Scary stuff

We went to the absolute coolest Halloween event last night. Check it out;

http://www.stringtown.us/railroad/nightmareexpress/

It totally exceeded our expectations. We hadn't been to a haunted house and we were afraid we wouldn't be able to go to any because of time and money. Then my sister told me about the Nightmare Express. We had some time last night so we thought we'd check it out. We were so impressed and amazed. It was bigger than we expected, it was well ran, well organized, well spooked-out. It was just right on the scare level. I jumped quite a few times, but it didn't scare my 5 year old to tears. At one point I asked if she was having fun and she said "Yes, mom. This is the bestest day EVER!"

You start out by going through a spook alley, which was cool. You wind around and there's a waiting room basically with a projector showing all kinds of monster heads. They keep you entertained the whole way. It was a bit crowded, so we waited about an hour before it was our turn to ride the train. You move through the backyards of 2 houses I believe. At one point you wait in a garage and get to watch a movie. I don't know if it's always the same, but we watched part of Nightmare Before Christmas. After that, you wait in another outdoor room while being entertained by lights and a story. Then you ride the train and get to see even more cool stuff. This was all FREE and it was better than places you would pay to go. They do accept donations, and I think most people are very willing to donate. We had a great time and could not walk away without donating. We will be back next year and can't wait to check out their Christmas train ride. 10 thumbs up from our family!

3 temples in 3 weeks and more about my FAVORITE missionary...

There's been some stress and anxiety around here the last week or so. I desperately needed to go to the temple and Soon! Our favorite missionary was leaving and he invited us to go through the SLC temple with him yesterday. John was actually able to get the day off to go. I had invited my mom as well. We had been wanting to go to the SLC temple, so we were excited to have the opportunity to go. And what a good reason to see our missionary friend once again in the temple. His sister is here going to BYU, so we got to meet her in the temple. We also saw another missionary that had spent some time with our little family, so that was cool. I think he was a bit surprised to see John and I in the temple so soon... It was so great to spend the day at such a beautiful temple and I needed the peace that comes with being there. If it wasn't so dang cold yesterday, I would have taken pictures of us outside the temple.. John was also not feeling well, so I forgot anyway that I wanted to take pics outside the SLC temple. Oh well.

So that is 3 temples in 3 weeks... First the Timpanogas Temple for our endowments, then the Oquirrh Mtn Temple for our sealing, and then yesterday the Salt Lake Temple. I was so happy we were able to go back to a temple so soon. And I'm so glad John was there with me and of course my mom too. I just didn't think John would be able to go with me much, since he works all the time and even on the weekends lately.

Later that evening we were inited to a missionary fireside. We were running a few minutes late and then got lost, so missed our favorite missionary's testimony. :( We also missed a place to sit... so we patiently waited in the foyer. I really didn't want to hug him goodbye... I didn't want it to be final, I didn't want him to go. I was going to miss him! We got to hang out with him and his 2 sisters.. he has another one here going to BYU, how cool is that? It was good to see him one last time and say goodbye, but I have to admit, I cried on the way home.

We love you Elder Eccles!!! Thank you for everything.. and thank you for sharing some awesome memories with us!

Fall and family

I like Fall. I like the cooler weather. Not looking forward to the freezing cold that is around the corner. Kind of exciting that it started snowing today... but not ready for that! I don't really mind snowy/rainy days as long as I'm not out and about in it... which I'm usually not.

But the point of all my rambling? I can't believe next week is November already. I can't believe this Sunday will be November 1st. I'm already looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas. What is better than great food and family? I'm still in the "younger" generation group, so Thanksgiving isn't stressful for me, because I am just in charge of bringing a side dish and/or dessert. So it is rather enjoyable for me. Thanksgiving is spent 80% of the time with John's family. That's just how it's worked out. They are usually our only invite. I'm not complaining... it's good food and good people. My mom usually joins us. My mom and John's mom are friends. (they became friends after we got married) It's kind of weird, but soooo cool!

I'm a dork, that's not our only invite... we are also included in my Stepmom, Kathie's thanksgiving plans. Also good food and people!! Why did I forget to mention that? Hmmm.... getting old? We have been doing the 2 Thanksgiving dinners for a few years now. John's family Thanksgiving is usually around 2:oo PM at a church. We usually catch up with my Kathie's family around 6:30 or so. So grateful to be included and treated like part of the family. Great, great people!!!

Christmas we are all over the place... with John's parents, my Mom and my Dad and Stepmom. We have to split it all up. But I am blessed to have such a big, loving family. That includes everyone- extended family, inlaws, etc. Not a bad bunch!

What about you? Who do you spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with? Do you travel? Stay around town?

Halloween already? Among other ramblings...

How on earth can it be time for Halloween already? I mean this weekend, seriously? I don't even know if I'm going to dress up or what I would dress up as. Hmmmm... I'm excited. Fall is a great time.. and Halloween is so fun. Plus... CANDY... YUM! John goes all out on Halloween dressing up and all that. I think he's going to be helping our friend with a haunted house. What sucks is that John has to work on Halloween, and I don't know what time he'll get off. The festivities around here start at 5:00 or 5:30. I'm hoping he can get off by 2:00 or 3:00.

John has been working overtime lately which is so bittersweet. We need the money YES! But it's hard when he got out of the Navy to spend more time with us. That is hard to do when he works Monday-Saturday till about 6:00 PM, comes home filthy so there's 1/2 an hour to shower. I guess I should be grateful we at least can eat dinner together and I'm certainly thankful I get to sleep next to him each night. I am just feeling like I saw him more when he was in the Navy. (only because he would fly home Friday and we'd have the weekend to run around together) I really should stop complaining.... but not yet. He usually only has to work Mon-Thurs and that's been awesome, but like I said, we needed the extra money. A Friday here, a Saturday there is great. Yes, he gets overtime if it lines up right. Well anyay, so last week he was supposed to work Friday and Saturday.. but he had his kidney infection pain.. and then the antibiotics would knock him out.. so he couldn't work!

So he was home, but sick.. and the kids were sick and I wasn't feeling so good myself. Then this past weekend he had to work Friday and Saturday.. I feel like we need a date night so bad! We were able to sneak in a family dinner with the kids Saturday. He got home at a decent time, went home, showered, picked up little Jessie from his mom's and met us at Chili's. It was nice, but then it's bed time, we have a 45 minute drive home.. and then we're all exhausted and have to get up for church the next day.

Really I'm being a whiner, because church isn't until 1:00 PM. Plenty of time right? Not when you're exhausted and have 3 kids to get ready and had a rough week. While we were at Chili's my favorite missionary called. Him and his companion were at our house to visit. Aw man... :( I felt bad we weren't home. He said he was leaving to go HOME on Tuesday (or at least that was his last day being a missionary here) and wanted to say goodbye. I asked if they could come over the next day (sunday-yesterday) He said they could do 2:00, but I said we'd be in church. He said something like what do you want to go to church for? LOL... we decided they could come at 10:00 AM before church. So we had to get up earlier than usual... and it was well worth it. He's just a great guy and a wonderful missionary. I really hope we can stay in touch. He told us he loved us and we got to hug him and say goodbye. We definitely LOVE him too! We might be going to a fireside Wednesday night to see him one last time. That would be awesome. He is so genuine. Some missionaries are so monotone and you just feel like they're going through the motions. I could see the truth shining in this guy. No denying that. Everything he shared with us was heartfelt and pure.

Since John and I had both had a long, rough week... we only went to sacrament meeting. We came home and relaxed for a bit and then had dinner. Our home teachers came over and we had a nice time with them. (one was a fill in.. and he's a great/funny guy) John was really not feeling like having them over.. but I think those are the times you need them the most. Once they came, he didn't seem to mind at all, and we laughed and joked and then had a nice little lesson and it was all good.

Shortly after John was ordained an Elder, we had our last temple lesson at the Buntjers. We talked a little about the priesthood and blessings. Both of the girls wanted a blessing right then and there. It was awesome. I think Jeremy got a blessing later that night at home. I was going to get one later as well. However, it didn't happen. So I hope it would happen sometime before we went to the temple, but it didn't. Well yesterday I really felt like I needed one. I always have been a huge fan of priesthood blessings. I've been amazed so many times by the power felt and the personal things said. I never thought I'd have a husband that could give me such a blessing. What a cool feeling that he could help me in such a personal/powerful way in our own home when I needed it. I didn't have to call someone else and hope they could come as soon as I wanted. I think he's struggled a bit with giving blessings. They are stil new and a bit foreign to him. I don't know if he knows how to feel the spirit and let it guide him. He's not sure if his mind can shut off long enough to listen to anything but the voices in his head. (ha ha not really.. but he has ADHD, so he's alwyas got something going on in his mind)
Well it was finally time for my blessing. He seemed a bit nervous, almost shy, which is so unlike him. But I understand, this is all still new to us, praying in front of each other.. it's getting easier and less awkward, but it will take some time. However, he did what he needed to get ready and he totally redeemed himself. It was so amazing to connect like that between Heavenly Father, John and me. He knew just what to say, just what I needed to hear. I'm so proud and grateful that he is my husband and that he's become such an honorable man.

Speechless

Not much to say. I'm back to my boring life. Nothing to look forward to. I mean for awhile, we had the temple to look forward to. Not much going on around here.

I'm worn out taking care of kids and husbands. First Johnny got a kidney infection, we found out last Thursday. He kept us both up all night that night in pain. I was ready to take him to the hospital.. but he said he didn't need to go.. It did ease up, so I was glad we didn't have to pay the $100 ER copay. Since then I swear our daughter TJ had swine flu. You could just see it in her eyes that she was sick. All the symptoms fit. I've felt yuccy myself and then JJ was feeling a lot of stomach pain, and felt like he was pretty much going to die. (He is our drama king) I never know how serious I should take him. I know to him, he thinks it's THAT bad! But if I were to take him to the Dr. or the hospital every time he felt THAT bad.. they would probably change addresses and not let us know where they moved to.
Also little JW had a nasty headache for a few days. I think it lasted the extra 2 days because she liked the berry flavored motrin.

So I've been exhausted taking care of everyone... I feel so BLAH! I don't want to do ANYTHING! I guess I've been a bit sick myself.. I just hate those days where you get nothing done...