Friday Favorite: Family-Temples-Testimony

Nothing brings a family together faster than a funeral. 

My Grandmother passed away almost 2 weeks ago, and while I miss her dearly I'm grateful to have had her in my life and to have known her as an adult.  I am so thankful I was able to make it to Utah for the services.

She has always been so thoughtful.  She never missed a birthday (including Michael's!), and she has 50 Grandchilren! We kept saying how amazing it was that all 50 cousins were able to make it.  That's the first time we've all been together in one place since, well, probably ever (and we didn't even document it with a photo :( ) She has such a strong testimony of the gospel, loved her scriptures and the temple.  She truly has been an amazing example for me.

While in Utah, I especially loved the late night chats with the immediate family, not only catching up on life, but sharing stories about Grandma and Grandpa I hadn't heard.  It only made me feel closer to her.

Here we are just last March (after my other Grandmother's funeral . . . . loosing two grandma's is less than 7 months does NOT come recommended)

I don't have a any pictures with the adults (forgot to copy Dad's memory card-bummer) but here are all Rylee's cousins . . . . . 15 and counting.

Oh, and I also got to experience REAL fall. . . . . like changing leaves. It was beautiful, definately in the top 10 things I miss about Utah . . . . along with the mountains.

Lois Duke Wright
Love you Grandma!

Fall

A couple weekends ago we attended all sorts of 'fall' activities. We visited a 'pumpkin patch' Friday and then Saturday our HOA had a little festival. You know, the usual: overpriced food, craft booths, petting 'farm', train/hay rides, candy, random pumpkins in the dirt (apparantly this does not make it a pumpkin patch. . . . . I wouldn't know the difference :) )

I used the festivities as an excuse to put Rylee in her costume a couple more times this season. She's our little gnome. I laughed everytime I looked at her. The hat didn't stay on for too long but she looked adorable in it.

Rylee with her bff, her Mother and I insist.

Rylee and my (27 week) pregnant self feeding the llama.

You know, I used to worry if I was wearing enough layers for outdoor Halloween events, now, we buy Ice Cream (from none other that the schwann man who had a booth at the park).

All the booths at the park gave candy. Rylee would have a bag full of dumb-dumbs had Mom and Dad not interviened. We had to.

Friday Favorite: My Helper

This little girl officaly has chores. It works better this way for both of us. She hands me the dishes from the dishwasher to be put away. She gets mad when a bowl/cup gets stuck and insists on getting the stool so she can reach the top rack. It really is a win-win situation: she hasn't tried climbing into the dishwasher since she's been given the new 'responsibility' and I don't have to bend over to get the dishes of the bottom rack either :) Also, there've been a few times where I would have put off emptying the dishwasher a few hours and she wanted to do it, to not discourage the behavior we went to work.

"here you go Mom"

awesome.

She also has started helping me 'cook', well, more like 'mix' she stands on a chair and "dumps" spices and what-not together and helps me stir it up. Yes, it takes a little longer but its a million times better since she isn't screaming at my feet. She really just wants to see what's going on (sorry girly, it looks like your stuck with your Momma's short genes). I used to have her sit on the edge of the counter while I got dinner ready but the chair is slightly closer to the ground and then she doesn't take up any more counter space.

The only problem is that she can move the chairs around now to climb . . . . . fixing one problem just seems to cause another.

Then, yesterday she spilled some water and I gave her a napkin to clean it up. She was so proud of herself! I figure it won't be too long before she's complaining about chores so I'll take it when I can get it. And I'm lovin a little extra help around the kitchen :)