A Day of Thanks, Gratitude in My Heart

I don't know about you, but I love this time of year. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of cold (still have my Florida blood running through my veins!) What I love about this time is the general spirit of gratitude that is found everywhere you look. Many of my Facebook friends are participating in 30 days of gratitude and post daily the things that they are thankful for. At a company Thanksgiving feast, people were heard sharing their thanks. My son comes home from school each day telling me a story he learned at school about pilgrims, Indians and traditions.

Life isn't perfect in fact it never will be. (Isn't that the design?) But despite the hardships and trials that I see so many loved ones facing, more abundant is the Spirit of the season and the underlying good.

This year I will be hosting my own Thanksgiving dinner. As I have prepared the menu, clean & organized the house, searched for decorations, fought to throttle my inner Martha & go for simplicity ... I have been reminded of the blessings in my life. From the obvious to the obscure, I am one lucky girl.

I won't attempt to list everything, it's impossible. But here are a "few". In no particular order.

Taylor, Bree, Braden, my mom & sisters, all of my family, friends, church, scriptures, prayer, my home, health, clothes, vehicles, computers, opportunities, modern medicine, iPhone & iPad, airplanes, Skype, food, schools, libraries, ice cream, conferences, social media, webinars, pictures, mountains, beaches, cabins, Orcas Island, freedom, choice, temples, comfy bed, heating & ac, bathtubs ... and BLOGS!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Carrie Keele
(a.k.a. "DearMYRTLE's daughter)
www.NotYourMothersGenealogy.com

Story at Home February 1-2, 2013 - Mark Your Calendars

I am so excited to part of the 2013 Story at Home conference this February!

I was able to attend last year after a good friend invited me. It happened to be around the same time that I was considering making the plunge into this world of genealogy, officially.

This conference is the perfect mix of story telling & family history. There's a chance to record your own story, start your family history research, start (or revive) your own blog and even learn how to tell your story through social media (YES!!)

Classes are held at the Joseph Smith Building (JSB) in downtown Salt Lake, with the opening session in the theater of the Conference Center. If you haven't been there before, you'll be marveled by the beauty of the JSB. Really. I could just sit there and daydream ...

I'll be hosting a hands on "Online Photo Editing" class. And I so excited that we get to do it in the lab. Because that means everyone gets to try it as we go! This class is not meant for the Photoshop guru, it's for you and me. Real people who want results without being too complicated.

Here are all the deets & how to register: http://www.cherishbound.com/blog/storyathome

Let me know when you register and I'll be sure to look for you there!

Carrie Keele
(a.k.a. "DearMYRTLE's daughter)
www.NotYourMothersGenealogy.com