The Wonderful Month of Halloween!

     Here's a bit of a picture blog post of that oh so in-the-past holiday of Halloween.  Why?  Because this was so last year, but we have all these cute pictures of things we did - and I want to share.  And because our Halloween celebration really did last all month.  And it is the last day of January and I don't have time to grab pictures of more updated moments of our life.  So enjoy a walk down memory lane :)

  It began with pumpkin PAINTING - yes, we did carve some of them, but our friend Natasha showed us how fun it can be to just colorify them - and so much less messy.  Hers are the two cute ones on display:

   After that fun FHE, we had a Halloween dinner with some of our ward friends.  The Jedi family pictured are the Durnhams - and Yoda might be my favorite kid in the whole world (until ours comes around).  We had a disgusting menu (but delicious food) and a great time.  And this is a cameo of our own awesome-couple-costume: The Princess and The Pea :)

    We also had a big friend reunion, complete with costumes, 3 prego ladies, donut-on-a-string game, and frosting Halloween cookies.  It was great to see everyone - especially since it has been so so so long since we'd all been together.  Go Lone Peak Knights! (or something like that...)

Thanks for indulging me - hope next Halloween is this much fun!!

Grandpa, We Love You.

So, I've been meaning to write this post for months now (so much for my twice-a-month new year blogging resolution - I still have one day to make good on that) and have been thinking about all my grandparents lately - I thought it would be nice to write down a few of my thoughts on Grandpa Eames.





Grandpa Garth Eames.  What a great man.  He sure did a lot with his life - which is surprising when you consider he was "just" a potato farmer in Idaho.  He served in the marines during World War II AND was able to serve as a missionary in England.  When Dustin and I visited England this summer I thought a lot about him and the time he spent on the streets of that beautiful country preaching the words of Christ. 

 















He married my grandmother Shirley Robinson and they built a farm out of nothing in the little po-dunk town of Rupert, Idaho and had six children (all of whom are absolutely fantastic people whom I love very much!).  She died a few years before I was born of cancer and Grandpa remarried the very different but equally lovely grandmother I have known and loved all my life - Grandma Edna-Lou.  The family extended by four more kids - my awesome aunts and uncles.

    Grandpa served missions (and as mission president) in half a dozen places; missionary work was always a great part of his life. Everyone still remembers him in Idaho as a legendary stake president and I remember him as the Grandpa that gave me my Patriarchal Blessing.  He faithfully served in the church his whole life - and continued reading his scriptures until his very last day here on earth.  

  I've loved the time spent up at "the farm" through my childhood and young adult years.  It's famous for Fourth of July BBQs, family reunions, and sweet rolls at Grandma's.  Grandpa was always quick to laugh and had thing zinging one-liners that kept the dinner table lively.  I was blessed to be up at the farm with my mom and many of her siblings during Grandpa's final week - second week of September, 2011.  It is one of the most difficult and yet spiritual experiences of my life, one that I will never forget.  Grandpa Eames has left his numerous posterity with a grand legacy, and I hope to live up to his wonderful example.  Love you, Grandpa.  Thank you for such wonderful memories - and for the promise of an eternal family in the life to come.