Living area make-over

Alison's house is looking so cute that I couldn't resist sharing this picture. Almost a year ago she started her updating with new archways, a new coat of paint and new curtains. The last curtain was finished a month or so ago and in the past few weeks Alison picked out new light fixtures and Quin has now installed them. It is hard to see them in this picture but they are quite simple with rubbed brass finish and slightly amber colored bowls. They all match but are slightly different to fit the different rooms. It looks so warm and inviting! For Christmas the Soderquists made committees putting their older children in charge. Rachel is heading up the indoor decoration committee and has done a wonderful job. She even talked Alison into a new Christmas tree and picked out beautiful new decorations. --Angela

Several events stand out in my mind from last week. First, I had the opportunity to brush up against somebody's life who doesn't have (I say doesn't have, but I guess I mean doesn't take advantage of) the gospel or the church organization to strengthen herself and her family. She just has no idea in how many zillions of ways a relationship with God and full association with Jesus Christ's church could have helped her family and spared them buckets of sorrow, anger, and conflicts. This church is SUCH a blessing. Boys learn from scouting and holding the priesthood and going on missions to be "real men"--to be productive and unselfish, to support their families in more ways than just financially and make them a top priority. Women gain true friendships as they work together in church callings and participate in Relief Society. The whole family hears lessons for their betterment every Sunday. Family prayer, family scripture study, and Family Home Evening unite and strengthen the family unit. Quin and I just finished a Strengthening Marriage course in our stake where we learned all sorts of valuable things. I didn't know it before, but I know it now and feel very appreciative...I LIVE IN DOMESTIC BLISS! and it's because of the church!

Friday morning, the kids were out of school and it was the last day our zoo membership was valid. So we went to the zoo! Even Daniel, Paul, and Rachel! The weather was beautiful--70's with fall colors. And there were very few people there. I felt such a lightness of heart to be with my very own lovely children in such a lovely place. I was ENJOYING myself--which happens rarely enough that I really notice when it does happen.

Halloween was pretty good. Amy and Jonathan made out like bandits in the candy department, but nobody else did any serious trick-or-treating, so we're not drowning in candy thankfully. Quin was great at answering the door and passing out candy at the trunk or treat, so I did my usual laundry.

Saturday was a fairly free day, so Amy and I got in our sporty little Neon and drove our Zimbabwean kind-of-daughter to Rexburg. She's been accepted at BYU-Idaho finally and starts in January but had never seen the campus. Katrina was so sweet and spent the afternoon with us--showing us around campus, walking through the computer with Victoria to show her how to get a job and housing, etc. It was really nice to see Katrina.

There's a new woman in the ward who has adopted me as an exercise partner. I just don't have the strength to say no to her for some reason. It's been good. But I had three nights in a row where I thought as I went to bed, "I wonder if someone can die from eating too much...'cuz I think I'm almost there." I'm thankful Halloween is over and pray we can get back to eating more normally. :)

Here's some news for the Soderquist side of the family (whoops and maybe Heidi): Dad and Wendy have received a mission call to the Raleigh North Carolina Mission to serve in the office and in proselyting. They leave December 1! Wow!

Well, Amy did not win her first election. She was in the final two for 7th grade president and we really thought she had a chance. But she took it like a man. Rachel and I had a big plan to get a cake, and go to the school and listen to the announcement, then drive Amy home. But I got a flat tire on the way to Rachel's school. My neighbor's, the Kiefer's, drove by and rescued me, and Quin rescued Rachel who'd been waiting at her school a long time. And we were a little late. Just missed the announcement, but found Amy and got her a Dairy Queen ice cream cake. I told her I'll buy her one every time she loses, but not when she wins how 'bout.

Saturday night I got out and bought all our new 72-hour kit food and we stayed up late and repacked everything. Yea! Last year it took several months to repack and the kits sat, strewn, all through the downstairs hall. A week and a day this year. That's progress. Food tips: The Ravioli with pop-top lids was a hit. We were able to heat them on the campfire nicely. Everybody hates the cheese and peanut butter crackers, so we replaced them with cheese nips. The fig newtons got gooey and we didn't dare eat them. The kippered snacks, while loved by a vocal minority, were vetoed by a more vocal majority as "too stinky". So, vienna sausages will be the canned meat of choice this year. I feel really good about this tradition. We are ready to sit in an emergency shelter when Katrina comes to town again. (That's the hurricane, not the Stanford, btw.)

Well, it's Oct 27. Probably time to get started making some Halloween costumes.

Weekly Update--

Comcast fiddled with their e-mail and I'm so frustrated because I can't figure out how to write to y'all. So I've moved to the g-mail account that Heidi was so smart to set up for us. It seems to be a lot more dumb-user friendly.

School was out for two days last week, so we grabbed our 72-hour kits and drove to Payson Lakes campground. It was beautiful. A tad cold at night and one guy who wasn't very happy to be there, but mostly kind of fun and nice to get away. On the drive home we found out that people had TONS of things to do, so Saturday was very busy. We did math all day mostly. Rachel won the prize for the most math by spending from noon until just after midnight (with a 2-hour break for a party) sitting in the same spot at the kitchen table doing her assignments. Yikes.

Amy is running for 7th grade president as some of you know. So she spent the weekend making some pretty clever campaign posters (with Krysta's help). The final vote is this week, so we'll see what happens. She says if she loses, she'll run again next year...and the next year...and the next year...and the next year...

Paul and Daniel got asked to the Halloween dance this week. Daniel got asked by the girl that Paul took to Homecoming. Paul hadn't answered his date before the campout, so Saturday Quin and I asked what we could do to help since Paul was feeling a little under the weather. Daniel says, "Oh, I already answered for him last night!" Weird.

Oh, I have a new calling--I'm Young Womens Camp Director next year! That will be very fun. I have an assistant I really like, too--Michelle Fitzgerald. But I realized I have to start being nice to all the girls. Most of them are in my living room every morning at 7:30 waiting for the Jr. High bus, I noticed today. I need to be careful not to be too crabby. :)