slim pickings

This year, Ammon and I went and got pumpkins with Nephi. 

We went and got our pumpkins at the very last second, which means there were slim pickings.

We either had to pick pumpkins that were either too lumpy, too big, too small, too squishy, or too abnormal. 

I picked one that was too large. Nephi picked one that was too small, and Ammon picked the abnormal one. 

But don't worry, we rocked our pumpkins. 

Removing Ammon's lid was a difficult task.  We think that's why nobody ever carves white pumpkins.

Proof that I was there. :)

Adding the final touches

My final product!

Ammon's masterpiece. My husband is so talented! 

Nephi's final product. If you don't know what he carved, then I'm not so sure that we can be friends. :)
This link should help you.

Pretty much the sweetest pumpkin ever.

parka jacket: perfect for fall

I have been wanting an army green parka jacket for a very long time. I'm not fashion savvy, so I didn't even know it was called that. But after a lil bit of research, I finally figured it out. I checked out a few places online & at the mall, but it turns out that they are a bit pricey. (50-80 dollars) I was not about ready to pay that much for a light jacket. But then I came across this link on ebay & it is only $28 (including tax & shipping & what not.) I was a bit hesitant at first. What if it didn't look cute on? What if it didn't fit right? etc. etc. But I took a leap of faith & purchased it anyway. 

Well. It came in the mail today & I love it!

I'm terrible at posing for pictures so just look at the super cute jacket & the pretty leaves. :)

It is the perfect jacket for fall. Also, I love ebay. The end. 

date night: owl pellets

I have been meaning to write about this date for a while. A couple weeks ago for date night, Ammon and I dissected owl pellets! Gross, right!? Actually, it was really fun! I got the idea from doing it in my science methods class. (I do a lot of fun things in that class.) At first I thought I was dissecting owl poop. Turns out, owl pellets are actually kind of like hairballs. The owls throw them up and if you dissect them, you'll find all kinds of bones! Owls cannot dissect bones, fur, feathers, or teeth, so those are the things you're going to find inside! It's kind of like a treasure hunt. 

I ordered my owl pellets off of this website. All of the pellets are sterile, so you don't have to worry about picking up any diseases. Another cool thing about this website is that every order comes with a free poster so that you can properly classify all of the various bones. Here are some pictures from our date night:

The owl pellets come wrapped in aluminum foil. They look like baked potatoes. April Fool's Day joke...?

Ammon unwrapping his pellet.

We found a rodent skull!

I couldn't resist. :)

More bones! 

This is all the fur that was left over. 

It was a really fun date night. Ammon is taking anatomy right now so it was entertaining to hear him make connections and use fancy words. I recommend doing this for date night (or any night) if you and your significant other aren't grossed out by this kind of thing. Or if you are a parent, do this with your kids, they'll love it! All you need are a few owl pellets (which you can order online), paper plates, toothpicks, and an adventurous spirit.  

in memory of adam

When someone in your family (or in your spouse's family) passes away so suddenly and unexpectedly, you learn a few things about that person's family and you learn a few things about yourself.

Adam Christiansen (Ammon's cousin) passed away at age 19. I learned that Adam's family is incredible. They are so faithful and selfless. When Ammon and I were visiting their house, the door was constantly opening and closing from visitors. The Christiansens received every single hug without hesitation and were making sure that each guest was taken care of.

As for extended family, so many relatives took immediate action. A facebook page was made in memory of Adam. A lot of people dropped whatever was on their agenda to come and visit. Cookies were made. Flowers were brought. Hugs were exchanged. A movie filled with pictures was made. I was so impressed with how much got accomplished in just a few days.

The viewing is where I learned the most. After they closed the casket, we (the family members) followed along as it was wheeled into the chapel. When we got to the chapel, I could not contain my emotions. Row after row of people were standing up to show their respect and love. I was overwhelmed with gratitude.  I couldn't help but think, This is what people do when the Prophet walks into the room. This is how many people's life Adam has touched. This is what's important. Family. Friends. People. 

Adam lived a life of selflessness. Looking back at his life and at all the people he had loved, I learned about what's most important: family. service. love. passion. being genuine. Those are the things that Adam taught me. Those are the things that truly matter.