GRATEFUL FOR MY KIDS

I decided to write each of my kids a letter this year for Thanksgiving because this year I am most grateful for being a Mom. I wanted my kids to know how much they mean to me and what a privilege it is to be their mother. I copied the letters on my blog. so I would never forget the feelings I had on this Thanksgiving Day...

Madison –

Due to the Thanksgiving season, I have been reflecting about my life and what I am most grateful for. It is a wonderful time to consider all the many blessings we have been given that we sometimes take for granted. I wanted you to know that I am most grateful for the opportunity to be a mother! Not just any mother, but a mother to three amazing children, including you! Heavenly Father has given me a special gift and I could not imagine my life or our family without you in it. You have given me so much to be grateful for. Madi, you always seek to do what’s right, you are kind to everyone you meet. You have a beautiful smile that can light up a room, you are a fantastic older sister, who loves and cares for both Jaxson and Reagan. You are smart and do so well in school. You listen and obey your parents and the commandments our Father in Heaven has asked us to do. You are a strong and valiant young woman and I am so proud of the person you are becoming. What more could a mother ask for! Thank you for being the best daughter I could have.

Love, Mom

Jaxson-

I have been thinking about all my many blessings and I wanted you to know that you are one of my favorite. I am so lucky to be your mother and I am grateful you are my little boy! You have given me so much to be grateful for because you are such a good kid. Thank you for always being happy in our home and giving us reasons to laugh. Our family wouldn’t be complete without you. You are an amazing kid with a zest for life and you make me smile! You always try to choose the right and be more like Jesus. You are a fantastic brother to both of your sisters, by caring for them and treating them well. I am proud of you, thanks for being the best kid a mom could wish for.

Love, Mom



Reagan –

Mommy loves you! I’m so happy you came into our family. You have turned our world upside down for the good. You pull at my heartstrings with your sweet personality; yet you are so stubborn that it scares me because you are just like me. I love you little girl. Thanks for being a blessing in my life.

Love, Mom

TIME OUT FOR WOMEN

I attended yet another fantastic Time Out For Women seminar again this year. This is such a great way to spend a weekend together as women and be reminded of who you are and how much your Father in Heaven loves you. These speakers and musicians are fabulous and I learn so much each year. It is an inspired program and I am grateful they decided to bring it to Utah. Everyone needs a good pick me up sometimes; in addition to some inspiration.

My favorite speaker/song writer for the past two years has been Hillary Weeks. She is amazing, funny and very talented. I absolutely fell in love with her music two years ago and have been addicted ever since.

I learned a lot about our beloved prophet Thomas S. Monson. He was quite the character growing up and he has the biggest heart. I can see him smile when I think of him. How blessed we are that he is our living prophet today. I can't wait to read his biography to learn more about this amazing man.

There were several other incredible speakers - all with good messages to share.

One of the other highlights of the weekend was spending the night at the Marriott with 14 other women. We enjoyed dinner, breakfast and lunch together. We stayed up into the wee hours of the morning talking, giggling and enjoying each others company. I have remarkable friends who I love and adore and it make this weekend even better.

MOMENTS TO REMEMBER...

Tonight we had some friends (Bastian's and Murphy's) over for dinner, after we finished the ladies went downstairs into my craft room so I could make them some flower clips for their girls hair. The guys were upstairs and most of the kids were in the basement playing video games on the Wii. I heard Reagan say my name; however I didn't respond because I thought she was in the family room playing with the kids and I figured it wasn't important. A few minutes later, she came marching into the craft room, with her pants and panties around her ankles. With fire in her eyes, she looked at me and yelled the following, "Freak Mommy! You need to wipe me!" As she turned around (because she had made her point) I noticed a little poop hanging from bum and I replied "Yes I do," and followed her into the bathroom.

ALMA THE YOUGER - DISCO STYLE

I was called (yet again) as the roadshow director for our ward this year. Three years ago, I headed up the roadshow and here I am again. The funny thing is - everyone thought I was called again because the roadshow was so fantastic the first time and we took the award for best show; however it turns out that the bishopric forgot that I headed it up the first time. I guess that's what I get for having a creative mind that doesn't stop thinking.

This year the theme was "Have I Done Any Good." I immediately thought of missionary work and thought it would be fun to do the story of Alma the Younger. The previous time we did the roadshow, I set it to the 1950's and we did Grease music (which was a big hit), so this year I thought it would be fun to do 1970's and set the music to Abba. I knew that the music would be fun and we could take advantage of the fun colors used during that time, in addition to the Afro's!

The roadshow started out with King Mosiah and Alma discussing what happened to their kids. They wanted to know where the happy days had gone. They sang SOS asking their Father to help them. The stage was dark with only a table chairs and a lava lamp.

The second scene opened to the sons of Mosiah and Alma the Younger at the disco, trying to convince some of the town to stop going to church, to sin and lie. After they succeeded in getting others to fall away from the church an angel appeared and told them they have a second change to preach the gospel. The angel also told them they were Sons of God and to use their time spreading the gospel plan. The words of the song Dancing Queen were changed for this scene.

The third scene was Alma the Younger recognizing that he needs to repent and live his life to the fullest being a missionary. He sings Take a Chance on Me to his Father in Heaven and asks Alma for his forgiveness.

In the final scene, you see a drastic change in both appearance and attitude with the Sons of Mosiah and Alma the Younger. The Afro wigs and disco clothing is gone, turned in for missionary tags and ties. They have their scriptures in hand and are preaching the gospel to everyone in the street. We closed the show with the song Mamma Mia but changed the words to Missionaries.

With the script being set in the 70's we used all kinds of 70's slang throughout the show, in addition to having some of the cast members be the Brady Bunch. We had all the towns people wearing ti-dye shirts and bell bottoms.

This was a six month project in the making because I had to write the script, figure out the music and encourage the youth to participate. I also had to come up with the choreography, set design and direct the play as well. We had weekly rehearsals for months - however it really paid off in the end. The kids did a fantastic job and I was so proud of them and all of their hard work. Although they didn't give awards out this year - in my heart I know we were the best!

HALLOWEEN

Halloween fell on a Sunday this year, so all the festivities happened on Saturday. It was fantastic because both Dan and I were home. We started out the morning with our Jack-o-lantern pancakes. They were such a hit last year, that my kids wanted them again. We even invited Grammie and Papa over for this tasty meal.

That afternoon, we dressed Jaxson and Reagan up and we went down town to the Gallivan Center for a free festival. The kids got to trick or treat to the vendors, make a craft and take pictures (even Freddy Kruger was there). The best part of the festival was the pumpkin drop. The fire department took pumpkins up the ladder on the fire and would drop them from sky. We got to watch in amazement as these pumpkins smashed to the ground.

Later that evening we gather up our things and headed to Grammie and Papa's house for dinner. We had the usual dinner in a pumpkin, bread sticks, stew, wassail and spud nuts (all family traditions). The kids took pictures before heading out to trick or treat with their friends. Papa did Madi's makeup to make her look scary. He did a fabulous job. The little kids all went out together - Reagan, Cash, Crew, Avery, Landon, Spencer and Brendan.

On Sunday after church we made sugar cookies, another tradition we started doing years ago and delivered them to several families in the neighborhood.