Thankfulness 2

In my quest to post things I'm thankful for this season, I have decided to post about my older brother, Todd.
Todd is clever and level-headed. He recently told me a story about buying his new truck. The first dealer was quite dishonest, yet Todd kept his cool and talked circles around that guy, catching the dishonest fellow in his own lies. HA! As he told me the story, I could feel myself get angry--like I wanted to yell at the idiot, but Todd calmly talked him into a trap and left, never losing his cool. And to add icing to the cake, Todd got a better deal elsewhere. Double HA!
Todd is super smart. He has knowledge of every subject you could study in school. I wish I were as smart as Todd. I have asked his opinion several times about environmental issues, and he responds with such informative opinions. I really don't know how he can know so much about everything.
Todd is a loyal and hard worker. Companies seek him out to work for them because they know of his reputation.
Todd is a really good dad. He loves his kids. He plays with them. He takes care of them. (And I SUPER love those kids!!!)! They love him too. Todd is a good husband. It is very obvious that he loves his wife, Natalie.
Todd has always looked out for me. The earliest memory of this I have is when I was in 1st grade and he was in 3rd. Todd and I didn't play together at recess, but I was being bullied and he came up and scared the pants off the guy. I was never bothered again.
These are just a few of the things I admire about my brother. I love Todd and am thankful he is in our family.

Thankfulness

At this time last year I blogged 30 Days of Thanks with pictures: I posted new pictures every day and wrote about something I'm thankful for. I thought about doing it again this year, but I haven't decided that I want to do it again this year. Quite frankly, it's a LOT of work--albeit, the kind that made me feel very venerated afterwards.
I do want to write about something I'm thankful for that I didn't include last year: my sister, Julie.
I got to go stay with Julie this past summer. I love to be with my older sister. There is a sense I feel around her that things are taken care of--sort of like a mothering-type feeling, only it's my sister, so it's a little different. There is always something to talk about with Julie. She has a lot of wise opinions about things and makes me think. She has such strong convictions about her beliefs (politically, spiritually, socially, etc.) and strives to raise her family and live how she believes. I admire such conviction.
Julie loves to sing. She taught herself how to play the organ and plays every week in church. She also teaches piano lessons. She is so musically talented!
Julie is a VERY beautiful person, inside and out!
Julie loves to read. I think she knows every word in the dictionary. She graduated with her B.S from BYU and is really smart!
Julie is a good wife. She has had the wonderful opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom almost since the beginning. She does everything you would imagine a wife from the 1950's would do (but with modern, independent flare): clean the house, bake and cook, bathe the kids, help with homework, make time for her husband, make time for herself, donate time and efforts to schools and church.
Julie is a good mom to her kids: Todd, Hannah, Joseph, and Seth. Her kids love her. They are well-rounded and know that they are loved. Julie's house always has something going on. I guess that's what happens when you have 4 kids that are all getting older. She is involved with every single one of those wonderful kids. She knows their schedules, teachers, grades, friends... She volunteers in her kids' schools . She and Steve (her husband) take the kids on fun outings, like to the pumpkin patch recently. While I was visiting, I loved EVERY SECOND with those kids!
Julie is the BEST older sister I could ever ask for. I love her so much. I am proud to say she is my sister. She is a good example and a wonderful person.