October

October 1 - Shaniel's Garden

A loyal peach customer, a friend, surprised me with this beautiful hosta plant for Shaniel's garden. This unexpected and kind gesture touched my heart so much.

October 3 - Ben's Birthday Party 

It was all about Ninja Turtles! Ben's favorite Ninja Turtle is Michealangelo. Ben had some friends over. They crawled through sewer tunnels made from cardboard boxes and showed off their Ninja skills in an obstacle course. Audrey made colored masks and gave the birthday guests lighted swords and gift bags. The party was a big hit with kids and adults.

Spring Water

Just down the street from Audrey's is a source of spring water. It is located between the upper parking lot at Lee's Market and Washington Blvd. It is always running. It is plentiful. I filled up my 5 gallon emergency preparedness jugs from there. It is not uncommon to see several people there at any given time filling jugs. 

October 5 - Ben's Birthday Dinner

Ben's birthday was yesterday, but his birthday dinner with grandma was today. He helped make the dough for the rolls. We had chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, vegetables, and rolls. It was a good old-fashioned meat and potatoes meal. Just right for a growing young boy. Yum! 

One of Ben's birthday gifts was a Farmer's shirt just like his dad's. Emmy and Alia got one, too. They love them.

October 6 - Black Island Farms

For Family Home Evening Audrey's family and I went to Black Island Farms in Layton. The kids had a blast sliding through tubes on hay bales. The train ride, corn maze, and farm animals were all good fun, but the hay ride to the pumpkin fields were the highlight of the evening. The kiddos picked out some mighty fine looking pumpkins.

October 7 - Lunar Eclipse

Yep, I got up in the middle of the night to capture the Lunar Eclipse. Sky wonders are always fascinating and intriguing to me.

October 8 - Brigham City Temple

I enjoyed going to the temple today. I took a picture of the stone with the erection date on it.

October 9 - Library day

Audrey has been taking Ben and Emilee to the North Ogden Library to check out books. I went with them today. It was fun to watch them choose books, sit at the table and work on puzzles, and just enjoy all that the library has to offer. They both chose 4 books each, checked them out and put them in their special book bags. 

Today brought back so many good memories of me taking my kids to the Logan library and I, myself, going to the Helper City library in my youth. A library is one of my favorite places to be... next to a bookstore!

October 10-11 - Trip to Price

So missing my visits to Price. To see mom. To see Shaniel. Visiting their gravesites was long overdue. Amie and I went and put fall flowers on Shaniel's grave. I stayed overnight and had a sleepover with Tera, Tianna, Carson, Riley, and Nicole. We had movie night together. Carson made the popcorn, as usual. Tera made my night when she snuggled up next to me on the couch and said "Grandma, I sure have missed you!". Ahhh.... love that girl.

Amie's yard was just beautiful! Everything looked so lush and happy. I love her Shaniel garden. 

October 12 - Squirrel

I caught this squirrel red-handed... eating a plum!

October 15 - Visiting Teacher's luncheon

I had the sisters on my visiting teaching beat up to my house today for a luncheon. Peggy, my partner, made the rolls and I made broccoli cheddar soup. Janet, a sister we teach, surprised her mother with a German Chocolate cake (her birthday was a couple of days ago). We all had a nice visit and enjoyed the afternoon together. Having this luncheon was perfect timing. We found out a week ago that our stake ward boundries were being re-aligned and it just happens to be that Dave and I, as well as Janet, will be in a new ward next week.

October 18 - Autumn leaves

My favorite time of year... Autumn. And, watching the kiddos playing in the leaves is one of my very favorite things to watch. What fun! Alia is coming up from her bed of leaves.

October 19 - Teri Beth Bates

Teri just returned from an LDS mission to Lithuania and her homecoming was today. Her report was so inspirational. She is such a sweet young woman.

October 20 - Red Door

Ever since I went to Ireland and saw the countryside dotted with gray houses and red doors, I knew I wanted a red door someday. Our door was needing a new paint job and this was the perfect time to change it. And... oh, am I happy! Red is cheerful. Red is happy. Red is beautiful. I love my new red front door! 

October 21 - Orchard

I found myself outdoors in the orchard today taking pictures of the beautiful fall leaves and pleasant blue sky overhead. The orchard is peaceful and tranquil. The changing leaves paint a beautiful picture of just how I feel today... at the end of another bounteous season of harvest. Gratitude and thanksgiving fill my heart and soul for my home, food, clothing, family, health, faith, love, the Savior, and God's plan of happiness. Blessings... that is what it is! Blessings!

October 24 - Bison Roundup

This year Kelsey invited me out to Antelope Island for the annual Bison Roundup. What a treat it was! I was surrounded by good, genuine people... cowboys. They were friendly, polite, and entertaining! I was in awe watching wild west scenery all around me. Cowboys herding bison, fiddlers playing around campfires, cowboys practicing their roping skills on iron steers, and the charm of a by-gone era of cabins and antique farm equipment. 

It was fun watching my little Bywater family live out the wild west days. Brayden makes me smile all the time. We were sitting around the campfire in the evening and he got up from his chair and came over and sat on the arm of mine. He said "Grandma, I'm trying to figure out how I can get you up out of your chair and move you fast enough if a buffalo comes charging in." Oh... he does love his grandma and much as I love him!

I will never forget this day. I needed to step back in time and forget the present for awhile. It was one of the best days I can remember. 

October 25 - Logan

Overlooking Cache Valley and the Logan LDS temple from the steps of Old Main.

I can not say enough about my evening spent on Old Main at Utah State University. I met Christina Weeks, a photographer. She took pictures of me in my new Utah State jacket among the colored leaves on the grounds of Old Main. I wanted pictures taken for the sake of remembering the days, weeks, and years spent at Utah State as a student and as an Extension Agent. I walked the 250+ steps, sometimes three times a day, up to Old Main for 4 years in the early 1990's. As an Extension Agent, I was in charge of doing the annual Easter Egg hunt held on the beautiful grounds just below Old Main. I have so many happy memories of this place. 

After my photo session, I walked around campus seeing all the old familiar sites and buildings where I attended classes. I reminisced about the days spent walking down the halls of the student center, buying books at the book store, and meeting fellow students for a study session. The hour or so spent meandering around the campus of Utah State flooded my soul with happiness. How grateful I am for an education! How grateful I am for the experiences I had as an Extension Agent on campus. I may not actively use the skills and specific education received at USU, but I use the lessons I learned from achieving, growing, learning, and maturing... every single day of my life. It was one of the greatest experiences I have ever had! Thanks to a father who instilled me the desire to learn and become anything I put my mind to... I love you dad!

October 27 - Ninja Ben!

The kiddos are getting ready for Halloween. Audrey made Ben a Ninja Turtle mask. He wants to be Michelangelo for Halloween. He had his numchuck in hand and showed me some Ninja turtle skills on the front porch. He had spiders and other creepy crawlers to take care of. Love this boy so much!

October 28 - Salt Lake

Today was the one of the best days of my entire life. I spent the day with Audrey and partially with Kelsey. We went to the Salt Lake temple in preparation of visiting with L. Tom Perry, one of the twelve apostles. I prayed for months to know how to prepare for this day. It was not easy. It took a lot of work. Last night, I got my answer... I knew! I armed myself with prayer and faith and the desire to gain an eternal perspective on matters weighing heavily on my mind. And, that I did! All day long! From attendance to the temple, to our visit with L. Tom Perry, a blessing, and promptings and inspiration from the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. This truly is a day that I will keep most sacred and close to my heart. I will remember those things I was taught and they will take me well into the eternities. Father In Heaven does love His children so much. He does answers prayers, as inadequate as they might be. I am so grateful! So grateful.

October 30 - USU, again

I just love Audrey. She is not only a good daughter, but a good friend. I can count on her to just pick up and go whenever, wherever. My day spent on the USU campus a few days ago had me wanting to return... again! We went to Logan and got some Aggie Ice Cream at the Nutrition and Food Science building (where I attended many classes). I got a picture of the kiddos walking and sitting on the wall out front. I was able to finish taking pictures that I had missed the other night. We finished off our afternoon at the Merlin Olsen Park (our park... located a couple of blocks from our house). What a fun and enjoyable day with some of my favorite people!

October 31 - Halloween

Busy day! A costume parade in the morning for Alia. She is the cutest pirate I've ever seen! Trick-or-treating with Ben and Emilee to Lee's Market. And, catching up on all the fun and scare at Kelsey's in the evening.Traditional chili and cornbread dinner, 'smores, hot chocolate, visiting and sitting around the campfire always draw at crowd of ghosts and goblins. Halloween was fun, as usual. 

Month in Review

October Birthdays