Big changes

I have unfortunately had little time to document the past 4 weeks. They have been busy and wonderful and full of many blessings.  Jonathan was serving double duty with Bishop and Stake Presidency up until last Sunday.  It was a bitter sweet experience to hear him release himself and call a new Bishop of our ward.  The man that was called will be great and his family is amazing.  I immediately felt the passing of the mantle and felt almost an emptiness and we closed another chapter in our family history.  Jonathan had me come up and bare my testimony in sacrament meeting which the spirit had prepared me was going to happen the night before.  I had completely lost my voice to a virus and struggled to make sound come out of my vocal chords.  I testified of Gods mercies to our family and compensatory blessings that have showered our home over the past 3 years.  The time was like a sweet passing dream and we both learned better how to care for each other and the people around us.  I loved watching him serve and succeed and sometimes fail and learn and grow and be better the next time.  I learned that every member is needed in a ward and we serve to help bring God's children back to him.  I am excited about his new calling and pray for the same kind of growth and blessings to happen within our family.  It was strange to go to sacrament meeting today and not have him there.  He was attending another ward.  Cannon was the first to look up to the stand for his daddy and notice he wasn't in his normal seat.  He said, "Where is daddy?"  I tried to explain he was in another building but he didn't really get it.  It was strange to not go to his office after meetings or see him in the halls.  It was a sweet treat however to come home from church and have him here for lunch and for the kids to see him for a short time before he was off again.  I love him and the service he gives.  We are fast approaching Christmas and the kids are now out of school for the next 19 days which I love!

Happy November

 The family treated me to a great birthday!  Here is to one more year before the big 40!

 Cannon thought this wig was pretty stylin.  Emily was trying to teach him how to do the peace sign

 First real snowfall of the season brought out all the winter gear and smiles.  Alyssa played outside for almost 5 hours that day.

 Creative Emily even made her own snow sculptured recliner chair.  Go Emily!

 Katy was such a nice sister and helped the little girls make a great snowman complete with face and arms!

 Alyssa celebrated Thanksgiving in style in her school class.  She got to help make pumpkin pie that was cooked in the school oven and I was able to make all the Pilgrim hats for their feast.

cute little Janey followed her brother's footsteps and had her tonsils and adenoids out and tubes put in the Tues. before Thanksgiving. She has been a perfect little patient and has been showered with Popsicles by all her friends!

We have so much to be thankful for this past week. Jonathan was called into our new stake presidency, we celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary, Jane came through her surgery great and everyone one was healthy and able to celebrate a very fun Thanksgiving weekend. We ate far too much turkey, attended the temple, had fun family movie nights, put up our Christmas decorations, played with friends and family and enjoyed beautiful weather.

halloween fun!

 Cannon, Janey, and I got to be helpers at Alyssa's field trip to Hee Haw Farms.  What a great place that is.  They loved the hay ride, petting zoo, pumpkin picking, and corn maze.  The weather held out and it was such a fun morning

 This is going in my yard someday.  I giant box of dried corn kernels.  They had a blast and no sticky sand to brush off.

 Jane and Alyssa were both very brave in petting the baby pigs,  not so much the cow!

 Mini mouse and spider witch came to help me at Emily's class party

 I am glad Katy is still young enough to want to dress up.  Her and two of her friends went as the 3 fairies from Sleeping beauty. She made her costume and loved it

 We couldn't have asked for nicer weather on Halloween afternoon to finally carve our pumpkins.  We weren't sure we were going to squeeze it in but we finished just in time for a dinner of hot dog mummies and a fun night of trick or treating.  I loved that the mess was all outdoors.

 My little trick or treaters set and ready to bring in the loot. Katy had already left for her friends.  They all brought home quite the stash and I was thrilled when they asked if they could sell it to me.  I was happy to do so and now Jonathan is stocked at his office for his students for the next year at least.

                                        My little fireman making sure the candles were all lit properly!

October at a glance!

Jacob and Hunter finished up a great soccer season.  Both of them made the team a great success.  They improved their skills and loved being key players.  Go Titans!

Katy had her first choral concert with her women's chorus at school.  She is really developing her vocal skills and was picked one of two sopranos to represent her school in an honors jr. high school choir in January.  Very exciting for her.

                                     Cannon sporting his first mo hawk compliments of Emily

We spent a gorgeous afternoon of UEA break on BYU campus walking around on their new beautiful south campus path complete with waterfalls and duck ponds.  The kids loved being there and what made it even funner was we randomly ran into two of their cousins and met Jessica and Josh for lunch outside the Wilk.  It was so warm and was a perfect day!

                                                          Band of Brothers!
I couldn't resist a picture of my two cute girls in their straightened hair look.  They were having so much fun coloring pictures at the table and even put on their twiner shirts.  I love that they are best friends.

Sept at a glance!

We started out the month running the 5k steeple to steeple temple race in south Jordan.  The only city with 2 temples has an annual race between the two temples.  The proceeds all go to help those who can't afford to get to the temple have the means to go.  It was great fun and Jonathan and I ran our 3.2 miles in a record time for us finishing in 26 min and 45 sec.

Our little Eliza Jane is 4 years old.  She wanted a princess cake and Mommy was pleased to oblige.  We had a picnic at our new favorite park in Alpine with her best friend Paige and family.  It rained hard while we ate but the kids didn't seem to mind playing in it.

          She got her long awaited bike with training wheels that Dad stayed up till midnight sprucing up!

                 Cannon found the water features great fun despite the cold and rain!

                  Katy decorated her first cake for her good friend Sophie's birthday present.  She did a great job.  We have an up and rising cake decorator in our mist.

       Emily and Katy had their first piano recital Sept. 14th.  They were both nervous but practiced hard and did a great job.  Katy even played a song she had written and it was beautiful.

Lissy Lou is 6!  We decided to have birthday breakfast since Mom would be singing in the General RS broadcast that night.  We found this cake design on line and fell in love with the idea of a crayola based birthday party.  Alyssa loves to color and draw so it was a perfect fit.  She had 10 little friends over in their pj's for pancakes, coloring, painting, and presents.  What a blast!

A fun photo shoot outside for a present for Grandma Moon's 75th birthday quilt. 

General RS Choir, show time!

"Oh how glorious from the throne above, shines the gospel light of truth and love..." these words sum up the feelings of an amazing weekend as I had the opportunity to be part of the General Relief Society broadcast.  It is hard to express the experience in words.  We arrived at the Stake center at noon to be bussed by stake up to the conference Center. Our bus happen to break down about 5 blocks from the conf. center.  It was too hot to sit so we started the walk north.  We had gone about 3 blocks when another bus picked us up.  Come to find out the bus driver had just run out of gas, too funny.  We went through security and headed into the little theatre where we received a few instructions and then walked through the tunnels to the choir seats.  I was so happy that I got to sit by my friends from the 5th ward that we used to be a part of.  I feel like that was a tender mercy to get to know some of them better and to share in such a neat experience with them.  We rehearsed and had tech. checks and then were blessed to hear from Sister Beck.  The woman is so amazing and full of the spirit.  She shared how much the music would mean to sisters from around the world and how they would hear the messages of the songs.  She also shared why we were wearing white shirts, black skirts, and a corsage.  She said it is the uniform the Singing Mother's would wear during world war 2 and that is symbolized singing mother's around the world full of hope and faith.
We came back to the little theatre for a sack lunch/dinner and had  chance to freshen up before the live broadcast. I was so thankful to be there.  So thankful for health.  So thankful to know my kids were at home happy with their dad.  So grateful for the gospel.  We walked back into our choir seats at 5:30 and watched in awe as the conference center filled with thousands of women.  We were all nervous and excited but felt prepared.  at 5 till the hour President Monson walked in and the center went silent as everyone stood for he and the first Presidency to come in.  It was awesome to know they were so close.  We were the opening number and it was a thrill to sing "THe Morning Breaks".  I tried to just enjoy the moment and trust what I had learned and practiced.  The end verse says, "Angels from Heaven and truth from earth, have met and both have record born"  When we sang it I new we were being joined  by angels from beyond the Vail and we were singing beyond our abilities.  It was so amazing, I didn't want it to be over.  As we sat and listened to the first speaker I got a terrible cough in my throat. I felt like I was choking and I couldn't make it stop.  I didnt' want to distract and was in a panic and prayed to be ok.  Thankfully a sweet sister 2 down had a cough drop that saved me.  My nose was running my eyes were watering, I felt like I was a mess.  I finally got put together just in time to sing the second work which was "Sweet is the Work"  I will never think of those words the same again.  I sang with an understanding a testimony that this life is work and it can be oh so sweet.
We again sang beyond ourselves and know we were being helped.  The last two songs, Hark all ye Nations, and Now let us Rejoice both went great as well and it was  such a thrill to be singing with all those sisters.  It wasn't until after I found out I was on the jumbo tron for the whole song because I was directly behind the chorister, too funny.  Elder Uchtdorf spoke which was the icing on the cake and did a fantastic job.  I love listening to that man. I feel close to the Savior when I hear him speak. 
After it was over it was back out to the buses and on to home. We arrived about 9:30.  It was so fun to see my family and re watch the broadcast on TV.  I actually got a little air time which was very exciting and fun to show my kids. 
It was an amazing experience from first to finish and one I hope I will never forget.  I love the sister I go to experience it with and love Sister Waddly the director for all she taught me.  I hope I will have more opportunities in my life to feel the spirit so strong!

Be what is Needed!

We had our last practice tonight for our General RS choir that will be singing next week.  It has been a sweet tender mercy from a loving Heavenly Father to sing in the choir and be directed by a very talented and gifted master teacher, Sister Emily Wadley. She has a favorite saying, "Be what is needed".  I have taken it to heart and realized that what is needed of me might be different in every situation and although I may have more or less to give at any one time I need to give what it needed and directed by the spirit.  She has masterfully taught us to excell in our singing abilities and as women of God.  That each day we can follow the spirit and be what our Heavenly Father needs us to be. I am so grateful that she has been a living example of what she speaks and that through her the spirit has touched me and I have drawn closer to my Savior.  I am so excited to sing next week and pray that I may give what is needed!

Grateful for legs to run!

Tender mercy moment of the day is that Jonathan no longer teaches early morning and can continue to be my morning running partner.   I really can think of no better way to start the day than being in the cool crisp air, running with my best friend.  I love that I have the ability to run!

Time to fill the bucket!

I was reminded this weekend by the spirit through Stake Conf. that my spiritual bucket, if not filled daily, will go dry and I will be exposed the fiery darts of the adversary.  I was reminded of Elder Eyerings challenge to write daily the tender mercies in our life so here is my attempt at doing so.
  Although I myself was not prepared at the spiritual level I needed to be to hear stake conf. with the spirit my Heavenly Father spoke to me and helped me see areas in which I can improve.  His tender mercy to reach out when I was not consciously knocking is another witness that he cares and knows our hearts much better than we know our own. I am recommitted to daily feasting instead of nibbling on the scriptures.  I am recommitted to bringing peace in my home and studying the proclamation in depth with my children.  I am recommitted to repent more often and rely upon my Savior and increase my faith in Him.  I am recommitted to cherish and protect and nurture and love my children and husband.  How thankful I am for these tender mercies!

Our cute Lissy started kindergarten this week. She loves her teacher Mrs. Baird.  She gets to sit by her 2 friends from our neighborhood and loves to play on the new playground. She is quite the big kid now and we are surely missing her at home.  Janey has stepped up to oldest in the morning is learning her new role.  She and Cannon are so cute together and he loves to be where she is.

The harvest is on!

 Our garden is in full bloom and we are loving all the fresh veggies.  We have tried lots of new zucchini recipes and have given lots of zucchini away.  Our tomatoes are on and I love having my tomato sandwiches for lunch.  The kids love digging up the carrots and eating the strawberries as fast as they grow.  We even have several watermelon and cantaloupe growing.  It is so fun to watch things grow. 

 This is Cannon sneaking his share of the strawberries, red or not!

 Our drinking fountain has been a huge his this summer.  It has saved me from washing hundreds of cups and the kids love the easy access.