Zaden is 8 Today

This cute little guy is eight years old.  Zaden is a smart child and quite the thinker.  He's funny and creative.  This sweetie loves lego's and video games.  I just read a memory of last year when I took Zaden shopping.  He chose something with tiny pieces as his gift.  Not lego's but something similar.  When he got home and opened the package and saw all the little pieces he looked at me and asked me why I had let him get them. ☺  Zaden is kind and a very good big brother.  He loves to watch movies and play on the computer.  He likes his back rubbed.  Zaden is a good dancer and can really shake things up when he wants.  Zaden has a strong personality and knows what he wants and isn't easily persuaded which I admire.  Zaden is such a blessing to our family.  Last night I was laying in his bed with him (his mom and TJ were working on the other house to get it ready to sell) and we were talking.  I told him he was the best thing that has ever happened to his dad.  I let him know that he truly was a blessing to us all.  This little guy is great fun and we are so blessed to have him.

Temple

I absolutely love going to the Temple every week.  I really enjoy doing sealings.  I always feel the spirit!  Today we noticed a few things that happened that usually don't.  Every once in awhile things are different. ☺ Today the sealers were rotating out of the room.  That has never happened in the year I have been going.  We usually get three sealers who stay with us the entire hour but today at two different times we had sealers come in and one would leave.  

The only names I remember today were Mrs. Potts and Lulu.  They both made me smile.  Our room started out with a lot of people but ended up with just us from Hooper.  (4 gals and 2 guys)  We did a few sons today as well as daughters.  On one rotation it could have been my turn to be a wife but Brother Tanner (the sealer) called up another sister and said he would save me to be a daughter again because I was their favorite daughter.  That seriously made me smile.  I love being the daughter.  I think it's because of my experience being sealed to my parents.  It was a glorious morning!

Trunk or Treat

The Trunk or Treat is a tradition for our ward!  Dale Widdison makes a HUGE pot of chili and lots of hot chocolate and then he brings it down to our end of the road and sets up.  He serves hundreds and it's always yummy.  I didn't try any this year because Larry didn't want me leaving him and he was giving out candy.  The reason he wanted me to stay by him was because the kids thought he was a clown.  The kids these days have no idea who Raggedy Ann and Andy are.  It was funny.  I love seeing everyone is their costumes and get a kick of so many of them.  Our trunk or treat draws in many people from all over.  There are always so many unfamiliar faces...with out make up even.  I asked one group where they were from and the lady was hesitant to tell me that she was from West Haven.  I reassured her that we didn't care and everyone is welcome.

I love that our kids come down and bring their kids.  This really is a pretty fun tradition.  The line of cars goes clear down the road.  It still only takes the kids about a half hour to go to every car though. I love Halloween and dressing up....Larry not so much but he is a good sport.  He told me that he really just doesn't like not knowing who people are.  I think it's funny and like trying to figure out who everyone is.  I only got a few pictures of some of my favorite costumes and families this year but there were lots of great ones.

I'm glad that a few of the kids were able to make it to the great grandma's for a little visit.  I know it means a lot to them.  Larry and I went alone this year to visit our mom's.  I believe this is the first year we haven't had one of our kids with us.  Kimleighel was with the young adults and Jared was with some friends.  Jared did meet us at Grandma Donna's though since she lives close.  It's a fun night for me!

Wizard of Oz

In 2007 our family dressed up as the Wizard of Oz.  We have enjoyed these costumes over the years.  What fun memories!

Halloween Parade

The elementary school has a little parade for the families of their cute little characters.  I love going and seeing the fun costumes.  There are some clever ones.  The teachers and staff were very creative this year.  Mr. G was fishing and the secretaries were cute fish blowing bubbles.  They started things off.  There was a Harry Potter theme going on among the teachers and a lot of them were dressed like the Hogwarts teachers.  I think they might have all been from one grade and their costumes were great.  There were a few Elsa's and Anna's this year but I had my favorites.  I believe Parker was the only puppy or dog and he was so cute as he walked by with his paws up and begging.  Oh my crud, I couldn't help but smile and laugh out loud.  There were quite a few nerds and big babies.  A few dinosaurs were seen waddling around too....they all waddled. ☺  A bunch of the teachers made a roller coaster which I thought was so clever.  It was funny.  The parade lasted  half an hour and I told Natalie's sister, Lisa that was the amount of time we had for our trunk or treat tonight. No doubt you really don't need much more time than that .... unless you wanted to visit and enjoy your chili. ☺  Eat fast and talk fast.  I don't think I'll eat..I'd rather visit!  What a Fun Time of Year!  So many parties and dinners and dressing up.  I love Halloween!

***I was asked why I didn't dress up and it's because Mya didn't want me to.  I asked her last night if she thought I should and she quickly said "NO".  Larry and I were teasing her and saying we were going to come dressed up and go around to all the rooms and ask for Mya and tell everyone we were her grandparents.  She did not like that idea at all...it was okay to say we were Parkers but she didn't want any part of it.  I really wouldn't have dressed up since the spectators don't but it was fun teasing our little cutie who is very self conscious right now.

Last Halloween Meal

We had our last Halloween Meal tonight.  I cooked the thick noodles that are very Italian and are hard to eat because they don't twirl.  I called them intestines and truly they look like it.  I was going to dye them red but Kimleighel didn't want me to and so I didn't.  We had a brain cheese ball and a bucket of bones. (rolls) There were monster eggs (donuts) and guts.(meatballs and sauce) We washed it all down with some thinned out blood. (kool-aid)  Some of the kids don't mind these names but for some I can't say them or they won't eat.  I didn't tell Parker but from the looks of his plate you might think I did.  He had a doughnut and crackers....that's all. Natalie brought a few treats that were yummy.  We enjoyed visiting with each other and it was a fun night.  Sunday meals are my favorite!  My family is my favorite!

Man and Cocoon

Shirley taught RS today and started with this story.  I really like it.  It along with her lesson has been the topic of some discussion I have had with my friends and kids lately.  So I want to save it!

A man found a cocoon of an emperor moth.  He took it home so that he could watch the moth come out of the cocoon.  On the day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the moth for several hours as the moth struggled to force the body through that little hole.

Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go not farther. It just seemed to be stuck.  Then the man, in his kindness, decided to help the moth, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.  The moth then emerged easily.

But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.  The man continued to watch the moth because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.  Neither happened!  In fact, the little moth spent the rest of it's life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings.  If never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening was the way of forcing fluid from the body of the moth into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.  Freedom and flight would only come after the struggle.  By depriving the moth of a struggle, he deprived the moth of health.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life.  If we were to go through our life without any obstacles, we would be crippled.  We would not be as strong as what we could have been.  Give every opportunity a chance, leave no room for regrets.