[30] ...Christmas Lights.

I'm thankful for Christmas lights.

I love driving around town and seeing everyone's Christmas lights all hung up. :) And I love that our Christmas lights are up!  And they are so bright and beautiful!  I love Christmas time! :D

[29] ...Jive!

I'm thankful for Jive!

I had double the Jive time tonight. We practiced our girls' number before regular Jive practice.  I just love Jive so much.  I don't know where I would be without Jive; it is just so great.  It makes me feel loved and included, and it is just one thing that I actually enjoy about school. :)  And without it, I wouldn't be going to Twin.  I'd still be a Canyon Ridge.  And I wouldn't enjoy that.  At all.  Thank you Jive!

[28] ...Service.

I'm thankful for service.

Tonight at mutual we had our service scavenger hunt activity.  I love service. So much.  Though generally, I like to serve in the form of Family History Indexing.  It's simpler.  And not cold.  But this was still so great.  Next Monday we will deliver the items we got to the Valley and Jubilee Houses.  I am so excited.  I love seeing the looks on their faces when we bring them items. :)

[27] ...Emilee Gomske.

I'm thankful for Emilee Gomske.

She is just great.  Definitely one of my favorite people.  If not my favorite person.  There is no more else to say.  The end.

[26] ...My Cello.

I'm thankful for my cello.

I had a cello lesson today.  Well, I do every Monday, but that's not important.  I just really love cellos.  Especially my cello.  I am so grateful for the talent I possess of knowing how to play the cello, and I'm thankful that I own my own cello. :)

[25] ...My Mother, Again.

I am thankful for my mother, again.

I realize I already expressed my thankfulness for my mother on this blog, but it's her birthday, so I felt the need to express it again.  I LOVE MY MOTHER!  And she is better than your mother.  No matter what you say, you can't change my mind about that. :P :)

[24] ...Music.

I'm thankful for music.

Especially Christmas music.  Now that it's after Thanksgiving, I can listen to Christmas music without people judging me.  (Even though I have been listening to it for a couple weeks now.)  Music is so great. ♥

[23] ...Christmas Trees.

I'm thankful for Christmas trees.

Not very many people can say that their family drove up to the mountains and personally cut down a 15+ foot Christmas tree each year of their childhood.  But I can.  It's pretty great.Usually our trees our 17+ feet, but this year is the shortest one we've ever gotten.  :(  But it's still huge! :)

[22] ...Delicious Food.

I'm thankful for delicious food.

Yeah, this is a kinda lame thing to be thankful for.  But hey, I love food, all right?  And on Thanksgiving, I especially love food.  But really.  I'm so grateful for the delicious food I am able to eat.  And I am so thankful for those who helped make it. :)

[21] ...Game Nights.

I'm thankful for game nights.

Tonight I went over to Emilee's house and played "Spontuneous."  It was so flippin' fun.  I love game nights.  And I've just gotta say, Emilee, Kaylee, Brad, and I are quite the group.  We have some pretty freakin' awesome times.

[20] ...Actually Knowing People.

I'm thankful for actually knowing people.
...Or, I'm thankful to actual know people.
Yeah, that makes more sense.

Tonight was Mr. TFHS, and I actually knew most of the people in it!  Like, all but three or four people!  And by "know" I mean, I have actually had real conversations with them.  :)  It was great to actual cheer for people and care about what they were doing.  I feel like if I was at Mr. CRHS I wouldn't have cared or known the contestants very well other than the fact that they're just popular people.  AND the people who won things were people I knew!  Other than the second runner-up... who isn't really important anyway. :)

[19] ...Two Day School Weeks.

I'm thankful for two day school weeks.

It makes Mondays so much more bearable when you know that you only have one more day of thinking and caring in the week.  Huzzah for Thanksgiving weekend!

[18] ...Temples.

I'm thankful for temples.

I love temples.
Today was the Boise temple re-dedication.
'Nuff said.

[17] ...My Mother.

I'm thankful for my mother.

She is funny.  Weird.  But funny.  Today I had a movie date with my friend Quinnton.  My mom saw this kid once (before I even really knew him, I might add), and decided she wanted me to marry him because he has long eyelashes.

What?

Yeah, my mom is weird.  But I love her.  And am thankful for her.

When I asked if I could go see the movie with Quinnton I mentioned that two of my little siblings would come to (I assumed she would make me take them because she is completely against single dating in high school), but my mom looked puzzled and said I shouldn't take my siblings.  I took them anyway because my mom was freaking me out with all of her "marry Quinnton" stuff... I barely even know the guy!

But anywho, point being, my mom has been mentioning boys to me a lot lately, and it's super funny.  And I love her.  I am so thankful for my mother. :)

[16] ...Testimony Meetings.

I am thankful for testimony meetings.

Not only do I enjoy bearing my testimony (when I get up the courage to), but I love listening to people's testimonies and feeling the spirit.  I had two testimony meetings today.  One as a morningside for seminary, and another in our own individual seminary class.  And I bore my testimony in both.  I love the gospel.

[15] ...Long Talks.

I'm thankful for long talks.

Today after Jive I talked to this kid for almost an hour while we were sitting outside in the freezing cold.  It was crazy.  I don't even remember exactly what we were talking about, but I remember I liked it.  It was real talk.  We talked about nearly everything, but specifics are blurry.  He was telling me about how high school relationships suck, and how I should never get in one (although he is currently in one).  And then I told him about this boy that I'm falling for, and he told me to ask him out.  So... I'm somewhat confused... to date, or not to date?  But whatever.  This kid is funny.  I think we're going to be great friends. :)

[14] ...Crafts.

I'm thankful for crafts.

I forgot how much I love doing crafts.  Today at mutual we had a Pinterest craft night.  It was so fun!  Everyone was jealous of how great my crafts turned out.  I wish I had more time to do crafts; they are so fun!  And cute!  And actually useful!

[13] ...Boys.

I'm thankful for boys.

Explanation:  Until last year, attractive boys never payed much attention to me.  Sadface.  BUT last year they started to!  And this year there are even more attractive boys paying even more attention to me.  :D  It's pretty great.  There are two boys in particular that I'm extremely thankful for.  And there happens to be a certain one that I am thankful for the most. :)  They make me feel special, whether they know it and mean to or not.

[12] ...Maddie.

I'm thankful for Maddie.

Sometimes you just have an awful day, and you just want to cry.  So you do.  Thankfully, you have that one friend who will listen to you cry and comfort you for almost an hour after school.  I am so thankful for my great friend Maddie.

[11] ...Courage.

I'm thankful for courage.

I am so courageous.  I never really realized how courageous I am until today.  Our Young Women's lesson was on courage.  I have no problem with performing for people, when for most people that would take a lot of courage.  I'm so thankful for that.  Now I just need to work on gaining courage to talk to attractive boys... I've been getting better!

[10] ...Laundry.

I'm thankful for laundry.

So yeah, this is a super awkward thing to be thankful for.  But I pretty much just did laundry all day long today... and enjoyed it.  It was so calming!  Crap... I'm turning into a mother-type-figure who actually enjoys things like cleaning, gardening, and cooking.  No!  I'm still young!  I mustn't waste my youth!

[9] ...Schoolless Fridays.

I am thankful for schoolless fridays.
(Or as Hannah would say (as in her dinner prayer), "I'm thankful we could run out of school for today."  Like how someone would run out of milk.  Or run out of an item.  It was pretty great.)

Today a couple of my friends and I went to Boise for the temple open house.  We also wen tout for lunch and saw Skyfall in IMAX.  It was pretty great!  I'm also grateful Michael Kezele had a birthday, because that's the reason we went.  It was so fun!  And the temple was so beautiful. ♥

[8] ...My Talents.

I'm thankful for my talents.

Today and yesterday I had Choir Honor Clinic.  My last one. :'(  It's so sad!  I'll never go to an high school honor clinic again!  But I met some great people, and got to know other great people better. :)  Also, I was complimented quite a bit on my voice.  And that always makes a girl feel good. :)  I am so thankful for all of my musical abilities that I have been so greatly blessed with.

[7] ...Take Me Home.

I'm thankful for the new One Direction album Take Me Home.

I know it seems like a somewhat shallow thing to be particularly grateful for, but I am!  It is so good. :)  I love the more acoustic, slower sound this album has.  And since Ed Sheeran co-wrote some of the songs, the lyrics are phenomenal.  Nothing cures an iffy day as well as One Direction does.  Even though the album should technically not even be out until the 13th, I've been listening to it in my car.  It's wonderful; wonderful I tell you!

Album Faves:
-Little Things
-Over You
-Heart Attack

Happy Birthday. :)

I would like to wish a very happy birthday to my favorite apostle, Dieter F. Uchtdorf. :)

"Patience is a godly attribute that can heal souls, unlock treasures of knowledge and understanding, and transform ordinary men and women into saints and angels. Patience is truly a fruit of the Spirit.
Patience means staying with something until the end. It means delaying immediate gratification for future blessings. It means reining in anger and holding back the unkind word. It means resisting evil, even when it appears to be making others rich.
Patience means accepting that which cannot be changed and facing it with courage, grace, and faith. It means being “willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [us], even as a child doth submit to his father.” Ultimately, patience means being “firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord” every hour of every day, even when it is hard to do so." - Dieter F. Uchtdorf

I just wish his grandchildren were older... I wouldn't mind dating a grandson of his.

Was that too creepy?

Okay, sorry.

I'll stop.

But seriously.

[6] ...America.

I'm thankful for America.  (Though not necessarily for all the voters in it.)

Yes, I'm upset about the election.  Yes, I'm scared about what will become of America in the next four years.  But is there anything I can do about it?  No.  Is there anything I could have done about it?  No.  It's entirely out of my hands.

But I'm not going to complain.  Especially over Facebook.  (Although I ma complain about the people complaining over Facebook, is that all right?)  I'm just happy to live in America, where I'm free to complain if I wanted to.  Honestly, Obama may not be who many people wanted, but he's not going to turn the U.S. into Communist Russia or Nazi Germany or anything.  It will remain America.  And I'm thankful for that.

Everything is in God's hands, and he knows what he's doing.  We just need to trust in him.  If things get worse, it's God's will.

[5] ...Emotions.

I am thankful for emotions.

Today I had a really bad day, but it gradually got better.  However, while my day was going awfully, I was able to show and share my emotions... and it was great.  A lot of the time I hold everything inside and don't show people how I truly feel.  Today was not one of those days.  Today I cried in seminary.  And in advisory.  And I was just really emotional.  And it was great.  I love being able to share my emotions with others.

[4] ...The Simple Things.

I am thankful for the simple things in life.

Like having arms and legs.
People (I included) take so much for granted.  Even just sitting here typing this I not only need arms, but fingers on them.  I had heard about this guy and his incredible story before, but I had never seen this video.  It is incredible.  Definitely worth 20  minutes of your time.

[3] ...Water Polo.

I am thankful for water polo.

Today was the Water Polo State Tournament.  It was so fun!  We won!  I love water polo so much. :)  Things did not play out in my favor, however.  My coach barely even played me at all, even in my very last game!  It was really disappointing, especially since it was my last year, and I'm the only girl who has played all four years.  And we didn't even get to play the one team that is actually a challenge for us to beat because they left the tournament early.  When I did play, however, I had so much fun.  This sport is the one sport that I thoroughly enjoy.  I am so thankful that there is a sport out there that I can have so much fun playing and that I can actually have some talent in.

[2] ...Honesty.

I am thankful for honesty.

Without honesty I would feel so guilty.  Yesterday I had a paper due in English... a paper that I didn't have time to type until after English.  So I typed it quickly during my seminary release (don't worry, I still went to seminary, I was just late), and I emailed it to my teacher.  My teacher, not being daft, noticed that the time on the email was after class, and so she emailed me back saying that she was confused because she thought I had had my paper typed in class and was wondering why I had emailed it to her after class.  She asked if I had typed it after class.  My first response was to say I had typed it before class, but I didn't have time to print it out and had forgotten to email it to her.  I was about to reply saying that, but I knew that'd be wrong.  Scared and not knowing what to do, I ignored her email.  Today I knew I had to do something about it, so I replied to her email.  I told her the truth about my typing it after class.  She said she appreciated my honesty but couldn't accept the paper for a grade.  I feel as if I gained so much respect from her.  She said she would still grade it so I would have feedback, but she wouldn't be able to put the grade in the grade book.  It is disappointing that I did the work of typing the paper and didn't get any credit for it, but I know that being honest was the best decision.  If I had lied, chances are she would have found out somehow, and I could have gotten in so much trouble.  I am so thankful that I was prompted to tell the truth to avoid bad consequences.

[1] ...Friends.

I'm thankful for my friends.

I know everyone says that, but I truly am.  I do however find myself feeling alone and friendless a lot of the time because I do not have one or two friends that are specifically my best friends.  I just find myself being friends with everyone, which at many times makes me feel as if I'm friends with no one.

But I find that being friends with everyone is great.  I am invited to hang out with people a lot, and through that I meet a lot of new people who are best friends of my friends.  And it is so great to meet new people.

Tonight after Jive, some of us went to Jamba Juice.  One of the girls who came was Jordyn Clark.  I don't really know Jordyn very well, but she always seems so sweet and nice, and I have been wanting to get to know her better.  At Jamba Juice we really bonded through pulling a joke on our friend Mike through texts and calls.  It was so great!  I had so much fun, and I got to know Jordyn better.  I'm so excited for this entire year.  Being at a new school provides me with so many opportunities to make new friends.  And I love my friends.  Every last one of them.