Trick-Or-Treat

This weekend was Stake Conference, & Thursday was Stake Temple Day. Brody & I had singed up for Baptisms (by the time we got it that was about all that we could both get into together). It was such a great day! Brody got to baptize & confirm me, that was a neat experience. After that we got to attend a sealing of a couple in our ward, Brody has gotten to know the husband pretty well through playing soccer with the the Elders Quorum on Saturday mornings. He is from Iran & she is from Turkey, & they have a little daughter together (who seems to be about 7). It was such a special thing to be a part of---when they brought the daughter in to be sealed to her parents, there was such a special spirit in that room---I have done sealings in the Temple before, but it was amazing to witness a family in our ward & think of how this will change their lives in amazing ways. It is always a great experience to see in action Heavenly Fathers plan for us and our families. I am so grateful for the gospel and the standers we have to helps us live happier lives and set good examples for those around us! I love going to the Temple, all your earthly cares seem smaller and lighter.

Friday night Brody & I went to Mickey's Halloween Treat! This was our 4th year, & we love it! I love it because there is nothing scary about it, just good clean family fun! =) This year we opted out of dressing up for it--Besides when I asked Brody what he wanted to be, and he said a 'Sales Rep relaxing on a Friday night and having fun with his wife after a long week', I think he played the part well (plus it's kind of hard to find a good modest costume with out making it yourself---and we were low on ideas this year)! =)

It was really fun! We got there right at 7:30 (when it started) & headed to the back of the park first (a little tip I read online), which was great because everyone else started at the front. So we didn't have to wait in any lines all night because we were working from back to front, while everyone else did front to back! It was genius! We followed the 'Trick-Or-Treat" route & went on our favorite rides along the way. We had a blast checking out peoples costumes, getting tons of candy, enjoying the entertainments & decorations---and I got this necklace with little Mickey's that are orange, black and white and they light up----you may be able to see bits of it in the photos. I loved it! It was such a fun date night!

When you walk in they hand you a bag for your loot...

These were two of our favorite costumes:

I love 'Monsters Inc.', and this little boy was just so cute as 'Kitty' =)

This was one of our TOP favorites---it was so cleaver! (They are premium annual pass cards) It cracked us up!

Getting ready to go on 'Toy Story Mania' (If you have not been on this ride yet---it is worth the trip & the wait)

What anyone loves to see, 0 wait time! =)

Whoo Hoo! Lot's more Candy ahead!!

While we do like candy, we always love the apple slices they hand out! After a while you need a break from the sugar! =)

Several areas in the park were turned into little dance areas with DJ's

Dig in!! =) Mmmmm....the smell of a full 'Trick-or-Treat' bag!

The 'Trick-or-Treat on the Street' parade

A Mickey ghost with the fireworks!

After a long night of fun...we were ready to head home!

Our loot (it may not look like too much, but trust me, it's a lot)---Which may have the same fate as most candy that finds its way into our home---sitting around for months until I finally throw it out. We'll see =)

Hope everyone has a HAPPY and safe HALLOWEEN!!

Updated: Here is the plan for the new C.A--It has a 'CARS' land!

Sick Day

I haven't been feeling to well this week, so today I just laid low around the apartment doing little things here and there (ie; laundry and so forth), and of course resting up so I don't get a cold ((knock on wood)).....During this time I did my nails for Mickey's Treat or Treat Friday night---thinking this would be my one and only slot of enough free time to do what I envisioned! Brody and I decided to keep it simple this year and not dress up for it. We are just going to go, relax and enjoy! =) But I did want to do something to get in to the spirit of things.....So I spooked up my nails! 

Candy Corn finger nails...

a pumpkin & bats flying over the moon (I used a Sharpie pen for the black), on my middle toes there is a spider and a bat (kind of hard to see).

Hope it all lasts until Friday night!! =) 

A Pumpkin weekend

Brody had a long week ending off being in Utah Thurs/Fri seeing his accounts, so we had a nice relaxing weekend! It was so nice.

Brody had his weekly soccer game Saturday afternoon---they won 10 to 3! It was a great game and Brody was on fire! I love going to his games! =) After the game I went up to the store to pick up a few things, and I ended up picking up a few pumpkins and a carver too! I couldn't resist, it sounded so fun to do while the baseball game was on (go Ray's). Here are a few photos of our pumpkin day! Just another reason I love this time of year!

At Albertsons they were selling electric carvers for about $4 so I gave it a try and it was SO fun to use!

Scooping out the pumpkin guts (but saving them for later)!

Brody wanted the big one to be a traditional Jack-O-lantern face (which I love), so we carved him out (you have to have a jack-o-lantern at Halloween)---then I had fun doing some detail work on the two small ones. This was my first time not doing the normal smiley face and it was really fun, plus, I'm telling you, that tool makes it so smooth and easy to do the fun details---I wish I had 5 more pumpkins to work with. But I do have next weekend to look forward to---my sister will be in town and we are all going to this great patch, and then more carving!

I didn't use any stencils, I made it up & drew it all free hand---and kind of spaced on the "e" & "a" in 'Treat', so they have unnecessary gaps in them! =)

Roasting the seeds

While we were carving I was putting the seeds and pumpkin guts into a colander to clean them off and try my hand at roasting them. I have never roasted pumpkin seeds before or even had them, so I was pretty excited! I looked up some recipes online and they turned out REALLY good! We love them!! We have been munching on them all day. If you would like to try them too, here are the recipes we used!

Sweet&Salty

• Clean off seeds and boil in salt water for 20 min's
  
• Let dry overnight
• 1 1/2 Cups Pumpkin Seeds
• 2 Tablespoons melted butter
• 1 Pinch Salt (to taste)

Pre heat oven to 300*. Toss seeds in bowl with melted butter and salt. Spread single layered on a cookie sheet and bake for 30-45min's (or until golden brown). Sprinkle sugar on them right out of the oven.

Then they will look like this (well this is what ours looked like). Enjoy!!

Sweet&Spicy

• Clean off seeds and boil them in salt water for 20 min's
• Let dry overnight
• 2 Cups Pumpkin seeds
• 2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Worcester Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
• 2 Drops Hot Sauce (I used almost a teaspoon and it still was not enough to really taste it. But we like things pretty spicy)

Pre heat over to 300*. Toss seeds in bowl with melted butter, then add salt, worcester, brown sugar and hot sauce. Spread single layered on cookie sheet and bake for 30-45mins (or until golden brown).

Then they will look like this (well this is what ours looked like)! Enjoy!!

(cough, cough)

The mystery cougher is back! I'm pretty excited. I have been following this for a couple years and it's pretty fun! There is someone from Ricola that goes around the country as the 'Mystery Cougher', they send out clues when he/she is in your area and you go to where you think they will be and offer a Ricola to anyone who you hear cough---and if it is the 'Mystery Cougher' they will give you anywhere between $500 to a million dollars, just for offering them a cough drop! 

Its kind of a cute campaign for their product---to promote such a nice gesture during cold&flu season (even if it is for self gain, its still promotes kindness). =) If you are interested in following it and getting clues, then click here! I have never gone to where I think the cougher may be (yet), but it is kind of fun to get the clues and follow the game and see who wins. 

I got my first clue:
This week, I'll be out and about for a stroll in a picturesque park. So pay attention. It could be the park you take your dog to...your kids to...or yourself to. Please remember that the weather might turn chillier. So throw on your favorite sweater with the nice big pockets, fill them up with Ricola and be sure to offer one or two to whomever might be coughing in your general vicinity.

Prop 8 sign security task force

We have a group in our ward who have put themselves on security watch over our "Yes on 8" signs around town and in their own neighborhoods. They set up signs and have a 'stake out' until someone comes along and tries to snatch it. They have actually been pretty successful, working with the Irvine Police Department in catching these thefts (little did I know, the Target I went to is where they have been having the most problems with this issue). I guess now we also have the members of the City Council working for us. I got this e-mail today from our Relief Society Google Group (I get so many e-mails a day of Prop 8 stories, here are 2).

From Irvine Councilwoman Shea:

As I drove along Irvine Center Drive last evening with my campaign aide, around 6 pm, we were just about to turn right onto Yale Ave and a woman hoped out of her car and ran across the cross walk grabbed the “Yes on 8 sign” pulled it off the wire stack and turned around and started to walk back to her car in the cross walk. I turned my car onto Yale in the cross walk and told her to stop and return the sign.
I just had received a fax from officer Handfield that a woman had been spotted around town taking “Yes on 8” signs down.
She refused to stop and I told her it was illegal to do what she was doing and I was calling the police.
She continued to smoke her cigarette, ignore my warning, and hopped into her car , waiting for the light to turn green.
We took the description of the “sign thief” and her license plate number and called the Irvine PD. The Irvine police were prompt to check out the scene, but she had gotten away.
I have filed a police report and I will ask to have her taken in for questioning, if they apprehend her, and ask that her report be filed with the DA office in Orange County.
Individuals stealing candidates signs should be quickly apprehended and prosecuted

Christina Shea

And this from our Primary President, in effort to keep her sign in her front yard:

Hey-

I've had a total of 3 signs stolen from my yard in less then 24 hours. I'm furious! I had two up this morning and they were up when I put Sadie down for a nap and 10 minutes later I went outside and they were gone. Grrrrrr.......
So, I'm wondering where I get more signs. I'm going to set up my camcorder and catch this guy (or girl). Does anyone know where I can get more?

Thanks,
Chelsee


Thanks for all of your responses. I LOVE the google group. I was able to get two more signs from Michelle Yost. I'm currently freeing up my memory on my camcorder, and as soon as that happens the signs are going back up in my yard with a camcorder on them at all times. Wa ha ha!!! I'm going to catch those thief's! I'll keep you posted! :)

Chelsee


As I said above, they have been successful in working with the Irvine Police to catch these people and have made several arrests already in there 'stake outs', including a college student here from San Fransisco helping out the "No on 8" side.

Lot's of campaign drama! We have been thinking about taking a drive some nights with hot coco and seeing if we can see some action! =) .......At lest some Justice is being served! =)

I guess it was just a matter of time...

You may have heard about people stealing and defacing "Yes on 8" signs around town. I hadn't seen any of it....until tonight.  We had a "Yes on 8" sticker on Brody's car, and since he was in UT---I had his car. I pulled into Target and went in for awhile to look at the fun Halloween decorations, and by the time I got back our sticker looked like this: 

In case it is hard to read---the "Yes"  has been crossed out and they wrote "NO" over it, over the happy little family they put, "Live & let live". I have to admit, the "Live and let live" part kind of made me chuckle (even though there was a part of me that was a little  hurt. It felt little weird having something on your personal property defaced like that. But you can't take these things personally. It's sad that someone is that frustrated and maybe mad), It just sounds kind of silly. I guess that's what most of the opposing side is all about right? That we should all let everyone do whatever  they feel like, without any consequences. 

I haven't checked any polls recently but hopefully we are still ahead on this! A part of me can't wait for this election to be over, it really brings out the worst in people. 

Photo Tag!

Malia tagged me!

What you do is go into your pictures folder and take the 4th picture in your fourth folder and post it....
Mine is of one of my floral designs from a couple years ago! =) 

(more new posts below)

Adventures in Disneyland

We have been hanging out at Disneyland quite a lot lately! I think this was my 4th time in just over two weeks---but with Disneyland all done up for Halloween, and having great people to go with can you blame us?

We went on the 27th of last month for a little date night because it was the first day all the Halloween stuff was going to be up (post below)! The following Friday we went with Shaun! It had been forever since we have been with Shaun---plus we haven't seen him for awhile so it was fun for all of us to get together again!

The next week I got to go with my Mom for lunch (and even on a Wednesday afternoon it was pretty busy, but not too bad). It was the last day I could go with my old pass, and it was such a fun way to spend it. We ate at the Plaza Inn, and went on several rides. Then went into California Adventure for a little Turtle talk and some more rides. Unfortunately when I tried to turn my camera on our way to the park, my battery was dead from the Air Show the day before---I really hate when I forget to put my battery in its charger---something to work on! =) It was a really fun day, and can't wait to do it again when all the Christmas decorations are up (or before)! =)

Here we are with Shaun about to get on Thunder Mountain:

Shaun on the wildest ride in the wilderness! yyee haa!

This Thursday night the Halls asked if we wanted to go with them on Friday night. It was really fun! This was the first day with my new pass. We went back into Toon Town, which as we recall we have not been to in about 2 years! We went on cartoon spin, and went through Mickey & Minnie's Houses. Mickey's was huge, it just keep going and going....but at the end we got to meet Mickey which was fun!

Mike, Abby and Laura on Cartoon Spin.

In Minnie's house listing to the messages...

Brody and Mike watching a little TV in Mickey's living room

Brody trying to put back some of Mickey's things we were all playing with ;)

Working on my new talent

Us with Minnie in her costume

High Fly'n Fun!

For the past couple months as I have been driving to and from San Diego I would always pass a sign for the Air Show---Since I have not been to an Air Show I was very curios about it---Once I had pasted it for the 100th time, I went home and got tickets for Brody and I---and surprised him with them! Needless to say he was very excited about it! =)

It was such a blast, and so incredible to see what these aircraft's can do! One (of many) of our favorites was the F/A 18 Super Hornet, that went faster then the speed of sound RIGHT in front of us! You could see this vapor, light speed, bubble thing surrounding the plane as it jetted past in front of you, and then about 4-5 seconds later you would hear the roaring sound! It was very cool! After we watched the show (Which had us so mesmerized we sat for like 3 hours just watching them fly---were so busy with everything at the show we forgot to eat until we were on our way home!) we got to climb all around the planes!

Showing how they can re-fuel the planes in the air

During the MAGTF Demo--The jets would fly over and these bombs would go off on the ground to show us what it would be like if they were actually dropping the bombs them selves!

The Legacy Flight

The Blue Angels--Of course they were amazing to watch! (The next three are of the Blue Angels)

It was such a blast to see in person everything these planes can do!! And then to be to be able to have the opportunity to explore 100's of aircraft's was just icing on the cake! If you have not been to an air show yet, we HIGHLY recommend it---We could have stayed all day! It was such a fun day--We plan on going next year, and the year after...and maybe after that! =)

***if you haven't stopped by in awhile we have a couple new posts below***

*More photos of the day at brodyandann.com!