Memorable MondayBlack Friday

The Friday after Thanksgiving is Black Friday and I've gone ever since Josh was little. The first time I went, I brought Jim and Josh along. It was great to get some good deals, but I'm not sure that it was worth the long wait and bringing the boys. But the next year, I was in line again. Sometimes, I would bring Jim and other times, I would just go with the Clawsons. One year, I was pregnant and carried a huge pool table around the store. Another year, I realized the next day that I didn't pay for an item and needed to get that fixed the next day. There are a lot of good memories about Black Friday. I've spent a lot of time talking to people that I normally wouldn't. I've been to many stores - Kohl's, Target, Wal-Mart, Toys R' Us, and there are stores that I avoid at all costs. One year, I might just skip this tradition, but I haven't yet. I think I enjoy some part of this tradition.

Thanksgiving

Temples - I'm grateful to know that families can be together forever.

Health- I'm grateful for my families good health.

Ancestors - I'm grateful for their influence over the years.

Nation - I'm so grateful to live in America and the freedoms we have.

Kids - I thankful for Josh, Dani, Angela, and Emily.

Savior, Jesus Christ - I'm grateful for his example and for His atonement.

Gospel - I'm grateful that the gospel was restored in the Latter-Days

Insurance - I'm so grateful for Health, Dental, Car, and Home insurance that's saved us so much money over the years.

Vision - I'm so grateful that I can see and have a good pair of glasses.

Internet- I'm so grateful that I can get information quickly and re-connect with my friends.

Nieces and Nephews - They are so fun to play with and are sweet to let me take photos.

Gift of the Holy Ghost - I'm so grateful that I have this gift in my life and I want to live in such a way that I can always have it with me daily.

Memorable Mondayglasses

Josh informed me a couple of weeks ago that he thinks he may need some glasses. After seeing the optometrist, we realized that he was right and ordered a pair for him. Josh was anxious and excited to get his glasses. He knew that the glasses would improve his vision. It was fun to hear Josh comment on the world he saw through his new glasses. He looks quite handsome too!

I remember when I first received my pair of glasses - I was around 15 years old. My experience was very similar to Josh's. I tried on my sister's glasses and realized that I needed them too. My vision was very poor and it's amazing that it wasn't discovered earlier. I was a very shy child and did speak up when I struggled to see the chalkboard. I looked into my sister's glasses and noticed that the objects were clearer with much more detail than I realized. That incident was just what I needed for me to speak up and get an appointment with the eye doctor. Because my vision was so poor, my glasses needed thicker lenses to correct my eye sight. I'm so glad that now I am able to wear thinner lenses. Eye glasses are a great blessing in my life and I'm so grateful for this technology.

Memorable Monday Stake Dances

Josh went to his first stake dance on Saturday, actually it was a 5 stake dance. He went with his cousins, Britt and Ash, and had a great time. His cousins taught him some dance Etiquette and taught him to open the door for girls. I heard the Josh was a gentlemen and danced with 6 girls. I can't believe that Josh is old enough to attend the stake dances.

I remember going to stake dances when I was young. I didn't dance very often and was considered a "Wall Flower". When I moved to AZ, I wasn't going to miss out on the dancing and found the courage to ask guys to dance. For then on, I had a great time at dances and met some really great guys.

Groundbreaking Pics

On Saturday, the Gilbert AZ temple held their groundbreaking ceremony. I really wanted to take my kids to the ceremony, but the older two found themselves engaged in other activities. I wanted to go as a whole family, so we didn't attend the ceremony. After Stake Conference, I wanted to drive by the temple site and get a picture of my family on the grounds before the building began. When we arrived to the temple site, we saw that the ceremonial shovels were still there in the ground. Of course, I had to get a picture with my family holding the shovels. My family was so wonderful to have the picture taken and take this time with me to see the temple grounds. They have cousins that live across the street, so they will get a good view of the temple as it is being built. It's a wonderful opportunity to see a temple being built and waiting for the day that it is open for us to enter and make the covenants that we strive to make and keep.

Chess Tournament - Pawn Storm

Josh had another chess tournament today and did very well. Josh won 4 out of 5 chess games and placed second in his section. Each player is assigned to small sections based on their rating. He was really excited to win and hopes to improved his rating and move up to the next section. Josh also competed with the Taylor Junior High Chess Team and the placed third overall. Josh had a great time playing chess and hanging out with his team mates between games.

Josh is holding both trophies - the higher one is the school trophy.

Congrats Josh!

Court of Honor

Tonight we had a Court of Honor. With my new calling, I helped plan this one with a lot of help from the scouts and my husband. I learned how much work goes into a Court of Honor, even a simple one. There was a Board of Review to set up, badges to buy, paperwork to fill out, pins to find, programs to plan, refreshments to buy, and so much more. There is a lot of behind the scenes that make Scouting work and a got a glimpse of that these past few months. I want to thank of all the leaders that have been involved with Josh during the years he has been in scouts.

Josh earned three merit badges: communication, woodcarving, and personal management. He also earned a Varsity On-Target pin. Josh was asked to lead the Scout Oath and Law during the Court of Honor. It was so neat to Josh awarded and see how much Josh has learned from scouting.

Joseph the Technicolor Dreamcoat

I took Josh and Dani with me to see "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat". We went with Grandma Pace, Aunt Kathryn, Jenna, Kaylynn, and a friend of Kaylynn's. It was an amazing musical with a lot of friends in the cast and crew. We went on the last day and were informed that they won State and will perform at in Phoenix in a couple of weeks. There were a lot of fun surprises saved for the last performance and we love that we could be there that day. The kids and I watched the Donny Osmond version several times before they saw the play which added to the experience.

Emily is 6

Emily turned 6 years old today. She's growing up so fast and is still sweet as ever. I love how easy going Emily is and she tells me that she loves me numerous times a day. I heart melts every time I hear those sweet words. Here are 6 wonderful things about Emily.

1. Emily loves to play with her big sister Angela. They color together, play stuffed animals and little people together, and run and play outside together.


2. Emily loves to eat fruits and vegetables. She loves to eat green beans right out of the can. She loves fruit and hates to see a cantaloupe or watermelon not being cut up and eaten.


3. Angela loves to go out to eat at Chick-Fil-A, McDonald's, or Burger King -wherever there is a playground. She especially loves Chick-Fil-A.


4. Emily loves cereal and she could eat it for every meal. She needs to look at the back of the box when she eats it too.


5. Emily loves to play video games with her brother. She love Pokemon and Pic man


6. Emily loves to play with her friends and cousins. There are a lot of girls her age.

Birthday Celebrations

Memorable MondayElection Day

There is an election tomorrow and it's also my sweet Emmy's birthday. I quickly remembered the day that those two events took place on the same day.

6 years ago, President George Bush and John Kerry were running against each other in a presidental election. My OB doctor encouraged me request an early ballot and mail it ASAP - which I did. The morning of the election, I sent my two oldest to school and sent Angela to my mother-in-laws (she only had 2 hours of school and I didn't want to deal with bus routes) while Jim and I headed to the hospital. Emily was born later that day and we joked with the nurses that we would name her Laura or Teresa depending on who won the election. I was just kidding of course.

Emily was born at 5: 20 pm and weighed 7 lbs. and 6 oz. and 19 1/2 inches long. She was a beautiful healthy girl and we were so thrilled to finally hold her in our arms.

Halloween

Halloween is always such a fun time to dress up and my kids love to do just that.

• Josh wanted to be Doctor Who - Matt Smith style. I really like the David Tennant and it would super cute with Dani's costume, but learned that Josh really wanted to dress as the other Doctor Who. I'm glad that Josh spoke up and got to be what he wanted for Christmas.
• Dani wanted to be several things, including the color orange. We didn't have much orange, so we headed to the store and got her a Rose Tyler outfit. A friend called her later and they planned matching outfits - gangsters.
• Angela wanted to be a clown from day one. I tried to add accessories to her outfit, but Jim and I ended up wearing those. So, I learned that Angela will pick what she wants to be.
• Emily wanted to be a cat, but ended up being a mouse - Minnie Mouse. She was so adorable and looks the part when Dani applied the makeup.

The Clawsons came with us and I took their pics too.

• Brittany - 1920's Flapper
• Zach - Elliott from E.T.
• Joey - Anakin Skywalker
• Kenzie - Mulan

Trunk or Treat Pics