So Very Glad I Went to the U

Paisley Skye - Now Open

My cousin Aly just opened the cutest shop in Woods Cross.



It is full of fun and beautiful home decorations, jewelry, purses, Christmas decorations, and much more. Look at this great piece I bought for our master bedroom:



Check out Paisley Skye's website for a $5 off $20 coupon then come on out to the shop at:

1492 South 800 West in Woods Cross
Wednesday - Friday 10am-6pm
Saturday 10am-3pm

Thanksgiving Boxes

Once again our ward was very generous this year at the Young Women and Young Men annual Thanksgiving Box Scavenger Hunt. We were able to fill SIX boxes to overflowing with cans of vegetables, fruit, yams, stuffing, potatoes and gravy, turkey, rolls, and all the fixings for pumpkin pie.

Thank you Foxboro!
Your generosity has greatly blessed many families in need.

Virtue Project

Back in January 2010, as a Young Women group we made it a goal to read the entire Book of Mormon this year as our Virtue Project in Personal Progress. Then in May our stake president challeneged us to finish the Book of Mormon by November 21, the day of our next stake conference meeting.

I am happy to report that I accomplished that goal - about 30 minutes before the general session of stake conference began!

And as I finished the last chapter in Moroni, I also finished this beautiful Book of Mormon Reading Chart flower.




I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and the strength and power it gives me as I read and study its words. I know that it is true and that it helps us to know and keep the commandments of God. Through the beautiful words of these ancient prophets we can feel the love our Heavenly Father has for each of His children. I know I am a daughter of our Heavenly Father and that He loves me, and I love Him.

Good Works Project

Last night I finally finished my cookbook! Okay, maybe it's not exactly "my" cookbook because none of the recipes are my own creations. Rather, it's a compilation of pages printed off the internet and torn out of magazines.



I started it over a year ago, just trying to organize things. You can imagine how excited I was to learn that one of the Good Works projects for Personal Progress is to collect recipes and prepare meals for your family. That extra motivation was exactly what I needed to finish, even if it still took five months to get it done.



Now, the plan is to cook each and every recipe in the book and determine if it really is tasty and worthy of keeping. I'm making good progress -- I've completed four recipes just this week. This is a Young Women's project Dave is actually enjoying!



(Thanks to Megan for providing the cute scrapbook pages!)

Dr. Dave's Halloween Treat

We're handing out TOOTHBRUSHES at our house on Saturday. If you can't make it this weekend print off the coupon below to use at Dr. Dave's office.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Month in Review

This month of October has been so busy. Hence the severe lack of posts.

It started with General Conference, followed immediately by the Military Chaplains Seminar. Then came a week of rehearsals and concerts for the Suzuki Celebration (check out the Deseret News article here). By the time that event finished up I had worked five 6-day weeks in a row, only having Sundays free.

On top of everything going on at work we've had Wednesday mutual activities and Thursday volleyball each week in October. Needless to say, I haven't seen much of my husband this month, let alone my blog.

Gratefully, I was able to use all my exchange days at once and had four heavenly days off work last week. Unfortunately for the blog, those days were filled with catching up on housework, shopping, spending time with my mother, and going to doctor's appointments. Busy.

Next month doesn't look any quieter what with El Salvador del Mundo, Savior of the World, Temple Square Performances Christmas Concerts, the Thanksgiving holiday, etc. I should apologize in advance if you don't hear from me again soon. That's just life right now.

Look Who I Saw at General Conference

Elder Ryan Hinckley!

I have been so anxious for General Conference ever since I learned that the MTC Elders were coming to sing at the Priesthood Session and that Ryan would be part of the Choir.

We had several chances to chat during breaks in their rehearsal. Poor kid is getting over a cold but other than that he is doing really well. He is loving the MTC and can hardly wait until his visa comes through so he can finally be on his way to Brazil. I met his companion, Elder McCann, and Elder Embree who is the same district at the MTC.

The Elders performed beautifully and powerfully. What a wonderful experience for them!

After the session ended I had to return a confiscated item to one of the elders (nothing bad, it was just a cup of candy bars) in the choir loft. By the time the item was returned I realized Ryan had already left and I might miss saying goodbye to him. I hurried as fast as I could past the mass of elders, down the long hallway that would lead back to their buses, and there he was, waiting for me.

I gave Ryan a big hug, told him I loved him and wished him a good mission. Then he turned and was gone. It was all I could do to hold back the tears. I wanted so badly to run away and sob. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to see him and talk with him but it was so hard to say goodbye...again.

I know he is going to be a wonderful missionary. He has such a strong testimony and has been looking forward to this time of his life since he was small. We'll be praying for him and we'll see him again, in two years.

Quote of the Year

"The babbling brook would lose its song if all the stones were removed."

This has been such a hard, emotional year with all the stones I have come up against. But, lately I have felt like this is part of my test, my refiners fire. And this quote just reemphasized those feelings.

I will make it through and my song will be that much sweeter for having endured!

Love Affairs at the Fair

By Colette

Cell phone photo masterpieces by 8-year old Colette from her series entitled, "Water Creatures."

Traveling Dog

Have you noticed a little Scotty dog in some of our pictures? Check out his entire Banff experience here.




(It was pretty funny taking him up to the Teahouse at Lake Louise. Several people on the trail did a double-take, not sure if he was real or fake. Hilarious!)

Banff National Park

At the last minute Dave and I were able to join his family up in Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada for a few days. It was pretty cool to have the entire family together, if just for a day!

Below you must endure our entire travelog (I'm just trying to makeup for my lack of posts lately).

After a two-day journey we arrived late Wednesday afternoon to find a quiet campsite -- the family was off enjoying the sites of the Park. Dave and I setup our tent then decided to go into town for dinner -- yes, we camped. :(



Thursday we enjoyed a pleasant morning at camp before heading off to Lake Louise. Dave has been telling me stories about the Teahouse restaurant there ever since our first date. We joined the rest of the family and made the three-plus mile hike up the mountain to the fabled Teahouse where we enjoyed $6 chocolate cake and peppermint tea. Let me tell you, that $6 chocolate cake was totally worth the price and calories after that long hike. Yummy!











Friday Dave's family packed up and headed for home. We decided to stay another day because there was still so much to see in the Park. Natural Bridge was our first stop, then we spent an hour canoeing on Emerald Lake. Finally we made it to Takkakaw Falls -- the most amazing waterfall I have ever seen!










Saturday was my birthday. It started off packing up our campsite. I have decided that what I really dislike about camping - besides the cold temperatures at night - is having to take down camp. Everything is so dirty and nothing fits the way it should in its original packaging. So once you get home you have to set it all up, clean it out, and then take it down all over again. Seriously not cool.

Anyway, it took us something like two hours or more to put it all away. Next we headed out to Johnston Canyon and hiked up to Lower Falls and Upper Falls. After a quick lunch at a nearby picnic site we then hopped on to Hwy 2 and began our two-day journey home.







Despite camping it was a very fun trip. We had a blast and we'll be back sometime soon -- but maybe this time in a hotel or a camper.

The Lion King

We bought the tickets way back in February and last night we finally saw the Lion King!



Note to Self: Never get tickets in the balcony of the Capitol Theatre ever again.

2nd Note to Self: Never take children under the age of 8 to a live theatrical production.

False Start

Wouldn't you know it. I finally have a minute to catch up and most of my pictures are on my other computer. Drats!

Oh, well. Here is a preview of things to come...

$6 chocolate cake worth every penny



And more adventures of Scotty the Dog!

Toasted Marshmallow Anyone?

YUMMY!

Out-Patient, In-Office

I actually came home a day early from Girls Camp to have a little out-patient, in-office surgery. Nothing major and I'm doing well -- so well we even went out to lunch on the way home. Hopefully this procedure will help us get pregnant now.

Dave was loving snapping pictures of me coming out of the sedation. I was out of it enough to not even realize what he was doing. Later in the day I learned that he had already sent this picture to half of his phone book. Sweet husband, isn't he.