Random Thanksgiving photos

While my kids think that I love to do housework (I don't) - this lady here (my mom) seems to always be bustling around cleaning up around us.

Here's some of the crowd hanging out after Thanksgiving dinner and after we'd finished our games.

Yep - as you can see - we are the height of interaction. I think my brother was texting someone in the room! :)

Gingerbread houses

When I was a kid, we always decorated gingerbread houses at my grandma J's during the holidays. A box of graham crackers, 2 tubs of frosting and a bag of candy - it was a hit. The kids had a great time decorating and munching on treats after our Thanksgiving meal.

Here's the igloo...you can see, she's really hard at work!

Here's the house that wouldn't stand. So, we made it an eclectic house without symmetry.

Our master decorators. Note the expression on my neice at the back of the picture in the green shirt. It kills me!

Our daughter's masterpiece...that stood for a while. Milk cartons are very handy for this activity...if only I'd thought about it a little further in advance!

Mighty Mississippi

As we headed out of Nauvoo, we pulled off of the road to 'get in' the Mississippi. While it may have been merely dangling our toes, we've all been in the mighy Mississippi now! We found some California Lilies on the shores and lots and lots of sea shells.

Never a dull moment

It seems impossible for us to head to the mid-west and NOT encounter a tornado.  This time, we thought we might be safe.  Tornado season doesn't start until around February, so we didn't even think twice about it.  Except for that white knuckle drive the day before to Carthage...I thought about it then.  We've had tornado experiences in Kansas AND Nebraska, and now had tornado adventures in Missiouri as well!  

And what an adventure.  The kids were all outside playing soccer with their uncles, my husband had taken one of our kids out to get a frozen custard treat, and I was inside taking a break from the noise, reading.  It was overcast, but still nice out.  

Suddenly, a siren began to blare, and everyone came inside.  My parents informed me that everyone had been directed to condo 103 due to the tornado warning.  

Oh the poor people in condo 103!  

We gathered there with 7-10 other families in the basement to wait out the tornado warning.  

We were everywhere - lining the walls, and the back deck...there we waited.  Good thing someone had the foresight to bring a box of legos to keep the kids somewhat happy.  

Finally, they told us the danger had passed.  We headed back to our condo. 

A short while later, it happened again.  

And then again.

We were staying at Osage Beach

When we headed to bed that night, I kept hearing the sirens and jumping up to check that it was my imagination.  I woke up very grateful that we were able to make it through the night uninterrupted.

Nauvoo Temple

While in Illinois, we had the opportunity to visit the Nauvoo temple. After the early Mormon church members were expelled from Missouri, they traveled to Quincy Illinois, and later traveled north into a swampland area. They drained the swamp and built a beautiful, prosperous city which they named Nauvoo (or city beautiful in Hebrew). Here they lived in relative peace for a short time and built the Nauvoo temple. Joseph Smith was martyred, and just as the temple was finished, the saints were expelled by mobs from their beautiful city and forced to travel across the Mississippi where they found refuge at Winter Quarters Nebraska (near Florence). Many of our children's ancestors helped build the original Nauvoo temple.

The Nauvoo temple was later burned under questionable circumstances. In the year 2002, the Nauvoo temple was re-built according to the original plans, and is a fully functioning/operational temple. We believe that temples are the Lord's house on earth. In our temples, we make sacred covenants with God, and receive instruction. Couples are married and sealed together for eternity through the priesthood power, and gospel ordinances are performed for those who did not have the opportunity to receive them in this life.

Missouri and Illinois Adventures

We've been visiting jails! Yes - cross country to see jails...well, and other things. Here's our travelogue.

A week ago Friday, we headed out of town for a siblings reunion. We spent time on Saturday at Liberty Jail in Liberty Missouri, where we saw where the prophet Joseph Smith and others (including one of our ancestors for a short time) were held incarcerated from December to April.

Liberty Jail

 Later, we visited the Independence visitor's center and viewed an amazing showing of bronze statues depicting scenes from Christ's life.

Independence visitor's center with the Christus 

Bronze statues

Lazarus - resurrected

Lazarus' resurrection - I LOVE the expressions on their faces - they are exquisite!

I don't think that this one really needs an explanation.  It was very moving. 

"How oft I would have gathered you - as a hen gathers her chicks"

Christ walking on water.  The artist did SUCH a great job - his hair was blowing back, his clothes pinned against his body and billowing back.  I loved this one. 

Christ healing the leper.  I loved the expression in this statue.  So much is said - the gratitude and surprise. 

The long car ride

We hopped back in the car, and ended up that evening at my brother and sister in law's home.

We attended church with them on Sunday - their Spanish branch (the church meetings were in Spanish). That was fun, and I was grateful that I speak spanish! And generally enjoyed visiting and catching up. Unfortunately, my sister in law saw that I had brought the Hunger Games book for my husband to read, and mentioned that she had the last one. While I probably should have visited more, I really enjoyed finishing up that series...and so did my husband!

Posing for pictures - naughty kids

Posing for pictures - nice kids

Monday morning we piled back into the car with my mom, and we headed to Illinois. We drove through a downpour - a major one that had me white knuckled (while my husband slept) and finally arrived in Carthage Illinois. There, we visited Carthage Jail, where the prophet Joseph Smith was martyred.

Joseph and his brother Hyrum traveled to Carthage and were held with a few others here in this room.

The jail was stormed by a mob, and shots came through the door which instantly killed Hyrum who was trying to hold the door shut. Joseph was shot twice from the mob at the door, as well as through the window from a mob outside, and fell to his death from this window.

As we visited these sites, I was impressed again that Joseph Smith was truly a prophet of God. He was called of God to restore the true gospel of Jesus Christ upon the earth. He saw God and Jesus Christ as a young boy, and despite the trials and tribulations which he endured for the rest of his life, he remained true and steadfast - eventually giving his life for what he believed.

"The world can use these words. I know this now. Every man gives his life for what he believes. Every woman gives her life for what she believes. Sometimes people believe in little or nothing, and yet they give their lives to that little or nothing. One life is all we have, and we live it as we believe in living it and then it's gone. But to surrender what you are and live without belief is more terrible than dying - even more terrible than dying young." Joan of Arc

Better than I know

I've been struggling with something that I can't talk about right now for the past several days.  Really struggling.  I've been asked to do something that I really don't want to do, but need to/should do.

This morning I was VERY angry and frustrated.  VERY.

I told my husband how upset I was about it and he didn't have much to say about it.  I wrote in my journal, venting and trying to get rid of my anger and frustration.  I haven't felt some of these emotions with such intensity since I was a teenager.  

I haven't wanted to pray about it.  I'd thought about going to the scriptures to find some answers, but because I'm personally studying in Isaiah (a slow in-depth, exhaustive study), I doubted that I'd really find any answers there.

I sat down to lunch today, and said a blessing to thank Heavenly Father for the blessings I do have, and for my yummy turkey noodle soup with homemade noodles I was about to eat.  Part of my prayer was also for understanding - that somehow I could find it as I read my scriptures during my lunch.

I opened my scriptures to my bookmark in Isaiah to where I'd left off and began to read.

The entire chapter was written specifically for me at this moment in time.  I am sure of it.  There is no way that I could have found a clearer answer than what I found in my scriptures today.  Specifically for me and my situation.

While maybe still a little fearful about going forward, I am now at least peaceful and have faith that it will work out and be for the best.  I know that Heavenly Father loves me and knows my wants, needs, desires, and that He also knows what is good for me.  Much better than I know.  I'm grateful for that.
 

32/400

We headed out of town on Friday.
We arrived at our destination and stopped at my latest favorite restaurant.
Unfortunately, my food and my daughter's had gobs of the cook's hair in it and we all saw it and got sick and couldn't finish.  I'm not sure if I can go there ever again, and I REALLY liked that place.

After our dinner fiasco, we dropped our kids off at a babysitters, and then we headed to the temple for a date night.  Unfortunately, I misplaced my recommend, and haven't been able to find it yet.  So, we picked up our kids 20 minutes later and headed to our hotel.  (it obviously wasn't our night!)

The next morning we headed out bright and early and dropped off my husband.
Then the kids and I went through the car wash (twice), got lost, found some breakfast, headed back to the hotel to eat, quickly got ready and headed back out again.

We got there just in time!

My husband was competing in a half marathon (yep - that's 13.1 miles) race.  It was all on dirt trails and VERY hilly.  Out of 400 contestants, he came in 32nd with a final time of 1:42.  Pretty good.
I was just proud of the lady that came in last at 3:36...I would have probably been behind her.

Oh...and since we washed our car, it totally snowed on the way home.  We are just as dirty as ever.  Why try?  I ask.  Why try?

Primary - this is what it looks like

Well - this is what ours looked like yesterday at least.

We played a game called "Stump the Chorister (me)".   The classes all got together with a primary song book and picked a question about one of the songs.  If I got it right, the kids got to pick a dress up for their teacher.  If I was wrong...they got to pick a dress up for me.  I really rocked with the Jr. Primary...all of the teachers  ended up dressed up.

Unfortunately for me, Sr. primary was MUCH tougher and I ended up wearing most of the silly clothes. You will notice that one classes teacher on the far right didn't even end up with anything.... they killed me on "show me the last sign of the sign language in the song 'As I Have Loved You'"....apparently my primary chorister taught me wrong!!

Toasty Toasty Tootsies

I have several amazing sisters.

One of my sister's husbands is in the military, and he spent time in Afghanistan a while ago.
Because of some of his experiences and some of the things he saw, his wife (my sister) decided to start a non-profit organization with an aim to help others who are less fortunate.

She's collecting gently used children's shoes for children who are otherwise running around in the snow and ice with only their bare feet or sandals.

Check out her blog
http://toastytoastytootsies.blogspot.com/

If you'd like to donate some gently used children's shoes, let me know....I'll be seeing her soon.

Halloween Costumes

Today was the annual Halloween costume parade at the school and class parties.
Here's our little Christmas present

And here's our Oscar the Grouch.  He/she said that we were playing with irony today as we had a sweet little Christmas angel (the present), and then Oscar the Grouch.  

And yes - I know you really want to know...that is her real hair!

I suppose she may have been right...as always they were adorable.  

Even Easier Little Lemon guys

I know I'm a nerd, but I love how cute these little guys turn out. This year I found and even better (and tastier, and quicker) way to make these.

Here's a link to the new and improved Little Blue (or Yellow, or Lemony) guys/monsters. Just in time for Halloween.

Happy Halloween!

The latest news and gossip from our family

Okay...unfortunately, I really know no gossip.  It sounded good though.

Really - I'm still here.  Just been very busy.
Our youngest daughter once again (yes within a month) has strep again.  Grrrrrr..

We've just been busy trying to stay on top of life.  I played for a big wedding last weekend that seemed to take the whole day...this week besides strep, I've been finishing up my kids' Christmas presents.  I started a bedspread quilt top for each of them over 2 years ago.  My youngest daughter asked for me to make her a blanket for her birthday and I figured I could do it for Christmas - even better.  Needless to say, I've been doing a lot of sewing.  Just dropped everything off yesterday to be quilted and can't WAIT to see how they turn out.  I've done identical patterns for each block, but used completely different colors for each of them.  It is AMAZING to me how different they look, even though they are so similarly made!  

I wish I had something really profound to say - but I don't.  I must be getting old, because I've actually been getting (and needing) 8+ hours of sleep each night...so odd for me.

I had an interesting experience on Tuesday though.  I was headed to a town about 30 minutes away to look at some faux fur at the fabric store.  My daughter is going to be oscar the grouch for Halloween.  Anyways, as I drove down, I drove through a dangerous, narrow canyon which is sometimes prone to rockslides.  As I passed through, I thought - wow - it would really stink to get stuck in a rockslide here today.  There's no cell service right here, and what would I do?  My kids are getting home from schoool, and I have students whose private lessons I would need to somehow cancel.  

I did my errands and headed back home.  I walked in the door and checked my e-mail.  I saw a notice from our local emergency email, that just minutes after I had passed through a certain spot in the canyon, there indeed had been a rockslide which stopped traffic for several hours.  I know that God hears and answers our prayers.  Each morning we pray together as a family for safety and for safe returns...I'm glad our prayer was answered this week.

Today and tomorrow I am frantically putting together Halloween costumes etc.  Making treats for the kids' classes...the little blue guys of course.  The kids requested them again - for the third or fourth year in a row.

A friend's father passed away this week, I will be playing my cello at the services, so I've been working on music for this during the week.  We've got a dinner date with friends this weekend, as well as the funeral service, hopefully a temple trip, a church Halloween party and chili cookoff, and then the missionaries for dinner on Sunday.  I'm hoping I can get everything done.

Our oldest will be Oscar the Grouch for Halloween (I've just got to finish her garbage can), and our youngest is a Christmas present.  I've built the box, and now just have to wrap it and find a good bow for her hair.  I love that my kids want to be original and creative with their costumes...sometimes I end up with the brunt of the work though.  Just trying to slow it down and enjoy it all while they are still little and want to hang out and interact with us.

Gotta go finish some costumes.  I'll post some pics once we've got them!  

Right now

Right now:
The tomatoes that I bottled this morning are processing on the stove.  Only 18 quarts this year, but better than nada.
I am happy to be sitting down after standing all morning in the kitchen peeling tomatoes.
My front room is clean.  The kitchen was - until I started. 
I rehung all of our wall candy that was taken down when we painted this summer.  My daughter just did a gymnastics move and knocked a picture off of the wall.  Not so happy about that.
My daughter is home from school.  She came home sick.  Funny how the tummy ache disappeared as soon as she ate lunch.  Now she can't be pried away from the t.v. - she thinks she's on vacation.

Its Friday.
I'm happy about that.
It's 2:29 in the afternoon and I still need to shower.
Before I have to start shuttling kids around for their after school activities.

Strep hit our home last week, de-railing all of my scouring the rest of the house projects.
Strep is now gone.  It is not our friend.  3 of us got tests.  Luckily, only one of us had a positive result.

Lots of time spent last week not doing much, then trying to play catch up.  And here we are.
My daughter came home from school sad today.  She left her bike at school (okay - for a couple of weeks...she was sick - come on!) and went to ride it home today, only to find that it has been re-located/lost/stolen.  We aren't quite sure which.  What a bummer!

We really enjoyed watching General Conference from our own home again.  We had a few minor difficulties with the reception (like for a while we only got sound if it was music...we had to find the radio station on line and listen to it until they figured out those technical difficulties)...but it was great.  The kids watched all 8 hours of it with us (while playing conference word bingo and eating candy - but it worked!)  It was just great to be at home watching it on the computer - not camped out at someone else's home.  I loved the Saturday morning session the best.  While all of the talks were very moving, I found myself completely riveted as I listened to Elder Holland (and bawling), and then President Uchtdorf's talks.  

I think I mentioned that we pulled out my guitar several weeks ago.  Last week I found some music and put together an arrangement of La Musica Notturna - that last scene from Master and Commander where they begin to play a duet together.  Well, my husband has been playing one part on the guitar and I have been playing on my cello, and it has been really fun!  We've never made music together and we've both perfected Edelweiss on the guitar, and the Master and Commander song.  So cool.

During conference I picked back up a needlework project that I started a couple of years ago and then got discouraged and set back down.  I'm so close to finishing it - I just can't wait.  Our youngest daughter asked for a quilt that I made for her birthday, so I'm actually frantically working on some blocks for both of them, hoping to get two quilts done and quilted before Christmas.  If you need me - I'll most likely be at home crazily piecing material together.  I finished two blocks today, and am in fact on my way there right now.

Summertime fun

Here are a few photos I cam across from some of our summertime activities:
Spending time at the children's museum with our cousins - the dress ups are ALWAYS a hit!

Theme park with a friend. I love my little daughter's head poking up there in the back with the pink hat!

The girls attended two different gymnastics camps this summer. Here they got stuck in the foam pit. I think you sort of have to swim to actually get back out of it. Unfortunately, these were taken with my phone camera, and this one came out a little fuzzy, since it is through a glass plate window.