Halloween Costume Party

 

Our annual costume party was fun!  It was a lot smaller this year because of Covid.  Usually, this is an extended COLE party with all of us piling into my home on top of each other.  We just did our kids and grandkids this year, minus the Buzellis.  

Monson the red Power ranger and Elsie in Poppa's mustache, as an Old Lady.

Truman is Willy Wonda and Levi is Violet slowly turning into a violet berry.

The Grands gathered on the couch to watch last years Halloween videos

Addison the Tiger King loved the guacamole

Even in her blue Avatar makeup Jet recognized Laila.

Dinner included Spaghetti squash casserole that we named Blood and Guts.   Water bottles dressed up as ghosts that we dubbed Ghost Juice, and pumpkin shaped devilled eggs.  Bre bought a skull pan and filled up the insides with Nutella goodness.   Bread sticks are Skeleton bones and grapes are eyeballs.  The grandkids decorated cupcakes for their dessert.  

I set the table with black paper and chalk.  Everyone doodles on the paper, wrote their names or drew something.  It was fun.

We made a trick or treating video with all of us behind doors and Monson walking around with Elsie to show us trick or treating covid style.  

Bre bought her camera and we set up our painted sheet from years ago Halloweens and had some fun.

PHOTO SHOOT TIME!

Back row:  Lady as Yellow Power Ranger, Poppa as FBI agent, Melinda as a Clown, Addison is the Tiger King, Bre is Goldie Hahn in the movie, "Death Becomes Her," Tru is Willy Wonka, Levi is Violet, Lexi as Black power Ranger.  Front row:  Alfie as Deluxe Dragon Ninja, Poppy as Elsa, Tayla as Pink Power ranger, Laila is Blue Avatar, Monson Red Power ranger and Elsie-- is Grandma..she did not like her white wig...so we can't see her face...oh well...

Flip flopping or Growth?

I get tired of hearing media, and people, family members even, say that Senator Mitt Romney is a flip-flopper because he had one opinion and thought process and now he has another one.   What?!? 

When we know more or know better we do better.  Opinions and policies change.  It's called growth.  

Mitt doesn't just align to a party.  He's not a YES man.  He considers and votes and speaks out according to his conscience.  I appreciate this about him.  (This is called personal revelation in my church) 

I  voted differently this year.  I don't see it as flip-flopping.  I see it as growth.  I'm moving away from what's in it for me and my fear of higher taxes and moving towards what I see as the higher good.

I voted for my gay sons and sister, and my black daughter. I voted for my neighbors of color, the immigrants separated from their children at the border, the 554 children who can't find their parents,  people without healthcare, and everyone suffering the physical and financial effects of Covid with zero leadership. I voted for the earth. I voted for women. I voted for representation that looks like America.  I voted for decency and statesmanship and diplomacy and hope. I voted for empathy and compassion.

The world changes and getting out of my little "me" bubble has been a worthwhile struggle. 

How do you get to be more open-minded?

How do you get out of your own echo chamber- seeing memes and opinions on Social media that only agree with you?

Some ideas:

1. Diversify your life- seek out people who are different than you and talk to them. Hear their stories. The closer you get the less you can hate.  Put a face, a name, or a story to it and compassion happens. Think how much of society's ideas, prejudices and opinions toward the LGBTQ community have changed? (of course, we still have a long way to go)

This isn't called flip-flopping...this is called growth. 

2. Follow accounts that are different than you.  Try more liberal, more body love, more BIPOC, follow other religions even.

3. Read books that tell different stories than your white, conservative, suburban life. I just finished a book about a Palestinean woman living in New York, it was eye-opening. "A woman is no man" by Etaf Rum.

4. Sit with new ideas.  Don't just dismiss out of hand.  Growth is uncomfortable.

Ask, "Why do I feel uncomfortable with this?  Am I feeling defensive because it's wrong? or is it right and I need to do the changing?"

5. Get curious.  See a perspective through another person's lens. There is a difference between listening to respond or listening to understand. 

There was a recent viral video of a man being chased by a cougar off of a mountain for 6 minutes.  Everyone felt so afraid for the man and so sorry for him.  What about the cougar?  She was protecting her young.  She was in fierce momma mode and I honor her for that. 

I have even used this in relation to Pres. Trump.  I have compassion for him.  It would be hard to be him. If I had his life experiences I might have those same viewpoints.  He's also a child of God. 

6. Move forward and question all from a place of love, not fear.

Finally, give grace to others around all of this. We have more in common than not, we are all part of the same human family with loved ones and feelings, and we all want what we think is best. 

 

Moab for Fall Break

Our Moab partial Welch family reunion was a success.  We distanced, sanitized and wore masks and gathered outside….and hopefully we won’t be a corona hotbed statistic.  Fingers crossed.  

 Tami and Rob Madsen planned this Moab trip and we are grateful they did.   

Our air BnB was a trailer-- that worked out great with 2 baths and 3 bedrooms… it was perfect for Wayne and me, Monson and Lexi, Tayla, Lady, and Elsie.  It was great having a kitchen so we didn’t have to rely on restaurant food..and a living room for running around in.   Moab was crowded.  So much traffic.  It’s like all of Northern Utah went to Southern Utah.  There was easily a 45-minute traffic jam getting into Moab all 3 days, all day long.  So crazy.    

Wayne and I took our bikes down to bike on Thursday- up Potash Road along the Colorado river.  It was so beautiful.  We passed rock climbers, and Petroglyphs

Friday  Rob Madsen took all those that wanted to rappel. ( He took a group on Thursday and then did it all over again on Friday.)  It was a riot-- it took a good 6- 8 hours to drive, hike in a mile and a half, do two rappels off of at least 110 ft cliffs, and then hike 2 miles out and rearrange cars again.  Rob is a saint.  Inexperienced adults are hard enough, but then you add a scared 9, 11, and 12 years old and it takes longer to talk them off of a cliff and to trust the equipment.  I  was proud of myself. I just harnessed up, walked up to the edge, and did it.  It was a blast for me this time.  The most relaxed I have ever been.  We rappelled Medieval and Morning Glory arch.   Rappelling is cool...it’s just scary enough that there’s an adrenaline rush, and something not everyone would do...it’s a bit nerve-wracking and totally worth doing it, and you feel accomplished when you get to the bottom.   

First Row: Rob and Tami Madsen, Wayne, Melinda
Backrow: Bridger Bentley , Richard Summers, Blain Bentley, Tim Shurtz, Mark, Army, Loren and Scott Summers.

Tami and Melinda

Wayne getting ready to Rappel into Medieval.

Rappelling by Morning Glory Arch

We all gathered at a City park Friday night with our dinners and visited.   We had Wayne and me, Monson and Lexi and the girls, Tami and Rob with Nash, Kylie and Zach; Mark and Jill and all of their kids and some extras, Sandy and Clark, Shelbi and Fam, Bridger and Mary, Blain and Fam, Blake and Fam and Brady; and representing the Shurtz side we had Amy and Mark Summers and their fam and Tim and Alora and fam.  There were 51 of us in total.  

Whole group minus Blake and Liz Bentley family

 The kids played at the park, and the activity for teens and above was learning about 30 seconds of the THRILLER Michael Jackson dance and making a video.  I was proud of all of the good sports that jumped into this, totally out of their comfort zone, and just danced...like nobody was watching….or cared.  We laughed a lot.   

Girls club cousin hiking group.  Alora Shurtz, Tayla, Lady, Addilyn Shurtz, Hannah Summers, Rachel and Amy Summers.  Delicate Arch in the background

Zach ( Kylies' Boyfrind) Jill and Hayley Welch, Monson, Me, Lexi, Nash, Elsie being held by Teri
( Stockton's girlfriend) Stockton and Abby. 

Saturday was a two hike day.     We drove to Arches National Park early to beat the crowds before 8 am -- which we didn’t beat, but the National Parks are so busy, that they get to capacity and close.  Well we barely made it, it was difficult to find parking etc.. but that’s okay.  It’s so beautiful. We climbed to Delicate Arch.  This is a moderate hike… a long uphill climb, then some scary drop-offs, amazing vistas and incredible views at the top of the arch that’s on the Utah License Plate.  We got a lot of pictures.   It’s a bit nerve-wracking doing this with littles… and keeping them away from the edges.  Tayla loved meeting her 2nd cousins and hiking and playing with Addilyn Shurtz,  and Hannah Summers. They called themselves the Girls hiking club.    We had Elsie in a backpack that Monson carried, and we took a backpack up for Lady that she lasted all of a half-hour in … then she walked or we carried her and we also carried the backpack. Oh well.  We were proud of the girls for hiking so well.  Wayne ended up carrying Lady on his shoulders a lot of the time.  Pretty good for a dizzy guy on an uneven surface with lots of hills, sand, and slippery sandstone.   Monson was also a good sport around all of this… he likes to hike as much as he likes as he puts it, “ a good splinter or a  paper cut.” 

Corona Arch

Our afternoon /evening hike was to Corona Arch… Another moderate hike that had a big uphill and then lots of other interesting difficulties if you have little kids in backpacks or kids who have no sense or fear.  Lexi said she thinks Tami’s plan with all of the “treacherous” hikes was to kill off the weaker parts of the family...haha.   Corona Arch was beautiful! Totally worth it.  (We hiked Corona in remembrance of Covid 19. )

Some of the family stayed up at Corona Arch for the sunset and hiked out with flashlights.  We-- because we had littles, and they were starving-- hiked down in the light.  It’s not good having hangry Monson or littles… or me for that matter. 

Sunday we checked out and drove home, but not before we did a morning stop at Gemini Bridges.  They were cool too!!  The other fun things on these trails were the little, stacked up rock towers to keep you on track -- Cairns.   Tayla loved making her own. 

Lexi looking down into Gemini Bridges.

 This was my first time in Moab ( and I’ve lived  58 years)  and at Arches National Park.  I loved it.   There are a lot of amazing things out there if you take the time, to hike or rappel or get off the beaten track, on to dirt roads etc… to find them.  The older I get the more I want to be outside exploring God’s good earth and being in the sunshine.