Just a quick entry to tell what we are up to these days.

Yesterday my sister, Elizabeth and I went to Women's General Conference at my stake center.  First we had a dinner in the cultural hall, and I enjoyed introducing her to people.  Then we went into the chapel to listen to the talks.  President Uchtdorf's talk was especially good.  He talked about forget me not flowers and how they are small, but together they make a garden spot beautiful.  He told us things we need to "forget not" that may seem small, but will make our lives beautiful.  Things like remembering how much our Heavenly Father loves us, and remembering to give up good things for things that are better.  Elizabeth and I loved the talk and I'm so glad we went together.  I wish all my sisters, sisters-in-law, my mom, and I could have been together!

General Conference of the LDS church is next week, and I am so excited about it.  We heard many people in church today bear testimony of the prophet, Thomas S. Monson.  It was a wonderful sacrament meeting, and I have been inspired with new ideas to incorporate the words of Conference in our home for the next six months.  Our home teachers also talked about our opportunity to hear living prophets next week and ways we can prepare for Conference.  I really feel like these things were answers to my prayers for my kids.  I'm hoping that we can have a family home evening lesson tomorrow that will help us prepare more for conference.  

We are also gearing up for Halloween.  With the holiday being on a Monday, we plan to all stay together this year and go trick or treating and then build a fire in the fire pit afterwards and roast marshmallows and tell "scary" stories.  When we planned all this I didn't really consider the fact that my kids are a bit too old to trick or treat.  Oh well, we're just planning to go around to people we know.  Getting out for Halloween is kind of like a big block party and we have lots of fun.  Anyway, with these plans, the kids are having fun coming up with costumes to wear.  Miriam, our rich working girl, bought herself a Marine costume at the store, Katrina is in the process of making herself a Cleopatra costume with my help, and Thomas and I are going to make him a Frodo, the hobbit, costume.  The kids say that Brian and I have to dress up too...we'll see about that.

The Story of the Caterpillar and the Butterfly

I like the story a sister told at our stake conference on Sunday about two caterpillars who met on a rock and became fast friends.  Every day the caterpillars would come to the rock to visit and enjoy each other's company.  One day, one of the caterpillars came to the rock as usual, but the other caterpillar did not.  The first caterpillar waited and waited for his friend, but he never came.  Day after day the caterpillar stopped by the rock looking for his old friend, but not finding him.  Finally the caterpillar forgot about his companion, and went on with life.

One day as the caterpillar was munching on a leaf, a lovely butterfly touched down next to him.  "Hello, old friend," said the butterfly to the caterpillar.
 "Do I know you?" asked the dazzled caterpillar.
 "Of course," replied the butterfly, "I am the old friend you used to meet on the rock.  I have become a butterfly. You can become one, too, you know."
"No, I did not know," said the caterpillar.  He thought that there was nothing he wanted more in the whole world than to be a butterfly.  "Please tell me how I can become like you!" he cried.
Well, you have to do two things replied his beautiful friend.  First, you have to want to become a butterfly.  That part is easy.  The second thing is much harder; you must stop wanting to be a caterpillar."


I love this story!  King Lamoni's father stopped wanting to be a caterpillar when he exclaimed, "I will give up all of my sins to know thee."   (Alma 22:18)

I need to give up being a caterpillar if I ever  want to become a butterfly!

Two Weeks of "Real Work"

If you didn't know, I'm very much a homebody, but for the past two weeks, I've been a working girl.  It's a new little job I have going from school to school testing the kids.  In December I'll work again for 2 weeks and then again at the end of the year.  It's been a fun thing getting to know my co workers and also chatting with the kids as they come through.  Next week, besides the 3 half days of teaching and testing I have to do, I'll be a home body again.  Yay!  I love being an at-home mom!

Greek Celebration

We went to a Greek Celebration last weekend and had a wonderful time.  Of course, the food was amazing.  We tried a little of everything, and, call me boring, but my favorite Greek food is still the Gyro.  We also enjoyed the honey-drenched pastries, of course.  The dancing was so fun to watch!  It was especially interesting to see the men balance water glasses as they danced, and drink the water as they leaned back all the way to the floor.  One guy even danced on a wine bottle.  Pretty cool.  I think that one of the girls' favorite thing was the shopping.  Katrina wanted a jingly coin scarf so bad!  She was broke, though, so she hopes to buy one next year.  She thinks it would make a wonderful scarf for a Halloween costume.  Miriam, who has a job, and therefore has money, bought a dress.

Everyone loved going into the cathedral and looking around.  We found a very nice lady who answered all of our questions which included the following:
Question:  Those look like white Jordan Almonds on that tray.  Are they?  Answer:  Yes.  They are used in the marriage sacrament to represent bitter and sweet.
Question:  I don't see a place for a choir.  Do you have singing?  Answer:  Yes.  The choir sings on the balcony behind the congregation.
Question:  Is that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John painted on the ceiling?  Yes.
Question:  Who sits in the throne?  Answer:  The bishop when he comes, which is seldom because he is bishop over 4 plus states.
Question:  What did you say the baby baptism font is shaped like?  Answer:  It is shaped like a womb to represent a new birth.  Babies and adults are baptized by immersion.  They are dipped three times.
And on and on.  We had lots of questions.
It was a fun and informative outing and we are so glad we went!

La La Lily

The video on Lily's blog is so cute!  It's the second video on the post.  Here's a link.  She looks very content and happy to just be sitting with her daddy and listening to his music.  She has come so far since her first few sad days.  I can't begin to explain how happy it makes a grandma to see her grand daughter so contented and so well taken care of.  I really miss her.

Choppin'

On Labor day, Katrina got to go horseback riding with a friend which is really cool although she's pretty sore now.  Thomas hung out with friends, and Miriam and me? We went choppin'!!!  We went to a village of old houses made into boutiques to shop till we drop.  They were having sidewalk sales at all the shops and we had a blast checkin' out the deals.  Miriam bought shoes; I bought Brian a welcome home present.  Brian was driving home from the airport at the same time we were driving home from our outing so we met up at a Brazilian place for dinner.  Then we took our leftovers home for Kat and Thom and spent the evening sitting in the family room listening to Brian tell us all about his wonderful visit with Lily and her parents.  The highlight of his trip was getting to hold Lily for 3 hours straight and visiting with Cassandra and Emerson.  We had a very nice day!

Happy Birthday, Katrina!

It's Katrina's birthday and, can you believe it?  We forgot to do our traditional birthday Madlibs.  Even Katrina forgot!  Anyway, Katrina had a good birthday, even though her daddy was out of town.  On Saturday Katrina had friends over.  They had a fun time eating, watching "That Thing You Do," and opening presents.  Today we had a family party.  My sister and her kids came over to help celebrate.  Her husband was sick and didn't come.    They all had fun playing "build-a-bear" and eating.  For dinner we had belgian waffles, eggs, and ham.  For the party, Katrina and I made mini pies for everyone which we ate with ice cream.  It was such a fun night.  I love Katrina so much and hope she had a wonderful birthday!

Grandpa Visits Lily

Grandpa Brian got to go to Lily's house this weekend, mostly to help bless Lily.  Today at church, he stood in the circle and helped hold Lily while her daddy gave her a name and a blessing.

 Brian said it was wonderful to be there.  I'm so happy for him!  Friday night he and Emerson and Cassandra and Lily went out to eat, and on Saturday he and Emerson watched the BYU football game together.  I'm so glad Brian could visit our kids and grandbaby!