Skip to main content

Gratefuls from 2018, In no Particular Order, and Long Overdue

OK Guys, so I know we're well into 2019 at this point, but I'm feeling this empty hole in my heart from not writing about the best parts of 2018 in a blogpost. So I'mma right this right now.

Here's my gratefuls from last calendar year, in no particular order:


  • My 3 year anniversary with the love of my life, Kevin J 😍
  • My baby boy's 1st birthday
  • Visiting Washington D.C. with my parents and brothers. My appreciation for the freedoms I enjoy, and my respect for all those who have sacrificed so much to offer those freedoms to me, increased tremendously. Plus, late nights playing Codenames in our hotel and enjoying Larry's ice cream in the Reagan Building food court were pretty awesome too. Love my family.
  • The first Christmas in a long time where I gave gifts I really put a lot of time, thought, and sweat into; and received beautiful gifts of the same kind.
  • Finally reaching a weight and status of activity/health that made me feel comfortable and happy in my own skin. 
  • Starting this blog :)
  • Turning 26 years old
  • Finishing my 2nd year teaching, and all of the dozens of incredible students and colleagues I was blessed to meet and learn from
  • Taking baby boy on his first camping trip!
  • Trying bran muffins for the first time. And thereafter becoming hooked to bran muffins in the most delightful way.
  • Celebrating the life of my Great-Uncle Keith Renstrom, who passed away on the 4th of July. He was an amazing example of patriotism and forgiveness. He was in his late 90's and even spoke at his own funeral (via a video that was recorded several years ago!). I'm grateful for him and what he taught me.
  • The loveliest of extended family trips to Bear Lake (with the Johnson Clan) and Mirror Lake (with the Boren bunch). 
Those are the ones on my mind for now, I'll add more later. But boy, was it a great year.

-Mikayla.




Day #316

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Wright Kind of Family

Today's blog post is a question, a question for YOU, the reader.  No, I don't mean somebody else in the blogosphere.  You there, reading this, right now. What makes for a happy childhood?  How can I raise the "Wright" kind of family? During my brief visit to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C., what amazed me more than all the aircraft and space gear and aerodynamic science combined was the following quote by Katharine Wright, younger sister of Orville and Wilbur Wright: Additionally, Wilbur stated: WHAT A STATEMENT. What a tribute to their parents and to the family culture fostered in their home. My interest and desire to know more about their homelife is piqued, so I'm 99.9% sure I'm going to buy this book on Amazon tomorrow so that I can learn more:  What I want to know is how to grow a family where the kids rush home because home is the place to be! I want to know how to host an environment that suppo...
2 comments
Read more

#StudentForLife

I'm kind of becoming my own professor...or at least an academic advisor..for a class I'm making up as I go, for a student body of size one (sometimes two, if Kevin comes along). You see, while my main title and full time position is as a stay at home mom, I'm also a part-time professional (I substitute teach a few days a month) ... but you might not know that I'm also a part time student. But the student part is purely by my own choosing, guys. There will be no final exam, no summer break, no midterm cramming. And, admittedly, no diploma. But I tell you what, it's been a blast, and learning is SO tremendously fun. The subjects I'm studying: The construction of fruit preserves 101. Last month Jeni Pittard with Taste of Home and Stacey with Southern Bite  were my mentors as Kevin and I peeled, diced, pectin-ed, and poured. The results were nothing short of jelly-tastic peach and pear goodness. And we may have quoted National Treasure multiple times d...
2 comments
Read more

The Problem with Chick Flicks.

I really, really, really enjoy a select few movies that I willingly watch over and over again. Pride and Prejudice is one of them. You see, Elizabeth's defense of her family, her sense of self respect, her ability to admit that she was wrong and to appreciate Darcy despite all his quirks, and quizzical brow-ness... it's marvelous. My husband doesn't share the sentiment, could you tell? ... and that's okay. There's rare a chick flick I enjoy near as much as I enjoy Pride and Prejudice or A Walk To Remember , and I wanted to explain why. You see, there's more than just a few problems with (many, not all) chick flicks:  (and if you have a chick flick that escapes many of these pitfalls then please oh please leave it's title in the comment section!) The heroine (or suitor) is less than honorable. I have a hard time rooting for a girl to get a gentleman when she's spending her time being scandalously loose with other men ( #thenotebook) . An...
10 comments
Read more