress and it has been fun to get to do it all again. It definitely is a time consuming calling and it gets overwhelming sometimes but I love it!! Here are a few of the other leaders. Missing Kelsey!

Month of Gratitude Day 2: Coke

Oh my love for carbonated/caffeinated drinks is not good.  But I feel like my days go much better if I get to drink my coke in the morning! Especially having a baby that doesn't sleep, ever, caffeine is basically a food group around my house. It definitely isn't good for me, but I feel like it helps me get through my day and overall makes me happier so I will take it!  My favorite drink place is Fiiz, which is conveniently very close to my house.  So let's just say I am a frequent visitor there. But their coke is really good, and their ice (The tiny ice my family calls poop ice) and their styrofoam cups are an added bonus. One day I will quit drinking... until then, it's something that I am grateful for! Hey, Oakley has her drink and I have mine! :)

Month of Gratitude: Day 1

For a little while now, every night while Stefan and I are laying in bed, we tell each other four things about our day. The best part of our day, the worst part of our day, something we learned, and something we are grateful for that day. I have really liked doing it, it helps us share more about our day together and to take a second a realize something we are grateful for.  Since this month is really focused on gratitude. I want to blog everyday this month about what I was grateful for the day before. Some might be long, some might be short and simple. Here's to November!

Yesterday was day 1, I am grateful for the freedom that we have. I feel like I have heard a lot about this lately. I am grateful that I am able to write this freely, go to the church I want to, and do the things I want without being punished. I feel like this is something that I take for granted and we are so lucky to have! My mom gave a talk today about Pioneer Trek in her stake conference, and it really made me think how those people were so persecuted, and forced out of their homes. I am so grateful  to live in a place where I have close church buildings, temples, and freedom of religion.