This and that

Well, nothing too monumental to post about. Feels like such a let down after such an great trip. We're just now getting back into the routine. We're all caught up with school work, scouts, piano, and laundry. Except now we have basketball and soccer to try to squeeze in somewhere. ☺What were we thinking??? I'm not sure. We're just down right crazy I guess.

Last night we had a really great night with a couple of neighbor families. I made a big pot of minestrone soup. We had salad, rolls, and cookies. Then we had a little FHE lesson. I've been hearing a lot of rude, aggressive type words being used between the boys and their friends in my house and I was getting so sick of it. We had on of those family nights where my kids actually got it. I thought I would write about it for any one out there who are having this same issue in their homes.

First off we discussed what kinds of words Christ would use if he was on the earth. We read he scripture "As I have loved you love one another." Then I showed them these 2 items:

A trash can and a treasure box. I then told everyone that for the last couple of days I have been listening to some of the words that have been said. Some of those words are "treasure words" and some of them have been "trash words." I put the words on strips of paper and we went around the room and had each person pick a paper and put the word in the appropriate container.
We had trash words like: hate, dumb, stupid, freakin, idiot, butt, get out of my way.
Then we had treasure words like: Thank you, I love you, Please move out of my way, Can I help you, and excuse me.
The kids LOVED this. Then we talked a little bit about swear words and using the Lord's name in vain.
Then each kid got to take a little chocolate treasure with them to remember what we talked about.

I'm grateful for treasure words. When we got home from out trip I heard quite a few of them from friends in our ward. I had a few people come up and say, "We sure missed you while you were gone." I even had one friend say, "I know you probably aren't happy to be back in Idaho Falls but I sure am glad you are back." It made me stop and think, do I really complain that much? Idaho Falls isn't so bad to me anymore. It is home to me now and I was genuinely happy to be back. (Even though I know WINTER is fast approaching. Bleh.) It is nice to be missed. I need to be better at saying treasure words to others.

Fall is here in full swing! We've decked the house out and are enjoying the leaves changing color in the yard:

I love fall except for one MAJOR thing. Family pictures. I don't necessarily care so much about the actual pictures, its the coordinating outfits that stresses me out like crazy. I don't want things to be too matchy matchy and I don't want to do another family picture with browns and oranges. Wouldn't it be great if there was a store geared toward family pictures? Everything coordinates perfectly without running around to 50 different stores. That would be bliss.

Speaking of pictures.........if you are Deseret Book anytime soon you should consider buying this new Illustrated Book of Mormon for your family! (Unless you are a family member...you just MIGHT be getting this book for Christmas) The artist is in our ward and my MAN....yes Mr. Nathan  is in the book!!! It's actually pretty hilarious because most of the models in this book are all people from our ward.

This is the cover:

And here is one of the two pictures of Nate. This one is only the back of his head but there is another one in there where you can see the side of his face. Pretty cool huh? He is a bad guy but it's pretty cool to know that Nate is in the scriptures.

Ok. I'm done now. ☺