This Week....

Life is crazy, busy, overwhelming and going faster than I like. Here is a little about all the craziness....

1. Sunday family dinner with visiting brother in-law.


2. Monday, family shopping for name gifts. We each draw a name then we go to Target and have a $20.00 limit. It can be tricky at times.


3. Tuesday, baked rolls for Relief Society dinner and did prep work for Young Women's dinner.


4. Wednesday was a half day for school. Kenzie and friends hung lights for Winter Formal this weekend. Jensen was buried in homework study packets, poor Alec was bored and lonely as I was working on Christmas cards, preparing for the dinner party, doing laundry and cleaning house. We had 30 YW and leaders at our home for the annual YW dinner. It was a fabulous night.


5. Thursday, finally made it back to my trainer (after 2 1/2 months of back problems), errands, Post Office (need I say more), finished Christmas cards and put them in the mail, started organizing for Winter Formal and Scott's birthday.


6. Friday...I am tired and now comes the really busy stuff. Baking dessert for Nutcracker cast party, cast treats for Jensen's friends, dinner tonight for Kenzie's formal group, cinnamon rolls for the girls to take to their dates tomorrow morning and then the Formal dinner tomorrow night at our house.

Lots of baking, cooking, cleaning and entertaining. So much fun! This is what it is all about. I can't believe that everything came on the same week.

Jensen is in her last weekend of the Nutcracker. YEAH!! Right now she is suffering from a terrible cold and laryngitis. Poor Girl!

Tomorrow we start with cinnamon rolls for a bunch of great, cute boys. We are hosting the Formal dinner, doing make up and hair for Kenzie and Amanda and taking pictures.

Tis the Season!

Family Photos

This week I was finally able to get our family together for family photos. Just a few of my favorites. Jill was so fabulous!! She dealt with our scheduling problems, met us at the temple and took some fantastic photos. Thanks Jill!! They are beautiful and I can't wait to see the rest. You can check out Jill at www.benddownlow.blogspot.com

Spelling Bee

It is hard to believe that Alec is old enough to participate in the annual Spelling Bee at school. Boy, did we practice those words. Some of them were not very easy and I wasn't sure how to say them.

I think Alec was a little bit nervous at the beginning. It is not easy to stand up in front of people and spell words.

He did so GREAT! I was so proud of him. He made it to the fourth round. His word was "monopolize." I knew the minute they said it that he was thinking Monopoly. Not good. He even asked for the definition. That really confused him.

He left out one "o". Bummer! Although he did make it to the "Top Ten." He even received a medal for his efforts. That made his day.

Way to go Alec!!

Girl asks Boy

We embarked on new territory recently. Mackenzie decided she wanted to ask a boy to winter formal. This dance is a girl ask guy dance. So, the shy girl set a plan in motion.

Bat Girl

On a Tuesday night at 10:00 PM Krispy Kreme doughnuts were delivered to an unsuspecting young man...Tanner. It would be the first of 6 deliveries with clues. We enlisted the help of Bat Girl to deliver through out the next day.

The deliveries included Dr. Pepper, Chocolate Chip cookies, Ice Cream sandwiches, Homemade Cinnamon Rolls and the most delectable Chocolate/Brownie/Cheescake cake. Yes, all of the above were made from scratch with love.

Mackenzie eagerly awaited the reply. There were some up and down days. Senior girls were mad that a "Junior" girl had asked a Senior guy. In Mackenzie's credit, although technically she is a Junior, she is graduating with the Seniors and Mackenzie was smart and quick enough to ask him first. Better luck next time.

A week went by and still no reply. Oh, man it was getting hard. And then last Friday Tanner and his friends showed up with fishing line, helium, balloons and a sharpie.
The plan...tie balloons along a mile of fishing line, attach and have Mackenzie reel in to get her answer. Problem...very windy that day and the line with balloons kept going over the neighbors house and getting stuck.

Solution...leave one balloon attached to a rock send her to the park. The balloon said that he hoped her answer didn't "float" away.

Mackenzie and her posse came and found the "lone" balloon and off they went to the park. It was taking them a very long time. Unfortunately as the girls tried to undo the extremely long line of balloons, it got stuck and broke. Balloons and answer "floated" away.

Attempt #1

So, another waiting game ensued. I am sure Tanner was bummed that he had to reply yet again. Being the good sport that he is, he was up to the challenge. Boy, did he come through.

On Monday Tanner showed up with this cute poster and a gorgeous bouquet of roses. WOW! What a nice young man. What girl wouldn't love a dozen roses from a young man?

So, its official. Mackenzie has a date for Winter Formal. Now, get the dress, shoes, jewelry, plan the day-date, dinner and after dance activity. Let the fun begin!!

Thankful Tree

~Thankful Tree~

I borrowed this idea from my friend Shawni. She has the best ideas and I think this is just what my family needed for the upcoming holiday. Each day we put a couple of leaves on the tree and on the leaves we write what we are "Thankful" for. Some are spiritual, others are materialistic and so on.

Alec came home from church with this little Turkey sticker. He is our good deed turkey. Someone will do a secretive good deed and leave behind the sticker. Then it is your turn to do a good deed to someone else in the family.

We are full swing into gratitude, thinking of others and serving. Just what we needed this month. I am so proud of my family for jumping in and participating. Keep it up!

Life has been so crazy and full of changes. I have a hard time with change and not being in control. It has been difficult adapting to everything.

Last night I had the privilege of holding "Carter" for two hours. Nothing softens and melts your heart and troubles like a baby snuggling with you. Carter is the miracle baby for my friend Kristy. She and her husband waited and tried for 9 years until they were the wonderful recipients of this little miracle.

It was gracious of Kristy to let me snuggle with her little bundle. I could feel the stress, worry and troubles melting away. Thank you Kristy!

What brought me to this point are numerous emotions streaming through me. Living with constant pain (due to my back), inability to work out (which always releases my stress), daily stresses and the constant feeling that I am lacking as a YW's president.

It has become a snowball of stress and trials. I find it harder and harder to let things roll off of me.

I find our society is full of disrespect, know it alls and constant contention. How did it get this way and how do you raise your children to not fall into this mold?

Respect for adults, children, strangers, leaders... everyone! Why is it not shown and given more frequently and freely?

My wonderful husband says one of my biggest faults is that I always have to give 110%. Regardless of what it is I will give 110% and it will never be less than that. I find that a good work ethic has diminished. How are our children to learn if we do not show them by example?

As I pondered all of this I decided to set some end of the year goals. Be more observant to others, be more thoughtful, give more service and feed myself spiritually each day. If I focus on others, I will not get so down about myself. Wish me luck! I am off to serve!

Lately.....

It has been crazy around here lately. I am just now getting caught up on blogging. Alec was a great Harry Potter for Halloween. He had fun with his costume and wand. Thank you to great friends for lending us all the great Harry Potter stuff.

Alec as Harry Potter

For the ladies I visit teach and for Alec's school teachers, I made Witches shoes. They turned out so cute and would be perfect for a little girl's party.

In the middle of back pain, recoveries, etc.... Our YW's had YW in Excellence. It was a fantastic night. I made silhouettes of each of the YW. They turned out beautiful, if I don't say so myself. It was so fun for everyone to try and pick out the girls.

Of course, there were a few other crafts along the way, glitter pumpkins for Halloween, white tissue paper flower balls and lots of baking.
October just flew by. Now it is on to the holidays!