October 2012

I think October has been the perfect Arizona month, weather-wise...and a pretty good one family-wise, too.  I have always loved Autumn.  Some people think of it as a dying time, but I have always thought of it as a full, rich, storing up for winter time.  It's the time when nuts and seeds fall from trees and flowers to bury themselves in the ground, getting ready to grow in the spring.   It's the time when Dad's garden puts out more squash than we can use (thank goodness for Rachel who takes it home)
and when it's still warm enough to enjoy being outside.  I have even been swimming for part of October. Hopefully, we can start heating the pool next month so I can get back to it...my tan's starting to fade!  I love autumn decorations, too.  I usually decorate with an autumn theme rather than a Halloween theme. Even though Halloween is not my favorite holiday, I do enjoy the excitement of the kids who love to dress up even more than they look forward to candy.  They start talking about what they're going to be for Halloween way back in July!  I also love the fair...cotton candy...seeing the kids win prizes for their efforts. Another thing I love about October is General Conference.  It fills me up with the Spirit, hopefully enough to last until April.  And this conference was especially memorable with its announcement of the adjusted missionary age (immediately affecting at least two of our grandchildren) and the temple to be built in Tucson.
 October is also the time of the birth of some of the especially beautiful people in our family:  Shannyn, Mary, Rylie, and Joel.

Shannyn was 11 on the 9th

Mary's birthday was the 11th

Rylie had her golden birthday!  15 on the 15th! Besides that, she's our 15th grandchild.

Joel's birthday was the 19th...not his golden birthday...This picture was taken when he was 11 months old.

Here are some of Rachel's autumn decorations.  All the girls decorate so beautifully for the season.

This month has been the super political month for all our Fox News Groupies.  Actually, of course, for all of us, as we are nearing election day when we get to vote for the President of the United States. What a privilege that is, when so many people around the world don't have that privilege.  There have been presidential and vice-presidential debates this month, the first one of which was celebrated by all the guys in Mesa getting together at the office to watch it. We were in Mesa, so Dad got to go, and he was so impressed that Shad had the courage to show up with this sign on his shirt that he took this picture...the only picture he took the whole night.

Is this going to be our new president and first lady? We all hope so. I'm not as sure about it as all the Fox News junkies, but I hope for it as much as they do.

The next day, all the kids went out to the desert to shoot off rockets.  They were amazing!  They shot so high that you couldn't even see them  until they were on their way back down via parachute.

Crew in his "Grandpa hat" with two of his rockets.

I'm not sure how happy Brody was to be there. It was pretty scary to see and hear the blast-offs.

Mike didn't seem to mind the noise.

Dad made a pump-it-yourself rocket launcher. I really was impressed. It shoots paper rockets way high and you can do it again and again without costing any more than just muscle power.  The other rocket launchers were so expensive that the number of times you can shoot them has to be somewhat limited.

While we were in Mesa, Mary and Tyson and kids stopped by on their way to Disneyland.  The kids didn't know they were going any farther than the condo, so after they were asleep, Mary slipped these Mickey/Minnie Mouse pillow cases on their pillows.  When they woke up they were confused for about 10 seconds and then were jumping around, excited to be going on their super vacation.

When we got home from Mesa, Dad let the kids try his rocket launcher.

Rebecca and her family celebrated fall break by having a family slumber-party campout by their pavilion fire place.

Watching conference

Kirtlyn even took notes

Between sessions we had a little craft time

The Babies with their babies~

I have always grouped our children into "big kids," "little kids," and "babies." Who falls into which category might be disputable, especially by Jeremy, who is right in the middle, but I always included Nathan, Joel, Daniel and Rebecca in the "big kids" group; Jeremy, Rachel and Esther in the "little kids group; and Thomas and Mary, like it or not, were the "babies.

Isabel got braces this month.

Dad got a new hammock.  We had put out our Brazilian hammock that Tony brought us from his mission, but every time anyone sat on it, Dad was nervous that it would get ruined, so he ordered this one and carefully folded away the pretty one from Brazil. I don't know what he plans to do with it, maybe bring it out when there are no kids around (?), just for him to lie in all by himself.

When we took the missionaries out to dinner, Thomas Wyatt ran downstairs and got on a shirt and tie so they could see that he was planning to be a missionary too.

The Graham County Fair was this month and Thomas and Jenn's kids were so excited to participate.  They have never had the chance to be a part of the fair before, so they worked to earn money and helped Jenn make goodies to enter. They also drew pictures to enter. They actually did very well and earned some ribbons, each with a minimal cash prize.

Rebecca's kids are professional fair enterers. Is that a word? Anyway, Lillian and Polly entered baked goods, canned goods, Lillian's professional-quality photographs and even some of Polly's paintings. You can see below how well they did!

Rachel's family decided to just kick back and enjoy the fair this year and not enter anything or anyone at all!

Mary's rainbow birthday cake.  When she texted me this picture, she said "Whew! I almost didn't get one!" She had to make it herself, of course.

I had a surprise visit from my former student, Elizabeth Flores this month.  She took the missionary lessons at our house when she was going to school, and joined the church, but I don't take any credit for her conversion.  She asked me if she could take the lessons, not the other way around.

Maya loves her babies

Rylie's 15th birthday party on the 15th

Isabel had a choir concert on the 16th.  She got to sing a solo.

Rylie's concert was the 18th. She is in the high school's "Bell  Canto" choir, an honor for a freshman.

We went to Mesa, again on the 18th, to go to a Brinton Cousin reunion and to be there for Joel's birthday.  We don't always go to the cousin reunions and we don't always go to the birthdays, but since they were right together and it wasn't a Temple day, we decided to just do it!  I'm glad we did.  We got to visit with all the kids and Grandma and Grandpa.  Grandma has an ear infection so her one good ear...which is not very good at all...is completely deaf.  She can't wear her hearing aid until the infection is gone, so we spent our visit writing on the tablet she keeps on her lap. They enjoyed having us come, though, and asked about all of you. By the way, when Esther and I went to see them on the 1st of November, she was better and could hear a little...if you yelled at her...just as usual.

We ate lunch on Thursday with Jeremy and his kids.  They met him at the office and we went to the chinese buffet.  Joel and Docker joined us, too, but I did Docker a favor and didn't take his picture.

Reygan in her Mexican hat

The Biggs kids plus Ellie's friend who has her sights set on Hayden.

Daynen eating something entirely disgusting!

After lunch, Dad went to the office and I went to the movie with Esther and her kids.  We saw "Hotel Transylvania."  I told the kids that I am not a scary movie girl but they assured me it was more funny than scary. They were right. I actually enjoyed it.

Esther has been recovering from some out-patient surgery, so her kids all pitched in to help...sort of...I took a picture of them folding clothes.  I hope they got them all folded. I didn't stay around to see. Dad and I took some dinner to them and ate with them that night.

Soren helping out by letting Brody watch him play a game.

And here is Mom, enjoying her rest.

The next night, the 19th, we went to the Keg with Joel and Stephanie to celebrate his 45th birthday.  Can you believe it? 45! Nathan can believe it, I know.  I told Grandpa that we were going to go to Joel's 45th birthday party and he was amazed.  He said "do I have a grandson who is 45?"  When I said    "yes," he said, "that makes you pretty old, doesn't it?" All the kids who were in town were invited too:  Jeremy and Erika, Esther and Shad, and even Rachel and Tony who happened to be in town.   It was so nice and the food was great.  I took this picture of the birthday boy and his loving bride, but they were actually sitting across the table from each other, so I spliced them together for the blog.  That's why it looks so blurry in the middle.

On Saturday night, we went to the Brinton cousin party.  I am the 3rd oldest cousin, so was one of the oldest people there.  Sandy, of course, is 6 months older, but her  husband is dead, and her older sister, Deone, is on a mission in Detroit, so she wasn't there.  If it weren't for Grandma's siblings, Dad would have been the oldest one there!

Dad, Diana and Aunt Donna LeBaron

Dil, Kathy, Marilyn, Karen, and someone's husband

Deon, Mike, Dale

Mark, Dil

Charlie, Kathy and Aunt Ruth Brinton

Sandy and me

Kent and Karl

Jan and Karen

Lisa and Nancy

Rylie has been giving piano lessons to Kirtlyn

Joel was in town for an EAC Alumni board meeting, so he and Levi dropped by

Our dear friend and former Stake President passed away this month.  It was he who called Dad to be a Bishop and called me to be Stake YoungWomen's President.  We had both worked closely with him and loved him. We will miss him.  He was a great man.

The Safford stake held a fall festival/Western extravaganza this month.  The kids all enjoyed it.

Luke

Brynlie and Camille

They also had face painting! Maya has a crown painted on her forehead, Hyrum is a dog, Lindsay and Brianna are cats, Thomas is Flash, Carson is a zombie, and Kirtlyn has a rainbow in the side of her face.

In fact, this whole month has been a dressing up month.  First there was the Western extravaganza, then homecoming week, then Halloween.  How fun!

How fun to be on a school field trip to the pumpkin patch and turn around and see your cousins there. Thomas, Brynlie, and Camille

HALLOWEEN

  Tattoo Tyson and Motorcycle Mary(notice the tattooed arm) ~ Hannah the tall Elf and her friend~Devynne and friends at Disney's "not so scary Halloween" party~Pumpkin carving...including Jeremy's political statement for the Halloween season...what is the significance of "45?"~

The Evans' creepy jack-o-lantern

The Brown kids~Buzz Lightyear, zombie, skeleton, zombie wild man (?)

Vampire lady 

The Alder kids~Hippie girl, wolfman, witch, zombie bride, Johnny Appleseed

Joel Biggs kids~baseball player and basketball player

Daniel Biggs kids~mime, bird, 50's girl

Jeremy Biggs kids~spy, and nobody knows what

Richins kids~Really creepy Vampire lady, pirate, Little Bo Peep and Sheep

The Thomas Biggs kids~Warrio, Batwoman, Smart boy, Princess, Stinky Skunk

The Evans kids~Lalapaloosa Lilly and Sumo Polly

NEWS FROM AROUND THE FAMILY

Another one of Connie's amazing cakes.  This one celebrating Shannyn's 11th birthday.

Joel and Stephanie took their boys to General Conference in SLC.  They were there to hear the announcement that young men can go on missions at 18 and young women can go at 19.  Levi came right home and put in his papers.  He is now anxiously awaiting his call.  Devynne called and said that as soon as she is finished with her Disney commitment, she intends to put in her papers too. Dad just showed me a statistic that said that in the average week the Church gets about 400 missionary applications.  This last week they have received over 7000!

Mary and Tyson took their family on a surprise California visit.  They went to the Mormon Battalion monument, Disneyland, California Adventure, Legoland and the beach.

I'm not sure, but I think only Brianna is enjoying this adventure!

I called Nathan and asked him for pictures of things he has been doing.  He sent this. It is the trail he walks every day.  Isn't that beautiful? A person could get a lot of thinking done walking such a quiet, beautiful trail.

Esther had all the Mesa Biggses over for masa one FHE. They called it "Masa Monday."

Harrison and Tayte went to the Mesa Temple to do baptisms.

Lillian and her friends did baptisms in the Gila Valley Temple

Hannah made the Nebraska All State choir.  She was the only soprano in her huge high school to make it! The tradition in her school is that the choir teacher goes into the classes of the kids who make All State and announce it to everyone, giving flowers to all the girls and chocolates to the boys.

So, I stole this picture from Instagram.  Is she blowing kisses to the judges?

Jeremy's family is wearing black, in mourning for the closing and redesigning of Mi Amigo's Mexican food restaurant.  Evidently, they are making it a place where you can get food from several different countries.  They may even change the name.

Bethany has been missing city life (shopping) so she went to Mesa to spend some time with Jer and Erika. It's good to see that they did more than shop.

Scott and his house-building employees

OUR COLLEGE STUDENTS

We love it that Josh and Nicole have to come over once in a while to do laundry.

One time when they were here, Bethany was on her iPhone doing I don't know what, and Josh and Nicole were playing "Words with friends" against each other.

Bethany getting her hair done.

With her best friends, Becky andWilliam at a YSA FHE.

EAC Homecoming.  Bethany and her posse.

Allison and friends enjoying the fall colors in Rexburg.

Thank goodness for SKYPE.

Outside BYU Idaho on Thursday morning, the 25th

DeWitt is so psyched about going to Argentina in January. He is also the Tuesday baptizer at the Gila Valley Temple.

I think Levi is hoping for a call to Nashville where he can convert his future wife!

He and his cousin and friend after buying an early copy of TS's new album.

Devynne is working hard in Florida...can't you tell?

OUR MISSIONARIES

Dallin with his newest converts and their family.  They got married one day and baptized the next.

He found clay courts and rounded up some p-day tennis.

I think these might be missionaries in his zone.

Stetson is standing in front of a fountain that spouts wine-colored water.  They put food coloring in it so it will look like wine.

This man had been taught before, so he looked up Stetson and his companion who were so happy to baptize him.

Stephanie received this picture from a couple who went to Argentina to pick up their son, and took a picture of him with some missionaries, one of whom happened to be Stetson.

I know this is really for November, and I definitely will start November with it, but I just cannot wait until the end of November to make the announcement that Levi got his call...to...guess where!  You're right! Argentina!! When I was telling Daniel, and asked him to guess, he guessed that "it starts with an 'A' and ends with rgentina!"  He was right.  He will go to Cordoba and report to the MTC on February 14.  DeWitt will still be there. I think Dad and I need to take a trip to Argentina and see why they need so many of our boys.  Stephanie's parents have only had missionary grandsons to Argentina: Jodi's son, Stetson and Levi. 

SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU SMILE

Just in case you don't recognize this rubber-band-enhanced smile, it is Hayden.

SOMETHING ELSE TO MAKE YOU SMILE

Soren fell asleep still wearing his green vampire teeth!

Finally, ONE MORE THING TO MAKE YOU SMILE

That is Jared's current favorite place to hang his finger.