Family Week

Last week was our Stake Family Week. Almost all meetings during the week were canceled, ie. scouts, young men's, young women's, etc. Our stake president asked us to really plan to make the week special so last Sunday night we planned some activites for each weeknight. Here is what we came up with.

~

Monday - Sorry no picture. FHE at Grandma and Grandpa Sanders. We watched the movie Emma. (Not the Jane Austin one, the one about Emma Smith.)

Tuesday - We went on a family bike ride.

Wednesday - We made homemade pizza and watched a movie.

~

Thursday- Again no picture. We helped Spencer make a cake for his school cake decorating contest. I am really sad that I didn't remember to take a picture of his cake because it turned out so cute. He even one a prize!

~

Friday - Chad was at a Camporee with his 11-year-old scouts, one of the meetings that wasn't canceled, so the kids and I had a campout in our family room. The family room is my new favorite place to camp!

I tried to get all of us into the picture during our "campout" but I just couldn't make it work.
~

We had a really fun time during family week. In fact, Spencer just asked me if we could have another family week. So I think we will have to sit down tonight and plan some activities for next week.

Karalee's New Hobby

Karalee has started a new hobby. She likes to rub food in her hair. He is a little video after I caught her rubbing pudding in her hair. (She also likes to rub ketchup in her hair as well.) Where were the adults when this was happening do you ask? Her daddy was sitting in the family room watching tv not 10 feet away. Needless to say he was oblivious to what she was doing.

Speedy

I saw this on my sister Celeste's blog. It was really fun. I got this score on my fourth try. I know I will be back to see if I can break 80.

79 words

Speedtest

Two Little Monkeys Sittin' in a Tree

Each day this week, after the boys had watched enough TV, I would send them outside to play. Here are a couple of pictures of them climbing our tree. It has been a wonderful fall break. Spencer is such a great help to me. He, Bryant, and Karalee have played really well together this week. I am sad that Spencer has to go back to school again tomorrow. I can't wait until Christmas Break!!!

Karalee's Hair Cut

Yesterday we took Karalee over to my niece NaElle's house for her first real hair cut. NaElle is in beauty school right now and she is already such a great stylist. Karalee didn't like getting her hair cut, but she held still pretty well. I love Karalee's new look. She is such a cutie!!

There is chocolate on Karalee's lips because we were bribing her with candy.

Finally done! Karalee was in tears, but he results we so good. Here is the view from the front.

Back view

Here are some side shots.

Thanks NaElle! You did a great job.

Another New Niece

My sister Kayla just had her second baby yesterday. Yeah!!!

Here are some pictures:

Jaklyn Larson

Kayla, Rachel, and new baby Jaklyn

Fall Break

Spencer has fall break all next week. I am so excited to have him home. We don't have any vacation plans so I really need some help thinking of fun things to do to make the week special. I am not a very creative person when it comes to thinking of fun stuff to do. Do any of you have any good ideas to help make the week special?

What we have been up to lately

Here are some pictures of the activities that have been keeping us busy.

Chad got our garden area prepared one evening a couple weeks ago, then the next morning when there was more light we planted our winter garden.

We've got a few carrots, peas, lettuce and beets starting to grow. Hopefully our broccoli and cauliflower will grow too. Can you notice that I forgot the water was on yesterday? Hopefully things won't die because I gave them too much water.

My sister Amy and I learned how to bottle peaches. It was kind of fun and very yummy!!

My Bryant Boy

In this picture I think Karalee looks a lot like my niece Kari when Kari was little

Silly Spencer

Karalee likes to climb into this little cupboard in our entertainment center. I think it's so cute that she can actually fit in there so I took a picture.

Bryant tried to fit into the cupboard too, but couldn't quite make it

Karalee didn't like Bryant taking away the attention from her

We put up our fall and Halloween decoations last week. This witch is one of our decorations and was a gift from Brenda/Grandma Sanders a few years ago. My kids love it! When you make a noise near it she starts cackling and her eyes light up. It is a fun decoration. I am so glad that the Holiday Seasons have begun!!!

General Conference

I am really excited for General Conference this weekend so I can hear the prophet’s counsel. With all the political and economic craziness that has been going on lately I am really glad that we have a living prophet to guide us. I have been kind of worried and scared about what might happen to our country and our state during these elections, but last week as Chad and I were reading in the July Ensign, Elder Uchtdorf’s message gave me some comfort.

He said, “‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.’ (2 Timothy 1:7) … Yet how many of us permit our fears to take control of our lives in this time of international tension, economic and political uncertainties, and personal challenges? … Today we have again apostles, seers, and revelators who are watchmen on the tower, messengers of supernal, healing truth. God speaks to us through them. They are profoundly aware of the different circumstances we members are living in. They are in this world but not of this world. They point the way, and they offer help for our difficulties, not through the wisdom of the world but from an eternal Source. ... There is no need to fear. We can have peace in our hearts and peace in our homes. We can each be an influence for good in this world by following the commandments of God and relying on true repentance, the power of the Atonement, and the miracle of forgiveness.”