MY DAD SAID...

Some of you had been asking about my dad's reaction to my little "joke" . Well, I sent it via email, the only response I got from from my dad was, "How did you do that?". Not a phone call, not a "wow, you're amazing, how can I ever be as cool as you?" reaction that I was expecting. But when I did see him later that week he did tell me in more detail how I totally freaked him out and had him pondering the whole morning as to how on earth could I do something like that and if I could do it, then he was sure he could do it. So, I was left satisfied. Thanks again Jason and Shauna! Oh. And hello! Happy Halloween people!!!

OH, HELLO

I've been a little less inclined to blog these last few days because of my WEEKEND O' FUN! Yup, my parents came to see us and so, of course, we had to make the best of it and do lots of fun things and have a really good time {sigh}. I will post more details about it later, when I have the photos ready, but until then, I must say how much I love my parents. It always does me a world of good to see their beautiful faces. Another great thing that happened this weekend was my wonderful friend, Laura, brought me this totally cute door mat! Why? Because she's cute and nice and knew I liked owls. It's more for Halloween, but I'm pretty certain I'm leaving it up through Thanksgiving. And maybe then some. Finally, some other thoughts:

• I love that gas prices are going down. Wahhooo!
• Running. It's hard. I was getting back on the horse. Got a little sick last week, and I'm having a hard time getting the little engine up the hill this week. I just feel so tired lately? What's my prob? Probably that I'm not doing anything. Hehe. Any good cold weather workout motivations out there?
• What is your favorite Christmas song (of a more spiritual nature)? I want to learn to play a really cool one this season on my guitar.
• I still have a Utah driver's license. I don't know how I've lasted this long, but when I heard a story about Brittney Spears getting fined/arrested/ordered to court...whatever it was... because she didn't have a California license and just a Louisiana one, I thought, "Oh no! I could be Brittney." It's currently at the top of my to do list.
• And finally, a few beautiful fall views of sweet Seattle...

GOOD JOKE

So yesterday, my friend Shauna, informs me that her brother was at the Apple Store and saw who he thought was my dad. Not quite sure, he inconspicuously took some photos with his phone and sent them to Shauna to see if it really was him. It was. And now I'm in possession of two random photos of my father browsing a Mac in an Apple Store. Cool huh. Seriously, imagine a loved one, who lives far away, sending you photos or yourself checking out something at the mall. CRAZY. I've been laughing to myself about the whole thing since. Anyhow, back to the joke. So of course, I can't wait to confuse the socks of my dad. So this morning I emailed the PC loyalist this: Mission accomplished. I love my dad.

PRIMARY PROGRAM: CHECK

I don't believe I've mentioned this before, but I'm our ward's primary chorister. I know this calling isn't that big of a deal to some (most) women, but I've never thought of myself as primary chorister material so often find myself out of my comfort zone. Well, today was our primary program... and the music portion went pretty well, if I do say so myself. I mean my shirt was drenched with sweat and I felt like I wanted to sleep or a week afterward, but hey, no problem. AND considering at the practice a week before I kept forgetting to "raise" and "lower" (you primary graduates know what I'm talking about) my cute little choir and at one point reacted to my forgetfulness by cursing "oh cr@p" in the chapel to 30 young impressionable minds (I knew I had done something really wrong when I heard the wee gasps of nine-year-old girls and a few teachers put their hands to their mouths) I think I've come along way. Thankfully, I am part of an amazing primary including great leaders who've always got my back (during cussing spurts and bouts of forgetfulness) and, of course, 30-something beautiful children, to whom I owe any success. Whew. Our theme was "I Am a Child of God". So obviously, our year was focused on teaching the children that very fact. So simple, yet the crucial piece of knowledge that's missing in the solution to some of the world's most complex and troubled issues. I think even some of us who have grown up hearing "I Am a Child of God" their whole lives still struggle with understanding its importance. I think its sometimes really hard for us a humans to realize and accept our huge potential. That we're divine. That we're loved beyond our understanding. That someone is always there blessing us, rooting for us, and molding us to be our possible best self. That can be a hard thing for us to wrap our head around sometimes. But it's true, dang it! (oh no, there I go again.)

HOLIDAY TUNES

I need some help. Some of my happiest memories of elementary school reside in the multipurpose room of North Park Elementary where every holiday season we'd gather to sing songs. And not just Christmas mind you. We sang Thanksgiving songs and, yes, even Halloween songs. And for the life of me I can' remember them!!! I want more than anything to have fun Halloween songs to sing to Peanut and my memory is failing me? I do remember one:

Have you seen the Ghost of John, Long white bones and the rest all goooone. Oooo. oooo-oooo-ooo-oooo, Wouldn't it be chilly with no skiiiin ooon. {sing in a round--very catchy}

And I do recall something about three little witches and something regarding turkeys for Thanksgiving. Even if you don't remember do you have any good sources for some classic children Halloween/Thanksgiving songs? (I've got Christmas covered). I would really appreciate it :)

SESAME STREET HUMOR

So when Peanut gets a little cranky or bored, we pull out the big guns. The Sesame Street music videos. He loves to just sit on our lap and dance and clap to these surprisingly entertaining music videos. The one I linked you to below makes me laugh every time. The Feist "Counting to Four" video is also a favorite. So go ahead and watch. Everyone needs a little sesame street every now and again. Preschool Musical So very funny.

CHANGE

Oh how I love General Conference. Especially October Conference...the chill in the air, the smell of my Spiced Pumpkin candle, cute friends who surprised us with delicious pecan cinnamon rolls. So great. I usually like to do a rundown of my favorite talks and mention briefly my thoughts from each one. However, this time around there was one talk that really struck a chord with me. Don't get me wrong. I can't wait to drink many great words of wisdom, encouragement and motivation again from that November Ensign, but for now, I want to focus on one in particular: President, Thomas S. Monson's talk on Change. The main message of this talk, to me, was about living in the moment and accepting change. There have been a lot of things going on lately that have made me think about this. This is a concept I understand and that I strive for, but have a hard time living. A very 'easier said, than done' thing for me. I feel like the majority of my life, I've lived for the next moment. And although I think that's more understandable while growing up, I feel that the regret you'll feel for not living in the moment, grows exponentially as you enter the adult phases of life, such as marriage and parenthood, just like how your joy grows exponentially in those phases for choosing to "find the joy in the journey, now." I also have a hard time with change. I'm a planner and I'm a worrier and those two things don't mix well with change, let alone with unexpected change. I think the reason this talk resonated with me so much is because it offered me the perspective of the effects living this principal can have. Not only will my regret go down and my joy increase, but I will be more able to accept unexpected change when the occasion calls for it, and that's a great comfort to me. I also loved how President Monson pointed out that living now goes "hand in hand with gratitude". How can you not be grateful for your blessings when you are taking the time to embrace and live each one? All of the pettiness, envy, grudge holding goes away because you no longer have the space for it. I think the Savior was really good at living in the moment. He got what life was all about. I think when you figure that out, you know you only have time to love. President Monson also focuses about how it's our choice: "It's our conscious choice what secret garden we will tend...Not to focus on what is missing but are grateful for the abundance that is present: love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature and personal pursuits that bring us happiness...the waste land of the illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth."

I BLEED BLUE

So as we're sitting here watching BYU cream Utah State. No worries my USU friends, there's still a quarter left. Anyhow, during the commercials they played this little promo clip or donations pitch, if you will, for BYU and...well, let's just say through my tears, I almost gave Bronco everything in our savings account. Almost. Very inspirational. If you bleed blue like myself, take a look see: Check out BYU Football Head Coach Bronco Mendenhall in this new film, 'With Honor.' It can be viewed at http://bronco.byu.edu

THE OTHER BLOG

Introducing...again: Putter Wall! You may have visited Putter Wall before or you haven't visited Putter Wall at all, either way come give us a call! www.putterwall.blogspot.com And if that clever poem isn't enough, to kick everything off we're going to have a drawing for one of our very own and very cute "feeble attempts at domesticity"

GOODBYE SUMMER

So while I hear people lamenting over Summer's end, I usually just keep my mouth shut when truly I want to yell, "See ya, Summer! Welcome, Autumn!" I love Fall with a passion. I love it's the season that ushers in school and the holidays, I love wearing cute sweaters and turtlenecks, I love hot coaco and cozying up in blankets, I love the colors, I LOVE IT ALL! However that's not to say we didn't go out of Summer with a bang! Here is end of summer/September recap: (I'm trying to get better and do a group of digi scrapbook pages for each month...we'll see :)

{click on pages to enlarge}