Have you ever thought about where you’ve come from? Who the people are that brought you here? Do you know your story line? This is my official gratitude week- entry number three. Officially for the record, I am thankful for my ancestors. I have talked a little about them in the past- but Brian and I both come from long lines of faithful, strong families.

Yesterday, after my huge Sunday dinner I spent the day looking at my lines in specific which date clear to the 1600s. Some lines are from Sweden, many from England and the heritage is clear, most wanted religious freedom and came to the United States, made their way across the plains as pioneers and some died for the cause.

Occasionally I have impressions to remember who these people are- oh and the stories to tell.

Oddly enough, I roll into church yesterday and they are talking about ancestors and I started an 8 week course on searching for your family. Now this is going to be a task since there has been professional genealogist on both sides of family. But the challenge is to find just one name and the information on that person.

This new site Family Search is amazing. Register and type in your name and see your history come before you. Some great person has entered in my genealogy like I said clear to the 1600’s. I registered for the first time yesterday and spent the whole afternoon staring at names and dates. Here is some info on one line- just one person.

William DRAPER (Sr.) was born in 1784 in Easterton, Wiltshire, England. He was christened on 22 Aug 1784 in Market Lavington, Wiltshire, England. He died on 21 Jan 1861 in Easterton, Wiltshire, England. He was buried on 27 Jan 1861 in Market Lavington, Wiltshire, England. He married Sarah EARL on 30 Jun 1806 in Market Lavington, Wiltshire, England.

All the more reason to vacation next year in England. I was near Wiltshire this year and didn’t have a clue that Grandpa lived there! Honestly 1784- who would have known!

So on Sundays for the next 8 weeks this is going to be my little hobby. It is something new for me, exciting and definitely worth doing.

Family is something to definitely be grateful for!

(I have decided to have a gratitude series this week. Yesterday was my first entry. This is number two.) Feel free to add your ideas!

Recently I have been thinking about how to motivate the crew at my household a little better. It is evident that where I am getting positive results in many areas, other areas are lacking. After evaluating this a little closer I think I need to go the more positive route and that is hard to do some days.

This quote seems to have have an impact on me-

“I have yet to find a man, whatever his situation in life, who did not do better work and put forth greater effort under a spirit of approval than he ever would do under a spirit of criticism” (Richard Evans’ Quote Book [1971]

We are probably a like- I expect things, I expect the kids to clean their rooms, clean up after themselves, not waste time etc. It is difficult to not criticize when I see them wasting time or making a mess. I have been reading a ton on gratitude this month. That seems to be something I always need to work on. The quote above came from one of the talks, I think I can definitely apply it.
Do you practice expressing appreciation in your home?

Often when I call my mother or see her, which is less frequent since we are live far apart, she often throws her arms around me and tells me how much she appreciate and loves me. Not a phone call goes by that I don’t feel appreciation or encouragement from my parents, they have offered that up to my husband and children as well. I love that about them. It gives me self-confidence.

The other thing that I need to get doing more frequently is hand written notes. I used to write a stack every Sunday afternoon and mail them out to people. I don’t know if they made a difference, but it did with in my own soul. I wish to return to that practice. It helps others to feel the spirit of approval and is a lost practice.

So the question today is whether we are exercising the spirt of criticism or the spirit of approval in our lives.

Hmmmmm……lots to work on!

With Thanksgiving around the corner isn’t it time to start count the good old blessings? I have had so many domestic things to think about and alot of work to do that sometimes it is easy to get off the path of displaying an attitude of gratitude.

So today I am going to think of 10 things that I am grateful for, and I don’t want to list the regulars like- gospel, husband and children, home and Apple- which are all at the tops and we should be thinking that daily. Today I really want to find 10 things that I am grateful for that I really don’t think too much about!

Hot Water- I love to get up every morning and take a toasty shower. After showering for 1.5 in Japan with cold water, since we couldn’t afford hot water as missionaries, the shower is a luxury.

Spring- I love spring and love to watch the entire earth wake back up.

Flip-flops- I have been wearing those my entire life, and have ruined my feet because of them, but absolutely love them.

Airplanes & Cars- if you think about it, flying is the outstanding thing that we completely take for granted. It is amazing, totally amazing.

Toasty Fires- Something about sitting around a fire makes me happy. Fires just mesmerize you and calm you.

Sunday Dinners- I love my tradition of cooking up a huge meal every Sunday and seeing the family eat until we are exhausted.

Skiing- I love to be in the mountains. I think you are closer to God when you ski:)

Cut Flowers- Americans really need to get on board with this one. Nothing adds freshness to a house like cut flowers.

Sharpie Pens- Can’t live without them.

Bookshelves- crave them. I dream of a library like Thomas Jefferson,

Fresh Paint- brightens your day.

Breakfast food- love it every morning!

See look how easy that was! I have so many things to be thankful for that I haven’t recognized lately all around me! I am going to keep adding to this list this month.

Now go make a list- you will feel just great! Get thinking about it!

I haven’t quit my day job….ha ha ha…but here it is! My new WEBSITE FOR PHOTOGRAPHY. Make sure to scroll through the portfolio- I love my travel photos!

I have finally made progress in my life in areas that I have been agonizing a month over and the sad thing is none of these areas really affect my eternal salvation

The bottom line is occasionally you have to work on things that are strictly material in your life.

Indeed it is time for an update-

I am launching a photography business. I told you that I was giving a fall giveback with photography to see if I liked it and could handle it. I have shot 35,000 pics this decade alone and shot about 1000 on my fall demo. Bottom line- absolutely loved it actually more than my day job. Scary huh! So I whipped up a website and a business plan which should be ready tomorrow and it is a launch. I will do it when I want and weather permitting. Happy that I made it this far and followed through! I think this is my biggest success this month.

I hired Mike my painter to paint- We started with my bedroom that is all we were going to do. Next he did my doors outside, my main bathroom, my living room and now my family room. It is a little out of control. Bottom Line- I love it. I loved sweeping all of my accessories out. I loved just getting rid of stuff. We are going to have a new look in bedroom, bathrooms and family room.

I found furniture for my family room and ordered it- 2 leather club chairs and the couch that I posted about 3 posts ago. Bottom line- huge accomplishment for me to decide on new stuff and make the purchase. I am not good at furniture and just have a hard time spending on anything other than travel and photography.

I cancelled NYC for Thanksgiving. Brian was too tied up that week and I decided with the minor house remodel to kick it here. Everyone is happy. Bottom Line- I am going to miss it- but will make a weekend trip with the kids when a weekend presents itself.

I decided to hold out on the new camera. I am going to shoot with mine until I can earn a new one. Bottom Line- smart tax move, its a write off and I love the challenge. Deep down- I am lying if $2500.00 extra falls in my lap that is the first thing I am buying.

I let go my Brazillian house cleaner again- Bottom line- Hillary wants to earn money to visit a friend in Sweden for her birthday, she is doing a great job! I feel really bad for my house cleaner- she is not that great at cleaning, but I like it all picked up. Double bottom line- the kids need more responsibilities. She cleaned out all of my kitchen cupboards downstairs and now is cleaning them with a tooth brush!

We have new leadership in our area for church (they serve for about 10 years over an area called a Stake). Bottom line- Extremely happy about the choices-all are fabulous men! Happy for a new era!

We have a new financial advisor- bottom line we are saving more that is the goal!

My big trip- I haven’t been anywhere major for 6 months and nothing has presented itself that is affordable or doable with the two older kids. I have my eye on Southeast Asia…..Thailand and Cambodia and as usual europe. Bottom line- it will come to me……..being patient, being patient! Sad thing is Southeast Asia rainy season will kick in if I don’t get going this winter. I need another financial depression to drive the prices down- I can’t believe I just said that.

So that is the bottom line- whalah!

Yesterday, I went with one of my great friends Jenny to photograph various sites in Gloucster and Rockport that were significant to the movie -The Proposal. The movie features Sandra Bullock and supposedly takes place in Sitka Alaska, but is filmed in Massachusettes on Cape Ann. We both needed a day off from the real world so we grabbed our cameras and set out on our adventure. Jenny my navigator, had researched all of the sites and it was a beauty.

Doors are my new thing to photograph and I love them- I loved these doors on this old congregational church!

Jenny is a blast to go with . Everything went well except my lunch at a dive that was moldy. There wasn’t a thing open out there-obviously because it was winter, but it allowed us to stop anywhere and take photos uninteruppted.

We stopped at the house the movie was filmed owned by the CEO of Hood boasting 10,000 square feet and selling for like 7.5 million. I kept saying the injustice. This neighborhood in Manchester by the Sea, houses some of the richest people in Mass.

Jen actually went to the door, to get permission to photograph the dock in back- I laughed and laughed and laughed. No one was home.

More doors- New England style

Manchester by the sea has that same feel as Newport, Rhode Island. Love it! I want Hillary to marry the milk man Hood’s son!

We are committed now to do more photography field trips for just the two of us! It was dang good time!

This was yesterday’s photoshoot with the R family! These kids are beauties . I want Noah to marry her!

Yesterday, we ended up going to see Amelia- the biography of Amelia Earhart at the movie theater. I rated it fair. I have been interested in her early life in aviation, but found that the movie destroyed my early thoughts of her.

First, I saw a little bit of myself in Amelia. She was an adventurous risk taker who wanted to see the world. Which eventually became her downfall as she died on her attempt to fly around the world. I couldn’t imagine why she would give up so much to be the first to fly around the world when the risks were so high-even death. At what point do we give up the dream?

Next, Hillary Swank just bugged me in the movie. The voice of Amelia was just annoying a little bit Kansas, a little bit slow. I thought Hillary Swank was just terrible in it. Richard Gere was fabulous.

Amelia may have been the heart and soul of women in aviation, but she was unfaithful to her husband and lacked the moral character that make people outstanding. I was disheartened when she cheated on her husband in the movie, and a tad bit embarrassed when I had to give that morality lesson to my children in a PG movie. It was a good lesson to learn though- that moral character is often sacrificed with fame and fortune.

Finally, the dedication of her husband Richard Gere was impressive.

The quote at the end of the movie kept me intrigued and left me thinking

“Are dreams reckless? What do dreams know of boundaries?”

Something we can certainly think about. I rate the movie fair-definitely a rental, since it is a biography and place a part in our history book. Hillary Swank thumbs down and our dreams….well that is what we each need to personally decide!