*Monday Memos*

*MONDAY MEMOS*

 

                          
 (If pictures are too small, just click to enlarge - if print is too small, you need glasses! ☺)

dear long run, wow! What a beautiful fall day to get in my 10 miles.  I felt so good for the first five or so miles that I was actually dancing to the tunes in my ears.  Of course, that was only when I was down this long and winding road where no one but the cows could see me.  They give me strange looks anyway, and so I was used to it.  I was also happy that my run felt good and not labored like several have the past couple weeks.  It even went by fast which is always good on long runs!  And just look at this beautiful lane!

I just loved the leaves falling so gracefully from the trees as I ran underneath their branches.

It was a great day for a long run.  As you can see I was jumping with joy!

dear taylor and sky, it is so good to have you both home!  I was so glad that Dad took you out on a four wheeler ride to Willard Peak and that Mont offered to let you borrow his dirt bike.  I can tell you had a great time from the pictures I saw.  It was one cold morning but it appears that didn't keep you from having a lot of fun.

dear state play-in game, woot woot!  What an amazing game!  We won the coin toss and so out of the three teams that were tied for 4th place we got to play the winner of the first two which happened to be Mt. Crest.  Bonneville almost beat them, but in the end it was the Mustangs.  Mt. Crest won the toss for home field advantage and so played on their turf (literally). 

Taylor was able to make it for most of it. I wonder if it's hard to be home and watching what he loved so much. I bet he feels like I did whenever I would go watch the Weber State Folk Dancers or Orchesis (Weber State's Modern Dance group) perform.  I just wanted to be out there dancing with them again so bad. I'm sure he wanted to be back out on that field running that ball.

The game started right off on a really high note.  Riley Burt ran an 80 yd. touchdown within seconds of the start.  The crowd went wild and so did the team.  It was fun to watch!  From that moment on, they were on fire.  They just kept going strong and shut out Mt. Crest!  SWEET! 

17 to zip!

These boys have not lost to Mt. Crest one time in four years until the season game this year.  This was sweet revenge!  I have not seen them this excited all year!  They were jumping and high fiving (when I say high, I mean high as in jumping!).  It was so fun to see them do so well! 

Now, off to the state playoffs!  Way to go BEES!

Yea!  I got a picture of McKay after the game!  And boy was he happy!

We even got one of us!  Taylor had already taken off and I felt so bad I didn't get one of him and McKay! Dang it!

Proud parents!

After the game, we took Taylor to a Brazilian restaurant in Logan called Gaucho Grill.  It was good, but not as authentic as his mission food.  But still yummy.  We saw some huge USU football players while there.

dear backyard buddies, what a great sight to see you all chilling out on the lawn without a fear in the world.  I was quite surprised how relaxed and content you were!

I will never tire of this sight for as long as I live here.  It's just amazing to me to see wildlife right in my backyard on a regular basis.  There were eight total.

dear cost of beauty,  and when I say cost, I mean cost!  It's not cheap!  I told Dave I had an appt. to get my hair colored and he said something like, "What color?"  When I told him just blonde, he gave me an odd look like, "It's already blonde."  He didn't understand that colored also means just highlighting it.  Then I told him it's called a weave and he was totally lost.  So I sent him this photo so he could see what we women go through all in the name of beauty.  Oh, the things we do...

dear manic manican,  happy halloween!  The sign in front is rather odd.  I'm not even going to try and guess what it means!

dear ward halloween party and chili cook-off, I didn't take enough pictures, but I'm glad I got these two.  Carson and McKay were being such great examples and staying and running one of the games for the kids, and Jamie and Brian are just some of the best people I know.  They are a lot of fun and so generous and giving and I just love them.  There were some great costumes.  I can't believe I forgot to take pictures!  Oh well, there's always next year!  Though Carson and McKay could be off on missions by then.  Aaaa!

dear sights on my run, this was definitely the week of Halloween because this sight was almost right out of the movie The Birds!  I can not believe how many birds I saw in this one group.  And they make the noises like the ones in the movie.  It was kind of creepy!  I also saw another fork in the road.  Always makes me laugh when I do.

dear halloween traditional dinner, I usually do this one on the Monday before Halloween, but our days and weeks have been so crazy, that it didn't happen.  The day I did do it (All Hallow's Eve) was the only night I could and sadly Bryce was unable to make it.  I really felt bad about that because Taylor AND Sky were both home!  But I just have to accept that I am not going to have them all here all the time and just go with what I do have and be grateful for that.  So I did.

In my Queen of Halloween apron. 

I have been doing this dinner for probably close to 20 years, possibly longer.  It's something the boys used to look so forward to but now I think they would rather escape doing it.  Oh well, I am NOT going to stop doing it.  Not just yet at least!  I do need some grand-kids.  They would appreciate it!

The dry ice really sets the mood.

The menu...

This year I made the brains black.  They actually went kind of purple!  Crazy, I wasn't even trying to do that!

How appetizing!

I cranked up the spooky music, lit the candles and lowered the lights and dished up some spooky cuisine.

Mr. Cat even joined in on the fun!

That didn't last long.  He also wanted to escape!  hah

I had to add all of these pictures because Skyer's changing facial expressions are hilarious!  You may have to click to enlarge.

I set the timer on our camera and it took a picture every second for six times.  It was fun just seeing how everyone's faces change each time.

My favorite picture of the night.  Now if I could only Photoshop Bryce in it!

My other traditional Halloween dinner that I do on Halloween night (the creepy food one) didn't happen this year for the first time in probably also 20 years.  But that's okay because we were at McKay's football State Play off game in Draper.  See below...

dear state playoffs at corner canyon high school, I can honestly say I have never spent Halloween at a state playoff football game before!  And sadly, it was a little more scary than I had hoped.  Our boys were going in as a fourth seed playing a first seed team.  Corner Canyon to be exact.  They were also undefeated with a 15-0 record.  Seems rather harsh and unfair, but that's how the system works. 

 

 It was an amazing school and field.  It felt more like we were at a junior college.

 McKay is #40

  It was so sad because I just kept thinking how this is McKay's very last game if they lose.  His very last game ever!  And my very last game as well!  That is just so sad to me.  After all these years and now it's over.  Heart wrenching.

We have a great team and they play clean and work hard.

My baby's senior year and last game.  

 Our boys fought a hard fight and really did quite well!  But in the end we lost it 34-13.  They still deserve to keep their heads held high because they played with all their heart and didn't play dirty like the other team.  I'm not sure I have ever seen such a dirty playing team.  It was pretty crazy.

Wow, you could feel the heaviness in the air once that final buzzer went off.

 I also do not think I have ever seen such a sad sight as I did after this loss.  These big tough die hard football players were very sad and many were crying, a few were sobbing and even down on their knees.  Mostly the seniors.  I saw this scene played out last year when we lost to Woods Cross and the seniors had to come to terms that it's over as did ours on this day.  There will be no more high school football games for them to play.  No more practices every night after school and all summer long.  No more early Saturday morning film watching.  No more Friday night's under the lights.  No more team dinners.  No more huddles.  No more rushing onto the field by the student body after a big win.  No more sore muscles and bruised and scabbed legs.  It's just so sad.  I don't like "lasts" as I wrote about in another post recently.  Lasts are just so hard.  And this one was really hard. 

 Watching them walk off into the sunset of that field as a team for the very last time EVER, was just so hard.  They were hugging each other and patting each other and just trying to come to terms with the end of it all.  The finality. 

But boy, did that sunset make up for all the sadness.  It was spectacular!  I mean spooktacular.  It was, after all, Halloween!  The pictures don't even do it justice!

 I didn't get a picture of McKay and his buds, because it was just so sad and there were no pictures being taken with that mood in the air, but I did get one of us with my supportive parents.  They have come to nearly every game of every single one of my boys starting from when they were little and playing soccer at age five, right up to their senior years of football, basketball, track, and hockey.  They are amazing!
As was this sunset!  WOW!

The parents waited around for the boys to come out of the locker room and man, that was a solemn occasion.  I did get a hug from McKay.  And even though he is so sad in this photo and it's very blurry, I am still glad I have it.  It's been quite a ride.

As we left the stadium, I noticed you could see two temples from it.  I only got a shot of the Draper temple.  And then as we were driving off, we saw a reminder that it was Halloween, as we watched trick or treaters in the neighborhood near the school.

 I was feeling a little bad that I wasn't home passing out candy.  Luckily, Taylor took that on for me since he didn't make it to the game.

We weren't sure where to go to eat on the way home and threw around a bunch of ideas, but finally settled on In and Out in Centerville.  

 My Mom was saying how once after one of Taylor's state play off games they also went to In and Out and while they were eating, in comes the entire football team.  No more than 10 minutes after she said that, in comes McKay's team!  We saw the coaches first, and thought, there is no way.  That would be way too coincidental, but sure enough, in they came! 

 The pictures are blurry but they were there.  We never saw McKay because they could choose from four or five surrounding fast food places and he went to Carl's Jr. instead of In and Out dang it!  Oh well, it would have probably embarrassed him to see us sitting in there anyway!  hah  It was fun though because we talked to a couple of his coaches and they said what a great kid McKay is and how he works so hard.  It's always great to hear good things about your kids.  It was also nice to see the seniors smiling and laughing a bit.

 It has been a great year for McKay.  He has played football each year since he was in 2nd grade I think.  He is a hard worker and he gives it his all.  He has never given up and just kept trying his best and loving the game no matter what.  I am very proud of him.

 Theses are just a few of the pictures I got off the website.  I need to go and find the rest.

What a ride it has been for all of us. 
*Sigh*

dear jaida bug!  As we were driving home from the game, I checked on my phone and saw this photo on Facebook with the caption:  Where are you??? Sniff sniff:(

 So sad!  There was Jaida at my door and I was not there to answer it and give her the big giant chocolate bar I always do!  She has come every single year since she was a baby and for the first time I was not there!  Talk about sad!  It was a sad night all around!  hah  I used to rock that girl in Relief Society when she was a newborn as she snored very loudly!  And I mean LOUDLY!   We have been chocolate buddies ever since!  I would bring chocolate to her every single week at church (and she always found me for it no matter what!) and if I would run into her around town, I would always have some in my purse (just in case I saw her) that I could give her because she would always expect it.  One time I didn't have any and the look on her face was more than I could take and so I ALWAYS had some no matter where I went because I didn't want to disappoint her twice!  She had those sad puppy dog eyes that were just so sad!  haha Now she's growing up! She is just so cute and I felt so bad I missed her!  This Halloween wasn't scary, it was sad!

dear sky, I am so glad you got to come home for the Homecoming, but I wish you didn't have to leave so soon.  Dad took you to the airport on Saturday because you were going on a cruise with a friend who had bought the tickets for his honeymoon and then broke up with his fiance and you helped him out by buying the one he was stuck with for her.  But, happily after the cruise, you will be home for a couple days before you head back to Hawaii. 

dear women's forum, it has been fun to be on the planning committee for you.  It was also a great day and we had a great turnout.  Our keynote speaker this year, was Gail Miller (Larry H. Millers widow).  She was great.  The two speakers I arranged to come and speak were Don Aslett and Julie Toone. Both did amazing!  I was able to introduce them and so I got to listen in on their workshops too.

Don is a world famous cleaning expert, and I've met him several times and he treats me like we are best friends, but I'm not sure he ever remembers me.☺ I arranged for him to come and speak at American Mother events several times.  One time I got him to come to our ward.  He ended up giving me tons of stuff...a professional window washing kit (that I still use to this day) and several books and other cleaning supplies.  He just kept giving me stuff.  I think he really liked me.  About $300 worth of stuff!  And he always says the same thing to me.  He always asks me how I stay so trim and healthy and in shape.  This time he told me he expected to see someone that was large, not in as good as shape as I was in.  hehe  He is very flattering, I have to give him that.  And... he is 80 years old now!  Wow!  Amazing!  He is so energetic and lively.  You would never guess.

With Don Aslett (left).  With Julie Toone (right).

I was so surprised when I got a text from my dear friend Dawn informing me that she had registered and was coming!  I was so excited!  She is amazing that way!

Don's out-house planner! ↓ He has some unique ways of doing things. Check out the money bin for his books.  He is famous after all for cleaning things and toilets are right up there!  hah

Here I am with Dawn and Julie Toone.  We both really enjoyed her class.  It really touched me.  I could relate on such a deep level in so many ways to what she was sharing with us about her life.  What an amazing woman! 

For more information on her incredible story, go to her blog here.

I got this amazing basket for being on the committee.  I also won a door prize in another class.  Woot woot!  Dawn gave me the yummy Monster Mash!  She is always so thoughtful and always brings me some kind of treat whenever I see her. Not sure how she does it all! 

With my cute twinsee Dawn!  So happy she was able to make it.  She said she has it on her calendar to come each year!  Yea!

dear treats, I love treats!  Especially purple treats!  These are from my visiting teachers because I was too busy to find a slot of time for a visit this month.  Maybe I will be too busy every month!  hah

dear mr. squirrel, it has been so fun to stop what I am doing when I see you pop up in my backyard.  What a quick and industrious little guy you are.  If you were in sight all day, I would most likely just do nothing but watch you.  Animals just make me happy.  All kinds.

dear halloween party, even though you were held on the day after Halloween, it still felt like Halloween!  Karen had her annual (two years now) Fall Festival at her house.  I wanted to go as a deer and have Dave and the boys be hunters (trying to keep it simple for their sake), but Dave suggested that we go as a ref, coach, and sport players.  That sounded much easier and so we went with that. I was the ref (of course!), Dave the coach, McKay a football player (he still had his jersey), and Taylor went as a soccer player from Brazil.  How easy was that?  Easiest costumes ever!  I did want McKay to put black under his eyes, but he was not on board with that.  So I tried to put it on for him, with great resistance.  That is what we are doing in the pictures below.  And you thought we were dancing...

Here we are at the party....

Dave's face didn't change in any of these.  Just like a real coach. 

Look who else was a ref!?  And no, we didn't plan it! 

Some of the fun...

I tried to make spider cookies, but they were kind of a pinterest fail!  But, they tasted good!  We also had a chili cook off.  No winners were announced, but they were all good.  I liked Dave's Pasta Fagiole the best though.

Karen's house is a party house and it's so big that people can go all over and do their own thing.  I was able to get Scott in a neck lock - something I am very proud of - and that was definitely picture worthy... (bottom right) ☺

Here we are...

Let's try that again...

Ahh... much better!