Update

I haven't written for a month now I think. So here is my quick update. We had a good Thanksgiving--at least I did. Terry had to work so I went up to Sugar City for a feast with my family. We had tons of good food. Other than that we have just been trying to get ready for Christmas. We are going to Oklahoma City to see my parents for a week so we are trying to get everything done now.

All the kids ate Thanksgiving dinner downstairs. When they were done, but adults ate. It made our feast very peaceful.



These pictures are for my dad who I think misses the old homestead.

Thanksgiving play

This is for mom who didn't get to see the play all the neices and nephews (those present) put on during Thanksgiving. Sorry the video isn't high quality. But you sort of get the picture.

Ellie's Violin Recital

Ellie had her second violin recital yesterday. She seems to be pretty laid back about these things. I couldn't get her to play through her songs beforehand, but she ended up doing just fine. She doesn't act nervous at all, but she said she was a little nervous. Here is a video of it.

Watermelon

This is just a picture of the watermelon we grew in our garden. We had about 5 little melons growing, but they just didn't have prime conditions. But it didn't hurt to try.

Two funnies about Ainsley:

I think Ainsley is going to grow up to be an animal rights activist. Lately when we sit down to dinner and are having meat, she suddenly demands, "What animal is this?!!!" When we tell her it is cow or chicken or pig she will respond with "AH! We cannot kill the cow/chicken/pig!" And she says she won't eat it.

Then last week, we all were sick with a stomach bug. Ainsley was talking one day and said--"You know that thing that is in your body and it gets really tight and squeezes really hard and then it makes all your food come out?" I thought that was a funny description of throwing up.

Halloween

On Tuesday our neighborhood had a party at the park with a trunk or treat. There was a great turn out and the kids had fun. The one thing I don't like about it is that it is dark during most of the party so if you lose a kid then it is hard to find them again. Sam was Darth Vader and so the black made it extra hard to spot him. Luckily he and Ainsley and Abby were really good about sticking right next to me the whole night(where was Terry? Good question. Somehow we were separated most of the night and I had four kids while he had none. But I am sure there was a good reason for it. Right?) Anyway the kids got tons of candy--which we were able to give away on Halloween night.





On Halloween we were running all day. I got Ellie off to school then got Abby ready for kindergarten (costume and all) and then ran and did some visiting teaching--then ran to the school and helped with Abby's party and watched the kids parade through the halls in their costumes (Terry was home with the other kids, holding down the fort--it was nice he had 11 days off in a row this month). Then we ran home and got the rest of the kids ready and got in the car and zoomed up to Sugar City for another trunk or treat. Then we went to my sisters and had taco salad and scones and talked politics. Then we zoomed over to Grandma Shirley's for some more food and more talk on politics. Then we went over to Terry's brothers in Rexburg and then we finally drove home. It was a fun busy day--but boy was I ready for a slow no responsibility day.

Pumpkin Carving

For FHE last Monday we carved the pumpkins. The kids drew their own faces and then we helped them cut. Terry had to modify Ainsleys because her drawing was so spaztic.






And then the final products--notice the great outfit Ainsley is sporting.

Primary Program

I am home sick today--and I missed the primary program at church. I am in the primary presidency so I feel bad, but what can you do? A stomach bug has been going through my family and Sam and I are the last ones to get it. He just fell asleep on the couch while I have been typing. He must be sick because he never just falls asleep.

Anyway, yesterday we had a primary practice at the church and it was crazy for me. Terry had a class he had to go to so I had all the kids with me. Actually Ellie wasn't with me because she was home sick. We left her home alone but she had a phone and I had a phone and I wasn't too far away. So we checked in with each other every few minutes. She likes feeling she is old enough to be by herself.

At the practice I wasn't much help. I will just describe some crazy moments. Ainsley had been doing well sitting in her chair and being good, but then she had an accident. The primary president was trying to tell her it was her turn and she moved Ainsleys chair. AInsley had been standing for a song so she sat down without looking and fell on the ground. Anyway, after this she refused to do anything and just wanted to be by me and cling to me. Then Abby came over to me in tears. I couldn't figure out what was wrong for a while. She just kept saying she didn't want to do her part. She just wanted to go home. I finally figured out that she had missed her turn to go say her part and she ended up going up at the wrong time. Another primary kid told her a little harshly it wasn't her turn. So Abby filled up with anxiety because she didn't know when she was supposed to go up. I reassured her we would make sure she knew. So in the process of calming her down, Isaac was crawling around and he crawled up on a little stand and fell backwards and bonked his head and started crying. Sam was being cranky and was crying pretty much the whole time over different things.

So at one point I had all four kids clinging to me and crying. One mom looked at me and said, "Boy you REALLY have your hands full."

Anyway, Terry called after the primary program and said it all went well and the girls all remembered their parts.