Packed Thanksgiving Week

Kase and Brielle arrived last Saturday and the idea was to be together as much as possible.

Sunday night everybody came here to our house to be together and while they were here, Laryn made her grand entrance from school.

 

Wednesday Night was our adult dinner at Applebee's

Not the best picture, but most importantly, NO EMPTY CHAIRS.

 

Thursday morning, Bryant and Reichert came with me to the Whitby Turkey Trot. 

 Bryant won the mile and Reichert came in 7th.

 

We had Thanksgiving at the church. 

Lyle and Libby enjoying rolls

 

James was actually showering after basketball across the street at Dave and Taneil's new place and so all the kids were done by the time he got there.  I waited to eat until he got there and it was the first Thanksgiving I can remember sitting all the way through.  It was nice.

The excitement for the day was actually what Vard has been cooking up for a couple of months.  He was in line for Black Friday at 7am that morning and Haley, Dax, and Laryn all took turns in the line while people had Thanksgiving dinner.  At 6pm he was able to purchase the "big screen TV" that Dad has had his eye on for his Dad's Christmas gift.  The big reveal was an hour or so later. 

 

We gave mom a cell phone.  Yeah!

 

James took Talmage for his first Black Friday experience.  Talmage was giddy about Black Friday and came home with a telescope/microscope combo.

 

Friday, was the first annual Cousin Reunion.

There was a lot of laughing, some socket wrestling, and I think everyone had a good time.

 

Saturday was Brielle's baby shower, followed by Mom's birthday present---8 pedicures---and then pizza at Grandma and Grandpa's followed by good-byes.

 

Family really is where your best friends are found.

James just found out his oldest brother Stephen has stage IV brain cancer.  His heart is hurting and we will be making a trip to Utah at Christmastime.

Nap Nazi

"You will listen to this story and you will take a nap."

  That's pretty much how Sunday afternoon works. 

 

 

Elders Hales

First day in white shirts and ties.

 

Rex and Lyle

 

Somethings are just better in double. 

WATCH OUT VARMITS!

Rex and Lyle in one of their many get-ups.

Polar Vortex

Sounds cold huh?  That's what they are calling this drastic weather change.  Last week we were gleaning apples in T-shirts.  Today, I don't think it got above 40 degrees and the wind chill makes it around 19!  Frigid!  I was so proud of Talmage and Bryant.  We had gone out to help Taneil clean up the Haws place so they can move in.  Grandpa had the boys hauling wood and shoveling pea gravel.  We could see them out the window working in the bitter wind and we were talking about how we needed a picture---but nobody wanted to go out and take it!!  Good job Talmage and Bryant.

Sariah and Hyrum bundled up for the walk to the bus stop. (and my finger---oops.)

Precious Moments

Yesterday while gleaning apples, Talmage says to me, "Mom, I've noticed I think about girls and food a lot.  Is that a problem?"  No, Talmage---that pretty much means your are a teenage boy.  By the way, I take Talmage anywhere there is a job to be done, he's a happy worker.

 

Also yesterday, after playing downstairs with Rex (I have to admit, I wonder what really is going on down there sometimes) Lyle lifted up his shirt and I saw a bunch of scratches.  "Lyle what happened to your tummy?"  Lyle, "shark bites."  Me, "Shark bites?!  Are you telling me there is a shark in our basement?"  Lyle, "Yes."  I left it at that.

 

Tonight, when Rex couldn't have another piece of candy he threw a fit and kicked over the piano bench banging up the front of it.  I was not happy to say the least.  The only sweet part of the deal was that Bryant gave me a very sincere good night hug and apologized that my piano was damaged. 

 

Sariah is afraid to go to 4th grade because today a 4th grader fainted during her musical number during the Veteran's Day assembly.

Halloween

 This was actually "Flash to the Past" day of Spirit Week a couple weeks back.  Bryant had a great afro wig and 70s get up but I didn't get a picture before school and he was done by the time he got home.

Hyrum and Sariah at the school carnival.

On the way to the haunted house, Hyrum noticed his shadow on the wall.  It was awesome!

(He was much braver than I was in the haunted house.  Maybe it was because he knew Talmage was one of the scarers.)

This is the best shot I got on Halloween night.  Should have tried before the very distracting candy.

Headed to Kami's renowned Halloween Party.

True Colors.

Home from Kami's party.  Left as a flapper girl, came home as a pirate.

Lyle and Rex were really wishing they got to go.

Total for the weekend---17 pounds of candy!!!

Pumpkin Patch with Hyrum

Hyrum got to go to the Pumpkin Patch for his kindergarten field trip.  I got to go with him.

 

The white hoodie in the back is my boy.

Field corn "sand box".

 

This was his favorite part.  He jumped off the straw pyramid over and over again.

He was pretty careful picking out his pumpkin.  Finally found the perfect one.

All Is Safetly Gathered In

On October 24th James didn't have school and neither did North Franklin so it was designated as the apple juicing day.  We kept the kids home from school for the tradition (except for Bryant who felt like he couldn't afford to miss school).  Even though there were a lot of helping hands we worked until from 9am until about 4:45---the longest ever.  Over 540 gallons of delicious juice. 

 

Lyle helping

James doing the dirty work.

Lyle and Makaley

 

I really wish I had a picture of Talmage.  He worked hard doing juice and then he helped James and I glean grapes in a drizzle.  We were done with that by about 6:30.  Then he chose to go and get a last load of pumpkins at Perkes' when it was dark and raining harder.  I was so proud of him.  It was a long day!

Filled every jar in the house.

108 quarts of grape juice.

 

Last of the tomato crop.