Thankful Turkey 2013

Since we're putting Christmas decorations up, it occurred to me that it's probably time to take this guy down and let him sleep for eleven months or so:

This year, we decided to make a thankful turkey.  Tori and I made the body out of felt (Tori insisted he be cross-eyed), and we cut out feathers from colored paper.  The goal was to write something we were thankful for each night in November leading up to Thanksgiving.  The month was hectic (when is it not??) and we didn't write something EVERY night, but we filled out quite a few.  Instead of trying to save random paper turkey feathers in a shoe box somewhere, I figured it was easiest to just record them here.  So here are some of the things our family was thankful for this year:

Aaron: bed, food, videeoe games (love the spelling), car, house, Earth (which kind of looked like "fart" and kept making us giggle inappropriately), the scriptures, trees for air, and the church

Tori: pen, pencil, and paper (there's our artist for you), wilderness survival and Bear Grylls shows, animals (wolves and geckos especially), family, cousins (all 50...2 on mom's side and 48 on dad's...I think her counting may be off a bit, but I can't really blame her since I'M never exactly sure of the correct number!), a savior, and technology

Mom: Grandma and Grandpa, the scriptures, a warm home, getting my book published (WOOHOO!!!), the atonement, Daddy :), Aunt Melenie :), My sweet Tori Girl! :), and My Bugsy, My Sunshine, My Aaron! (all one feather...that kid has entirely too many nicknames!)

Dad: My beautiful girl Tori, Heather my gorgeous wife, a happy home, to have my whole family home (the kids and I were gone to Tri-Cities to visit Mim for a weekend), my love bug Aaron, health, and "a wife who perseveres through many obstacles to accomplish her life aspiration of becoming a published author" (again, WOOHOO!!)

Melenie was visiting for a few days and added a couple of feathers, also:  Hugs, kisses, and snuggles, and friends and family.

I'm just a bit sad that we didn't do more, because one of my favorite things about this activity is when we all run out of obvious things and have to really dig deep to come up with all of the many little things for which we sometimes forget to be grateful.  I feel so incredibly blessed this year, especially with my health improving and Todd finished with school (for now) and employed.  We have healthy children, the gospel, a home, a wonderful family, and I have my library card. 

What more could a girl need?