Healthy Habits while working, and Halloween

Charles finished football a couple of weeks ago. He worked hard and improved his skills and his team won over half of their games. 

 I've mentioned before that I'm working part-time at my little girls school, American Preparatory Academy, as a substitute. I go in 1-2 days a week. I've found that I have to plan ahead to make sure I'm eating healthy and getting in my daily exercise and studying my scriptures. I wake up at 5, read and pray til 540, and then exercise until 630...some days I exercise later, or for longer, like Thursdays and Fridays when I know I'm not going into the school(I told them before we started that Thursdays and Fridays were out...Thursday is temple day and friday I drop off junior high at 950am). I have been making a green smoothie Sunday afternoons for Monday and Tuesday, since that's usually when I go into the school; I drink this after I have my hot lemon water. I often prep my lunch the night before, making sure I have some chopped veggies and a plan for whatever else...often times I take chopped veggies and hummus and leftovers from dinner warmed up in a Thermos.

 Halloween has come and gone! I don't love Halloween. I don't love all the creepy costumes and decor and I don't love all the candy that's around for so long. I have a weakness for sugar so it's hard having it around, though it's also hard always having to be the mom that says no to treats. We've come up with a compromise, where they each picked out a quart sized freezer bag of goodies from halloween, and they keep it up high in the pantry during the week and one the weekend they can pick out a couple to eat. The rest of the candy we froze, threw away or put up high for later use on gingerbread houses. We did have fun going to the pumpkin patch and picking out some pumpkins for the porch, and running through the cornmaze.

 Elisabeth had her Halloween piano recital...here she is in her Vote for Pedro shirt...Napolean Dynamite.

 And here are a few pictures from our ward Halloween party and Halloween night:
Annabelle dressed as Anne Wheeler from The Greatest Showman, and her friend Lorelei from school that she invited along. They were in charge of this ghost bowling activity.

 Nora as Mal from Descendants.

 Charles as Mario.

 Me as a BYU super fan,

 Jane was Evie, another character from Descendants.

 Halloween night Annabelle went as Ginny from Harry Potter and she went trick-or-treating with our long-time friends the Ludwigs, since her and Annika Ludwig have been close since birth. Elisabeth went to the house of a friend in the neighborhood for a Halloween party with friends, and Charles went around with his friend Beau. So we only had Jane and Nora with us.

 Annabelle received the builder award at her school; one person from each class is chosen as the builder. This months theme was honesty. Good work Annie!

Capitol Reef National Park, Family Trip

The kids had their Fall Break over the third week of October, so we went to Capitol Reef! (the entire week off for my young girls at American Prep, and Thursday and Friday off for my middle schoolers...so we left Wednesday late afternoon)

We rented an Airbnb in Teasdale, which is about 15-20 minutes outside of Capitol Reef. It is a very small town, no grocery stores or restaurants, just a few houses spread throughout; a quiet and peaceful setting, and perfect for Scott and I to go running out on the roads each  morning. 

This is the front yard of the house. Beautiful backdrop!

Torrey is probably where the closest grocery store and restaurants are located, and they're about 15 minutes out. We had prepared ahead and brought our own food for all of our meals while we were there. We ate dinner out on the ride over because we didn't leave until 430(after school and piano lessons) and it's a 3 1/2 hour drive. We brought green Naked Juice, fruit and cereal for breakfasts, we packed sandwich makings for lunches and I made a pan of enchiladas and rice and beans for the evening we'd be eating dinner at the house.  It was cheaper than staying in a hotel(around 130/night here with taxes and cleaning fees, and could sleep all 7 of us...we're a little too big to stay in just one hotel room these days), and we had two bedrooms, living area and a full kitchen.  

 We went on a few hikes over that Thursday and Friday. We did Sunset Point hike (1 mile roundtrip) and the Goosenecks Overlook (mostly a picture spot, not really a hike) and Hickman Bridge(2 miles roundtrip) on Thursday.

 Friday we went to the Panorama Point for pictures (and we ran into our neighbors, the Droges while there!) and then did the Capitol Gorge hike (around 2 miles round trip)which is all flat, but you have to take some small dirt roads to get to it...I liked seeing the pioneer writing on the rock walls as we walked. Some dated back to 1877!

 Fun trip, all the kids enjoyed it! The weather was a bit cold in the mornings, like 30 degrees where we were staying in Teasdale, but Teasdale is also higher up. Once we got to our hikes, it was the perfect hiking weather! Probably in the high 50's, low 60's, or at least it felt that way.

Piano Recital, field trips, Parenting young and youth, E braces off

"Ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another...But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness(temperate; self-control; rational); ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another." Mosiah 4:14-15

This picture below, of the girls sleeping together, is not something that happens on a regular occurence, I would even say it's rare, which is why it stood out to me and I needed a picture so that I could forever hold this image in my mind. 

Jane and Nora share a bedroom, and so they spend a lot of time together, and though they sometimes get along nicely, they also quarrel. The "quarreling times" make their "getting-along" times, that much sweeter. Opposition in all things, right? Nora sometimes gets scared at night, and though we won't allow her to crawl in bed with us (don't want it to become a habit), we do allow her to bring in a pillow and blanket and lay on our floor, but she doesn't do that very often, probably because floor-sleeping isn't very comfortable. One morning I walked into their room and found them like this. I'm guessing Nora felt scared and asked if Jane would come lay with her. 

"There was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people." 4 Nephi 1:15

Love is powerful. Grateful for their love in this moment and other times. 

Jane and Annabelle had a Fall piano recital earlier this month. Both spent a lot of time working on their songs and both performed beautifully.

I mentioned before that I am substituting at the little girls school, American Preparatory Academy. When I sub, I am an instructor rather than the teacher, so most of the day I help the teacher, and then during 2 hours, I teach. I teach reading and math. I sub once or twice a week, usually twice. They could probably use me every day if I would agree to it, but I told them from the beginning that I could never come in Thursdays and Fridays (thursday temple day and I drive middle school Fridays for their late start), and then I only would be able to come in once or twice a week because of other obligations...right now I'm also taking a nutrition class, and though it'll be done in a couple of weeks, I still want time to read and write, and I am trying to write a lot more regularly. I would love to one day publish a book! Anyway, I like how flexible subbing is, if a kid is sick, I stay home, no problem, if one of the kids wants me to chaperone their fieldtrip, I do. And I know the school is really in need of subs, my kids tell me, and so I like going and helping out when I can. Last week was Fall break (more on that in the next post), and the week before that I was able to go on Nora's field trip to Thanksgiving Point where we explored the Curiosity Museum and the Dinosaur Museum. I had Nora and two boys in my group, so it wasn't too bad.

The next day I went on a field trip with Annabelle's grade to Antelope Island. Kristi and I rode up together in her car (we're friends, we carpool to school and she's in our ward) and we had a nice visit. Though the field trip was mostly driving. Literally. We drove 5 hours and were outside doing things for about 45 minutes total. The kids did not like this field trip. Annabelle said the bus was noisy and bouncy and she wasn't feeling great. It was their first time attempting a field trip to Antelope Island and I'm guessing they won't do it again...it's just too far for a school day, especially on our short day when we get out at 2.

I had never been to Antelope Island so it was fun for me to see the area, even if it wasn't for very long.

We have a neighbor who is going through some serious health challenges and after talking with them for awhile (while we're trying to listen and figure out what we could do to help ease their burdens), we offered to babysit their cute little son whenever they need a sitter, 'on the house'. And we were so excited when they took us up on the offer! We loved having little Brighton hang out with us for the evening!

I love these pictures of Elisabeth and some of her friends from youth group, in front of the Jordan Riveron temple. We have some amazing youth! 

But ye will teach them(your children) to walk in the ways of truth and soberness(temperate; self-control; rational); ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another." Mosiah 4:15

 Love this scripture! We're continually trying to work on this one. I am so grateful for a loving and patient Savior who gives us guidance(as we seek), courage and strength as we are trying to become more like Him. 

Elisabeth got her braces off on Tuesday October 16th!!! Here's a before and after, though the 'before' should've been closer up. 

Scripture Power, General Conference

Our house is not always the perfect model of cleanliness and order. In fact, the only time I would give it an "A" grade, is right before we know we'll have a visitor.  And even then, it's mostly the main floor that gets a good tidying unless these visitors are staying with us awhile and then we'll be sure to get their room and bathroom sparkly clean. I don't want you to think we're slobs, because we're not, we deep clean bedrooms and bathrooms every Saturday and everyone has weekday chores, so I wouldn't give us an "F" grade either, but I'd say we're usually right around B, B-, and sometimes a C, like this morning. This is the image that greeted me upon returning home after dropping kids off at school: 

Some breakfast dishes were left out, and the makings for lunch, there's books, papers and pencils on the counter, dirty socks and shoes scattered on the floor, and some dishes in the sink. And that's okay for today. I'm okay with that because they DID get dressed, homework was done, they all ate and we prayed and studied scriptures together as a family (you can see our basket of scriptures on the table, plus a set left out). That to me is success. There is a power in the Book of Mormon, a power which will help us be strong and avoid evil and temptations, that I need them to have every day when they walk out that door. 

When they get home from school, most of the things they left out will be put away, a gift from mom to the kids. I don't do this everyday, but I'll do it today because I want to, because I love a clean house and I don't mind tidying up if I have a few extra minutes. And on a more selfish note, it means I get to listen to a podcast, a general conference talk or audio book while I tidy.... or I may even decide to put on a Jane Austen movie and also fold some of the laundry that's been piling up all week as I've been working (substitute teaching at American Prep) and doing homework (my online ecornell nutrition course)... Shh, don't tell! My kids don't get media during the week :). 

 Speaking of scripture, I loved General Conference this past weekend! General Conference happens twice a year, in October and April and I love that we get to hear from our living Prophet and Apostles and other leaders! The counsel they give is always spot on, just what I need to hear! It is always so uplifting and encouraging! I am so grateful we continue to receive the word of God today! He's the same yesterday, today and forever and he still loves and cares for us and wants us to receive inspiration and guidance, just as in years past. If you want to check out conference, CLICK HERE and it should take you to a webpage where you can listen. I snapped a few photos from our conference weekend.

 It was a bit messy, but Scott and I tried to ignore the mess as much as we could during conference and just focus on the speakers and the messages, and then between each session, we'd all chip in and clean together. I don't always want to help my children clean but this scripture helps me remember what's important:   "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God....if I, whom ye call your  king (insert: "parents"), do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another?" Mosiah 2:17-18

 Jane and Nora made a tent to sit in while they listened. It reminded me of this scripture, "And they pitched their tents round about the temple, every man having his tent with the door thereof towards the temple, that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which king Benjamin (or  insert: "Prophet Russell M. Nelson") should speak to them." Mosiah 2: 6

 And a group selfie of Charles, me and Scott on the couch...me without makeup. I don't normally like to document myself like that but hey, it was real for this day and I try to keep it real.