September and October fun stuff!

Morgan had her Young Women in Excellence program this month, and it was so well done!  This comes as no surprise, since the leaders in our ward are so amazing, as are these beautiful girls (inside and out)!  We love Morgan and are so EXTREMELY proud of her and the young woman she is becoming!  Even more so, we know her Father in Heaven is so proud of her and loves her beyond anything we mortals are capable of understanding.  Thank you Morgan for being such a great example to all those that know you!

Colton's scout leaders hosted a swim party for all the 12 and 13 year old scouts to celebrate all the work they had been doing.  All the families were invited.  It was too hot to sit out and not swim, so me and my friend Janae decided to do backflips together off of the rocks!  I think the kids were amazed that adult women would do that! I also took the opportunity to test the waterproof camera I bought to take to Hawaii with us...it works!  Can't wait to try it out in the ocean!

 

October means HALLOWEEN!  We cut out some pumpkin shaped sugar cookies and the kids had fun decorating them.  I also made pumpkin pancakes one morning...

Fall means SOCCER for my boys, even if it is still breaking 100 degrees every day!  Kyle is and AWESOME soccer player...

We carved our pumpkins 2 days before Halloween.  Any earlier and the heat turns them moldy pretty quick.  We set up a table in our driveway and the kids went to town!  It's nice that I only really have to help Kyle now with a couple things - I can just sit back and watch and take pictures!

I set my settings on my camera the way I wanted them and had Bryan take some pictures of Morgan and I.  Her Young Women leaders had asked for a mother daughter picture for a program they were doing.  We did one serious one, but the others Morgan wanted us to ham it up!

The big night! Bryan and Morgan went out with friends Halloween night, and I only had Colton and Kyle.  All I could think about that night was how we were all split up because my kids are outgrowing me (literally - the only one shorter than me now is Kyle).  I know that is as it should be, but it's hard as a mom to see your kids leaving.  Right now it's just for the night, but all too soon they'll be going off on their own.  Not ready for that yet!  I've still got a little time thank goodness!  Love all these kids!!  Thank you to my friend who sent me the pictures of Morgan with her friends...

Colton is the blue man, and Kyle is the Ninja on the right...

Fast Sunday's

I HAD to snap these pictures of what our house is like when fasting ends on Fast Sunday (the first Sunday of every month).  Mark and I decided that 3pm is when we have dinner on Fast Sunday.  Fasting is supposed to begin after dinner on Saturday night and last until dinner on Sunday night.  When 3pm hits it is a free for all in the kitchen.  I try to have a regular dinner ready to go, but if I don't have it ready RIGHT THEN, just move out of the way because you might get run over in the stampede for the kitchen.

Wolves visit the new Gilbert Temple!

Kyle is LOVING cub scouts!  For their activity today they visited the new Gilbert, Arizona temple, which is under construction.  We are SO EXCITED to have a Temple right across from our neighborhood!  We can't wait for it to be finished!  We found out it was going to be built just a few months before we moved here.  When we heard it was going to be 1/4 mile from our new house we just thought that it was perfect.  For us, the temple is a symbol of our ability to be together as a family FOREVER, not just "until death do us part".  Being married in the temple, by someone who holds the priesthood, "seals us" to our family so that if we keep our Heavenly Father's commandments, we can be with our family forever.

A temporary Visitor's Center was set up in a trailer adjacent to the construction site.  Our little Wolf den got to go inside and talk with someone about the temple.  They got to look at plans of the temple.  The highlight was when they each got to pick out a stone from a piece of granite that was supposed to be used on the temple, but had broken into a lot of pieces.  They let people who come by take a piece of the temple home with them!  The stone used for the temple has a lot of sparkly pieces in it that shine when you rotate the stone in the sun.  What a fun souvenir!

FAMILY HOME EVENING: Lehi's Dream

Mark was in charge of the lesson for Family Home Evening tonight.  He talked about Lehi's dream.  As he read the story in the Book of Mormon, each of our kids had the opportunity to illustrate it on a white board...

 The kids really enjoyed this activity and it really helped them to learn the significance of each part of Lehi's dream.

Great to be EIGHT! .... KYLE'S BAPTISM!

Kyle had been waiting ALL YEAR for this day to come.  He was finally getting baptized!  Although he turned eight at the beginning of May, Mark's work schedule put him on call the day of Stake baptisms for May.  We elected to wait for June since that would also make it easier for family to come and be with us on his special day.

Here are some pictures I took for his baptism announcement.  I loved them both, but I chose to use the 2nd one on his announcement.  He looks so grown up in his white shirt and tie!  LOVE this boy!!

The night before Kyle was baptized, we had a special get together including all our family that was visiting.  It was an opportunity to talk to Kyle about what it meant for him to be baptized.  He was the center of attention for the evening!

Besides our family, we had grandma and grandpa Bybee, grandma and grandpa McOmber, and Aunt Kacie!

I had asked grandma McOmber to talk to Kyle about baptism.

She and grandpa McOmber gave Kyle his own hymn book...

...and also a baptism pillowcase to color!

Then grandma Bybee talked to Kyle about the gift of the Holy Ghost.

She gave Kyle several gifts to help him remember important things about the Holy Ghost.  The first thing was a compass, because the Holy Ghost helps us choose the right thing to do.  He guides us.

Grandpa Bybee showed Kyle how a compass works...

The next thing she gave Kyle was a flashlight, because the Holy Ghost lights the way for us to know which direction to go or what to do. Through the Holy Ghost we can learn the truth (light).

Grandma Bybee had asked Bryan to talk to Kyle about the meaning behind the flashlight.  He did a great job!

Next grandma gave Kyle a quilt she had made.  The quilt symbolizes the ability of the Holy Ghost to be comforter.  He can comfort us and bring us peace when we need it.

Grandma Bybee had also made a cute poster on her computer and framed it so Kyle could use it to remember his special day!

She also gave him a special CTR ring to wear all the time to remind him to always "Choose the Right!"

Mark and I also gave him his own special journal to record the special things that happen to him or that he wants to remember.

The next morning was Kyle's big day!  We went to the Stake Center for his baptism.  There were some other kids there, but Kyle was the only being baptized from our ward that day!  That was fun because we had the room all to ourselves for the baptism, and afterwards when he was confirmed.

I love this sweet boy!!  (and his dad!!)

Here is everyone who came to see Kyle get baptized!

Then we went back to our house to celebrate.  Kyle had a few more gifts to open from Mark and I, and then he wanted to celebrate by swimming!

Mark and I gave him was his own set of scriptures...

...and a really cool football scripture case to carry them in!  You are looking at a future missionary!  We sure love our Kyle and the really wonderful decisions he continues to make.  He is one amazing kid who never ceases to make us life.  He has an excitement for life and loves to help people and make them happy.  I love all the hugs and kisses he gives me!