las vegas weddings

a haunting we will go

apples apples apples

It was a small apple year, a mere 3600 lbs. Sadly, in order to preserve marital bliss there was no cider this year as well. Tony and I really enjoyed a day together to go get the apples. We added a new apple variety this year, "honeycrisp," and they made excellent sauce. I spent a good day making applesauce with Jill. She has an awesome applesauce machine and we were able to pump out 5 dozen quarts for the "Riplets." The kids come home every day from school now and ask for "hot applesauce." i remember doing the same thing when I was little. It's been such a beautiful Fall that I've enjoyed every canning day, especially the ones with friends.

Homecoming week

Cooper as "Bob the Builder"

Marcos and Max as "Captains Underpants"

Wilson and Kaleb on "Nerd and Fake Injury" Day

footballing

Wilson's on the field,
Cooper's in the band
Max is the ball boy
and Mom's in the stand
Dad's on the sideline
yelling real loud
Marcos and Eliza
are cheering in the crowd!

hot at 40

I hate to sound obnoxious, but I am 40 and it is awesome. In celebration, I bought new leather boots and cashmere socks and had my windows cleaned. I think the window cleaning might become my new tradition--worth every penny and enjoyed every day. I spent a lovely day at the temple, my other birthday tradition, and ate almost an entire pumpkin pie. Saturday is my birthday bike ride, so I'm really stretching out the festivities!
The highlight of my day was the "every decade" letter I got from my Dad and Mom from Hong Kong. My Dad sent it for me to read "anytime I feel unloved." I could not possibly read that letter and feel unloved. It is so obvious for me to know that there is a God because I have a Dad who loves me. I can love God because I love my Dad. No wonder I have not ever had to question my faith; my parents were and are perfect living examples of this principle.
So far, everything is better at 40. I love the freedom that getting older gives me. I like growing old with Tony. I like getting fatter. This will probably be my best year yet.

We enjoyed conference with our new friends the Stones. We are all very in love with their little girl Stella and Stacy has won us over with her cinnamon rolls and BBQ chicken pizza (to die for). I provided the hot wings. I can't wait to start digging into the talks for the revelation I need to raise these kids.








40 miles at 40 with my dear friends Colette and Betina. It doesn't get better than this!

lovely september

yikes! I blinked and September is gone! Highlights of September included:
starting school, (everyone)
starting seminary, (Wilson, Kaleb and Mom)
soccer, (Max)
football, (Wilson and Cooper)
clarinet (Eliza)
and pep band (Cooper)
We also had a couple of lovely last days at the lake, started the Dave Ramsey class, and have helped with several work days at the new St John museum. In memory of the 9/11 tragedy, we were asked to do service projects in our communities. I was really proud of how hard my boys (and husband) worked to remove five yards of coal from the basement of the new museum. It was bucket by bucket up the stairs and will hopefully prevent them from ever taking work in a coal mine. Tony was a little hysterical about us all getting black lung, but I think we have survived unscathed.

The above picture is of the lovely honey that the Workman's harvested from their bees. It has made the most delicious granola and as soon as we get a cold day we are going to slather it on homemade bread. I did learn a painful lesson the other day when I went out to "feed" the bees their honey water. I went on a 90 degree day in broad daylight without even thinking that it was August and the bees are a bit aggressive. As I reached for their food they became a little territorial and started attacking my head. I ran around the yard like a crazy person beating my hair and yelling for Eliza to come help me. I'm not sure what I expected her to do, but she was fortunatley smart enough to ignore my ranting and run into the house. Later I had to call Audrey my neighbor to come pull the stingers out of my scalp. It was an altogether humiliating experience. Plus it hurt.