The Truth About Halloween...

Halloween is not my favorite holiday. I'd say it ranks behind pretty much everything. It seems odd, I love sugar and candy of all varieties. I love a good holiday but I just can't seem to get into it.

Perhaps it's the decor. I've never been a fan of orange or creepy crawly things. I don't get into tomb stones or skeletons. I don't even like a good spiders web. Come to my house in October and you will see a colorful leaf wreath, pumpkins and one measly little sign that I don't think really counts as halloween decor.



I like the leaves, the autumn colors, the pumpkins but black and purple together topped with a leaky cauldron, really? I see people's yards and houses decked out and I can't seem to get into it. Come around at Christmas and that's another matter.

When I was little, I loved dressing up as Scarlet O'Hara or Cinderella. I loved the year of the pink bunny and the tooth fairy too. You should have seen my sisters as Rupunzel or Mermaids and the Astronaut year. But now that I'm older it just seems like such a hassle to pull together a costume for myself in the midst of school. Does anyone else feel this way? Am I a cheapy for not wanting to spend so much time and money on something I would wear once? Or even, not wanting to look really creepy?

In all of this, I thought I should include at least one picture of me dressed up. The last big one was back in my single days. I was a snow storm.

I've been really making an effort this year. We went down to the Pumpkin Walk - great time. The family went to the pumpkin patch to pick their perfect pumpkin and I'm planning some great seasonal treats, but...I just don't love it.

So, what gets you really excited about Halloween? Am I missing the big picture here? Any ideas for an easy costume? You can see I really need it!

Grandma Lois

LOIS LAWRENCE

Lois Pike Lawrence 1933 ~ 2010 Lois Pike Lawrence, our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away October 14, 2010 following a sudden illness.

Lois was born on May 5, 1933 in Holdenville, Oklahoma to Jesse and Carrie Pike. She was the fourth of six children. Her father worked on the railroad which brought them to Grantsville where she met and married the love of her life Dave Lawrence. They had a good life together always surrounded by family and friends. She was always so proud of her sons and their families. She lived for her grand and great-grand-children. She dearly loved having the family together and never allowed an opportunity for a party to go by. She loved going to breakfast with her family every Saturday morning. Her favorite place in the world was her cabin in Ophir canyon. Her gentle ways and kind words touched all who knew her.

Dave and Lois loved attending the Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City for over 30 years. She served as the chairman of the 100th Old Folks Sociable in Grantsville. She served in many callings in the LDS church which always brought her joy. Her dearest friend in the world is her sister Leta Sutton who loving cared for her every need for the past several years. She is survived by her children: David, Matt (Lori), and Dan (Denise), nine grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren, her brother Al (Margie) Pike, and sister Leta (Bill) Sutton. She is preceded in death by her infant brother Austin and sisters Joyce and Wanda.

The beauty of her smile and the warmth of her love will be forever remembered. Her spirit will live on forever within us all.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. at the Grantsville Stake Center, 550 East Durfee St. in Grantsville on Tuesday, October 19th. Family and friends may call Monday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Tate Mortuary, 110 So. Main St. in Tooele and Tuesday from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. at the church. Interment: Grantsville City Cemetery.

Dancing at Snow

I spent the weekend in Ephraim at Snow College dancing with Inishfre. I had the best time. I think I laughed for hours. In all of that, I did not take one picture. Figures.

We performed in the new Eccles performing arts center in a hall with acustics that made our shoes loud and clear along with the Leaping Lulu's band. It was my first performance for several new dances which meant the first with multiple costume changes.

The gig had booked us a large house for all of us to stay in together and of course we stayed up way too late, I told pagent stories (good ones) and woke up laughing about how wild our hair was.

While sitting in church today, I was thinking about these women that I dance with. We all support each other through the good and the bad. I need this so much.

One of the gal's new boyfriend joined us for the event. He said, it's not just because you like dancing, really its all the rest - the fun we have together, the listening, the friendship. And he was right.

Simple Living

I'm not sure why but I've been thinking lately about the world we live. Just think, about the simplest and most common thing to our lives like cars or temperature controlled rooms have come into being in the last hundred years. These things that are so integral to the way we live did not even exist.

I remember using our old apple computer to pull up DOS and getting my first email account in middle school. Today, I know of babies who have email addresses (no joke). Kids have cell phones and are what are called "internet natives." How fast things are changing. Everyday there is a new technology that changes the way we live and we are moving away from the simpler times.

For hundreds, if not thousands of years, people lived in much the same way. They lived on their land, they interacted with their family and lived simply. Today, its a completely different world. From almost the moment we are born, we are connected with a world wide network.

Hebs and I just watched the documentary "Babies" that follows four babies from across the globe from birth to their first steps. Not sure I'd recommend for kids but I digress. They followed a baby in tribal Africa. They didn't wear clothes and spent their time grooming. Watching how drastically different they live was a stark reminder of how the world is changing.

Perhaps watching all of this change makes me yearn for life to be simple. It feels like we are pushed and pulled in so many directions and miss out on what is really important like family and friends. People are so focused on being successful that they forget what would actually make them happy. And the secret here is that its not money.

Do you see it too?

Idaho Falls

I spent last weekend in Idaho Falls with my friend Phaedra. I know that I live right on the border of Idaho but I really don't get up there all that much. I could probably count on one hand the number of times I've been in Idaho. When she invited me up I thought, why not.

Phaedra and I have danced together for several years and I missed her when she moved up there for work at the beginning of the summer. Why does everyone have to move? Ok, ok, no more talk of that.

It was good to get away for a day or two. I knew this would be a tough week and the offer came at just the right time. All the time driving gave me some time to think and I needed it. While there we shopped (I bought one beautiful pair of boots. I'm almost excited for it to get cold), ate out and talked.

I'm not sure if any of you will agree with me but with chain stores moving into towns all across America, they are slowly starting to look like each other. It's sad to see the individuality of mom and pop stores disappear. Now, to me, Idaho Falls seemed like any other mid sized western city. I did get down to see the falls - a completely unique feature. They are quite beautiful with the Temple overlooking them.

What do you think about the world changing? Am I right?