Picking Pumpkins

My grandpa has a pumpkin patch down in central Utah. They grow an enormous number of pumpkins and ship them all over the state, and some even go outside Utah. They grow many different types of pumpkin and squash, and so we have fun going through and finding all different shapes, sizes, and colors of pumpkins.

It is fun to go down to my grandma's house with my kids and share this tradition with them.  

 

Meeting Cousins

We went over to grandma's house for dinner and were surprised to meet the kid's cousins! They have lived in Canada, so this is the first time we have seen our niece, and the second time we have seen our nephew. Our nephew is a few months younger than P1, and our niece is 1 year younger than P2. It was fun for the kids to meet their other cousins! And now they live in Utah, so hopefully we will see them more often!

First Bike Ride

We were out delivering flyers when one of neighbors asked if we wanted a bike. So we came home with a "new" bike! We had to buy some training wheel and helmets. P1 can ride the bike fairly well now, but P2 still needs help. They have been pretty good about taking turns.

 

 

Miracles

I started supporting Evan McMullin the day that he announced his candidacy.When I first saw that he was running, I honestly thought that it was joke. But I had been searching, studying, and praying about what to do this election. So I took a minute to look into him, and I read his Letter to America. And it stirred my soul. I knew in that moment that this was an answer to my prayers, and I knew that I HAD to support this campaign. I donated money that first day, which I have never donated to a political campaign before. I will admit that I was a little hesitant and worried about jumping in with both feet. There was only a paragraph on each issue at that point (now they have been fleshed out). I usually don't support something until I know it better because I don't want to risk embarrassment. However, I had an unmistakable witness that this campaign was the answer to my prayers and that I needed to support it as much as I could.

There have been times that I have been discouraged in this campaign. Most media refused to acknowledge Evan. At times it has been slow going. Trying to convince people that voting third party is not throwing away your vote has been tedious. Everyone has told us that what we are doing is impossible. But we kept going.

From the beginning, I have known that it would take a miracle. I have told others that. But the thing is, that I believe in miracles. I believe this very nation was established through numerous miracles. So I also believe that this nation, which is choice above all others, can be saved through miracles.

These are some scriptures that I have constantly reflected upon during these last two months:

Alma 37:6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

Matt. 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

And this one is really important to understand. Miracles are a result of faith. The more faith that is exercised among the children of men, the greater miracles we will see.

Moroni 7:37 Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.

And I have seen miracles. I have seen personal miracles as a result of personally exercising my faith. One miracle is that when the campaign asked me to donate a large sum of money, I was blessed with a lot of work that week. Normally, I only work about 2 hours a pay period, but for that pay period I had 25 hours of work.

We are seeing larger miracles as more people are exercising their faith in this campaign and what it stands for. The most obvious miracle is the recent poll that came out, showing McMullin in a statistically tie with Clinton and Trump. The momentum that has come from that has been astounding. McMullin can win Utah. The impossible is now possible. A miracle.

Can McMullin actually win the Presidency? Well, it would take a miracle. So start exercising your faith people! And remember, that faith without works is dead. So take action. Sign-up as an online supporter here. Be willing to donate as much as you can, even $5 helps. Donate your time. Help hand out flyers, share on Facebook, talk to your neighbors.

I believe in miracles, do you?

Hogle Zoo

Our friends took us to the zoo. We had a fun day. I think the kids liked playing on the fake animals more than they liked looking at the real animals.

September Pictures

We had one last swim in September. It has been fun to swim in Grandpa's pool all summer.

Both kids are pretty good at entertaining themselves. It's always fun to see them reading books.

Our view from our front window:

P1 has been asking me to do "school" with him. We have been doing addition with goldfish.

Dad built a campfire for us in the backyard, and we roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. The kids didn't really care for the s'mores.

Playing with rubber bands. P2 thought they made great bracelets.

My little artist. He drew a monkey, a snake, a giraffe, a tiger, and an elephant. 

We had a streak of red in our trees. Our trees were some of the last in the neighborhood to turn colors. I guess they don't want to acknowledge that it is fall.

Dressing Up

I needed a Book of Mormon costume for a church activity and so we went to grandma's house to see if she had anything. P1 had a lot of fun trying on different costumes, and P2 refused to put on anything. P1 really loved the Peter Pan costume, so we decided to take it home with us.

Our other grandma ended up buying P2 a Tinkerbell costume when she saw P1's Peter Pan costume. At first P2 would cry when we talked about her being Tinkerbell, but eventually she warmed up to the idea. And now she loves to wear the costume and begs me to fly her around the room.

 

When I finally pulled out my Fall box, the kids found some more costumes. P1 loved wearing his giraffe costume even though it was getting too small. And P2 found my Izzy costume and wanted to wear it, even though it was much too big. She looks more like a gypsy.