The Christmas Letter 2014

Merry Christmas! This month has been a series of unexpected plot twists and subsequently the annual Christmas letter didn't get written in time to go out with the cards. So here you go, an electronic Christmas letter that will be available for viewing at your leisure.

The year 2014 started out with promises of new adventures and grand achievements. Jill put the ski industry behind her as she started her new job at Enve Composites, a company that makes high-end, carbon-fiber bicycle rims and components. In February, Alex received an honorable discharge from the military and returned home. She now attends Weber State University (along with Logan) and is pursuing a double-major in journalism and anthropology. Speaking of Logan, he graduated from Northridge High School in June and is busy fulfilling pre-reqs at WSU for the U of U engineering program. As for Tim, he started a new job on Hill Air Force Base and spent the spring and summer on his new mountain bike. In the fall, he went for a 2500 mile motorcycle trip alone. The majority of that trip was spent in various stages of torrential downpour.

This year Santa finally came through and answered Alex's childhood pleas for a sister. On October 11, Travis married his twu wuv, Abby. The wedding went off without a hitch and Alex got the sister she'd always wanted. Of course, we can't have a proper summary of the year without acknowledging the number of injuries Logan has incurred. He has hit a record low this year with only a broken wrist and a torn MCL. We're keeping our fingers crossed for an equally uneventful 2015 as the ski season progresses.

So there you have it, our top moments of 2014. May your holidays be full of chocolatey deliciousness, cheesy Christmas music, and bountiful human compassion!

Much love from our family to yours, 

The Harris Family

Tim, Jill, Travis, Abby, Alex, Logan, and Lacey

We've grown in inches and numbers this year. Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure!

Abby and Travis <3

 Wendy and Jill

 Alex and Kylee

 Lacey

Travis, Logan, and Alex

 Tim

Logan, Abby, Travis, Alex

Tim, Travis, and Jill

Photo cred: Courtney Child (all wedding pics), Alex, and Sara Chandler

The Happiest Project Ever

For those of you who know me, you know I like challenges. It's so exciting to set a goal and be able to conquer it. Due to thoughts stemming from the previous post and various blogs I follow, I've decided on my next big adventure. Happiness! I'm a decently smiley person as it is, but true, absolute bliss is slightly more difficult to achieve. Contemplating how I might endeavor to accomplish this, I came across a particularly insightful post, which has become the basis for this project. "The Habits of Supremely Happy People" is exactly what it appears to be- a list of things supremely happy people do to be, well, happy. In case you aren't feeling in the "click and explore" mood, I've provided a condensed version of the list here:

1. They surround themselves with other happy people
2. They smile when they mean it
3. They cultivate resilience
4. They try to be happy
5. They are mindful of the good
6. They appreciate simple pleasures
7. They devote some of their time to giving
8. They let themselves lose track of time (and sometimes they can't help it)
9. They nix small talk for deeper conversation
10. They spend money on other people
11. They make a point to listen
12. They uphold in-person connections
13. They look on the bright side
14. They value a good mix-tape
15. They unplug
16. They get spiritual
17. They make exercise a priority
18. They go outside
19. They spend some time on the pillow
20. They LOL
21. They walk the walk

So there it is. Twenty-one of the secrets to being happy. How does this work into my project? Each day I will choose one attribute to focus on and attempt to implement in my own life. Details to follow and joy to come! Until next time enjoy this picture of the happiest puppy ever.

Happiness is a Choice

So I was reading through a friend’s blog and ran across an entry entitled “Happiness is a Conscious Decision.” It brought to memory something my brother always used to tell me when I was down. Happiness is a choice, so choose to be happy. It’s easy in this place to forget the good things and focus on the bad, thus leading to the nightly pondering of “what on earth am I doing here?” When it comes down to it, my experience here is entirely up to me. I can’t help but wonder what my days would be like if I woke up every morning and started the day off on a positive note. “Good morning star shine! The earth says hello.” <This is one of my all-time favorite quotes> Thus I’ve decided to go at the rest of this week with a positive outlook. God has given me so much to be thankful for! It is my responsibility to look for those things and keep them in my heart and not take them for granted. 

“Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift, that’s why it’s called the Present.”

Sunshine

Looking back through my old posts, I noticed that the last few were on gratitude. I'd like to start off with a continuation of that thought. Things I'm grateful for today:

• Apple pie
• Sunshine
• Sleep
• Cold medicine
• Best friends
• Camping
• Computers
• Mangos

So that's it. That's the beginning of my list to be continued at a later date.

Gratitude List Part III

The next block.....Yes, they are getting progressively bigger, it's not just your imagination. Such are the facts when you live a life as crazy (and fun!) as mine. Here's the gratitude list for the week:
Day 9: I'm grateful for cameras (and consequently photographers) because they catch all of the silly, wonderful, interesting, funny, etc.. moments of life. I'm also grateful for Mike Hilton because he has been instrumental in the bursting of my bubble. Soon there won't be one at all. But not that soon, don't get too excited.
Day 10: I'm grateful for girl's nights because we all get a chance to relax and have fun. And it was super fun for sure! I'm also grateful for Rachel Rae Hepworth because she is just so funny and amazing and happy and a fabulous friend. I wouldn't trade our friendship for the world. Love you girl!
Day 11: I'm really grateful for this wonderful place called H&M. It makes me all happy inside and brings joy to my life. If I could live there.... Well, you get the picture. And I'm also grateful for Spencer Thurman because he totally gets my wacky sense of humor. And he's pretty much just awesome. 'Nuff said.
Day 12: I'm grateful for cookies because they are just a delicious part of life. I'm also grateful for Jacob Hansen. He proved to me that there are still guys out there willing to take a girl out and just have fun. And it was excellent fun.
Day 13: I'm grateful for gloves because they keep my hands toasty warm and... Well, that's pretty much it. They keep my hands warm, which makes me happy. I'm also grateful for Nicole Campbell because she is always so happy and full of life. I'm lucky to have such a wonderful person in my life that reminds me to stay positive and remember the funny things.
Day 14: I'm grateful for lactose free ice cream because it allows me to enjoy something I love without the typical consequences. I'm also grateful for Josh Boren because he is hilarious and a great friend and just super nice to everyone.
Day 15: I'm grateful for teams because they help make everything run smoothly. If it weren't for the crew, my job would be impossible. I'm also suuuuuuper grateful for the best little brother ever! Logan Harris is the most amazing kid I know and he is so funny and full of life and he knows how to make me smile every time! I freaking love him!!
Day 16: I'm grateful for treadmills because they help keep me in shape and they help me move towards my goals. I'm also grateful for Derryk Sivley. He makes/made work more bearable with his sense of humor and I'm really glad I got to know him for the short time he was here. I'm going to miss having him around and I wish him the best of luck on his mission!
Okay, so I need to point something out. I realize that I start these all out the same. "I'm grateful for... I'm also grateful for..." blah blah blah. While there are many ways of expressing gratitude, this particular phrase impacts me the most. Besides, you can never say "I'm grateful" too many times.

My Thankful Things

I know you're supposed to post every day, but being more of a pen and paper girl, I have all of my thankful things written in a notebook. Therefore I will be posting them in blocks on here.... It has absolutely nothing to do with me being lazy... Nothing at all..... *cough..*cough... So here is block two of my thankful things:
Day 4: I'm grateful for apple cider. It is divine! I'm also grateful for my dad Timothy Wayne Harris because he is just awesome! I'm especially thankful that he stopped by my work today and said hello. Totally made my day!
Day 5: I'm grateful for grape jelly packets. When combined with the warming tray at work, they make for excellent hand warmers. They are especially nice while one stands in a window all day. I'm also grateful for Kelsie Bruce because she let me borrow her jacket while we gallivanted around Salt Lake on a particularly frigid night.
Day 6: I'm grateful for wonderful friends. They bring such a wonderful quality and meaning to my life. I wouldn't be who I am today if it weren't for them. I'm also grateful for Natalie Jones. She is just an amazing person and she has this ability to make every person feel important and loved.
Day 7: I'm grateful for Christmas music. Yes, I did write this before reading the post by my friend Cheree who posted it for her Day 8 of gratitude. Even though it's waaay too early for Christmas music, there's no denying the warm feeling it brings to your heart. I'm thankful for my mom, Jill Harris. She came with me to the store at 10:30 at night even though she really would have preferred to stay home.
Day 8: I'm grateful for a country in which we can vote without fearing for our lives and where we have democracy. I say this because Nicaragua had their elections last week and all the missionaries, including my brother, were told to stay home for their safety on Monday. I'm so glad we don't have to worry about such things. I'm also grateful for my Grandma Matthews who continually reminds me that there is joy in serving others, especially family members.
There is so much to be thankful for!!

Gratitude is the Best Attitude!

As Thanksgiving fast approaches, a feeling of gratitude envelopes the nation. This is made evident by the many posts on Facebook which go something like this:

"This month is Thanksgiving so for the entire month everyday I'm going to post one thing I'm thankful for in my life. :) I challenge everyone to do this as well.... This whole month no matter how bad of a day you have instead of complaining on here write something you're thankful for. :)" (Courtesy of Kelsie Bruce)

Although I am a little slow in starting, I've decided to take this challenge. However, I've decided to add my own spin to it. There are many things in life I am grateful for, but I think the people in my life are the ones that make the biggest difference. Thus, each day I am going to post one thing and one person that I am grateful for. Because I missed days one and two, I'm going to do a little catch-up and put them on here. 

Day 1: I am grateful for cough drops. Disgusting though they may be, they saved my life when the smoke screen at the ballet tickled my throat and caused a coughing attack. I am also grateful for Ann Johnson because she invited me to come with her to said ballet. I hope she knows how much I treasure her friendship. She is awesome!

Day 2: I am grateful for medicine. Thanks to the medicine my doctor prescribed, I was able to function like a normal human being for the first time in a week. I am grateful for Heidee Miller because she encourages me to be my best and she reminds me to stand in holy places (aka institute!). She is always teaching me new things and offering insights.

Day 3: I am grateful for blankets on freezing cold nights. I am also grateful for Travis Harris, my brother. His example in serving a mission has made a difference in my life and in the lives of my family members. Today is his 20 month mark (:

So there you have it, a little taste of what I am grateful for. Of course, there are so many more things and people I could put, but that's what the rest of the month is for! Happy Thanksgiving Month everyone!