Thanksgiving Thoughts

Thanksgiving day was full of activities that involved the three top things I am grateful for: my religion, my family, and my health.

HEALTH

The day started at 7 a.m. when I joined my father in law and three sisters in law, Kristi, Trisha, and Aubri for our second annual one-hour Thanksgiving cycle class at the Cottonwood Recreation Center. How is it possible to laugh during a sweaty, heart pumping cycle class? The Poulsens never have a problem finding things funny.
After the class Brittany, another sister in law, and I ran the Cottonwood Heights Thanksgiving 5 K.

I am so grateful for my heath and body that allows me to do such activities.

FAMILY

At noon I went with Jason and my kids to my mother and father in law’s house for a delicious lunch. All of Jason’s sisters and their families were there and Jason’s Grandpa and Grandma. I enjoyed eating, talking, and relaxing with such fun people.
After lunch I went home for a 45-minute nap and then Jason, the kids, and I were off to my sister Wendy’s house in Kaysville to have dinner with her husband and kids, my mom, dad, brother Jared, and his wife Nanette. It was a small group this year because my other siblings were taking their Thanksgiving turn with their in laws. It was such a pleasant evening as we ate, talked, and played cards together.
The day really wasn’t full of spectacular events. It was a wonderfully simple day full of family time.

I am grateful for my in laws who have always been extremely kind and loving to me.
I am grateful for my parents, siblings, and their families. We all get along wonderfully and would do anything for each other.
Including Jason’s and my family we have 33 members. I am grateful we all live in Utah and see each other on a regular basis.
I am grateful for a wonderful husband and four very good kids. I really enjoy being around my entire family.

RELIGION

“Religion is not a thing apart from life.”--Marion D. Hanks

I am grateful that I know where I came from, why I am here, and where I hope to go. This knowledge makes everything, including Thanksgiving, more meaningful. Everything I have is because of a loving Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ. Everything I am grateful for is because of Them.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

What's your passion?

Everyone has different interests in life. Some people might be passionate about skiing, snowboarding, biking, hiking, rock climbing, basketball, soccer, or golf. Other passions may be reading, traveling, computers, music, art, crafts, cooking, shopping, or an occupation. My family has different interests depending on the season.

One of our passions is football.
WHY ARE WE FOOTBALL FANS???

JASON: Simple

He loves watching the competition and strategy of the game. It is suspenseful and fun to watch.

CHANDLER: Two Reasons

1. Chandler’s most influential hero and role model is his dad. He respects Jason and has been around Jason's influence his entire life. At the age of nine Chandler wants to go on a mission, be a good husband, and become an anesthesiologist. When Chandler becomes older he may choose a different role model but for now he naturally wants to be like his dad. Hence Chandler loves football and particularly BYU football…just like his dad.
2. After playing his first season, Chandler’s love for football increased dramatically. I think playing not only helped him understand the game but also gave him a chance to understand how great it feels when you work hard at something. The only way he could explain why he likes football was, “there are more hard times than fun times but it teaches you how to be a man.”

SUZANNE: I’m a football mom
This will sound dramatic, but during football season Chandler had never in his life worked so physically hard and sacrificed so much. There were many activities Chandler missed out on because of football, including flying home early (and alone) from our vacation in Vegas so he could make it to his game. There were also a lot of tears throughout the season because it was hard.

Jason and I put Chandler into football for the same reasons mentioned by his coach in an e-mail written to all the parents at the end of the season.
“The odds of any of our players playing college football are slim and playing in the NFL even slimmer, but they will need to understand the importance of sacrifice, teamwork, and courage in their youth and in life in order to succeed. Hopefully, they have gained some of these attributes by playing with this team.”

Chandler’s coaches were successful in teaching important lessons about sacrifice, teamwork, and courage. I think Chandler will carry these lessons with him throughout life and they will help build his character.

HARD WORK

TEAMWORK
COURAGE
FUN
Now go and embrace your own passions and learn from them.
It's one of the great blessings of living.

A Halloween crime story

THE SCENE:
It was 5:45 p.m. on Halloween. We just got home from Jason's parents' house where we ate our yearly, delicious Halloween dinner that consists of homemade soup, homemade bread sticks, and homemade pie. Yum!!!!

Trick-or-treating was going to begin soon. Everyone was happy and ready to go.



After the picture was taken the kids went inside and messed around in the front room while waiting a few minutes for their cousins and uncles.
I sat at the computer to pay bills. (Who pays bills on Halloween night?)
Jason was in the kitchen saying to the kids, "you guys need to calm down."
Chandler put his trick-or-treat pillow case over his head and was playing with Ethan when the crime happened.

THE PERPETRATOR: Don't let him fool you, he's not as innocent as he looks...



THE WITNESSES: The Hannah Montana on the left (as opposed to the Hannah Montana in the middle and to the right).



AND the blue butterfly princess. (I don't think she looks like a butterfly.)



THE VICTIM: and maybe a bit of a provoker.



THE ACCOMPLICE: who decided ON Halloween day to put up the decorations and therefore the weapon.



THE WEAPON: A five inch man. (Why is he a Halloween decoration???)



THE ACTION:
Ethan threw the weapon at the "pillowcase" that was bugging him. The weapon happened to hit the face that was inside the pillowcase. Chandler wondered why there were beads all of a sudden in his mouth. He was horrified to discover that the "beads" were his teeth. After seeing his teeth, or lack thereof, all Chandler could say was, "WHY Ethan, WHY??!!"





THE CONSEQUENCE:
Chandler: He didn't feel up to going trick-or treating so he stayed home. This week he gets two root canals and two fillings. When he is older he'll get two crowns. (And not the crowns that most kids want.)
Ethan: NOTHING. He is two. He is the youngest. And he gets away with almost everything.

THE CONCLUSION:
The next day, though his two front teeth were partially missing and he had two exposed nerves, Chandler left at 7 a.m. for his football playoff game and later that day played in his hockey game.