Happiness

  Seven years ago I wrote this post about things that make me happy. I want to add to it. Comedy - Jim Gaffigan, Brian Regan, Nate Berghatze, the original cast of Studio C, some SNL, Jesterz with my friend Desi as a part of the crew Instagram - I like to peruse it for short periods of time. It also helps distract me when I am sick and at the dentist which is great! My adult children -They are smart and funny and well adjusted. Imagine that! Learning about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. President Nelson asked us to spend time each week studying this and I absolutely love it! 

  I was reading a talk on the importance of a Mother and Father’s unity in Marriage and love in the security of their children. Who they are is an extension of their Mother and Father’s union so it’s  not surprising when children feel torn when their Parents divorce. The idea struck me that I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father and Mother and I feel secure in their love for me and their union of joy and perfect love. I don’t need to try and be perfect. I don’t need to his my weaknesses under a bushel or try to compare or envy or falsify my strengths and weaknesses. They love me for who I am. This helps me feel loved and secure and hopeful. It is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that I can be made while once again and be reunited with my family and friends and especially my loving Heavenly Family- my Heavenly Father and Mother. I am known by Them and they are known by me and for this I am so grateful!

"Gratitude can turn Common Days into Thanksgivings" I read this quote today and it really hit home to me. You know how things can just touch you- like a quote on a Pinterest board (I have a "Happy" board and an "Inspirational board) or someone saying something just right. So, I want to count the things I am thankful for: -A new pool very close by and a neighborhood swim party tonight. -Declan taking a good nap today. -The Fall and cooler weather. -Pumpkins and Apples and everything Autumn. -Getting to stay at home with my two year old boy. -Having one of my old students befriend me on facebook. -Finding an awesome Maxi skirt. -Having one of my old piano students start teaching piano themselves. ***Awesome! -Signing up the boys for Cross Country. -Teaching piano lessons this Fall. -Holding one of my twin nephews. Life is Good. Oh, so good! Go and do something you enjoy! I'm going to fold laundry (which I actually do enjoy!). 

At the Hogle Zoo yesterday. The other day I got a chance to head down to BYU and hear Al Fox Carraway, blogger, public speaker, author, Mormon, speak to a group of over 800 people on her conversion story. She has recently published her first book- More Than the Tattooed Mormon. I originally began following her story when she moved to Arizona and was highlighted there. I loved, loved, loved her talk! She is such a positive, upbeat person with a super strong testimony that it's hard to walk away from hearing speak without being uplifted yourself. As I walked towards my parked car- in the freezing cold- I enjoyed listening to others talk about how much they enjoyed listening to her story. Basically, she met the Elders, really loved talking to them but didn't want to hear about the Gospel. She started praying and reading the Book of Mormon and  then going to Church and she got hooked! She was baptized two weeks later. Despite opposition from her family and friends and coworkers, sh...

Right now, I'm grateful for my family. For my husband who works so hard to support our family. For my children, who came to this family one by one- or two by two- and make my home so happy. I always wanted a large family like the one I grew up in and now I have it! I am just so very, very grateful. #familiesareforever

Today I am grateful for: -A husband who will wake up with the kids and makes sure that they eat breakfast, get dressed and make their lunches. - Asher , who daily has one question or another about the baby. Yesterday, while I was laying on the couch trying not to toss my cookies, he came up to me- counting on his fingers- and said "Mom! It's been 7 years since you had babies." I replied "Yeah, I don't even know if my body knows how to make a baby anymore!" He is so thoughtful and cute! - New discoveries in our Family History. - Kids who- most of the time- do their homework right when they get home from school without any prodding needed.                                                crazy hat day -A funny pregnancy book from my sister. -A bi...

  While going through my list of blogs that I read, I stopped by a blog and happened upon an article from the Huffington Post entitled- The Day I Stopped Saying 'Hurry Up' I was actually busy at the time- changing Pandora stations, finishing up a post on Instagram (Follow Me! @ meganroseabbott), pinning on something on Pinterest from another blog post that I just found and loved, and hurrying so that I could check facebook and finish watching that show from the other day. I know, right?! My life between the hours of 12-3pm is pretty simple. You, see I give myself that shift off. I read from somewhere that it's not healthy to work all 4 shifts as a Mother. There is the morning rush hour shift, the morning get things done shift, the after lunch shift, the hectic after school shift and the after dinner shift. I try to be fully present in all of the 3 shifts where my kids need me the most- helping get their lunches ready, finding clean clothes, volunteering at t...

I've discovered, of late, that many of the problems that I have, or feel like I have, can be overcome through Gratitude. Even if I don't feel grateful, this exercise of naming off things I am Grateful for almost always puts me in the mood of Thankfulness. Usually I can't stop once I get going. God is Good. And so, without further ado, today's edition of What I am Grateful for: -that I didn't get stung by that scorpion that was hiding behind a stack of frames and that my hand tried to clamp down on. -a righteous husband who leads our family in righteousness. -4 healthy children. -A library full of good books to read and love (which reminds me to try their book club!). -A piano in my home to play daily (a new music to play too!). -A family who loves me- Parents, Sisters, Brothers, Nieces and Nephews. -The Church that gives us all the support it can give to help support our families. -Jesus Christ and His Constant Awareness of us. -Quiet Mornings (the kids leave at 7:3...

My Mothering post was still staring at me this morning like old news. I am ready to move up and onward with my life and so I am posting another edition of Gratitude! I'm Grateful for: -the FULL moon in the Desert Heat. -looking through Baby Books I haven't seen in almost a year. -Josh. Simply put. He is kind. He is amazing. He puts up with me 24-7! -Seeing Sadie chase a new, squeaky ball (those are her favorite). -The last day of a 2 week summer camp and a trip to the Temple for me sans kids! -Buying movies on Amazon.com. No more going to Wal-mart, buying a redbox, watching it, forgetting to return it for 3 days, and then getting in the car again! (my kids are on a Harry Potter kick and have seen the first 3 in the past couple of weeks. We may stop there though!) -Blogging. I still love reading blogs and writing blogs. -Rain in the Desert. (July 4th!) Thank you weather man! -Watermelon cut into the shape of stars and paired with blueberries. -The kids cheering loudly at their f...

A bath out of balloons for Jonah. Sometimes I am not grateful enough. I go about my life, living it day to day and somehow, I slowly forget to be grateful. I forget all of the things that Heavenly Father has blessed me and my family with. After reading my sweet sister-in-laws blog post here about her gratitude with a little 2-3 week old baby in the hospital with RSV, I wanted to work on my own gratitude. I'm grateful for: 1. My beautiful children: I have one beautiful, talented, smart sweet girl who can help me in the kitchen, help take care of the boys and can be our go-to babysitter soon! My Twin boys: they are so fun, happy and different. Asher- my singelton boy who I really hoped for. 2. My wonderful husband: He is kind, hardworking, loving, diligent, faithful, worthy and cute! 3. My loving Parents: Even when we are grown up, we need someone to love and care for us! My Parents do a great job of that! 4. A good job: That my hubby loves. Today, I took him to one of my routine ...

Yesterday I went to a Meet and Mingle for the ladies at our Church. Our ward is still new, so they had set up a speed get-to-know-you session. We sat down and had two minutes to discuss various questions with the lady sitting across from us. Questions like- "What do you least like about yourself?" (the fact that I am too soft/nice sometimes and get taken advantage of sometimes. My nose?) "If you could find anything at a garage sale what would it be and for how much?" (A bigger flat screen tv for $50 thank you very much!) And my personal favorite? "If you could eat lunch with anyone who would it be and why?" Two ominutes people! I replied Joseph Smith. I know it's a little trite for a Mormon, but it's true (did you see Mitt won AZ and Michigan? Hoorah!) Joseph Smith is the man who most reminds me of our Savoir. He is kind and good, full of love and forgiveness. A wonderful man whom I have to thank for the wonderful life I lead.http://www.blogger.com...

tilt much? I was going thru some boxes and found this easel I made over 10 yrs. ago at BYU in an El. Ed. class. I have never used it, but packed it up each time we moved. I used it yesterday. And it's tilted! And I think I got an A in that class! Oh, well! My poor cub scouts! I feel like blogging. My hair is wet, the kids are at school, the dog is taking a nap outside my bedroom door. One of Josh's 2 rules is no-dogs-in-our-bedroom (the other is no babies in bed, although sometimes I stretch that rule at 6 am with a nursing little one). I don't have anything particular to say today. This morning I was feeling a bit down- as I am wont to do occasionally since I do have bipolar- and started writing a list of things I am grateful for. I am grateful: -that Josh doesn't have to leave until 7:20 am for work. -that he comes home at least 30 min. earlier that before. -that we found Sadie. -that I have a daughter. -that I have 3 sons. -that I had 2 miscarriages (but no, I don...

Grandma's Room in Maryland I miss this room. (If you want to see it personally, stop on by on Sunday between 1:30 pm and 4 pm- it'll be open!) We have been here for 3 months tomorrow. Our first home has been on the market for as much so and even a little bit more. There have been a lot of lookers but no takers. I really think it shows better with furniture it in. But since there is none, it will just have to do. This 20 ft extra room of ours was my favorite. This was where Grandma and any other guests for that matter stayed when they came to visit. We called it Grandma's room. We have a guest room here and we still try to call it Grandma's room but it just can't live up to it's predecessor. I blogged in that room, napped in that room, wrestled with the kids on that bed. That was where Asher made a hole in the wall when he was jumping on the bed. That room was where Beta, our only pet fish, lived. Who now lives with good friend Matthew. Hopefully. Today, I read a...

There are times in my life when I am especially grateful. It's usually when I have just gotten over a very hard trial- like being sick or moving or Josh working long, hours- or when I am in a reflective, pensive mood. Both of these moods happened to strike at around the same time these past few days. I had been sick for so long in April that even taking a walk- let alone a jog- without my whole legs burning on fire made me bask in GRATITUDE for my health. Why is it that what we have often gets taken for granted: decent health, the ability to make babies, etc? But when a few of those things are taken away, you realize how amazing and truly life giving they are in the first place. It is my hope and it will now be my prayer to enjoy the things that I have NOW and not stress about the things that I DON'T have. Things will work out. Probably even better than I ever thought possible. Because when Heavenly Father shuts a door, He opens a window somewhere else. Or maybe He even opens t...

What a perfect day I had planned this out to be. I would wake up early- 6:30 am to be exact and be all ready to cook some heart shaped pancakes for the kids. I woke up sick. Bleh. And Monday is my gym/shopping/kids laundry day. Why I pile it all into one day, I have no idea. So we were out of milk and eggs and cereal and pull ups (we tried the night training machine and it ran out of batteries after 2 nights. I still need to order new ones.) and I had to drop Asher off at Preschool and all I wanted to do was stay in bed. I stayed in bed until almost 8 and then got up and made lunches. I dropped off the kids and came home and ate a little and went shopping to Sams and ALDI. Picked up Asher, played outside in the 63 degree weather- hooray!- and walked the 15/20 minute walk to and from school since it was so nice. Turns out I did too much. I crashed on the couch at 4 pm, after the kids had dumped piles of Valentines and candy- mostly candy- on the dining room table. They happily munched s...

I have been feeling a little overwhelmed lately, so I've decided to write a list of all the things that I am grateful for. There is a power in gratitude. It helps you see the positive side of things. It magically changes your attitude and helps you be happy, instead of sour and grumpy. So, here it is: I'm grateful for Asher! I'm grateful for Elizabeth! I'm grateful for Ethan and Jonah and having twins! I am grateful for Josh and good friends! :) This is my blog. My name is Megan Abbott.

In 2005 I made a list of 100 things that make me happy. The other day I found it and added fifty more. Here are the first 50, not in number of importance or relevance: 1. Spending time with Josh 2. Fun family Activities 3. Alone time 4. Shopping 5. Eating Chocolate 6. Praying 7. Reading the Scriptures 8. Going to Church 9. Using a new shampoo 10. Getting e-mail 11. Getting letters 12. Getting phone calls 13. Drinking hot chocolate 14. Talking on the phone with family 15. Seeing a new baby 16. Holding a new baby 17. Being pregnant with a new baby 18. Having a new baby 19. Watching the boys 20. Playing with Elizabeth 21. Playing with Ethan & Jonah 22. Playing the piano 23. Running 24. Skating 25. Swimming 26. Going to the Temple 27. Going to a park 28. Going to the Mall 29. Going out for ice cream 30. Visiting family in CA 31. Going to the beach 32. Shopping on E-bay 33. Home decorating 34. Scrapping 35. Getting a good deal 36. Watching my favorite tv show 37. Babysitting 38. Doing a...