I LOVE LUCY!!!

The basic Pumpkin... the outcome of all the searching. How Lame!

Halloween Extravaganzas!

So, until recently, Halloween has been my least favorite Holiday...ish day. I have just never been in support of the creepy bloody disgusting costumes. I know there are some cuter ones out there. I have just never seem to have been in the same place with those costumes. This year Frank's love for Halloween seems to have begun to rub off one me. The last two weeks all I have thought about is how I'm going to carve my pumpkin ( I have spent many a day browsing Martha Stewart's web site) as well as pondering just how well Frank and I would be able to pull off Lucy and Ricky Ricardo.
The kick-off for the Halloween festivities for us began with a trip to Fallbrook to the COOLEST PUMPKIN PATCH EVER!!! This guy had his own private pumpkin shrine with over 150 different pumpkins he had grown in his yard and had given them all these awesome names to suit their personalities. They were so cool, and the patch was so cool. We found four awesome pumpkins, a giant white one, two cool green and orange exotic ones, and a fantastic baby one. We took great pictures that captured the essence of the Fall Season and the best pictures Frank and I had ever taken , only to loose the camera sometime after the Pumpkin Patch and arriving at the Temple. Nice, I know. GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!! :(
Then, the following weekend, our young adult ward was going to attend the AHHHHHHH oooooohhhhhhh SCARY Haunted Trail of Terror in San Diego at Balboa Park. Frank and I are TERRIBLE at supporting the branch activities so we decided to change it up and attend, especially since Frank is now on the Activities Committee and I am the Relief Society President in our Branch. You could say we kind of felt obligated. It was fine though because we had a blast.
Later on in the week, more like midweek, we found ourselves scrounging around trying to find the time to carve those precious pumpkins... or so I thought. AS I was getting ready to mention that we were carving that night, Frank informed me that we needed to go to the store to purchase two more pumpkins so we could carve them. What!!?? More pumpkins? We
just bought four! But oh, no!! Those were too perfect to carve, we had to go get the crappy ones to carve. That was fun, Frank is intense. He LOVES, LOVES, LOVES, to carve pumpkins! (the longest two hours of my life!) :)
Then actual HAlloween arrived and we were ready to get primped and pretty for the night. We hurried up and got dressed in our RIcky and Lucy getup ( I was so worried about how we'd look). It turned out PERRRRRFECTO!! We were even the right ethnicity (well I think. Maybe Ricky was cuban... atleast we got the latin american and white down) The only thing I was having a hard time with was the nasty fifties style bangs horrific bright red lipstick and the poodle hair. I looked like my dog who is a poodle for crying out loud. It really looked great though and we had a blast so I guess that is all that matters. We had dinner with the Pulsiphers and the kids as well as some of their friends, then we headed down to San Diego for the night for a cruise around San Diego harbor on a horn blower cruise. We were exhausted by the end of the night becaue didn't get home until just before dawn, but we had a great time and now were looking forward to the Holidays coming and the cooler weather... if it ever comes!

Proposition 8: A cause we feel strongly about..

As many Californians know by this point in the year, there is a Proposition on the upcoming ballot allowing citizens to cast a vote pertaining to whether or not the state of California should legalize same-gender marriages. As many members of the Church know, we received a call to action this past Wednesday the 8th of October to give of our time and talents, as well as any other contribution to supporting Proposition 8. Many of us have already begun to do so through our blogs, facebooks, email, cell phones, door knocking, etc... I am one of those who has done most everything I have just listed simply because I feel it is imperative that we spread the word regarding what Prop 8 is really about... following these simple truths, there are three videos to help promote why we should support Prop 8 and vote YES, or in favor of it. It is my sincere hope that those who are unfamiliar, or simply looking to learn a little more then they might now know would watch and listen. This is not simply the Mormon Church saying we disagree with legalizing same gender marriage, there is an entire coalition of Churches, most of which are not of our faith who feel just as passionately as most of the LDS community because the ramifications of legalizing same gendered marriage are huge. We simply want to protect the divine definition of marriage which is between a man and a women. There is sacredness in this union incomparable by any other form. Today the effects of this legalization may seem somewhat irrelevant to most of us, but as one of our general authorities of the church so eloquently stated nearly a week ago... " It is like a rock landing in a stream, the ripple begins small but it quickly becomes far reaching throughout the stream or the pond" I now didn't quote it exactly, but you get the point... If Prop 8 passes, in the coming months and years we are going to see the institution of Marriage dwindle away and open the door for many more serious problems to reach the people of this great nation as well as around the world. Please take a minute and educate yourself so that you too can stand tall and firm and defend what God gave to man to exalt him to the highest degree of glory in the eternities to follow ones departure from this life.
(thanks to chris and courtney marquis for the prop 8 facts)
Here are some main points about proposition 8. Spread the word to everyone you know!

1. Having tolerance without condoning.
We can love someone while still maintaining and advocating our standards and beliefs.

2.Unless Proposition 8 passes, California society will soon undergo a profound change in its basic understanding of marriage and family life.
That will affect everyone in numerous ways. Over time, greater acceptance of nontraditional marriage will be demanded of all people. This could impact the ability of any religion to teach and practice its beliefs.

3. Proposition 8 will not hurt gays.
In California, the law provides for marriage-related benefits to be given to civil unions and domestic partnerships. Proposition 8 does not diminish these benefits.

4. Failure to pass Proposition 8 will hurt children.
If gay marriage remains legal, public schools will put it on equal footing with traditional marriage. Children will likely receive “age appropriate” information about sexual relations within heterosexual and homosexual marriages.

5. Failure to pass Proposition 8 will hurt churches.
The court’s decision will inevitably lead to conflicts with religious liberty and free speech rights. Society will become more and more hostile to traditional beliefs about marriage and family.

Frank's Sacred Sunday

Franks sacred Sunday began early this morning... We had to be at church extra early this week, not only because it was our Stake Conference, but also because he was to be sustained by the members of the church to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood. Early in the Conference, he and one other member stood as their names were read for a sustaining vote. Shortly there after I headed up to the pulpit to speak for a few minutes in front of the largest crowd I've ever spoken to. (That was slightly intimidating...) After I spoke, a few others followed with their testimonies just as others had done before me. Then we had the privilege to hear from our Stake Presidency and to be taught with such precision and such conviction regarding the future of the Family and how we as members of the church have our work cut out for us, but what a glorious work it is!

After our Stake Conference, we headed up to the Mattson's new home for Franks ordination in to the office of an Elder... What a sacred and holy experience... Most of that which took place within the walls of the special room the Mattsons chose for this ordination is too personal and too sacred to discuss over the Internet, however, I would like to leave my testimony of the Priesthood and the power with which the Lord has endowed these wonderful men with. As I looked around the little room that they built in their home for occasions such as this, I couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort,a sense of peace and familiarity. A feeling such as the one I'm sure I felt when in the Fathers presence in the pre-existence. On a few separate occasions throughout the blessing as well as during the testimonies borne after, I felt like I was home, I felt Heavenly Fathers loving arms so tightly around me and I'm sure everyone else in that room. He was there, the Holy Spirit was there, and flooded that room with a feeling incomparable to any thing in THIS WORLD!!!!
How truly humble I felt to be in the presence of such greatness and how truly grateful I was and am for the opportunity to be there for such a sacred occasion with so many that I love. It's so neat, not often do we women in the church have the opportunity to watch our future husbands enter in to the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood. It is a day I have waited for since the beginning, and one that strengthened my testimony in the power of the Priesthood as well as my love for Frank.


After such a sacred occasion, here is how a few of the men chose to relax... movie theatre style! :)

A peak in to our weekend...

Whoa, what a busy, excitement filled weekend we had... It began Friday night with the unexpected arrival of Franks niece Sophia... She is a beautiful baby girl, healthy and happy as can be... I think. :) On Saturday, we had the privilege to attend the MCAS Miramar air show in which we saw the world's finest military at it's best showcasing the newest of our air defense planes as well those from earlier times starting around the mid 1940's... WOW! What an experience! I will have more details on that in a later blog. Then, yesterday, we caught up on conference, AMAZING as usual. What an honor it is to live in a time when the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored upon the earth, and how truly amazing it is to hear from living Prophets, Seers, and Revelators who are the watchmen on the tower leading us onward in to the last days. I LOVE CONFERENCE!!! (and I love that we can partake from the comfort of our bed in our pj's and still be taught from on high)! :)

One year ago today...

One year ago today, one of the most beautiful baby girls I have ever seen was born. She is my kindred Spirit and I love her with all of my heart. She, is my niece Adia. Today is her special day, she is turning the big # 1. This is such a joyous occassion, but my heart is a little sad today because she is far away in Colorado. My brother, her dad, and his wife decided they were ready for a change of scenery and packed up their things and moved a couple thousand miles away to a little town somewhere in Colorado. Nearly 6 months later, they have come to their senses and realized that there really is no place like home and plan to move back here. Unfortunately they can't be here with the rest of the family for a couple weeks, so little Adia is spending her first birthday with only her mom and dad, but we fully intend on throwing quite the baby birthday bash for this precious little girl when they come back home!!! Ladybug, I love you so much and I wish you a happy happy birthday!!!