Happy Halloween!!

Well, if you don't know already, we have three pumpkins here because one is for the baby that will be joining us at the end of April!! That explains the lack of blogging over the past couple months. I have had morning sickness and let's just say it isn't very much fun. We did get out and do all of our traditional fall activities and we can't wait for Christmas.

We went and picked our pumpkins at Liepold Farms. We usually go to Sauvie Island and Liepold was cute, but I will definitely make the trip to Sauvie Island next year.

We had our traditional Halloween dinner and activities with my sister's family. We had a delicious Halloween feast and then we got to play tombstone bowling, Halloween bean bag toss, pin the face on the pumpkin and spider ring toss. Our friend Rob was in town for the day and it was fun to have him with us!!

We carved pumpkins with the Poytress and Tolman peeps!

Last, but not least, we decorated our door at the church and helped with the Halloween carnival. We had dry ice in our pumpkins and it was really cool. It is weird to think that next year we will have a little one to take trick-or-treating!!

Lately...

Wow. I haven't blogged in a LONG TIME! So, this is what we have been up to the past 4 months.

We went to Tulip Festival. It is an annual event that is not to be missed. This year there were lots of flys, but it was nice and cool and the rain let up enough for us to enjoy the flowers!

Our beautiful niece Jenna got baptized. We are so proud of her.

We put on our best makeup to celebrate Lacey's birthday!

We celebrated Dawsie's THIRD birthday. I can't believe he is 3! He went from this:

To this:

He is a crazy and cute little guy and I can't imagine life without him!

I finished up another year of teaching!

Spent the day with the fam on Memorial Day

My Grandma passed away on June 8th. She was an amazing woman who led a long and happy life. She was 20 days shy of 95. We miss her so much, but we know that she is with her eternal companion and that she is working hard on the other side. All 27 of my cousins were able to attend the funeral. It was truly amazing that we could all congregate from all over the country. It was a beautiful funeral, full of hope, love, memories and testimonies.

While I was in Utah I got to see my nephew jump:

and my niece dance:

I visited Temple Square in Salt Lake City.

The day I returned from Utah we saw our other nieces dance!

Then, finally, last but not least THE FOURTH OF JULY!! Since it was on Sunday we got to celebrate Saturday at the Hillsboro Parade, Sunday fireworks with the family and Monday swimming and BBQ with friends!

There ya have it!! That is the past four months in a nut shell!!

Remember

I remember and honor those who have given their lives. I would like to honor those who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom. I am not a very patriotic person, but I am very grateful for the freedoms that I have and I am truly grateful to the men and women (and their families) who have paid the ultimate price so that I can live here today.

**I stole these pictures from Pioneer Woman.She had people send in their photos of "Coming Home". Servicemen/women returning from their service. I love both of these pictures, but I can't take credit for either of them.




I remember and honor my Grandpa Spilker. He was the first relative of mine to pass away. I was in 7th grade when he died. He was a cute little old German man, but I have to admit I was a little shy around him. My brother went to lunch with him every Monday at a German deli and he would always send home a yummy chocolate bar for me. He would come to our house for Sunday dinner often and my brother would always try to get me to talk to him more. I was just really shy and he was really old and I regret not talking with him more. Even though I was a little too shy I loved him and I was very sad when he died. In his retired years he went to the temple EVERY DAY! What a great example he is to me. He spent his last years serving the Lord in the temple. I know that he loved me and I can't wait to see him again. I don't have a scanner to scan in a picture of me with him, but I stole this from my Dad's facebook. This is him and my grandma on their wedding day.

I remember and honor my cousin-in-law Andrea. Andrea passed away in 2002. She was an amazing woman. I can still remember her laugh and her smile. My favorite memory of her was at a family reunion. We were waiting for dinner and I was so hungry. She took me to her camper and we ate a bunch of cookies right before dinner! It was fantastic! I learned so much from her life and death. I learned to be grateful for my family and not to take them for granted. I love Andrea and I can't wait to see her again. I hijacked this photo from her daughters Facebook! Thanks Kendal!

I remember and honor Henry. I posted about Henry a few months ago. He is the son of our friends Rob and Erin. Henry's life was short, but he changed the lives of many. Even though we didn't get to hold him or see him we know that he was a special boy with a special purpose. His life and death have changed my life forever. We are honored to have a picture of Henry in our home and each day as I look at his beautiful face I remember why we are on this earth. We are here to prepare for the next life and to prepare for Eternal Exhalation. We are here to serve the Lord and to learn and grow. We are here to build our families and teach our children and share the gospel. I have also learned a great deal from Henry's parents and the way in which they have handled this enormous trial. I have also learned that sometimes the Lord will give us trials that are unimaginable, but I know he will be there to help us through. I know that these challenges will come in my life and I hope I can be as faithful as Rob and Erin. I can't imagine the pain and suffering they have had to endure, but I know that their faith has held their heads above the water and I am so grateful for their example. I can't wait to meet Henry in the next life!

Pie Jesu Domine,
dona eis requiem,
requiem sempiternam.