I know that choosing something as broad as time is a bit of a cheat; however, I am still thankful for it. I am thankful for each time I have the chance to say sorry when I am wrong or have wronged someone. I am thankful for each time I can make a memory with my now adult children. I am thankful for all the time I have been given to reach out to others to help them or get to know them better. I am thankful for the time I am given to teach and guide students. I am thankful for each new day I am blessed with to try again to get this thing called life as right as I can as an imperfect person doing their best in such a flawed manner. Time is all we've got until forever kicks in, and I am grateful to have been given as much as I have.
Gratitude Month 2025: Visiting
Anyone who knows me even a little bit knows that I love to visit. I look forward to eternity for many reasons, but one of the big perks is being able to talk for pretty much ever. I am so thankful that I am able to strike up conversations with most anyone any time and in almost any place. I get it from my dad after growing up seeing his example of asking people just the right questions to help them understand he was someone you could really talk to. I used to be mortified by his chatty Kathyness, but I am just the same way and have been probably well before I knew and was thinking he was weird for it. I am thankful for the ability to visit with people and find joy in it rather than dread like some people do, and I am thankful for my dad's example of how to go about pro-level visiting. It has blessed my life in surprising and unique ways.
Gratitude Month 2025: Shoes
I used to be a big shoe person, and I actually still am in my heart, but ever since a major car accident several years ago, I have not been able to wear most of my fun shoes. That accident in combination with all the repercussive injuries along with getting older has made it so that I probably will never be able to were them again. I gave away most of them a couple of years ago because I realized the fact. But that is just about fun shoes that are not really functional when you think of it, and I want to talk about how thankful I am for shoes that protect my feet and help my feet and help me feel comfortable, able, professional, and even on the rare occasion fashionable still. I know this all sounds downright elderly, but it is what it is, and I wish it weren't what it is, but wishing ain't getting, so I will be thankful for the blessing that helpful good shoes are. Too many people across the globe go without the shoes they need, and I have never had to do that, so I am simply grateful for having this specific need met.
Gratitude Month 2025: Ribbon
It might sound frivolous (because it pretty much is), but I really love nice ribbon. I use it for wrapping presents, decorating around my house and even on my porch, and really in any way my creativity can make ribbon a thing. I especially love adding ribbons to my table settings for any occasion, but lately, I have been playing around with ideas for how to get ribbon to make some magic on my Christmas table. I already draped my light fixture above the dining table with three different types of ribbon, Christmas lights, and some sparkly snowflake decorations, so the idea might actually come to fruition on the table. I am crossing my fingers. So anyway, I am thankful for every time I find ribbon at the thrift store, on clearance, or in the hands of friends giving it away (which happened by bagfuls this summer). So thankful because it makes my life happier.
Gratitude Month 2025: Hoodies
I do not remember when I started collecting them, but at least 15 years ago, I bought a purple hoodie from my university's bookstore, and I am pretty sure that is the one that turned having a hoodie on into a trip down memory lane. Now, every time I travel to a new place or attend a special occasion, I search out the best hoodie money can buy (that I like). I do not always find a purple or special enough to buy even though it is not purple hoodie, but when I do, I buy it and think of the time I spent at that place every single time I wear that hoodie.
A few of my favorite hoodies include my 15-year-old, should probably be thrown away but I just cannot do it until I can replace it, purple BYU hoodie, a super soft purple Mount Vernon hoodie that is not holding up very well unfortunately, a navy blue classic York, England hoodie that I bought at the York Minster's gift shop and it makes me so happy to wear it that it is my second favorite only to the BYU one, and a cream and brown Boston hoodie that reminds me that even if you land yourself into a wheelchair on vacation, you can still find a great hoodie that makes you smile when you wear it.
This hoodie habit is like time traveling back to the best of times, and it makes me happy. I am thankful for my not so on purpose tradition I have created of getting the softest, best, cutest, most comfortable, and most of the time purple hoodies, so I can keep my memory alive with the good memories I have the chance to make.
Gratitude Month 2025: My Family
I am thankful for my family. I write about them every single year, and every single year, I am sure I need to keep expressing my gratitude for them. I have wonderful children who make me a better person as I strive to be a good mother to them. I have amazing brothers who make my life more interesting and dynamic and help me to be a better person too. I have so many cousins and aunts and uncles who help me understand what God wants of me. Family is true wealth. Family is everything. I love them all dearly.
Gratitude Month 2025: Christmas Movies
This past week in my Creative Writing class, I was teaching students about climactic events and falling action, and my first thought for excellent examples of these two plot elements was from It's a Wonderful Life. I typically look for movie clips to show that are from books made into movies, but the pure desperation and stunning elation all within moments in the scene when George is begging God to restore his family to him then realizing God answered his prayer is storytelling perfection, so those two clips were what my students got.
Can you believe there were some students who had never seen It's a Wonderful Life? I was dumbfounded yet tried to not show my shock, but the extra perfect thing about having some students who had never seen it was that they could very clearly see why I chose what I did. The poignant delivery of the story lines has much to do with Jimmy Stewart being a gifted actor, but the ability to reach people is in how close to home the moment hits for each person. Everyone has had moments like George, maybe not so extreme, but it is all still very human. And in those moments, we are reminded of how much we need God and Jesus Christ.
As I was showing the end scene when the falling action tumbles down the plot outline with a swiftness, I could not help but get teary eyed at the lesson being taught. Yes, the falling action rushes at us with little time to let it all sink in, but is not that how life can get once we realize there are blessings all around us? I know it can be like that for me. So whether I am watching Christmas movie classics or the B film Christmas cookie cutter movies that are a dime a dozen as far as writing quality goes, you can always count on a rush of falling action into a beautiful, happy, sweet resolution to remind us that in the end everything will be alright because God wins which means we win.
I am grateful for the Christmas movie genre with its simplicity and gentle reminders that joy is the resolution we are looking for, and it all points me to being thankful for God sending us the Christ Child, the reason for the season.
Gratitude Month 2025: Cream Cheese & Bagels
Not quite sure why, but I have been on a kick for bagels and cream cheese for a couple of months. It all started with the best bagel egg sandwich I have ever had in Portland, Maine followed by an amazing pumpkin bagel with pumpkin cream cheese later that afternoon by the same place. They were both so delicious that I am pretty sure I have been chasing that high ever since. Like, not even kidding. I am thankful for those bagels and cream cheese as well as the lesser, more plain jane bagels and cream cheese following that amazing day in Portland, Maine, the day that made me fall in love with bagels and cream cheese more than I thought possible.
Gratitude Month 2025: Temple Trips
Every time I have the chance to visit a holy temple, I am rejuvenated and able to face the daily onslaught of troubles and trials. The peace and understanding that I receive there is invaluable as I strive to listen to what God wants me to do with my choices and learn how to follow Jesus Christ in happy ways. The quiet there is beautiful. The chance you get to step away from all the craziness of the world is an island of hope that you cannot get any other way. I am thankful for the blessings of attending the temple as I take time out of all the busyness to make those trips happen.
Gratitude Month 2025: Good Books
Over the past few years, my book club has had new people joining, and that fact means new book tastes have been added to our annual voting. I have not loved all of the books we have read, but most of them I have. I will say it has been very fun to try books I have never heard of and learn about new authors and find so many fresh books. I am thankful to have the opportunity to read as much as I do, which leads me to also say how grateful I am for audiobooks. Without them, I would rarely finish a book during the school year unless it was for teaching prep! My life is happier because of all the good books that I get to read, and I am thankful for them.
Gratitude Month 2025: U.S. Veterans
Being an American is something I love. This country is the best place in the world if you ask me. And without our military veterans, we would not have a country. I am thankful to all U.S. veterans who have served, but I am especially thankful for my brother who is a combat veteran. He is out of the Army, but he uses his medic expertise to help in the hospital he works at now. What I am most thankful for in regard to my brother is that he made it home from Iraq and Afghanistan. So thankful that we get to spend time together and make memories in our favorite country in the world.
Gratitude Month 2025: Soup
There are people who either love soup or hate it, and there are even some people who are in the middle, but I am one who loves soup. When I think about how kind of basic soup actually is, I wonder if my love of it is a reflection on who I am—and I am right.
Soup is a basic type of food, but since when is basic not wonderful. Soup is underrated and taken for granted. It is affordable, filling, and aesthetically pleasing if prepared nicely. Soup is a food you can count on whether the budget is big or small. Soup keeps you warm in winter and makes a nice side dish with any lunch or dinner. Soup and sandwiches is a thing for a reason. It is just good.
I do not know what to say about the soup haters, but I am grateful that I love such a versatile and healthful food that brings nourishment and comfort to so many people across the entire world.
Gratitude Month 2025: Support Groups
Up until a car accident several years ago, I had very little health issues, and even after that, the only issue was being hurt not sick. I have lived a life of blessed wellness—until I approached age 50. Now? I have so many health issues that mostly all I do in my "spare" time (whatever that is) is research all the horrible ways I might have to die or worse yet survive for years in severe suffering. It really is quite the cheerful hobby that is developing: worrying, realizing worrying is a waste of time and energy, reading studies and testimonials, feeling like I might get through things alright, find a horrific story that matches up with my experience that sends me into worrying, rinse and repeat.
Then, I found a support group for my condition that I am learning about, and the people who are willing to spell out their good, bad, and even ugly experiences with this condition are changing my life. I feel empowered with knowledge about something I never knew existed and, frankly, got me afraid of the future, so afraid I felt incredible grief and decision paralysis. Thanks to the support group (and the Mayo Clinic website with clinical studies, etc.), I am now able to understand things instead of want to just hide from the realities, and I feel like I can carry on. What a gift. I will always be thankful for the person who thought to create that group and manage such a vital educational and support community.
Gratitude Month 2025: Quiet
With so much pushing on me to do this and do that and go here and go there, I have come to appreciate the rare day when quiet is the gift that makes life better. I am thankful for having the chance to savor some quiet in these early morning hours on a Saturday and appreciate the calm quiet that I need after a week full of work and pressures and appointments. I feel seen in these peaceful moments, like God knew I could not take more noise and pressure, so He made sure to send me an island of peace for small moment to keep me going. Feeling thankful and sure I will be rejuvenated by it.
Gratitude Month 2025: Education
I could never have guessed what an absolute fanatic I would be for learning. Or maybe I should have known? I do not recall learning how to read, just being able to do it. I do not remember learning my numbers, but I do believe I learned how to count from playing Black Jack with my dad. And I always loved a challenge in school insomuch that I got tracked into harder classes in fourth grade and stayed in the program clear through high school. I just really enjoy learning new things, trying new things, asking questions, and trying to understand complex issues. I love to find solutions to problems, and learning seems to be the way to find the problems to solve. I could not tell you how many studies I have read in my lifetime just on sleep alone. Of my own free will. No one assigning any of them! It may a little over the top to some people, but I love to learn, and I am thankful to have so many opportunities to gain various types of education and the quality of those opportunities. I count my education to be one of my most valuable assets second only to my family and my testimony of God and Jesus Christ.
Gratitude Month 2025: Good Neighbors
I grew up with good neighbors on all sides of us and up and down the whole block mostly. Then, when I got into my first house, the neighbors on one side were amazing—the other side? not so much. But the one set of next door neighbors made up the difference honestly. When my mom died, the neighbors were so good that I could leave a key at their house just in case I locked myself out (my mom used to be the keeper of my emergency keys). I remember the wife hugging me when I was crying telling her why I needed to even ask for such a big favor. Then, when I moved states, I could never have planned on finding the best cul de sac on the planet to raise my sweet children at. Such wonderful friendships and memories made with such caring, supportive, mindful people. What a village we had. After that era, we had one bad set of downstairs neighbors, just one. They traumatized my children with being overbearing and judgmental, but that was a short time, and we had follow up neighbors who I cannot even remember their names they were so quiet. And now? Our downstairs neighbors are buddies with my oldest—and I can keep a key at their house for in case we lock ourselves out. So what I am essentially trying to say is I am thankful for a lifetime of good neighbors who have blessed and continue to bless my life. I just hope I am able to be as good a neighbor as they have been to me.
Gratitude Month 2025: Comfort
The world is fraught with trouble and tragedy, so this day, right now, as I type out my gratitude, I consider the sheer blessing of having so much comfort in my life. I have problems, I do, but as I look around me, all I can see are the things that bring me comfort. I see so much protection and watchcare. These thoughts as well as being able to sit in a clean, warm home with a blanket on my lap, I am almost speechless. So thankful for all the comforts I am blessed with now and throughout my life.
Gratitude Month 2025: Family History
I am pretty sure I have written about this in past years, but I have such an excitement for doing family history work that I feel required to state my gratitude over and over again. There is something extraordinary about seeing a headstone, doing research, and discovering that the feeling you got was because that person is a distant relative. I love it. Another thing I love about doing family history is seeing how far and wide the branches of one family tree can spread. Lately, I have been working with records for distant cousins from Scotland, Ireland, and Canada (French). The waves of joyful connection enliven my mind and keep me researching and looking for more, watching for ways I can contribute to the family tree's accuracy and validity. Not many people know this, but I have a hobby of taking portraits of headstones to share on my family tree and into the database for headstones I find that belong to people not related to me. In past years, I have received thank you messages from all over, including one that was in French. I thankful I stumbled upon, picked up, and have ran with this special hobby I have, and I am thankful for family connections, even if they are distant.
Gratitude Month 2025: Dishes
One of my favorite things to do over the past year has been learning how to set a formal table. It all started with my thrifting love, yet it has become a real hobby. The time (and not too too much money) I have spent collecting dishes and other tableware is a little shocking, but I try not to focus on that because I have had so much fun with exploring different styles and mixing and matching fun tablescapes for holidays and other special occasions. It has become a small way to give to my friends and family. Seeing their delight when coming over and having something unique and thoughtful greet them before book club or a birthday or just a random dinner has been so lovely to observe. It feeds my fire and helps lift my heart from the dredges of life that I linger in too often. I am thankful for finding such a simple way to show love and get such happy returns in smiles on faces, let alone all the lovely memories we make.
Gratitude Month 2025: Decorating
I was invited to attend a wedding this weekend, and because of my reputation for making things pretty (and being quite the unapologetic perfectionist about it), one of my other friends volunteered us to help with setting up the decorations for the tables for the wedding dinner and transition everything into reception mode, and I cannot tell you how amazing it was to jump into helping and creativity and making things aesthetically pleasing. I am thankful my one friend volunteered us because I probably would not have thought to do it with all the other things going on right now.
Every time someone would say, that looks perfect, my little perfectionist heart just smiled. I even said aloud, "That is my favorite word," at one point. And to see how much my friends were loving the way things were arranged and not needing to worry about if it would turn out nicely was such a representation of the trust we have in our friendship. The whole experience infused me with energy and joy.
I am thankful for the chance to serve my friend and her daughter getting married and to enjoy such a fun time being given carte blanche with moving things around and decorating with care and beauty.
Gratitude Month 2025: Tradition
When I was talking with my students this past week about doing this thing, Gratitude Month, I realized that I have been doing this consistently for a very long time. What a gift it has been all these years to slow down each November and think about how utterly surrounded I am by blessings. All the years I have been doing Gratitude Month have all been very hard years, yet I have written proof that life has been very full and beautiful and even wonderful. I love this tradition, and I look forward to taking time each day to reflect on the good and sharing it with anyone who will read it.
For anyone who wants to share with me your gratitude or thoughts on what I write each day, I welcome you to comment. I would love to hear from you.
This month is a month of family, food, and tradition. It will be a good one if we make sure to focus on all the good. Happy November AKA Gratitude Month.
50 Things by 50 Ten Days Out FINAL COUNTDOWN
Progress reports happened in October and December, and here is my check-in with a mere TEN DAYS left before the end of birthday month!
I have accomplished all but the following goals:
3. Publish a poetry only book.
I am about 80% finished with this project. Cross your fingers for me, people.
11. Go on a sibling(s) trip.
There are plans to accomplish this along with the golf thing on Monday.
13. Visit a lake.
I almost did this but had to cancel. Plans for this are set for the final days.
16. Find something meaningful to do for others in honor of each of my parents' birthdays.
I made my mom's homemade bread in honor of my mom's birthday, and I decided what to do for my dad, but execution has not been possible yet. Hopefully, it will happen.
20. Complete the revisions on my will.
Still needs to happen.
21. Revise and renew life insurance.
Still needs to happen.
33. Play at least one round of golf (probably go to the driving range a couple of times first).
This goal will be achieved on Monday during the siblings trip.
36. Attend a city council meeting.
I am attending this tomorrow!
46. Brush up on Spanish.
Finishing strong for the last week!
All-time Best 100 Films
For my 50 Things by 50 challenge, I wanted to do a top 50 films list, but that proved to be too difficult to decide, so I am running with 50 x 2 = 100 for this goal.
My qualifications for creating a definitive list like this include being raised up to be a movie connoisseur from a very young age and carrying this torch my whole life. My parents would take us to the theater on opening night/weekend and the drive-in often. When at-home devices were invented, we got a Betamax and a copy of The Pirates of Penzance with Kevin Kline and Linda Ronstadt, and it was all over from there. We wore that beta tape out! One of my favorite pastimes has been movie watching and collecting.
I hope you enjoy my take on what constitutes the best…because I am pretty confident that I am right.
QUALIFYING FACTORS
Creativity/Innovation, Nostalgia, Quality (Performance, Production, Writing), Repeat Watchability, Personal Impact, and Societal Impact
All-time Best 100 Films
1930s
Gone with the Wind (1939)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
1940s
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
The Strawberry Blonde (1941)
This Is the Army (1943)
1950s
Ben-Hur (1959)
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
Gigi (1958)
Rear Window (1954)
Sleeping Beauty (1959)
South Pacific (1958)
1960s
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)
The Great Escape (1963)
The Happiest Millionaire (1967)
The Magnificent Seven (1960)
Mary Poppins (1964)
The Music Man (1962)
My Fair Lady (1964)
The Sound of Music (1965)
Summer Magic (1963)
Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967)
1970s
Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
Rocky (1976)
Scrooge (1970)
Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope (1977)
Superman: The Movie (1978)
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
1980s
Annie (1982)
Empire of the Sun (1987)
Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985)
The Karate Kid (1984)
The Pirates of Penzance (1983)
The Princess Bride (1987)
Stand and Deliver (1988)
Steel Magnolias (1989)
Troop Beverly Hills (1989)
Victory (1981)
1990s
Babe (1995)
Chaplin (1992)
Clueless (1995)
Dances with Wolves (1990)
Ever After (1998)
Forrest Gump (1994)
A League of Their Own (1992)
The Sandlot (1993)
Schindler’s List (1993)
Selena (1997)
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
The Truman Show (1998)
While You Were Sleeping (1995)
2000s
The Bourne Identity (2002)
Bright Star (2009)
Dan in Real Life (2007)
Enchanted (2007)
Finding Neverland (2004)
The Great Debaters (2007)
The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005)
Invictus (2009)
Miss Potter (2006)
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
Nacho Libre (2006)
Ratatouille (2007)
Remember the Titans (2000)
Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Walk the Line (2005)
The Young Victoria (2009)
2010s
The Age of Adaline (2015)
Black Panther (2018)
Coco (2017)
Collateral Beauty (2016)
Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Ford v. Ferrari (2019)
42 (2013)
The Help (2011)
I Can Only Imagine (2018)
Inception (2010)
Inside Out (2015)
Interstellar (2014)
La La Land (2016)
Leap Year (2010)
The Magnificent Seven (2016)
Mr. Church (2016)
Moneyball (2011)
Ophelia (2018)
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse (2018)
A United Kingdom (2016)
Wonder Woman (2017)
2020s
Belfast (2021)
Cruella (2021)
Enola Holmes (2020
I Heard the Bells (2022)
Land (2021)
A Million Miles Away (2023)
- Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (2022)
- Till (2022)
BONUS: 15 All-time Best Historical Fiction or Inspired by a Book TV/Mini Series
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984)
All Creatures Great and Small (2020)
Anne of Green Gables (1985)
Downton Abbey (2010)
Great Expectations (2011)
Jane Eyre (2006)
Larkrise to Candleford (2008)
Lonesome Dove (1989)
M*A*S*H (1972)
North & South (2004)
Once Upon a Time (2011)
Poldark (2015)
Pride and Prejudice (1995)
A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017)
The Wonder Years (1988)
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