Tricking and Treating

We enjoyed our annual Halloween festivities today at work.  I borrowed pieces of Jess' costume, so that I could put together a make-shift Michael Phelps costume.  I didn't enter myself in the costume contest, though.  I didn't really think I was costume worthy.

Fun times!

Have fun and be safe tonight!

Food Review

 

Jess is taking photojournalism this year and loving it.  However, this easy/blow off class has more projects than any of her classes combined, and they always seem to involve me!

 

Recently, she had to venture out to a local restaurant and write a review on her restaurant of choice.  While there, she had to snap a photo on the down low so they wouldn't know that she was rating their food.

 

Jess chose Scotty P's and reviewed their black bean burger.  She had to give an oral report and class and did quite well.  She received an 88 despite her project being a day late (we are still working on a little thing called procrastination).

 

Jess loves this class and her teacher, Mrs. Jamie.  I love that she enjoys learning.

7th Grade Fun

 Jonathan's 7th Grade School Picture.

Where did the time go?

And, why is he all grown up?

Obstacles

"No obstacles are insurmountable when God commands and we obey."

-Wilford Woodruff

Papa Jon

 

Jonathan just completed his flour baby project for his Skills for Living class.

 

Fact #1

Flour Baby's name is David.

 

Fact #2

Jonathan was so proud of the onesie that he picked out for David.  It said 'Party in my crib at 2:00 a.m.'  Jonathan thought it was funny, but didn't really understand what it meant.

 

Fact #3

I am not sure if Jonathan did his project correctly.  When Jess did this project, she took her flour baby everywhere.  The Young Women at church have also brough their flour babies with them to class on Sundays and Wednesday.  Jonathan said he only needed to bring flour baby to school.  Flour baby was left at home alone with the dogs A LOT!

 

Fact #4

Jonathan's class is making pancakes out of their flour babies.

 

Fact #5

Mom likes flour babies way better than those electronic demonic babies that they hand out in high school!

Flashback Friday: Birthday Fun

I had a ton of pictures that had been sent to me at work.  I resent them to myself at home and that is where they have sat for some time.  I was going through them and saving them.  I found these sweet little gems.  These pictures appear to be from precious Ally's 5th birthday (she is 12 now).

I think Jonathan's hair is gorgeous and the look on his face is priceless. And, Ally is cute and adorable as always.   I just can't get enough of this picture. 

There are no words for this picture of Fred.  I hope there weren't any small children near this end of the pool.

It has been fun to see these sweet kids grow up.

I'm Back...

I'm back!  I took a little trip over the weekend and then came back not feeling so spiffy.  Once I was back up to speed, I was trying to catch up at work and catch up at home.  Sometimes it isn't worth going out of town, but I really needed a little break.

I wish I had a picture to post of Jess.  Her school celebrated Halloween today - complete with costumes.  We received the notice on Tuesday that they would be able to dress up on Thursday.  It really didn't give us much time to react.  Jess wanted to be a Pokemon trainer, but we couldn't find all the right pieces.  Her 2nd choice was Michael Phelps.  We copied our sweet friend Laura's costume from a couple of year's ago.  I drew abs on a white shirt. She wore the white shirt adorned with abs with a pair of track pants.  She had gold medals to wear around her neck.  She brought swim goggles and a swim cap, but I think she decided not to mess with those two aspects of the costume.  She was seriously cute.  Sadly, she refused to let me take her picture!  I have nothing to show for our five minutes of hard work.  The hardest part was trying to find a bunch of gold medals!

She might go trick-or-treat on Wednesday, so perhaps there will be another opportunity to snap a picture.  Apparently, Jess has been talking to her Aunt Angel and feels that it is perfectly acceptable to trick-or-treat until you are 18.  She told me today that she really doesn't understand why Jonathan gave up on Halloween so soon (5th grade was his last year and that year he wore a cape and handed out candy - no trick-or-treating for him).

You gotta love a girl who enjoys Halloween!

A Good Turn

Eva, the sweet girl in the middle, has had some health problems lately.  She works in our warehouse - or Distribution services, as we call it.  My friend Donna and I wanted to do something nice for Eva and her family.  We found out from her sister-in-law that her four kids had been stuck at home quite a bit while she was in the hospital.  We were told that doing something nice for the kids would be the most impactful.  Donna and I took up donations and we ended up with the most awesome gift bags ever for Eva and her kids.  There was also a card full of money to help offset Eva's expenses.  Eva happened to be at a doctor's appointment one day and her friends talked her into dropping by the office.  We presented her with all of the goodness that everyone donated.  It was so wonderful to see her sweet face.

Donna and I didn't do anything so special.  We just had an idea and spread it around.  The best thing that came out of our idea is that it seemed to bring the front office together with our warehouse.  In the past, we have always been very segregated.  I am not sure, but I think it made them feel good that two people from the front office would try to put together something for someone from the warehouse.  I don't think of them as separate from us, but that attitude definitely exists.  My friend and I definitely hope that we can do little things to help knock those walls down.  We want to be one company and we want to b e co-workers and friends with everyone.

Fear the Beards

Camo Day at Nouveau Eyewear = Fun Times!

We had a blast dressing up in our finest camo in celebration of our upcoming launch of Duck Commander Eyewear and the season premier of Duck Dynasty.

Who knew we had so many rednecks at Nouveau?

The Lord Doesn't Care

The Lord doesn't care at all if we spend our days working in marble halls or stable stalls.  He knows where we are, no matter how humble our circumstances.  He will use - in His own way and for His holy purposes - those who incline their hearts to Him.

God knows that some of the greatest souls who have ever lived are those who will never appear in the chronicles of history.  They are the blessed, humble souls who emulate the Savior's example and spend the days of their lives doing good.

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Flashback Friday: Beehive Jessie

I found these sweet pictures of Jessica.  They were downloaded from her camera.  I am pretty sure that they are from Young Women's activities in the 5th Ward.  These pictures remind me why I love the Young Women's program and why I love Beehives.

(Jess and Sydney Burbank)



Happy Birthday!

7/4/10

San Marcos

Fred is celebrating is 40th birthday Friday.  He will be on a campout with his Scouts. 

He is a great Scout Master, because lots of people would have refused to schedule a campout on their big monumental birthday.

Either he is taking one for the team or he is afraid of what I might have in store for him.

Regardless, Happy Birthday, Fred!  You are a wonderful husband, father and scout leader.  We are all blessed to have you in our lives.

We can't wait to celebrate your big day!

Service-minded Family

I feel very fortunate that I come from a service-minded family.  My mom coordinates a luncheon once a month for the senior citizens in her small community.  I don't exactly know when she became involved, but I think was probably about 12 years old.  I am not going to do the math for you, but as you can imagine, that is a whole lot of years.

Mom recruited Fred to help Dad grill hamburgers.  Fred gets recruited to grill a lot at family get togethers.  When we are together with family, he is a master griller.  When he is with our family, he starts the grill and then forgets to put the meat on the grill, because he started watching TV.  Once he finally he gets the meat on the grill, we encounter more problems involving the TV.  With family get togethers, he does well because the TV usually isn't a factor.  Maybe I should unplug the TV while we are trying to prepare dinner?

It was a super rainy day.  Jonathan had the very important job of holding the umbrella for people as they came up.  Due to the weather, there wasn't a big turnout for the luncheon.  Therefore, Jonathan didn't have very many customers.  I decided to take a peak to see how he was doing.  I found him holding the umbrella over his head twirling around.  I guess he got bored.

For the most part, we had fun helping out.  There was only one snag... Jess and I forgot to pack her an alternate lunch.  She is a vegetarian and they were serving hamburgers.  She ate peanuts.  Other than that, we had lots of fun and appreciated the opportunity to serve.

Tuesday Night Lights

I had no idea that band was going to be such a big deal in 7th grade.  There have been football games, pep rallies, sectionals and a concert.  In a couple of weeks, Fred is chaperoning a six flags trip.

The middle school band played at two different football games this season.  Fred just happened to be busy both those days, so I carted him up to the high school field.  One week they played at the 8th grade games and then the next week they played at the 7th grade games.  The second week, Jess thought she might like to attend.  One little problem.  Fred was at the Monday Night Football Game watching Chicago stomp on Dallas and he had the Durango with him.  Turns out, I cannot fit both kids AND Jonathan's tuba in my car.  I felt bad having to tell Jess that she had to stay home - unless we could figure out a way to strap the tuba on top of the car or hook it to the back like a little trailer.

I think it is wonderful that the middle school band is playing at the games.  It is great practice for them before they get to high school.  Only one thing, I really wish Jonathan had played the clarinet.  It is hard to get the big, heavy tuba across a parking lot and into the stands.  I told Jonathan that, too.  He told me that he couldn't play the clarinet.  He could never put a piece of wood in his mouth.

I am so glad that I was the one that took Jonathan to his football games.  Fred would have dumped him at the gate.  I stayed the entire time and listened to him, because I am his biggest fan. 

I love it!

I am enjoying our church's General Conference this weekend.  For some reason, it is really bugging me that the rest of my family is not enjoying it with the same amount of fervor.  Fred and Jess are snoring away this cozy fall day and Jonathan has been locked in his room - all vowing to watch the last session.  Which, come to think about it, is just about to come on, so I don't know how that is going to work if they are all sound asleep. 

As cranky as it is making me today, I have to say that my heart did sing yesterday to see my husband and son leave together in their Sunday finery to go to the priesthood session together.  I am not sure if I ever dared to dream that dream. 

So far, I have been edified and have loved the talks and have vowed to do as President Monson counseled this morning.  Count my blessings and remember the times that my prayers have been answered and the times that I have heeded the prompting of the Spirit.  So many times we get bogged down in counting our trials instead of our blessings.

I am so happy to hear the announcement for sisters to enter the mission field has been lowered.  So excited!  That means that we will have so many more sister missionaries out in the field.  As the mother of a son who I hope will choose to serve a mission one day, I am a little nervous that their age has been lowered, too.  However, I am sure we will follow the inspiration of the Lord on that one.

And, of course, who couldn't help but love Ann M. Dibbs talk?  Or, maybe I loved it because I am still in Young Women's mode, but I just to hear her speak. 

I saw on Facebook this morning that there were already t-shirts out there with her tag line:

I am Mormon.

I know it.

I live it.

I love it.

She is so awesome!

I am off to listen to the last session of conference!  Enjoy!