Just a few notes

So, Rowen and I are hanging out at home, and she came and brought me a fruit stick (think of a thick, rectangle shaped fruit roll up). It says on the wrapper that it's made from 68% real juices and fruit. As I was opening it, Rowen saw the number eight and said, "Look Mommy, there's an eight. That's why I say yes on 8, cause I love fruit snacks." It took me a couple of minutes to stop laughing. Oh, the simple joy of being a child.

We've been doing lots of pumpkin painting lately. We've painted pumpkins twice at Erika's and once at the park. And Rowen has painted every pumpkin purple. She just covers the entire pumpkin purple. It's funny. I'm just glad her favorite color isn't pink. Or yellow.


Painting at the park with MOMS Club.



And we went to two Trunk or Treat's this weekend, one for our own ward, and one at the Wilson's. They were both lots of fun. At the Wilson's I had the great time of watching a bounce house with a slide collapse on my kids when someone accidentally unplugged it during the costume parade. Thank goodness Amy and Jim were watching the kids and were very quick acting. They held up the bounce house enough and Jim was able to pull Logan, Rowen and Cayden out.


Rowen, George and I at the Raymond Ward Trunk or Treat


Rowen and the Rogers - I love their costumes!


The only pictures Logan would let me take of him.


A princess can never have too many spider rings...


This is the bounce house that collapsed on the kids!

We got to see the Gregsons, briefly, but we enjoyed it. It's so easy to just sit and talk with them. And the conversations are always interesting (at least to me). Whenever we see them, we wish Utah and California were a lot closer (like neighboring cities).

That's all that's been going on the last week or so. The last eight weeks of the year will be pretty busy, with 2 major holidays, three family birthdays, our anniversary and hosting MOMS Club field trips. Before I know it, I'm sure it will be January 2009.

~jenn

Ok, I did so well at posting in September, but now October is running away with me. I was trying to write my blurb for the MOMS Club newsletter a couple of days ago, but I ended up just writing a list of all the things for which I'm grateful. It didn't really seem to fit for the MOMS Club anymore, but I though I'd post it here, so I can remember this on days when it feels like the world is caving in on me.

So many days I spend thinking about my wish list, or my list of things that I need. I am glad there is a time of year that reminds me that my longest list of all is my list of things to be thankful for.

I am thankful for two kids that, while not perfect, are perfectly suited to me. I am thankful for a safe place to raise my kids, where I don't have to fear that every parked car is a deadly bomb or that guerrillas will sneak into my home to steal my son from me. I am thankful that when I am going through a rough time, and I can't stop the tears from spilling down my cheeks, that I have friends who hug me, with a tear in their own eye, who don't need to tell me that everything is going to be all right, because they help me feel it. I am thankful for a little girl whose favorite thing to do when she is sitting in a shopping cart is to hug me, smile and say that I'm her best best mom in the whole world. I am thankful for a husband who does the dishes every night without complaint and who loves me even when I'm running late. I am thankful for a beautiful planet on which to live, with views that dazzle my eyes. I am thankful for a family that, after 35 years, misses me when I am away, for their endless love and support. I am thankful for a husband who has taught me that a wall of shame can be proof of why he loves me. I am thankful for a knowledge of the eternity that lies ahead, that I don't have to be perfect today, or even tomorrow. I am thankful for the love of my Father in Heaven, that has filled my heart with such joy that I ache for those who go through this life without a sure knowledge of the truth.

There is a book that says that the sea "is nothing but a library of all the tears in history" and that the characters of the story "let their sadness join the sadness of the world". But the sea is not just a catalogue of all the sorrow the world contains. There are tears of happiness and gratitude mingled with the sadness, and that is what makes a life. This life is difficult, but as I learn and grow, I am grateful just for the opportunity to live.

It's October already!

I can't believe the end of the year is fast approaching. But, here it is, all the same. We had a fun time at the Elder's Quorum activity last night. The kids just wanted to play pool or ping pong the whole time, but Logan ate his whole dinner, fish and rice and tomatoes, so I was glad. Rowen drank juice and ate a roll, of course.

The Dodgers won yesterday, which is great. But tonight, they face Zambrano, so we'll see what happens. It could be the no-hitter Zambrano, or it could be the Zambrano of the last two weeks, with an 18+ ERA. I'm voting for the latter. And Billingsly has better numbers than Zambrano, so it definitely will be another good game.

I can't believe the Angels lost to Boston last night for only the second time ALL SEASON!!!! What were they thinking? If Boston makes it past the Angels, I'm going to cry.

Well, the kids are in the bath, it's time for scrubbins. I hope this hot weather cools down soon. 99 degrees in October is not appealing. It's miserable. It's been hot all summer, we're ready for Fall, well, as much of a Fall we can get in So Cal.

~jenn