'Tis the season... for resolutions

Calvin and Hobbes

As 2011 nears its end, the phrase "New Years resolutions" pops into my mind.  Each year, people all over the United States make New Years resolutions with good intentions, but then find that they are abandoned by Valentine's Day.  This year, rather than make resolutions that I may not keep, I decided that I would come up with a few things that I would like to improve this year.  I know what you're thinking, "that sounds a lot like resolutions to me!"  But they aren't.  This way, I acknowledge that I need to make some adjustments in my life (contrary to the popular believe, I am not perfect... haha), however I also acknowledge that lifestyle changes take time and dedication to make.  Not to mention if I start to fail I won't have the excuse... "well... maybe next year."

With that being said, I give you the following list of things that I wish to change or accomplish during 2012.

1. Cut back on procrastination.  Procrastinating is something that I hate to do, but I do it anyways.  Obviously I am not going to kid myself into thinking that I can completely stop procrastinating.  I can however try to stop procrastinating on large projects and try to start them earlier.
2. Incorporate more organization into my home.  I am that person who has the good intention to organize and yet finds myself unorganized.  I hope to become a little more organized this year (for both my and my husband's sake).  I have recently come across a fabulous blog, iHeart Organizing, which gives tons of wonderful organizing tips and ideas.  If you are like me and have no idea where to begin (or maybe you are just looking for more ideas) be sure to check it out!
3. Exercise more often.  As you may remember from one of my previous posts, I struggle with exercising.  It is something that I know is good for me, and yet it is still difficult to do.  My husband is determined to help me with this.  He has already created a work out plan for me.  One of the benefits of marrying a soldier: a permanent workout buddy!
4. Eat healthier.  I absolutely love Chick-fil-a, Cuban sandwiches, spaghetti, biscuits, mashed potatoes, and candy (no, not all together, sicko!).  Obviously I am not going to be able to eat healthy all of the time. I can however choose healthier meals, and reduce the amount of junk food that I eat.
5. Learn how to sew.  This is not an option.  I got a sewing machine, case, and an adorable custom sewing basket (made by my awesome and incredibly talented sister) for Christmas.  Hopefully by next Christmas I can make some fabulous homemade gifts.
6. Blog more frequently.  I have found that I really enjoy blogging.  As you can probably tell though, I often forget or do not make time for it.  I would definitely like to blog more often (and hopefully you would like to read my posts more often). :)
7. Think more about others, and less about myself.  There are a lot of changes within this category that I would like to make, but I think that this covers them all.  It doesn't always have to be something big, but just taking the time to remember that I am not more important than anyone else.  I think that in our society we focus more on ourselves and less on others.
8. Take a chance.  I am someone who likes to play it safe.  I am often afraid of change.  I am often afraid of the unknown.  I would love to take a chance and do something that no one would ever expect me to.

I suppose that is all for now.  Since these aren't "resolutions" I can change or add to them at any time.  In fact, I just might.  So now it is your turn, dear Reader.  Do you make New Years resolutions?  Do you prefer my idea of "changes-that-are-kind-of-like-resolutions-but-aren't"?  Or do you prefer to skip resolutions all together?  If you said yes to one of the first two questions and wish to share one (or all) of your resolutions, please tell me in the comments below!  If you skip resolutions and wish to share why, feel free to leave a comment about that as well.  I would love to hear from you! :)

Last, I am going to create my first ever poll!  Since I wish to blog more often, I thought I would find out what you would like to read more about.  If there is something that you wish for me to blog about that isn't listed, leave me a comment and I will try my best to make it happen.

I hope that you all enjoy the rest of 2011!

P.S. For those of you wondering, the scarf I mentioned in my last post was for my mother-in-law.  She loved it! :)

Knitting: It's for young people too!

As you might have noticed, I haven't updated my blog in awhile.  As the Fall semester begins to draw to a close, my professors pile on the homework, projects, and of course, exams.  Sadly, this leaves me less time for blogging.  Especially since I still have tons of things to do around the house in addition to all of the homework.  Lately when I do have some free time I have been working on improving my kitting skills.  Yes, you read that right, knitting skills.  Contrary to the popular belief, knitting isn't only for grandmas!  I started knitting last year.  My husband (then fiancé) was deployed and I was looking for a new hobby to keep me busy.  I am not entirely sure why I chose knitting.  I think it was just that I happened to be in my local craft store one day and noticed how inexpensive the supplies were.  But then again, it could have also been because I found a pattern online.  A lot of that year is a blur to me.  Anyways, my first project was a scarf.  I felt that it turned out well considering that it was my first time knitting.  It took forever.  Thankfully I have improved since then.  You may be wondering, where does a person learn how to knit?  The answer: YouTube.  It sounds silly, but I am completely serious.  At that time, I did not know anyone who knew how to knit, so I spent lots of time looking at various YouTube videos on how to knit.  I haven't knitted too much, mainly because I haven't had as much time as I would have liked.

One of my most recent projects that I knitted was another scarf.  This one came out much better than my first one.  It was also quite a bit longer.  When finished, this scarf measured just over 5 and a half feet long.  It is very thick, but it would definitely keep you warm in the winter.  I actually knitted this scarf as a Christmas gift.  The person I knitted it for doesn't have a blog, and probably doesn't read any, but because I love keeping gifts a surprise, I wont mention it.  If you are really dying to know (which I am sure you aren't) you can ask.

If you would like the pattern to this scarf, check it out here.

(P.S. Sorry for the horribly obnoxious yellow lighting.  For some reason the light in my dining room, one of the few places in my apartment with a decent background for photos, mixed with my laptop's camera turn all of my photos yellow.)

My most recent project was a pair of wrist warmers because, as I am sure you all know, my wrists are always cold here in the frigid state of Florida.  Kidding aside, I chose wrist warmers because I wanted to knit something that I could wear this fall or winter and I thought that wrist warmers would be cute.  Speaking of knitting something for fall, I do believe that is one of the items on my fall challenge (7. Knit something for fall).  I feel that they came out okay for my first attempt, but of course there are several things that I will improve for next time.

Here are some photos of my finished wrist warmers:

If you would like the pattern for this project, check it out on my Ravelry profile.  Side note, Ravelry is an amazing website with lots of free knitting and crocheting projects and patterns.

If you need further proof that knitting isn't just for grandmas, check out my friend Rachel's post about knitting on her fabulous fashion blog, Amapola Style.

How do you feel about knitting?  Is it something you would like to try?  Or do you still feel it is too much of an old lady hobby?  Please tell me what you think by leaving a comment!

Happy knitting!

I (heart) free stuff!

As most of you know, the holidays are quickly approaching.  As a newly married, full time college student, it goes without saying that a little extra money for Christmas presents wouldn't be a bad thing.  I thought I would share two of my favorite websites with you in the hopes that you would be able to earn a few free gifts for your loved ones this holiday season.  I know what you're probably thinking, "Aren't those sites just scams?"  I would never recommend anything that I don't believe in.  The two following websites are ones that I personally use and have redeemed free stuff from.

Site #1: Swagbucks.com

What it is: Swagbucks is a website that is free and easy to use.  You preform searches and do other activities on the website to earn "swagbucks" which can then be redeemed for prizes or used to enter raffles.  The easiest way to win swagbucks is by using the search engine.  You use it like you would use Google.  Type in your search and you may win swagbucks!  Another way to win is to view videos on SBTV (Swagbucks TV).  Watch videos until your meter fills up and then you get swagbucks.  There are also ways to win swagbucks like voting on the daily poll, completing surveys, viewing the no obligation special offers, using coupons, and more!

My experience: I have been using swagbucks for just under a year and a half.  During that time I have redeemed 7 prizes.  In the past two weeks I have been using the site more often that I used to and have redeemed 3 prizes in that period alone!  My favorite prize is the $5 Amazon.com gift card.  I am currently saving up to use them to buy Christmas presents.

If you would like to join swagbucks.com, please consider using my referral info.  That way when you win, I win too! All you have to do is click the banner below and sign up.  :)

Site #2: MyCokeRewards.com

What it is: This site will only be useful if you drink Coke products.  If you didn't know it by now, I LOVE Diet Coke.  So I find this site extremely rewarding.  Have you ever noticed the code on the bottom of your twist off Coke caps?  Simply set up an account on the My Coke Rewards website and start entering your codes.  They can be found on all Coke products.  Once you set up an account online you can even set it up so that you can text your codes and they will add the points to your account.  It's so easy!

My experience: I have been using this website a little longer than the swagbucks.com website.  During the time that I have been a My Coke Rewards I have redeemed prizes such as various magazine subscriptions, gift cards, and even a backpack!  But there are so many other awesome prizes to choose from.  I currently have my eye on some very cool products from Snapfish.com.

Want more info?  Check out mycokerewards.com!

Hopefully you have found this information interesting.  Do you use either swagbucks.com or mycokerewards.com?  Do you have another website that you would like to share?  Let me know, I would love to check it out!

Happy saving!

An apple a day...

Let me start off by saying this... I hate to exercise.  I hate going to the gym where I am surrounded by people who love to workout, which leaves me feeling awkward.  I don't like getting all sweaty.  Gym clothes are ugly.  And I don't run.  Ever.  I may make an exception if I was being chased by a bear or something... but I can't make any promises.  As for eating healthy... why eat carrot sticks when you can eat something slathered in butter, cream, oil, or my favorite, cheese.  If it has chocolate or basically just sugar, I'll eat it.  What can I say?  I love sweets.

Lately though, I have been having some convictions about not being healthy.  It all started one day in my science class when my professor decided to take us on a "field trip" and basically point out all of the things that our school could do better.  We had to pick one area and try to think of a way to improve it.  With fast food options on campus such as Burger King, Chick-Fil-A, and Subway, and vending machines that sell nothing but cookies, candy, and chips, my class decided that our university needs healthier food options.  While discussed how bad junk food is for you, I began to feel a little uneasy.  It remained in the back of my mind for a while.

A few weeks later I came across an awesome website called Healthy is the New Skinny.  The site promotes that being skinny is not important, being healthy is.  As I browsed the site, I began to think about the awesome message that it puts out.  But then I started to think, "But wait a minute, I'm not even healthy!"  Needless to say, it got me thinking about how unhealthy I am and how I need to do "healthy things" like eating right and exercising.  Once again, it remained in the back of my mind for a while.

A little over a week ago my friend Amy (you can check out her awesome blog right here) and I decided that we would participate in our local Heart Walk with a club that we are members of.  I thought it would be fun and that it would raise money for a good cause.  Then as I looked over the Heart Walk website (you can find out more information and find a Heart Walk near you by visiting their website here) I realized that the Heart Walk, which is put on by the American Heart Association doesn't just raise money for people with heart disease, but they help to educate communities on becoming healthy.  I thought to myself, "how can I promote something that I don't even practice myself?"  Finally I came to the conclusion that it is time for me to try a little harder to become healthy.

Obviously I will not become healthy overnight.  But I am taking baby steps to try to improve.  My husband loves to work out, so I have agreed to go to the gym with him when he goes.  I have already been twice (like I said, baby steps).  I have also started to look for some healthier dinner options.  We even bought some healthy snacks like grapes, apples, and bananas.  Yes, I know I'm off to a slow start, but I really would like to make a change for the better.

So what about you?  Do you live a healthy lifestyle, or do you find yourself like me, wanting to make a change but not quite sure how to do it?  How do you live healthy?  Do you have any tips or healthy recipes for me?

"I like vending machines, because snacks are better when they fall. If I buy a candy bar at the store, oftentimes I will drop it so that it achieves its maximum flavor potential." 

- Mitch Hedburg

4. Make popcorn balls

The other day I got out of class a little early.  As I was looking through our kitchen cabinets for a snack, I decided it was time to try to make some popcorn balls.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 bag of microwaveable popcorn
6 tablespoons butter
5 cups miniature marshmallows


Directions:
1.  Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Set aside.

2.  Microwave the bag of popcorn (be careful not to burn it!)

3.  Empty the popcorn bag into the 9x13 inch baking dish. Set aside.

OPTIONAL: If you find that you have large marshmallows instead of small marshmallows (as I did), I found that cutting them up allows them to melt more quickly.

4.  Melt butter In a medium saucepan over low heat.

5.  Stir in marshmallows and cook until melted, stirring constantly.

6.  Pour marshmallow mixture over popcorn and mix with spoon to coat evenly.

7.  Let mixture cool slightly. Smear butter on your hands or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Mix popcorn with your hands so that it is evenly coated.

8.  Form popcorn into balls.

9.  Enjoy!

These popcorn balls were very easy to make and they were delicious!  They reminded me of Rice Krispies Treats, but with popcorn instead.  I can't wait to make more!  Sadly, my husband doesn't like popcorn balls, but I was able to give many away to my friends and family (they seemed to enjoyed them).

What do you think of my awesome popcorn balls?  Have you made popcorn balls before?  Did you try this recipe?

Recipe modified from Allrecipes.com.

24. Make some homemade birthday gifts

First off, happy birthday to my beautiful sister, Darby!

It was great to celebrate her birthday with her.  I can't believe she is 17!  It seems like just yesterday that we were running around together as little kids.  I feel so old now!

For Darby's birthday, I decided to make her something to go along with the other gifts that Travis and I gave her.  Darby is obsessed with all things Irish.  Although I can't remember exactly how her love for Ireland began, it has been going strong for a few years now.  Inspired by my Halloween luminaries and the colors of the Irish flag, I created a shamrock covered luminary.

Needless to say, she loved it!  I like that the flame really lights up the orange, and although the shamrocks are green when they aren't lit, they show up well in the dark.  This project gave me an idea for another birthday coming up, so you may see something similar in the future!

#2. Make at least 1 DIY Halloween decoration

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I have been working on some Halloween decorations for our apartment.  I absolutely love decorating.  I think it is a lot of fun and it gives your home a festive touch.  For the past few weeks I have been collecting glass jars (rather than recycling them).

Travis insisted that it was a little strange, however, I told him that I wanted to make a craft with them.  After much searching, I found a link on Pinterest which led me to the Gleeful Things blog.  There I found an idea for glass jar lumanaries.  I thought to myself, "hmmm... I have a few jars lying around."  Using my glass jars, homemade mod poge, tissue paper, and cardstock paper, I turned my boring glass jars into these colorful, Halloween jars.

I placed some tea light candles inside them that I had lying around the house and ta-daa!!!

Sadly, I made the mistake of coating my spider jar with a little too much green, but it still looks pretty cute in the day time.

Needless to say, I think it was worth saving all of those jars!  This project gave me some ideas for more projects.  When I have time to finish them, I will be sure to post more photos.

So what do you think of my glass jars?  Were they worth saving?  I think my favorite jar is my jack-o-lantern.  Which one is your favorite?

P.S. Are you on Pinterest? 

Happy October!

I know I'm a few days late, but happy October everyone!  I love October because it is (in my opinion) the official start of the holiday season.  This month we have many birthdays in my family and Halloween, of course.  Next month is Thanksgiving, and then the day after Thanksgiving is my official start of the Christmas season.  But more on that later.

This weekend was wonderful.  My husband and I went back to his hometown to visit.  His sister and her kids were visiting as well so it was a lot of fun!  We also had the opportunity to visit with some of our friends who we have missed very much since we moved.  We were so busy, bouncing around from place to place, but we enjoyed every minute of it.  Not to mention the weather was ah-mazing!!!

Today is a very special day.  It's Travis' birthday!  Sadly, he had to work so we couldn't spend the entire day together, but we were able to celebrate.  It amazes me how far we have come since his birthday last year.  For those of you who don't know, Travis was deployed last year.  It was a hard time for us, but we made it though.  As he was eating the birthday cake I baked for him today he mentioned that on his birthday last year he was eating cake out of a jar.  Now I know what you are thinking, "Cake out of a jar?!?!  What?!?!"  I believe that everyone should have cake on their birthday.  Deployed soldiers are no exception.  I found a recipe online for baking cakes in mason jars and directions how to seal them.  I packaged them up neatly with a can of frosting and shipped them overseas.  I remember that Travis enjoyed getting them.  It was a nice surprise.  Since then, Travis came home, we got married, and he moved from his hometown to the city to be with me.  The past year has brought many changes for us, but we are loving every minute of it.

Now that it is October I decided to get started on making some Halloween decorations to make our apartment a little more festive.  Look for my post tomorrow with pictures of my creations!

#8. Find a pretty fall nail polish color

The other day while I was visiting my local drugstore (picking up supplies for a school assignment of course), I couldn't resist walking through the beauty department.  I decided that it was time to pick out my fall nail polish color.  After all, it is part of my fall challenge!  There were so many pretty colors to choose from.  During the summer, my nail polish motto is, "the brighter, the better!"  Now that it's fall, I decided to try something a little different.  After much deliberation, I chose a bottle of NYC In A New York Color Minute Quick Dry Nail Polish in a pretty shade called Manhattan.  Manhattan is a dark purple color (maybe you could call it mauve).  My favorite thing about the NYC nail polish line is how inexpensive it is.  I bought a 0.33 oz bottle for $2.  Although this nail polish is not a top of the line polish, I change colors frequently (I try to repaint them at least once a week), I can't afford to buy the expensive brands every time.  All in all, I was happy with my purchase and I love my new fall color! :)

From NYC:
"At last, a manicure that moves at the speed of Manhattan. NYC's In a New York Color Minute nail polish is slick, glossy polish that goes from wet to set in less than 60 seconds with a special control-flow brush that dispenses just the right amount of color for perfect application…even if you need to apply while heading across town in a taxi. Be vibrant, be brilliant and be bright for less."

Pros:
Wide range of colors
Dries quickly
Inexpensive
Full brush

Cons:
Needs top coat for shine/even finish
Must use at least 2 coats for even color

Here is a photo.  It isn't great but that is only because my camera cord is missing and I had to use my phone. :)  Also, I'm out of clear top coat, so I will have to post another photo once I restock so my nails will look all pretty and shiny.

Here is another photo featuring someone with very pretty nails and a very nice camera. :)

As you can see, the color is dark purple, but in certain light, you can see a hint of red.

Have you every tried NYC nail polish?  What is your favorite "on-a-budget" nail polish line?

#14. Go to a flea market

First of all, happy fall!

As of last Friday, September 23, it is officially the fall season!  If you have been reading my blog lately, you will probably remember that I started a fall challenge as a way to get more into the spirit of fall (if you missed my post, check it out here).

Item number 14 on my list was to visit a flea market.  Today after church, my husband and I thought we would venture out to our local flea market.  The first thing I learned was that if you want to go to the flea market, it is probably best to go early on Saturday morning.  By the time we got there it was late Sunday afternoon (but still a few hours before closing).  Many of the vendors had already packed up and  left.  We did still find some interesting things (though we came home empty handed).  For one, did you know that you can buy socks and underwear and the flea market?  Did you know that you can also have moles removed at the flea market?  Yep, you read that right.  We also found a vendor selling homemade soap (which I must say, it was pretty cool), another selling adorable purses, and another selling more sports memorabilia than I cared to see.  I look forward to going back during the busier hours to see what else I can find.

Wandering around the flea market made me think to myself, "where in the world did they get the name 'flea market' from?"  I decided to look it up.  According to Word-Detective.com, we don't know for sure where the name came from.  The best guess, however, comes from the popular Le Marche aux Puces (that's the "market of the fleas" for all you non-French speakers) in Paris.  The name came from the belief that the merchants' goods were more than likely infested with fleas.  For more information, you can read the full article here.

Have you ever been to the flea market?  If so, what did you think?  What was your best find?  Are you willing to check one out now that you know more about them?

I look forward to my next adventure, and I hope you do too! :)

The Worst Book Ever Written

As you may know, my major is elementary education.  Because of this, many of my professors read books to us in class that we can use later in our classrooms.  Today one of my professors read this book:

The book is Faithful Elephants: A True Story of Animals, People, and War by Yukio Tsuchiya.

Summary:  During World War II, Japanese officials decided that all of the "dangerous" animals at the Uneo Zoo in Tokyo, Japan needed to be killed.  Their reasoning was that if the zoo were to be bombed and the cages were ruined, the animals would not injure the people of Tokyo.  After killing many of the more dangerous animals, it was time to kill the three performing elephants at the zoo.  The elephants would not eat poisoned food, and their hides were too tough to puncture with needles, so they were starved to death.  It was a long and brutal death and although the zookeepers did not agree, they went along with it.  This book was based on a true story.

About halfway through reading the book, most of my classmates either had tears in their eyes or looks of disgust upon their faces.  Our professor recommended that we only read this books to fifth graders and above, and that the book could be used to show the other side of war.  Personally, I could never, ever, read this book to children.  I feel that it could possibly be used in upper levels (middle to high school) in a World War II unit, but even then, I probably couldn't read it.  The language of the book is horribly descriptive and the illustrations are even more vivid.

What upset me most of all was that my professor mentioned that she read the book to a classroom of students after many of their parents had been deployed in the Gulf War.  The purpose was to show them that negative effects of war.  I was shocked.  How could that be an appropriate use for this book???  When used in that context, it makes military men and women look like cruel elephant killers.  Is that the message we should give children about their parents?  Especially while their parents are deployed.  I understand that we should view both sides of every conflict, but I do not think that it was an appropriate time or place for it.  I also know that many people do not agree with wars, and you are entitled to your opinion.  However, I feel that my professor chose an inappropriate time and place to read this book.

What do you think?  Have you read the book?  Do you think my professor picked a good time to read the book?  Do you think that all books can be read at any time, or do you think that certain books should only be read at certain times?

My Fall "Bucket List"

As the fall quickly approaches (according to Almanac.com, Fall officially begins September 23), I thought it would be fun to make a fall "bucket list."  Here in Florida, it is sometimes to get into the seasonal spirit, simply because we don't have much of a "fall."  I know it may seem like much, but I thought it might be fun to try out some new things.  I plan to write about all of my adventures here.  As for my "bucket list," here goes:

1. Carve a pumpkin
2. Make at least 1 DIY Halloween decoration (so that our apartment will be festive)
3. Make at least 1 DIY Thanksgiving decoration
4. Make popcorn balls
5. Bake a pumpkin pie
6. Make carmel apples
7. Knit something for fall
8. Find a pretty fall nail polish color
9. Find a tree with leaves that change colors (after all, most trees in Florida stay green year round)
10. Bake an apple pie
11. Try a new dinner recipe
12. Bake bread from scratch
13. Go to a farmer's market
14. Go to a flea market
15. Go on a hay ride
16. Help someone else in some way
17. Do something good for the environment
18. Start Christmas shopping (find some good deals)
19. Try couponing
20. Read a good book
21. Learn how to do something new
22. Learn about something new
23. Go to a sporting event
24. Make some homemade birthday gifts (my husband's, sister's, and mother's birthdays are all in the fall)
25. Make some treats to give to someone else
26. Learn how to make chicken noodle soup
27. Work on my photography skills
28. Go on a picnic
29. Take one last trip to the beach
30. Improve my (insert random sport here) skills. (Side note, I am terrible at putt-putt golf and bowling, both of which my husband enjoys)

So there you go!  I don't really have any rules for following this list, other than I would like to try to accomplish as many as possible.  I may or may not finish them all, but I will give it a shot.  They don't need to be done in a specific order.  I guess that's all for now.  Who knows, maybe I will be super productive, accomplish all of my goals, and then add more to it.  Well... maybe not, but you never know! :)

Never Forget

Photo found at History.com
Photo Credit: Yoni Brook/Corbis

On September 11, 2001, as I walked into the girls locker room at my middle school to get read for my first period PE class.  The first thing I noticed was that no one was getting changed.  One of the boys' PE coaches came into the locker room visibly upset.  He and the two girls' coaches went into their office and started talking.  The coaches came out and turned the television on.  That is when I saw what was happening.  I saw the smoke billowing out of one of the World Trade Center buildings.  I sat there, transfixed.  I couldn't really understand what was happening, but I knew that it was bad.  I found out later that the boys' PE coach's brother was a New York Fire Fighter.  In second period my mother, like many others, signed me out of school.  I remember walking quickly down the hall knowing that if my mother had signed me out early and if she was that worried, whatever was happening was really, really bad.  Later, at home, I remember watching the footage on television.  I still didn't completely understand what was going on, but I was scared.  I remember watching the footage of the rubble.  The billowing smoke.  The flames.  The people with no choice but to end their lives.  The crying.  It was a lot to take in for a seventh grader.

Even though I did not lose a love one on September 11, I cried along with the rest of the country.  The biggest impact that 9/11 had on me, was that it was the day that my husband decided that he was going to join the military.  At the time, he was only in eighth grade.  Since we met, I have had the opportunity to meet many brave soldiers who love our country and will do whatever it takes to protect it.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all of those who lost family and friends on 9/11.  My heart breaks for you and what you are going through.  To those who serve our community, fire fighters, police officers, and other first responders, I am so thankful to know that there are so many who are willing to help me if something happens.  To those who serve in our military, I sleep better at night knowing that you are out there protecting our country and defending my freedom.

Never forget to be thankful.
Never forget what happened.
Never forget those who lost their lives.

I will never forget.