Halloween Activities

We've had some halloween activities today and this week. The elementary kids have had red ribbon week. Today was crazy hair and crazy socks day. Daniel was the only one of my boys that participated.

Sophi had a ballroom performance today during school and another one tonight. This morning, I woke up early to help her put on fake eye lashes. She felt very "wow" today with those on. I also put her hair in two french braids. Sophi's hair is so long that doing french braids is a little challenging.

I took her to drop her off at 5:30. The performance started at 6:30. I didn't go back out but stayed home with kids. Corey was at his dad's and went up to the school to represent our family's support. He took Sophi to Menchies afterwards, where all the ballroom kids were having their "we did a good job" party. 

Katharine doesn't like any of the princess dress options I bought for her yesterday. I was just trying to give us some options so I can alteast wash her Moana dress without it being a problem. Serves me right. So I'm gonna have to keep doing what I was already doing - hiding it in my dirty clothes basket when it needs it, and she'll prob wear her pink dress. It's funny how particular she is. Today I took her over to play at Becca's house around 1:30 and had 45 minutes of quiet to myself before I went to pick up carpool. That was nice. I finished RS Nov Newsletter, yay.

Tonight for scriptures we watched Dallas Jenkins BYU Devotional from yesterday about lessons from failure. Really really good message, one I feel like we've lived, and might still be living? We could still be in the middle, so it's like we're somewhere after the movie bomb but before the Chosen success. But Jenkin's message was: whether you have success or not, we just want to surrender to God. We are striving to do that more fully, sincerely, and completely. He's in charge, and He loves us. We can trust Him to be with us, help us, and lead us along.

First Storm

We have received our first bit of snow this winter season. I'm glad we got in one last ride yesterday. I took carpool this morning. The rain and all the shining reflections in the dark made it quite difficult to see. I'm not looking forward to months of dark mornings or driving in snow and storms. But a good thing about the first few storms are that they make it super easy to get the boys out of bed for school. Just say "It snowed!" and they jump out of bed. They were very excited!  They were downstairs getting their coats, hats and gloves. Ready to go to school, didn't want oatmeal, so I sent them off with cinnamon toast for breakfast.

Daniel dismissed my "opinion" that there was not enough snow for snowballs or for sledding. He later admitted that I was right. I spent my day today in the way I wish I could spend more of the winter - hunkered down inside with three layers of clothing on and lots of blankets. I had a RS meeting, then I tried to read, but started feeling tired, so took a nap while K watched Bluey. Corey went down to Provo yesterday to see Mel in a jazz flute performance, and he also met Ethan and Bella for lunch. I finally had energy around 2, darn the day was almost over. I cleaned my desk, read BOM, kids watched Moana. Abi had her flute lesson, and hence my car, and after she got home at 6, I took Natalie and Owen to Kid to Kid to look for Halloween Costumes. They told me last night that they didn't like what they had chosen a few weeks ago. I guess our 3 big bins of costumes was not enough. After an hour looking, O found something satisfactory, N did not (she was looking for a cow). I got 3 Disney Princess dresses for Katharine and admitted that I have a problem. She's gotten so particular with clothes, she won't wear most of her stuff, other than her pink circle dress and her Moana nightgown. Costumes were 25% off though, plus I had a 20% off whole purchase that I was able to use too. So we got Natalie some boots and two backpacks, Owen a costume, Daniel a pirate hook, Peter a backpack, and I felt it was successful for trying to help out my kids but not spending a lot. Then we went to the DI, which also closes at 7, darn! I thought they were open until 9, so our shopping for costumes was over. We did need bread though, so we went to Costco. Owen and Natalie dancing in the freezer section

They enjoyed it, but I did buy chocolate muffins and two things of chips because they were with me. And I let them know that that is why I don't like to take kids grocery shopping with me! But they'll enjoy their lunches for two weeks (if the chips all even last that long). After we got home, Natalie cleaned up the pumpkin mess outside and then I rinsed pumpkin seeds so they can dry and I can toast them. 

Corey always seems to be in the know of current events and uses things to teach the kids every night. We start scriptures with something fun - Daily Dose or Studio C (did this one tonight which is so great - Every Fight Ever - I love it! It's one of my favorites.) Then current events. He asked the kids if they trust him. If they'd listen to him, even if what he is saying might mess up with what they want and think is important. Our home is his ship, he's the captain, will they listen to him? Would they wear a life jacket even if the water seemed calm and they didn't see a reason to? Then he shared this of two Brazilian influencers who died last month because they didn't want to wearing their life jackets cause it would mess up their tan and selfies. What our kids think is important (tan, clothes, popularity) might not be the same as what we, as their parents, know it important (their physical and eternal lives). Lily said it seemed like he was making fun of the dead, but no, it's just like the message from the Titanic - it is a cautionary tale. And now it's way too late to be going to bed - but I guess that's what happens when I'm not back from shopping until 9. It put the whole evening behind.

Carving Pumpkins

The kids carved pumpkins for FHE tonight. 

We had a folding table in the kitchen from Sunday dinner, when Mel, Ethan & Bella, Hyrum, and Wayne were here yesterday. The kids moved it and the black benches out onto the backyard patio so they could work without making a mess in the kitchen. Good job kids. It was cold, but they didn't seem to mind. And Corey and I were happy to watch from inside.

Yesterday, Hyrum stayed for our early dinner and then headed out around 4 pm. Mel, Ethan and Bella were able to stick around and the kids played games with them. Charades was funny. Daniel being a skunk and a pirahna were two memorable moments. They did that while Corey and I cleaned the kitchen. Then Corey I joined in when we played a "name game". Everyone choose a name and wrote it on a paper. We had to try and write it like little kids, so that Ethan, who read the names to us, wouldn't be able to tell necessarily which names were the little boys names. Some of the names: Billy Bob Doofus, Olivia Rodriquez, The Weekend, David, Sam, etc etc. We were playing and Peter was all quiet and sad cause no one was saying his name. We assured him that if he wrote it down, then it is in the stack of names and he's in the game. So we went around taking turns asking "_____, are you David?" and they'd say yes or no. The challenge was remembering the names that Ethan read at the beginning, and who had already been asked which name. So it was kind of like a verbal memory game. Peter ended up winning, cause he was SAM and we couldn't figure out who Sam was, but the reason why he had been sad at the beginning was because the name he wrote down was WES! And no one ever asked for Wes. Then Ethan realized he must have read it upside down! SaM = WeS

WeS = SaM

Well good job Peter! Way to be sneaky and win the game! We played it again. And the second time he made sure we knew it was WES, and we guessed that Peter was Wes right away, ha. Cute kid. These little boys are fun. Daniel and Peter are cute when they leave for school. I haven't been walking them to the bus stop lately, and we say "I love you!" over and over again as they walk out the door, down the stairs, and across the driveway.

"I love you mom! You're the best-est mom ever!" "You're my best Peter ever! I love you Daniel! Have a great day!!" We all blow kisses and make hearts with our hands. 

And they walk backwards away from me, to be able to keep sending tokens of love and affection. 

Desolation Lake & Crest

Joseph was planning on coming out to Utah this weekend, and he and Corey had been texting each other about doing a ride on Crest while he was out here. Joseph's plans changed and he wasn't able to come, but Corey and I did a ride in his honor this morning. 

Pic at the top on Wasatch Crest - we had a mother of a climb today, but it was a great ride.

We didn't exactly know what was coming with this, cause this was a new ride, but Corey was up early this morning and getting ready to go explore and then I decided to tag along. I had to go, cause I've been watching the weather and we're getting down to the last weekends of riding. Plus it was totally ok to abandon our responsibilities because Hyrum and Mel were both home today. Hooray, so off we went for a long ride. We had both been looking at Kyle's strava at a loop he did and today we tried to follow that. We got it pretty good. Kyle calls it "Deso Lolli" cause it looks like a lollipop. We did most of it the same, but ours looked like a devil head lollipop with two horns, cause we took one different segment than Kyle. Our total ride today was 3 hours 7 minutes, Left home around 8 am, drove up Millcreek canyon, parked at Alexander Basin Trailhead, started on the trail at 8:30. We rode up to Dog Lake > Desolation Lake > Red pine Rim > Wasatch Crest North > Great Western Trail > Big Water back to the car. 16.11 miles, 2906 feet. The climb up to Desolation lake is a black and it was bru-tal. I could barely do it walking my bike, let alone bike it! I think Corey biked most of it. Actually I don't know, I didn't look back. I was going so slow though that maybe he couldn't. My thighs were burning so bad. This was right after we got to the lake.

"You want to go around it?" I asked. "No." Ok, so I guess that means we keep going? I looked ahead at the trail. Ugh. More uphill. That's when I decided I did want to go around. Corey followed me to the beach and took a pic of me on the other side from him, doing my little lap. Nice to bike something flat! I'm that little vertical line in the sunlight.

The beach was all black and reminded me of Pucón. I picked up a few black rocks and then we were off. I had to walk again up to the spine of Crest. A doable climb, and then we were at the top - which is where some other bikers took our pic for us. Then they headed down to the meadows, and I led out and told Corey we were going to take Red Pine Rim, cause it's ok cause it meets back up with Crest. This was where we deviated from Kyle. We hadn't done the Red pine segment before and it was really cool! you come around a little bend and then you're on top of the mountain looking over a cliff and have a view of Snyderville and the whole Park City area!

We were done at 12:15, back home around 1. When we got home, Mel and Hyrum had been doing a wonderful job playing house, and the kids had done chores, the house was clean, kids were fed and dressed in their Halloween costumes and ready to go to a community Halloween event. Just waiting for the time to pass... watching reels with Hyrum.

"Headwound patient" Katharine joining in...

An hour later, after I've showered, I come back down... they are all still on Hyrum's phone. Slackers. But in their defense, they are in a different location. Hyrum let me know that they were doing something different on the phone too. "We're not watching reels... I'm sharing my latest text conversations with scammers..." He has like 7 new ones. 

Finally it was 2pm - yay the party's on! Mel and Hyrum continued their parental role playing and they took the kids over to the park. Corey and I joined them in a few, after catching up with Abi on how her monster mash dance date was going. The community had pumpkin carving contest, donuts and hot chocolate. The kids mostly just played on the playground. Oh, there was also a guy there doing animal balloons. The line for that was looong, much like the line for our face painting station at the 4th of July carnival. Peter got a green balloon, and left Hyrum in charge of it. He named it Tiny, and it was his new balloon dinosaur. Hyrum was fidgeting with it and messed it up. You're gonna get in trouble for that...

Peter did scold him, then went off to play.

H tried to fix Peter's balloon, and then it popped. Peter came back, sat and quietly mourned on the ground. 

Peter was sad. Corey commented "It's a metaphor for childhood..."  Mel and Hyrum's enjoyed that. I tried to comfort him and then Daniel left his balloon with Hyrum! Be warned Daniel! Hyrum is not a good babysitter.

Hyrum is Rex Kwondo, can you tell? He can even do the voice and had a few lines memorized. After we adults had had enough, we headed to the car to go back home. I like Katharine's princess head bandage. 

And after that full day, we've just been chillin' at home and checking on the BYU Game! BYU has been really fun to watch play. We are loyal BYU fans, not very faithful BYU football fans. But we started watching them after the awesome game against Kansas State where Parker Kingston had that 93 yard punt return for a touchdown. We're glad they won again, today, yay! The next game for BYU is against the U of U on Nov 9th! It's been fun to talk football with the boys.

Productive Friday

I had a pretty good productive morning, and so I rewarded myself with a ride soon as Natalie got home from school today. She gets home earlier on Fridays, so  I took off for a ride! 

"Hey! Dreamcatcher! Come out and see the leaves!" - The Killers Sleepwalker (at 1:11)

On my ride, I finished listening to this youtube video that Corey shared with me. Check out this video with Dr Thomas Seyfried, a Professor of biology, genetics, and biochemistry at Boston College.

I was super excited when I started to listen to this video earlier this morning, cause Dr. Seyfried is saying stuff that I've been learning about (and trying to drag my family along to do) for years! Corey thought he made a lot of sense, so yay! Corey shared the link with the college kids too, and sent a message saying "Looks like Tiffanie is right to fast a lot. ...cancer is not a genetic disease" yay yay yay. Owen and Daniel got home at 2, and knew that they were to head straight to activity days, and they did. Good job boys.

So as I was on my ride, Corey called - Lily forgot her music and sax, so they had to stop by home which would make them a little bit late for Blues band. I was not there to get the stuff and bring it out to them, and when K saw Corey when he came in, she grabbed him and he ended up taking her with him to American Fork. Went to McDonalds. She really liked that!

I'm sure she won't hesitate to grab him again if she might get another reward like that! I got home, took a quick cold shower (which are feeling a lot colder in this close-to-winter weather), then I joined a few friends visiting Toni, a lady in our neighborhood, for a birthday visit. She gave us two good book recommendations - You are the Placebo by Joe Dispenza and The Transfomational Power of Pure Intelligence by Cory Reich (our neighbor!). Toni re-landscaped their backyard and it looks so pretty. They are remodeling inside right now so we sat around their firepit in the backyard to visit. Took a pic of a pretty red rose on my way home, where I was delighted to find Hyrum! He was planning to come be here to see Joseph and Eliza, and kept his plans to come even though theirs changed. Hyrum went o out to pick up Sophi from Wayne's house - she had a ballroom rehearsal after school and was stuck out there, waiting for Abi who was at GMS and then wanted to hang out with friends. That was nice of Hyrum. While he did that, I rode bikes with Daniel and Peter to a little halloween party that a neighbor was putting on. Dropping them off at 5:30 - 

She had like 25 toddlers in her house for this party. She has more energy than I do hosting something like this, wow!

I picked them back up at 7, and then Corey and Lily were on their way back after her blue's band, and when they got home we saw a nice surprise - they brought Melodie back with them, yay! So we were ready to party. Tried to turn on a just dance Thriller video, but was no good. Turned on the real Thriller video, and that scared Daniel, so then we put on he usual - Just Dance "That's what makes you beautiful!" and everyone was jumping with their hands up.

And with the kids all happy and dancing away, Corey and I snuck out for a date night. We went to Aubergine in Draper. I skipped lunch today and didn't snack, so I was ready. Last week I gave in to stress and was mindlessly snacking, so I'm proud that I did better today. It was delicious as always. Now we're back and Hyrum is sharing his childhood by introducing his little brother's to Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark. They're all bonding and it's great. We'll probably stay up too late talking tonight. It is fun having some of the college kids here.

Hibbert Headquarters

I've gone over to my parent's house the past two days. I helped them out more yesterday than today. Yesterday I mopped, did dishes, cleaned stove top, and organized the tupperware cupboard. Yesterday I also had a car, cause Lily didn't have early morning jazz band, and Abi wasn't able to bring kids home after school (she has Lyceum) so I had to pick up carpool anyway, so I took A&L to school at the regular time, then was able to go to my mom and dad's at 11. I stayed there until 2:30 when I left to pick up Lily and then carpool. Katharine did so good for the 3+ hours we were there. One time she seemed a little bored, and I had her go outside to play with the little rocks. My dad wanted to take a break from work so he watched her, and that was cute to see them together. 

Katharine made little rock art for them on the wall by their driveway. I bet they will leave them there, cause it's cute <3

Today I asked Katharine what she wanted to do, she voted for Grandpa's house again. Today we did not have a car. I followed her to the garage and when she saw there wasn't a car, I asked if she still wanted to go. She said yes. I asked if she wanted "to go bike ride" or "stroller" and she chose stroller, so we walked there. It's over 4 miles, so it took 1 hour 20 min. I probably shouldn't have been surprised when it felt too early to be 2pm. But I enjoyed the time to think as I walked. I listened to a 1987 General Conference message by Elder Ballard " Keeping Life's Demands in Balance" - I was referred to that by a quote from that talk that was referenced in my last emotional resilience class last night. So I was thinking as I walked: Corey seemed a bit frustrated yesterday and sent me a few messages this morning. He said it was mostly cause when he's home after work and the kids are asking for stuff (like to do duolingo or check instagram), he doesn't know if they've done their stuff. He doesn't know what tasks the kids are supposed to do and if they've done them. He's hoping we can do the chore spreadsheet we were doing when Hyrum was here, even though, without him here to be the enforcer, it would mean a lot of work for us. Still, Corey would like a better and more accountable system for them and for us.  

Thought about that as I walked. Katharine waking up after we got there...

"Katharine! We're at Grandpa's house!" She was glad to hear that.

While yesterday I was helpful to my parents, today I spent most of my time scratching out notes on paper... 

RELATIONSHIPS: (Talk by Elder Uchtdorf "Of Things That Matter Most" talks about four key relationships)
Personal - Self esteem and self improvement

Spiritual - God and Christ

Family - Chores, Home, FHE

Others - School, friends

Physical - Exercise, Recreation, Rest, Relaxation - Good quote by Elder Ballard in that talk above: We need to make "the time for sufficient rest, exercise, and relaxation. We must schedule time on our daily calendars for these activities if we are to enjoy a healthy and balanced life. Good physical appearance enhances our dignity and self-respect." I was directed to that talk from a quote in my last Emotional Resilience class Tuesday night.

Spiritual - Scriptures, Church, Family History, Journal

Social - School, Service

Intellectual - School, Musical Instruments, Reading Recreation, Painting/Drawing/Art

I'd like them to do their homework, practice their instrument, help around the house, keep their rooms clean, and after that, I'd like them to have personal goals that they are working on (instead of doing all their stuff then asking if they can watch Instagram reels). Hence, this evening, instead of going on a ride (I did get in an hour+ long walk, so I guess I should be good for today) I stayed home and gathered items and put together this rough draft of a chore chart in the side room.

I've been tempted (but been avoiding) putting family management stuff on this wall for years. BUT it is the largest wall in the side room, and it's also where we sit every night, so it would be visible and right there so kids could be accountable, sigh... so we're going to give this a go. I still need magnets for the chore and task slips, so that we don't have to use tape, but I think it represents what I'm currently going for. I ordered some small strong magnets in Amazon. I know we need a system where kids can be consistent and do their stuff. Ugh, I've known this for years, and I'm trying. Why haven't I figured this out yet?!?! Still need to have each kid do a personal page where they list some personal goals. Going to use this Children and Youth initiative page for that, prob put them in sheet protectors and tape those up on the left of the chore chart. Ooh, and I also want to put a lot of quotes from scriptures and prophets about good goals to have, like President Nelson's October '24 message: 

I'm glad to follow a prophet who helps us out knowing what our highest priority should be!

It's funny having Abi and Lily together, cause they can't blame little kids for their messy room. Abi has SO MANY CLOTHES that her shelf toppled down to the floor. 

I'll be staying home tomorrow and will prob help them clean their room, cause they share with Katharine and I help her. Today before I did my chore chart brainstorming, I did water their garden. Katharine was out there working on rock art again. 

We think everything she does is cute. 

Putting them on bottom, and on top.

My mom got out an old toy and gifted it to Katharine - an old Fisher Price marching drum.

We took that home, and a stuffed animal "tramp" from lady and the tramp. Oh, and some Standin' Tall books! I'm glad K likes to go there. I hope to make this a weekly trip, cause I'd like to spend more time with my parents and be a better help to them.

Fun Gospel Stuff

Corey and I have been listening to a lot of fun gospel stuff lately. Ward Radio and Stick of Joseph are two of our recent favorites. I loved this Ward Radio on one Abinadi. I listened to it last week on my walk in the rain. I have not listened to that many yet, but I'm starting with their episodes with Don Bradley, cause I like all of his stuff - on seer stones, temple, etc etc. Go listen to Don Bradley here - part 1 and part 2 - those are a good intro to him, his research and his conversion. After that, check out any Ward Radio one with him. 

That's Fu Xi and Nuwa (link there to the Joseph Smith Foundation) in the image above. Ancient Chinese symbols

Don Bradley talking about the Urim and Thumim - Debunking Anti-Mormon Free Mason and Seer Stone Myths feat. Don Bradley.

I still need to listen to these: 

Radical new reading of 1 Nephi

What the Liahona really looked like (3 inches in diameter) 

4 sacred symbols on the temple garment, 3 characters, two repeated, YHWH

Good stuff. And yes they do say "dude" and "vibe" and etc etc way too much, but I think that's their personality coming through and is their brand, hence the name ward RADIO - cause they sound like radio personnel. 

So the other podcast, Stick of Joseph, Corey introduced me to that this year when he shared this link with all of us - Andrea W. | The Hidden Hebrew Wedding Ritual and The Temple. Corey mentioned it to Father David when they went to lunch a month or two ago, and Father D asked for the link. Corey sent it and Father D really really liked it, said he had to keep pausing it to take notes. He loved all the symbolism found in Hebrew Weddings. It inspired a talk he gave to other priests, so that was fun. 

Some of our classics and favorites are Saints Unscripted, Follow Him, Unshaken. I think all these podcasts are a huge blessing that came out of Covid. Another new one (new for us) that we've listened to a few of is Let's Get Real - This one with Jenet Erickson on Stephen Jones is so good. I love the doctrine of the family! Corey's also been listening to news things recently about the declining birth rate in the world, but esp in Asia. This one about China by Peter Zeihan was pretty sobering. 

During bike rides over the summer and beginning of fall, I usually listened to Lili De Hoyos Anderson's Podcast "Choosing Glory" and the Follow Him. Really great stuff. Follow Him is where I first learned about Lili Anderson in 2021. Her D&C 49-50 episode was so good - part 1 and part 2. And of course there are new General conference messages every 6 months! I've been listening to stuff as I raked and as K has been playing outside. 

I try to have quiet time with my thoughts too, but I do really enjoy listening and learning. Going to go do some more work. 

Candy Corn Jello

For FHE today, I made these treats - so festive of me, I know. 

Abi told me she was thinking about it all day.

I don't know if they lived up to those expectations, but it was good. Point mom. Owen, Daniel, and Peter did not have school again today. Corey took Owen on a ride downhill from Lisa Falls. Corey rode his bike up for his exercise for today, then I drove up there with Owen and his bike to drop Owen off. DPK came with me on a walk around the creek. 

It's so nice to be outside!

We walked around there for a while, then went down to the trailhead and went on the paved paths there. I thought Owen and Daniel would like to just do loops on their bike (Peter) and skateboard (Daniel) but they were too scared to leave me. 

And K was no good, cause it was cold in the shade of the mountain there. So we headed home after just one loop. Abi went from school and picked up Sophi and Natalie and took them to violin today, so that was nice. Saved me a trip. Good day, enjoying these last moments of fall. Weather looks like it will be colder next week.