I Am Thankful For...

technology. How did we ever live without all of the cool things we have now. I love my iphone, and I am so glad that we have cell phones. I use my iphone hundreds of times each week. I remember my first cell phone from the early 90's. It looked like this:

I love computers, especially my laptop that I can use in the living room while sitting in my comfy chair typing blogs. I love the Internet, especially now that it is high speed. I remember sitting, waiting for a dial-up page to load. I love all the cool things on the Internet. I can find anything I need on google; a map, reference information, or a special item I am shopping for. I love shopping on the Internet, browsing one of my favorite forums, finding friends on Facebook, and reading other people's blogs. I love email, it is so quick and easy to keep in touch with friends and family.

I love my digital camera, such immediate gratification in seeing that you capture (or not) that perfect little smile. I am having so much fun editing my photos in Picasa3. Then I can share them with friends and family, and put them on my blog.

I love our GPS. We didn't run out of gas in the middle of Louisiana, (or was it Alabama) because the GPS will find the closest gas station. I love that I don't have to print out maps. I feel so free setting out on our journey with just a destination, and the GPS telling us where to go. I love that it will find the closest Chipotle to my location.

I love DVD's and that we can pick one out, and have it in our mailbox in a couple of days. I love our new 46" Sony Bravida HDTV. I can remember when a 19" TV was big, heck I remember when we used to have to get out of the chair to change the channel. I am thankful for satellite tv that we can get hundreds of channels, and even watch the broadcast of conference on BYU TV.

Technology has changed so much in my lifetime. It is so awesome! I am sure in 10 years, we will read this and laugh when our children ask why we used to get DVD's in the mail.

I Am Thankful...

I live in Little Rock. I know you are thinking, how can she be thankful for that! It is true that I have made no secret of the fact that I really didn't want to move to Little Rock. I didn't even know quite where Arkansas was when I found that is where Eddie is from, I had to look on a map. I am from the West, I had always lived out West, and had only limited travels into the Midwest. I knew nothing about the South, well only what I had heard and that wasn't good. It was humid, there were lots of bugs, big bugs, and well it was the South. But after living here for 6 years, I have learned to appreciate living here, maybe I even like it a little bit, but don't tell anyone I said that. I am grateful that we own a comfortable house, with a backyard for the kids to play in. I am very thankful that there are no traffic jams, and long commutes. The people here are very friendly. The church is the same no matter where you live. There are lots of fun things to do with kids here. The state is beautiful with all of the trees, and large lakes, lots of great camping and fishing spots. Maybe some day we will even have a Chipotle.

Christmas Party

Tonight was the Annual Christmas Party at church. It was really nice this year. We had ham and turkey for dinner, with all the usual potluck sides. I especially like the cheesy potatoes, and the green bean casserole. The primary children acted out the Nativity, as the narrator read the story of Jesus birth. Brian played a wise man, he did a great job and was so cute. Then Santa came to visit the children. This year I had two out of three sit on Santa's lap. Can you guess who?

Isn't he just the cutest Wise Man

Hold the Press...

We interrupt the regular scheduled programming of the 25 Days of Thanksgiving to bring you this breaking news.

We put the kids to bed together in our bed the other night, because there was a thunderstorm, and Brian doesn't like the noise. Emily came out of our room to tell us that Brian was falling out of bed. I walked into the bedroom to find him like this. At first I thought he was just pretending to be asleep. Nope he was really asleep, dead asleep. Eddie let me leave him like this long enough to take a picture. I was laughing hysterically! But then I find out something even funnier. Eddie has always said that our kids may look like him, but the rest of the genes came from me. One proof of this was that they sleep like me.

Yep, that's it, that is exactly how I sleep. However, Eddie now tells me that he used to fall asleep on the couch when he was little and his parents would find him flopping off the couch with his head on the floor, just like Brian! OK, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

I Am Thankful For...

those 2 missionaries that wandered up the stairs to my condo, who were looking for my neighbor. Although, I had been born and raised in the church, I had been inactive for about 10 years. I had a good friend from high school that was a member, (and had also been inactive for a number of years, but had since gone back, and had gotten married in the temple), who would call me periodically ask me if I was thinking about going back to church. One time when we talked, I remember telling him that I was waiting for my personal invitation. Well that day I received my personal invitation. Before the next Sunday, a very enthusiastic member from the singles ward called me.

Her: "Hi, this is Crystal from the Cherry Hills Ward, I am picking you up for church tomorrow at 1:00 pm."

Me: OK

I know that my Heavenly Father knows me and knows what I need when I need it. I know that he listens to prayers. I went to church that Sunday, and I immediately knew that it was the place that I should be. I have never looked back. I met Eddie while attending that singles ward, I met some new friends, and reconnected with some old ones.

I Am Thankful For...

the beautiful earth that we live on. I love the majestic mountains. I grew up in Colorado, and loved to go for a drive up to the mountains when I was little. I love to see all the evergreen trees against a snowy backdrop. I love the aspen trees that change a beautiful gold in the Fall. Each year when I visit, I drive on this one stretch of road where you can see the entire mountain range, and I fall in love all over again. I love the powerful ocean and just sitting on a beautiful white sandy beach, watching the waves crash in. It is very relaxing. I am fascinated by volcanoes, and the cooled lava. I am in awe of the Grand Canyon. I love rivers, lakes and streams. I love flowers, plants and trees. I see the beauty all around, and I am constantly reminded that these things are all God's creations.

I Am Thankful For...

Danielle, our newest addition to the Jones family. She is very easy-going, and has been since before she was even born. She "baked" the longest of all my babies and came in her own sweet time, 3 days late. I am thankful that she is so laid back. She eats when I get around to it, sleeps while we run errands, and only wakes me up twice during the night. She is beautiful with her dark hair, she does have pretty blue eyes for the time being (they will probably change), and she is so strong. She can already hold her head up well, and she has a good grip. Her smile is contagious, she tolerates her brother and sisters endless hugs and kisses, and laughs for her daddy. I feel very blessed to have this sweet little girl, she is a wonderful gift from our Heavenly Father.