I love my husband!

This week has been pretty crazy. The reason I say, "I love my husband" because he can't do anything small. I keep telling him that he can do quality without the quantity. The Southern Utah Home Builders Associations (SUHBA) is putting on their first "Gingerbread Parade of Homes" trying to raise money for Habitat For Humanity. So, they gave Scott (as well as the other builders that are participating) a boxed gingerbread house kit. So, then he started showing me his ideas and I said, "Um...we can't get that house from that box", because the houses that he wanted to do were big and intricate. So...I knew where this was going. There was no talking him out of doing something big...I just didn't know how big he was going to go. Mind you...this is our FIRST gingerbread house we have ever done. I don't like sounding non-supportive, but I knew what a big project he was getting himself into and he really has thought that it would only take him like four days...Well, the four days have come and gone and it still isn't close to being done! Well...to continue the story...Scott called our architect and asked if he had designed a house that would be great for a gingerbread house. The one he sent him is being built in Spanish Fork canyon (I think) and so he sent Scott the plans and everything. Our gingerbread house has PLANS! Then, as he has been putting it together, he has been using the table saw, chop saw, and our framer for ideas. Alec has been helping him make the 25 batches of gingerbread (yes, our house smells good!). I did rice krispy treats, and it has worked out pretty good. It actually has been pretty interesting to watch him work and come up with ways of tackling the problems. This has been great for his brain...keeps it busy and out of trouble! Anyway, he is truly talented and it's funny because I do these same kind of projects and so I know why he does them. So, here are some pictures. We don't have it done yet, but we be done in a week and a half (it is due on the 2nd of Dec.). Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving...we'll be in Phoenix and we are so excited!

I need at least one more set of hands!

Last Sunday I was somber because I realized I had a VERY full week ahead and was really freaking out because I knew that I couldn't do it all, but felt that I had to. Scott could see that I was not my normal self and told me to list everything I had to do. When he saw the list, he realized why I was stressing. So, he automatically crossed off things that he was willing to do to help. It started with making dinner every night and two other big things...taking the kids shopping and cutting all the card pieces for 168 cards for Enrichment night (the cards are shown above because I wanted to show how cute they are!). We then worked on how the rest was to be accomplished, and it ended up a really good, productive, week. I must say, though, I think the kids ate more when he cooked than when I cooked. And...I really could get used to him doing more cooking. Needless to say, he collapsed yesterday and is ready for the break. But, I am so grateful that he was willing to help.

On top of all that, Scott and I teamed up and taught our Sunday School lesson in total Sign Language! It was nerve-racking and VERY simple, but we did it and it was a great experience. We only have a few more lessons with this class and we are thinking of joining the Deaf Branch for their Sunday School...no interpreters! A lot of the people know who we are, and so I am sure they will be gentle on us! We do temple sessions with the Deaf Branch and so we are learning so much. It is really a cool experience.

Movin' right along...

Sorry once again for the "no post" last week. I am first counselor in the Relief Society and the President had fallen and really hurt herself, and so I had to take over all her responsibilities. So, I was out doing food orders and meetings and other things that she gets to do. This Sunday is a little more quiet, even though she is still not able to come. Hopefully next week she will be back and all will be back to whatever normal is...

Halloween was fun. We ate soup/chili at Rod's and then went trick-or-treating around his neighborhood. I noticed that with bigger houses, you have further to walk, than in my neighborhood where the houses are small and as soon as you take a couple steps, you are at the next house. It wears the kids out faster and they get less candy! Dallen and Ashton are the only ones allowed to trick-or-treat. I have issues with teeager coming to the door in their low voices "trick-or-treat". So, after the boys enter Young Men's, they get to find other activities on Halloween. Calvin had a friend that did a spook ally in his backyard, and so Calvin went and helped him scare little kids. Derrek and Alec wanted to hang out with all the adults at Rod's. Derrek had a party he could have gone to, but he just didn't feel like it. Ashton's costume started out a Ninja, but then he kept adding to it. This is the final product. After the third house, he was done with the mask, but kept the hands and feet.

I do have a cool story, though. Tuesday (I think), we were in a hurry in the morning and Ashton needed to get to school because he does Safety Patrol and I couldn't get him there on time. So, I went against my better judgement and let him borrow Derrek's $300 bike. He got done with Saftey Patrol after school (it takes about a half hour after school gets out), and went to get the bike and it was gone. He, of course, didn't tell anyone. So, we are getting home for the evening and Derrek is walking through the garage and says, "Where's my bike?". Panic went through me and I said, "Yeah, Ashton, where is Derrek's bike?". He quietly said "it got stolen". I was sick. Derrek handled it REALLY well and just said, "Mom, it's OK". I was freaking. Anyway, we said prayers and went to bed. The next day, we got ready, got the first shift going and sent Calvin off to the bus stop. About 10 minutes later, Calvin walks in with Derrek's bike. We were in SHOCK. We have never been able to find a bike after it has been stolen. Calvin said that he had prayed about it in his morning prayers and on his way to the bus stop, he saw out of the corner of his eye bike pegs in an ally. Calvin said he never goes into that ally because there is usually someone there doing drugs or something, but there was no one there that morning. So, he went down the ally and looked and there was Derrek's bike. So, he just took it back. He and I talked about it and realized that it's those little "practices" we get on listening to the Spirit. He was happy about the experience and I think he realized what really happened. Anyway, we were glad to get the bike back and the school was notified because they have people there to prevent this. I just thought it was a great experience.

Well, have a great week...we are getting rained on and it is finally cold today.