Love Them

Doing the Right Thing...It's Hard

Sometimes it's hard to make the right choice... and it seems to be even harder when you are nine! A few days ago Tanner found a money clip on the sidewalk as he was walking home from a friends. He was so excited when he got home to show me what he had found, not only did he think the clip was cool but it had just about a hundred dollars in it. Tanner was so excited, he had already planned out what he was going to buy. Unforuntaely, I sat him down and explained to him that keeping the money wasn't the right thing to do. That he had to try and find the owner of the money. We bundled up and went out to have him show me exactly where he had found the clip. I had him walk up to the house that he found it in front of, ring the door bell and ask if they had lost a money clip. The young guy who answered the door said it wasn't his but that maybe it was his roommates. Sure enough it was. Tanner gave the money back, wished them a Merry Christmas and turned to walk home. He was so disappointed. He wanted so badly to keep it for himself. He kept telling me that people need to be responsible for their things and if they weren't it wasn't his fault.

I hope that someday Tanner can look back on that day and realize that he did make the right decision. There are going to be so many times in life when making the right decision is not always the "fun" thing to do. I just hope that small lessons like this will help him to make good decisions when he is older and on his own. I love you buddy... and you did make the right choice!

Christmas Season

Putting the tree up every year starts out to be one of my favorite things... but it seems like it always ends up being a big ordeal! Again this year Papa from the Ranch brought us down a huge assortment of trees for us to pick from. We decided on the perfect one and got it into the house (that was the easy part). It was several days before we got it decorated because Cole was so busy at work and we weren't about to decorate the tree without the whole family! The night finally came when we had time for everyone to help put the decorations up. We started by getting the lights all untangled and plugged in to make sure they were functioning. Cole and I got them wrapped around the tree, plugged in and NOTHING! Are you kidding me? They just worked when they were in the wall? I was so frustrated, why can't things just work right the first time. We were just about ready to pull them all of and run to Target to get new lights when "wala" on they came. The kids were laughing so hard. We got all the decorations put up and the star placed on top. It was beautiful. I was so excited because last year on clearance I bought an extenstion cord so we could just "step" on the button without having to reach back behind the tree and plugging them in. So I took the lights and plugged them in to that and into the wall and again NOTHING. Seriously? I couldn't beleive it.... I walked away, cursing and was ready to throw the tree out the door. Instead, my awesome hubby kept it together sat down and played with the cord, took the new extenstion cord back out and replugged them in... "wala"! They have worked great since so hopefully that was it... only six more days that they have to work! Next year new lights for the Willford's!

Of course we had to make a gingerbread house too! Cole and I put it together several days before we decorated it in hopes that it would hold up! Thankfully it did. The kids had so much fun decorating it! I had bought the actual house from Bountiful Baskets so we got to buy all sorts of candy to actually decorate it with. I think the kids and I ate more than we decorated!

Red, the faithful Elf, has returned. He has been keeping a close eye on the kids and thankfully they have been behaving well since he is around. This year Peyton is all about the Elf. Every morning the first thing she wants to do is find Red. She thinks its "hilarious" where he hides. Tanner is still engaged in Red but even more so after we watched the "Elf on the Shelf" movie that tells the story of a boy about his age who stopped believing.

Day 30

I know I have mentioned family in other "thankful" posts this month but I can't end this month of gratitude without going back to the core. From my husband, to my kids, to my parents and sisters, to my cousins and my in-laws and closest friends.... there are so many people to be thankful for. Tonight I am reminded how much each of these people mean to me. I ask that God wrap his arms around each and everyone of them, keep them safe, lift them up through the difficult times and guide them through this journey we call life.

Day 29

The sound of a little boys voice singing the lyrics to any song that comes on the radio... Tonight his choice was "that's what you get for waking up in Vegas". Love you Tanner Seth!

Day 28

Moments of relaxation in my bathtub.

Peyton's belief that all the "kings" we are seeing on peoples lawn nativity sets are the same "kings" that were in the Ceasars Palace show!

Turning the t.v. off at dinner time to talk about our days.

Spending thirty minutes looking for the remote that went MIA during dinner.

Red "the elf" who has come back to watch the kids and report to Santa... They will do whatever it takes to keep Red happy.

Crockpot.... Dinners ready when we walk in the door.

Day 27

Last night was a difficult night... it was hard to feel thankful when I knew someone else was hurting so badly. My heart was broken for an acquaintance whose husband was killed in a head-on-collision in North Dakota while he was there working in the oil fields. It was an ugly reminder of how fragile life is. Tragedies are difficult events that make it hard to see exactly what God's purpose is. It is through these events that I am reminded that God is in complete control and we have to trust in him. I just have a hard time understanding why he takes these good men and women... life is not fair.

At the same time that my heart was feeling heavy and broken I couldn't help to feel blessed. Thankful for all of those that God has given me in my life. Thankful for my husband who puts his life on the line everyday to provide for his family. Thankful for my kids who I was able to tuck into bed. Thankful for all my family and friends that I know I can lean on in times of tragedy. Thankful for the power of prayer as I spent the night praying for this wife and mother who has a very difficult journey ahead of her. Thankful for any sense of peace that God can grant to her.