Happy Halloween!

Halloween has been a blast this year! Hayrides, pumpkin cobbler, jack-o-lantern carving, costume parades, & candy. Somehow kids bring the spark back into every holiday!



I remember singing this song as a kid, and now it's a Halloween favorite around here:

Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate
The first one said, “Oh my, it’s getting late”
The second one said, “There are witches in the air”
The third one said, “But we don’t care”
The fourth one said, “Let’s run and run and run”
The fifth one said, “Isn’t Halloween fun?”
Then ooooh went the wind
And OUT went the lights
And the five little pumpkins rolled quickly out of sight!

Happy Billy Day!

Happy Birthday, Honey! You sure are cute, then & now!

Wise Words

A few weeks ago, out of the blue, Grace announced: "Jesus loves me!" He sure does. And if she grows up deeply feeling and understanding that love, she will have discovered the secret to true peace & joy! Tonight while I was laying her down, she told me (in Gracie terminology) all about how we are happy when we follow Jesus. How does she know all this stuff already? And, more importantly, how can I get her to remember it and live by it forever?!

She dozed off after we sang:

"I’m trying to be like Jesus;
I’m following in his ways.
I’m trying to love as he did, in all that I do and say.
At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice,
But I try to listen as the still small voice whispers,

Love one another as Jesus loves you.
Try to show kindness in all that you do.
Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,
For these are the things Jesus taught."

It was a priceless moment.

Life Changing Moments

Emily Halverson, our amazingly talented friend, compiled a book called Life Changing Moments about people's... life changing moments. It's a very touching book with heartwarming stories that make you ponder your own life and course. The stories come from the lives of a varied group of people, and one happens to be Billy's story of his conversion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His story is number 23, "name withheld." Sorry to blow your cover, Honey!

Amen to what he said!

I LOVE General Conference--the music, the testimonies, seeing the Salt Lake City temple grounds, the renewed commitment I always leave with to try a little harder, to be a little better. Elder Holland's talk in this afternoon's session was such a powerful witness and testimony of the Book of Mormon, and of the incredible blessing that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth. Here's in case you missed it, but especially so I won't ever forget it!: