Sisters who eat chocolate together...

Earlier in December my sisters and I got together for a super Saturday of sorts.

The task at hand?

CHOCOLATE MAKING!!!!

We arrived at Jewel's bright and early expecting to be done in just a few hours.  

(That was funny;)

It was great fun watching Jess, Abby, Mya, Ava and Brooke roll and dip. 

We even let our boys help for all of ten minutes!  (They just didn't seem to have the same careful approach, you know? ;)

For three sisters that live in the same town, we really don't get together very often, so it was nice to have a whole day together to visit and catch up.  

And there is nothing wrong with a table full of a gazillion fancy chocolates, now is there?

Nope.  Nothing wrong with it at all!

A mere 8 hours later and we were done.   

A bit tired, a little sore and more than full of yummy food and sugary treats.   

I'm more convinced than ever that "sisters who eat chocolate together - stay together!"

Autumn Walk up Red Rock

This past weekend was the first weekend in weeks (months even) that John had nothing to do.  

Volleyball wrapped up this past Thursday which meant that on Friday John came home after school and had absolutely no where to rush off to.  

It was so weird!!

This past weekend also conveniently happened to be the first weekend in weeks (months even) that some of the roads in Waterton have re opened.   The little road leading to Pass Creek is now open as is Red Rock Road.  I should clarify, these roads have been reopened to non motorized traffic only, but that was enough for me.  

I was free to walk around as much as my little heart (and feet) desired!

John was so fun to have around this day.   As soon as he heard that I was wanting to walk up Red Rock Road - he instantly agreed to join me and even returned home from fishing with Sam on time (on.TIME people!) so that we would have enough sunlight still to hike in.  

We left our van down at the gate and walked along Red Rock road, seeing the fire damage in this area for the first time.   I was sad to see areas that have been wiped out, but encouraged to see many patches of earth still intact.   The fire must have moved very sporadically.  

We've been told not to expect many open hikes this upcoming summer, but I could tell this Red Rock road will be a fabulous place to stroll with the kids this summer.   John and I decided that this summer we will just pack a lunch and spend the day with the kids hiking as far up Red Rock road as we can.  I can just picture the fields of fire weed and other wildflowers that will bring life to this area again and there was something cool about seeing these views on foot.  It all looked so different and we noticed so much more when we weren't whizzing along at 50km/hour.   

There was hardly a stitch of snow in sight and I was elated to see so much color in the park.   Along with the char and the black, there is still green, lots of orange and even some red winter berries showing their happy faces again.  

I'm glad Autumn could linger a little longer in the park.   

Speaking of Christmas!!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around these here parts.  

As I type this (please note it is November 26th;) I am three presents away from being completely FINISHED with my Christmas shopping!!!   What I've purchased is all wrapped and hidden under my bed.   What I've ordered will be wrapped as it arrives.   What I need to still buy is for the three most hard to shop for men in my life:  Sam, John and my Father in Law.   

I'm positively stumped.  

Still though, I'm determined to find their gifts this week so that all I have to worry about in December is Christmas Baking!!!

Speaking of baking -

 I had this super fun activity with my beehives where we had a cookie expert come and show us how to decorate cookies with a fancy royal icing.   The girls had so much fun and the cookies turned out SO well!    They were almost too cute to eat;)

Speaking of too cute - 

Nate has been obsessively dressing up as Santa Clause every single day.  It all started when he realized that Abby's Halloween cape was made of the same fabric has his new found Santa hat.  That's all he needed to take things to the next level.   He dresses up any chance he gets.  In fact, one day I was coming home from work only to spot Nate - racing down the street across from the temple, dressed as old St.Nick, waving to all the passing vehicles.    

Note to self - I really need to remember to beat him home from school each day.   

Speaking of Remembering - 

Jess and I switched up the Christmas decor this year and tried to add something new to our tree. 
We scoured our old photos and found several dozen images of us enjoying nature as a family.  Some of these pictures are of us travelling somewhere new together, hiking in our favorite places, or exploring with extended family.  Each photo is a memory and helps us remember some of the dearest times!   I love sitting by our tree and looking at these old black and white pictures.  

Next year I'd like to take these photos and mod podge them on to thin wooden discs.  (Just looking for a branch that is large enough to do the trick;)

This is going to be our first Christmas here in the Holt's home.   

They have messaged me and let me know that they have been asked to extend their mission a little bit more, which means we may be here until July 2019.   I find myself, at times, looking forward to a day when we can call our home our own, but this place will suit us just fine for a Christmas or two;) 

Now you're on the trolley!

Over a month ago, John was "volun-told" (when someone volunteers you by telling you what to do) to assist in the "Marriage Room" at the Sadie Hawkins dance.  The theme for the dance was 1920's which meant that everyone was to channel their inner Flapper Girl and show up ready to do the Charleston!   John and I were placed in one of the classrooms decorated to look like an old dance club.  We had to teach a couple of old dance moves, have some "giggle water" with the students and then marry them off to each other - all in 4 minutes!!   Youth came in the room in groups of 8 (4 couples at a time) and can I just say - HOLY EMBARRASSING!!!   

We tried our best to play the part -  but I've never been so relieved to see a night end.  

Believe me - showing up for work the Monday after took more than a little courage.   

I'll admit though - I do think I would have enjoyed life in the 20s.  

I mean, how could I not with a dapper gent like this at my side!

My cup runneth over

Volleyball for Abby has come and gone.  (At least for this school year) 

After a couple of challenging years, watching her struggle to feel a part of a team it has been such a blessing to see her blossom and grow in this sport this year.  Her coaches have pushed her team to do things they'd never before learned and as a result, they won more games than they lost and ended up placing quite well at zones.   More importantly though, she grew closer to her team and enjoyed herself so much more than she has in years past.   It did this mama's heart so much good to see and meant more to me than any win or loss could have.  Yay Abby!!!

Abby completed her Young Women's in Excellence project the night before Young Women's in Excellence, because well that's pretty much how we roll these days;)  

Considering the fact that it took us two attempts and 12 months to complete this T-shirt quilt, I'm actually quite proud that she finished it at all.  There were many MANY times (usually in those moments when we had to unstitch every thing) that I truly wanted to light the thing on fire!

It is soft and cozy and Abby loves laying it on her bed.  I love looking at all of the highlights and activities she's enjoyed over the past couple of years.   This blanket really is a reflection of her Divine Nature as well as her kick butt personality!

Halloween was weird this year.  

Not spooky.  Not Crazy.

Weird.

First of all, I'm going to have to remember to buy pumpkins well in advance next year if I want to be able to carve Jack o lanterns.    This year I checked all over town and all I could find as options to carve were these: 

Nate was beyond disappointed - but I actually think we will try the whole watermelon jack-o-lantern again.  

Another thing that made Halloween weird to me as that Abby didn't hang around to trick or treat OR hand out candy.  She left us, and went to a party, and on a school night even.   

Abby wasn't the only one who made her own plans for Halloween. Sam (who dressed up as Alvin just to go along with a a group of girls dressing up as Chipettes) also ditched us for a Halloween party at his friends house.   I don't know what bothered me most about this - that he dressed up to impress a couple of girls or that he is suddenly too cool for trick or treating too.   WEIRD!!

I was trying to wrap my mind around having just Jess and Nate to go trick or treating with when (you'll never guess what happened) - her friends called her and whisked her away!

Minutes later, Nate's friend called and asked Nate to join him for the evening.  

Of course John was at a Volleyball game this night as well, because why would he not have his own plans as well, right? 

So there I was, Halloween night (my once favorite night of the year) all alone. 
I sat on the living room couch anxiously awaiting trick or treaters, but few came.  

Weirdest...QUIETEST...most boring night of the year!!!!

Apparently the rest of the family thinks it was great fun though;)

Speaking of Solitude, one day in October (while John was in Edmonton at a Volleyball tourney) I whipped into the city for a little shopping and couldn't help but stop at my new favorite restaurant - Fusion!   They offer a lunchtime special where you can order unlimited amounts of anything on their menu for just $16.95.  The best part is, you place your order thru an ipad so you don't even have to speak to a waitress or anything.  I guess it is sorta sad that this is the way dining is going but it was actually quite nice to just sit for an hour and read a book while snacking on copious amounts of sushi and Thai deliciousness.  

For the record - THIS is the kind of solitude I enjoy! 

(Perhaps I'll spend next Halloween at fusion;)

We were thrilled thrilled THRILLED to celebrate Nate's 8th year of life last weekend!

His whole week was a celebration with Birthday cake on Wednesday, a birthday party on Thursday and the culminating event - his baptism on Saturday!!!

We were super excited to have Grandpa, Johns sister Rachel and her family, and my siblings (Chad, Jewel, Crystal) and their families join us.  

Nate felt like a rock star and I was so very grateful and thrilled to celebrate this milestone with him.  

My Mom was only able to see her oldest child baptized and I have gotten to watch all four of mine become official members of this Church that has blessed my life so very much.  

My cup runneth over. 

(I'll come back and look at this photo often in those moments that I forget that)

Throwback Time

This journal entry simply contains a few of the noteworthy moments that I neglected to write about between August and now.   Moments like...

- This afternoon that we spent at Grandpa's house.  

We don't get over to Grandpa's very often (mostly because he comes to us) but when we do we are always amazed at the beauty of his yard.   I mean really - how could one not feel happy in a place like this!

Sam turned 12 in August and John and I were able to spend a Friday afternoon with him and Abby in the temple.  

Abby has been so good about showing him the ropes, taking him to the Family History centre sometimes, helping him find names and making it all seem fun.

We have two darling little neighbors that often like to come over and play with Jessica.  (Who wouldn't want to come over and play with Jessica?;)   

We took a giant leap of Faith this past September and sold our gold Dodge Caravan (lovingly known to us as "Jazzy")   Jazzy was just costing us a little too much each month on repairs so we sold her to a young couple in town and purchased a 2013 Dodge Caravan.   Okay- so clearly this was not a huge leap of faith (going from one very used dodge caravan to a very slightly used dodge caravan) but it was a big freaking deal, Ok!!  It super stresses me out to have to make decisions with our money.  We could have paid the van off entirely, which is a blessing, but we decided to finance a small remaining balance over the next two years.   Now I'm not sure why.  Anyways - it is white.   I've decided that I really like white vehicles.   Perhaps one day t will make it into a journal entry.   Today though- it is just one last photo of Jess and Jazzy.  

Jewel, Crystal and our girls went out to Waterton to watch the annual LDS Women's broadcast alone at the Waterton Chapel.  We were mostly excited to get to scout out the post fire damage.  

There was lots of hustle and bustle as workers were trying to remove debris and prepare to rebuild.   

I've decided to try and photograph out there once a month for a year.  I'm super excited to see what the regrowing process will look like!

Loved spending an evening with all these girls!

Abby is playing Volleyball (Sam is also playing and John is coaching which makes life so busy that it makes me want to stick a fork in my eye) and she is loving it this year!   She's got a coach that expects a lot out of them and works them hard which Abby seems to be responding well to.  

My boys rediscovered the rip stick and long board a couple of weeks back.  I found it ironic that they both went three years without wanting to play with those things at all and then suddenly they couldn't get enough of it.   They spent a couple of days doing tricks in the church parking lot and now the boards are back to collecting dust in the garage.   Such a random little blip of interest.  haha.

While on our trip to BC I had found a had that I loved, loved, loved!!  Sadly, we were in a rush to catch the ferry and John wasn't feeling the whole "lets just buy whatever we see and want" mentality so in an effort to be frugal I didn't buy it.   I spent the rest of the trip regretting that. 

Luckily I found a cheap knock off on line and for $14.99 I almost feel like I have the actual hat I missed out on getting.  Almost.   This will probably sit up in my closet and collect dust much like my boys rip stick and long board - but c'est la vie.   

The kids and I have discovered these giant foam baby heads and had to pick up a couple.  Nate is going as a baby for Halloween.   haha.   Our darling niece Vivian and her family joined us recently for Thanksgiving dinner and the poor girl was freaked out of her mind when Sam walked into the room with one of these baby heads on.  I don't blame her!!!   

We have LOVED the cooler Autumn temperatures, the reprieve of moisture that we've received since the wildfires. 

 We've even been happy for moisture that came in the form of snow - especially considering that we all got a snow day out of it!!!

There is absolutely nothing sweeter in life than a snow day!!

Sam attended his first ever Priesthood broadcast this past month and got to go with his Dad and his Grandpa.   I really love this picture as all of these men seem to share the same straight line smile.  

 I call this Johns "I'm going to a meeting" smile.  

Of course one of those blasted baby heads had to resurface later in the month as well.   

One day John came home from a weekend tournament with Bus #80 - the kids' favorite bus of all!

They spent every minute they could making up all sorts of pretend fun on the bus, until John had to leave. 

This is pretty much the only perk there is to having John coach a Varsity team.   If you ask the kids though they'd all say that a bus for a toy is a pretty great perk.

As mentioned earlier, Rachel and her fam came down to visit and have Thanksgiving supper with us.  It was great fun and absolutely delicious thanks to Grandpas contribution of his famous stuffing and pumpkin pie!

Jessica had made darling little turkey place cards for every family member prior to dinner.  It's her favorite thing to do every time company comes.   I love that little crafter!!

The rest of Thanksgiving weekend was spent helping Grandpa with some of his harvesting. 

Beets, Potatoes and Carrots are out of the ground and stored away. 

We also managed to steal away for a quick drive through the park.   We were so encouraged to see little sprouts of green grass breaking up through the ash.  Oh it could look so beautiful in the spring!

The fall leaves are pretty much all fallen now but it was a beautiful two weeks while they lasted.  

It's back to school/work tomorrow and I feel filled to the brim with gratitude (and turkey) for all that we are blessed with in this life. 

God is good.