Family Home Evening

For the Past few weeks we have been having FHE with Natalie and Wes. Tonight was celebrating Halloween! We started off with writing our spouses letters about why we love them and that we are grateful for everything they do. Then obviously we just HAD to carve pumpkins.

Geoff was the mastermind on our pumpkin. I gutted it and he drew it. Neither one of us is an artist but Geoff was deemed the better of us two.

Natalie hard at work! 

Who wants to make pumpkin seeds? 

We ate a ton of pumpkin seeds plus a dozen cookies EACH! Natalie made some pretty amazing snicker doodle cookies. I think I made my tummy sick by eating so much but they were delicious! 

Our End Products. Don't they look fabulous? 

More Halloween pictures coming soon. 

Technology

I am in a technology class where I get to design my own website and other cool things for my Physical Education major. At the beginning of the semester I thought I would not enjoy it because I am not very techno savvy. It turns out that technology isn’t that hard after all. It’s quite pleasant. I actually like doing things on the computer now besides the essentials, like facebook, blogging, and email. I can make my own website, use PowerPoint (without getting frustrated), Excel, etc. I have been having the feeling that I need to bear my testimony since technology is a blessing and is a tool to share the gospel.

I am truly grateful for the blessings in my life., to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, for my wonderful husband and my family. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. That he selflessly came to this earth, gained a body, and went through the mortal experience to teach and edify us, so that we might heed his example. He atoned for our sins so that we might return to live with him again. He knows our strengths and weaknesses as well as our pains and sorrows. I know that Christ loves every single one of us and He knows us personally. All he requires is our obedience.

I know that Joseph Smith was called of God to restore the Church of Jesus Christ on the earth. I know that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Christ, which was meant for us during this day and age. It teaches us the principles and doctrines of The Church and allows us to strengthen our relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
The Priesthood is real. I have seen its miracles in my life. The priesthood is God’s power on earth, which has been given to worthy men. The spirit of the Lord dwells in our home since Geoffrey, my husband, is a worthy priesthood holder. I am blessed to be married to such a wonderful man.

I have a testimony of prayer. I begin and end my day by talking to my Heavenly Father and there is no better feeling to know that He is always listening. He wants to have a sincere relationship with all of His children and sometimes he waits a long time to hear from us, so I hope that we all will pursue a stronger relationship with Him.

I am grateful for the plan of salvation, to truly know the eternal plan. I know that I am here on earth to build the Kingdom of God, to prove to God and myself that I can be righteous and obedient to the commandments and keep my covenants. I am also grateful to have the opportunity to go through the temple, to receive my endowment and to be sealed to my husband. I know that I will be able to be with Geoffrey forever and not just for this short time on earth, but throughout the eternities. I love Geoff and am proud of the man he is.

I am grateful to bear my testimony, and I challenge all of you to do the same.

Patience was needed

This week has been stressful. Geoff and I seemed to change roles this week because I had a TON of homework and a paper to write and it was as if he didn't have any! I'm sure that was because I had the same amount of homework as him instead of less this time. It also could be that I was stuck in the guest bedroom for five hours trying to finish an Art History paper and he was watching TV while he did his homework. I can not concentrate if anything is going on around me.

Another circumstance that was stressful was work this week (I found it humorous). Poor Geoff was the "leader" of our gate at a Band competition. He had the radio and looked official. The policy for the game was that we could let in all the band members without a ticket but not the parent's or band director. They needed to have the appropriate paper or ticket to enter. It was about 30 minutes into our shift and the first band comes to set up all their instruments on the field. We stopped them at our gate to scan tickets and none of the parents had tickets. The funny thing is our supervisor told us before we went to our gate that "band parents are very serious. VERY." There were about 5 adults that couldn't go in and help set up. Geoff told them that the ticket booth was just 100 feet away and the they cost $5. One mother FREAKS out! She is saying that we aren't good mormons and that we should leave Utah because we don't trust her to let her go in and watch her daughter perform then come back out and buy the ticket. Would the movie theater let you watch a movie without paying for it first and promising you will buy a ticket after the show? Yeah right!!

So this mother kept raising her voice at us like we are idiots and saying we don't have the spirit of helping people. (All this time Geoff is trying to help them and figure out if their band director had any extra tickets, who was already in the stadium setting up). She is still angry with rage and pointing fingers, saying that when we have kids we will understand how important it is to be a good example to them, and to support them. Geoff's thoughts were, "When we are parents we will be better examples and not throw a fit, especially in public!" Thankfully he didn't say that to her face because she would have literally beat him up. She was vicious. She begins to yell and say that this is ridiculous and that BYU needs to get organized. After about 15 minutes of this, the director comes out to give them the extra tickets. All of us at the gate were amazed at how ridiculous and immature the woman was. We couldn't stop talking about the situation for about an hour. I kept saying how it would be great if she came back out and talked to us again. Without failure, she did! "You guys need to get your story straight! When I walked out, people at another gate ran after me to give me a stamp on my hand to get back in!!" Obviously since she was already in the stadium, you always need to get your hand stamped when you leave. She was saying that they "let her in without any problem." THAT IS BECAUSE SHE HAD HER HAND STAMPED! At this point I was appalled by her actions. She again started pointing fingers and said that we need to be more trusting and believe that people are honest and that she would be obedient and would have purchased the ticket afterwards. Geoff was quick on his feet and replied, "Yes, Obedient to the laws." Referring to our policy. I made a mistake and laughed really hard. Not very professional I admit. BEST PART OF THE STORY: She tells us," I am a US Senator and I know all about this political stuff, and I am fed up with the youth, your age group. So disrespectful!!" Again, yelling at all of us. And then she walks off with her son. About 10 minutes later her daughter from the band came out of the stadium and we apologized for the inconvenience and that we didn't mean for her to get so upset. We asked if her mom was a US senator and said it was cool. The daughter said, "No, she's not. She was in the military and she is scary huh?" After she had walked away we all started laughing becuase the woman stressed honesty, and in return she was not very honest herself. Especially with her son being with her? A good example? I think not. Geoff was my hero for being calm and patient the entire time.

Well that has been our fun week! We finally have a free weekend with no work or a lot of homework. What a blessing!

Out in Nature

While my sister was in labor (with all the rest of the family with her) Geoff and I were on our way to go camping! I admit that I was sad that I couldn't be there but at least where we were camping we had cell phone service. I called to check up on her a lot, so I am grateful for that! I was out enjoying nature and enjoying the thought of our new little nephew being born, what a great day! In Utah the leaves are changing colors and looks beautiful on the Mountains that I couldn't resist taking a few pictures. Geoff still can't say Utah is pretty because Oklahoma has intrigued him so much with all the green trees and green fields and hills that nothing can compare...except his precious Washington. In his mind, "NOTHING is better than Washington."





And here are our best friends (our cousins) Natalie and Wes. We Usually end up doing something with them every weekend either camping, playing games or just hanging out. Looks like they were getting our mansion prepared. Wes got an eight man tent and it is really spacious!





Jenna and Wes decided it was a good idea to take a stroll in the mountains. Wes wanted to push over every dead tree he saw and after hitting one with an axe for awhile he accomplished his goal! But don't worry, the tree wasn't this one in the picture.



Our campsite.



Has anyone every roasted starbursts? If you haven't, you seriously need to try it! It is delicious! It makes the inside a liquidy substance and then the outside is a light crispy shell and when you bite into it it is amazing!



Geoff looks so cute doesn't he, with his long-johns showing? haha!



So in this picture it is only 9:30 and I'm already out. Geoff was nice to let me sleep on him for awhile.

New Edition

My sister had her second baby yesterday and I just wanted to post a couple pictures! I was so sad not to be there but I will be home at Christmas and I can't wait!! Here is the cute little family! Ethan was pointing and saying, "baby, baby, baby."



Mommy's belly is empty!



Cute little Zachary.



It was Abby's Birthday Present! Precious little Zach was born on her birthday! He was born at 9:24 P.m. on 9-24 cool huh? That will be easy to remember.