I spent for.ev.er trying to get this to post last night. If this doesn't work, I apologize up front for the mess. When I tried to spell check last night, things went crazy, it posted in HTML and some of the post was at three different places in the entry. Who KNOWS what happened? So, I'm hoping this works. If not, I'm sorry.
Our weekend was just been a blur...a happy blur!
On Friday, I spent most of the day with Doug getting ready for the Witches Brew. Most everything, but the games, were done, so it was a very relaxed day until the babes got home. The babes had half day of school and came home with plans to all go to Halloween events of their own, which meant getting three kids in costumes beforeI could get myself ready. I decided that next year, I want to focus on my own costume, as well as the girls! As it was, I reminded them that Friday night was my Halloween. Theirs is Monday. Gracie was so cute. She came in a few minutes later and gave me her Hermoine Granger witches hat to wear for the party. It was about five sizes too small, but I wore it because she shared. Sweet.
The Witches Brew is such a fun way to spend the evening with your girlfriends. The food was fabulous, the games were fun. The company was great. We were a bit more mellow than usual, but our conversations were the best. There were some seriously funny laughs, which is always what we need. I love my friends!
The food was to die for. From the best green salad with everything under the sun in it, including pumpkin and sunflower seeds, yum! to dips and quiche and and and lots of chocolate and an apple pizza. SO good! April brought one of my favorite treats in the world, the pretzel with the rolos and pecan on top, but she used white chocolate covered pretzels, making it even tastier! Nat made a chex mix that was to die for. I'll have to get her list of ingredients and share. SO good!
I prepared three games but we only played two because we ladies do like to talk. That was what I sort of figured would happen, so I'm happy to have next year's game already prepared and waiting in the file. For the big game, I created a Jeopardy board with topics and questions all Halloweeny. I'll share them below for your files too!
Wishful Thinking (things having to do with Charlie Brown Great Pumpkin)
- Creator of the entire series with the Charlie Brown Gang ~ Charles Shutlz
- Sits and waits in the Pumpkin Patch while all of the other kids go Trick or Treating ~ Linus
- Is completely ashamed that their sibling believes in the Great Pumpkin ~ Lucy
- The only one who believes in the Great Pumpkin ~ Linus
- Gets rocks every time while Trick or Treating ~ Charlie Brown
This photo only shows about half the food we ended up enjoying. So good! Notice the Jackolantern apple pizza, topped with white chocolate. MMM!
Sugar and Spice (things related to Halloween foods)
- Named after his daughter, this was the first penny wrapped candy. Tootsie Roll (her nickname was Tootsie, not Roll. ;))
- Named after a family horse, this is the #1 selling candy bar. Snickers
- Based on a New Years Eve tradition and replaced rice-throwing at weddings. Apple bobbing. Originally, the person who choked first while bobbing would be the next to meet their love. Then, throwing apples at the bride and groom came from that then it became rice that they threw. THANK HEAVENS! I'd have been ticked if someone threw an apple at your wedding dress.
- Next to New Years Eve, Halloween is the biggest selling day of the year for this food. Pizza
- One of the oldest known fruits, originating in Mexico almost 9000 years ago. The pumpkin.
It was only a Dream (Thing having to do with Stephanie Meyers Twilight Series)
- Stephanie’s inspiration for the Twilight Series came from this.
- This piece of classical music is one of Edward’s favorites. Clair de Leune
- She said, “I’m the one with the wicked curveball.” Victoria
- Edward’s last name before he became a Cullen. Edward Anthony Meson Cullen
- The Volturi live in this city in Rome. Voltaire
Can’t get you out of my Head (Spooky or Halloween related songs)
This photo opportunity made us all laugh... the hats all huddled together while they were figuring out who was who in the name game. Would you like butter on that? (Halloween or spooky movies)
As for the rest of the weekend...
We had stake conference on Saturday evening and then yesterday morning. It was a Regional Televised broadcast from the Ogden Dee Event Center at Weber State University. We were so blessed to hear from Elder Marlin K. Jensen, Sister Rosemary Wixom, (General Primary President), Elder Neal Anderson and President Thomas S. Monson. The evening session on Saturday, held in our own stake center was awesome and uplifting. My friend, Kara's brother, Scott Jackson spoke and WOW! He always does a fantastic job. The entire meeting was perfect. I love Saturday evening Stake Conference because it's an "adults only". Leaving babies at home for that meeting makes it special for everyone there. I remember taking turns going when our kids were younger. Doug would stay home for one meeting and I'd stay home the next time so that we could enjoy the meeting completely and not disturb those around us with our babies. Nice! It's also nice now that they are old enough to leave at home alone and be able to go together as a couple again.
The Sunday Broadcast was beautiful. Loved every second of it. We met at our church and it was broadcast into the chapel. This was not the quiet meeting because families filled the chapels. I had to chuckle when ZJ took Zaylee to the potty. (She's potty training.) She came into the chapel and when she was still about five rows away, she announced to the entire congregation, "Grammie! I peed in the potty!!" Everyone else laughed. Rather than be embarrassed, I just picked her up and gave her a great big hug. These are important moments! Much too important to worry about being embarrassed! I'll share some thoughts about the conference on my SistersDear blog, later this week. I'll share some of my stake conference thoughts on the SistersDear blog later this week.
I made extra favors from the shower to go and deliver to our grands this afternoon. We were able to spend an hour with Jason and his family then at the B's. Wendy made her nummy apple dumplings for a Sunday night treat. DIVINE. Miki was adorable all night. She's developing the cutest little personality. My favorite thing was watching her race out to see us when we pulled in. She's a pill! And can I just say that she loves her Grampie! And need I mention that the feeling is more than mutual. Doug can't get enough of her!
After church, Liza called and Buddy had news to share. When we got home, we skyped for a short bit. Hmmmm. I don't think I'm supposed to mention the news. BUT. He got a new calling. So, now they both have callings in their new ward. They love Arizona. Have I mentioned that lately? I don't think they'll ever come home to live again, but how can I ask that when they are so loving it!?
Also, in the afternoon, we spent a few minutes at the Logan Temple. This weekend was the third anniversary of our family sealing in the temple. It's a tradition that matters and we want to make it count. However, the temple grounds were locked this afternoon, so we decided to "touch the fence" and share our memories. We actually, were not planning on pictures and had decided that we'd come and do it on Wednesday afternoon this week. BUT. We were there and so we waited for someone to come by and take a picture of us as a family. That didn't work out. Later a family did come by, but the photos didn't turn out so wellwith the shade. SO. This will have to do for this year. Sadness.
Another real highlight of the weekend was having Doug's cousin, Vern and his wife, Connie and Doug's sister, Anne come for lunch and a wonderful visit on Saturday. It's rare that we have time with his cousins, unless it's at an extended family gathering, so this was a choice experience!
Such a long entry and there's more that I could share today, but, this is way more than enough said! Suffice it to say, it was an awesome weekend!
This week:
- I start tending Zaylee. (I think? This is Kelly we're dealing with.)
- Hopefully, there's a surgical cancellation and Zaylee can have her surgery on Wednesday instead of next week.
- I've been asked to decorate for a Stake Dinner for 180 people in two weeks. (This is the dinner that I was given three days notice for last fall. I'm excited to do it!) I'm going to try to get that done this week so that I can focus on Zaylee and Tessa next week.
- Tessa's wedding is less than three weeks away...SO much to do!
- November tablescape and decorating and all of the Halloween stuff comes down on Tuesday. Sadness!
- I still need to post the October tablescape on the cooking blog. I seriously do not want to see October's table go. I've enjoyed looking at it, as much as I do the Christmas tree in December!
- Speaking of which, I'm hoping to "assist" Doug with getting the Christmas lights up this week before it gets too cold.
- Zaylee's birthday, which is November 13th, will be celebrated early if the surgery is still on the 9th.
Lots to do. Life is good and busy. Doug teased me this weekend, "Babe, what is it about the word "no" that you don't understand?" The way I look at it, I can sleep in January. 2053. Life's too short to waste doing nothing. Enough said.
I try to take one day at a time - - but sometimes several days attack me at once.
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