Painting Halloween Cookies...

Halloween is always fun at the Trickett's home because Grandma Trickett has instilled in her children and now her grandchildren the fun tradition of "Cookie Painting!"

...And since this is a prime example of when a picture is worth a thousand words...

I am going to let the pictures do all of the talking! (At least most of it anyways!;)

It all started when Grandma Trickett called to see if they could come join us for our family home evening and bring some cookies to decorate! Everyone cheered! Literally!!! :)

 

And so after lining the counters with foil and setting out all of the frosting, brushes, and sprinkles...

The task of painting and decorating began!

 

(Notice how intense and studious they each look...they are all concentrating so hard!!!)

 

 

 

 

 

Just look at some of the works of art!

The kids had so much fun painting and decorating and being creative! (And Kambriella especially loved licking her fingers A LOT!)

 I loved how each one was so unique, and how each child was so perfectly capable of painting them ON THEIR OWN! (Kambriella!...wink wink... Miss Independent!)

 See if you can spot her "4 Eyed Sprinkle Ghost!"

 

I know, I know...they just couldn't resist!!! :)

The longer we were painting, the more silly everyone started to be...

 

...And these 2 Goof Balls CRACK ME UP!!!

I'm not sure if these 2 are pulling their best Halloween faces or if the last Presidential debate that we were listening to in the background made them want to do their best Obama impersonations!!!

 

 

...Here we have the finished product!!!

A stack of crazy yummy "Trickett Tradition" Halloween sugar cookies...that sad to say...experienced a total life span of only 1 day...

The little Trickett Goblins sure gobbled them up FAST!!!

R.I.P. sweet cookies...and

~Happy Halloween!~

 



Happy Birthday Kelly...Happy Day With Kambriella

If you really want to have a happy day,

you just need to hang out with Kambriella for an afternoon! :)

On Monday, October 15th, it would have been my brother Kelly's 41st birthday and it was also the 1st birthday we would have without him here...

My feelings were quite mixed on that morning when I woke up, and so as I prayed to Heavenly Father what it was that I should do that day, I felt very strongly that I needed to go and spend some time with my little girl doing things that we loved to do. So, after getting the kids off to school, Kambriella and I took off on a drive, not quite sure where we would end up...

 but I DID know that wherever it was, I would be with someone that I loved and that she would make me smile. :)

Kambriella and I ended up in Farmington where we knew of a couple of small hiking trails that were right by one of our favorite playgrounds...so needless to say,

we walked through the leaves holding hands, singing and talking, and laughing while we took a few pictures...(Kambriella loves to pose...she's so cute ;)

With this little sweetie by my side, I felt happy and at peace even with the thought of missing my brother and that I wouldn't get to call him today on his birthday...

I guess I just thought of him being out there with us on our little hike...

I think it's what he would have wanted to do with us on his birthday...

...then off to the park! :)

 

Thank you little Miss Kambriella for always making your mommy smile! I love you so much and am so lucky to have you in my life and to get to be your mom!

I think it's amazing how Heavenly Father knows each of us individually and what we need...

I love how when I need direction or help with something in my life, all I need to do is pray and ask Him and He will help guide my thoughts and actions to help me to be happy.

This day that could have been very hard emotionally turned out to be a beautiful day of peace, joy, and gratitude for so many blessings...but at the top of my list was gratitude for loved ones in my life both here on the earth and those that have gone on... I love you Kambriella!

...And I love and miss you Kelly. Happy Birthday. :)



Kambriella's Advice...

This little girl is so much fun!!!

She brings so much happiness and laughter to our home :) ...

~So~

...The other morning as we were waving goodbye and blowing kisses to Dallin and Gavin while they walked over to the neighbor's house for the morning car pool, Kambriella just HAD to get in the last word...

She ran out the front door and straight to the edge of the sidewalk where she cupped her chubby little hands around her mouth and shouted out to her brothers,

 

"Dallin!.... I will miss you!!!"

 

"Gabin!... (that's how she says Gavin :) ...and don't forget your pack pack!!!"

 

Then she continued to shout out every last little piece of motherly advice that her little 3 year old mind could remember for about 2 minutes straight!

Then, finally feeling like they were far enough away and she could only get in one last little bit of important information she said...

 

"Oh! .... And DON'T BE HYPER!!!"

 

I just started laughing so hard and thought to myself..."I wonder where she has heard that before!?" :)

I guess I really better be sure I am only saying good things because somebody I know is watching every move I make! After all, she IS as she says, "Growing big like a mom!" :)

Peach Jam ~ YUMMY!

From the humble little tree...

To the basket...

...to the crazy, messy, fun of it in the kitchen...

 to the jars on the shelf!!!

Our very own yummy peach jam!

Last year I canned most of the peaches and only made a few jars of peach jam...

The jam was gone in the blink of an eye and the jars of peaches still linger...

Needless to say, my children begged that I make ONLY the jam this year and so that is what I did!

I am estimating that if I ration the jam, we might make it through half of the year before we run out...but if I leave Kierra alone with the jam...we may not make it to January!!! ;) (Just kidding Kierra!) But she really is the one that loves it the most! 

On toast, rolls, pancakes, and french toast... it's so yummy to have a sweet homemade treat in our food storage like Peach Jam! Thanks Gerry for teaching me how to make this! It is something that I can see will be a tradition for years to come! We love it :)



My thoughts on General Conference...

 

~This is a  photograph of what was on the cover of the Ensign magazine

 which held all of the talks from the last General Conference of

 the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.~ 

 

And, over the last 6 months, as I have read and reread talks and testimonies from it's pages, I have been sweetly reminded of a simple message each and every time I open it's cover:

 

This is a family happy in the moment...happy to be together...and filled with laughter because they are TOGETHER as they pass through one of life's "storms."

 

 We can very plainly see that it's a "storm" because they are all underneath their umbrellas

 and the ground is wet beneath their feet...

BUT,

 with the smiles on their faces, the happiness in their eyes, and the fact that they are TOGETHER...

it seems  hardly to be a "storm" at all.

 

This simple picture sends so many sweet messages to me

and reminds me of so many wonderful things...

 

~ Do I smile and have laughter with my family as we weather our own "storms" of life? ~

 

~ Am I sharing my "umbrella" and providing safety from the "storms" of  life for my children? ~

 

~ Are we walking side by side keeping our family close all of the time...

never letting anyone "fall behind" or out from under the protection of our safe and loving "shelter?" ~

 

Life is full of moments...good and bad, happy and sad... but how we choose to look at life and how we will walk through the "storms" is completely up to us.

 

Through my personal testimony and trying to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I am given the strength and the courage to do hard things and to continue to press forward even through the storms of life.

 

At General Conference, we receive inspired words from loving prophets and apostles in our day

  to help direct us and teach us HOW to push through those storms...and though it may not be easy at times, through the gospel of Jesus Christ we CAN do it and we can even do it with smiles on our faces... even when we are standing out in the middle of the pouring rain.

I can walk with my family through this crazy world and be happy and count my blessings even when the "rains are coming down" or the "floods are coming up."

 I can find reasons to rejoice and have gratitude for the simple things that make the sun come peeking out from behind the clouds.

All around us in this life we have reminders of Heavenly Father's love for us. Some of those reminders are angels who may come in the form of friends or family...a beautiful sunrise or a simple little "Forget-me-not" flower like we were taught by President Uchtdorf...

Whatever you see when you look at this family in the rain... I pray that it is something good. Because life is good and Heavenly Father is good...so good to us.

 He has given us so many wonderful things to aid us on our journey...prayer, the scriptures, the holy temples, and a living prophet to lead us and guide us everyday.

 As general conference comes once again, I pray that we may all have "smiles on our faces"...and ears to hear and eyes to see clearly through the storms of life.

Let the words of wisdom that we will hear and the Spirit of truth that touches our hearts inspire us to do good and be good and even find strength to "dance in the rain!" 

 

(And here is my own little reminder that being under that umbrella really can be fun!!! ;)

 

 

 

 Also, in preparation for General Conference, I was able to attend the Relief Society General Broadcast down at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. What an amazing group we belong to as sisters in the Relief Society.

This world wide organization is truly inspired and has brought together so many hearts and hands to do so much good in the world. I am so glad to have the good news of the gospel and so grateful for my testimony... I pray that I will always do my part to be an instrument in His hands, and that through me, others may feel of our Heavenly Father's love.

My sweet friends Natalie and Lisa...

And here is Amy Hess...the mom of one of the families that Clint loved on his mission in Alaska!

 I ran into her there and hadn't seen her in about 20 years!!!

Lisa, me, and Natalie inside the Conference Center waiting for it to begin... 

 What a wonderful way to begin another General Conference!

I love it!!!

Happy Birthday to Me!

On Saturday, September 22nd...I turned 36 years old!

All I wanted for my birthday was to spend the morning in God's country up in the mountains and breath the fresh air and be in the company of my very best friend. :)

We drove up the Little Cottonwood Canyon to a place called Cathryn's Pass which is where we began our hike...the view was amazing...such a perfect gift!

 

 

 

We headed up the trail with plenty of time for conversations and laughter as we set our destination for Lake Mary. The first part of the hike was up the one side of the mountain, and when we came to the top, we saw the first of 3 lakes we would get to see on the way...Lake Cathryn.

Then we passed other hikers who were happy to visit, take pictures and pause to catch a breath. :)

We also passed a group of scouts as we passed the second lake...Lake Martha.

Then, I almost felt like the little kid in me was coming out when we came to Lake Mary...like I had just opened up the best of all of my birthday presents... :)

Lake Mary was the biggest and most beautiful of the 3 lakes...and smooth as glass...

 

 

 

I was so happy to be a little selfish that day and go and do something that was so enjoyable to me...

Being out amongst the beauty of Heavenly Father's creations makes me feel happy, at peace, and oh so grateful for everything that testifies of Him. Couple that with this sweet husband of mine and you have one truly happy Birthday girl! ;)

 I love you Clint! Thanks for being a gift to me every single day!!! ;* Mwa! :* XOXOXO