October 18, 2009
Dear Family,
    From wonderful General Conference weekend, to Brent’s first pinewood derby this last week, we’ve had a great October so far! Nick and Laurie were great to come and stay w/ us for Conference—we couldn’t find the TV remote (again!) and had to watch w/ Spanish subtitles, but had a great time relaxing with them.  Brian showed Nick how to fill his pockets w/ candy for the priesthood session, and the rest of us made donuts while they were gone.  They left Sunday after we ate, and Monday night, Dad flew in for a couple of days! We felt so spoiled with fun company! He took the children to school Tuesday morning, attended to Chemistry things at BYU, and then took us out to a new little Italian place for dinner Wednesday night.
    Brian got the garden cleaned out last weekend, now that we’ve seen some frost, and I loaded all of our canned goods onto the first set of shelves he finished in our storage room.  We dropped off our new van to get our last bench installed, and while that was gone (of course!) our mini-van stopped working.  Fortunately, it turned out to be just a really drained battery that wouldn’t jump, but we were down to one car for 3 days.  It also pulled a little trick on me last week—I’d filled up the gas tank, and after being at the church all night w/ a VT Conference, it showed empty when I went to leave!! I wondered in mild horror, if someone had siphoned gas right out of my tank! I was already to call the police dept. the next morning, but when I double checked at the gas station—it was still full!!—the gauge was just off?!
    I’ve had a few treasure hunts online lately as well.  I found an ad selling buckets of white wheat—they were taking orders for a farmer in ID, and bringing them back here, all loaded into buckets and everthing—at quite a good deal, so Brian and I picked up our order of 1800 lbs of wheat yesterday!!—he’s gotten those shelves together just in time! I also found a $15 bench to go w/ our kitchen table—a perfect match, and perfect for kids!—then came just the dresser I was looking for to go in Maddie’s still unfurnished room—w/ a hutch on top and everything!
    Spencer is loving Kindergarten w/ gusto—they’ve taken a couple of “walking” field trips that he’s loved, and is getting the hang of his reader books he brings home.  Emily just learned how to blow bubbles w/ bubble gum this weekend, and her biggest concern at school is who is playing with who at recess every day—it’s a science in and of itself in her mind.  She is also our handwriting girl—and though it takes an enormous amount of time, we all gawk at her spelling lists, etc., because they look neater than the printed sheets! (could she be my daughter??).  Maddie just had an Egyptian feast where they dressed up and ate “authentic” food after a unit they’ve done in Social Studies—she is reading about a book a day—sharing lists w/ her teacher, and staying up way too late w/ her reading lamp! Brent had a blast w/ Brian getting his car ready, and is daily amazed at how little his Mom knows about Utah history (they study it in 4th grade).  He is convinced that I need to go back and learn these important counties, Indian tribes, fur traders, and other tidbits.  It is fun, because most of what they learn is via fun songs for a program at the end of the year—I think Emily may have them learned before 3rd grade! Anne seems to learn a new word a day now, and LOVES being a big girl.  She loves getting ready to go “bye-bye”, getting her “joojoos”(shoes) on (she’ll wear anyone’s) and smacking kisses off of her hand.  She knows how to put all my make up on, or at least dump it all over the bathroom, put gel (or lotion) in her hair, take care of her “babies,” and is becoming a great helper in cleaning up (when its her idea).  She LOVES her “Tooweys” (stories) and trails books all around the house and knows where the “eeese” (cheese) is in the fridge.  She says “MAMA”(amen) to the prayers and asks everyone “Re-ee” (ready)?, and is crazy about saying “BOO!” w/ all of the Halloween decorations she sees.
    Brian took me out for my birthday on Friday—we tried a new Japanese restaurant that was quite a kick! The whole bldg was the size of our garage—no wonder they only took reservations!—and this cute Japanese couple made all of their own sauces and fairly authentic food (if Dad’s recipes were anything to go by) at good prices, and SUCH a fun atmosphere! I felt like we were in another country—eating in someone’s kitchen or something—you’re practically sharing a table w/ the people next to you, and everyone else there seemed to be regulars—all one big family—it was such a find! YUMMY gyoza, and tempura vegetables, giant shrimp—a lot of fun! We were so happy to find a good restaurant in this sea of chains we seem to live in up here.  We saw the movie Up at the dollar movie after that—almost as unique as the restaurant, and we really enjoyed it .
    General Conference was such an uplift, and how do you think I felt after that first session, when I had prayed specifically about how to be more in tune w/ the Spirit, and how to have a greater love for others? If I learned nothing else, it was again, that prayers ARE answered, and the Lord definitely speaks to us. We have a little treasure of a man in our ward who grew up in Pres. Monson’s stake when he was the bishop of those 84 widows.  This man’s mother took in 4-6 widows at a time in a nextdoor home they owned, and cared for them there, and what experiences he shares about the future prophet visiting every December to bring them chickens and give them blessings, including his parents and himself, and then to speak at all of those widows’ funerals and then, his mother’s—just a couple of years ago.   We’re so blessed to have a prophet! There’s still plenty I’m trying to figure out—like how to have a “house of order” while still feeling love for my family , but it’s so reassuring in all of the chaos life has to offer, to be able to look to the prophet for what we should be focusing on, and what attitudes we should have.

Maddie's homemade Egyptian wear

Emily's first day of BUBBLE gum
Anne spilled the cup of water on the floor, and before I knew what had happened, she had dropped her baby (also on the floor) and gotten out the mop to clean up the the water!! HOORAY!
Brent w/ his car (yes, I think he may be cooler than his Mom)
watching the derby w/ the digital speed read and recording--Brent's down in center w/ the orange tee under his cub shirt