The Spooks are out......

On Monday we carved our pumpkins, (you'll have to wait until Halloween to see what we did) and tonight was the annual Halloween Party put on by the youth in our ward. We had a fishing pond, face painting, creepy feely, cake walk, and bean bag toss. We go to the old YW's Presidents house. They have a big shed that is decorated and build a big bonfire out front. It's a really fun night. Jackson is in Las Vegas so wasn't able to make it (he had to pick lighting out for the buildings).

So the spooks are coming out in other places too. A couple of weeks ago I walked into work and my manager said, "Wow, people from Rexburg are really interesting." I asked him why and he told me they had a guy from Rexburg pull up to the curb, start running for the terminal, someone yelled at him he couldn't leave is Cadillac Escalade parked there. He threw them the keys and said take it, I'm leaving the country, they're after me! He then ran to the ticket counter and asked to be booked on the next flight out, he kept repeating "They're after me." My co workers decided it would be prudent to call the police in. He ended up missing the flight, but after the officers said he was o.k. to travel, they booked him on the next flight and he headed out of the country. Last week I was talking to Jackson about some of the things that have gone wrong while building this auditorium ( a guy was killed when a car hit him, another was arrested in a drug bust) Jackson procedes to tell me it doesn't end there. Last week one of the guys on the project was arrested by the police because he had a gun out in front of his house and yelling "Their going to get me!" I couldn't help but start laughing. Then asked Jackson "Does he happen to drive an Escalade?" He found out the next day he did drive an Escalade and had just called from out of the country to turn his business over to a co-worker. Like I said, the spooks are coming out!

Two Words

Primary President

So much for thinking I wasn't going to keep busy! Today I was sustained as the new Primary president of our ward. Talk about a humbling experience. I'm a little nervous considering the last time I was in Primary was 11 yrs ago when Jackson and I were teachers. Even though I feel very under qualified, Heavenly Father has really given me peace of heart and mind. There is an article in this month's ensign with the quote. "The Lord can draw a straight line with even the most crooked of sticks." How comforting it is to know that he will qualify us for doing His work. I was able to call some amazing women for counselors and think we will be able to make a difference in the lives of these children. (Even if they are easily distracted and asking questions like "what's your name.")

Desperate Times call for Desperate Measures...
So as I mentioned before, when I was released from my calling in Young Women's I got a little nervous at what would keep me busy. PTO (same as PTA) sign ups were happening at that time so I figured it would be a good opportunity for me to get involved with the kids schools. I guess I went a little overboard (as usual), I signed up to be Jared's room mother, Isaac's school Value Representative (more work then I planned) and to help with the school Halloween Carnival. So last night was the school carnival. I planned to help with the Spook Alley and after agreeing to be room mom, found out I had to set up a game in Jared's teachers room. I figured with Jackson's help it would be o.k. Only to find out Isaac's scout leaders had chosen the same night to have their campout and Jackson had to go. So I had 3 hours to decorate two rooms and get the kids and myself dressed up in our costumes. Again a little overboard! So let me just say I did bring my camera to take pictures but of course found no time to actually take some. The teacher room turned out good. I did monster operation, where I took a Scarecrow made out of garbage sacks (refer to last years pictures) laid it out on the table, then put canisters underneath and cut holes in the sacks so kids could stick their hands through and feel the various things. I did latex gloves filled with jello for the hands, wet spaghetti for the intestines, a tomato with the skin off for the heart, aqua gems for the brains and frozen green olives for the toes. I guess it was a pretty big hit. They had college students running the games. I was busy at the spook alley taking tickets and trying to explain to parents that if they didn't want the monsters to jump out they could take a "good fairy" with them. Which was a good idea, there were so many people I found myself having to shout and doing crowd control. My poor boys had to go off on their own to play the games, but what do you do? So by the end of the night I was completely exhausted, which led me to do something I couldn't help but do. I've been off of "the juice" (diet coke) for two months now which has been really good for me, but I couldn't help taking the kids to the good old Burger King and picking up a big Diet Coke and kids meals for them. Oh well, like I say "Desperate Times call for Desperate Measures." By the way Ben was Indiana Jones and Jared was Anikin Skywalker (we still use the costume mom) and I went as a pirate princess with my mickey mouse hat. I'll post pictures next Tuesday we have a Primary halloween party.

I'm officially an Idahonian

Yes, it's official. I went Potatato harvesting and had a great time! I didn't know there could be such satisfaction in digging for potatoes.

Treasure Hunt

In reading some blogs I have found that many peope were touched by President Monson's talk "Enjoy the Journey." I've been struggling lately (i think every woman does) with feeling overwhelmed and running around trying to get things done. I have heard quite a bit of councel lately to "slow down" and enjoy the moments. Monday, I had decided to take time to clean my house. Not such a great idea with three boys and their friends running around. I would clean one room and then come back to find it a mess again. I had just cleaned the kitchen and came in to find cereal all over the table, and certain items spread out. Automatically I found myself starting to get frustrated and upset, but then the words, "They won't be little for long," came into my head, so instead of getting upset, I decided to go on a little "treasure hunt" with my camera, so when they are long gone from the house I could remember those "little messes."

Cereal, a ball, and sucker
Found a trail of these candy corns down the stairs' I guess they missed the memo on no food downstairs

A Few Things.......Our Disneyland trip was a much needed vacation. We joined two of my sisters and families and went on a quest to find the shortest line and anywhere with air conditioning. Although now I am finding I'm missing the heat since it's been 27 DEGREES here! We enjoyed our favorite ride, Pirates of the Carribean, along with the Haunted Holiday Mansion. We stopped by the Teacups (it was quite amusing watching the kids try and walk afterwards) and Thunder Mountain, Tower of Terror and cooled off at Splash Mountain. Getting cooled off at Splash Mountain took a moment though, we found ourselves stuck in "the laughing place" for about 20 minutes. You know something has gone awry when the lights come on. We were the third ones in line to go up and had to be escorted out, what could you do but laugh? They did give us some fast passes to come back when it was operating again. We stopped and said "hi" to Jack the Skeleton and Sally, Mickey and Minnie and literally chased after Captain Jack Sparrow. We enjoyed munching on Power Packs (string cheese,yogurt,apples and a drink with color changing straw) candied apples, lollipops and cotton candy.) The highlight was my sister's friends being in the right place at the right time, they got us some Dream Fast Passes which has tabs with different rides and you can go through the fast pass line with them, that rocked!

Some things overheard on this trip:

"Would you like me to take your picture" (Lara)

"Please don't step on the animation" (Guy helping us out of our log)

"I like Ben'" (Lulu,said with a sheepish grin, she wouldn't hold anyone else's hand)

"Can I have a stuffed animal?" (Jared, about a million, trillion times)

"Let just stay here one more minute" (Auntie, staking out for Dream Fast Passes)

"I'm done" (Uncle Jake)

"I'm married to Mark" (Adam after waiting for Lara to finish another conversation with complete stangers)

"Daniel Boone!!!" (Libby, trying to get auntie and Lara to get a move on while talking to more strangers) FYI: Daniel Boone is what our Aunt and Uncle would yell if they were in a crowd and couldn't find one of their kids. At one time they were visiting with my cousin in New York and were in Soho when one of them got lost. They started yelling at the top of their lungs "Daniel Boone" much to the emabarrassment of my cousin.

Tea Cups with the Uncles
Thunder Mountain
Escaping the Laughing Place
Lara's in the white shirt
In line for the Matterhorn


Getting Buggy

Lara after terrorizing kids on the bumper cars
Auntie and Jake
Silouhettes we had done

(the lady did them free handed)
Adam with the Dream Fast Passes

Off the Air.......
Programming has been interrupted for some much needed R & R with Mickey and Minnie.

Who Knew This

Plus This

Could Equal This

Yep, it's that time of year again, Potato Harvest. The kids get out of school for a week and a half. So, instead of going and picking potatoes, we go on vacation! We're heading back to Disneyland this year along with my two sisters. The boys have never been to California Disney (Except for Bennett but just for a minute) so it will be fun to take them on rides they haven't really been on.

My sister Lara tagged me for telling what some of my quirks are, so here it goes,

I've used this one before, but I'll tell you again, I don't like it when people sneeze more then two times, it just puts everything off.

I have to have the cupboard and pantry doors shut. If they are open I immediately have to go shut them.

I'm an organize freak, that doesn't necessarily mean I'm a clean freak, just that things have to be structured in my head. For example I plan way ahead on how I will get off the exit on a freeway.

I have to have my blinds open.

At work I hate it when people come up through the exit even though there is no line. (I think it goes against my organized theory)

I'm sure there are more but I can't think of any now.