Halloween Time

We went to our ward party last night and a great time was had by all. I love when our ward party is before Halloween so we can have a "dry run" of costumes. Besides, the kids want to get as much time in costumes as possible. I'm not the biggest fan of Halloween to be honest. I guess maybe its because I seem to have people that LOVE to scare the crap out of me every year! ! And yes, I am a big ol wimp with scary stuff! But besides my own personal fears....costumes in general are getting more skimpy, scary, gory and just cost to darn much! This year I told the kids to hone their inner creative being and dumped out the dress-up box. I think they did a pretty great job! It also doesn't hurt to have cousins and friends that are willing to lend out costumes. I'm preparing myself now for a weekend full of sugar rushes and crashes!

Hats

These past few months have caused a great deal of reflection for me. I've been a bit overloaded with stress, to say the least.

I was feeling the weight of all the "hats" that as mothers in Zion we wear. Most of the "hats" I've brought upon myself, thanks to the gene inherited from my mother. That gene that makes me say yes to everything and everyone. Not that I think that's a bad thing. Lets see... YW 2nd counselor, Ptso president, wife, mom, room mom for 2 of my kids classes and then I feel so bad that I didn't volunteer for the other 2 classes that I go help as much as humanly possible and the list goes on. I know that really compared to so many others around me, my list is nothing. I don't know how some people do it and make it all look so easy!

I've learned so much from having this gene. These "hats" that I wear have given me something else to think about, worry about and do something about when other things are out of my control. My mom is the best example to me. She is always out and about doing service for someone in her ward. There is hardly ever a time that I call that she is not "on her way out" or "just got back" from helping someone. I hope to someday be like that! What are we always told? Lose ourselves in service. So simple, yet so life changing.

I guess as I've been "sifting" thru my "hats". I really had to refocus my priorities to what matters the most, and they all sit around my dinner table every night. I really wish that I would put all the time and energy that I spend on "perfecting" everything else into becoming a kinder more thoughtful, funner mom. These past few months we've all, and I mean all, have been home a lot more. While I'm not going to lie and say that having an unemployed husband for the last 6 months has been a party, I've noticed so many little changes in our family. We've had to become more creative with fun activities, we've had to change to way we see things, we've had to teach and reteach the differences between wants and needs. I also been able to see and be apart of so many "tender mercies" and countless blessings and little acts of thoughtful service.

I'm so, so grateful.

It seems to me that when everything around is spinning out of control, the only thing that is in perfect view is family. And while I love to help at the school and love to be that mom that teachers know they can count on, and while I try to do "extras" for my friends, family and neighbors, it has all taken a back seat this year. This year, for a short amount of time, its all about those people who sit around my dinner table that mean the most to me. That "hat" is the most precious of all "hats" to me. The hat of mother and wife.

Beauty rest in progress

Isn't this a hoot? I was going around doing my last check on all the kids before I climbed into my own bed, and this is how I found Emily. She was out cold, mask and all! The sun wasn't going to wake her up!! When I went in this morning to wake her up, she pulled the mask off and said "oooh..it's so bright in here." Oh boy.. 5 going on 15!