Congratulations all around...

Andrew is ready to start teaching his 2nd quarter tomorrow. Heather is keeping busy with her classes and motherhood. Henry likes to eat the phone. Congratulations to all 3 on getting half-way through the semester.

Looking for a snack?

Eric has been accepted to BYU-I and should be rooming with Ryan and Michael come January. Exciting. Scary. Exciting. Congratulations to Eric. He should do well as he served a 2-year mission away from home and has a 2-year degree from our local community college. This will be like a blending of his 2 accomplishments, I guess.

Ryan seems to be doing quite well at BYU-I and calls home often, which is always thrilling to me.

Hannah has been job hunting since she came back from Oregon in August. She has just been hired by the new movie theater that is about to open up in Fallon in November! Congratulations to her.

And today's meal was lasagna. Not just any lasagna, but one made with homemade noodles that Hannah made after grinding the durum wheat herself (ok, she used an electric mill).  Just call her the Little Red Hen. Though she did receive some help...I made homemade cottage cheese to go in the recipe. Too bad I recently made 3 batches of salsa instead of spaghetti sauce or it could have really been all homemade.

Hannah also made some spaghetti

Alton Brown's Quick Cottage Cheese recipe:
www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/quick-cottage-cheese-recipe.html

Pasta recipe:
http://erecipecards.blogspot.com/2013/01/fresh-made-pasta-basics.html

Glen went on a scouting trip Friday night with the Order of the Arrow. The Order of the Arrow is a "brotherhood of cheerful service," a group of young men from different troops that are recognized for their positive spirit in camping and service. He has been the Numaga Chapter adviser for a year now. He was presented the "Adviser of the Year" award for his service. The plaque is really beautiful. Congratulations, Glen!

Today we played some"7 Wonders." Alex beat me by one point. If only I'd taken the green card instead of the purple one that one time...

And today was the last day of our third 10 week no-treat challenge...as you can see, 6 started, but only 3 finished. Congratulations to Eric, Ryan, and Alex. Ryan is the only one who wants to continue. The rest of us have decided that we are not doing another round, but it was good while it lasted.  (Glen admits he has gained 10 pounds since he quit the challenge.)

Michael's home!

The big news of the week is that Michael returned from his 2-year church mission to Mexico. We were able to be at the airport with a bunch of family members to see him arrive with his parents who had gone to pick him up. After touring his mission, they took a tour of Guatemala. Sounds like it was a phenomenal experience.

waiting for the plane to arrive

being greeted first by his nieces

Greeting Eric

Hannah and Michael

Alex turns 15, pictures of Henry, conference words

Saturday Alex had a few friends over to play games and watch a movie for his birthday celebration. They really had a wonderful time. I'm so glad that my children have such good people in their lives.

Andrew sent us some photos of Henry, including some from Conference weekend when Ryan had stopped in for a visit. Henry turns 6 months old today, by the way. Happy Half Henry!

too cute

Love the bow tie

Ryan, Joseph, Heather, Henry, and Andrew

I love this because Ryan is feeding Henry in the background...too sweet

And speaking of Conference, we chose our words to look for and then put a monetary value on each word. The most common word would be worth only 1¢ each instance, the next two were worth 5¢, the next three would be worth 10¢, then three rarest would be worth 25¢. This is our final tally:

1st faith with 234 instances = $2.34
2   teach         72               =   3.60
3   joy            56               =   2.80
4   friends       54               =   5.40
5   miracle      10               =    1.00
6   gratitude     9                =     .90
7   food           6                =     .60
8   engaged     3                =      .75
9   chariot       1                =      .25
                                           $18.50 

So, although Glen's word "faith" was said the most by a long shot, Alex's word "friends" earned the most money. In case you were wondering, Henry's word was "food."

Eric, who had chosen the word "chariot" in past conferences with no luck, chose it again. If the Mormon Tabernacle Choir hadn't sung the hymn "The Spirit of God" he would have been out of luck once again. But they did sing it ("...as Jesus descends with His chariot of fire!"), so we all earned money. We will be donating it to the Pennies by the Inch campaign for Primary's Children's Hospital.

Tennis, Homecoming, and Conference

A brief review of the week before sharing some quotes from General Conference.

Alex's last tennis game, which was supposed to be on Thursday, was postponed due to rain and will be held on Tuesday. We're not complaining. The rain is a great blessing. We did catch his matches on Tuesday, though.

It was Homecoming week at school. Congratulations to Maddie and my friend's son, Taylen, who were crowned homecoming King and Queen!

Hannah, Ryan, Jason, Travis, and Chalea, were able to attend the Saturday morning session of General Conference this weekend. It was the first time that Hannah and Ryan had been in person. Awesome opportunity.

General Conference was amazing. It's always amazing. Each conference I am fed so full spiritually that I can't imagine there ever having been a better conference. We received 3 new apostles this conference, making it extra special. The things we were taught were so uplifting and strengthening. I haven't had time to assimilate yet, of course, and many things that I liked that were being said didn't quite make it in my notes totally coherently, but here are some great quotes (in no particular order):


Remember that faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time. For one will dispel the other.
~Pres. Thomas S. Monson

Exaltation is our goal. Discipleship is our journey.
~Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf

When you demonstrate your willingness to obey, the spirit will send you more impressions of what God would have you do.
~Pres. Henry B. Eyring

Are you finished crying? Then, get dressed and get to work. You have a lot of learning to do. If you quit now, others will have to painfully learn what you already know.
~Dantzel White Nelson as quoted by her husband Pres. Russell M. Nelson

As we emulate His example, we will bless lives--including our own.
~Pres. Thomas S. Monson

This calling isn't about me, it's about the Lord, His work, and Heavenly Father's children.
~Elder Dale G. Renlund



When we keep the commandments, our lives will be happier, more fulfilling, and less complicated.
~Pres. Thomas S. Monson

Your faith will grow not by chance, but by choice.
~Elder Neil L. Andersen

If you will be there for the Lord, He will be there for you.
~Elder Robert D. Hales

The moment we decide to try again, the Atonement of Christ can help us.
~Elder Dale G. Renlund


We do not strive for conversion to the Church but to Christ and His gospel, a conversion that is fascilitated by the church.
~Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Don't be too critical of the barrier. It's the only thing keeping you from being devoured.
~Elder Von G. Kreetch

Contact with things below Heavenly Father's standards weakens us.
~Sis. Linda S. Reeves

All the "shoulds," "musts," and "thou shalts" in the gospel lead to love.
~Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Humbly ask: What is keeping me from progressing? What lack I yet?
~Elder Larry R. Lawrence

We must make scripture study a daily part of our lives as  this unlocks revelation.
~Elder James B. Martino

When you do your part, the Lord adds His power to your efforts.
~Pres. Henry B. Eyring

We don't have to be perfect, but we need to be good and getting better.
~Elder Kim B. Clark

We need these callings. We need to serve.
~Elder D. Todd Christofferson

In the church we not only learn divine doctrine, we experience its application.
~Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Two invitations:
1-Save money each week.
2-Ponderize one verse of scripture each week. Ponderize is 80% ponder and 20% memorize. It provides an uplifting place for your thoughts to do. Exercise your faith, discipline yourself, and do it.
~Pres. Devin G. Durrant

Don't be deterred. Hard can be good.
~Elder Devin G. Durrant

We choose how long we allow dark to influence us.
~Elder Vern P. Stanfill

When you cannot do what you have always done, then you only do what matters most.
~Elder David A. Bednar quoting Elder Robert D. Hales



Discipleship is our journey.
The Holy Ghost is our guide.
Keeping covenants is our protection.