Halloween fun – yes it’s time to do something…

If you visit any retail store or shop online, you know that Halloween merch is already filling the shelves.

Which reminds me to let you know that there’s a whole treasure chest of ideas, recipes, games with inexpensive materials, new themes, and lots of wonderful stuff to entertain you while you entertain your littles. This award-winning eBook shares everything you need to create your happiest Halloween while sidestepping the dark and creepy stuff (no one’s got time for that.) Here’s the link to Amazon and it is also available on BN.com.

https://www.amazon.com/Harvest-Halloween-Handbook-Second-Artisan-ebook/dp/B0BFG5Y9HR

Just like a Costco sample, tempting you to buy, here are a few tasty morsels you will find in A Harvest and Halloween Handbook Second Edition:

Isn’t this a fun cover? I took the photo at the Garden Park LDS chapel in Salt Lake City. I’ve hosted lots of autumn and Halloween church carnivals through the years. Having a party at a holy place, to me, means making sure that your activities are appropriate for the venue. Hence the focus on harvest and autumn, while avoiding evil and creepy stuff. We’ve had lots of fun and made sweet memories.

Here’s an inexpensive carnival game made with lumber scraps and stuffed cats. You knock the cats off the fence with beanbags to win a prize.

Here’s another fun and free game. Collect your Halloween containers (or borrow some), toss pennies into them to win treats.

A lollipop ring toss made with pegboard and painting with acrylic paints. Use glow bracelets to ring a lollipop to win it!

A candy jar guessing game – the winners take them home. Use jars you already have or pick up a few at a charity thrift store. Adults can play too!

This festive entry was made with a sheet, a scarecrow, some repurposed decor and lights. Great for photo booths.

How is that for fun? Ready to download your A Harvest and Halloween Handbook yet? Here a few more photos to help you hit that buy button…

An Alice in Wonderland tea party with recipes, decor and games like…

A Treat Walk – sweets for the sweets! Use giant cards from Hobby Lobby or make your own for this musical game.

Pin the tail on the cat…

Buggy croquet and more!

Here’s a fun craft, add a rag border to dress up a throw or a wreath.

Or make a wall hanging quilt out of festive fabric.

You could even repurpose a doll house for a fairy Halloween party, a decoration or a children’s scavenger hunt game.

Here’s a tasty treat – old-fashioned popcorn balls, the recipe is included!

Plus coloring pages…

No need to wait – download yours today!

https://www.amazon.com/Harvest-Halloween-Handbook-Second-Artisan-ebook/dp/B0BFG5Y9HR

Happy Halloween!

Days of ’46 – The Beginning of the Trail of Hope for the “Mormon” Pioneers

Parley Street in Nauvoo, Illinois marked the beginning terminus of the Trail of Hope and the start of a 1,300 mile (on foot) trek by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to safety in the Rocky Mountains in 1846. Religious persecution and political conflict had led to the untimely assassination of their prophet and leader Joseph Smith Jr.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2011-03-0001-joseph-smith-the-prophet-of-the-restoration?lang=eng

A barely literate farm boy, Joseph had prayed earnestly to know which of the Christian churches was the true one established by Jesus Christ during His mortal ministry. To his astonishment, in 1820 Joseph experienced a divine visit from both The Father and The Son, who explained that all of the sects of the day had strayed from the original and true Church.

In time Joseph would be taught how to restore and organize Christ’s church and kingdom on the earth. Over the succeeding years, Joseph was visited by angels and resurrected beings who instructed him and gave him the keys and authority to restore the priesthood, the power of God, to the earth once again. In 1830, after having translated an ancient American historical record from gold plates buried in the hillside in New York, The Book of Mormon, named for the ancient American prophet, was printed and available to read. This history was a compilation of almost 1,000 years of the story of a branch of the House of Israel, one who had been led away from Jerusalem just before it fell in the days of King Zedekiah.

Mormon’s son Moroni had been tasked with keeping the record safe just before his people were wiped out in a genocide in the 4th Century. The resurrected Moroni, also known as the Guardian Angel of the Americas, visited Joseph many times giving him instruction and guidance in preparation for restoring God’s church and priesthood to the earth before Christ’s second coming.

In the 19th Century, the Church of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth along with the divine keys of the priesthood and the power and authority to gather Israel before Christ’s Second Coming. The reconstructed town of Nauvoo, Illinois gives a powerful lesson about obedience, temerity, loyalty and reliance on the Lord through good times and bad. The beautifully rebuilt Nauvoo Temple stands as a witness to the reality of eternal families and shows the love of God by a band of refugees that had not reached the end of the trail of discipleship but only the beginning. Next, our family’s history and experience in Nauvoo.

Let Freedom Ring!

Freedom is one the great hallmarks of the United States of America. Our founding fathers worked hard to create a government that supports free speech, freedom of religion, thought, philosophy, the ability to own property, to move through society without meeting the requirement of a monarch or overlord. Our Constitution protects us and allows for personal and cultural growth and change.

Our grandparents, sons, fathers, daughters, mothers, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters have sacrificed for the cause and idea of freedom. I am visiting a friend and her family on this special day so I am going to share one of my favorite stories from a post 10 years ago that illustrates the principle of freedom.

Elizabeth Duncan Porter: Heroine of the American Revolution

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Elizabeth was born to Thomas and Elizabeth Duncan at Lancaster Pennsylvania in 1750. The Duncans were born in Scotland, moved to Ireland and then to the British colonies in America. They settled in Lancaster, which is known in modern times for the Amish community and lush green farms and hillsides.

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Elizabeth enjoyed growing up in the beautiful countryside of Pennsylvania. In the spring she played with the lambs and picked flowers. But childhood ended early for Elizabeth; her father died when she was six years old and her help was needed for the family. She grew to be a strong and lovely woman.

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At twenty-five she met a man who would sweep her off her feet ; she married her beloved Samuel Porter. As a member of  the Virginia militia, Samuel was one of the men responsible for patrolling the roads and trails to keep travelers safe from Indian raids. The British had enlisted the Indians to attack settlers on the western frontiers of the colonies.

The winds of war began to blow across America.

Samuel, Elizabeth, their two children, her mother, brother and other family members were captured by Indians  in 1780. It is thought that British soldiers were with them because they were not scalped. The attackers took all of their stock and possessions. 

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They were marched and carried over 600 miles to Detroit. Elizabeth had to work hard to keep her little children quiet so they would not be killed by their captors. She was pregnant with her third child. Sometimes she was permitted to ride, she sat with her feet in water for hours and hours. Samuel was sentenced to die. The men were placed in stockades and pens and nearly starved to death.

Elizabeth was put to work cooking for the British officers. After preparing a meal, she saved scraps of bread and meat and smuggled them out in the dishwater. She placed the tub of water near Samuel’s prison. He was able to reach through the bars and get the food. Her act of courage probably kept him alive. 

Elizabeth, her children Margaret and Hugh and her mother were marched as a prisoners of war another 700 miles from Detroit to Quebec, Canada. 

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On January 7th, in the bitter cold of a winter that would become known as the “little Ice Age,” far from her home, Elizabeth gave birth to baby Samuel. She was a captive of the British and Shawnee Indians because she believed in freedom.

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Her husband Samuel suffered as well in the confinement of the prison camp. 8 of 10 American prisoners died in the hulls of British warships. He did not know what had become of Elizabeth, their baby or the other two young children.

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Many people sacrificed much for the cause of independence. Some sacrificed everything.

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Elizabeth took care of baby Samuel and little Margaret and Hugh the best she could. She sang to them the Celtic lullabies her mother had sung to her.

She told them the Bible stories she had learned as a child. Tales of Moses leading Israel to freedom; of brave Joseph and how Daniel’s life was spared.

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She would have loved to have been home when Spring came. She would have loved to have worked in her garden with her children and enjoyed outings with her friends. Because the cause of freedom had meant so much to Elizabeth and Samuel; she had no home to return to. 

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Samuel was a hard worker and tried to be helpful. His execution was stayed by a British commander who took a liking to him.

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The price of independence was very high. When the war ended and freedom was won,  Elizabeth, Samuel and the others were released and made their way back to Virginia and to each other.

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Samuel’s trials did not end with the war. An American officer accused him of treason because the British did not execute him. Tried again, he was cleared of wrongdoing. Elizabeth and Samuel had three more children. Their lives were filled with joy and sorrow and their sacrifice blessed their family for generations.

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Elizabeth lived 95 years. She died and was buried in Jackson County, Missouri where a marker and plaque were placed to honor the memory of this heroine of the American Revolutionary War. Elizabeth’s legacy is celebrated today by the Daughters of the American Revolution organization with chapters that have been named for her. 

During Elizabeth’s lifetime, the Declaration of Independence was signed, the Revolutionary War fought, the Constitution was written and ratified, Joseph Smith was born, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized and Joseph Smith was martyred. It was a most  important era in the history of the world. 

On this Fourth of July, we remember and give thanks for the concepts, the sacrifices and the blessings we have enjoyed because of those who had the foresight to create this amazing country.

Happy Birthday America!