Happy Thanksgiving 2013!

Though I am thankful all year long for the many blessings in my life, I'd like to take the time to do my 30 in 30 for Thanksgiving 2013. The 30 in 30 is thirty reasons to be thankful in 30 days of November.

1) Aiden. My energetic, brilliant, mechanically inclined, sweet, loving, caring, helpful, hopeful son who's smile is a beam of sunshine into any cloudy day. His eyes light up the room and I thank him for being the beginning of a beautiful handful of children.
2) Ambria. My sweet, sensitive, caring, girly, shy, quite, lovable, beauty queen. She is all girl and a perfectionist in her own little way. She sees the world through a different looking glass than everyone else seems to use. She is so unique and so helpful. Always worried about the happiness of others, she is definitely a gem in my life.
3) Aralynn. She is one tough cookie. The only child brave enough to tell me "no", and witty enough to charm her way out of any trouble. She is the best cuddle buddy and a great hugger. She always offers to help (reminding me about her pending reward) and is such a beautiful, wide-eyed firecracker always adding excitement to my day. I love her so very dearly.
4) I am very thankful to have Cory in my life. He is my rock, always able to take on the weight of my world. He is always there to kiss me and offer me loving words of encouragement. Without him, I would be lost. He has shown me the true meaning of love and companionship.
5) My Mom. My mother is my biggest fan and best support system. She is my best friend, my advisor. She never says "I told you so" and always says "I'm proud of you". She is wise beyond her years and I hope she sees herself in my actions every day.
6) I am so very thankful for my Dad. He always has all of the right answers and most logical way to solve any issue. He is the smartest, craftiest man I know and a wonderful, loving friend. I have so many fond childhood memories with him and many more as an adult. I look forward to the years ahead, creating many more with him.
7) My Grandma because she is always there to cheer me on in any endeavours I may take on. She always knows the answer to all of life's problems and has always been a pillar of encouragement in my life.
8) Brianna. My sister loves my children like they are her own and devotes a large portion of her time to spoiling them individually and giving them that special Aunt love. You know, the love and fun of a best friend but the discipline of a parent? It's the best combination.
9) Tyler, because of the humor he brings to the lives of everyone he meets.
10) Renee for being such an influential support system for me and sharing that mother/daughter bond with me despite the separation of our families. I love her dearly and she always offers such positive, loving advice whenever I need it.
11) I am so very thankful for my best friend Nikki. She is my favorite and most reliable confidant, partner in crime, crafter, reader, cosmetologist, dreamer, and so much more. I love everything about her and the fact that she loves everything purple was just one of the millions of perks that comes with being her friend. Regardless of how much time passes, we can always pick up right where we left off as though not a single day has passed. I truly love this girl and hope she will remain a big part of my life for years to come.
12) My dear friend Lainy. We spent years building one another up and supporting each other in our endeavor of being the "perfect" stay-at-home wife and mom. We've stayed up late together, crafted together, laughed together, cried together, and managed our households together. Time and circumstance has made our get togethers painfully infrequent but I know she is still there for me as I am for her.
13) My step parents for stepping in and filling a parental role that they never had to.
14) All of my extended family for being a family community and being a great support system to help me get to this point in my life.
15) I am thankful to have a small, closeknit ring of friends. I don't have many but the few I do have are near and dear to me.
16) I am thankful for my health. Though it has its ups and downs, I don't suffer from any fatal health conditions and that's something to be very thankful for. "Good health is not something we can buy. However, it can be an extremely valuable savings account." -A. Schaef
17) I am so very thankful for my home which offers security and stability to my entire family in this chaotic economy.
18) Though I have already listed my children, I would also like to mention that I am thankful for motherhood and the opportunity to have offspring. These miniature versions of me are my whole world, my motivation, my happiness, strength, my determination, my drive to be a better person, and so much more. They have altered my life in so many ways and I am a the woman I am today because of them.
19) Though we are always broke, I am so thankful to somehow always come up with enough funds for bills and food. The family is maintained, everyone has everything they need and most of the things they want.
20) Arizona sunsets. I am thankful to get to witness some of the most beautiful sunsets in the nation.
21) I am thankful for beautiful flowers. I love flowers and try to keep several vases full of fresh live flowers as well as fake flowers. They add a bright, cheerfulness to any atmosphere.
22) My big beautiful blue eyes are my favorite physical attribute and though I may not have 20/20 vision, I am so thankful to have this coveted, rare color of iris.
23) I am thankful for the opportunity to have and use the internet. An infinite amount of knowledge and information is now within reach to anyone who cares to possess it and I consider myself lucky to be able to research anything I want.
24) I am thankful for Lefsa. It signifies a several generations long tradition of family and unity, coming together to make and consume this wonderful Norwegian treat.
25) I love, love, love arts and crafts. What's more, I love working on arty, crafty things with my kids.
26) Therefore, I am thankful for Pinterest which is where I get most of my ideas and inspiration for activities with my young ones.
27) I am thankful for cellphones. Computer, internet, phone, calculator, alarm clock, camera, recipe book, infinite info on hand, GPS, social outlet, game console and tons of other great things all crammed into one compact little piece of technology. Need I say more?
28) I am thankful for music
29) I am thankful for slow cookers. Toss some (or tons) of ingredients into a pot, cover and walk away. Like magic, a delicious meal will appear in hours... or whenever you recall its existence. Mine saves SO much time and makes the house smell fantastic.
30) I am very thankful for opportunity. Not a specific opportunity, just opportunity in general. There is so much out in the world that awaits you. Get in, and hold on and see how far you can go!