I was so proud to be your mama today and be there for your baptism. You looked so handsome in your little white jumpsuit. I could tell you were very excited and maybe a little bit nervous too.
I hope you will always remember this day, as I have looked back fondly on mine. I hope you will remember the love that you felt from all of our family, and even dear friends who came to support you. I hope you also felt the Holy Spirit during the baptism and confirmation. I know this church is true, and I hope that you will find that out as well.
It was a wonderful service, Grandpa Hunsaker doing such a great job on the Holy Ghost talk, and Grandpa B saying the opening prayer. You also got baptized with Cameron Carroll and Trinity Fredericks from our ward. Afterwards, we went back to the house for pizza and lots of other fun food, enjoying family and playing with cousins.
You are also officially a cub scout now, and want to work in book every night. That is something that I love about you, how much you love to learn and try new things. You do the same thing with your homework too. Your enthusiam for everything is contagious, and our family would truly be dull without you. I love you Sam.
Love, Mom
It was a hard Halloween at our house. Emmi and Jack started getting sick a few days before, and were still running a fever that morning. So, of course, I had to keep Emmi home from school that day, which I felt terrible about. Being in Kindergarten, it was her first time to wear her costume to school, be in the school's Halloween parade, and first class party. I guess I lucked out that it was her first, and she really didn't realize how much she was missing. She didn't take it too hard. I did though. What a crummy day to be sick! I told her that we would still let her go trick-or-treating, being it was Halloween after all.
Before we headed down to trunk-or-treat, we had to stop by and see some of our favorite people, who sweetly always have a special bag of treats waiting for my kids. First was our Carolyn. For the first time since we have moved to Payson, we did not get to show Ida Mae our costumes, and that was sad to me. However, Carolyn was as cute as she could be with the kids.
Next was Max and Linda's house, who are good friends of Chad and I's that we met through working at the temple. We lucked out in that they live in Payson too.
Max was even good to get in a shot with the kids. I just love these people.
This is my FAVORITE costume that I have ever bought. Yoda is special to me and for a number of reasons. First, when I was a baby, I was bald. I also was blessed with my Dad's slightly pointy ears and hence, my uncles on my mother's side used to tease and call me Yoda as a baby. This was all said before I was old enough to know, thank goodness, because I probably would have thought my uncles mean. But anyway, it makes me smile to dress my kids up as "their mother" for Halloween. Then, in high school, and the first year I was on the drill team, our motto was "Do or do not, there is no try," which are Yoda's clever lines, and was one of my first times to actually watch and appreciate Star Wars. And lastly, it has been said that Yoda's physical characteristics were patterned after another great spiritual leader, Pres. Spencer W. Kimball. I can totally see the resemblance, and makes me love Yoda all the more. It is also is too darn cute on little toddlers.. you just can't beat it.
Remember this? Emmi was the first one to don the Yoda back in 2008.
After the trick-or-treating was over, it was time for more visits to favorite people. First, was Grandma and Grandpa Thornock, who now live nice and close. We didn't get to stay long, being a school night and all, but the kids sure surprised Grandma when she came to door. It took her a minute to recognize us.
Last for the night was Grandma and Grandpa Hunsaker. Grandma told Keaton his red eyes were sure scary.
So, another Halloween is in the books. It wasn't my favorite. It just felt off. Normally we have pumpkin pizza from Papa Murphy's, but we had to settle on grabbing a pizza late and eating it in the car on the way to Santaquin. The trunk-or-treat was a bust, I am kicking myself that I didn't take a picture of the back of Emmi's costume because the long braid was so darling, but worst of all, when we got home that night from the Hunsaker's, we found one of our pumpkins smashed in the driveway, another one missing, and the candy, along with my favorite mixing bowl no where to be found!
It was the very first time we had left a bowl out, and only because were not going to be gone for more than one hour, and becase there was no trunk-or-treat, we had a lot candy that we wanted gone. The kids felt the worst about the missing bowl, and Keaton all teary-eyed asked me if we should call the cops. I felt bad that it shook them up so. After school the next day, I even found my boys looking around my front yard to see if they could find the bowl, since the only way I could appease them to sleep that night was the idea that maybe it was just hidden somewhere in the yard, and not stolen. Oh, what sweet boys I have!
Oh well, I guess there is always next year. Hopefully, it will be a healthier, and all around, better Halloween for all of us.
On Friday, we were invited to a little tea party with Ida Mae, the kids' favorite "grandma" in the ward. The Binks' and the Wolfe's were invited too. This party was Carolyn's idea, and she had set out a table with cheese sandwiches, cookies, muffins and punch, and then then all the kids played games like "Mother May I" and "Run Sheepy Run" afterwards, how cute is she? Even though it was a beautiful afternoon, Ida Mae was happily content sitting under a blanket and watching all the kids play, and getting hugs from each as they left the party. We sure love these two ladies and are so lucky to know them.
