My ExtraOrdinary Life: October 2017

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

October 2017

Conference and Fall Leaves

We love to take a drive to see the leaves change on conference weekend.

My younger boys enjoyed finding each apostle as they spoke in LDS conference.

It's always beautiful to see the changing colors.

We found some snow and got out to have a snowball fight.

Halloween

Marshal was a dragon for Halloween,

Cort was a punk rocker and Braxton was a wolf.

Kent finally set up his Halloween decorations and surprised

trick-or-treaters on Halloween and the kids loved carving pumpkins!

It's always fun at the school parade!

We enjoyed picking out pumpkins at Petersen's Farm

and my kids did well on Halloween night.

The many faces of Marlies when she gets into the spirit of Halloween.

Life in October

Marshal fixing his bike. Marshal having fun with cousin Levi. Cort enjoying soccer.

Marshal hiding in the blanket. Cort won an award for his Reflections artwork!

Nothing better than crazy morning hair, great photos of Erik and Mariel,

a girl night out to see my friend Kristen's production, and empowering quotes!

Monday, October 23, 2017

Kunz Family Trip to Moab - Fall Break 2017

Hole in the Rock

Sometimes you come up with a great idea. We decided instead of a family camp out this year we would take a trip to Moab and this trip ROCKED! On our way we stopped off at

Hole in the Rock. It was an interesting place.

Newspaper Rock

We had a good time exploring Newspaper Rock.

My younger siblings wanted to do some hiking around so they took Aaron and

Braxton and went exploring. Braxton enjoyed going with them.

A bunch of us enjoyed spending some time climbing.

Arches National Park

The rock formations at the entrance of Arches National Park. The formations I know are

Balancing rock, The Three Gossips, Courthouse Towers, and sheep rock.

The kids enjoyed the hike to delicate arch and Marshal was a champ hiker!

Braxton and Austin found this cool rock to climb into.

We finally reached delicate arch. It was awesome!

There was a line to get your picture taken with it.

More delicate arch.

We enjoyed a few other arches as well.

The boys loved exploring at Arches!

Dead Horse State Park

After Arches we took a detour to Dead Horse State Park and enjoyed a cool view!

Taking in the sights!

Kent showing Marshal how to take a selfie!

Beautiful views...

...all around!

Moab Fun

Uncle Brian came up with a fun rocked launching project!

We had a blast...literally.

Nothing like braiding hair for your uncles!

We also enjoyed celebrating Dad/Grandpa's 70th birthday!

I made a good arm rest for these shorty's!

We had beautiful fall colors on the way back home!

Sunday, October 1, 2017

September fun 2017

September Fun Started with...

Grandpa Kunz' 70th Birthday!

Grandpa isn't a huge fan of cake so for his birthday we decided he needed pie...

...one pie for every decade!

State Fair

We enjoyed a night at the state fair after missing it for many years.

The boys had fun on a few of the amusement rides.

Terra Linda's

45th Birthday Party

Fake it until you make it...

Marshal gets upset at times and I will tell him to go to his bed until he is happy so he will tell me, "Marshal happy!" and show me this open face and then smile. It makes me laugh.

The other night I was weeding and enjoyed watching the geese fly over.

Life in September

This month we enjoyed time with the Starrs,

and the blue papers were the mess the kids made in their back yard.

Marshal showed me his climbing ability during nap time.

Marshal and Amelia show off their muscles with frosting jars.

Marshal wanted to show off the road he had made.

Why Should We Keep a Gratitude Journal?

“When you walk with gratitude you do not walk with arrogance, and conceite, and egotism, you walk with the spirit of thanksgiving that is becoming to you and will bless your lives” -President Gordon B. Hinckley

“Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings but it also unlocks the doors of Heaven and helps us feel God's love.” -President Thomas S. Monson

“Regardless of our circumstances each of us has much for which to be grateful if we will but pause and contemplate our blessings.” -President Thomas S. Monson

“We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude.” -President Thomas S. Monson

“If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins then gratitude takes it's place among the noblest of virtues.” -President Thomas S. Monson

“Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness in it's place. How much happier we are in the presence of a grateful and loving soul and how careful we should be to cultivate through the medium of a prayerful life a thankful attitude to our God and man.” -President Joseph F. Smith

“To express gratitude is gracious and honorable, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven.” -President Thomas S. Monson

Inspiring Quotes

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are we not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others."

Source: A Return to Love, by Marianne Williamson, as quoted by Nelson Mandela in his inaugural speech, 1994

"What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal."

-Albert Pine

"Do you young people want a sure way to eliminate the influence of the adversary in your life? Immerse yourself in searching for your ancestors, prepare their names for the sacred vicarious ordinances available in the temple, and then go to the temple to stand as proxy for them to receive the ordinances of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. As you grow older, you will be able to participate in receiving the other ordinances as well. I can think of no greater protection from the influence of the adversary in your life." -Elder Richard G. Scott in October conference of 2012

WHY I AM A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS (AKA MORMON)

I grew up attending the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS for short) and never questioned the things I was taught. When I moved to Oregon (age 13) many of my peers began to ask me questions and I realized that the only way I could answer many of these questions was to gain my own knowledge and testimony of the church I belonged to. I read the Book of Mormon and knelt down to ask the Lord if these things I had read were true. I experienced a feeling of peace, warmth, and joy so overwhelming that it brought me to tears. Later I wanted to have that same knowledge of a new prophet who was going to guide our church. I prayed and asked God and did not receive an immediate answer. As I watched General Conference (a world wide broadcast of talks by modern-day prophets held every 6 months) the following day the congregation sang a song entitled "We Thank thee O God for a Prophet" and as they sang again I experienced that same warmth, peace, and joy of the spirit of the Lord and I knew that Gordon B. Hinckley was called by God to lead His church here on the earth. Still today I read my scriptures often and listen to our prophet to gain more knowledge of the will of the Lord for me. I love my Heavenly Father and I know that He did in fact send His Son Jesus Christ to atone for the sins of each person in this world. I still continue to receive direction and testiment from the spirit and therefore know that Thomas S. Monson has now been called of God to be our prophet to guide us today. As it says in James 1:5 If anyone wants to know the truths that Lord has revealed to this earth they have only but to ask Him and he WILL answer. I leave these words with you in the name of my living Savior Jesus Christ, Amen!

“To be a righteous woman is a glorious thing in any age. To be a righteous woman during the winding up scenes on this earth, before the second coming of our Savior, is an especially noble calling. The righteous woman’s strength and influence today can be tenfold what it might be in more tranquil times. She has been placed here to help to enrich, to protect, and to guard the home—which is society’s basic and most noble institution. Other institutions in society may falter and even fail, but the righteous woman can help to save the home, which may be the last and only sanctuary some mortals know in the midst of storm and strife.” Spencer W. Kimball

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My ExtraOrdinary Life