Halloween Fun

Apart from Christmas, Halloween is my favorite holiday. It's so much fun if you don't get caught up in all the horror/gore stuff!

I'd realized the last 2 years Jonathon and I had been pretty boring around Halloween time. The year we dated, I made him go to two haunted houses with me: This is the Place's Haunted Village (which was lame-o) and Nightmare on 13th (which scared Jonathon with a fake spider dropping down on his head!).

I tried to convince Jonathon to do something festive with me and I finally convinced him to do one of the tamest events we could find: the Haunted Lift Ride at Sundance.

It was freezing but we had a lot of fun seeing different Halloween themes on the mountain as we rode along. Jonathon was scared he was going to fall off the lift, so I bravely laughed at him the whole time. We ended the night with delicious cups of hot chocolate from the Cocoa Bean (seriously the best place ever).

In preparation for Halloween, I started shopping for Halloween costumes to get some ideas early in October. I couldn't find anything we both liked, but I finally came across one that I loved and convinced Jonathon to go along with it. He told me he was approving my choice because he "knew how much I loved Halloween." He later told me how much it surprised him our first Halloween together how much I was into it. He thought I went "all out" in my costume just to impress him.

I'm a doll. He's 3-hole punch Jim.

The next year he realized how serious I was into the holiday when I made us have matching costumes:

A gangster & his flapper

Last year was a lazy year where we got costumes at the last minute but still managed to match. In our lackadaisical nature, we also failed to take pictures of our costumes (though my sister-in-law got some). We were Waldo and Wanda--like from the "Where's Waldo?" books.

And this year. Oh, this year I was so happy when Jonathon's costume came in the mail. I immediately made him put it on:

Olaf Jonathon giving everyone a "warm hug"

You can imagine how excited I was, then, when I discovered we would be attending 3 Halloween parties this year. The first was our ward party on Thursday, October 29th:

Our first public appearance

The food was scrumptious. We had lots of soup, candy, desserts, and a delectable green salad (kinda weird my favorite part was the green salad...)

The next party on Friday, October 30th, was hosted by some friends in our ward. It was a Haunted Halloween themed party where we were supposed to dress up as our favorite movie star or character--with a spooky twist! Now, I wouldn't go so far as to say Anna and Olaf are our favorites but...the costumes fit the theme! To add to it though, I made us into zombies. Well, Jonathon was a zombie who liked "warm blood" and I was him victim:

Have you ever thought Olaf could be this creepy?

I dyed my hair red for this costume!

Then, on beloved Halloween evening, we attended the annual Hansen Halloween party:

Love me some Halloween!

The food, as always, was spectacular:

Our snake cal-zone entrees and delicious spinach dip!

I made a graveyard chip dip and put guacamole in a carved pumpkin.

Amber's amazing cake. Everything on it was made by hand (except the pumpkins).

The kiddos couldn't be cuter:

Dinosaur Grahm (who attacked while veraciously
exclaiming "I'm a dinosaur, RRRAHH!" 

Princess Harlie - she was so proud of her jewelry

Dinosaur Parker (Thanks Carrie for the photo!) - who
loved petting the dogs and was obsessed with holding
Uncle Tate's hand while trick-or-treating

Each party was fun in it's own way, but I was glad we could end the festivities with family. Part of what makes it so fun is that my brothers enjoy the holiday as much as I do. I guess we can credit that to a mom who never let the holiday go half-done. We always had lots of decorations, candy, and awesome homemade costumes. In essence, the holiday reminds us (at least me) of my childhood and all of the wonderful memories associated with it. I hope to keep the up the tradition of a fun- and candy-filled holiday with my own kiddos someday.

Why is It Ok?

When it was announced that the First Presidency wanted to read a letter over the pulpit after same-sex marriage had been passed nationally back in July, I saw many negative things about the Church.

Yet again, this past week I have continued to see many negative things about the Church in regards to the new addition to Handbook 1.

That's all good and fine. I expected as much, especially from those who are not members or active in the Church. But what baffles me is why, when we have issues arise, do we active, proclaiming-to-have-a-testimony-in-God's-Church-and-His-living-prophets have to suddenly sling mud at the other side?

I recently saw a friend post this article: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/blairvandyke/2015/11/ssm-conservative-mormons-dont-you-dare/

Now maybe I just have a really good group of conservative friends. And maybe I'm biased. But I have no where seen what this person describes as a "victory dance." This is obscene, horrendous, and cruel.

To the liberal Church members I know, why is it ok to speak about conservative members this way? Why are we constantly painted us as racists, bigots, homophobics, un-Christlike haters of everyone who's view differ from the liberal view?

I don't say these things lightly. The majority of my graduate program was very liberal. I remember one class period in particular where the whole class except for me and a 50-year-old mom bashed on anything conservative--this discussion led nonetheless by the teacher. I was astounded. If I disagree with anyone about something, I will explain why I believe what I do, but I never say why the other side should believe my way of thinking. That accomplishes nothing. Yet, over and over again, I've been told how my view was wrong, close-minded, not loving, etc. Why is that ok? Why are conservatives always called upon to be tolerant of others' views, but that same level of tolerance is never shown towards our beliefs? Why is there always so much finger pointing about how wrong our views are instead of kindly accepting our opinions for what they are?

Now, I no way condone those conservatives who are truly un-Christlike towards opposing beliefs. If there truly are people who are fist-bumping and doing victory dances towards the other side concerning this policy or anything else, that is sad and I no way support those actions. However, I feel as though the people who do behave that way are the minority. It's not fair that just because a couple of idiots act that way the rest of conservative Church members are lumped into that group as well.

My conservative friends are all trying to do the best we can. We believe in Christ and we try our best to act as Christ does. If our testimony doesn't shake or suffer the same way yours does, that in no way makes us any less understanding or compassionate of your situation. We try our best to show you our support when you experience these things; however, I have a hard time seeing the same kind of support or respect shown to us.

There are two strongly liberal women I can think of who these judgmental behaviors do not apply to. One I knew during my undergraduate education and is no longer an active member of the Church and the other is a former roommate of mine. Both women have exhibited the up-most respect and understanding to others who view things differently, and I will forever admire their examples to me. Those women are incredible and I wish everyone could be more like them, including myself.

So perhaps instead of being so quick to judge how the other side is thinking/feeling next time, how about we take a step back and assume the best in people. I'll be the first to admit that the things I say sometimes come out wrong, but that doesn't mean my intentions are such. Please quit painting me and others like me as some sort of unfeeling monster.

The assumptions made about my conservative friends are hurtful, cruel, and downright wrong.