10 Activities For Little Ones in The Fall

Fall is my absolute favorite time of year, the leaves are changing color, it's starting to cool off, hot chocolate is acceptable and you can cuddle without dying of heat. Now that I have a little one, I want to share my love of fall with him, so I compiled a list of activities for little ones in the fall.

1. Go to a Pumpkin Patch/Farm

There are so many amazing farms that have pumpkin patches and other activities for children. Usually, they cost anywhere from $3-$10. The one I like to go to has a corn maze, a pumpkin patch, a corn pit, a petting zoo, and a slide. It's a lot of fun for kids of all ages and a good way to get out of the house and teach kids about farms!

2. Carving/Decorating Pumpkins

This has always been a tradition in my family, and I am sure it is a tradition in many other families. Depending on the age you may want to carve pumpkins or paint them, or put stickers on them! Painting pumpkins is a good alternative for little ones who aren't quite old enough to use a knife or carving tool. You can buy paint and brushes for cheap at Wal-Mart, Joan's, or any craft store. At Wal-Mart acrylic paint is $.50 each so you can usually get away with spending less than $5 on this craft! If your little one is under or around one it's always fun to carve a pumpkin for them to sit in! I think these make the cutest pictures to keep for years to come.

3. Playing in the fall leaves
 It's always fun to get outside and run around. And your yard needs to be raked up anyway, so make that chore become a little family fun. Work together to rake up leaves into a pile and have some fun jumping into the fall leaves. Then when you're done you can re-rake the leaves and finish the chore.

4. Arts & Crafts
whether is closer to Halloween or thanksgiving there a lot of fun crafts for little children. There are printable coloring pages you can get online of almost anything. Hand turkeys are always a classic around Thanksgiving time and you could ask them what they are thankful for as you make them.
For Halloween, you can turn the hands upside down and make them into monsters!

5. Collect Leaves and Make Leaf Art
Use the fall leaves for art! take a leaf put in behind a piece of paper, then use a crayon to color where the leaf is when your done coloring it will look exactly like the leaf!

6. Trick or Treating
Don't forget to visit family and friends on your trick or treat route so they can see your cute little ones in costumes!

7. Go On a Fall Nature Walk
Show your children all the different colors of leaves, take in the cool air and get some exercise.

8. Have a Campfire Before it Gets to Cold
I love fall campfires, cuddling under the stars watching the fire, making smores. If you are worried about your little one wanting to touch the fire because they are too little to understand, us a booster seat, high chair or bouncer to keep them from crawling into the fire. My little guy wouldn't let me hold him, all he wanted to do was crawl into the fire, so we used this hack and it worked great!

9. Make Festive Treats
You could make Halloween or Thanksgiving shaped sugar cookies, caramel apples, or popcorn balls. Don't forget to listen to The Monster Mash, and The Purple People Eater while your cooking!

10. Read Holiday Books
If you are closer to Halloween read books about Halloween, one of my favorites from growing up was, There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat! By Lucille Colandro. 

A Mom in College

Well, It's been a while since I have posted on my blog. Life get's busy and it's hard to find time to write sometimes. I mean nobody is paying me to post, so I don't have that motivation like a lot of other bloggers do. So life gets crazy, I can't find time to post and that's ok.

Anyways... I'm back! YAY! So here it goes.....

My husband and I are both enrolled in full-time college classes at SUU. (Southern Utah University) GO THUNDERBIRDS!

And let me tell you, it is hard. Trying to find time for homework, to take care of your child, clean the house, and find family time, is hard as heck. I shouldn't even complain because my poor husband is doing all that plus working 3 jobs. (He is absolutely amazing, I know!)

But no matter how hard it gets, it is doable. For me, I just need to remember the reasons why I am there. For example:

1. I am there to make a better future for my children.
2. So I can have a career that I enjoy and has more opportunities.
3. To show my children that no matter how hard it gets you can achieve your dreams if you work hard
4. I have always had goal to go to college
5. I am lucky to have this opportunity and be given a grant to pay for it.

By the time I get to number 5 on that list I am feeling a lot better and ready to get to work typing my essay for English while simultaneously making sure Elijah is staying safe in the bathtub. Because multitasking is something I have had to learn to do to be able to care for Eli and do homework at the same time.

My life has become a delicate balance between the most important things and I have to work hard to stay on top of them. But as my first college midterm passes I feel like wonder woman. I can go to school with a 10-month-old son, and I can get good grades while doing it. No, it does not take away from his childhood and he isn't going to be scarred for life that I left him with a babysitter while I go to class. It will teach him the value of education and that if you work hard, no matter your circumstances you can achieve just that. And that is priceless compared to what I have to give up.

Goodbye Again Soldier

He cried. The man I have only seen cry maybe once was crying. Tears rolling down his cheeks as he held our son and looked at him. He's a tough one, he doesn't let things get to him like many others do. But as we stood there, watching the minutes tick by to the time he had to finally let go he cried. We cried. He held me and our son for one last time before we were once again separated because of the military. But as many military families do every day, we said good bye and I drove away and the countdown begins and life goes on. This is forever the cycle of military life. Goodbye's, welcome home's, see ya later's and hello's.

Too Easy

To be honest, a lot of the time I am jealous of civilian marriages. Although there are definitely times that I love being married to a soldier, I mean that pride you feel whenever people talk about the "great" men and woman who serve this country or whenever someone thanks your hubby for his service is great. And lets be honest, he looks pretty amazing in his uniform. But there are days like today you wish you were in a civilian marriage.

Today is mothers day, and to be more specific today is my very first mothers day. But Zayne couldn't be with me today because he is still in Army Basic Training. Which, to be honest sucks. Like I am so very proud of him and what he is doing so he can serve this great country, don't get me wrong, but of course being away from him for so long with little to no communication sucks. (I did understand that was part of the deal when we decided after we were married that he should join.)

Anyways, back to my story. So it's my first mothers day and I think that they will for sure let them call us today. I was counting on it. I'm not even sure why I counted on it. I already no that you can't count on the Army for anything unless it is that the Army always comes first. (That of course is on anything personal. Of course we can count on them to keep us safe and to do the best they can in any task they are given) But I got my hopes up and waited by my phone all day. Jumping at any notification hoping just hoping it was a call from him. 21:00 rolls around and I know that is around the time lights are out for them and they are in bed and I come to realization that no, I am not getting a call today. No, I won't get to hear from my husband on my first ever mothers day.

So yes, today is one of those days I wish I was in a civilian marriage. But at the same time I know this is what God wanted for me and my family and it is the best thing for us. Sometimes the best things are the hardest things. So I'll just embrace the suck and remember that this is all for the best.

Letter To My Husband at Basic 2

Dear Loving Husband,

I hold our baby close for you and whisper to him that his daddy loves him. I tell him stories about you so he knows who you are. I let him play with your dog tags and tell him what everything means on them. I pray for your peace and protection with him every night.

We make this separation work. We walk this path not alone, but with Christ, helping us through times of loneliness reminding us we aren't alone. I pray you look to him in this time of need. 

Together we count the days until we can see you next. Stay strong for me until then and we will stay strong for you until then. 

Forever yours,

            Your Loving Wife

A Letter To My Husband At Basic Training

My Loving Husband,

I wear your RSP dog tags everyday so I have you close to my heart. I count down the days until I can see you next. I hear you telling me I'm strong and that if anyone can handle the distance I can. I imagine you laying next to me every night before bed remembering the times I would keep you up because I had to tell you everything I was thinking. I still tell you everything I'm thinking, just in written form. So of course sometimes my letters don't make any sense. But that's okay because you know me and you will understand. My loving Husband, I'm grateful for the sacrifices you make for our family. but most of all, I'm grateful for you and for the strength you give me through the things you have told me in the past. Those things help me get through this time we are apart. My loving Husband, I'm proud of you and what you are doing. I love you and miss you. Stay strong.

Forever Yours,

                   Your Loving Wife

How To Get Little Ones Involved In Writing Letters

My husband Zayne is currently at military boot camp at Fort Leonard Wood Missouri. I write him every day, but my son, being 3 months old can't really write him. And I know he would love to get anything from him so I came up with ideas to help Eli get involved.

1. Use paint to make hand prints and footprints on your letters. 

Eli can't write or draw yet, so I write letters and use his foot prints or hand prints for him to sign our letters. This way Eli has a part in the letter and Zayne can watch as his little hands and feet grow.  

2- Pictures, the kind you draw

If your child is old enough to scribble on a paper to any extent, then have them draw a picture and send that to your loved one. No matter how messy or crazy the picture is send it to them. I promise the color and the thought will make their day!

3- Pictures 

Now this one is kind of a no brainer. Take pictures of life while your loved one is gone and send them to them. I also am going to get professional pictures done, my sister is a professional photographer (Bekah Hatch Photography) and I am having her take pictures of me and Eli to send to my husband.

5 ways to show your husband you love him

I'm lazy. I HATE doing laundry. I HATE cleaning at all. I procrastinate. I start fights with my husband over absolutely nothing. But he still loves me. He still tells me I'm perfect. And he still acts like I'm the most amazing person in the world.

Zayne is the most unselfish person. He is so amazing and kind. He works hard for our family and is willing to put himself last. I love him so much, but sometimes I feel like I don't show it enough. So I have come up with some fun ways to show your husband you love him.

1- A book of love notes.

I got this little notebook for a buck from Wal-Mart before we were married and started writing love notes to him in it. I would write about fun memories we had and add pictures, movie tickets, concert tickets, etc. to help save our amazing memories we have together. I wrote in it from the beginning of August until Christmas eve when I put it in his stocking.

 3- Puns!

I LOVE puns. I think they are the most hilarious thing ever. So I found a bunch of cute ones about love on Pinterest drew them on a note card and taped them up to the bathroom mirror for him to find.

LIST OF PUNS

I cannoli be happy when I'm with you

I love you berry much 

You're my butter half

We make a nice pear

Owl always love you

I love you from my head tomatoes

I lava you

Olive you

4- Notes

In addition to my book of love notes I like to leave random notes around the house. I'll leave it on the door for him to see when he gets home from work. On the bathroom mirror for him to see when he wakes up to go to work. Just anywhere that he could find them and they would make his day. 

5- A chatbook dedicated to showing him you love him.

Dual Military Couples

Two different branches. Two different bases. Two different deployments. Two different people serving our country. But they are one family. One love. One dual military couple.

Dual military couples have the strongest of marriages. They live each day not knowing when their next deployment is going to be and whether they will both be deployed or just one. Not knowing whether they will be deployed to the same place or two different places, miles apart. That would have to be the hardest part of being a duel military couple. But having that possibility of being far apart makes the time they do spend together even more special.

But when a couple makes the decision to go dual military (if they were not both previously enlisted before they met) people seem to look down on that decision. Like when I first told my mom that I saw a career opportunity in the military that I was interested in the first thing she said was, "Yeah, but you don't want to do that. You shouldn't have both parents in the military and I don't like that kind of stuff for girls." and, "Remember your aunt was in the national guard and got deployed and your uncle had to take care of the kids?"

Now I love my mom and I respect her opinion but this is one area where I don't agree with her.

First off, a lot of people are married with kids and are dual military. It's completely possible; it may be tough at times but it is doable and if you think its what God wants you to do then don't let other people tell you its the wrong decision.

Second, the military takes care of its military families. They make sure you have a plan for if both parents get deployed and they make sure your child has enough food and support. The military does try to not deploy both parents at the same time but, sometimes that just isn't possible, and by joining the military both spouses understand that that is a possibility.

If others can do dual military so can I, and so can you if that what you feel is right for your family. It may be tough. There may be a lot of obstacles that you and your spouse will have to go through. But it is completely possible and is full of so many great opportunities that maybe other wise your family wouldn't have. So if you have the desire to serve this country and join the military then do it. If that's what God is telling you to do then listen. God knows all. He knows if you should join or not. So if you have the desire but are unsure if its right for your family pray. You will get your answer. Do what is right for you and your family, not what society tells you is right.

The Veil Is Thinner Than You Think

I believe that the veil that separates this life from the life beyond is thinner than we think. Especially for babies and toddlers. They are fresh from the pre-mortal life in the presence of God and in the company of our ancestors and the veil separating them from that is very thin.

Like when my husband and I found out that we were having a boy. We decided to name him Elijah. a few days later we were babysitting my niece and nephew. While we were babysitting I would show pictures of people in our family to my two year old niece and asking her what their names were. With each picture she new exactly who they were and would tell me their names. Then I got to a picture of my ultra sound and thought it would be fun to ask her who it was to see what she would do. "June, who is this?" I said as I pointed to the picture of the ultra sound.

Without even hesitating she looked at the picture and said, "Elijah," very matter-of-factly and went back to playing.

I looked at Zayne and by the look on his face I knew he had heard it too. I knew at that moment that Elijah and June had spent time together in the pre-mortal life and that they knew each other. How amazing is that! That many of us knew each other before we were born? That a lot of us were friends before we were born! I think that's why with some people we just click and it feels like we have known each other forever, because we actually have! MIND BLOWN!

The veil IS thinner than we think, and we DO have help from BOTH sides of the veil.

Another example from my son is after we had decided on the name Elijah we were trying to think of middle names and I just felt like he had a very close connection to my grandpa so we named him Elijah Seymour Glatz after my Grandpa Seymour. And through out the whole pregnancy I felt as if my grandpa was there helping me through it. "Sometimes the veil between this life and the life beyond becomes very thin. Our loved ones who have passed on are not far from us." (Ezra Taft Benson)

I just know that he and Eli had spent a lot of time together up in heaven. I feel that through out Eli's life my grandpa will be there helping him, even if he doesn't know it. Like the pioneers that felt someone pushing their handcart from behind but when they looked back they saw no one. It was because they had help from the other side of the veil. "You have help from both sides of the veil, and you must never forget that. When disappointment and discouragement strike... remember and never forget that if our eyes could be opened we would see horses and chariots of fire as far as the eye can see riding at reckless speed to come to our protection." (Jeffrey R. Holland, 'For Time of Trouble' March 1980) 

CHILLS.

How great is it that not only people we know here on earth are cheering us on and helping us, but people on the other side of the veil are too. We have the help, we have the encouragement. We can beat Satan. And we can make it back to our loving Heavenly Father again. Remember, "heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever." (Jeffrey R. Holland)

Memories Are Amazing So Why Not Record Them?

Memories are amazing. How fun is it to look back and relive your favorite memories? I mean its like you can travel back in time and feel all those feelings again. I love it! Our brains may keep everything but sometimes it tucks things away into places that are harder to access and we "forget." So why not record your memories while you can still remember them? It's not too hard I promise. So I've come up with 3 ways to record memories.

1- Journal Keeping- I absolutely LOVE journaling and journals and writing down feelings and thoughts and okay you get the point. But really keeping a journal is an amazing way to put down memories and feelings and thoughts that you might want to look back on later in life. Al Fox Carraway (basically my hero) put a video out about 7 different journal ideas. So if you want to journal but you don't want to do the average journal she has a lot of amazing ideas,  you could even do all 7 if you wanted!

2-Scrapbooks, Photo albums, Chatbooks- Pictures are good at triggering your memories. Scrapbooks, photo albums, and Chatbooks are all good ways to keep photos of memories. Almost everyone has some sort of smart phone they can pull out almost anywhere to capture moments in everyday life. So print out those pictures to show off to friends and family in your scrapbooks and photo albums. Chat books are a little bit different because instead of printing out your pictures yourself you make your book in an app on your phone and they print it out and send it to you. (I discovered these and love them they make scrap booking 10x easier) 

3-Social Media- I love social media because of how easy and simple it is to connect with friends and family. You can upload pictures and they will be in chronological order which is really nice, and they can also connect to your Chatbook app and make a book out of all your uploaded pictures automatically for you. 

Some of My Favorite Scriptures

"O be wise; what can I say more?" -Jacob 6:12 

This is one of my all time favorite scriptures. I love how short and to the point it is. Here is a list of other scriptures that I love. Cause the scriptures are full of amazing verses that are meant to help us. If you ever have questions, say a prayer and look to the scriptures for answers and you will find them. Every time I open the scriptures I feel the spirit so strong. They really are the word of God and a testament of Christ.

1 Nephi 29 (its too long to type out)

"Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work." -Doctrine and Covenants 10:5

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." -James 1:5

"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." -James 2:17

"Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only... For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." -James 2: 24,26

"And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tiding of great joy how beautiful up the mountains shall they be." -1 Nephi 13:37

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."-John 14:26-27

"And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them." Mosiah 4:10

"But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." -Matthew 19:26

"And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?" -1 Nephi 15:8

"For the Lord hath heard thy prayers, and hath judged of thy righteousness, and hath sent me to declare unto thee that thou mayest rejoice; and that thou mayest declare unto thy people, that they may also be filled with joy." -Mosiah 3:4

"The Lord shall reign for ever and ever." Exodus 15:18

"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost." -Moroni 10:4

3 Things I Hope That My Kids Take To Heart

There are so many life lessons and things that kids should learn, like saying please and thank you, washing their hands, and sharing etc. Those things are important for them to learn but there are a few other things I hope they take to heart. Here are 3.

1- To never apologize for their faith. Too many people these days are hiding their faith from others to keep from offending or of being attacked because of their faith. But you should never have to hide your faith. You should wear it as a badge, if someone asks about your faith never be embarrassed, be apologetically proud. I once heard a saying that went, "If you were arrested for being Mormon would there be enough evidence to convict you?" I would hope that answer would be yes. 

2-  To "always be humble and kind"- Just like Tim Mcgraw teaches us. Nobody is better than anyone, no matter what. No matter faith, skin color, the amount of money they have, no matter what. It is never okay to  have a holier than thou mindset or think you are better than anyone. Everyone is amazing in their own ways. 

3- That family is always important- No matter if you are getting along at the moment or not family is always family. You should always be there to support and uplift your family, as they would for you. "Families are Ordained of God." (The Family- a Proclamation to the world) God created the family unit because it is essential to his great plan. Families are so important to him that he created a way for them to be together through the eternities, by being sealed together in the temple. 

(My little Guy)

Hold Him a Little Longer

I know how stressful it is to be a mom. Life gets busy, chores pile up, errands need ran, and the baby still needs fed every 2 hours. The mountain of laundry mocks me every time I walk into the room. The dishes from yesterdays dinner are still sitting in the sink waiting for me to wash them. And if I'm being completely honest, I haven't showered in a couple days. There is so much to get done in a 24 hour day it causes most moms major stress trying to keep up with it all.

But today, I'm not going to do any of that, it can wait until tomorrow. Today I am going to pull my little guy close and whisper to him how much I love him. Today I am going to cuddle with him and try to memorize the way he smells of baby lotion. Today I am going to read him a story, and then a few more. I'll sing him my favorite primary songs and nursery rhymes. I'll count his little fingers and toes one more time. I'll hold him tight and take a note of how small he is. 

Because soon he will no longer be this little baby I'm holding right now. Soon he will be an adult and will be moving out. Soon he will be getting married and having kids of his own. Soon but not today. So for today while he is still my little baby boy, I'm going to hold him a little longer, and love on him a little more. 

Returning to The Temple

Me at the Manti, UT temple

 I am nowhere near perfect. I have made so many mistakes in my life. But, because of Christ's Atonement I can be washed clean of these mistakes and sins. 

"though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; 

though they be as red as crimson, they shall be as wool." Isaiah 1:18

We have all sinned; and sometimes those sins are what are keeping us from entering the doors of the temple. How heart wrenching that is to know your not worthy to enter the temple.  I have been there before. But because of Christ atonement I was able to be forgiven of my sins and make my way back into the temple. 

I remember how it felt as walked into the temple for the first time after becoming worthy again through using Christs atonement. I went the morning after I was given my temple recommend. I was so excited I walked through the doors and immediately felt peace. I knew for a fact that I had been forgiven. Being in the temple is the most amazing thing. I got to walk where Christ has walked. I know he has visited each and every temple, and how amazing is it that we can walk where he walks. That we can enter his house. Like it says on every temple, "holiness to the Lord, the house of the Lord." 

To anyone who is letting a sin keep them from entering the temple, please don't be afraid to utilize the Atonement and become temple worthy again. If you are afraid of talking to your bishop, don't be. He doesn't judge you, he doesn't think of you as a bad person. He wants to help you. I promise. He will guide you in knowing what the Lord wants you to do, and help you in using the Atonement. God wants you to be worthy to enter the temple, he wants you to visit his house. He loves you and has his arms open. He invites you to come unto him. All you have to do is take the first step, he will show you the way. 

My Understanding (A post I wrote a while ago but never published until now)

Photo by: Rebekah Hatch, Hatch Photography
I’ve come to realize what this life is really like, (The military life) what it’s really about. It took me going to the hospital to understand.

I woke up at 3 in the morning with a stabbing pain in my chest and back. It hurt so bad I couldn’t breathe. Seeing me in so much pain scared my husband Zayne to death so he made me go to the hospital, practically forcing me. (If you know me you know I absolutely HATE going to a doctor of any kind.)

We get to the hospital around 5, since it took a lot of convincing to get me to go, and the hospital staff admitted me to the labor and delivery department. Since I’m 33 weeks pregnant they wanted to make sure it’s not labor related first. As I sat in the hospital bed, holding Zayne’s hand, I watched as the clock got closer and closer to 6:30. Why? Because it was drill weekend.

Why does something serious happen when my husband has to leave my side and go to drill? I’m only 19.. I haven’t got this being an adult thing down yet. I just wanted to cry. But the inevitable happened and he got in his uniform, kissed me goodbye and left alone in the hospital. I felt like crying but then one of the nurses said something that made me understand, She said to my husband as he walked out, “Thank you for your service, I’m sorry that you have to leave at such an inconvenient time.”

And then I realized it. Someone has to give up everything to serve and protect. Someone needs to be willing to put their life on the line for America. Ya it sucks that my husband had to leave me alone at the hospital to go to drill, but I’m proud that he is willing to do what most are unwilling to do but take for granted everyday. I’m proud to stand behind one of the great men that serve our country.

So thank you to every man and woman serving in our military. Thank you to their families who give up a parent, son, or daughter during hard times, holidays or just everyday life because they are at drill, or deployed. Thank you because your sacrifice of giving up that special someone give America another soldier to protect her rights and freedom. Because as we all know freedom doesn’t come free.