Oh, October

I am so glad you are finally here!  I feel as though I have been waiting for you for such a long time.

I have been waiting to trade my flip flops for classy boots (although I am sure that in a mere 4 or 5 months I will be wishing I were still a flipping and a flopping),

I have been waiting to wear beautiful scarves and colorful pea coats and cozy turtlenecks.

Fall fashion is simply the best.

I have been waiting to spend wonderful moments with my little family and awesome friends doing fall-like activities.

Pumpkin patch visiting and apple farm frequenting qualify nicely as such activities.

After much (maybe like 15 minutes) of searching and debating we settled on three very lovely orange specimens.  A big daddy, a large-and-in-charge mommy, and a petite (and somewhat green) little baby.

The perfect pumpkin family to call our own.

One could say Stella loved it.  It did have all the makings of a Stella approved activity: the great outdoors, little children, and new things to put in her mouth.  Perfection she says!

October, you also bring the lovely weekend that is General Conference.  One day down and I would say the Spiritual enlightenment is in full swing.

I particularly enjoyed the first talk, by Elder Holland, in which he reiterated the love our Heavenly Father and the leaders of The Church have for each of us individually.  He also did a beautiful job of reminding me of the goodness SO. MANY. PEOPLE. have shown my family over the last...oh, four years, but in particular the last two months.  We have been served, prayed for, and attended to more than we could have ever hoped to be.  And each act of kindness or word spoken on our behalf has been an aide in lifting our spirits and bringing us peace.  So if you are one of the many who have done so much for us, thank you.

I also loved President Uchtdorf and his admonition to fill our time with the things that really matter.  This may sound weird, but sometimes I feel like I am actually not busy enough according to the world's standards.  This kind of goes back to my previous post, but sometimes I feel like I should be doing more.  Working full-time, being a mom, taking art classes, waking up at 5 am to go to the gym, volunteering, sewing baby blankets and painting crafts, etc...

Sometimes I feel like I have too much free time and it makes me feel lazy.  But this talk reminded me that, while it is not good to be lazy, it is not better to be overly scheduled and worn down. 

It is about making time for what is really important. 

It is about balance.

And one more!  Mostly just one thought that was shared by Elder Edgley about how faith can move mountains.  He spoke of how mountains truly can be moved if we have the unwavering faith that it requires. Even mountains of deep sorrow can be shifted and replaced with peace, comfort, and hope.

I have felt those great mountains of sorrow in my life, but I feel that because of my absolute faith in my Saviour Jesus Christ that those giant, impeding mountains have and can be overcome.



You really are wonderful, October.  Especially this year because you signify visits and visitors.

In four short days the babe and I will be landing in New York City to meet up with some of our best friends in the world.  Take a girl from Utah, a girl from Ohio, and a girl from Connecticut; put them together for five days and just wait and see what happens.  So excited!

We will also be hosting a few visitors of our own. 

Some of my top ladies from out west will be arriving in Columbus just a few short days after my return from Connecticut.  Grandma J and the aunties couldn't be away from Miss Stella for a moment longer.

Can't wait to see them!

After they head back west we will have our favorite Pennsylvanians down for a weekend.  The boys will be boys and go to football games, and the girls will be moms and stay home with the kiddos!  But it will be so fun to FINALLY let Trey and Stella play!

After the all the visitors have departed we will only have one weekend left together, my dear October.

You and I will have to celebrate right by ushering in my least favorite holiday of them all.

That's right, I pretty much hate Halloween.

I don't like decorating my house with scary things like skeletons and spiders and bats.

I don't like all the candy.

I don't like when people wear masks.  This is something I just recently discovered about myself, actually. 

 I am freaked out by masks. 

And not masks of the monster or animal variety, but masks that seem to distort the natural human face into some weird expression or that are used as disguises in movies and TV shows by robbers and murderers.

Back to why I don't like Halloween...

I don't like when little kids dress up as gross or scary things.  My children will only be allowed to be cute things.  Even a cute witch will be allowed, but not a scary one.

I don't really like trying to come up with a costume for my husband and I (I know, I am lame!)

And usually it was FREEZING on Halloween in Pocatello and I hate cold weather!

So there you go.  Just some of the reasons I hate Halloween.

This year, however; I am a little more excited about the holiday I dread most.

That is because this year I get to dress my sweet baby in the sweetest costume ever!

She is going to look so darling and I can't wait to show you why.

And so, October, even though we must end our love affair on the sour note that is Halloween, you still remain one of my most favorite of months. 

And I guess All Hallows Eve does kick of the second best time of year, The Holiday Season, so maybe it isn't so bad after all...

Happy October!