Food for Thought...

I have a lot on my mind tonight.

So bear with me as I unload to the blogging world...

Today I read this book.

If you know me at all you know two things about me.

1. I LOVE to read.

And 2. I am a HOPELESS romantic.

But a couple of months ago, I decided to take a break from my hopeless romance novels , yes hopeless, and enjoy the real world.

And not just enjoy the real world, but actually live in it.

A really good decision on my part.

I'll expand on that in a moment.

Being home for Christmas Break I have been extra LAZY. 

With a capital "L".

It has been great and very much needed. 

And I picked up a couple of books to read.

Not too sappy on the romance.

Mostly suspense and self growth lds fiction novels.

Love it. 

The one I read today was about a girl who got her heart broken after ending her engagement a week before the wedding.

Basically the book goes on about how she gets out of her funk and discovers who she really is.

It left me with a lot of food for thought. 

[Funny how I take such deep life lessons out of a silly fictional novel, right? Laugh if you will.]

Her dad challenges her to write a thank you note every week for a year to someone different so that she can be aware of the good in her life.

So...I'm thinking about doing that.

And I was thinking about maybe sharing it here on my blog?

I don't know; I'm still debating on that.

I suppose if its too personal I'll keep it to myself.

Anyways, my mom and I were talking yesterday about these books.

And I learned something.

I love my life.

Ha, silly realization right?

Well, let me expound on that. 

In junior high, my 9th grade year I hit a particular low in my life.

And the way I escaped was through my books.

Since that time books have become my "get away from the world and everyone in it" thing.

After finishing the first book I've read in months yesterday, I was left feeling very empty.

Weird.

I hated that my book had ended and all I could think was I needed another one.

Dumb.

Now don't get me wrong, I still love to read and I love having something that gives me the chance to just be in my own little world.

An escape from the real world, if you will.

But when its all said and done, I really like MY life.

I love the people in it, I love the story I'm making and the power that I have to change my life for better or for worse.

I love the tender mercies of the Lord.

You know what I'm talking about?

Those moments when the Lord taps you kindly on the shoulder, or throws a shoe at your head [use your imagination...] to remind you what a blessed life you live?

Maybe its just me getting a shoe thrown at them.

Tonight my parents and I sat in my basement and wrapped Christmas presents.

I've realized the older I get, that there are definitely pro's and con's to growing up.

But as I sat in my basement tonight in sweats, watching "Elf", and wrapping presents with two of the biggest heros in my life,

I could definitely see the pro's to being an adult.

The older I get the more I appreciate these little moments.

I really like the times where I just get to be with the people I love, but I love the moments when I'm sitting there and am filled with so much love, gratitude, and appreciation for the life I have. 

Sometimes I have to fight back the tears.

How did I get so lucky?

I'll never know, but I can't express enough appreciation to my Heavenly Father for all he has given me in my life.

Who knows what life will bring.

It scares me to think of the potential heart ache, pain, and misery that I could experience.

But I'm equally excited for the happiness and the multiple life changing opportunities that I know are surely able to balance out, if not completely overpower, the hard times in my life! 

So, here's to loving your own life and to the beginning of a gratitude letter journal blog of sorts.

Jensen Family Christmas Party

I absolutely LOVE the Christmas season.

Its always been my favorite time of the year.

I like presents, of course, who doesn't?

But I love all the family parties.

I have such a great family.

I may be a little biased, whatever.

But one of the highlights of this time is my Jensen Family Christmas Party.

Its so great.

We get together every year, extended family and all.

My dad's cousins and their kids are all their.

Have I mentioned that I love it?

We have this tradition where Santa brings his big red bag and drops it on the porch of the house we are at and it has presents for all of the kids under 18 or still in high school.

And then we do an adult 10 dollar present exchange.

We eat lots of food, and talk.

I love it.

This year it was at my parents house in Bountiful.

So I went up for a couple of hours and hung out with the fam.

Here are some pictures from the party

My mom is super creative.

She hung all these balls all around the house in corners, it looked so good.

Our Christmas tree...not a very good picture. 

Megs and I

My aunt Julie, my mother, and my cousin Chelsie

My cousin Jodi and cousin in law Meg

Aunt Jeanne, Aunt Linda, and cousin Ryan

My cousin's adorable daughter. 

Trevy

Cousin in law Clark and uncle David

Daddy and I.

Its like pulling teeth trying to get him to smile with me. 

Mother and I

Pretty faces Meg

My other cousin's adorable daughter.

The little kids were so excited about Santa dropping off his bag.

I loved it!

She's a princess and so pretty.

Haha or so she told me.

Tyler was so excited when his mom Meg got a present too.

He started jumping up and down and gave her a huge hug! 

I was laughing so hard.

I love my family. 

They are so great.

Where would I be without them?

Merry Christmas everyone!

Savior of the World

My roommate Hannah is in the Savior of the World that goes on at the conference center.

So Saturday night Jarom and my family and I all went to go see it.

We went to dinner beforehand at P.f. Changs-so good!

 Then went and watched the production.

It was really good. 

I've seen it before years ago.

Yesterday I taught Relief Society on becoming a disciple.

And I just was reminded of my testimony of my Savior.

I know He lives.

And I know He wants the best for us.

I know He is there through all my pain and sorrow and its so comforting to know that I never have to go through this life alone.

I am so eternally grateful for my Savior and all He has done for me