Yesterday while I was trying to sleep in, my girls started a craft project that Witchalina left for them. Lucy had a blast with the glue, it was everywhere.
This morning I came down to them quietly studying the scriptures Witchalina left looking for clues.
I love that Witch!
Sundays are always busy for our family. Eric leaves before I wake up and gets home late. Since he sits on the stand at church, I get all three girls to myself…all day. Haley never wants to brush her hair before church and Ruby spends too long making her hair just right. Lucy is always full of surprises during Sacrament meeting. Most recently calling the Ward Secretary (that has long brown hair pulled into a ponytail) Jesus. The most memorable was one Sunday when he was not there and the room was very quiet. Lucy yelled “Where’s Jesus? I tried to quiet her. She yelled it again “But where is Jesus” and was looking around the room. Then she said “Ooooh, he’s at the Hospital” and sat back down. All of this was loud enough that I had several people tease me about this and ask how Eric convinced her he was Jesus.
We started the day by going to see Haley win the responsible student award from her principal in the school auditorium at 9:15. Haley was so introverted for the 1st two years we lived here; it is great to see her getting more confident.
Then Lucy and I hustled to catch up to Ruby’s field trip walking to the fire Station. 
After the Fire station we went to the park since we were in charge of playgroup for our ward. We did Halloween crafts and had popcorn balls. The highlight of playgroup was that Nichole (my friend that abandoned us for her new life in Laguna Beach) and her kids came! We miss them so much. Especially Ruby that still talks about Ellie everyday.
We got home from playgroup and Kira came over with her new puppy Piper. They have one Maltese named Penelope and wanted to get her a sister. Let me tell you about Kira- my kids WORSHIP her. They won’t leave her alone. So Kira and a new puppy in our house were almost too much for them to handle.
Then we got ready for Jackie’s Halloween party. She is probably the only person that I know that likes Halloween more then I. She is amazingly creative and one of those people that make you a more creative person every time you are around her. It was a great party.
My girls wore their cat costumes that I made. They wanted hats that covered their hair like the cats in the parade at Disneyland. I tried. I thought it would be so easy, but there is an evil force out there working against Mother’s sewing costumes. I will post photos of the cats later.
Here is an example of what Witchalina leaves when she comes. There is a paper with the start of the poem in the pocket of the quilt, then we look up each scripture to find the next clue to eventually find the treat!
The Skeleton at the Cemetery
From atop his tombstone perch,
The skeleton saw barren land—
“My cemetery needs to be green to
Look magnificent and grand!”
He planted lots of grass seeds,
Then ignored the yard as before;
Weeding he found such a bother
And watering a time wasting bore.
His results were disappointing.
“What went wrong?” he angrily screamed.
“My neglect proved a disaster!
The garden is not like I dreamed!”
Galations 6:7
(When you open to this scripture Witchalina has left another paper with the words below)
“I will change my ways right now!”
He resolutely decided.
Good habits were quickly started
And wrong one promptly righted.
He set his mind to do it.
His determination was right.
He planted, tilled and watered,
And weeded with all his might!
With constant daily attention
His cemetery began to bloom,
And the beauty could be seen
Around every single tomb.
D&C 6:33
(When you open to this scripture Witchalina has left another paper with the words below)
Just like the skeleton’s garden,
Take care and don’t neglect
To live the Gospel’s standards—
Which will increase your self-respect.
If you study the scriptures daily,
Your testimony will grow.
Faith will bring you knowledge,
And the truth you’ll definitely know.
To see some positive results,
Put your faith to Alma’s test.
As your testimony increases,
You’ll reap like’s finest and best.
Alma 32:27-28
(When you open to this scripture Witchalina has left another paper with the words below)
Remember:
Faith is the strengthening power
That urges you on your way
And teaches you what you should know
And increases your desire to obey.
Faith is really the power within
Given as a gift from God
That lights the road you should take
And points the way back to God.
Look for your treat in the DARK dryer!
(the treat for tonight is light sticks and little plastic skeletons)
This week it is “Drug free that’s me” week at my girl’s school. Also this week they are finishing construction on a new Walgreen’s drugstore a block away from our house. This made for an interesting conversation on the way to school.
Ruby “I wonder how people sell drugs”
Haley “Everyone votes and if most of the people want the drugs then they all give half of their money to the President of the United States. He then gives it to the drug store so they can buy all the supplies and build it.”
Ruby “Ya, but then they add oil and people die”
Haley “What?...oh you are talking about bad drugs. Some people make bad drugs by adding bad stuff to drugs so they don’t taste good. Then when people eat them they can die. “
Ruby “Ya because they add oil”
I love Halloween. I love candy corn. I love the costumes. I love the colors. It may be because as a kid we had Witchalina visit our house every year a week before Halloween. This tradition was started by Liz Dayton, a lady in our ward when I was growing up. When she moved to Utah my parrents took over organizing it for the families in our ward. Even though my kids are waking up super early to run downstairs to see what she left, I am love watching them enjoy the same tradition that I did as a kid. Witchalina does not just some and leave candy. There is usually a scripture, poem or puzzle of some kind that teaches a principle. Like honesty, not gossiping, repentance, loving one another ect. When I was a kid she would leave our treats on the kitchen table next to a witch. I made a Halloween quilt and added a pocket that says "trick or treat" that is where she leaves our notes and goodies.
Today we took the girls on on a hike that Eric used to love when he was a kid. We did'nt tell them where we were going, we just said we were going on an adventure. They were so excited. Overall I can't believe how well the girls did. It was a pretty hard climb (expecially for 3 year old legs). All three girls hiked all the way to the cross at the top of Mt. Rubidoux. They were very excited that they hiked to the top of a mountain. It was a beautiful day. The sky was so blue and there was a nice breeze to help cool you down. The girls loved seeing all the cactus. There were huge bolders and rocks everywhere you looked, but about 45 min into the hike Lucy pointed at a big rock and said "Look Mom, I found a big rock!" Nothing gets past that little 3 year old mind.
Last night Eric and I dropped the girls off at his Parents house and went out to Disneyland with some friends of ours to see Totally 80's perform. They were hilarious. But even better then hearing the wonderful tunes from the 80's was watching the crowd dance and sing. Disneyland is the best place to people watch.
So we just finally got our family portrait back and I decided to rearrange all the photos in our living room to make room for it. This should be easy right?
My Father was an interior Decorator and made stuff like this look so easy. I always thought I would get some of his "gift" but I am still waiting for it to manifest itself in someway.
Needless to say, it took me almost three hours to finally decide on something...and I'm still not sure if it looks good or not.
