Of Spooks and Treats

Our Halloween festivities officially started on the 23rd when we made some Halloween decorations -

The classic magnets-on-decorative-stones project (I have decided that I am going to make “themed” holiday magnets for our family magnet board – which will be one of my “snowy day” projects later this winter – the yard comes first!)

These smiley-faced-googley-eyed spiders. The kids had a blast making them, and they were so easy. Just some big pom poms, pipe cleaners cut in half then hot-glued to the pom poms. Add some embellishments, and you’ve got the cutest spiders on the block!

These cute little Halloween jars inspired by my friend Katie. Nabbed the jars at DI for $.50 a piece. I wanted to make a few more, but towing small children through the glass aisle at DI = trouble, so I grabbed the first ones I saw and ran. They should have candles in them, but we don’t really have any furniture in our living room, so I didn’t have a place to put them. I’m hoping to put up a bunch of floating shelves in my living room (because I don’t particularly care for furniture anyway). Another “when-it-gets-too-cold-to-work-on-the-yard” project.

Last but not least, my “BOO” letters. Grabbed these from a clearance bin at Michael’s for about $.50 a piece (they’re about 6” tall). The O’s were actually Q’s – just used the handy jigsaw and some sand paper, and voila – you’ve got O’s. I tied some hemp through them and had them hanging on the door. I wish I had snapped a picture of them hanging on the door. It was actually pretty cute. Eventually I want to make a huge generic wreath to hang outside and change the decorations on it to match the holiday/season. Yet another “when-it-gets-too-cold-to-work-on-the-yard” project.

Later in the week, we broke out the decorations and costumes. The kids had a blast trying on old costumes. I can’t believe the Turtle still fit Joseline. And of course Vince wanted to be Dash again as soon as he saw the costume.

Luckily we had several Halloween festivities to attend, and his Optimus Prime costume took longer than expected to create (read: wasn’t finished until 5 minutes before the ward Trunk or Treat) – so he got to be Dash twice, and Optimus Prime once.

Our first activity was Trick or Treating at Camp Williams with all the Guard families. It was pretty awesome. Joseline, as you can see, was a ballerina. Vince was Dash. I was – me – and Russ was in the “Chair Force.” If you don’t get it, don’t worry – military humor. Anyway, he wore his old BDU’s (the Air Force only got ACU’s last year... heh), and his hat cocked back on his head, and taped over the :”US ARMY” and wrote “US CHAIR FORCE.” It was pretty great.

There were some fun costumes and displays at the Guard Halloween deal. Vincente was a little nervous at first, but we kept reminding him that it was all pretend, and he didn’t need to be scared. He would repeat it to  himself, and to us, “They’re just pretend, so I don’t be scared.” And then he would go get some candy.

We got to one room where the candy was in a coffin. Under the candy was a (obviously fake) zombie. When Vincente was hesitant to grab some candy, I reminded him, “Remember it’s just pretend.” And then I added, “It doesn’t even move.” Bad idea. Just as I said that, and Vince was reaching for the candy, some dumb soldier thought it would be a great idea to pull the strings that were apparently attached to the head and hands of the zombie. Vince lept to the floor away from the coffin, screaming. Joseline screamed, started crying, and held on to Russ with a vice grip, and of course, Russ and I jumped as well. Stupid jerk. We made sure to get extra candy from there. It would have been hilarious if my kids weren’t 3 and 1. Maybe if they were 10 and 8 it would have been kind of funny. It would have been hilarious if they were teenagers. But c’mon, babies!? Really.

Vincente’s costume was a hit for the second year in a row (better this year with freckles – more like Dash, less like Mr. Incredible). Joseline charmed everyone because, well, she’s just adorable. And everyone loved Russ’ “Chair Force” costume. After we had obtained a sufficient amount of “loot,” we returned to Russ’ offices and watched the rest of How to Train Your Dragon (perhaps one of Vincente’s favorite movies, even though he had only seen it once in the theater) and filled our bellies with all the good stuff from the kid’s candy. Hey, what’s Halloween for as adults if not to pillage your children’s candy?

Friday night took us down to Provo to the Coyne’s rockin’ Halloween party where we brought some Crunchy Bones. I thought I had taken a picture of them, but can’t seem to find one. Bummer. I even made a coffin for them out of cardboard. They’re basically the best Halloween treat eva. The party was great, Vince and Joseline (or should I said, Dash and Ballerina) donned their same costumes, Papai went as a detective, complete with hat, side-holstered gun, and trench coat. I can’t believe I didn’t get a picture. It was pretty cute. I wore my old hippy dress. I thought my short hair wouldn’t really work with the hippy thing, but it actually looked fine.

The third, and crowning event of this Halloween season was our neighborhood ward’s Trunk or Treat. Vince wore the fruits of mine and Russ’ hard labor for several hours leading up to the Trunk or Treat.

Optimus Prime.

Complete with Vince-provided sound effects. He would move his arms and make “robot” sounds. I’ve included some here for your listening pleasure:

After the “Trunk or Treat” (which ended up being a “walk around the gym and treat” due to the rain) Vincente declared “I want to trick or treat outside!” Well, his costume was a little cumbersome, so I offered to give him a ride. Before he even reached the end of the Church sidewalk, he decided that maybe a ride was a better idea. So I drove, Russ picked Vince up and carried him to the houses, Vince put on the charm and got candy. I drove them to the next house (if the one next door wasn’t giving out candy).

Vincente really enjoyed it, and actually got pretty good at walking in that costume.

We did pretty well in the candy department – and had a few trick or treaters ourselves that night. Not many, because we were all out when most of them were coming around the neighborhood... and it had been raining all night. Next year will be better, hopefully.

 

It looks like our neighborhood gets hit pretty well (I saw at least 10 groups out just the night of the Trunk or Treat, and it was raining. So I imagine there will be more next year.)                    

 

 

And I just had to share this last picture... Joseline kept watching Vincente step into the boxes that made up his costume, so when she found this empty light bulb box laying around, she decided she would be a transformer, too. Heh. Cutie.

Monday Musings – Fabulous Five

Or is it “Fantastic Five” – hmm... maybe it’s Fantastic Four, so Fabulous Five is perfect.

Five? Years. In about two months, Russ and I will celebrate our five year anniversary! It’s been a long road – a long, challenging road. But I wouldn’t trade any of it for anything. We get along so well, and love each other a lot. I think he’s pretty fabulous.

Anyway, more about all that in a few months.

We’ll be closing on our first home on Friday! It’s about time, is all I have to say about that.

And yes, I am writing this post on Tuesday, even though it’s “Monday Musings”  - life has been crazy.

There isn’t much I’m thinking about these days – at least, not much I can sort out. I’m getting involved in the community – I LOVE being involved in my community. Even though I missed the voter registration deadline because we were moving in. Bummer. So, no voting this year for me, but I’m getting involved anyway! I want to be a parent coach for a sports team for Vincente in the spring. He can do T-ball and soccer when he turns 4. I’m pretty stoked about it. In December we’re going to go observe some piano and violin lessons and see if he would rather take piano lessons or violin lessons, then he’ll start in January! I’m pretty excited about that, too. I would love to teach him either, but I think it will be valuable for him to have good adults in his life who care about him, besides just me and Papai.

I’m playing the piano in the Primary of our Portuguese Ward. And Russ has a pretty fabulous calling, too – but it’s not official until Sunday, so I’ll wait until next week to tell you what it is. I’m excited that I’ll get to be in Primary when Vincente becomes a Sunbeam. He’s learning a lot of Portuguese in this ward, and even asked to say the prayer in Berçario (Nursery) a few weeks ago.

We will probably attend our neighborhood ward every few months just to get to know the neighbors and let them get to know us. We’ll be having a housewarming party here in a few weeks (FINALLY!) and hopefully that will help, too.

Our life is just full of a lot of things, and it’s pretty happy, too. We have to adjust some of our expectations, and some of our plans – but life is about adapting, and changing our plans to make the best out of our circumstances.

Life is good.

Monday Musings – Follow the Prophet

On Sunday, October 3, 2010, President Boyd K. Packer, whom members of the church sustain to be a “prophet, seer and revelator” gave this talk.

As a prophet, President Packer’s responsibility is to call the world to repentance – much like Noah did in his day as he built the ark, like Lehi in Jerusalem, and like many other prophets in the past.

Unfortunately, as they did with Noah and Lehi, the world has rejected the words of the prophets, and have even gone so far as to petition him to withdraw his statements. This is not a new thing. It has happened again and again throughout history, and God’s word has always remained unchanged. As President Packer so bluntly put it:

...there are those today who not only tolerate but advocate voting to change laws that would legalize immorality, as if a vote would somehow alter the designs of God’s laws and nature...There are both moral and physical laws “irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world” that cannot be changed...To legalize that which is basically wrong or evil will not prevent the pain and penalties that will follow as surely as night follows day.

I respect everyone’s right to an opinion. But I also believe in God’s word, and I firmly believe in God’s prophets who deliver His word to us – especially in these latter days.

Satan is stirring up the hearts of men. A war is waging. “Who’s on the Lord’s side, who? Now is the time to show...” This particular battle hits really close to home for me. I have had to make some really difficult decisions about some people who are very dear to me. All I can think about is how to “love one another” while still being devoted to righteousness, and not “look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.” This article, a Q&A with Elder Oaks and a member of the 70, has been particularly helpful.

In response to the petition I mentioned earlier, the brethren had this to say:

Much of this was not new, but there were a lot of really great things said. A few of my favorites:

“As a church, our doctrinal position is clear: any sexual activity outside of marriage is wrong, and we define marriage as between a man and a woman.”

“None of us is limited by our feelings or inclinations. Ultimately, we are free to act for ourselves.”

“The Church distinguishes between feelings or inclinations on the one hand and behavior on the other. It’s not a sin to have feelings, only in yielding to temptation.”

I don’t believe that people are homosexuals or “gay.” I know that people will disagree, and that is fine. I believe that people have same-gender, or homosexual, attractions, and that they can sometimes be very strong. But they are still just children of God to me. If they choose to participate in homosexual behaviors, or live a homosexual lifestyle, then that is what they are doing. I believe that there is nothing fundamentally different between someone who struggles with same-gender attraction, and the rest of God’s children who struggle with something else. We are all children of God experiencing trials and struggles on this earth with Satan tempting us and trying us. We inhabit imperfect bodies with imperfect emotions and chemical make ups. We all face trials. (read more about that here)

God made man and woman. He created them specifically different – to fulfill different purposes. From The Family: A Proclamation to the World, “Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.”

As I write this, I realize that I am not writing it to an audience of people who don’t believe in Christ and the atonement. I am writing it in hopes that someone who feels unsure about the word of God on this issue can maybe read my testimony and perhaps feel the spirit and have a little better understanding of God’s word.

It is not easy to stay true to the Savior. Especially in today’s social and political climate. There is so much of the Adversary’s influence in our societies that we can be easily confused by the arguments out there.

Sometimes I get very discouraged because the world is getting more and more wicked – good is called evil, and evil is called good. But I know that there is hope and happiness available to those who live the gospel – for those who earnestly call on God in the name of His Savior, Jesus Christ and ask for a confirmation of that which is true. The Spirit will guide us. I know that because I beg the Lord for His Spirit to be with me as I raise my children and feel like I don’t know anything.

If there is one thing I know is absolutely true, it is that God lives and loves us and has given us living prophets on the earth to help guide us when we become confused about how to live in the world and not be of the world.

And I hope and pray that you will try to get that testimony for yourself.

Recommended reading:

Cleansing the Inner Vessel by President Boyd K. Packer
The Q&A with Elder Oaks and Elder Wickman
The Response to the HRC Petition
Many of These Articles
This Proclamation
Another Good Article by Elder Oaks

A title-less post... I don’t think this has ever happened. I usually have something concise to name my posts – but not this one. There’s just too much to put into one title.

I feel like we kind of dropped off the grid – and we sort of did. But we’re coming back full force!

I’ve had a lot on my mind lately – we didn’t get to listen to Saturday’s general conference because we were driving during both sessions (AND Priesthood) so I’ve been listening to conference, reading stuff, feeling like I need to be better (no I don’t feel like I’m a failure – in fact, I feel like we are doing pretty well – but that’s exactly when we should probably be doing more).

This sentence from the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet has been on my mind:

Do not attend, view, or participate in entertainment that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic in any way.

President Boyd K. Packer’s talk, along with the Human Rights Campaign’s response and the Church’s re-response (?) have weighed heavy on my heart and mind. And some family situations don’t make it any lighter.

Getting our house in order again hasn’t taken nearly as long as I thought it might, and working side by side with Russ (this is pretty much the FIRST home we’ve moved in to together – he’s always been training or working when we have moved) has been fabulous. Our marriage is great. Our children are beautiful and fun, as usual. We have two great dogs that love us and are well behaved and give us an added sense of security. Russ has a secure job doing something he loves. I have a job that lets me work whenever I want (or not at all, if I don’t want to – I haven’t logged a single hour of tutoring since Russ got back from FTX in Arizona... going on 1 month! Thankfully we don’t need the income... it just goes toward our snowball).

I haven’t taken many pictures of the kids because our house has been such a disaster, and I haven’t sat down at the computer in weeks because we only got the internet on Tuesday.

I will try to resume our normal posting schedule next week (Monday Musings, Wednesday Wanderings, Friday Goals, and posts of “this life” on the other days).  Monday Musings will probably include my thoughts on President Packer’s talk. Wednesday Wanderings will take us to Gardner Village here in our new “hometown” and Friday Goals will probably revisit the journal writing (I did really well... then life/the move happened).

There will be lots of pictures, too. I promise! And videos like this one:

Noses are for Booger Wipes

Preface: for those of you who don't know, in our family, when you wipe your nose, we call it a "booger wipe."

Me: Vincente, porqué precisamos os olhos? Vincente, why do we need our eyes?

Vincente: So we can see!

Me: Porqué precisamos os ouvidos? Why do we need our ears?

Vincente: So we can hear things!

Me: Porqué precisamos bocas? Why do we need our mouths?

Vincente: So that we can eat things.

Me: E para que possamos falar e beijar pessoas. And so we can talk and kiss people.

(Vincente starts giggling)

Me: Porqué precisamos os narizes? Why do we need our noses?

Vincente: (after thinking for a minute) So we can get booger wipes!

How to Train Your Dragon

... er, dog.

The puppies are getting a lot bigger, and a lot more obedient. They dig up the yard and chew on everything, just like a little baby. I’m not looking forward to training them to not dig up my yard at our new house, but hopefully we’ll figure out a way.

I’ve been trying to teach them how to fetch. They will both run after things, and Doc will sometimes pick them up, but neither of them would actually return the object.

So I turned to trusty Google, and I found a few suggestions – first I tried the suggestion of using a crushed plastic bottle (they like running after it, and the like picking it up – but they still wouldn’t bring it to me). Then I had the brilliant idea to put some of their treats inside the crushed bottle. Bingo. (I also tied a rope around the bottle so they would have something to grab on to – they’d been having a hard time picking up the bottle by itself). Once they realized that they couldn’t get to the treats without bringing it to me, they were hooked. Lucy kept getting mad at Doc because she could never get to it before he did. I ended up having them take turns (one stays in the crate while the other plays, and then they switch). That worked pretty well, and I really need to do it more often. They’re getting too attached to each other and will cry I leave one of them in the crate.

When we move back to Utah and get settled in I’ll take one out for a walk at a time, and do more alternating practice with them. I’ll also try to schedule vet appointments for one at a time (even though it’s more convenient to take them at the same time – it’ll be easier for me to manage and hopefully will help them wean from each other). Same with the dog park, and rides in the car.

We’ve also got to work on not waking up at 3 in the morning to go pee...

Favorites Part II – The Best Moments

From my previous post:

“In looking through 500+ photos I’ve taken this summer, I realize that I have two different kinds of ‘favorite photos’ – the first is my best photography. You know those pictures – the ones with good composition, good lighting, creativity – ones you might show off in a competition of some sort.

“Now, I’m not saying my photography is great– I’m working on it, it’s mostly a mild hobby. However, I do think I’ve taken some pretty good shots.

“My other kind of ‘favorite photos’ are the ones capturing a fantastic moment – no matter the composition, lighting, etc. They are the ones that make me smile because I remember what my kids were saying and doing at the very moment. I remember the way it made me feel, and I am grateful that I have immortalized that moment in picture.”

These, my friends, are the photos (and videos) of the second kind.

Inside the Tree on Kingfisher trail at Pinnacle Mt. State Park

The V&J Band (the Vince and Joss Band) Piano lessons with Grandma PamJoseline reading on a big floor pillow












At the playground – on the “castle”

  With Grandma’s plumeriasDancing with cousin Karyn – their favorite thing to do (in the background, “Enchanted” is playing... I think that’s where they get the dancing from)

The kids wanted some “dancing music” so I put on some CD of “romantic songs” – Vincent and Karyn dancing, and Joseline ... singing?

 

 

 

  Joseline dumped out the dog’s water dish, and this is what the kids decided to do with the waterYay slides!  This is me finally figuring out how to use the continuous shot mode on my camera – which probably contributed a lot to those 500+ pictures...Vincente cooking his lizard. Yum.

The kids filthy after playing at a park that had used tire stuff... it was probably actual used tires chopped up – dirt and everything. At least they had fun!  

Vincente’s favorite item in the dress up chest was the butterfly wings. This is the song that goes with the wings. more Vince cooking (this time it’s actual food, not a lizard)

Joseline after eating chocolate in the car on the drive out to Arizona The kids waving and still trying to hold on Joseline – not too happy to be riding on this sawhorse The kids playing with their beanie babies together in the back. Joseline wants to be doing whatever Vincente is doing. When he doesn’t mind, it’s absolutely darling.  There’s no school like the old school – even the puppies wanted a ride! I wish I’d snapped a picture of that! Then all they wanted to do was hid in the cool shade underneath (and get filthy). Dumb dogs. Cool dude – except that they are pink sunglasses and a Disney Princess scooter... but hey, he does look pretty suave in spite of the pink, don’t you think?

Vince pulling Joseline in the laundry basket. What I love the most is their hats. and the fact that Vince is actually doing something cool for Joseline (and that she is wearing brown Mary Janes with her pajamas – more on that later)

Playing hide-and-seek at the “Arizona house”