And Then the Snow Hits - A Special Tribute to Elder Derek Walker

First day of snow this year, we thought we'd take advantage of a huge snowfall since last year, it didn't seem to stick for long.  So my family, along with my two youngest siblings and my dad went to sled Friday night.  It's hard to take good pictures in the dark.  Yup, we were crazy.  But it sure was fun.  Best part was watching my 56-year-old dad wipe out over and over again.  Perhaps it was a close tie between that and hearing my little brother scream like a girl.

Hinckley goes down a slope for the first time.  Loved it.

And here's the boy who said he would never do anything in the snow.  Talk about Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  I know his number one reason for doing it though.  His former mission companion, Elder Derek Walker, who was killed in a car accident encouraged him to have some fun in the snow.  Mauricio vowed never to, until his shocking accident came to pass.  So here is my baby brother, making a snow angel for his companion Derek.  The things we can inspire others to do even in death.  We love you Elder Walker!

Best of Friends

Orion and his Primary buddy Gabe.  Truly, the last day of sunny warmth.  These two are so cute together.

November 6, 2012 aka. Election Day

I detest not being open about how I voted.  I like letting my voice be heard, no matter what others may think.  I think the term "politically incorrect" is just a fancy way to shut people up about their beliefs and to make them uncomfortable in talking about what really matters in life.  So, look away.  Judge me how you please.  I know what I stand for and I'm proud I voted and that I live in a country where we're encouraged to voice our opinions.

People say you have no right to complain if you don't vote.  Well, I did.  So I have every right to complain.  Not that I'll spend my life complaining.  But I'll keep voicing my thoughts and opinions no matter what.  Sometimes I learn.  Sometimes I teach.  But in all cases, we exchange thoughts about the important things in life.  And in the end, it really doesn't matter how you vote so long as you do it.  Of course, I will always encourage people to think like I do.  Hee hee.  That's the beauty of living in America.

 Yup, I voted.

 And so did this goof.

And she voted for Chocolate.   She may have been Veruca Salt for Halloween, but on Voting Day she became Augustus Gloop.

 And then we came home, proud to display our voting stickers.

And celebrated by making a big pot of potato lentil stew with collard greens.  Yea, I know you're totally jealous and want some.

OnGuard "Hanitizers"

Hand Sanitizers.  Thanks to Kristin and her cute kids, we've now started calling them "Hanitizers."  My little girl naturally promotes oils very well.  She uses this often to keep her hands clean and because she says it smells like Christmas.  The OnGuard blend is a favorite at our house.  And in case you're wondering, it's made up of Wild Orange, Clove, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus and Rosemary essential oils.  Yup, great for keeping bugs at bay.  Bacterial and Viral.

Early November

So here is one of our last days of Fall play.

I never really did this as a kid for some reason.  But Hinckley loved it.

 And while the kids were outside playing, little Edi was doing this.

And Then October Goes . . .

 And the last event of the month is Halloween of course.  So this year, we say to you all: Happy Halloween from the Chocolate Factory!  If you can't tell, we're the old version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.  I'm Violet, holding Mike TV.  To my right is Veruca Salt.  In the middle, we've got an Oompa Loompa who refuses to hold still.  And then of course we've got Willy Wonka and Charlie with his Golden Ticket.

 These costumes cost me all of about $28 to make, thanks to yard sales and cheap paper and fabric.

 I think Willy Wonka and Oompa Loompa's costumes were my favorite.

And in between making all of those, I painted Gio's face.  So I had to show that off.  My best face painting ever.  Happy Halloween!  Love, The Huntingtons.  

More October Randoms

My Visiting Teachers brought me this cute little gift.  Don't know if you can read the little poem but it was the most clever and spiritual Halloween treat I've ever gotten.  

A while back, my son Orion, who is into battles of all sorts, drew this.  When I asked him what it was, he explained to me that it was his family fighting bad guys and protecting our home.  My thoughts: "Gee, that looks like a nice house.  I wonder if this is a premonition of things to come."  Sure hope we don't have to defend our house from bad guys in the near future, but the way things are going in this country, you never know.  Can you find the pregnant lady with a baby inside?  That one made me laugh.  I'm see-through.  

We carve pumpkins with our neighbors and their kids for FHE night.  

I think the adults ended up doing most of the carving.  

Finished products.

I honestly have no patience for carving pumpkins, but I thought my Jack Skelington turned out pretty well.  Of course, Alex's George Washington takes the grand prize.  It's the only time of year, it seems, that Alex gets more creative than I do.

The Nightmare Express

 This fun neighbor of ours puts on this crazy little train ride for all to come and experience free.  It's so well put together it's like Disney's Doom Buggy ride.  Complete with things to entertain you in line and so forth.

People come out in costumes to scare you too.  

 Hinckley was a little sleepy and cold.

 But Aunt Tiffy was there to help him feel better.

 Me sitting on the train.

 Chrysa takes a photo with the shaggy monsters.  She hated these guys last year.  Absolutely terrified.  But this year she did a little better.  They still made her leery but she at least took pictures with them.

 Orion tries on one of their masks.

The maker of the train's daughter, Sister Farnsworth, is Chrysa and Hinckley's nursery teacher.  These pictures really don't do the whole experience justice.  They really deck out for Halloween and I'm amazed at the line of people waiting each year just to ride.  Fun memories we will always cherish.

Relief Society Traditions Night

We celebrated different traditions we have in different families and cultures one night.  I thought it was so fun to see all the different things that people do and have to bring about familiarity and comfort to a home and family.

 Here are some of the different settings people brought so that we could eat our dinner on that night.

Cute Christmas ones.  

Fall decorations.

The Relief Society President carved Mormon into a Pumpkin.  I thought that was pretty cool.  Look closely.  She explained it was a tradition her family had growing up.  Carving pumpkins because they grew such huge pumpkin patches.  

Another lady brought all the stockings she had made over the years for different family members.  

I brought Peruvian Picarones.  A Peruvian pumpkin doughnut drizzled with maple syrup set on my mother-in-law's China that she handed to me.  

Some more fun table settings.  

Someones's tradition of canning garden veggies.  

Yup, it was a fun and enlightening evening of socialization and chatter and just plain exchanging of traditional ideas.