BEWARE! ... Pirates Be Comin'

IT'S OFFICIAL!!!

Tuckered

This was Bekah the other night after a long day at play. I had tucked her in bed with her sippy cup, and this is how I found her when I came back in to put Lissa in bed. She didn't even flinch when the camera flashed. She was so tired. I think it was funnier in real life, but I thought it would be fun to share.

The Red Barn

So we forgot to actually get a picture of The Red Barn, but we went there for Family Home Evening on Monday to pick out our Halloween pumpkins. It was a lot of fun, especially when we realized that Roy (um...er...I mean Rebekah) had left the car door wide open (we noticed as we rode away on the hay ride). Pretty funny! And even more funny is that no one bothered to shut it for us. Anyway, we rode out to the pumpkin patch and chose our pumpkins and then had yummy ice cream for dinner. It was a really beautiful evening but very cold! I think we'll make this a yearly tradition.

Witch-A-Palooza

Last weekend (October 11th) my sisters and Mom and I went for a Girls' Day Out to the Park City outlets and to see a dinner theater show called Witch-a-Palooza in Gardner Village. We had a great time! All of us were able to come except for Marci who happened to be in the process of giving birth to child #5 and grandchild #25. :-) I love my sisters...and aren't they beautiful?!!! Thanks to all of our hubbies for letting us have some time away.

That's a SSSSSPICY pot roast!!!

Today I over-seasoned our pot roast with the McCormick Grill Mates Spicy Montreal Steak Seasoning. (I knew it was extra spicy when Roy, who LOVES things hot, choked on the first bite he took...not a good sign.) And since the roast was extra spicy (and garlicky), so was the gravy that we made from the drippings. I figured there would be much weeping and wailing from our kids for sure. They are not what you would call good eaters. However, to my utter astonishment this was the first meal in forever that Elisabeth ate (and asked for seconds) without one single complaint...not even about the green beans. Amazing!

Swensen Grandchild #25

Our new nephew, Chandler Wayne Harward, was born to Tony & Marci Harward this morning at 2:52 a.m. He weighed in at 5 lb. 15 oz. and was 18 3/4 inches long. He is 3 weeks early, but Marci was able to hold him off for the past 6 weeks, so we are thankful for that. She was very ready to be off bedrest. Chandler needed some oxygen help for his lungs, but he's breathing room air now. He's so sweet and perfect and doing well. Chandler is named after his Grandpa Swensen and is grandchild #25 for Wayne and Ginger. He is Tony and Marci's 5th child. We like to think that Samuel was there helping send him off on his earthly mission. We are sure they are good friends. Welcome to our family, Chandler!!!

Story Time

This is Bekah reading to Rick's dog, Mac. It was so cute how she would read the page and then turn the book to show Mac the pictures. I wish you could see the book better in the picture, but you get the idea.

Tagged!

I (Laura) have been tagged by my sister Shelly...a few weeks ago. I actually started writing this on October 8th (when Marci bugged me about it) and forgot to post it. So here it is. Not all items are in any particular order.

8 Favorite T.V. Shows:
1. Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
2. NCIS
3. Numbers
4. So You Think You Can Dance
5. American Idol
6. Football (BYU mostly)
7. Fox News Channel
8. General Conference

8 Favorite Restaurants:
1. Romano's Macaroni Grill
2. Joe Bandito's
3. Carrabba's
4. Sizzler
5. Red Lobster
6. Red Robin
7. PF Chang's
8. Chevy's Fresh Mex

8 Things that happened yesterday:
1. Went to the gym.
2. Ate Wendy's at the park.
3. Went to parent teacher conference.
4. Had tacos with all of the grandkids.
5. Got some Relief Society training.
6. Cried about Samuel.
7. Ate a candy bar.
8. Read scriptures.

8 Things to look forward to:
1. Being with Samuel again
2. Halloween
3. Thanksgiving
4. Christmas
5. Pirate Island
6. Elisabeth's birthday
7. Rebekah's birthday
8. Getting my own house (someday)

8 Things I love about fall:
1. Football
2. Cooler weather
3. Sweaters
4. Holidays
5. Changing leaves
6. Birthdays
7. My wedding anniversary
8. Girls' Getaway with Mom and sisters

8 Things on my wishlist:
1. Holding Samuel again
2. Lose weight
3. Relax...Enjoy each day
4. Attitude of gratitude
5. See people as God does
6. Trip to Hawaii, just Roy and me
7. My own house
8. Out of debt

8 People I'm Tagging:
1. Marci
2. Carly
3. Shannon
4. Mandy
5. Michelle
6. Heather
7. Joanne
8. Airi

St. George

Roy and I took a mini trip Monday thru Wednesday this week to St. George...with no kids! Elisabeth and Rebekah didn't quite appreciate that part of it, but we did! The two of us haven't been away alone since...well, I'm not really sure...but at least since sometime before I got pregnant with Samuel, and maybe even before Rebekah was born. (We don't count the weeks at the hospital with Samuel, even though technically we were alone then...sharing the twin bed in the parent sleeping room or the couch in the foyer wasn't that romantic...really.) Anyway, Roy wanted to show me the Pirate Island restaurant that is getting close to completion down there, and it is really awesome! We are excited for work to begin on the Pirate Island here next week. Finally!!! Roy will be helping with the physical labor as soon as that gets going, as well as helping to plan how to run the restaurant. He is going to be the general manager. We are really excited about this new career opportunity. (More to come about Pirate Island at a later date.) Anyway, Monday night we went to see the movie Forever Strong. It was really good, and we definitely recommend it. On Tuesday we slept in, shopped at the outlet stores, and took an afternoon nap. Then we went to see Les Miserables at the Tuacahn Amphitheatre. Other than just being alone with Roy, Les Mis was the highlight of the trip. It was GREAT!!! We had never seen the stage production (just the movie), so it was really spectacular. What a great story! And it was a beautiful evening. Tuacahn is really an amazing venue. We had a great time! I love you, Roy!!!

General Relief Society Meeting

Saturday, September 27th, was the 2008 General Relief Society Meeting. It was awesome! I always look forward to it every year. My mom and sisters and I attend it together, and it is always so inspirational. This year it seemed even better than usual. Here are some of the points I got out of the meeting:

Sister Julie B. Beck, General R.S. President, talked about the 3-fold mission of Relief Society, which is to, 1) Increase in personal faith and righteousness, 2) Strengthen families and homes, and 3) Serve the Lord and His children. She spoke of the need to "be still" and listen to the Spirit, and that if we heed the Spirit, we cannot fail. The power of Relief Society has not been fully tapped, and the Lord expects us to increase our offerings. I think Sister Beck is a very powerful speaker, and I really admire her.

Sister Silvia H. Allred, 1st Counselor in the General R.S. Presidency, spoke about the importance of temple worship. 1) Get and stay worthy, 2) Go, and 3) Return often. A good reminder that we are surrounded by temples in many places throughout the world and that we should not take that for granted.

Sister Barbara Thompson, 2nd Counselor in the General R.S. Presidency, spoke about how Relief Society should be a haven for us, our safe place in this crazy world. It is not just a class on Sunday, but a united sisterhood that should be ministering to all. We need to step up and be strong and be anxiously engaged in a good cause. If we live up to our privileges, the angels cannot be restrained from helping us.

The highlight of the meeting was President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, 2nd Counselor in the First Presidency. What an amazing apostle! He really touched all of our hearts. He talked of how many, probably most, women undervalue their abilities. We feel inadequate, discouraged, and worried. He said that the path to peace, hope, and joy lies in our inherent desire to CREATE and BE COMPASSIONATE. 1) We all have a desire to create things because we are spirit daughters of God. We have beauty and capacity, talents and gifts. He was not talking just about being mothers and having children, but creation in all forms. A key point was to remember that what we create does not have to be perfect. Start small (for example, create smiles or beautify a small space). The more we rely on the Spirit, the greater our capacity to create becomes. 2) "Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves." We are blessed when we serve. He spoke of one woman who was sad about the loss of her husband (I can't remember who it was), but someone told her, "Work will cure your grief; Serve others." Of course the Savior taught that we should think more about others than ourselves. One thing President Uchtdorf said that really struck me is that the prayers we answer may be more important than the prayers we say. He promised us that by creating and being compassionate, our feelings of inadequacy, discouragement, and worry will be changed to meaning, grace, and fulfillment. We will be "encircled in the arms of [Our Savior's] love".

It was an incredibly uplifting meeting, and I am so glad that I took the time to attend. There is so much power in the Relief Society, in womanhood and sisterhood. We change the world every day! If you missed it, make a goal right now to be there next year, and every year after that. It is every September on the Saturday before General Conference. You won't regret it!!!