Better late than never

Two days until Thanksgiving and I have yet to post Halloween 2010 pics. SO here we go!

This year Marie and Ryan hosted the High School friend Halloween Party. We had a great time playing games and eating some good grub.
Of course it was a COSTUME party. Abe is my prisoner and I am his police officer.
I loved Katie's outfit and that we sort of kind of matched. Besides the fact she was a "male" police officer... with a baby bump?? So great!
All of us posing for the camera.Then it was off to Farmington for the annual Parker family Halloween Party. Abe loved holding Simon the python. As for me i'm not a real fan of snakes... especially the way they feel so I passed on holding the slithery guy.
We also got to see Simon eat his dinner. It sure made for a rather interesting Halloween Party. Here he is finishing the rat off.
Then we had some of Abe's friends from High School and their wives over to our place for some Halloween fun.
And yes costumes were a must!
On Halloween Eve my niece had her fifth birthday party. It was a princess party and my Mom wanted me to dress up as Belle and to see if my friend Allison (who dresses up as Cinderalla for kid's birthday parties) could come. Sadly, Allison couldn't come because of her work schedule! Maybe next year we can be a duo. I loved dressing up as Belle. It was real fun and the little girls loved it. We played games, ate yummy food, did a craft and opened presents.
I do love how my Belle costume turned out. I think Allison and I need to go into business together attending Princess Birthday parties. Belle and Cinderella make the perfect princess pair.

Trip down South

It seems I forgot to write about the trip Abe and I took with my family down to Lake Powell. As they say in the blogging world.. better late than never!!
We headed down the end of September/beginning of October. Just in time for some Fall boating before it got too cold. The water was chilly for Lake Powell but it was a fun vacation and we didn't deal with the crowds that are usually around in the Summer time. We even got to celebrate my sister Heather's 30th Birthday on the Lake. We haven't gone on a Young vacation for a while so it was a much needed family trip.

We stayed in Page, AZ and one of the days we went to explore Antelope Canyon.
This pic is of Nicole (my niece) and me waiting for the truck to take us to Antelope Canyon.
Aboard the truck with my parents.
The "heart" of the canyon
We spent much of the afternoon exploring Antelope Canyon. It's located on an Indian Reservation so you can only see it by taking a tour. What I learned on our tour: that many of the professional pictures taken of Lake Powell come from this very canyon.
The next two days we spent on the lake... exploring, tubing, skiing, wakeboarding and just relaxing!Eating plums off of Grandma Gough's tree.

Abe trying out the double ski for old time sake
My sisters and niece Cooling off!
While the water had cooled off a bit the air temp was still in the 90's.
Like I said we celebrated Heather turning the big 3-0 at the local Mexican Restaurant in Page. It was actually real good!
We did some exploring. Here we are heading up Sheep Canyon. It's definitely one of my favorite things to do at Lake Powell.
Laura was sure a trooper trying to get up on the double ski.
Nicole sure loves tubing. She discovered it at East Canyon and she took turns with most of us.
Abe doing a little wakeboarding.
Me slaloming.
My mom getting ready to ski.
My Mom's still got it!! She sure showed up my sisters. Maybe next year Heather and Laura will get up on either the ski or wakeboard.
And of course we made a stop to Dangling Rope for Ice Cream
Yep, while we there Abe had to surf the tire.
We had a fun Young family vacation. Hopefully it won't be too long until we get to go down to Lake Powell again. I sure do love love LOVE that place.

Breaking Ground

On Friday Abe's Grandma and Aunt made the local news.

His Grandma Helen Parker and his Aunt Erin were interviewed by KSL's Carole Mikita about LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson breaking ground for the Rome, Italy temple. This temple will be Italy's first and Europe's 12th and will be made out of granite. Abe's Grandpa served as a Mission President in the City from 1993 to 1996 with his wife Helen. Erin also served a mission in Italy before her parents did.

Gerald Parker with some of his missionaries in Rome

Watching the news story about the ground breaking brought tears to my eyes. Not only to see Abe's Grandpa (who I only had the pleasure of spending time with on a few occasions before he died) but because I thought about all the members living in that part of Europe who must be overwhelmed with JOY! When the Temple is completed, it will serve over 23,000 Church members living in Italy and in neighboring countries. Abe's Grandpa, Gerald Parker is in Heaven now but i'm sure he is thrilled!

Watch KSL's story here: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=12928720&autostart=y
Or the story from the Church's newsroom: http://beta-newsroom.lds.org/article/president-monson-breaks-ground-for-rome-italy-temple

The Truth About Pumkin Pie

Sometimes it's better not to know the process...

I got this in an email today. I sure do love pumpkin treats and seeing this just made my day!! I love the pumpkin man's face and how he is sitting on a make shift toilet. So great!

Tis the season

I love this time of the year for one specific reason... UTE FOOTBALL!!
Two days ago as I was driving home from work from downtown just trying to get to the freeway when I saw this lovely pic on the UTA bus. I am a proud UTE and loved seeing that UTA is too.
One thing I miss now that both Abe and I are graduates from the University of Utah is the MUSS section. There is nothing else like it. I love the MUSS.. loved spending time w/ my friends on the 5th row in the MUSS.. and loved going on dates w/ Abe to Ute games and sitting in the MUSS section.
I sure do miss the MUSS and unfortunately am now watching Utah Football games at home via the MTN.

I also have always been a fan of Kenny Chesney's and I am so LOVING that his latest hit to hit the airways is all about football. THE BOYS OF FALL! And Kenny's latest CD just hit store shelves TODAY!

GO UTES!

They're blogging

While I was listening to KSL radio on my way to work I heard that a Mormon apostle was blogging. I thought to myself how exciting that they are using blogging as a way to talk about the LDS church.

So, it all began last week when the blogging website Patheos.com asked the Church to write about the future of Mormonism. It appears Elder Quentin L. Cook took the challenge because his entry was posted.

I loved what Elder cook said, "as the church moves forward, it would work with other like-minded faiths to follow the gospel of Jesus Christ in reaching out to fellow citizens." I think that that is what the LDS Church is all about serving and reaching out to others all over the world!

Read the blog and what the Mormon Times had to say about Elder Cook's entry by clicking on the link:
http://www.mormontimes.com/article/16533/Apostles-blog-may-be-a-first

In case you needed to know...

Baking soda is supposed to help bee stings!

Yeah, wish I had none that Thursday morning.

See I was deadheading some plants and decided to sit on my porch when all of a sudden I felt something on my finger. I then raised my arm and it instantly stung.. i then looked down and there was a bit of blood on my middle finger. Well, a bee got me and two of my fingers started swelling up. I haven't been stung since elementary days so I couldn't remember what to put on the wound. I was texting with a friend at the time of the incident and asked her what I should do and she said mud or ice should help. So a few hours later I iced my finger and it helped a bit. But when I got to work later my co-worker said baking soda is what you are supposed to put on stings. So, in case you get stung like me.. now you know.. baking soda is what the internet and my co-worker says will help.