Halloween 2010

 Princess Sofia and Captain Clone Commander Rex

 Laurie a Japanese Masseuse and Kersten the Austrian Tourist

 and a couple of my other favorites  My niece Allie as Minnie Mouse

 Brother Nik as Ron Burgundy from Anchorman and Lina a 50's housewife

My mom Jeanne and Al as Vikings

My kids kept telling them that they were Dragon Trainers

My sister Em as Wilma and Gearold as Fred Flintstone.

We had a really fun Halloween.
We gathered with 3 families in the neighborhood
for yummy taco soup and food.
Then we went  out all together to Trick or Treat.
It was so super fun
It was fun to watch the kids form friendships
and run up from door to door.

Grateful Sunday- October 17, 2010

Time Together:  Our kids had their annual Halloween sleepover with Ginny on Friday night and then my sister Amy or Mimi took them on adventures the entire next day.  It felt like a mini honeymoon.  We went to Zupas of dinner and then walked around the Fashion Place Mall,  watched a flick until late into the night.  Slept in until 10.  Then all the neighborhood kids did our yard work.  We went and saw Red, which was awesome.  Bruce Willis and Helen Mullen are genius.  To top it off we went on a double date with our friends that evening and ate, laughed and talked the night away.  It was an amazing weekend.  Kersten commented that it was nice to be reminded that we like to do things together just the two of us and we still have lots of fun together.  It was so so nice.  Thanks again everyone.

Canadian Thanksgiving:  Either of my parents don't have a lot of parties or dinners anymore.  Yesterday we celebrated Canadian thanksgiving with my Mom and Al.  I love being with my siblings and watching the kids run around like hooligans.  The food was divine and felt like home.  Can't get much better than that. 

New Callings:  I was released from Girls Achievement leader this week and I have the new calling of Young Womens Secretary.  I am excited.  I will really miss my girls.  I was just to the point where I felt I knew them well and could really have lots of fun with them.  I am thrilled to get to know the YW and look forward to this new adventure.

Painting:  I love painting.  I have been painting a bookcase for Sofia's room this week.   It really soothes my soul.  It helps me be at peace with myself.

She made even US look Good!

 On Sept 11, 2010 

our neighbor and friend Sonja 

took our family pictures.

Wow,  I am so so blessed to have talented people in my life.

 Sofia-        Joy,  She lives in extremes.

 Me -  I finally feel I have found me.

 Noah - Oh, the adventures he has.

 Daddy, You come play with me?

 Kersten -  Yes, Ladies,  he is ALL Mine! 

 Yes, Please!

Can't get much better than this!

Sonja is such a great example to me.  She has so much joy and passion 

and lives in such a way that you want to be better by knowing her.  

Thank you again for sharing your talent with our family.

Grateful Sunday - October 10, 2010

Today I am Grateful for:

Kersten:  I don't know what I would have done without him this last week.  He has been so helpful and patient with me.  He has my back and has helped me every step of the way.  He anchored me down when I went crazy and kept me on the forward path.  He is my match in every way.  So glad he is mine.

Daddy/Daughter Party:  Oh My Goodness.  This event was Saturday night and it was a total success.  It really was just so so so so much fun.  We had a mini prom for the girls ages 8-11 years and their dads.  More details to follow but it was just magical.  I am still on a bit of a high from it all.  I of course forgot my camera in all the details of gettting everything ready.  But the Bishop and 1st counselors took pictures all night they are getting them to me.  I love these girls and I feel like I finally feel like I can help and make a difference to them

Help:   I am blessed to have people in my life who help and support me.  My husband namely and also my brother Nik,  he came to the party and DJ'd the dance.  He is so super fun and crazy that it was perfect.  And Al my stepdad,  he came and took professional pictures of the girls with their dad for their first prom picture together.  My mom made her rolls and helped me gather all the decorations.  And my partner in Girls Achievement Sharon,  we do make a great team.

Weather:  Oh,  glorious Fall.  Cool, crisp mornings and pleasant sunny afternoons.  This world is glorious.  I am so grateful to be here and witness the beauty of this earth. 

Little Hands:  my children have the most beautiful hands.  Sofia's soft chubby little fingers with chipped pink finger nail polish and Noah's longer slender fingers that can do so many things not and look so much more boy now than baby.  I love holding them in mine, rubbing their little knuckles,  feeling their palm flat acros mine.  Having their little fingers play with the tips of my nails.  And the feel of their little hands tickling my arm or legs.  Oh,  I am trying so hard to cherish this time that they are small. 

Just say Rats!

Sofia amazes me.
On Saturday Noah, his friend Dylan and Sofia were playing outside.
Dylan comes running in yelling "We found a dead rat,  Sofia has a rat."
I go running outside to see my daughter
Holding a purse in one hand
and a dead rat in the other.
This rat looks huge hanging from her small sweet hand
the tail dragging on the grass.
She calmly says "Look,  I have a rat."
Instantly I start screaming "Put down the rat, put the rat down"
I run down our deck pick up the little person and scrub all her limbs.
Kersten disposed of the rat.
We talked to our bug/rodent guy
and most of the disease in rats are in their insides and bites.
And this was a freshly dead rat.
She had a bath and is just fine.

I marvel at her bravery and curiousity.
I don't believe there are many kids or adults for that matter
who would think that picking up a dead rat is a fun and exciting idea.
My, Fia is sure one of a kind.

October is Here

It's October today
My favorite month of the year.
a long time ago, my husband kissed me
on the roof under the stars on this day.
It really was the beginning of something quite wonderful.
Noah kept exclaiming on the way to school that it is October.
I love the air
I love the leaves
I love the crispness.
I love that you never know what to wear
Warm or cold.
Oh, I am excited.
Sofia is feeling better after a week of illness.
As she says she is "Making Happy Choices"
General Conference is this weekend.

Oh this is going to be glorious.

Attempted Family Togetherness

Over the weekend,  Kerst and I had a fabulous idea of going on a little hike up to Donut Falls up Big Cottonwood Canyon. Noah had been begging for 4 days to go up into the mountains.  So we went up in the afternoon to go on a short hike.   It seemed like it would be successful

From the beginning it looked like we had one little person not very happy about the prospect of walking in the mountains.

Screaming, crying,  complete fit throwing.    We made it a few hundred feet before we figured there was no way we were going to enjoy this hike.

We left sad and bitterly disappointed that we did not get to go on our hike.  It was a lesson for all of us how one person can make a difference in every situation.  We talked about different situations where what your attitude is makes a difference.  And examples of when each of us made a good or bad difference to our family.  Sofia fell asleep on the way down the canyon and stayed asleep which in itself is a miracle.  She slept for over 2 hours.  I think that is what she needed most.  Noah still talks about it. And we will try again this coming weekend