Random Halloween

We had a very nice Halloween, it was 75 degrees..the warmest on record in Utah.  Braden went to a party, Stefanie went trick-or-treating with a group of friends from school, and Kent and I sat on the front porch handing out candy.  Loved it! 

Last Monday we got together with Bryan and family for our long-standing Jack-O-Lantern carving tradition. 

Here are our masterpeices, all lined up.  Mine is the one with bats and stars.

Oh my, there is no place on earth buzzing with more excitement than an elementary school on October 31st! Here are four of my classes who were thrilled to pose for me today. So cute! I enjoyed seeing all their creative costumes. It was a fun day at school!

 

Halloween self-portrait. Fun being a blonde for a day!

All dressed up!  Another successful Halloween night!   

End of an Era

When Braden was 5-years-old we enrolled him in Lehi City League soccer.  Kent volunteered as his coach, and all the little kindergarten kids in our neighborhood were on his team.  That was a fun season! It was very obvious early on that Braden was a natural, and at the end of that season he was encouraged to try out for a super league team called "Lehi Blaze".  Braden made the team, and loved it!  The next year his Blaze team joined up with a club travel team called "Arsenal". And now that team has been together for the last eleven years, including their coach.  I could not even begin to tally up the number of hours, days, weeks and months these boys have spent together with all the practices, games, travel time and tournaments. They are as close as brothers.  Wow, we have totally watched each of them grow up!  Today was their LAST EVER regular season game, the end of an era. How we will miss it! Love these boys.

On My Mind

What I am anticipating: The primary Sacrament Meeting program coming up in 2 weeks.  Chime choir rehearsals and concerts. Thanksgiving at my brother's house.  A family cruise to Alaska.  Carving Jack-O-Lanterns with my brother and his family.  Planning a wedding (possibly). Preparing my son for a mission a year sooner than expected.  A new iphone screen that was ordered weeks ago and still has not come. Soccer tournament in Vegas.  Presidential election next month.  Juicing and bottling purple grapes that have been growing in my back yard all summer.
 

Things that make me happy: Having my Halloween decorations out, especially the 7-foot-tall corn stalks I just pulled from my garden. The leaves in my yard and neighborhood starting to change color.  Pulling my winter wardrobe out of storage.  Monthly lunch dates with my sisters.  Primary pre-baptism home visits, and attending the baptism services.  Singing Halloween songs with my kids at school.  Creating monthly primary newsletters.  Sixty-four bulbs of hyacinths, daffodils and tulips I planted in my yard.  Listening to my son practicing Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag" on the piano. Working on the computer in the family room while my husband and son watch and discuss football games on TV.  Meaningful service for neighbors, friends, ward members.  Moonlit walks around the block with Stefanie and Holly.  
 

Things I am Working On: My introduction to the Sacrament meeting primary program.  Three croched afghans I am making for my primary counselors and secretary.  An updated primary scout list.  Great To Be Eight.  Priesthood Preview.  Primary class lists for 2013.  Activity Days training meeting. 
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Things I Am Stressing About: College soccer scholarships.  The next two weeks of Primary.  The Primary Saturday rehearsal.  Primary Sacrament meeting program. My son graduating from High School.  That same son leaving on a mission immediately afterwards.  Having enough funds for a family cruise, a mission, college tuition, a (possible) wedding.  Computer issues.
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Things I need to do:  Learn how to use the new camera I got for my birthday.  Write my introduction for the primary program.  More consistent scripture study.  More intense workouts.  Clean up my messy house.  Lesson plans for next rotation.  Get started on Christmas lists and shopping.

Autumn in the Alpine Loop

This tradition will never get old.  No matter how many times I have done it before, I will never tire of driving through the Alpine Loop at the peak of autumn, it takes my breath away every time.  I feel so blessed to live in this beautiful part of the world where we can jump in the car and drive for only a few minutes before finding ourselves in the middle of THIS! Here are some of my favorite pictures from our latest visit last Sunday.

Apples

There is something about bottling fresh produce...it makes you feel so good!  Last weekend we acquired a large box full of ripe, red apples, so I went online and discovered how easy it is to make and preserve apple pie filling...yummm!  We will enjoy homemade apple pies, apple cobblers, apple crisps, and apple strudels all through the winter.  Hooray!

What My Kids are Doing

 This may be the busiest fall we have ever had.  Every night is something different.  Stefanie's football games have been really fun.  Between games, practices and tumbling classes, cheerleading consumes her every afternoon and weekend, it is a good thing she loves it!  I am so proud of her!

Braden is working hard at both club soccer and cross country, and we are enjoying every minute because we know it is all coming to an end very soon.  I will really miss following this kid around to all his games and meets!  I am so proud of him.

Rachel posted this picture on facebook.  I thought it was so funny I had to "borrow" it!  She is obviously having a fun time at college! She is coming home this weekend for General Conference, we are all excited to see her.  I am so proud of her!