Edwards Haps and Mishaps

What better way to start out Thanksgiving than to work off the feast before you eat it? Some would disagree…but we had fun! Kelsey and I ran a 10K yesterday morning, the Folsom Turkey Trot. We were kind of unsure if we could do the full 6.2 miles, we hadn’t been that great at training…but somehow we pulled it off! We were pretty proud :)

Here we are before starting.

Kelsey finishing…

And in this picture below…I had been running for an hour and finally spotted my husband near the finish line. Shaun was the designated camera man to document our arrival. Kelsey was a few feet ahead of me and so I see him take pictures of her…then he keeps following her….and he just keeps panning…as I run right by him. This was my reaction as he forgot about me…and pretty much the only picture of me running…we thought it would at least be a good story to tell.

He tried to tell me to go back and run so it looked like we got a decent picture…but it looks really realistic since I am not even running through the finish line :)

And, below are just some videos of Preston. It’s been awhile since we’ve had a working video camera!

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I brought these to church yesterday for my laurels and it was a hit…everyone was stopping me in the halls to look at them (and the primary kids MAULED me after church…seruiously.) I thought it was a fun, and REALLY easy thing to do for Thanksgiving if you have a bunch of kids coming over…or even fun for just your family to make. I got it out of a parenting magazine, so it wasn’t my idea…but they turned out cuter than I thought! You use half an Oreo for the bottom, put a glob of frosting on the bottom of another whole Oreo then stick that on the half. Use a malt ball for the head, jam some candy corns into the Oreo frosting and then break off the tip of a candy corn and frost-glue it onto the malt ball for a beak. Ta-da! I used the holiday oreos and then Christmas and normal colored candy corns. Fun, cheap, easy.

I did it. I got an amazing camera.

My heart was pounding when I walked into the store…I get anxious spending any more than $20.

It was crazy, but I did it…and I AM SO EXCITED!!

Hard as I tried to keep him away, Preston still found the camera and it scooted off the table onto the tile floor. My poor camera…out of commission for at least 4-6 weeks…maybe now is the perfect time to upgrade…hmm… We’ll see. I’ll keep you updated as I am sure you are DYING to know!

One of it’s last fun pictures…

I am terrible with this blogging business lately! I just never find the time…though I am on the computer a ton! Anyway, we are just keeping busy. Shaun is finishing up the last few drafts of his personal statement for law school applications…hopefully he can get in some applications soon! Every day there are about three packets of information in the mailbox from different law schools…there are so many options!!! Where do we go?! Well…i guess we need to be accepted somewhere first :) then we’ll figure it out.

I have been pretty busy taking pictures…getting tons of practice! This weekend I’ll take pictures of my aunt and uncle and their four kids! I haven’t done more three people so this should be an adventure. Last weekend I went with the young women and leaders in our ward on a retreat. It was a lot of fun, I think everyone had a good time. We mainly worked on building self esteem and becoming unified…which I think is GREAT for girls at that age.

Preston just keeps getting crazier and crazier! The first thing he says in the morning is “mimi” “stein?” He’s a TV junkie! He’s talking a lot too…when we go to eat breakfast he says “tote” meaning toast and then he’ll say butter…it’s so fun now that he’s saying new words all the time. He says things and I usually have no clue as to where he heard it.

Below is a picture of Preston on his “new” horse. New to him, but obviously not new…I had one of these when I was little, but a neighbor came over and gave us a ton of little kid stuff that her kids had outgrown…this included. Preston got up here all by himself!

PS I noticed “Charlie and Lola” is on in the background…that is the CUTEST cartoon. I watch it just to listen to their accents. It’s adorable. On Disney Channel…

He loves to play with the hose…so I let him go at it, and he always come in the house soaked. I am sure one of these days the hose will come inside too…I am just waiting for that day.

And not only is he handsome…he’s artistic too :)

Preston and I went to this nursery (High Hand Nursery in Loomis, CA…off Taylor Road) to take pictures of my friend’s little girl, and a few of Preston, and some random fish and other cool things…FYI, if you live in this area, go! Even if you aren’t planning on buying anything, it’s BEAUTIFUL! I felt like I sneaked into the secret garden or something (“oh ale-goya, please come to me…” hahaha-kels…) There was soft music playing, a pond, fountains all over, adorable benches, a really cute cafe in a greenhouse…I could have stayed there all day. I almost bought one of those mushrooms…mostly because I felt bad i had gone in to use their business solely for a good picture and that was probably one of the only things I could afford…but then I decided they looked way better altogether. One just wouldn’t be as cute. Anyway, this is starting to be a pretty pointless post, just thought I would write something because I really loved this place.

AND…YAY FOR PROP 8! All the hard work paid off. The war definitely isn’t over but I know the Lord helped us to win that battle. Thanks to all who got out to vote and who put in time and effort to get this passed!!

This election year has been an emotional one. An issue which I am passionate about has left me many times angry, frustrated, sad, and any other unhappy feeling because of the way we have been treated because of our religious beliefs. As I have read my scriptures I have tried to find words to lift my spirits, and every time I have asked, I have been blessed with comfort. I just wanted to share some of the scriptures that have really stood out to me and given me reassurance in this time where the adversary is fighting mean and hard.

2 Nephi 26:8 – But behold, the righteous that hearken unto the words of the prophets, and destroy them not, but look forward unto Christ with steadfastness for the signs which are given, notwithstanding all persecution—behold, they are they which shall not perish.

Matthew 5:10-12 – Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven…

Matthew 5 :44-45 – 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

This has brought me comfort today. Regardless of what the vote is on Prop 8, I need to follow the prophet, pray for those who may hate me and my beliefs, and know that in the end I can have a great reward after this life!

AND on a brighter, cuter note…we have a huge box of apples on the kitchen table right now. Preston has figured out how to get up there and we always find several apples with browning teeth marks! He constantly points to the box and says, “abbey.” so here he is, happy and eating his “abbey” probably watching “mimi” and “donol” (Mickey and Donald.)

You are currently looking at the winner of the Woodside Ward chili cook-off! Yes, I won best in show!

It came as  a surprise to all of us…the youth were making fun of my soupy looking chili while going through the line but apparently it tasted better than it looked. I am pretty excited about this. One day if we have a place to display trophies, this one will be there.

Yesterday was Halloween, as I am sure most of you are aware of :) Preston was a skunk and he definitely was a little stinker! We have tried getting him used to the idea of wearing this adorable little suit but he still despised it. Oh well, once he realized that people put things in his little bucket each time he knocked on a door, he felt a little better about the idea. Here are some pictures from his first trick-or-treating experience.

Hating his outfit.

Getting down to business and leading the pack.

Looking so grown up.

Nana and Kelsey helping him.

After a long night of trick-or-treating!