Fab four with the Fab six

 We finally got to have a Belnap weekend!  We went down with the Lakes and Belnaps to enjoy the gorgeous weather, hiking in the mountains, dinner at Capelettis, and we had tix to Tuacahn for a Beatles tribute band the Fab Four.  It was cold, but we loved it.  We sang almost all of the songs..and it was a gorgeous night.  I didn't really grow up on Beatles music in the 60's, but we got the Boys Guitar Hero Wii game and it was all Beatles music, so I learned it all then, along with the boys.  

We went to Belnap church and Eric taught Gospel Doctrine class about the Jaredites.  He's a great teacher. Then games and watching football, more games, delicious food..and amazing friends.  We are so blessed.

This is the joke the comedian told us at the concert, and now we can't stop talking about the talking frog

Sister Act Closed

Men of the show:  David Hales, David Simon, Flash Kiernan, Jacob Draber, Jaron Rose, John Lee Roroing, Jordan Wheeler, Matt Ford, Nate Petersen

Women of the show- Front row: Kaylee Wheeler, Erin Roring, Melissa Virgin, Heather Braegger , Catherine Washburn, 2nd: Melinda, Alyssa Stevens, Ashley Williams, Angela Warnock, 3rd: Cassie Dibbins, Shawnee Johnson, Amber Storm, Jen Petersen, Carla Zarate,  (missing- Holly Lowell)
Back;  Alyssa Horton, Olivia Lusk, Maddie Smith

 Sister Act has been a joy this fall.  I'm really grateful to have had the opportunity to play Mother Superior. She is a great character who changes from black and white, us vs. them thinking into a person filled with love, sacrifice and inclusion.  She has a lot of faith and really relies on her relationship with God...and I try to do all of those things in my life..so she was a good reminder for me of how I want to live.   

I had so many family and friends and ward members come to support me. I am really grateful for that.  

Sweaters

 I taught myself to crochet this year and it's been so fun.  I googled an easy sweater pattern and followed a youtube tutorial and I made me and all my grand girls matching sweaters!  

George was feeling ad so he put on Sophia's sweater.... 

I'm grateful these littles still think it's cool to be like Meema!  

Grandma Butters and flatties.

It's my Grandma Butters' birthday today. She was a FORCE of goodness and love. Her dad was George Sylvester Heiner. My great Grandpa Heiner was noted for this statement: “Don't become so open-minded your brains fall out!" While being a little open-minded is helpful, being more OPEN - HEARTED is the real winner. Curiosity and compassion my friends - this would change our world! My Grandma was soooo good at this.

In memory of her....we are drinking a 1/2 real coke 1/2 diet coke drink - she called it a "Sweet Aloha" and eating a "flattie" - the regular hamburger from Paces -- two of her favorite things!

Election loss

I can’t believe the results of this Election.  Over 71 million people elected a man for president who spewed racist and discriminatory rhetoric about Black and Brown people and immigrants. Who has vowed to deport millions of immigrants. Who is a proud misogynist- who doesn’t care about women, who’s been found liable for sexual abuse, who is a 34-count felon for shady business dealings, and who has already been impeached and indicted for inciting a violent riot at the Capitol. Who preaches hate, conspiracy theories, false truths, and fake news - “Anybody who isn’t a fellow Trump follower is clearly untrustworthy.”   Trump is a narcissist who truly wants to be a KING– not just a president of this country. 

 I am sad.  There is a heaviness around all of this for me.  It actually makes my stomach hurt when good Christian people compare him to our Savior and say he has been “saved” for this time.  I can’t. I just can’t.  He’s the antithesis of everything I’ve been taught to believe about Jesus and being a follower of Jesus Christ.   I blame misinformation- and the media people interact with for this.

I sent this to my kids when Trump won:  Wow. I can’t believe America fell for this con man again. We lost our humanity because the price of eggs is too high.   I’m going to grieve for a bit then take the next right step.   

I like this from Venice Williams:    

You are awakening to the 

same country you fell asleep to.

The very same country.

Pull yourself together.

And, 

when you see me, 

do not ask me

"What do we do now?

How do we get through the next four years?"

Some of my Ancestors dealt with 

at least 400 years of this 

under worse conditions.

Continue to do the good work.

Continue to build bridges not walls.

Continue to lead with compassion.

Continue the demanding work 

of liberation for all.

Continue to dismantle broken systems, 

large and small.

Continue to set the best example 

for the children.

Continue to be a vessel of nourishing joy.

Continue right where you are.

Right where you live into your days.

Do so in the name of 

The Creator who expects 

nothing less from each of us.

And if you are not "continuing" 

ALL of the above, 

in community, partnership, collaboration?

What is it you have been doing?

What is it you are waiting for?

Anyway….. The supporters of Trump think they have won….but I believe we have all LOST.  I hope that Donald Trump will do the good things the Republicans are hoping he will and I pray he will do none of the bad things that I fear he will.  

Halloween...again

 Happy Halloween .....again!

This year Wayne and I were Fred and Wilma Flintstone.  Wayne can still sing every word to the Flintstone cartoon song.... we had a yabba dabba do time!   We got all of 3 door bell trick or treaters... so we give out full-size candy bars knowing we will have so few trick or treaters.  We wanted to do a firepit on our driveway with hot dogs and fixins, but Wayne is sick and has jet lag from just returning from China....so we will try that next year.

We went to Addison and Bre's photoshoot that they offer every year in their garage for  anyone to stop by and have pics and candy.   This way we can see most of our grand kids before they are off tick or treating.  George was Spider Man, Alfie was a "sports" guy--  jersey and a baseball cap, and Poppy was Litle Red Riding Hood and Addison was her wolf, complete with glued on fangs.  

Andrew and Sophia were part of the Harry Potter world, and Landon was Freddy Mercury...

Truman was at a Halloween bash the weekend before in San Francisco..he went as a Lazer Light show..

Monson and Lexi's family did the characters from the Inside Out movie along with their friends in Saratoga Springs..  Rebecca (Lexi's mom) was Fear, Monson was Embarrassment, Elsie was Sadness, Lexi was Anxiety, Lady was Disgust and Tayla was Ennui.  

Laila ordered in scary make up, fake blook and scar wax to create her Halloween face.  She loves the scare factor.

Election 2024

I had a big political discussion with my aunt who is voting for Trump and I’m voting for Harris– she is trying to figure out why I can’t see how bad Harris is and I can’t figure out why she can’t see how bad Trump is.  It was a civil, good, text discussion.  Nothing changed AND we expressed love for each other at the end.  

I know that we all come to our beliefs and votes, by our own lived experience and by the media we interact with. 

I’m trying to stay neutral around this and not watching the news… only watching actual speeches that Trump or Harris give, and using 2 neutral podcasts, Sharon Says So and Mo News for information. (I’m tired of seeing all of the misinformation that is out there circling around and inciting the Republican or Democrat base. It’s frustrating.)

I also try to give everyone I meet the benefit of the doubt— "We are all just trying to do the right thing and be good people. My way is not the only way to view the world." 

Here’s what I know….in a few days, I’m going to vote for who I’m going to vote for and You’re going to vote for who you’re going to vote for.  Someone’s going to win an election, and someone’s going to lose, and some people will be happy about it and some people will be angry.  And when we see the people on the opposite side as us, they’re not always going to look like children of God.  But they are.  They’re going to make us angry and frustrated.  They’re not going to feel like our brothers and sisters.  But they are.  And we are going to have to choose to love and try to love, and it will take effort.  It’s going to be hard, but we are commanded to love God and Love his children…election or not.

The sun will rise and the sun will set and life will go on.