Barnes Family: October overview...

I'm so behind... ugh!

Here is a quick overview of the month...

The first weekend in October was homecoming weekend at Bonanza. Tanner is on the student council and had worked very hard on the hallways and the float. The boy so exhausted by the end of the week! Between early morning seminary, homework and student council he was barely moving by the end of the week! John and I were very impressed with how hard he worked on everything. He really led the freshman class! We had to jump in and help with some of the big stuff. Building the framework of the float and a few other things. The overall theme of homecoming was Pixar films. Our movie was Cars.

John helping with the base paint.

They went through about 20 cans of spray paint!

Tyler got suckered into helping!

The final look!!

The freshman hallways! They did a great job! Everyone was surprised with how well the freshman did!

So the football game/parade was Friday night and we left for Salt Lake Saturday morning. We went up to watch General Conference. The kids and I had never been to a live session before. It was wonderful! Ashley and I hung out at Cindy's on Saturday night while the boys went to priesthood session. We worked on a quilt for Angela's baby.

Cindy and Ashley

Angela, Jennifer and Ashley

Jenn, her mom Joanna and the kids came up for conference too. They stayed at Cindy's house. We stayed at my parents house and enjoyed visiting with them!

Mitchell loves his Jack!

Sunday morning we got up early and went to conference. Our seats were up in the top balcony! ugh. Oh well. It was still really cool to be there! I loved watching my kids faces when President Monson walked in. So worth the long drive! There was an amazing spirit there! We had a few discussions that week trying to decide whether or not we should go all that way for only about 27 hours! But, I had a strong feeling that we should go. While we listened to Elder Holland talk, I got an overwhelming feeling that this was the reason we came. To hear him speak in conference. It was a very powerful talk. When he was done, Mitchell turned to me and said, "That was REALLY good!" I'm so glad that we listened to the spirit want went! Maybe there will be a bad day on Mitchell's mission and he will remember that talk and the feelings he had during it and it will help him! Listen to the talk here.

The conference center is huge!!

After we left the conference center we dropped John off at the airport and he flew our to Chicago for a Yumz meeting. We missed him on the drive home!! Our trip was short, but it was worth it to hear conference and to see Ashley and Scotty! We miss them!!

We drove home to this...

The next morning I was supposed to drive carpool to seminary and my battery was dead! ugh.

Another exciting event took place in October... Mitchell went through the temple.

Scott and Jenn were able to join us.

It was a happy day to be there with Mitchell and watch him make important covenants that will help him return to his Heavenly Father someday. It was one of those really good parent days!

We love our Sunday skype's with Ashley! I love technology!!

October 16th was one of those not so good days! John and I were in St. George headed up to Cedar City to see Les Miserables, when Mitchell called and said the house had been robbed! He came home and there was a hole in the front door and things had been taken from the upstairs. We feel blessed that Tanner was safe. He was asleep on the couch in the family room and thought the bang at front door was Mitchell slamming the door after work. So he rolled over and went back to sleep. We are so grateful that he didn't wake up! And we are grateful Mitchell stopped for something to eat after work or he would have walked in on them.

Last Monday there was a fundraiser at Buffalo Wild Wings for student council. Tanner and I had a little date there! (Mitchell and John wanted to watch the Bears game at home...) Tanner got 6 of the hottest wings and ate them! He was so excited!! He had talked about doing it for a long time and finally did it!