Quentin's and Devin's Ballgame

 Right after Thanksgiving Joseph's family came to stay with us for a night. Quentin and Devin had a basketball game at the Delta Center, so I took the older boys to watch them play. Scott and Sydney came too, and we went out for a late lunch afterward to Crown Burger. We didn't get enough seats for everyone so Scott's family had to sit behind us. Kimberly beat Wendall by 5 points. Later that night Joseph's family went to the Jazz game. I took Linley home with me so she could play with the boys.

I parked at Stephen's office so we had to walk a few blocks to the gym. On the way there we were passing by a business woman and she randomly stopped us as she was walking in the opposite direction if we wanted some treats. She was pulling them in a wagon. Looked like maybe she was running some kind of promotion or office party and had extra snack bags, so we each got one. The bags had chips, trail mix, chocolate bars, and hi-chews in them. Perfect for watching a ballgame!

Thanksgiving

 We spent Thanksgiving at the cabin this year in Idaho. We had everyone there except Becky's family. It was one of the best weekends! It snowed on Thanksgiving day which made it that much more magical. We chopped and hauled wood up to the cabin for the winter, stacked hay, and chased a packrat out of the hay bales. We played pool, sat by the warm fire, told stories, played board games, drank freshly pressed cider, ate all the best food, and took naps. It was just the perfect weekend. Everyone had to leave that night, though, to go to work the next morning. So Scott and I stayed an extra night and cleaned everything up the next morning. That was fun too. We stayed up and played games 'til really late.

Poor Brad wrecked his knee and had to get an MRI. He did everything possible to mess it up except break it clean off. He tore all the muscles, ligaments, and fractured it playing ball. He'll have to have surgery to repair all the damage, and probably call it quits for good on church ball. 

Double Digits! Zander Turns 10

 Happiest of birthdays to our handsome ten year old! We love you fiercely and can't wait to see what your future holds for you Zander. You are so caring, adventurous, and not afraid to try new things. You love Legos, movies, listening to music, and spending time with your family and friends. We are so proud of you and your accomplishments in your life. 

Dad and I took you to your first concert to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra. 

Zander chose to spend his birthday at the cabin with most of the Pettingill group right before Thanksgiving. He chose to have a carrot cake and got all the things he loves including a guitar, MP3 player, Legos, and lots of cans of Pringles

Little Moments

 Mom and Dad on their South Carolina trip

The school gratitude tree. 4th grade

Craft day after playing 'Never Have I Ever' Our mouths were so full of bubble gum!

Hannah and Grayson surprised us with a cute little dinner they made all by themselves because they wanted to do something nice for mom and dad. Hannah picked a fresh bouquet of flowers outside from whatever was still alive, and Lucas buttered some bread with peanut butter for us to eat. What a sweet gesture from our sweet children. 

Waiting to go to church

Trading Pokémon cards with Dad

We actually got a glimpse of the solar eclipse! I didn't think we would be able to see it, but we got a small window through the clouds. So cool!

Love me some Lucas! He was hugging me goodnight

The kids got to get some puppy love from my friend's Weimaraner pups she was selling.

Halloween

 This year went a little differently. Zander went out with friends by himself, Lucas invited his best friend to come trick-or-treat with him, so Stephen went with those two boys, and I got to take Grayson and Hannah. And boy did we had a great time! Grayson had been waiting a long time to go trick-or-treating. He is the funniest thing to watch when he gets excited about something. Plus, he was the cutest cowboy in the West if I don't say so myself.

Every single house we went to, Grayson would get his candy, turn right around and hold up the candy he got and yell, "Mommmm! Looooook, I got this treat!" At one house there were a few grown ups sitting out around a fire pit in the driveway and Grayson, out of the blue unholstered his gun and shot one of the neighbors, and proceeded to laugh manically as he held his gun in the air and held his belly as he laughed which sent everyone up and down the street in a fit of laughter. The neighbor then asked why he was the one he chose to shoot and no one else. All Grayson did was laugh even more. The neighbor kept trying to get an answer out of him and then Hannah simply said, "Because you're old!" and turned and walked away. That got everyone laughing again except the neighbor both my kids insulted. I slowly started turn and walk away and told told everyone, as  I pointed, they were not my kids and took off. Everyone laughed again even the guy who got shot, and that was the end of that. We just had so much fun. I hope my kids continue to trick-or-trick for a long time. We 

We have a Sith lord, an unknown phantom, Lucas's friend, Aaron, is a Pokemon, a witch, and a cowboy

Ninety-six year old Grandma Roberts at her ward Halloween party. She looks so cute!

Witches Night Out And Stephen's Birthday

 Another witches night out came and went this year. We attended a new one this right here in town. In years past we drove all the way up to Logan which was really fun, but last year there was a snow storm and traveling through Sardine Canyon in a snow storm in the dark was NOT fun, so we were grateful to have it closer this year. I always like to dress as some sort of obscure witch or villain just to have more fun and liven things up a bit.

I actually didn't feel like dressing up this year until Stephen had the idea to dress up as the "witch" from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I hadn't seen that movie for ages, but it was perfect! Not much effort in dressing up, but still fun and different. All I had to do was paint a funnel for my hat and make a carrot nose out of paper mache. I found all my clothes at the DI in five minutes luckily. Stephen smeared dirt on my face and I was good to go! Most of my friends loved my costume just because they all knew I'd be dressed differently, but only one person even got the reference to the movie or had even seen the movie which was kind of a bummer, but all well. Every one else was dressed in the same old black outfits and witches hat. There were some really cool hats though! 

We ate dinner and chatted and then hit the dance floor for the rest of the night. There were tons of cool prizes from the raffle every half hour. There were free family portrait sessions, minky couture blankets, bath and spa packages, women's retreats, date night packages, jewelry, etc... and I ended up winning the only prize I did not want, but everyone else did. I won some free botox and an extra large Stanley mug! I just had to laugh and run up to the front to claim it like an idiot because I stuck out like a sore thumb and everyone knew who I was, so I felt like I had to make everyone laugh. And it worked. All in all it was a fun night out with friends.

Stephen's 37th birthday. He asked for a chocolate mousse cake. I delivered. Hannah made Dad a card with a sucker and individual nerds glued to it. Both she and Lucas picked stuff from their rooms to give to Dad as a gift. Lucas gave him a picture that Stephen took to work to put on his desk. Daddy is so loved by his family! Stephen, you make our world go round. XOXO

Fall Break

 We decided to have a staycation in Lehi this year during the kids’ fall break. We kicked it off with a trip to Cornbelly’s where we got to have fun in the corn maze, corn pit, haunted houses, and other fun activity centers. 

The next day we drove through the Alpine Loop to Cascade Springs. I love this spot. It's beautiful and a nice family friendly place to hike around the springs. The kids were obsessed with finding the right walking stick...I think Zander won. It's was the perfect weekend weather wise. We did our hike and ate our lunch in the parking lot. After our scenic drive back to the hotel we took the kids to see a movie at the theater. They still had their Barbie display out which Hannah loved. We also got to spend two days in Twin Falls with Grandma and Grandpa canning applesauce. When we got home later that week I made raspberry freezer jam by myself for the first time!