Happiness

 May the Ghosts be scary but not too scary, the pumpkins full of seeds but not too many seeds and your Afros be frizzy but not too frizzy! Happy Halloween, Everyone!

 During a session of General Conference a few weeks ago (the one for the men), we stopped by Deseret Book (which had free cake and 20% off of everything, plus a good sized crowd!) and then made our way to the Mesa Temple. The kids were wired (ok, a little more than wired) but the weather was lovely!  The kids, minus Asher, and their normal smiles!  Asher and the Mesa Temple I love this Temple!

 I was walking down the hall, when I ran into this little monster on the boy's room (they all share a room). He scared me actually and I thought it was pretty funny! By the handwriting I knew it was Ethan (and by what he loves to do in his spare time!)  Watch Out- Poisonous Brews A Brewing! Asher came home from school one day and wanted to mix up a crazy concoction! He put in Hand Sanitizer, Lemonade, Orange Juice, A Bay Leaf (then took it out again) and cleaning solution. He was thrilled about it. I made sure he wasn't looking when it disappeared into the sink a little later.  When we were first married, I was teaching 3rd Grade and I had a few boys who would give me constant trouble. For this reason, I told Josh that our first child better be a girl. He was slightly upset and offended by this. "I'm a boy and you like me!" he reasoned. When we found out we were having Elizabeth we were both thrilled. And once I had my girl and realized how fun your own...

 Looking Down from Pass Mountain  Last weekend, we went camping at Usery Mountain. I've been wanting to go camping for a while now and we waited until it was a little cooler. The weather was in the 90's and it got cool at night so it was a good time to go! We drove a good 20 min. east and found our site. After camping in Maryland for 4 years, camping in the Desert was a little bit different! It was just dessert, full of cacti and bugs, with some dirt smoothed down and rocks put up as barriers between camp sites. As we were setting up for dinner, I found a scorpion in a brown bag of food. Luckily I did not get stung! We couldn't tell if it climbed in from the desert floor or if we brought it from home with us. Ugh! Later that evening, on a walk, we saw a big tarantula (pic on my big camera). I had never seen one in the wild and it was pretty freaky! We had dinner, smores, a story around the campfire and had lots of fun! In the morning, we headed out for what turned ...

 Snapshots of Fall: pumpkin sugar cookies (using Ethel's Sugar Cookie recipe from the Abbott family!)  We were "Boo-ed": treats left at our doorstep and we left treats at 2 other's doorsteps as well. The kids loved it!  Trying on our costumes (yes, this is a preview of Halloween Night!) Meeting Dad for lunch at a Park for Fall Break.  Ethan climbing a way cool tree.  Asher was super sweaty on this twirly thing!  I forgot to stick out my chin! Check out Josh's Beard! People get a kick that he's blonde but his beard comes out red!  Daley Park, Tempe AZ, October 18, 2012, 87 degrees. We'll be back!!!         I feel like I should get a t-shirt saying "I survived Fall Break!" 5 days at home with a 6,8,8, and 10 year old. Our budget is kind of tight (no Thanksgiving trip for us), so we stayed home for Fall Break this year. We went to a pumpkin patch, $1 movies to see Ice Age 4, the Library a...

 One onference Sunday we went to Tempe Town Lakes (close to Josh's work, a highly rated place according to the word on the street and yelp as well). It was our 2nd time there. They have a fun splash playground that's open in the summer. It's so hot and dry in Arizona that any body of water attracts a lot of attention. Including ours. We loved it! Lots of families biking and skating along the water's edge. Lovely!  The Skyline of Phoenix. Sometimes I think it's smaller than it really is!  Asher, a Chocolatey face and his ASU Sun Devils shirt. Ok. Maybe not lots of families. Thank you, Tempe Town lakes, we love you!

We are taught to follow promptings. That when we feel that we should do something, we should (and I do mean should) do it and do it right away. I have had times where I felt that I should do something but I put it off, either because I was nervous or scared or unsure. I never knew what happened when I didn't follow through. Until this week. At a still and quiet moment, I got a strong impression "Call so and so." It was dinner time and I was super hungry, so I put it off- until after dinner. Dinner happened, then conversation and dishes and an hour later I remembered. I rationalized that this person would be putting kids to bed and it would not be a good time for her. I still tear up at the thought. As bedtime prep came and went, I found myself online and not on the phone. And when I checked my email right before going to bed, I found a message from this sweet person. They had had a nervous breakdown that evening over something and I had not been there. I can't exp...

  This is my family and I, circa 1986. I'm in the center front wearing white and gray and Molly is next to me on the right, holding the guinea pig. Kelsy wasn't born yet. (this pic is off fb, sorry it's so blurry!)   26 years later, here we are at our Family Reunion this past summer in California. Molly is in the center in pink. I wonder what we'll look like in 25 years! My dear sweet twin sister, Molly, Mother to 4 active children at home, is having hip surgery today. My Mother is there for 2 weeks, helping out, and then her Mother-in-law will be there for a few weeks and then my Mother will go back again. My dear, sweet, sister, our thoughts and prayers go out to you! We love you, we pray for you. We hope that God will speed your delivery and you can once again do all the amazing things you love doing (cooking, organizing, playing with Peter, helping with homework, Gardening, scrapbooking, etc.) When Molly and I were 6, she broke her arm and was whisked away...

  In Arizona, a few women meet together and do a meditation group. I started going last Winter when I wasn't feeling good. Each person takes a turn teaching a 30 minute class, or sharing a 30 minute youtube video and then we close our eyes on the couch and fall asleep, I mean meditate. Ok, so we do sometimes fall asleep, but that's a deep form of meditation, right? I love going and I love the new ideas and things I've learned. Like the 60 second vacation. If you are feeling stressed, you stop for a minute and imagine yourself in somewhere fun and relaxing, like Hawaii. Your brain can't tell the difference (I suppose) and you felt rested and great! It really does work. I really like doing meditation and hope to do it more often in my life! On another note: yesterday at school while subbing, they had a lock down drill during recess. This consisted of one teacher saying "Lock Down!" and then all the other teachers blowing their whistles, saying "lock d...

 My favorite   of all time (besides TJs)        Eatable playdough made with pb, honey and                                                                                         powdered sugar. It's 3 weeks until Halloween! Are you prepared? My kids all have their costume ideas. They got them right away and I don't mind sharing- Elizabeth wants to be a demeantor from Harry Potter (what happened to dressing her up as a princess or fairy? I even bought matching Egytian dresses last year. No go. Does anyone need one?) Jonah wants to be Harry and Asher Ron. I will have to do some hair dying for t...

  We've been paying the kids for odd jobs around the house and Asher is thrilled!     Looking out our front window. - I have had/will have 6 sub jobs this week and last week. I'm making up for the fact that next week is Fall Break (no school for the kiddos!) and thus no work for me! My hardest assignment was 6th grade last Thursday. I don't do 6th grade, but I know the teacher, so I said yes. I was delighted to be greeted by a student teacher when I walked in and he did most of the teaching while I held down the fort. A tender mercy! My easiest job is as an aide for 2nd graders with intermediate autism. I make sure 1 or 2 are doing their work and it's pretty basic. Love it! -We have been put on a 6 month health hold for foster care. I called in to schedule our final interviews and when case worker mentioned that he was worried about my health condition I knew something was up so I was prepared for it. We had asked him if my health issue was okay...

   I found a link to this sweet girl on nieniedialogues.com. It touched my heart. Someone had posted a picture of her on youtube and called her ugly, mean names. She read them all and was hurt. Instead of taking that hurt and bitterness out on the world, she reacted with kindness and love. She looked inside herself to see who she really was- someone worthwhile. Beauty doesn't determine our worth. We are each of great potential, no matter who we are. And Lizzie saw that. She set goals to write a book, graduate from college and get married. She became a motivational speaker and reached most of those goals. Her story is amazing and touching and if she every comes to speak near me, I would love to meet her, share her hand and say "thank you". Thank you for teaching the world that beauty isn't skin deep. Thank you for taking a trial and turning it into a triumph! On a different note, I just finished President Monson's Biography To The Rescue. It took me over 6 m...