Our Halloween Town

 

      In 1998 the Disney channel filmed a movie called Halloweentown right here in St Helens, OR.  And, for the past few years our city has been trying to bring back the Spirit of Halloween that the town was once known for.  In doing so, they have invited all the local businesses to show some Halloween pride.  Since the weather was so nice today the boys and I took a walk around town and picked out some of our favorite decorations.  I really think it's fun when the business incorporates the theme of their profession within their prop.  It's definitely a fun tradition, and I look forward to seeing what creative designs will be up year after year.    

 

                          

That The Lost May Be Found - M. Russell Ballard

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      Our spirit can either blossom or wither within the family unit. When we don't have the security and influence of strong family bonds, the ground work is laid for an emptiness, that is often sought to be filled, through destructive venues. If one isn't loved, they may seek love and acceptance in a way that brings them harm. There is a deep yearning to fill that hollowness.

       Brothers and sisters, the most important cause of our lifetime is our families and we need to devote ourselves to this cause!  It is our homes and families that need reforming in this increasingly materialistic and secular world.

      So the bad news is that family breakdown is causing a host of societal and economic ills. But the good news is that, like any cause and effect, those ills can be reversed if what is causing them is changed.  The Church is an anchor in the churning waters of change and division, and a beacon to those who value and seek righteousness. The Lord uses this Church as a tool in pulling His children throughout the world toward the protection of His gospel.

St Helens High School Homecoming

      My beautiful Niece, Megan, and her sweet friend, Hannah, were both chosen to represent the high school as Homecoming Princesses.  They are the kind of girls who live what they believe and it is so rewarding to see how much others respect that!  Homecoming was a fun day.  I was able to attend the assembly at school that afternoon.  I even pulled Cameron out of school early so he could watch the Seniors dance to Thriller in their skit.  He's obsessed with the Thriller song and dance lately.  After school we spent a good amount of time getting the float transferred to the High School and set up. Then the football game followed. All of the Princesses were escorted onto the field by their Fathers, and Jillian was crowned Queen. I love this text between Spencer and Megan after the game:

 

  Spencer: "Well you're class did it, they finally got first place! 

But the truth be told, I would have traded it all away

for you to be Queen."

 

Megan: "Thank you, and thanks for all your help! I wouldn't

have changed a thing.  It was all so fun and I don't need a

bigger crown to know I'm awesome!

I love you Uncle Spencer."

 

          

Senior Class Float

      Megan's role in Leadership Class landed her the task of designing this year's Senior Class Float.  Once she announced to the family that she was in charge, Spencer offered her his help, which she gladly accepted.  Homecoming Floats are new to me.  We had Spirit Week at my high school, but we never went to such great lengths as they do here.  Homecoming Floats are a big deal in this town.  The Theme this year was "Survival of the Fittest".  Megan & Spencer sat down and brainstormed ideas until they finally came up with the one they chose.  The concept was to create a larger than life football player standing near a goal post representing our school.  On the bed of the float was paper mache helmets representing each team in our league.  They did a good job of painting each helmet adding the schools mascot.  The finished product of the scoreboard looked real.  They poked white Christmas lights inside the boxes to create the numbers and the Seniors incorporated the #13 as much as they could seeing as they are the Class of 2013.  It's hard to tell in the picture below but they added the same concept of using Christmas lights, red ones, to make the football player's eyes glow.  Setting up the float was the hard part.  The wind decided to pick up right when they were trying to get everything secured and so they had a difficult time with the player and the scoreboard.  The Judges luckily started down at the Freshman Float which gave us just enough time to tie up loose ends.  Luckily fate was on our side and everything stayed in tact during the judging, but shortly afterwards, our player fell over.  So for the remainder of the night, our players head sat in front of him, which still looked pretty cool!  The big announcement came during half time when they announced which class won the float competition, and luckily, it was the Seniors!!!   I was very happy for them because they worked really hard on it.  Kids showed up almost every evening for a week to help get everything built.  Way to go Seniors!