HALLOWEEN

This is our 5th annual Halloween family party.  The Sunday before Halloween, I have all the fam over in full costume.  We have soup (my mom's most famous soup ever), served in pumpkin bowls.  It is so fun seeing everyone come in full costume. My mom came as Dorothy.  She had red shoes.  Not the best costume this year.  Last year she was a very great Japaneese girl.  But we cut them some slack because they are still in shock about going to Russia.  We have had some great years.  Last year, our family dressed in cow costumes.  And, ketchup and mustard?  Aren't they great?  It's so much fun to all get together.  We look forward to this all year long!  The one thing that gets everybody...if you don't dress up, you don't get to eat!!  That really inspired my 14 year-old to pull through with a costume.  Happy Halloween! 

FALL

I LOVE fall.  I love "sweatshirt weather".  I feel the need to bulk up.  I buy lots of goods at the caselot sale.  I bake lots of yummy treats.  I pull up my flower beds, and rake the huge beautiful leaves that fall from my huge trees.  It is just great.  I also love to make my kids go on long walks with me.  They think I'm most crazy.  I stop about every five seconds and tell them to look and admire their surroundings.  They smile and say uh-huh, fully knowing that their mom is off her rocker.  I tell them that I always take pictures in my head.  That way, if I loose my eyesight, I will have these stored up pictures.  So we all walk around and pretend to "click" the picture.  I treasure these times with my husband and kids.  Even though they just about pass out everytime I bring up the word, once we get going, we all have fun.  I find out so much about each child.  It's a non-judgement zone.  We learn so much about each other while enjoying our beautiful world.   It doesn't take any preparation, and it's FREE!   What could be better?  

Missionaries!

Congratulations to my mom and dad.  They got their mission call to Belarus.  It is the western Russia mission.  My mom said she reads everyday about people her age dying, and she is going to Russia.  They will be great missionaries.  There mission is a welfare mission.  They cannot proselyte, or they will probably be hanged or something dreadful.  My parents are just the greatest.  I am so sad to see them leave!  They help me every single day of my little life.   It will be very hard for me to be without them.  But I am so excited for them to have this adventure.   I guess it's my turn to share them with the people of Russia.  They leave January 5th.  Just in time to grab one of those big furry Russian hats.  I'm sure there is a name for those.....  

"Speed Racer"

The red ribbon race was a huge success!  Rachael was determined to do the race.  We woke up to wind, cold, rain, then eventually, SNOW!  Supe had a soccer game, Ethan had a football game.  They could not participate.  I think Rachael just thought this was her race.  We started out running it together, and Rachael finished ahead of her dear mother.  I could tell she was sad to leave me in the dust.  I am so happy to finally have a runner in the family!  Those lanky little legs just sped her right to the finish line.  It was fun to watch her run past people in Supe's grade.  If you can't tell, I am overly proud.  Good job Rachey!!  

BYU/USU

I have had a couple of days to cool down after my explosion on KVNU's coaches show.  Most every night between 5:00-7:00pm, I am driving my kids to and fro.  I always listen to "We the People", and usually the "Aggie Coaches Show after that.   I admit I am a very outspoken person.  That being said, I could not sit and listen to them bash BYU and Riley Nielsen any longer.  They were talking about the game tonight between BYU and USU.  Background is BYU doesn't even have to play USU.  They do it basically as a favor.  Last Tuesday night, this radio program played an interview between BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall, and the host of this local program show.  The host asked Bronco if BYU went to Riley while on his mission and recruited him to BYU.  Bronco responded that BYU did not contact Riley while on his mission.  He said that a missionary's time is to be spent serving our Heavenly Father.  He said that Riley's family actually contacted BYU and that is how the offer was made for Riley to play for BYU after his mission.  He gave such a good interview, and I admit, I am very biased toward coach Mendenhall.  (Ethan was so impressed with him after going to the BYU football camp.  We also have listened to several firesides he has given.)  After the interview had ended, the DJ went on this all out attack on the interview.  They said that of course BYU wooed Riley while on his mission.  They basically discredited everything the coach had just stated.  Well, here Alison steps in.  I was on my way to yw activity night.  I had Supe in the car with me.  I couldn't take the accusations and the name calling anymore.  I called and told them that we as a community should all rally around Riley Nielsen and maybe, even go as far as cheering him on when he plays for BYU.  I asked the DJ if he had the opportunity to play for a winning team versus a losing team, what he would choose.  The DJ said that for sure he would play for USU because of tradition.  That got me even more riled up.  So for five minutes I went back and forth with this man about BYU.  I could go into more detail, but for the sake of us all, I will not elaborate.  Now I know that many of my readers are die-hard USU fans.  And my qualm was not with the whole BYU/USU rivalry.  Honestly, there is no rivalry anymore.  We are way out of their league.  The only point I was trying to make is that we should support someones decision, instead of tearing them down.   What do you think his decision should have been?