Halloween

Look closely...this is the only time you'll see Darth Vader and a Clone Trooper hugging! (And they even did this without being asked! Wow!)

Baby Aidan is a teddy bear, but the boys call him an E-Wok (I hope I spelled that right!) to go along with their Star Wars Theme.

Pumpkin Carving Time!

Last Friday, we invited Jason's brother, Travis, and his wife, Trudy, and their kids to come over for some dinner and to let the kids carve their pumpkins. The kids all had a lot of fun and did a great job on their pumpkins...with a little help from the adults!

My nieces, Taylyn and Taydem.

My nephew Talen. He has the best grins!

Gavin & Connor.

Jason's brother, Travis, and his wife, Trudy.

All of the kids sitting in front of their pumpkins. We tried to put Aidan to bed a couple of times, but I think he was all too aware that he was missing out on some fun with his brothers and his cousins, so we let him get back up and come out and play.

What to do on Standby at the Airport...

We happened to fly home through San Francisco on a day that had terrible rain and winds in San Francisco, so we were on standby in northern California for a while until it was safe to fly into San Francisco. We finally got a later flight out, but missed our connection in San Francisco. Luckily, we were able to get on the last flight home out of San Francisco that night. We spent a lot of time just waiting in airports, but we were so glad that we got home that night and didn't get stuck in San Francisco that late at night.

Happenings in California

While in California for my brother's wedding, we were also able to spend some time visiting with family. My cousin, Jaydie, was there who I haven't seen for quite a few years. She had two little boys that my boys had a lot of fun playing with. We all took a walk to the beach one night, and the kids had a blast. My cousin, Jaydie, and I even got in the water. It was really chilly, but fun!

Gavin stood at the edge of the water like he was surfing! He loved it.

Aidan really liked my dad's dog, Elvis. Elvis is usually really scared of people he doesn't know, but he seemed to do okay with Aidan petting him. Aidan was actually really soft with him.

My Brother's Wedding

We're so glad that we were able to make it to California for my brother's wedding. It was a really beautiful wedding next to the beach. Aaron and Lyndsi read their own written vows, and they were married by Lyndsi's Grandma. It was a really nice ceremony.
Connor helped with the flower pedals.

Gavin was the ring-bearer.

Lyndsi and Aaron.

Here's our family at the reception which was held in a beach-house. It was really pretty especially as the sun went down over the water.

Time to Dance!

Fern Canyon

My dad and step-mom took us to a place called Fern Canyon and it was so beautiful there. We had been there once before when Gavin was just a baby so it had been a while. The kids really liked it. Aidan went for a walk with Grandpa and learned how to throw rocks in the little river there. Laurie, Jason, the two big boys and I went on a little hike through the woods.

Here's Connor pointing up to how tall the trees are there. It was so green and beautiful.

Highlights from General Conference

Last weekend was General Conference where we get to hear the prophet speak and also hear from members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and other Church leaders. I love Conference. It's so refreshing to hear about things that help me to keep an eternal, positive perspective on life. I always hear something that makes me want to better.
So here are a few of my favorite highlights:
(Sorry, this post ended up a little bit longer than I meant it to...feel free to pick and choose your way through!)

One of my favorite talks was by Elder Bednar. He mentioned three things that need to be done in the home. 1. Express love and show it. 2. Bear testimony and live it. 3. Consistency. Then he mentioned how scripture and prayer, Family Home Evening, etc sometimes went in his home...when spiritual efforts were interrupted by his children making comments like, "He's touching me. Make him stop looking at me. He's breathing my air!" I immediately thought...oh good...my family's normal! But, he also went on to say that although righteous habits didn't seem to immediately yield the results he and his wife wanted, that their adult children would now say that what they remember is that as a family they were consistent. He also went on to compare consistency to a painting...how individual brush strokes work together to make a beautiful painting, that each scripture study and prayer can lead to significant spiritual results laying the foundation of a great work. Wow, what comfort.

I also really enjoyed Elder Uchtdorf's message of love. Every other Commandment hangs on the principle of love, that Divine love transforms reluctant compliance into consecration...a life with meaning and wonder. Love is the way of the disciple of Christ.

I liked Elder Callister's talk about modern revelation. He asked: "Does God still love us?" "Does God still have the same power as in days of old?" "Do we need him as much as in days of old?" Yes. He is the same today, yesterday and always. Through the restoration of the Gospel, Joseph Smith helped put the pieces together in the Gospel. Were there not angels and visions in Christ's time? So are there today.

Elder Anderson had a great analogy of repentance. He said that for most people repentance is more of a journey than a one-time event...that repentance is like climbing a tree-covered mountain...sometimes we don't see our progress until we get to the top. Healing requires time. Repentance always means that there is greater happiness ahead...it brings peace to our conscience.

President Monson talked about love of the Gospel and of others. He said that often we live side by side but don't communicate heart to heart. At baptism, we covenanted to bear one anothers burdens to make them light. He asked, "How often have you intended to help, but left it to others...getting caught up in the busyness of life...finding that we've immersed ourselves in the thick of thin things. We're the Lord's hands here on earth.

Elder Holland spoke boldly in defense of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. Before Joseph Smith was martyred, he bore powerful testimony of the truthfulness of the book to the guards that held him. Elder Holland then asks...would Joseph Smith and the men held with him blaspheme before God...never mind that their wives and children would be left without them...whether in this hour of death these men would quote from and find solace in the Book of Mormon if it was false...they would rather die than deny the truth of this book. The Book of Mormon has been examined and attacked like no other book in religious history and still it stands. Elder Holland's grandfather said that no wicked man could write such a book and no good man would unless he was commanded of God.

Elder Cook talked about living a life of virtue and chastity. He said that opposite to the saying "What happens in a certain city, stays in a certain city" that he saw a sign that said, "What happens in Shaver County, Utah you can share with your friends." I love that!

Elder Christofferson talked about how in today's world when we call sin wrong, it's called a value judgment...self-discipline has eroded...there's a lack of internal control in society. Gentlemanly behavior used to restrain...now restraining orders are used to stop sexual harassment. Then he said that societies will struggle in vain until sin is called sin. Moral discipline is learned at home. We must declare the need to keep the commandments. The pure Gospel of Jesus Christ must go into the hearts of our children through the Holy Ghost for them to become truly converted. They will become true disciples of Christ. Then he said that children shouldn't have to learn through sad experience that wickedness never was happiness. All of us experience temptation...so did the Savior, but He gave no heed to them.

President Monson concluded the Conference saying may we say with the people of King Benjamin (in the Book of Mormon) that we believe because of the Spirit which has wrought a mighty change in us that we have no disposition to do evil, but good continually.

Here are the kids in their "tent" just like the people in King Benjamin's time (in the Book of Mormon) turned their tents towards the temple to listen to the prophet speak. The kids were actually really good for Conference. They played Bingo with M&Ms and listened for Church-related words to be said. Gavin got really into it because every time they got Bingo, they got to eat their candy. He'd start yelling out random words like, "in there, gospel, testimony, true." And I'd say, those are all great words and I'm really glad you're listening, but those aren't the pictures on your Bingo. It was really cute.

Here are the kids Conference Activity Books that we made the day before Conference.

Becoming Like Little Children

Lately, Gavin has been having trouble with a neighbor boy who has been mean to him. Gavin really wants to be his friend, but so far no matter what Gavin does, this little boy yells mean things at him at which point Gavin usually just goes home. I tried to tell Gavin to stick up for himself, to yell something mean back so that he knows that Gavin's not an easy target to bully. Gavin said he didn't know if he wanted to do that, although one day he did tell him to quit being a bully and asked him how they could be friends. The little boy told him that if Gavin buys him ice cream he can be his friend. Gavin was really excited about this until I said absolutely not...that anyone who was a true friend wouldn't need you to buy their friendship. Nothing much more was said until one day at the breakfast table Gavin offered the prayer. This was one of those moments where I realized that I have so much to learn and how sweet and tender the feelings of little children can be...where I realized that no wonder Christ has asked to to become as little children. Gavin's prayer went something like this, "Dear Heavenly Father, Please help my neighbor to not be a bully anymore. Please help him to make better choices so we can be friends." The Spirit of that prayer was so sweet that I almost cried. Here was a little boy being so mean to my son and my automatic response was the mean-protective-mama bear that told my son to fight back. Wow was I wrong. Gavin has the right of it, and I know that with that kind of love in his heart for others only good things will come.