Staheli Farms Tradition

The tradition continues in that we headed back up to Staheli Farms in St. George this year for a pumpkin patch, corn maze, and loads of fun.  With our school district out of school on Friday for a staff development day, we made the reservations for a "Las Vegas group" and had the farm to ourselves for about 4 hours!  Thirteen moms, four dads and 51 children loaded up into cars early on Friday morning and arrived at the farm around 11:00 a.m.  Everyone was so excited to play in the hay and dirt and have good fun on the farm until they were completely worn out.  

 

 

 When they had picked the perfect pumpkin and gotten as dirty as they could, we got back into the car and stopped at Subway to eat sandwiches on the car ride home.  We made it just in time for soccer practice back in Vegas.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing feels more like fall than a hay ride to the pumpkin patch, getting lost in a corn maze, and wearing long-sleeved Halloween T-shirts.  I love it! 

Conference Weekend

Joe was working over Conference weekend so the kids and I took off to St. George to hang with my sis and her kids.  We left after the Saturday morning soccer games, ate lunch on the way, and arrived mid-afternoon.  We met Steph and her kids at Krumpet's where we did some shopping and then headed over to Tai Pan.  All of the cute home decor stores were doing a Girl's Night Out while the men were at Priesthood Session so there were sales, refreshments, and give-aways.  Steph won a purse up to a $50 value and each of our children won a poster for their rooms by naming reindeer, counting to 10, or singing the alphabet.  Shopping was fun for the kids because they got to eat cookies, brownies, and win prizes.  Every store should do that!  We scored with a few cute things and then headed to Jumpin' Jacks for the kids to play.  It was pouring rain and our plan was the park but jumping for hours and sliding down inflatables are always a favorite so we still had a great time.  After about two hours of fun, we headed back to Steph's to make our own pizzas and watch "Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein".    After tucking the kids into bed, Steph and I stayed up until 2:00 in the morning re-arranging her front room and talking about anything and everything.  It is so much fun to have a sister close by! 

Carlee and Madisyn telling princess stories in the castle

Sunday morning we were to have a yummy brunch, watch the morning session of Conference, and then go for a drive up to Cedar Breaks to take fall pictures of the kids.  However, due to our lack of sleep, we opted to eat a yummy breakfast, stay in our pajamas all morning and watch Conference while the kids did their packets and colored.  During the afternoon session, we had a picnic on the floor and finished the Conference packets.  When everything was over, we loaded up and headed to the park where we took our fall pictures of the kids.  The weather was a little overcast and we were worried that it would rain on us, but it held out and the pictures turned out so cute.  (Those will be on a later post!)  We ate a quick dinner at Steph's after the park and then I drove home to get the kids to bed for school the next day.

It was a wonderful weekend and we really enjoyed the Conference talks.   I love being spiritually fed and getting the motivation I need to push myself and our family closer to the Lord and doing His will.  I am so blessed to be a member of His gospel and to have a living prophet that guides us today.  Joe and I have been discussing some issues that our children are facing that we never even heard about when we were their age and it worries me so.  I just pray that we can be righteous parents and bring our children up righteously in the gospel as well.  I hate to imagine what our lives would be without it.  The kids also enjoyed some wonderful speakers and talks, playing Conference BINGO with Skittles, and filling out their packets.  I LOVE CONFERENCE WEEKEND!

Introducing . . .

President Clark Stuart!

Voted in as Student Body President for 2010-2011

At the kids' new elementary school, there are extra-curricular clubs called Voyages.  There were several that the kids got to "audition" for at the end of September.  They were Focus, Drama, Art, Choir, Super Scientists, Green Team, Great Americans, Dance Team, and Student Council.  They each filled out an application for their top 3 choices and then the teachers chose the students that got to participate in the Voyages.  Jacob is a Super Scientist, Katelyn is in Focus (working as a photographer and on the yearbook), and Clark got selected to run for Student Council.  Fourteen students from 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades campaigned with posters and a speech to get the student body vote.  Clark came up with his own motto, "GET THE SPARK, VOTE FOR CLARK!" and prepared a speech for the school proclaiming that you need a spark to start a car, just like you need a spark to start a new school year in a brand new school.  Clark is that spark!  He was pretty excited to give his speech and share his own ideas for the school and students.  He practiced his speech several times for our family, and was even more thrilled when students he didn't know in several grades came up to him in the hallways and at recess shouting, "I voted for you, Clark!" or "I voted for you and told all my friends too!"  The top 4 students with the most votes were voted in for the council.  Then the teachers and other council members voted for which kids would be in the different offices.  Clark was voted in for President. 

He has the opportunity of leading the school in the pledge of allegiance and giving morning announcements over the intercom, taking pictures of school functions, greeting guests and visitors, and planning some fun activities throughout the year, including College Day, Spring Festival, and a Teacher of the Month Award.  This will be a great experience for Clark and we are so proud of him and this accomplishment. 

Friday Night Backyard Movie

When the guys are away, the girls (and little ones) will play . . .

It just so happened that quite a few husbands were either working, out of town, deployed, or at a campout with their oldest sons all on the same night.  So the single moms and children got together for a backyard movie at the Swaseys.  It was so much fun.  We had a great projector and screen set up off the back patio and there were concessions with popcorn, Oreo truffles, candy, soda pop, cotton candy, and glow-in-the-dark bracelets.  The kids were very happy with their own treat bags, blankets, and pillows and they all munched on their goodies and sipped their sodas while watching Tinkerbell and the Great Fairy Rescue.   It was a wonderfully perfect Vegas evening planned by some wonderfully creative and perfect moms and friends.  They are the best!

Before the party arrived

Loading up their treat bags

Sinful treats

Happy movie-watchers