Things Just Keep Getting More Interesting!

Okay...so the end of this year is not by all means going to go out in peace and quiet!  I really didn't plan on so much happening the last five months of this year.  It all began with Chandler coming home in July, Eddy and Miken getting married in August, taking a quick trip through Yellow Stone (August), school starting (end of August), a business get-a- way to Bachelor's Gulch in Vale, Colorado (September), sending off Derek's mission papers (end of September), Derek's mission call coming in (October) and Chandler giving us a shock by announcing his marriage plans to marry Marissa Coles on Thanksgiving weekend in Nauvoo (October)!!!!! 

Now this is what I have been doing the last week...recovering from shock since Chandler has only been home 3 months and is getting married before Derek leaves, searching for plane tickets for Eddy and Miken to fly to St. Louis in order to get to the wedding in Nauvoo, purchasing the tickets, thinking of all the things I should be doing for Derek, trying to fit in work, failing at trying not to cry daily, gathering addresses AGAIN, getting very loving and supportive phone calls from my loved ones and really just trying to keep it all together! 

Here's what's coming next... taking down Halloween decor, working at the election polls, working as much as possible at Southern Botanical, finding a dress for the wedding, planning a rehearsal dinner in Nauvoo (I have no idea where!), getting wedding announcements addressed and sent out THIS WEEK,  scheduling a day for Derek to go to the temple for his endownments, starting Christmas/holiday decorating for GRI, making plans for Thanksgiving Day, planning our trip to Nauvoo, shopping for and buying things for Derek's mission, making sure he has EVERYTHING!!, going to Nauvoo and seeing my second son get married (cry), coming home the last few days of November and flying out Dec. 2 for New York!, getting home from NYC Dec. 5, Miken and Eddy fly in Dec. 11, have a wedding reception Dec. 12, Derek speaks Dec. 13 and he and I leave that day for Utah, Eddy and Miken fly out Dec. 14 for their home in Utah, Derek and I get to Utah Dec. 14, Derek enters the MTC Dec.16 (I'll be dying and crying), head home Dec.17 or 18, LaVoy and Cara's birthday Dec.19, somewhere start thinking of Christmas, who knows when I'll shop for it, Miken and Eddy fly in again Dec. 23, we go to a hotel the night before Christmas Eve (tradition), have Christmas Eve dinner on the 24th and then HELLO...CHRISTMAS!! Eddy and Miken fly out the 28th and then BOOM  Happy New Year!!  Meanwhile, I'll be in fits over Derek not being here and missing him.  
I don't know...think I have a lot to think about?

  And Alan wonders why I'm quiet, stressed and crying.

KISS

The real Dylan appears!

Dylan and his band mates...a.k.a Kameron Wilding, Trevor Morring and Seth Eldridge.

They dressed up for a Halloween Stake Dance and I was worried so I asked Kameron if his Dad knew (he's our Stake Pres) and Kameron said he did and just asked which one Kameron was going to be.  So I figured that if the Pres was okay with it, it was all good!  They won the best costume and each received a $10 gift card to Chili's which they used that night after the dance.  Alan and I did their make-up.  Too, fun!!!

The Call Is In!!

DEREK IS GOING TO THE ALASKA ANCHORAGE MISSION!! 

He is very, very excited!  As you can see the Alaska Anchorage Mission covers a lot of territory! It even covers the Yukon! (can we say "BRRR..."?)  His hands were shaking from nerves as he opened the envelope but his smile was HUGE when he read aloud where he would be going.  He enters the MTC December 16!  Too soon for me but it is good because then he'll get home right before Christmas 2011 so that will be a great gift. His mission president is from Snoqualmi Falls Washington so how great is that?!   It is all very exciting for him and he can't wait to leave. Here are some mission facts:

Quick Mission Facts

The Alaska Anchorage Mission covers all of Alaska plus the Yukon in Canada. In total land mass, it is the largest mission in the Church. Conversely it has a small missionary force ranging from 100 to 120. Luckily, most companionships ride cars during their sojourn in the mission.
Mission Area:
• All of Alaska plus the Yukon in Canada

Missionaries Serving:
• About 100 to 120

Church Membership:
• About 20,000 (as of 1997)

State Capitols:
• Alaska: Juneau
• Yukon: Whitehorse

Population
• About 600,000, where 500,000 live in Anchorage

I am proud of you D.D.. You'll be a great missionary just as you are a great son!! I love ya Sunshine!!! (maybe he'll see Russia from his apartment!)

Underfed but Creative!

I don't know...I think my daughter-in-law is either being held captive by Eddy and not fed or has an eating disorder. What do y'all think? But look at the cute Halloween garland she made! Glad she's a Halloween freak like me!!

 

The Call is Coming...

Does anyone have a shoulder I can cry on?  I need one or two, maybe three...okay make it a million!!  Derek has turned in his papers for his mission call.  Of course it is what I really want him to do and am so proud of him and how VERY excited he is, but it is just so dang hard!!  I thought it would get easier since he's the third to go but it's not!
Yes, the tears have started but in about 3 weeks y'all will hear wailing!!
So if someone will lend me their shoulder, I'd appreciate it...

HALLOWEEN IS ALMOST HERE!!!

CAN YOU FEEL IT IN THE AIR?!  I CAN!!  MY VERY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR AND HOLIDAY...IT IS JUST SO FUN!  THE DECORATIONS ARE COMING DOWN FROM THE ATTIC THIS WEEKEND AND THEN THE REAL FUN BEGINS...PUTTING IT ALL UP!  I LOVE THE WITCHES I HAVE, THE SMELL OF ALL THE CANDLES, WATCHING "HOCUS POCUS" AND PUTTING TREATS IN EVERY HALLOWEEN BOWL I OWN...(THERE ARE MANY)!    IF I GET REAL AMBICIOUS I'LL TAKE SOME PICS AND POST THEM...WE'LL SEE.   HOPE YOU, TOO LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR.  HAPPY HAUNTING!!!!!!!! 

The Texas Open House

Here is a small shot of what we did here in Texas for the open house.  The pictures don't quite capture it all.  It was all very nice and we couldn't have done it without some of my amazing friends!!  The majority of the other pictures I have are of guests that many of you wouldn't know.  The flowers were gorgeous, the food wonderful and we just loved it. I wish I had more pictures but this gives you the general peek of what it was like.