Very Busy

It seems the busier I get the better organized I am and lately its been very busy. I am not complaining actually I am enjoying every minute of it! I had Friday off of work due to a class for work that I had to take on Saturday (more on the class in a few). My friend Tambra was in Austin visiting her daughter so I was very bad and took Rylee and Ashley to Austin with me. We had a great time going for a long walk along a river and park, watching the kids play while we were able to talk. Tambra is so smart and amazing - she always has such great advice that I feel like I come a little short when she needs advice. She made an amazing salad that I promise when I get the recipe from her I will be posting the "how to".

Around 3pm we took off and ran back to Houston - the YM & YW had a Drive in theatre night - we had a really great time. They saw "forever strong" and we had an amazing concession stand. The goal was to have everyone bring a friend and for entertainment we asked them to make their own cars for the drive in. The creativity in our ward is amazing! Rylee and Ashley had fun serving the popcorn, Kaitlyn wanted me to make her box car (of course I refused) so she just had an invisible one. John went to Rachels first basketball game - which her team won - she got to the church there late but just in time to say hi to everyone! I promise to be at the very next game!

Saturday, John and I sat thru at Continuing Ed Class for our Plumbing Inspectors License. I keep a running time frame of how much longer we had. But in all fairness the instructor was really good. Then we had a "girls night out" we went to a place I had never been called "9ers" they had really good hamburgers and they were huge! Thank-fully I had Sister Orten share with me so I only spent $3.00 which was perfect for my budget! I needed that time away talking to other moms with the same issues and concerns I have with the kids, school, teenagers, housework and working.

I gotta run today is ward conference at church, Rylee and Ashley are already fighting this morning, I hear Kaitlyn looking for breakfast and I can't wake up Rachel, as always very busy!


I guess instead of eating the candy - Kaitlyn decided to be creative

Way to go Rachel!

Kaitlyn driving in reverse in her invisible car

Ashley and Rylee serving the popcorn

I Love Turkey

Decorating Fun

The girls and I have a lot of fun when we get to decorate. My mom gave me some flowers with fall colors and we had a really great time working on a wreath together - they were so excited to get started they refused to get dressed. The SunFlower is a cake that I made for a friend of mine at work - the best part of decorating cakes is my girls - they love to stand on the kitchen chairs and offer up advice - and they do a lot of taste testing! They are always so positive and reassuring even when I am not happy with the results. I always find things that I could have done better. Not them - they think each one is the best cake I've ever done! (Looking at these pics I realize that they all need haircuts)

I found this poem - I just needed it

More Than A Day

As Thanksgiving Day rolls around,
It brings up some facts, quite profound.
We may think that we're poor,
Feel like bums, insecure,
But in truth, our riches astound.
We have friends and family we love;
We have guidance from heaven above.
We have so much more
Than they sell in a store,
We're wealthy, when push comes to shove.
So add up your blessings, I say;
Make Thanksgiving last more than a day.
Enjoy what you've got;
Realize it's a lot,
And you'll make all your cares go away.
By Karl Fuchs

Halloween Fun!

I love Halloween - it is a time for kids and adults to play dress up and get to pretend. This year we went to the church for a full evening - starting with the chili cookoff, then a carnival and trunk & treating. We had a great time!



Kaitlyn as a punk rocker



Rachel and her friend Lizethe as themselves



Rylee, John & Ashley (Rylee as candy corn and Ashley as Selena Gomez)



My Ghost Cake

I've been blessed

A couple of weeks ago I went to Fort Worth all by myself for 2 days. It was Fort Bend County Day at work and all city employees got the day off on a Friday. Friday morning I was off to Fort Worth. It was so much fun! First Stop - Adam and Cindy's house to visit the newest addition to our family - Layton Killebrew - I LOVE babies but he is the cuties thing I have ever seen! I held him almost all day and then it was off to my moms house.


My dad was on a scouting trip so Mom and I had the house to ourselves which never happens. We decided to spend Sat morning working on floral decorations for her house.



After working on the floral decorations we hopped into my car and ran some errands for her. I had no idea that when we got to SAMS her plan was to stock up on groceries that were none perishables for my family. I don't like to talk much about the trials in our life, so I know I haven't mentioned that John lost his job a little of 4 weeks ago and he is struggling to find a new one. There isn't even applications to fill out or interviews to go on - there is just nothing out there right now. It was the neatest thing she could do - I was overwhelmed with joy - I couldn't wait for the girls to see all the great stuff she got us!


Then after shopping we went back to her house to change clothes and get ready for the Womens General Broadcast. Before we got to the church we went to dinner with Cindys mom and her little sister Michelle, and Kat my little sister.




Cindy and baby Layton

Kat & baby Layton

After the conference I started for home because the next day on fast Sunday it was to be announced that I would be then new Young Womens President.

I am so excited to be our wards Young Womens President. I have been praying daily that I can do a good job and serve these great Young Women well. I hope I can be as good as the leaders that taught me because they were amazing. I love the Young Womens program, I know that these girls truly daughters of our heavenly father and he loves them so very much. I know that these times are hard and that these girls have been chosen to come at this time because of their strength. My heart is full of happiness and love I do not know how to even try to explain.

I have truly been blessed lately!

New Rain Gear for Work

ALL I wanted was a rain jacket for work, so I made a production out of how much I needed one at work. I mean really, I'm outside 6 hours a day for work and we are in HOUSTON, for crying out loud. So I got my wish. Only, not really, the only approved store was the Tractor Supply Store. They didn't have anything except MEN's gear - and the only colors were yellow, ugly green, or lime green and they all came with pants! I took a deep breath and bought the yellow rain gear. When I got back to the office and showed off what I had bought - everyone began to laugh. Rose (our awesome code enforcement officer) insisted that I try the whole outfit on and then she pulled out the camera! Needless to say I will not be asking for anything for a very long time!