31 Days of being thankful: day 23

I am thankful for Sundays. For several reasons..... First, Sunday's are the ONLY day of the week i get to sleep in. Jeff gets up with Cohen, and I sleeeeeeep! And ever since our church changed times to 1 PM (yuck)... we have been waking Cohen up around 7:15, so that we can give him a nap before church. So my sweet hubby even gets up early on Sunday, just so I can sleep!

I love that we are 'forced' to do absolutely nothing on Sundays! It's our chance to relax, and prepare for the crazy week. And I love that I can stay in my PJ's all day (except for church, duh) and I don't have to feel lazy about it!

I will admit that I haven't had that great of time at church the last, oh let's just say 6 months! It's been really hard with Cohen... so I hardly even make it to class, and if I do, I spend my time entertaining him, or chasing him around. And I know, i know, EVERYONE has their opinion about nursery.... but DANG IT, I'm excited for today!!! He is going to nursery, without me this time, and I get to go to class!!! We will see how he does...

So i am thankful for the sabbath day, that we can relax, mingle at church, and just take it easy.

home ec. 101

So my wonderful mother got me a sewing machine for Christmas!! I have wanted one for a very long time... so it has been VERY fun! For my first project, I made an apron, and hot pads for my cousin, for her bridal shower gift! I am so proud of myself! I think they turned out pretty good for my first thing on my own!

Stay tuned for many many more fun things! Oh I feel so crafty! :)

I'm just a little behind....

.... But I'm still Thankful!!!

Okay, well yes, I've gotten a little behind in my "Thankful" mission... I've actually been busy this week!! I know!!!! Weird........ But I have tons of things going around in my head that I need to blog about, so, I might... MIGHT, be going into February with this. Sorry... but at least I'll finish the "31 days"! Thanks for your patience!

1.5 years.....

Today marks a very special day for my little cocobuns, my punky dunks.... Today he is 18 months old! A YEAR AND A HALF!!! Wowzas! He is no longer a 'baby'. And on sunday, he officially starts nursery! What a big boy he is! SUCH a little man. And I am having a BLAST with him! Yes, he's a challenge some days, but then he makes up for it after his nap, or the next day. :)

He is now understanding what things are, and where they are. Like when we need to get ready to go, and I'm asking where his shoes are... he's off running in the other room, and brings back the shoes he wants to wear! And when we need to get his coat on, he is soooo excited to find his coat and bring it to me! It is definitely frustrating at times when I wish he would just talk... but he has no problem coming and getting me, and pointing to the things he wants, or needs. His favorite place now, is the pantry, cause he knows EXACTLY where the "nack" (snacks) are!

He is sooo stinkin smart, I don't know where he gets it sometimes! He LOVES reading. L.O.V.E.S it. I just love watching him when he's looking at books, or while we're reading to him. Just wondering what he is thinking. The one thing I think he loves just as much, if not more... is DANCING! Oh my gosh. Anything will get him moving! I don't know where he's getting his love of books, but I DO know where he gets his love of dancing/music! While we are snuggling watching cartoons in the morning, he starts clapping, or moving his head back and forth. In the car, he is bouncin around to the beat. While we're singing to him, while he's watching his cousins playing Guitar Hero, he is a rock star!! Oh my gosh, TRUE dancer, for sure!

He is so sweet, and soooo funny. He makes his dad and I VERY happy. He is going to be such a great big brother! I can't wait! I am so grateful he is apart of our family. And that I have the chance to be his mother.

Happy HALF birthday Sweet COHEN BUNS!!!!!!!!

yesterday i was trying to take pictures of him, cause I really didn't have real recent ones of him. Especially after his haircut.... I was in the closet looking for something, and I found his jumper!! So I thought I'd try it out! He didn't really care for it that much. He REALLY liked it when I would push him in it, like a swing!
Cohen loves his closet. Why? I have no idea. But I walked in there looking for him, and I saw his little fingers sticking out of the sliding door! And this is what I found!

31 Days of being thankful: day 22

I am thankful for beautiful surroundings. It snowed last night, and when Jeff and I were looking outside at it, it was just sooooo pretty! Everything white and pure, and the sky was so bright from the reflection. Then today, while we were driving on the freeway, all the trees were completely covered in snow. And it was just soooo beautiful! Jeff even mentioned it! :)

I'm just thankful that we have beautiful things to look at, and be surrounded by on a daily basis. I know I take those things for granted, but I'm truly thankful for that. I remember going on road trips when I was younger... and my mom and I would always point out really pretty things. I loved that. I hope you point things out in the car when you see them, even if you sound silly!

Thank you beautiful snow!

31 Days of being thankful: day 21

I am thankful for diapers. One, they're just great; two, they are just so cute on a naked body; and three, I couldn't imagine it any other way. I know there are mom's who prefer cloth diapers.... I'm sorry, but that's gross, and WAY more work than it needs to be... MY OPINION! :) I thank my mother who had to change my cloth diaper, since they didn't have disposables back then! Sorry Mom! I can't wait for the day until I don't have to change them anymore... but until then, I am truly thankful that we live in a time with disposable diapers!!

31 Days of being Thankful: day 20

I am thankful for medicine, specifically the kind I can take while pregnant. Let's talk about heartburn........................... okay, some people get mad at me cause I don't get "sick" while I'm pregnant. No, I don't throw up, lucky me..... but do YOU GET HEARTBURN?!?!?! HOLY CRAP, it's the worst thing in the world. At least if you're nauseous, it will somewhat go away if you throw up. Well my chest constantly feels like it's ON FIRE. And at any instant I will breath out fire. The reason I am bringing this up, is cause I'm about to go upstairs and take wonderful heartburn medicine. But while I am sitting here, I want to die!

So thank you antacids, for taking away the pain that is in my chest.

31 Days of being Thankful: day 19

I am thankful for my recliner. Oh my goodness it is comfortable! I worked hard to buy it too! A couple months before Cohen was born, I helped my mom with a garage sale. For two days we worked. And maybe people knew I was in need of a rocking chair, cause I sold a TON of stuff! Well with all my earnings from the garage sale, Jeff and I went straight to Costco, and purchased this wonderful cushy rocking recliner. It was wonderful to end my pregnancy with, to use while I was up with Cohen (during the day, and at night), and now it's been fantastic during this pregnancy to rest in during the day. Ahhhh....

Thank you chair, you've been a wonderful companion.

31 Days of being Thankful: day 19

I am thankful for good tv shows. And I suppose for the not so great ones too, cause I guess that makes for good entertainment! But seriously... no, my life does not revolve around TV, but it's nice to have some good entertainment once and awhile! Oh, and I guess while we're on the subject, I'm thankful for DVR's!! Oh, I can't imagine my life without one! And for those of you who are thinking, "wow, that's sad that this lady can't live without a DVR!" Well what I say to you, is you've probably never had one, or you'd be thinking the same thing! The way I see it, is the tv doesn't own me, I own IT! I watch the shows *I* want, when *I* want. And without commercials!! it's brilliant.

Okay, lets get back to the shows! I love the shows that make me laugh so hard it hurts, and cry cause I feel their pain (or happiness), or it sucks me in, cause it reminds me of my family. See, I don't read books. I WISH I did... I just don't. I can't stand reading. So i watch tv!

31 Days of being Thankful: day 18

Today I've had just one of those days. When you think everything is going wrong.... Well so today I am thankful for trials. It's a funny way the Lord blesses us everyday. And sometimes you don't think of them as "blessings" but as "punishments", Am I right?? Well it was interesting today, cause this first half of the day started out really poopy. But then I spent mid-day spending time with one of my best friends. I guess you could call it "service" but I was just thinking of it as hanging out with a friend that is on bed rest, and could probably use some company. Once I got to her house, I didn't even think twice about my stupid, petty, little problems that were going on in my head.... I was too concerned about helping her out.

When anything bad happens, you always think, "WHY ME?!?!?!" at least I do. Well ya know what... "WHY NOT YOU!??" I know that the Lord gives all of us different trials, because he knows that we can handle them. He knows that we will get through it, and figure it out. Yes it sucks, but man, we are just so much better because of it. And hopefully we learn from it, and just move on.

So I am thankful that we have "not-so-great" days every now and again... just to put us back on track.

31 Days of being Thankful: day 17

I am thankful for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. They make me happy. I'm thankful that I found the BEST recipe for them too! I guess this would be a guilty pleasure of mine. Even better than the cookies themselves, is the cookie dough. Which actually kinda sucks right now, since I can't have cookie dough due to the pregnancy.... (don't understand that one, actually). But the cookies are just fabulous. They make people happy when I make them, therefore, makes me happy, which is why I am thankful for them! :)

31 Days of being Thankful: day 16

I am thankful for my in-laws. I am talking about my husband's wonderful family, and my sibling's wonderful husband and wife! I truly feel blessed that I have the WORLDS best in-laws. I have the best family, and now best extended family! And I LOVE it! I'm thankful for the support and love they show my brother & sister, and the support and love they show to Jeff. I truly feel like I can call them friends, and I can count on them for late night chats, last minute babysitting, baby advice, yummy sunday dinners, and sooooooooo many more things!

My sisters and I talk about this all the time, how we hope our siblings marry really wonderful people, cause our family is so close, and we would be worried we wouldn't get along, or they wouldn't 'mesh' well. Well three out of three so far, AIN'T BAD!! :) I love Conrad and Jenny, and I couldn't IMAGINE better people to marry my sister and brother! I'm soooo glad they are part of our crazy family!

When Jeff and I got engaged, my family came to town, and Jeff's family had them over for a lovely dinner. Ever since then, my mom has gone on and on how lucky she feels that I married into such a great family! And I completely agree! I can't imagine marrying into a family that I didn't get along with, or didn't want to be around them at all. And it's so nice to have them here when I'm away from my family. And it's sooo fun having niece & nephews around!! :)

So thank you, my extended family, that have made my life better! Love you guys!

31 Days of being Thankful: day 15

I am thankful for COUPONS!!!! Yes! I said it... I am thankful that there is such a thing that will help save a buck or two! When I lived in Oregon, I was SOOOOOOOOO good at coupon shopping. I'm not kidding. Well I guess I owe all my knowledge to my mother, cause to me, she was the master! But ever since I moved to Utah, I have been HORRIBLE. I just don't get how people do it here! I need my Safeway!!! Anyway... I'm back in the game, and I had a GREAT shopping experience at Walgreen's the other day. I'm so proud of myself. And yes, I"m a stay-at-home mom... but I feel this is my way of 'working' for my family!

31 Days of being Thankful: day 14

I am thankful for velcro and slip on shoes. Mostly toddler shoes, size 4. When I am fighting desperately to put shoes on Cohen, I can't imagine having to tie them!! So I'm thankful for the option of velcro!


And while I'm at it, and I'm thankful that his aunts and uncles that make sure he has good shoes to wear! The picture above are the Vans he's currently wearing, from his aunt Tracey and uncle Conrad!

31 Days of being Thankful: day 13

So this is going to sound weird, but I'm very thankful we're not 'rich'. Yes, sometimes I think it would be nice to have all the money that we need and want... but I am so sick of hearing story after story about how money ruins people's relationships, families, marriages, etc. Money DEFINITELY does not buy happiness.

I don't know... I was just watching something on Oprah today, and it just really bothered me. So this is kinda my vent, and also something that I'm thankful for!!

Oh BOY.......

So as I mentioned in my last post, I was telling my sister a funny story, and I was laughing hysterically....... Well I thought I would post that story.

Last night I was getting Cohen's bath ready, Cohen was already fully undressed, diaper and all... So I went in the other room looking for him, to get him in the tub, when I see him sitting on the living room floor, completely spread eagle, reading a book, PEEING! I stop dead in my tracks, and gasp! It scared him, so he stopped peeing, and just stared at me! Then I started laughing sooooo hard, and instantly he started peeing again! HA HA!!! Oh my gosh, it was seriously sooo funny!!!! I wish Jeff would have seen it! And no, I don't have a picture..... Didn't have time, and I'm not sure what I would have actually taken a picture of! So you'll have just have to make a mental picture !!

31 Days of being Thankful: day 12

I am thankful for good healthy laughing! I was telling my sister a story tonight, and I was seriously laughing so hard tears were pouring out. Afterwards, I just felt so fresh, and happy!!! So I am thankful for our funny bone! Isn't it just the best hearing stories, or seeing something awesome, that makes you want to fall over laughing?! I can't imagine life without laughing... that would be a sad, sad world.


I'm thankful I live in a world of laughter.... even when kitties laugh! :)

31 Days of being Thankful: day 11

ha ha... I was just sitting here thinking about what I was going to write about today, and so I asked Jeff what I should be thankful for today... he said, without a beat, "CHECK CITY!! They now accept gold!!" HA HA!!!



So I am thankful for really awesome commercials, And really silly things that people think they can sell and make millions on! It makes life just that more enjoyable, and humorous!

Cohen & his adventures in Nursery!

Yes, you heard me right, NURSERY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I NEVER thought this day would EVER come!!! Holy cow......

Okay, so Cohen will be 18 months in 2 1/2 weeks... (oh my gosh, I can't believe it!!!) Which means, he gets to start nursery, which means, I get to sit in all my church meetings, and actually get to listen, and enjoy them! :) Well yesterday at church, I asked the Nursery Leader if it would be OK if I started Cohen now, while I am in there with him, to just get him used to it. Man, I wish I had a video camera in there... cause it was pretty dang awesome (good & bad)!! He absolutely loved it. Luckily he's a pretty independent and 'chill' kid, so it doesn't take a lot to keep him happy. He sat at the table eating snacks, and drinking out of a little Dixie cup, he danced in the middle of the classroom during singing time, and he was able to find all the cars and trucks in the toy bins! However, it made me realize, there are a few things I need to teach him! Like coloring... I have NEVER colored with him! I never knew when to start coloring with him! Cause anytime he was near crayons, he would eat them! So while the kids were coloring, I wouldn't let Cohen put the crayons in his mouth, so he got mad and wanted to just run around! So guess what we bought at Target today... yep, a coloring book!! :) The other thing is discipline... not like time outs or anything... We have FOUR nursery's. yes, FOUR. And they rotate from class to class for different things. Well while the kids were walking to the other side of the church, they were all holding onto a string with handles. Yeah, Cohen didn't understand that, and just ran down the hallway!! And then during singing time, like I mentioned before, all the kids were sitting reverently in their chairs while the leader sang songs... and here's Cohen, in the middle of the room dancing!! He wouldn't just sit. So he definitely has some learning to do... but all in all, it was pretty dang amusing. Jeff said he peeked in the window to see what he was doing, of course he was just content with the toys!

I really think he is going to enjoy it in there... Only time will tell.....

31 Days of being Thankful: day 10

I am thankful for my talents. I feel like I have been very blessed that I have the talents that I have, and that I'm able to pick up new talents verily quickly. I'm not coming on here to brag about everything that I"m great at... cause by no means am I GREAT at each one of my talents... but I'm able to do them, and I enjoy them thoroughly! Most of them saves me money, so that's always a plus! And it keeps me busy when I'm bored!

There's a part in my wedding video where my parents are telling Jeff and I to keep letting us do the things we love. My dad told me to let Jeff continue to Golf, and my mom told Jeff to "Let Jen keep doing.......... (after a LONG pause)............ FUN STUFF"!! It is one of my favorite things on my wedding video! And it will FOREVER be an inside joke in my family, making fun of my mom... Cause she couldn't think of ANYTHING that I like to do! But now I don't see it as, "my mom doesn't know what I like to do..." I see it now as, I like SOOOO many different things! And all of which are FUN!! :)

So I'm thankful that I have been blessed with many talents, that I can share with my family and friends!

31 Days of being Thankful: day 9

I am thankful for our home. I'm thankful we have a place to live, and it's a place we enjoy living in! I love our area, I love our ward, I love the space we have. I'm just grateful we have a place to call home.

31 Days of being Thankful: day 8

I am thankful for good friends. For those that are close to me, and are there for me. I kinda think of myself as a homebody... Not really someone that has to have like ten friends around me all the time. But I am lucky, and thankful for the few friends I do have. You know who you are, and I'm glad we're friends!!! :)

Yum, Yummmmm, and YUMMMMMY!!

Okay, I know I posted about food yesterday, But this isn't really part of my "31 days of being thankful". I AM thankful for it... but I'm just sharing my lunch with you.........

This is the most wonderful thing ever.

This is Taco Salad. This is my all time favorite food ever. I could HONESTLY eat this everyday for the rest of my life, And I would definintely be okay with it! Now you're probably looking at this picture and wondering what the heck is on that?! Well, let me tell you... Nacho Cheese doritoes, lettuce, taco meat, cheese, catalina dressing, and olives. This is the way my family has been eating it since I can remember. I'm not even sure where the idea came from to use Nacho Cheese doritoes, and catalina dressing.... But man it's delicious. In fact, this is usually what I request for my birthday dinner every year. Don't knock it til you try it!

Yes, the Graham family does things a little different.

31 Days of being Thankful: day 7

I am thankful for Facebook, Blogging, Email, Skype, and any other device used to stay in touch with friends and family! It's just fabulous! I love that I can post pictures sooo easily for my family to see so quickly! Thanks to facebook, I have been able to stay in touch with old high school friends, cousins, and family members. A year ago when I was hearing about Facebook, I never thought it would be something I would actually be thankful for... But here I am, admiting it.

31 Days of being Thankful: day 6

I am so thankful for food! For yummy, delicious food. Can you just imagine, for a moment, if from the time of Adam & Eve, we were programmed to eat like the same four things?? Seriously?! We totally could have been made like that. In a way, I guess that would be a good thing.... we wouldn't have the question every night of what the heck I'm going to cook for dinner. But seriously, food is so good. It's fun, it's scrumptious, it's entertaining... It's fun to experiment, and also fun to watch the Food Network channel! So I thank all those wonderful people who come up with such yummy concoctions that is food for my belly!

31 Days of being Thankful: day 5

Today I have been thinking about my ultrasound, and our cute little baby that will be joining our family. Seeing it on the screen, really makes it real. Yes, my belly is growing... but sometimes it's hard to believe that there is actually a human being in there! So today, I am thankful for technology! It is just crazy to me that we are able to see these things. Today the nurse was going through every little part of the baby, making sure everything was in its place. We were looking at the baby's spine, kidneys, 4 chambers of her heart, bladder, stomach, cute little feet, hands and face! Oh it's just a miracle! It is just so incredible that we can see things like this these days. So I thank the smart people who comes up with this stuff!!

It's a.....

GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, it's official! We are having a baby girl! Oh we are just thrilled! A week ago yesterday, we had our ultrasound. And everything was fine, but two things: The nurse wasn't 100% on the gender!! She said she was 95% sure it was a girl. So for the past week, I've had it in the back of my mind, that I wish I knew 100%... And the other thing, was they found something in my ultrasound, in the placenta, that they weren't sure about. So they set up another appointment to have another ultrasound, this time at the hospital. I was kinda freaked out about this. Seeing as I had to wait a week to find out! So this morning we had the ultrasound, and they verified, TWICE, that she is in fact, a girl!! When the doctor came in to do another check, she said that everything looked perfect, and nothing was wrong. She thinks what had happened was that I was having a contraction, while they were taking the still shots, and that's where they saw something a little off. So YAAAY! Everything is okay, and we're HAVING A GIRL!!!!

31 Days of being Thankful: day 4

Today I am I VERY thankful to be a stay at home mom. I never thought I would ever have this option years ago... and now I get too, and I am sooooooo grateful. I'm thankful that Jeff has a good job, and that we get to spend the evenings and weekends with him! Yes it is hard at times, and sometimes I'm so sick of looking at dirty dishes, or a pile of dirty clothes. But I shouldn't complain, because I know a lot of moms that would love to stay home. So my mouth is shut!! :)

So thanks Jeff for having a great job, So I can be a full time mommy!!!

31 Days of being thankful: day 3

Today I am thankful for appliances. Yes, sounds silly... but it is so wonderful that in just a few minutes you can load a dishwasher, or washing machine, and after like 30 minutes, you have clean, sterilized dishes and clothes!! I was just thinking about this while I was doing a load of Cohen's bedding. He has been sick this past week, and it's just so wonderful that I don't have to try and clean them by hand!! I just take those things for granted, and I'm glad it was brought to my attention today!

31 Days of being thankful: day 2

Okay, today brings a lot of thoughts to my head... seeing that it's my birthday and all! :) So the one I would like to focus on, is motherhood... mainly my mother. First I would like to start by saying that I am thankful for her for giving birth to me, and bringing me into this world. Probably wasn't the easiest task... but probably wasn't raising me either! ;) However, after 16 days being over her due date, I arrived! And I'm sooo glad that I did! So THANK YOU MOTHER!! Another reason why I am thankful for my mom specifically on this day, is because my mom has always, ALWAYS worked so hard to make my day special for me. From the time she gets up, til them time I am in bed, it is all about me. And she does this with all my five siblings. It means so much to me. Some people act like their birthdays are just another day. But I'm so glad that my mom makes such a big deal about it. Cause now I am keeping the tradition alive. And i can't wait to spoil my kids in the future!

So mother, I love you, I admire you, and I'm grateful for you.

31 Days of being thankful!

I saw a few people doing a month of being thankful, during November... And I didn't see it until half way through the month. I thought it was such a neat idea! So Then I thought I will do it for December. Well.... okay, forgot about it... so now, here I am! What better time, then to start at the beginning of a new year! So for all of January, everyday, I will post something I am thankful for. I am really excited to do this... however, all day today I have been thinking what on earth would I start with? So, I guess we will start with the obvious............

This little beautiful boy.... Oh my goodness, I don't even have the words to express the love I have for him. I am so unbelievably thankful for this precious blessing. He is the reason I breath, the reason I get out of bed, the reason I know how to love. He is so sweet, and so funny, and so smart. I am so thankful he is so healthy, and that he's MINE!! :)

Man, he gives me challenges... especially today, when he wouldn't take a nap, so he was EXTRA fun tonight... But there are memories like earlier today, that make is sooooo worth it! We went to the theater today and saw The Princess and The Frog. He sat on my lap for the first hour... but then he didn't want to sit anymore. I was kinda getting nervous as to what he was going to do next... but he just stood there in front of me dancing like crazy to the music! Oh it was soooo cute! It made my day!

So, there, you have it... I am thankful for my son, Cohen!