Thanksgiving and beyond

Thanksgiving weekend was a beautiful weekend.   It provided a few days reprieve from school, schedules, and volleyball, and gave us all some much needed time - together.   

We drove out to Waterton one evening with a crock pot of hot fajita casserole and our fishing rods.   

There is nothing I enjoy more than a warm meal while in the mountains, and this evening in the mountains was spectacular!  The trees were full of rich autumn leaves, the temperature was well above normal for this time of year, and wildlife was everywhere.   This Bighorn even tried to join us for dinner!!!

After we ate, we went down to driftwood bay so that Sam could fish.  Nate surprised us by learning how to cast all on his own.    John spent all summer fishing with Sam,  Nate must have decided it was time to join in the fun;)  I did what I always do when John fishes with the kids - took pictures.   (And a couple of them were were about as cooperative as always;)   It was a perfect evening!!

The rest of the weekend was spent working in the yard, both at our house and at Max's.  John helped Max shred and till the gardens.  I prepared the flower beds for winter and we mowed the lawn one.last.time, and by the time Monday came, when all of that work was done - we prepared a Turkey Dinner.   Yummm!!!   

It was sort of a team effort between Max and I, with him doing the Turkey and Stuffing, and me doing everything else.  (I'm no dummy, he cooks it best!:)   We invited a dear sweet couple from our ward to join us and the kids (primarily Jessica) worked hard to set the table and make everything as fancy as possible.   

 This past weekend the kids and I travelled to Medicine Hat to watch John's volleyball team compete in a tournament.    We were able to see two of his games on Friday night which they won!!  The kids had fun watching John coach, and I had fun trying to navigate my way around a city I've never been to before.  (I was being sarcastic with that last bit there.  I swear I got lost no less than fifty hundred times!;)     On Saturday morning, we checked out of the hotel, wished John luck with his second half of the tourney, and journeyed on to Rolling Hills where we were able to be a part of Chaim's baptism and my newest nephew's baby blessing!   Unfortunately, this was the ONLY photo that I bothered to take during that entire event!  

Well, that's not true ....I also got THIS one:

Sadly, neither picture really helps to document the awesomeness of this day.    I guess all I can do is try my best to describe it:    Chaim was excited to be getting baptized,  Remy was adorable, I enjoyed seeing all of my family, and my kids loved seeing all of their cousins!    Sam had been asked to give one of the talks, and despite the fact that he was super nervous about it, he did a GREAT job!   I was proud of him because he wrote it himself and despite my efforts to edit and revise it, he really tried to keep it his own.     Once the baptism was over, and we'd all stuffed ourselves with delicious food, we got to go walk through Crystal and Jeremy's absolutely beautiful new home!  It was absolutely stunning and we're looking forward to future family get togethers at their place.

We also spent hours the past week re-organizing our lego.  Sam has accumulated quite a large collection of it over the years, and we spent way too much time sorting it all into color coordinated compartments.    It was a big job, but it has done lots to re ignite their interest in it all.  They've been building things ever since!    I loved this temple that Jessica created the other day.  

She built it after we'd gotten home from a great weekend together and after we'd been with many of our loved ones.   Love the message behind it, and I LOVE that her little heart feels this way!

Family is what I am Thankful for, most of all!!!

Photos and then some...

Man, it's been a long while since I updated this little online journal of mine.   (For the record, my personal journal that sits by my bed has an inch of dust on it too;)   A lot has happened since the beginning of September, yet I actually can hardly remember any thing to share.   Weird.   

I'll do my best:

*  The kids have been in school for over a month already and it still seems like a new routine to me.   The kids seem to be experiencing a little bit of shock as well, gauging from the number of times they  hurriedly rush out the door each morning leaving agendas, lunches and school supplies behind;)  I keep telling them that if they forget their stuff, I will NOT bail them out and bring it to them, but gosh darn it, I always cave.  I'm such a softy;)

* Nate started preschool this year and attends twice a week and he LOVES it!   His good friend Gray is in his class and he gets snack time,  so really, precious little else matters.   He starts each day by crawling into my bed and cautiously asking, "Mom?  Is today a church day?  Or a school day?"   There is always a palpable tension in the air as he awaits my response.   Luckily, we have 4 other days of the week that are completely neutral to him;)   I'm enjoying having Nate at school as well, though I imagined myself being much more productive then I have been.   Don't tell John (because I desperately want him to think I'm "wonder woman") but more often than not, as soon as Nate goes to school I find myself sucked into aimlessly perusing facebook, or watching some lame movie on Netflix.)   It seriously makes me sad to think of all the time I've wasted, and I've determined that it is the result of having no sense of purpose.   Without my kids around, what is there to do?    

Sigh....I may have to consider getting myself a job of sorts;)    

*  John is in full Volleyball mode.   He has practices Monday-Thursday evenings and then attends tournaments most Friday and Saturdays.    And by "most" I mean that there are three weekends between September and mid November when he doesn't.   I use to think that should warrant a little sympathy for me, but sadly I've found that when I do start to whine about this - few people actually ever give a care! haha.    The season is going well though and he's learning lots about coaching in the process.  We're hoping for some wins!   

*  I've been kept busy the last little while taking pictures.   I've been approached by a couple families lately to take their family photos, and though it has been enjoyable, it definitely stresses me out.   It's a challenge to orchestrate groups of people and I'm always reminded in these moments of how little I actually know.   It's much much easier to stick to photographing inanimate objects.   Like Rocks...and trees;)      I've tried to gather a few photos during trips to Waterton as well.    Jessica and I drove out there last weekend for the Wildlife festival and had the most perfect day EVER!   We took pictures, painted with watercolors up by the hotel overlooking the park,  ate dinner together at sums, and attended a presentation on the cougar at Falls Theatre.  It was pretty glorious, and this little doll was such a fun buddy to have along!

*  This past Sunday I received a huge shock, when as soon as I walked in the church, my Bishop informed me that my brother in law Kendall had just been called to be a Bishop of another ward.   Well...let me correct that.  I wasn't "shocked' as in I wondered how that could happen, because really Kendall is one of the wisest and most thoughtful people I know, but I was just really really surprised.   

I was so surprised, it was all I could think about during my own Sunday meetings, and by the time Sunday school rolled around, I'd managed to connect with them to try and take a few family photos.   You know- to commemorate just one last Sunday TOGETHER!! haha.   

They are such a great family!

Well, that is pretty much it!  

There is an upcoming plebiscite in which all town members will be asked our opinion on four important questions pertaining to some town bylaws, one of which being whether or not we think Alcohol should be allowed to be sold within the town.   (Did you know that currently it can not be sold here?  Well, it can't.)    The debate and conversation around this plebiscite has been very charged, and at times quite rude and unproductive as both sides have tried to convince others of their view point.   Our little town has even made the news a couple of times!   John and I have generally stayed out of the conversation, though I find myself staying up way to late reading all of the nasty arguments that ensue on Facebook over this.   It's like a bad movie I can't seem to walk out of.   I'm glad the election is on Monday, because really, following the whole debate is going to lead me to drink if I'm not careful!!!   (disclaimer: just kidding.  It won't.  I was just attempting to be funny;)     I love this little town, and really I am hoping and praying that we'll all be able to focus on the wonderful things about it again sometime very soon.  

Okay, NOW that is pretty much it.

Let's hope it's not another 5 weeks before I update again.   

(Please don't be surprised though if it is;)

Happy October!!!