I absolutely love this time of year. Although I wish autumn would have stuck around a little bit longer I’m remembering all the things I love about the cold weather. Besides the fact that the two biggest holidays of the year are just around the corner I love all the little things like drinking hot chocolate while watching the snow fall, bundling up in blankets and watching movies, spending hours building snowmen and having major snowball fights. I consider myself an endless summer kind of girl but there is something about this time of year that almost makes me change my mind. The amazing food alone puts up a good fight. Sitting around the table at thanksgiving dinner with SO many people and everyone just talking about memories and laughing are the moments I live for.

   I for one am grateful for thanksgiving. Well yes we should be thankful everyday of the year and I wish I could say that I am but it's not a natural tendency but one that has to be learned. Thanksgiving helps me to remember all the blessings that I have been given. If I was to sit here and try to number all the things that I am thankful for I would be here for days. I have so much to say thank you for. Thanks to my amazing family. I owe so much to them for helping me become the person that I am today. There is something special about the people you spend every day with. My big, imperfect, crazy, encouraging family has always been there every day through everything. They are a part of me and I am so lucky to have them. I’m grateful for good friends. Friends that I consider adopted family. Friends that I can be myself around and that love me as if we had the same blood. I’m grateful for my job and for the opportunities in the future. It can be a challenge but I know that it is making me a stronger person. I’m deeply grateful for my ability to make decisions for myself every day. Granted I sometimes don’t make the right decisions but I have that choice nonetheless. I’m grateful for second chances through the love and grace of God. I’m grateful for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the knowledge that it is the gospel of Christ. I'm grateful for this beautiful earth and all that it has to offer. So as the lights go up and the sleds come out something to remember this season is that "the best things in life aren't things"

I love this. Life is too short and goes by way to fast. Every now and then I have to take a step back and look at my life and decide if I am preventing myself from living the life that I know I want to be living. It's a crazy thing how we hold onto grudges or harbor resentment and regret that ultimately only keep us from being free and push our lives down random paths that are filled with what if's and if only's. I was talking to my sister/best friend Sara the other day about how anyone at any moment could die. It's a scary thing to think about but it also inspires me to live my life exactly as I please. No regrets no disappointment. I am exactly where I am supposed to be doing exactly what I want to do and I wouldn't take anything back. The people I have met; the things I have done are all part of who I am today. Life is to short to not correct mistakes with yourself or anyone else. Life is to short to not absolutely love every second. Sure we all go through crap that at the simplest level just sucks but if you are lucky enough to find happiness and gratitude during those times then you can learn and become a better person from it. So I'll let those I love know how I feel. I'll make sure that what is pleasing to me is pleasing to God because after all I owe everything I have to Him. He gave me this chance at life so why not make the best of it.