Halloween Video

Here is a Halloween safety video that our Teachers Quorum in the Ward made for our Ward Halloween party this past Saturday. Aaron is a minor star in it.

Autumn's Birthday!

I didn't do much ,but I made her favorite cake(apple spice)and we had a soup that she likes me to make. I asked her if it was a good choice for her dinner and she said it was delicious,so score for me.I was exhausted from my picture gathering the day before. The kids all find it fun to see all the old photos.We didn't get any pictures she doesn't like to be photographed when feeling gross.We did watch a fun old video(Pillow Talk)It makes me laugh.

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Grandma-isms

We had just finished having pizza for dinner,and my Mom had left the kitchen because she was finished, and I was still sitting at the table, she came back out carrying her big flower notebook, and she puts it in front of me and says"I can't eat all of this" and I said "that's good,because it's a notebook" and she opens it up and says and "I can't eat this either".I finally just put it away in her room.Then this morning when I was watching Autumn make something in the kitchen my Mom comes out and gets in front of us and says "You should sing Happy Birthday to me" I said"why it's not for another 7 months" She said" I don't have a very smart calender."She doesn't have a calender because she always cuts them up.Then when I was gone this evening she came out without some of her clothes on and told Austin she was ready to go.He said we aren't going anywhere, and go get your clothes on. A little embarrassing for poor Austin.

Hope

I have been very moody and feeling a little down, and of course I don't mean to come across this way. I know a few of my girlfriends have noticed this. One of my friends told me she remembered me feeling down last year about this time and she is right. I have been praying and reading to help me feel comforted and I have come across some very warm and inspiring talks and I wanted to share a few comments from them.
This is from Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf 2nd Counselor in the 1st Presidency of the LDS Church:
"The adversary uses despair to bind hearts and minds in suffocating darkness. Despair drains from us all that is vibrant and joyful and leaves behind the empty remnants of what life was meant to be. Despair kills ambition, advances sickness, pollutes the soul, and deadens the heart. Despair can seem like a staircase that leads only and forever downward.
Hope, on the other hand, is like the beam of sunlight rising up and above the horizon of our present circumstances. It pierces the darkness with a brilliant dawn. It encourages and inspires us to place our trust in the loving care of an eternal Heavenly Father, who has prepared a way for those who seek for eternal truth in a world of relativism, confusion, and of fear. The Lord has given us a reassuring message of hope: “Fear not, little flock.” God will wait with “open arms to receive” those who give away their sins and continue in faith, hope, and charity.
And to all who suffer—to all who feel discouraged, worried, or lonely—I say with love and deep concern for you, never give in.
Never surrender."
I also read Elder Wirthlins confrence talk. It was just what I needed to hear. Here are a few little snatches from it: "But whenever my steps led through seasons of sadness and sorrow, my mother’s words often came back to me: “Come what may, and love it.”
How can we love days that are filled with sorrow? We can’t—at least not in the moment. I don’t think my mother was suggesting that we suppress discouragement or deny the reality of pain. I don’t think she was suggesting that we smother unpleasant truths beneath a cloak of pretended happiness. But I do believe that the way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life.
If we approach adversities wisely, our hardest times can be times of greatest growth, which in turn can lead toward times of greatest happiness. There is an antidote for times such as these: learn to laugh.The second thing we can do is seek for the eternal."
The hardest thing is to take the first step to making a change in your thinking. I love the holiday's and yet I find myself depressed about Christmas, and yet it is the celebration of the birth of our Savior. I love the music, the scents and the stories, but hate the feeling of failure when you can't provide the Santa gifts. My kids love the season but feel the pressure of what they got or what they're giving to/from school friends and church friends. Everyone talks about the true meaning of Christmas but no one really knows. That is just a generality. A little dramatic. I am going to try a few different things this year to help, with some good suggestions from some friends.
I'm don't know if I'm even making sense, my children need my attention, so they are making it hard for me to concentrate. What I am trying to say is that Hope should be what gets us through all of this. If we don't have hope and allow ourselves to give in to despair, then we have lost the battle. So have hope!!

More Halloween Pic.s!

These guy's just crack me up.

Some of my scarry crew and some friends.

Ward Halloween unedited pictures!

When our Ward Halloween party was starting, the young men had a room for their booth and they were using a smoke machine,for the scary effect and it was loaned to them from their leader who is a fireman.So when they opened the door the smoke filtered out and set off the fire alarm so we had the fire department come and check it all out. All was well and the party went off Great.

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Wow, I wonder if I still know how to post!

My Dad came down from Seattle with his wife Marilyn and they stopped in to see us last Wed. I have a cute picture of my Dad helping Alden with reading homework. I showed him my blog ,but that was futile for he really isn't interested. Is this just a girl thing?It was a nice visit. They showed us pictures of their adventures in Africa and Chile.He's looking good for having two major heart surgeries.He's 77.Marilyn you look darn good too.

Gratitude!

I have been contemplating a lot about what I am grateful for. My friend April challenged her friends to share what they are grateful for. It is been really hard for me to sit down and share and usually this is any easy subject,because I feel so grateful for so much. I think I am going through a very difficult time and I am being tried,because I don't feel capable of sharing my feelings in an eloquent manner. Here I go anyways. I am so grateful for the gift our Savior gave to us by atoning for our sins,so we have the opportunity to repent and be forgiven and live eternally with him. This evening was a very hectic one and Alden had to go to bed earlier than usual.So of course we had a lot of commotion because of that. We all read scriptures as a family and we were saying prayer and you could hear Alden screaming still and saying why do you hate me while we were saying prayers. That was like torture for me,so after prayers, I took the Book of Mormon in and I told him I was going to read to him. Before I started to read I of course listened to him and discussed why he was so upset. When I finely calmed him down, I began to read from 3Nephi 19:19-30. This is where we were as a family tonight. I was trying to bring it to life for him,because it is when the Savior is talking to his disciples and they are praying to the father and I was explaining how wonderful that would be to be there and I could barely speak as I felt the warmth of the spirit as I was reading to him. For that moment I was hoping to reach within Alden so he could know of the Savior and his Heavenly Fathers love for him because he needed to hear this. It calmed my spirit and I could feel him relaxing as well.I might have tons of fear and stress,but yet the oppurtunity to repent and feel his encircling arms of love was all we needed for that moment. I'm sorry if this didn't come out right.I am truly grateful for this experience this night.
When I came out of the bedroom with Alden my Mother came out of her room asking me where this lady was sleeping that was sitting on her bed,so of course I went to look and I asked her if it was her dolls and she said no she was sitting on top of the dolls. I told her I couldn't see her maybe, she is your guardian angel, and then my Mom said" well she is out in the livingroom during the day sometimes and in her room sometimes in the later part of the evening".I told her I have never seen her, I asked her if she was young or an older lady and she said "she is older" , I said," oh thats interesting I Thought a spirit would be younger", and she told me "she is probably older so she could recoginize her",so I asked her if she recognizes her and she said "she looks familiar". Then she told me she was there on Sunday when we were having dinner and she wondered why I didn't offer her something to eat.I said ,"yeah probably" because I couldn't see her. By this time my mom was laying down and she has this very sad look in her eyes,such and old look and yet so innocent. I told her she was closer to Heaven then I am. She told me she was gone now. I felt very at peace with all of this conversation after being in with Alden.

Moving rocks

We were suppose to be helping,but it looks way to fun.Look how hard we are working with Eric.I'll bet he really is looking forward to the next time we come down to help.

Game Day BSU vs Hawaii !

Lindsey came to watch the game with us and look at the goodies she brought.I think she should come for every game.Thanks,Lindsey!

You don't say!

In the middle of getting everybody out the door this morning, Alivia say's " Mom I know what kangaroos are made out of," and I am perplexed, "what?" "frogs"!That is amazing Alivia.

Kaden and Alivia were also very concerned about what time their friends birthday party is today, We have went over it, it is after Alden and Abby come home from school,oh, ok.On our way to preschool Alivia and Ashley Coltrin were arguing."No ,I'm going to Dal's party", "No, I am".Back and forth. I even told them they are going to the same party.Kid's do the darndst things.

Grandmaism's

Today when Austin got home from school, he asked" Grandma what's up "?She tells him she was ironing for a man, and of course Austin knows she isn't allowed to use the iron, So he questions her. Then the tears start and she gives more of her story of today,how she was doing a whole bunch of filing for Kim and she didn't even appreciate it. Of course I let them know to just let her believe her stories,because it really doesn't matter. Then Austin tells his Grandma" I wasn't trying to make you sad, I was just asking how your day was.Then she proceeds to tell him she was typing two boxes of stuff for some lady who is paying her,this has been one of those days. Steve and I went on a date tonight because we want to watch the BSU game tomorrow. When we came home, Grandma couldn't find her remote, and Steve not knowing where she stashes her items when she's rearranging couldn't find it. I did, so I put all her interesting items back where they really go. So I had to put something up in her bathroom, and on her counter she has a container that you put cotton swabs in that is nice looking and in it, there is water with and efferdent tablet, and her reading glasses soaking in it. She was explaining how they are suppose to soak overnight, I helped her understand she needed to put her teeth in the denture box with the water and the tablet.I think I need some chocolate.

Counting sheep...

They really do go to bed!

I wanted to see how my camera takes pictures in complete darkness,so I tested it on all my sleeping children.Aren't they precious!They will probably kill me when they see it. Katelynn was really funny,right after I took her picture she sat up in bed and tried to turn the light switch off, and then went right back to sleep.I don't recall her even opening up her eyes. I can't stop smiling. It is the end of the day.

2008 school photo's

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Great Weekend!!

This weekend was our Stake Confrence, and Steve had leadership Saturday afternoon and then he came home had dinner and we watched our Beloved BSU for 45 min., before we left for the adult session.Of course we were taping our game and warned of talking to us at all until we saw the game ourselves.There was a couple who spoke on getting to the Temple and how sweet it was to have gone to the Temple and having all of her brothers and sisters and their spouses and her Mom there with them. Her Dad had died the year before but she said she knew he was there to. I thought of my own family and how much I look forward to the day that we will all be able to attend the Temple together, I'm hoping that will be when Alivia goes through the Temple down the road a bit. This means a lot to me This is why I sacrifice certain things and work hard at being worthy of my covenants. I want my family together forever. I love them.In between talks they sang, As Sisters in Zion, We'll bring the world his truth song. It makes me want to cry,I remember Ashley and Amber singing this song with the young men in our ward and Stake often,and it was always powerful,this was no different.Lots of sweet memories.I Was very moved by the whole meeting,and I went home and calmly watched my favorite team win against Southern Miss.
On Saturday Alden went and picked grapes at Ethans house for his Mom,she said Alden had done such a good job the day before he was welcome back and sent two bottles of homemade grape juice and some more grapes.So he got up on Sunday and was determined to make grape juice. I didn't want an enormous breakdown so I just went with it.He got out the big pan and we put water in it, and then put the grapes in our big stainless steel collander, and put a lid over it. Alden thought about it for a moment and got another big pan and put it in between the water pan and the collander and we put foil around the holes in the colander that we could see. We heated it and sure enough it softened the grapes and we smashed them easily and made grape juice. We didn't finish the whole process tell after confrence though. Then we drank it with our dinner.He was so proud!What a shame I didn't take pictures of all his work.
At confrence on Sunday, there was a sweet young lady who spoke on optimism in life and in the gospel.I wish I could write it down, it was very well done and I felt so lifted after it, I think I am pretty opimistic and it really is a choice and I feel so much better and accomplish so much more because of it. I love all my sweet lady friends, because every single one of you seem to carry this gift.I Feel lifted when I am with you and feel better afterwards.I love the Gospel and I hope it shows or I am doing something wrong. I love my Heavenly Father, and my Savior Jesus Christ, I am so thankful for his sacrifice for us.

Look Dad, I did it myself!

Alivia buttoned her shirt (after unbuttoning it) by herself, on the way home from Pre-school.

Hard core Fan

This is Kim getting the chillins ready for school. She is truly a fan!

Austin's Senior Photo Shoot.

Steve taking a picture of what was going on during his photo shoot. It was such a beautiful evening for it.

The Munson Family minus a few.

You can never get everyone looking at the camera. Alivia was not cooperating that night.

Ashley's quick visit,we're eating Ashley's birthday orange rolls.

Grandmaism's

If you can't laugh about these things, you cry, so I choose to laugh. Grandma came out of her bedroom and was looking around and she seemed to be in a hurry, so I asked her what she needed and she said she couldn't find the bathroom. So of course I directed her to the bathroom she was right in front of. Later that day she couldn't find her bedroom. I think yesterday was an off day for her,however she was in a pretty good mood.

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I CAN CROSS MY EYES!

Everyone had to try it.

Can you cross your eyes?

Ashley didn't want any pictures taken because she felt gross after traveling,but then she got this wild idea of trying to cross her eyes and she wanted to see what it looked like.Only she can't seem to cross them.