Friday, November 20, 2009

Toga Party



Rebekah is taking Latin 1 in school this year. For one of her projects this quarter the students were to make a toga and wear it all day during school. I have no idea when this assignment was made, but of course she waits until the day before. Guess who ends up making it since Rebekah doesn't know how to sew? You guessed it in one, me. She at least did the shopping for the fabric. Of course she had to put a little modern twist to it. Here she is impersonating a gangsta Roman. Oh and the student with the most bling wins something.

Missouri Indepence All mission picture



This will probably be the only picture I get from Daryn on his mission. He is on the row second from the top and five in from the right, not counting the Elders that are standing at a diagonal. Yeah I can't make him out either. He didn't tell me that when they had the big mission conference a few weeks ago that Elder Russel M. Nelson and his wife were there. Just a small minor detail, but that's Daryn for you.

Friday, November 6, 2009

CTR's Official Bday Party


It's a party!


The Birthday Girl


What party is complete without the presents?


Before the cake.


The Birthday Girl gets her own cake.


After the cake.


Let's open this one first.


Opening presents

Future Pickpocket?????

What child doesn't like to empty everything of a any kind of container. Granted it's usually a "let's just turn it over" kind of thing. Every once in awhile the toddler will take things out one at a time. First the gum.

Why that is I have no idea. One of life's unanswered questions I guess. This is Celeste choosing the later of the two methods. Yes I let her just because I could and it was fun to watch her.

Next comes the keys. Does she think she's going to drive already?


What else does Nana have in here?

Caught in the act.


I'm innocent I tell you. Of course she is. How could that face be guilty?

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Young Women in Excellence





















I had such a fun time tonight. Tonight was our ward's Young Women in Excellence program and it was absolutely wonderful. The theme was "I Believe". I find it curious in a way that even though the event is geared toward the girls, I gain from it too. The past year and a half has been one of great learning for me. One of the things that I have been trying to learn is to trust. In the bishop's remarks tonight he talked about belief and that is to have confindence in something or someone and to have confidence is to have trust or faith in that something or someone. I find it interesting that this was the theme for the evening since I have been struggling with this.

A Welcome Surprise


Monday afternoon when I went to bring in the mail I found a wonderful surprise. There was a letter in the mailbox with the return address of "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Office of the First Presidency 47 East South Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150-1000 addressed to me. Boy do I feel special. Inside was a letter from Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf. It was in response to a letter I had sent him thanking him for the talk he gave in the Saturday morning session of General Conference. There were parts of the talk I felt were given just for me. I'm pretty sure that isn't the case, but it was something I needed to hear and Pres. Uchtdorf said in the exact way I needed to hear it. Everytime since Conference that I have listened to the talk and I hear those words again, I get the same feeling. I know Heavenly Father loves me no matter how I feel about myself.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Spirits Among Us (Halloween 2009)

Halloween, a night a ghosts, fairies, pumpkins, and things that go bump in the night. My-nephew-in-law works at a place called the Ironhorse, which by the way I am told has the best hamburgers in the state. For Halloween this year, Jon decided to write a play to commerate the holiday and show it at the restaraunt. He worked with the manager who is also the chef to create a menu to compliment the evening. It was unique for this night only. Seven courses of traditional foods from different regions in the world that celebrate ones passing to the next life were served, including a variation of "Mormon Funeral Potatoes". Some were very tasty and quite delicious while others not so much, but still I tried them and ate every single bite. My mother would have been so proud of me for cleaning my plate.
In between courses the cast would perform. The script included ghost stories that are supposedly really occur. Most of them from around this area. They all did a great job and it was a very fun evening.


The cast

John, Diane, and Dani enjoying the festivities.


Ain't she sweet?


The back of the dining car. If you look out the right side window you can see the trains when they pass.


My niece Dani and her dead dude.


Joe and I win the prize for the scariest costumes, at least I do. What is scarier than a Facebook Addict?


If you eat something fast enough, it's not so slimy.


Spirits

Trunk or Treat 2009

Halloween can be very fun. This year Linda came up with a great idea for a costume. She dressed as Gwyneth Paltrow and Celeste went as Apple, her daughter. Silly name for a kid, but whatever. Anyway I don't like spending a lot of money on costumes so I bought Celeste a red shirt and matching pants(something that she can still use even after Halloween) and made an apple hat. That's the extent of my creativity when it comes to dressing up. Obviously I didn't play dress-up as a child. It was fun to see all of the different costumes and to collect the candy for Celeste although I'm sure her mommy and daddy will eat most of it.

Nathan and Celeste before the festivities begin.


"Gwyneth Paltrow" and her daughter "Apple" with "Alice Cullen" from Twilight


Uncle Daryn with Celeste


Don't even think about stealing my candy.

This has nothing to do with Halloween, I just thought it was cute. I was tending Celeste the other day while her mommy was at work and it was dinner time. We are very casual sometimes about where we eat and since I don't have the high chair set up, I let Celeste eat in the living room. Since Daryn is so good with her, I decided to let him help her to eat. He would give her a piece of hotdog and she would eat it. Then Celeste decided the dog looked hungry and gave him some. She loves to share.


Daryn gives the food to Celeste and then

Celeste gives it to the dog.