Monday with Grandma

My grandparents came down Sunday night and stayed in our home with us. It was wonderful to have them here.

My grandfather was asked to oversee the Monson Memorial Headstone placement on Monday morning so Grandma spent the day with McKenna and I. It was great to spend time catching up with Grandma. I have so much yet to learn from her.

Get to know you

We had the Elders Quorum Presidency over for a get-to-know-you party. We did a Hot Chocolate Bar. I am kicking myself now for not remembering to take any pictures. It was really fun decorating for it and all the treats were yummy. Everyone had a good time trying different types of hot chocolate, mix ins, all sorts of marshmallows and cookies to dip. 

It was our neighbors, the Vandusen's one year anniversary of being baptized and Steve is the secretary so Landon asked them to share their testimonies and then they were presented with a framed pic of the SLC temple with a saying on it. It was lovely.

It was fun getting to know everyone and it will be fun to all serve together.

October Fun

When I was in college my roommate and I had birthdays close together so since she lives in Utah now we were able to celebrate her birthday Saturday Night. They came over to our house and we ate salad, cheese bread and Sweet Home Chicago pizza pie. It was great! It's fun to have friends who last through our the years! Happy Birthday Jennifer!

Wheeler Farms

Saturday morning we went to Wheeler Farms with the Becknell Family. It was such a nice morning activity to do. The kids loved the ducks!

Grizzlies Hockey Game

We went to the Grizzlies Hockey Game with some friends in our ward. I visit teach and work out with Danae and her husband Buddy is investigating the church. They had extra tickets and so they invited us along. It was a blast. McKenna did really well too!

Family Pictures

A friend of ours in our ward is starting a new photography business and she offered to take our pics for free if we would allow her to use some of them for advertising. We have been trying to find time to do them for weeks now and finally found the time on Friday. Here is a sneak peak:

McKenna's Wellness Check

We skipped McKennas 1 year check up so here we are doing it at 14 months. She is doing great. Because she has been sick her weight dropped but he thinks it will come right back up again soon. He also said that her chompers are coming in and she is swelling, drooling and they are all white. So she will be teething hard core back in there for the next little bit. McKenna is in the fortieth percentile for her height and weight. However she is testing on an18-2 year old scale. So she is petite but smart. Lol he referred us to an allergist in case she gets a rash again. They like to wait until a baby is 2 to test for allergies but because she is so advanced in her eating and thinking he thinks she will be fine to test earlier. We will see how that goes. 

The first Vision

Landon and I have been very busy with our callings, family and missionary work but tonight didn't seem as busy. The missionaries came over for dinner and then they shared a message. During that message they asked if Landon and I would teach the first vision to them in 5 minutes. Landon said he didn't remember the first vision word for word let alone in English, so he taught leading up to the first vision and I taught the first vision. I have to tell you that the spirit was so strong that it completely consumed me. It re confirmed my testimony of the restored gospel. It hit me that I haven't quoted that experience for probably three years! I vowed to myself that I would not go another three years! 

Family Birthday Party

Because the Dr. Said McKenna wasn't contagious, we went straight from the Dr Office to meet Landon at church. Landon had meetings after church and so McKenna took a short nap. Once Landon got home we headed down to Payson to celebrate the October Birthdays: Ryan, me, Landon, Mom and TJ. I made mom a lemon strawberry poke cake and we also took cupcakes and I made a salad. 

All the food was really yummy but the best part was having all of our family together! Landon had never really experienced it before. It was a blast. Everyone was there but Diane and her family. It was fun! We had dinner, presents, dessert, visiting, games, a piñata and lots of laughing. Best present ever!

First Rash

On Landons Birthday, once we got back home, we realized that McKenna had a rash. I called TR and he said to put cortisone on it and if it didn't get any better then I should take her to theDr. So I did and she seemed to get a bit better. In the morning when she woke up though she was covered in the rash! So I rushed her to the Dr. Who gave her a steroid and tested her for strep. She was negative on the steep test but started responding to the steroid almost immediately. So the Dr. Said it was a topical allergic reaction and not something she ate. After describing McKennas day to him he said his guess would be she had an allergic reaction to cats.

Landon's Birthday

Landon's Birthday was a little crazy. I got up and made him breakfast and then ran to the store to pick up some cupcakes to give to him later, then we dropped McKenna off at Nana and Pop Pops and then Landon and I went to the Temple for our Road to Salvation day. That's when you spend the day in the temple.

We came out for lunch and the ward members who were there sang to Landon and we ate lunch and the cupcakes I had bought. Then we went back in the temple and worked. Right before one of our sessions Landon had a worker come and pull me out to talk with him. Landon felt that we should leave the temple and go to a baptism of a Less Active Members daughter. So, we left and headed to Deseret Book and bought Landon's CTR ring and a little gift for the daughter. After the baptism we went to pick up McKenna and Landon was surprised with a cake from his parents. So we ate dinner with them, ate cake and watched Utah play.

We then came home and Landon opened the rest of his presents. He got Iron Man 3 so we fell asleep watching that. Lol it's funny how birthdays change as you get older.

Change of Plans

We were suppose to go away for our Birthdays on Thursday morning but McKenna hadn't been feeling well and got much worse on my Birthday. By Thursday morning she was really sick. So we cancelled our trip and hung out with McKenna all day. On Friday McKenna was feeling a bit better so we decided to go out and celebrate our birthdays a little more. We went shopping and out to eat. I also started giving Landon his gifts on Thursday so each day he got a few more.

The Big 3-0

I woke up to find flowers from Landon on the table :) what a wonderful husband! I got McKenna ready and we went and met TR, Ashley and Trey at the Draper Library for cuddle time and then we went to the park. It was a fun morning.

In the afternoon my neighbor Tammie stopped by and brought me a little gift and visited for a while. She cheered me right up.

Landon came home early from work and took me to sushi for dinner and when I got back there was a surprise party for me with family and friends from college! It was so fun to see them and visit with them! I'm so thankful that landon and our parents put this party together! It was so great!

My last day in my 20's

My relief society presidency that I serve in brought me an incredible cake the day before my birthday. So, feeling a little down for getting older, I decided to embrace it. Landon left to an Elders Quorum Meeting and so I borrowed a chick flick from next door and McKenna and I watched that and ate cake in bed. Lol

Outback

Landon and I chose to go to Outback Steakhouse for the steak and all you can eat shrimp with his parents. Larry and Darlene always take us out to eat for our Birthdays. McKenna was a terror lol she did not like eating for so long. Lol it was a fun night though and we stuffed ourselves.

General Conference, Family & Food

I love General Conference weekend! I love to hear all the talks in my own home. This year Priesthood was broadcasted on TV. Though the men were asked to still report to their local Stake Centers to watch it, I was grateful that I too could watch it in my home. It was amazing. It really opened my eyes to the priesthood.

On Sunday Dave and my family came over and we had a crepe bar and watched Conference. I ate SO many crepes! It was fun to visit with my family and go outside and play games with the kids! I hope our family will be able to do more of that in the future.

USCA

This year I haven't been able to attend very many meetings in person for USCA. I usually just buzz in through a webinar. This last time though I actually went in person and I felt so welcomed back! I miss this part of my life. My profession is very important to me. This year I am USCAs Vice President MS Past. So, I don't have as many responsibilities with that. I am still the Ethics Chair but I'm thinking of running for President... I'm just waiting for the right time.

Zone Conference

McKenna and I had the privilege to help provide lunch to the missionaries at a Zone Conference. It was amazing to be around so many missionaries again. McKenna loved them and was quite a flirt. Lol it was a wonderful opportunity. 

Getting Purse-onal

So my October activity for Relief Society was getting Purse-onal- a night for every Purse-on. It turned out great! It was very spiritual. It is one of my favorite activities we have done so far.

FHE

Monday night we went out to Mom and Dads for FHE and blessings. It was a wonderful night. Landon and TR felt that it would be a good opportunity to give Mom, Dad and Ryan blessings as they are going through this hard time. It was wonderful.

Landon's New Calling

On Sunday Landon was set apart as the new Elders Quorum President in our ward. Dad, TR and Larry all participated in an incredible blessing given by President Brown.

Afterwards we had dinner at our house and visited with family. Once all our family and friends were gone Landon and I sat next to each other, holding hands and said "we can do this, right?" It's going to be busy but we are honored to be called to serve. What a humbling experience this will be.

Women's Conference

I'm so grateful for the opportunity to attend Women's Conference. It was wonderful to have the prophet address us and speak of his late wife. I am grateful to be a woman

Treys Birthday

Trey had a fun pirate birthday party. It was so nice to be able to celebrate with them! McKenna dressed up :)

TR is home!

TR, Ashley and Trey moved back home from North Carolina after TR graduated from Duke. They weren't sure where he was going to get a job but they decided that they would wait it out at home in Utah. Within a week or two of being home TR was offered a job that he chose to take in Lebanon Oregon. We are very proud of him and now we have two siblings and their families there so it looks like we will be heading to Oregon soon.