The Grands

The kids didn't have school today and so we got to enjoy their cuteness all day.  Trichelle is working hard at her little home in Ogden to get it ready to sell.  The more she gets going on it the more she realizes there is to get done.  I know it's taking her a whole lot longer than she planned and hopefully because of all her hard work it will sell fast and she will get what the Realtor says she can. Larry has been going up there after work and working for a few hours to help.  I've been watching the kids and helping that way.  Having the kids over is a joy but I can honestly say I accomplish nothing when they are here.  Today we decided to go to Mc D's for lunch before we needed to go pick up Ivy.  These kids make me smile and I'm glad that I can watch them.

The other grands, two and older started coming around 3:30 for our sleepover that we do around general conference.  They all look forward to our sleepovers and I do too.  We have a lot of fun.

The weather has been so nice and so they spent a lot of time outside playing.  We have a really fun yard and the kids enjoy being outside when they can.  Our yard has been called the Ropelato Park before by a few little kids.  Larry told me the other day that an Insurance Agent at looked at our house through Google Earth and was sure we were running a day care here.  Well that might be kind of true but not the kind they think.  We just have kids around a lot but they all belong to us. ☺

 After dinner the kids wanted to get the costumes down.  They all love playing dress up.  We usually have costumes all over the front room.  My house seriously looks like a tornado went through it. The grands have fun though and so I just take a few big breaths and enjoy their cuteness.  We decided since the costumes came out that we would have an impromptu Halloween Party.  That's what you do this time of year right?  We turn everything into a party and dress up.  I printed a new Halloween Bingo and had bought different candy to use as markers.  Jordyn was eating her markers pretty fast.  I had a bucket full of treats and we made sure everyone won plenty before we put the game away.

After cleaning up the Bingo I had the grands put on old shirts that were headed to the DI and I let them paint.  I found some cute pictures in Hawaii for them all to paint.  They loved it.  All my grands are pretty artistic and love creating.  I got water colors out for Jordyn and Macie.  They both a really good time painting their pictures.  The pictures were canvas which was nice so they could dry from all the water on them.

 I let the kids paint until 9:15 pm and then I had them finish getting ready for bed.  The noise volume seemed to go up as they got their beds ready.  I finally had to count down from 5 and told them all that we needed to be quiet.  They are really good and soon were situated in their beds.  They said prayers and we turned the lights out.  It's the little ones that need a little extra help like a back rub.  It doesn't take long though for them to fall asleep.  I usually sit out with them until I know they will stay put and not get up and going again.  Larry stayed out with me this time.  I guess he hasn't liked the grands calling our house "gramma's house".  Ivy has told him it's because he never gets involved.  That's changing and the kids actually do remember to include him in who's house they are coming to.

I reward the kids with a book to take home for going to sleep well.  Since we started doing that they all have earned books.  I have so many books and it feels good to have the grands take some of them home.

They all slept good and when the first ones woke they came in our room until the others joined them.  I love waking up to my cute grands.  I love having them gather on my bed.  I kind of just love everything about them.

We watched Hocus Pocus in the morning.  The kids ate pancakes or cereal for breakfast.  Ivy and Mya made pancake art.  I use to do it for them but now they are old enough to do it themselves.  I love how creative they are.  Everyone helps clean up pretty good before their parents come.  Kevin came and picked his kids up first since Kam had a game at 11:30.  It was nice that it was a little later.  Often there will be a grand with a 9:00 game.  It was Kam's last game and so I cleaned up and went and left Kimleighel with the other kids.  Parker also played his last game at 1:00 and so I just stayed at the park for his.  It was fun seeing Natalie's sister Rebecca who was visiting.  She has twin girls that are so cute.  Rebecca cracks me up and is so cute.  Natalie has a great family. (all of our "other" families are awesome)

Before Parkers game was over I got a call from Carla.  Her and Roger just bought a bunch of trees and three of them were took big to dig holes for by hand and she was wondering if any of my guys could bring our backhoe up and help them.  Larry was almost home and so he got on the backhoe and went up.  It only took him about 20 minutes which saved Roger hours of digging.  We were glad to help.

Kimi took Ivy and Zaden to the movies later since they were staying at our house.  Behr went to his other grandparents for the day because Larry and I were assigned to help in the Temple that night.  We helped in the kitchen and Larry stayed busy cleaning dishes but the rest of us (there were 4) just deep cleaned the fridges and all the drawers.  It wasn't very busy with UEA and the Deer Hunt.  Our area also had an Area Conference and I just think a lot of people took off.  I was done helping in the kitchen just after an hour so Larry and I ate and then I went up and waited for him.  I sat in the waiting room and watched people come and go. Watching the sisters get up and down when anyone came by made me smile. ☺

Food 4 Thought Friday

Food 4 Thought Friday! 

A little feast without the calories!! 

Feel free to play along for some yummy fun! Go HERE to JOIN IN!!! 

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SPOOKY FUN
(Feel free to add lots of pictures!) 

Breakfast ~ Name your favorite candy passed out at Halloween when you were a child and now as an adult. What do you pass out to your Trick or Treators?  I always loved getting chocolate....we pass out a tootsie roll variety and mini candy bars.

Lunch ~ What is your most memorable Halloween? I really enjoyed when my kids were young and I would take them to my mom's neighbors to trick or treat.  I would stand and record them.  Those were good memories.  I do have a more recent one that I will never forget.  I was ticked one year (a year or so ago) because the trunk or treat that is held in our driveway and on our road was so early.  Larry was the Bishop and doesn't even close shop until 5:30 and they had the trunk or treat scheduled for like 5:00.  They started earlier than that even and I was fuming.  I knew it was stupid for me to be so mad and so I went inside to give myself a time out and to cool down.  I came back out and a lady came up to me teasing but calling me stuck up and giving me a bad time.  That didn't go over really well and I snapped at her.  Then Trichelle and TJ got there and TJ was teasing me about dressing like a witch and how I was suppose to dress up differently. (I wasn't dressed up)  I corrected him and told him I wasn't a witch but something that rhymed with it.  The rest of the night was fine. ☺

Dinner ~ What are your Halloween traditions?  I love our Halloween Dinner.  I use to make dinner in a pumpkin.  We use to have that on Halloween which was kind of hard with how busy things were.  Now we have a few Halloween dinners on Sundays in October.  We usually have a soup night and like to serve it in pumpkin bread bowls.  I like Donuts in October and Halloween parties.  I love the trunk or treat and seeing my grands in their costumes.  I really enjoy going to Witches Night Out.  Sometime during October we usually have a game or two of Halloween Bingo.

Midnight Snack ~ Post a photo of you in some of your favorite Halloween costumes. I have also been Snow White and Raggedy Ann.  I think my Glinda has been used the most because it's fun dressing up like the good witch. 

Recipe for the Week ~ (instead of your recipe for life, what is it just for the week?) Be True to Yourself!  If something doesn't feel right then don't do it.  Trust that God is directing your path.

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Fun at Special Needs

Barbie was in charge of our activity tonight and she did a good job.  I had suggested these things to her a few weeks ago when she wasn't sure what to do and she took off with them.  We made mummy jars and played Halloween Bingo.  The gals had a good time.  I always think we have a good time when we are together.  I love watching Barbie with the gals.  She loves them all so much and makes sure to interact with them.  I am very blessed to have such great leaders that I get to serve with.  These gals are super easy to love.

This year with this fun group is passing quickly.  We have a ward that wants to help us with a combined activity and I'm not sure we have space for them.  We are having such wonderful activities and the days are filled up.  I had the ward on the calendar as a maybe and coming home last night we realized we didn't have our talent night scheduled.  This group loves sharing their talents and the talent night is kind of a tradition that they all love and so we will probably need that night for it.  I'm really enjoying my calling.

Since our camp director was released I have started planning for it.  I know it's not until June but time goes so quickly I just started.  I chose "Angels Among Us" to be our theme and I knew now was the time to get "halo's" if I wanted them.  There's a lot to plan to take the girls to Heber Valley Girls Camp.  We will be there four days instead of two and so planning now is a must for me.  I already feel a little anxious about it all.

Fun Times

Kathy and I went and played today.  We went and had pedicures which we were both in terrible need of.  I have missed Kathy this summer and haven't seen her much at all.  She makes me laugh out loud and I love spending time with her.  We had such a good time and wonderful visit.  We had to wait quite awhile for a seat but the wait was worth it.  I love having my feet taken care of while the massage chair does it thing and visiting with Kathy is always a blast.  Afterwards we went to the Pizza Factory and enjoyed soup, salad and bread sticks. My oh my we enjoyed ourselves and laughed a lot.  In fact while I was documenting this day she called me again laughing so hard I couldn't even understand her which only made me laugh as hard as she was.  Oh I love Kathy!

It's fall and I love driving and seeing all the beautiful trees.  I really like to drive through the canyons at this time of year but just driving around our little neighborhood is pretty darn beautiful.  This is my favorite season now.  I love the crisp, cool air and the leaves changing.  I love that the mosquito's and flies aren't as annoying.  I love the fact the the weeds quit growing.  I love soups and hot chocolate and wrapping up in a blanket or feeling cozy in a hoodie.  Yep...Fall is my Favorite!

I watched Behr tonight while Kimleighel took Ivy and Zaden to the movies.  Behr is quite the character and was making me laugh.  He was covering his cute face with his blanket and walking around and then he'd pull it off and laugh.  When he got tired of playing that he twirled and twirled until he was dizzy and fell.  Oh my what a fun kid and so enjoyable.  That's how I helped Trichelle tonight...I stayed home and let Behrenger entertain me.

The Temple is the House of God

Wow today my experience at the Temple was pretty amazing and quite unusual.  As we went up to the sealing office the Sealers all told me that I had been missed and welcome back. (I missed the last two weeks because of Kauai and Rigby)  They sure made me feel good and loved.  There were six sisters today and two men.  When we have this many of us we are lucky to get to the alter twice.  Well today I was called up four times.  Right off I was called up to join an older gentleman and seal marriages and have daughters sealed.  I was happy that I was able to help right away since I wasn't positioned on the chairs to go first but maybe I was on the list with all of our names.  I sat back down and Brother Hal and Sister Joyce Stoddard were called up to the alter.  I had the thought quickly pass through my mind that I might be called up to be a daughter.  That would be so out of character but then I was called up to be the daughter.  I kind of laughed and said I guess I was getting my turns over with at the start.  I softly told Joyce I had that thought and she said it wasn't a coincident and that it was meant to be.  The spirit hit me and I knew a message was being sent to me...or several.  I felt so loved.  I thought of being sealed a year ago to my parents and felt like my daddy was near.  I had a prayer in my heart that I would understand.  One of the mother's names was Obedience.  Boy that stood out and hit me pretty hard.  Last week I had to repent of murmuring.  I had complained about being told how to dress for an activity...no big deal really, right?  Well of course it is.  We are taught to be obedient.  I want my kids to be obedient even if they don't understand why and I expect them to have faith in my parenting.  But here I was saying how dumb it was to be told what to wear and of course later I understood that by wearing what was asked was proper and right and I repented on the spot.  The message was clear to me that I needed to be obedient and have a good attitude about being so.  It was pretty awesome and the message was received with humility.  I didn't feel bad at all. (I wasn't in trouble)  I just felt like a prayer was being answered.

I sat down and I knew my turns were over and that was fine.  However when the Sealers traded positions I was called to the alter again.  I kind of felt silly since everyone hadn't had a turn at all yet.  I mentioned that and so one of the other sisters went up.  I had so many thoughts going through my mind and a constant prayer was in my heart.  No doubt about it I was being taught.  It wasn't long and again I was called to the alter.  There were still two sisters that had only been up to it once and even though I reminded the Sealer of that he said "I know and I will get to them in a minute."  Okay, so I went up to the alter for my third time.  I was praying that I would understand the message that I was suppose to be receiving.  Then the thoughts came to be about the contrast of the day I had planned. (until last night..when I changed it)  Here I was sitting in the House of our Lord...where light and goodness and love abound.  I was surrounded by heavenly angels (even my dad) feeling of our Saviors love.  My plans for tonight were to go to a Haunted House with some friends.  When I think of it I think of dark and creepy.  I knew it would be fun even though it would be scary.  But...is that someplace I could feel the spirit of our Savior...something I pray for every single day? (just my thoughts in the Temple) I knew I was suppose to tend my grands and not attend that activity.  I'm not saying going to Haunted Houses is wrong by any means  but I know it would have been wrong for me on this day. I may never know exactly why I wasn't suppose to go. I really think I would have had a great time with my friends laughing, screaming and being silly but I can't deny knowing I wasn't suppose to go or what happened in the Temple.

I talked to Trichelle about this experience later and she said that we all take things so differently.  Our conversation made me think of another conversation I had with Julie just the night before.  She is having Kamryn (8) read The Child Called It.  To her and Kamryn it's just a book and they don't internalize it at all. (It's about severe abuse) It was much different for me and my kids when we read it.  It made me physically sick and so very sad.  Justin passed out and he was in High School and Trichelle was affected by it the way I was.  Right there that shows how we take things differently and what's right or wrong for one isn't for another.

I remembered back to when I was a teenager and loved watching scary movies.  I was watching one alone in our basement one night and holy cow real evil spirits decided to attend.  It was beyond creepy and something I wouldn't choose to experience again.   I believe we invite the spirit by our actions.  I want to be surrounded by good spirits and so I need to stand as a witness of God at all times and in all places just like I have repeated hundreds of times. I've had a few experiences that have taught me that.

I'm far from perfect and have a hard time doing the will of the Lord most of the time.  Sometimes I know I hear the whispering of the spirit and when I do, I know I need to follow.  Maybe today was a test of  following the spirit.  It wasn't easy for me to change my plans. (I really wanted to go) I love hanging with my friends but I want my family to know they come first and maybe by changing my plans to go with my friends so I could help out  my daughter was what all this was about.

***The thought that was shared Thursday at Special Needs.   I think it was meant for me.
"Spiders and Bats and scary Black Witches; Skeletons and Ghosts that go Bump in the night.  Haunted Houses, Monsters, Zombies and Vampires and everything that gives us a fright!  Let the only  "Ghost" we should worry about, be the Holy Ghost with it's light.  Then we will have peace and happiness forever, without any strife in our life!"

***On Saturday I was sharing my experience with Carla (not a member of my faith) and right away she pointed out how I was sealing daughters while I was at the alter.  I got chills immediately and tears came to my eyes.  I hadn't even thought about that and her she was pointing out that I was a big part of sealing daughters to families and she thought that was also a message for me.  She's right!

Visiting Teaching

I love visiting teaching and have a huge testimony of it.  I love the friends I have made from visiting teaching.  My visiting teacher came yesterday and we had a nice visit.  I love Ruth to death and she always makes me feel like I am the nicest and smartest person around. (I think she makes everyone feel like that)  I love giving Ruth a treat each month and a little handout even though she is coming to me.  I think she likes it. ☺

I love visiting with the ladies I am assigned to.  Today I went visiting teaching and was gone for four hours.  I do have four sisters that I visit but today I only went to one. haha....put that lower jaw back up.  I have really enjoyed getting to know Linda and seriously the time flies when we get together.  Today after visiting for over an hour we went and got a drink which took another hour and of course we couldn't just say good-bye when I took her home and so we talked some more.  I promise I watch the time and I could cut the visit short but for some reason we just go on and on.  We decided we are going to go to one of the Temples in Idaho soon just so we can have a road trip and visit some more.  I know most people would not love that long of a visit and I might not either but today is was good!  I loved spending the time with Linda and I'm pretty sure she feels the same way. I like the friendship we have between us.  Visiting Teaching is a Blessing to me!

Game Day

It was fun getting together again this week to play games.  It's funny but I really miss playing games when I have had other things and haven't been able to make it.  I like getting together and just enjoying friends and spending a few hours together.  I like that Carla and I started this.  Those of us that come have a really good time.  Today Debbie, Julie, Carla and I came.  We played a few games of Five Crowns.  Carla won the first game and hardly had any points.  Julie and Debbie were competing for last place.  The next game was quite the opposite.  I believe Debbie and Julie tied and Carla lost by a lot.  Carla was saying that I was the only one who hadn't won and Debbie suggested that both scores get added together.  Guess who the overall winner was?  If you guessed me you were right!  So we all won but I never was the loser. ☺