Elections

Well elections came and went. I fouind myself compulsively eating the three days before and eating out of depression for a week afterward. The thing that makes me the saddest about Oboma winning the election is that I now feel out numbered. I feel scared to be honest. Scared of the unknown and my greatest fears coming alive. My imagination might be too strong and the only thing that I can rely on is my hope.

 I think that I said it most elequantly on facebook November 7th, "After the results. I am thinking that there is nothing more important than teaching my children right from wrong. Nothing else matters but teaching them to distinguish truth from error, right from wrong. God has always been with his righteous and He will continue still to abide with them. I can only feel sorry for the ones who do not. Join with me in teaching our children to live a virtuous life."

 

My little girls need to understand the role that God has planned for them. That the only way to save America is to live righteously. That is where I draw my strength and my hope for the future from, because if I couldn't do that, than I would be a basket case who is afraid of the world and its end. My kids are the light of the future for me.

 

Wednesday, we went to the edge of the lake and took some pictures. It was fun, and humbling. I still have so much to learn about in order to be a good photographer. But my subjects were beautiful despite my limited efforts.

 

 Tsadakah's best friend, Julianne, came with us. It was a wonderful fun play date. These girls play so well together and they are silly and giggly. I was just like that.

 Got to love a good lolli! :)

 Thursday night Mike's mom and dad came to stay. It was nice to visit with them. The next morning George and I went through all of his Vietnam pictures. We spent precious hours talking about his memories and figuring out the people in the photos. Seriously it was great. I can't wait to make his book for him. :)

Tsadakah's wonderful school held a powerful assembly honoring Veterans. George didn't like the attention. He said that he did it all for Tsadakah's sake. So sweet! This picture is from him coming in with the others. They played a patriotic song and I was crying right away! He had told me that when he came home the service men were not honored or recognized. In fact they changed in the airport to avoid being spit on or ridiculed. So it touched me so much to be part of the first people to ever recognize him with respect and appreciation.

 The assembly was beautiful and the music was inspirational. The children sang songs that I have never heard before even. Tsadakah sang "Your A Grand Old Flag." Can you see her in this picture? In the end they all sang a song that was beautiful and melodious. Tsadakah told me that she had cried during one of their practices. At the end they called each veterans name and gave a class made award. There was a verean who was recognized as a Prisoner Of War. There was a standing ovation for him. He humbly accepted that response and went around shaking people's hands. What a hero! What and honor that would have been to have had him shake my hand. Better than a celebrety.

 Tsadakah giving Grandpa some sugar. We were so grateful that he and Carol were able to come and I want it to become a tradition.

 I kept MiKaylah entertained by taking her picture over and over again. She was pretty good for the most part except that she insisted on taking off her tights.

 One Saturday I had my biggest event of the year for my calling, Super Saturday. It really went so well. I was so happy with it. I had an amazing group of woman on my commitee and they came together to pull off one great event. They were there without complaint for the set up, the crafts and the clean up.

Here are some of the crafts that we did, just a few. These were beautiful wall hangings that were all the craze! We had the most sign ups for this one. Jenn Bullock was super amazing and on top of everything for it.

 This is one that we found on line and had to have. Originally it was from etsy. We bought the packets and they were well worth every penny! They are GORGEOUS! I can't wait for Christmas just so that I can display them.

 And these votives were a beautiful project that didn't take long or cost much and were the perfect gift for extended family.

I had a great first Super Satuday.

Halloween 2012

On Sunday, October 28th, our ward had the Primary Program. I was really excited about it because it was Eliannah's first year. Tsadakah did well and she read a scripture John 13:15. I didn't have her memorize it but I was just as proud of her for being able to read almost every word herself. Impressive girl. Eliannah memorized her part. She said, "I can invite the Spirit into my life by singing church songs." she said it loud and clear. I was very proud of her. I blew her a kiss. I love the kids that act naughty up there because it is funny. But when she was standing on her chair or puting her feet up on the stand I was a little embarassed. I love my little girls. MiKaylah fell asleep in my arms which was so nice that I could enjoy the program without having to fight her wanting to go up with her big sisters.

 

Monday, Eliannah was invited to a halloween party play date. She got to dress up and she had a good time. She was treated like a guest of honor. I was practicing really hard to be prepared and on top of things.

 

Tuesday night we went to the ward Trunk-or-Treat. It was such a good time and the Primary who was in charge of it when all out! The arranged for the backdrops for these darling foto opps! And there was a chili cook contest. I made White Chicken Chili and we were actually on time! First ward halloween party that has ever happened for (like I said, I am working on my organization and preparation skills :).

 

 Ellie and Tsadakah.

 I had a sudden realization that Eliannah could use this wig and be Ariel Wedding Bride. Even better. She was so happy when I told her that. That wig stayed on the entire night!

 Look at this DARLING carriage shaped like a pumpkin! Every little girls dream. Seriously, they did a great job.

 Sitting around the table eating our chili. I tired a lot of them cause I love to sample everything. My girls were enphatic about the carriage and spent little time eating. We were so blessed to sit with Emily and her daughter that evening. She is so sweet! I like talking to her.

 This is Tosh. He is Kyson's older brother, in the same class with Tsadakah we used to teach that class ans he was excited to show me his costume. I think that it was so great. it even had the boots. He corrected Mike in saying that he was just a pirate, he was Captian Jack Sparrow.

 I think that we have a ham.

 But a beautiful one!

 Eliannah was with Kyson the whole dinner time. They really are best friends. *I love MiKaylah's face in this picture.

 Outside the Youth organized the activities. There was a cake walk, where kids won dirt and worm cupcakes.

 Fishing.

 And the Trunking of course.

It was a wonderful evening and my chili was one of the first to be gone! :) even though I didn't win the contest. :(

For Halloween Mike stayed home to give out candy so that I could be the one to take the kids around. FUN! My two little ones were done after 2 cultasacs so I took them home to mike and went out with just Tsadakah. We had such a good time! I know that she felt like such a big girl. we would fill up her bucket, take it home to dump and then go out again. I really wanted to get to the end of the street so that I could see if the extremely well decorated houses gave out big candy bars. But it was just too far cause we kept going in all the circles. So at the very end I drove her over to them. All they gave out was tiny candy!! bummer. Well at least we know for next year. :)

*Oh, and in the morning when Tsadakah woke up she said, "Mom you have always said that you wanted to have a baby on Halloween and it is too late for you to have one this Halloween but I will pray for you to have Malachi next Halloween." And then she really did. She has been praying for a little brother for years. lol May the faith of a child work.

On Friday my friend Elizabeth got married. Her newe husband is great and we think the world of him. Mike was able to work a half day so that he could be there with me. I was so grateful for that because from the temple to their reception there was 3 accidents on the freeway. It would have done me in! He is so my hero! I also liked having him there. It was nice to catch up with my high school friends who I haven't seen in forever.

Saturday we had Mike's sister over and I took their family pictures. It was fun. They stayed for dinner and Mike smoked a turkey. My favorite part was when she played Life with Tsadakah. I think that it is good for Aunts to bond with nieces.

Happy Halloween!

Pre-Halloween Activities

What a week of fun! We have really been able to enjoy my favorite holidays and all of its festivities!

For FHE on Monday night we carved pumpkins. Mike loves the carving part and he helped each of the girls do theirs. I think that it is so cute that he even cut out the little details that they asked for, like eye lashes on Eliannah's princess pumpkin. He is such a good dad.

 MiKaylah is in this funny stage where she raises her hand and says, "me too, me too!" it is so cute! I had to take a picture to always remember it. :)

 I was all about the decorating. We did markets, paint, and melting crayons on them. All of which gave Mike anxiety. lol

 We went tout to the front porch to light them. It was cold.

 Tsadakah's scary clown vampire pumpkin and MiKaylah's happy pumpkin.

 Eliannah's princess pumpkin. *She was a little obsessed with the painting. she mixed paint after paint until it was black and then she covered her pumpkin. lol

 On Wednesday we had play dates. Tsadakah played with her friend from school, Julianne, and Eliannah had Kyson over. Kyson is her "best" friend. When I was subbing in her Sunbeams class she kissed him. I was shocked! It was funny, but I wondered if it was the first time or if it had happened before.

Thursday we had Dr. apt. Tsadakaah was seriously scared of the flu shot. She wouldn't do it. I promised her we would order pizza for dinner if she would. So I went ahead and ordered it so that it would be ready by the time we finished with the Dr. Well turns out that they did have the mists so she didn't have to have the shot AND she still got pizza! Lucky ducky.

Friday, Tsadakah got out of school early and we went to the Goforths for a play date. Brittany was sweet and even went to the store and got tonz of Halloween craft ideas for the kids to do. Tsadakah of course loved every minute of that! :)

When we got home it was time to run around like chickens with our heads cut off so that we could get ready for the school's trunk-or-treat. We took Braden from our car pool and he was fun. I told his mom that it was our practice for a boy...if we ever have one! lol

 Tsadakah and Anika, what great friends!

 MiKaylah was looking at one of those bowls that has the motion detecting hands in the candy bowl. She was so cute scared! Made  me laugh!

The sunsets for a whole week were all so great! Why am I always in a bad spot or too busy on those nights? Well I got the best pictures of it that I could.

 Abby (we are so glad she attends school with Tsadakah!) Eliannah, Tsadakah, and MiKaylah.

 Sunset!

 Tsadakah's kindergarten teacher was there with her husband dressed adorably as Mary Poppins and the Chimney sweep guy, lol Had to get her with them!

 This year Mike dressed up as a fireman. He is on the ERT team at work and he got this whole uniform for free! Awesome perk!! He loves his job and just got promoted to the MAP plant. They are getting it ready fro opening. So while he was there a little girl came over to him and gave him a hug saying, "Look, mommy, a firefighter! He's a hero!" So stinking cute!

 Then on Saturday we went to my parent's house for an awesome Halloween party. My brother and sisters were there. I just LOVE the dressing up and the fun activities. We had a caramel apple bar and bobbing for apples. My mom made amazing chili too. I planned a dancing game that took off and everyone loved it. We played it longer than I thought we would. :) We free style danced and then when the music stopped you had to add a dance step to the ones that danced before you and if you forgot someones step than you were out.

 Here are some pictures of my girls. MiKaylah was Super Girl. no, no, she was a "Super Hewooo! Yay!"

 Eliannah was a "Wedding Bride."

 Tsadakah was a pink fairy. She planned this costume herself and I think that it is perfect because it defines her right now. So into being All Girl (makes me so proud) and wanting to be just like her mommy (I was the blue fairy from Pinocchio.)

 A picture doesn't get any better than this!

 Eliannah has this new smile for pictures.

 Her hair, because every bride has to have a fancy do!

 Tsadakah getting ready to take flight.

 My dad was an Arab. Tsadakah didn't get it. She kept asking him what he was an no matter how he explained it she didn't know what he was. lol

 Here I am, the blue fairy.

 Our little Halloween Family. I love them each so much! Almost as much as I love Halloween! :P