10 things

10 physical abilities I am grateful for...

1 Walking.
Ryan and I have walked over 150 miles together since last August.  I have really enjoyed getting some time for just the two of us and exercising at the same time.

2 Swimming.
Still one of my favorite things to do.  It's a great way to tune out the world around you.

3 Typing.
How else would I keep in touch with loved ones, update Facebook on all my trivial details, and shop online?

4 Playing the piano.
It's like my own kind of therapy.

5 Stretching
Nothing feels quite like a great stretch first thing in the morning.

6 Skating
We all got skates for Christmas.  It's been fun to learn how to skate as a family.

 7 Braiding hair
A handy trick on days when I don't want to mess with a curling iron

8 Jumping Rope
A skill I can still manage.  Although not for as long as I could as a kid.

9 Filing
I don't know if that counts as a physical skill, but it's sure come in handy the last couple of weeks.

10 Hugging
Self explanatory.

First Snow of 2011

I have to take pictures of the snow in the morning, because it usually all melts before lunch!

Sunrise

Apple Pi

Love it!

2012

Last year I tried to take a picture every day for this blog.  Although I didn't achieve that goal, I did manage 313 posts, so I feel pretty good about that.  I was surprised that after only a few weeks my first inclination was to grab the camera for almost anything that gave me pause, and I was also surprised that I managed to take pictures of most of the moments. 

In reviewing my blog for the past few years, I have discovered I seem to be most grateful for friends, food and family.  In an effort to branch out a bit, I am going to take an idea from The Choice to be Grateful by President Henry B Eyring and do 10 different things each month from this list. (Thanks to our Home Teacher Jake for giving me the idea!)

Take a Gratitude Challenge

By John Hilton III and Anthony Sweat

Let’s not just talk about counting our blessings—let’s do it! Write a list of 100 things you are thankful for. If that sounds like it is too many, try this:

1. Write 10 physical abilities you are grateful for.
2. Write 10 material possessions you are grateful for.
   
3. Write 10 living people you are grateful for.
   
4. Write 10 deceased people you are grateful for.
   
5. Write 10 things about nature you are grateful for.
   
6. Write 10 things about today you are grateful for.
   
7. Write 10 places on earth you are grateful for.
   
8. Write 10 modern inventions you are grateful for.
   
9. Write 10 foods you are grateful for.
   
10. Write 10 things about the gospel you are grateful for.
    

When we make a list like this, we discover that a list of 100 doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of all the things God has given us.

Happy New Year!

Pride Before the Fall

I took this picture about thirty seconds before she tipped that milkshake over and spilled it all over the table and her clothes.  I would have taken a picture of that, but I was busy cleaning up sticky strawberry milkshake.

Painting Fun

Building Hogwarts

Helping Daddy build the Hogwarts board for the Lego Hogwarts game.  It was actually a pretty fun game!

So close!

Making Christmas Memories

She's only six, but this has become one of my favorite yearly traditions: waiting at the top of the stairs while her daddy starts a fire and gets the camera ready.  It's the epitome of Christmas morning anticipation, complete with her trademark crazy morning hair.