Monster Cookies

Melissa was very brave and invited us all over to her condo's club house to make Monster Cookies Halloween day. Dad & Mom Beck, Jeff & Emily's family and us all came. My kids sure had fun playing with their cousins. Melissa has this really fun recipe that is made without any flour. It was a pretty sticky mixture, but worked awesome and tasted great. The kids were able to shape their cookie dough into whatever they wanted and cover it with many yummy toppings. Some kids definitely went overboard more than others:). While they were waiting for their cookie to cook, Melissa had some really fun Halloween music playing that they were all dancing to. They were having fun doing the bunny hop and just being silly. Some fun games were also played while they were waiting anxiously.

Carter & Cooper and below Parker & Alyssa (Parker pretty proud to be able to carry somebody almost bigger than him).
Carter, Ashlyn, Camille, Tanner, Cooper and Dad Beck (taking a nap:) while the kids were playing games.
Johnathan, Parker, Mom Beck & Cameron
Cute Alyssa with her cookie.
The yummy cookies baking in the oven.

Silly Bradley & Cadan. Bradley was closing his eyes for the pictures so Cadan decided to be silly and do the same.
Tanner with his yummy cookie.
These pictures are out of order. Some of the next pictures were taken upon arriving as the kids were creating their masterpieces.
Melissa helping Johnathan make his cookie.
Bradley was having a great time deciding what to put on his monster cookie.
Parker made a cute man.
Johnathan's hand creation.
Parker & Cooper
Carter & Parker making their cookies.
Bradley
Bradley & Parker enjoying the music especially "Purple People Eater."
The kids are all having fun doing the bunny hop.Melissa with all the crazy nieces and nephews. Thanks Melissa - we all had a great time!

After most had left, my kids were having a good time being silly doing flips and dancing. Camille caught some pretty funny video of Johnathan.

Gratitude

I am so far behind in my blogging right now that I have been depressed to add any new posts. I have, however, had so many thoughts floating around in my head that I had to write them down. I am extremely thankful for so many amazing things in my life right now. I have such an awesome husband, 6 amazing children, a beautiful house, wonderful neighborhood/ward, such great friends, awesome and such supportive family, Byron has such a great job with an absolutely amazing company, and the list can go on. I just don't understand how I can ever feel depressed or unloved when I see all that I truly have to be grateful for. I do, however, have the natural tendencies of man and find myself comparing myself with others, wanting things that I don't have, feel like I don't deserve all that I have in my life, feelings of inadequacy, and the list goes on unfortunately. I have been trying really hard to get these feelings to leave as quickly as they come, but that has been a trial in itself. I know that these feelings and thoughts are from Satan. He wants us to feel this way about ourselves because he knows how much potential we have and doesn't want us to amount to anything. He laughs when we tear ourselves down. He does not want the "family" to succeed and is trying everything in his power to do that. One way he is trying to make this happen is by making the wife/mother feel these feelings so she doesn't stand up to her true potential.

I have recently had a scripture add new meaning in my life. It is -- "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." - Ether 12:27 - This scripture has given me hope for all of those things that I struggle with. I know that I can overcome all these negative tendencies and become "strong" with the help of the Savior.