Thanksgiving

Well the kids had school on Monday and Tuesday - then the rest of the week they had off for Thanksgiving break.  Monday we had laundry to do and grocery shopping to get done.  We had a great little family home evening lesson given by Aaron on the 5th Article of Faith.  Anna loves to play with baby David - it is so cute watching her play with him!  

Tuesday was the last day of school for the week with the kids - they had fun, but David and I were both rather sick - I could hardly talk and he was coughing a bunch.  It was enough that I took him to the doctor to see if there was anything we should be doing - but mostly it was just the usual.  I grabbed some baby cough syrup and we tried a humidifier in his room.  I had choir that night - but could hardly sing.  It's kinda crazy to think that our Christmas concerts are next week!

The kids were home on Wednesday and we mostly spend the day taking it easy and such.  I tried to get some cooking done for Thanksgiving - but David was mostly un-cooperative.  I managed to make the spinach dip, but nothing else got done.  In the evening, Dan made the rolls and Eileen made a cheese cake.  I was finally able to get the pumpkin chiffon pie done thankfully - and that was it for us for Thanksgiving!  Anna had robotics in the afternoon - they are getting close to the competition, so they are in the final push to get everything ready!

Thursday was mostly just having a fun time together.  Then in the evening, we got dressed up (well some of us did) and then we headed to Stuart and Rebecca's for Thanksgiving dinner.  The meal was WONDERFUL as always!  It was wonderful to get to see family and chat over yummy food!

Friday morning, Becca came over - we had planned a day for me to teach her how to make Angel Food Cake and Creme Brulee.  We had a fun time and made lots of yummy sweets.  Then I sent a bunch of them home with her since we still had some pie and cheese cake.  We put our angel food cake upside down to cool, and this happened!  I've never had that happen before!  It was so funny - but it still tastes really yummy!

After lunch, and Anna's Robotics meeting in the morning, Dan and Becca and I took Eileen to see the "Justice League" movie.  We all enjoyed it - Eileen was bouncing in her seat.  :)  Sister Cottrell also came over to hang out with us, then watch the littles while we went to the movie - and Anna took charge of watching Becca's little one - Laura.  She does such a good job with little kids!  

Saturday, Anna had Robotics again - and they came home with Lego trophies to build - so they have been working on those for the last two days.  Eileen had flute lessons and the kids had piano lessons.  Then in the evening, we all went to Home Depot to get our Christmas tree!  The tree area was not heavily populated and we had to track down someone to help us - but I think we got a good tree! Eileen was less than thrilled with her overly energetic younger siblings. :) 

Sunday was great!  We had choir before church to prepare to perform in Sacrament Meeting.  It went well in spite of me messing up and not getting the musical number on the program.  After church, we went home for lunch, then walked back to the church for tithing settlement - the weather was so beautiful!  Then the kids and I had some fun jumping on the trampoline, and I set Eileen up with a blog for her doll.  I thought she would have a fun time with is - so we will see how it goes!  After dinner and getting the younger kids to bed, Eileen and Dan and I played a couple games.

Almost Thanksgiving!

We've had a fairly typical busy week, with a couple exceptions.  Monday we had laundry to wash and fold, grocery shopping to do, Family Home Evening, plus Evie had her dentist appointment after school.  David has been hit or miss when it comes to sleeping through the night, so when he doesn't, I'm grateful for the chance to get in a bit of a nap before the kids get out of school!  We had a fun little family home evening lesson on the 4th Article of Faith. 

Tuesday was Stake Temple night, and the ward youth temple trip, so Eileen and Dan headed to the temple right after school for baptisms, then Dan and I met and switched off the baby so I could go do a session with Kay and Reggie.  It was a wonderful evening!  In the morning, I went over to Becca's, but she was so tired, that after a bit I headed out to let her get a nap and go run some errands. 

Wednesday was a normal Wednesday - Anna had a volleyball game that Dan and I went to watch before heading out to Choir for me and then Dan had a work dinner in the evening.  Choir went well and we had a great time!  Then as I was leaving chorale, I got a phone call from Dan's phone - but it was his friend Kris calling to let me know that Dan was ok - but that he had choked on some food and the ambulance had been called and he was being taken to the hospital.  So I met up with him and Kris there and we sat with him while the doctors tried to get the piece of food to move out of his esophagus and into his stomach.  We finally got out of the hospital a bit after midnight, then dropped Kris off and headed home. 

After an adventurous night, I told Dan that he couldn't go to work and that he had to stay home and rest.  And David and I were a bit tired too - so we all took it a bit easy.  After school, Eileen had a doctor's appointment and Aaron had drum lessons and Anna had volleyball.  

Friday was an easy going day mostly too, I had planned on going over to Becca's but she was feeling sick and I was exhausted, so we both stayed home and rested instead.  Anna had Volleyball and Robotics, then for the evening, we just took it easy.  

Saturday morning, Anna had a game bright and early - I got to go watch some of it before I had to switch off with Dan so he could take Eileen to flute lessons and I could stay with the younger kids for piano lessons.  After that, we got a quick lunch before Dan took Anna to Robotics and Evie to a birthday party.  Then they came home and we got a quick dinner for the kids before Dwayne and Nicole dropped their kids off for Eileen to babysit and the grown ups all went out for dinner - we met up with Jeremiah and Becca and Nate and Ally too - it was a fun night and great food and I came home STUFFED!  

Sunday we got to church early to get ready for the choir to perform in Sacrament meeting.  Eileen also had a talk to give.  Eileen did a great job on her talk despite being really nervous and hating public speaking.  The choir sounded great and it was a wonderful Sacrament meeting!  After, Kay stole David and so Dan and I went to enjoy Gospel Doctrine.  The lessons was wonderful - we talked about the analogy of putting on the whole armor of God and looked at how much we can learn from that analogy - it's amazing - all things truly denote that there is a God!!  After church, we went home for lunch and some nap time.  Then Dan made bread to take to all the families that he home teaches.  We finished our evening by watching the Face to Face with Elder Nelson and Elder Oaks.  It was wonderful!  Then we sent the kids to bed and Eileen and Dan and I played Killer Bunnies.  

House Hunting and Such

We had a fun week this week.  Monday was our usual laundry day.  After school, Anna didn't have Volleyball, so we all loaded into the car and headed to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (DMNS) to meet up with Julia and Doug.  We had lots of fun with them checking out the new exhibits and watching a 3D Imax movie on flight.  It was lots of fun to hang out with Julia and Doug and the kids had a great time.  After, we headed home for a family home evening lesson and then laundry folding and grocery shopping.  

Tuesday, I got to head over to Becca's and we finished up our desks (well she finished hers and I got mostly done with mine) Then I went to pick up the kids from school and we had the usual after school stuff - piano practicing, band, volley ball practice and then dinner and bed.

Wednesday was a fun day, David and I took it a bit easy in the morning.  After school was the usual, then in the evening, I had Chorale practice - which was longer than usual because it was our tech rehearsal before our concerts this weekend.  Eileen and Dan had their youth activities.  Anna had a volley ball game and then she and Evie had Activity Day Girls activity.  Aaron had cub scouts and then we could finally call it a night.  At lunch time, Dan and I had our real estate agent take us on a video walk through of a house that we are interested in.  We had seen the floor plan and really liked it and wanted to see the interior.  Then we had Sandi drive around the neighborhood for us.  Then the next day, we put an offer on the house.  We will still go look at it when we go out at the end of the month, but this secures it for us with minimal cost if we change our mind. 

Thursday was a quiet morning.  After school, I got the younger kids and we went in to the book fair at the kids school to look around.  I told the kids we weren't buying anything, but I figured I could get some Christmas ideas for them.  After we headed home for the normal piano and homework and such.  I just loved this cute picture of Evie reading to David though!

Friday we had a pretty normal day to start with.  I had a nice time chatting with an old friend from Texas and getting excited about singing with her again.  The more people I talk to about this, the more real it seems.  The kids had school and Anna had volleyball and robotics.  Then I had a concert in the evening.  We did our Veteran's Day concert which was at Buckley Air Force Base.  The concert went really well - it was packed and the whole concert was just wonderful.  Dan took a video of my solo in the concert, but the video is too big to upload here.  

Saturday was another rather busy day.  In the morning, Eileen had flute lessons, The kids had piano lessons, Dan took Anna out running and then to the church to practice some volley ball.  In the afternoon, I took Eileen, Evie, James and David and went down to Colorado Springs for my concert.  I also gave a ride to another gal in my ward who sings with the Chorale.  She was so sweet and listened to me chatter for most of the hour and a half drive.  The kids were great and had a fun time hanging out with Sister Cottrell while I sang for the sound check and the concert.  Once again the concert was wonderful - it was amazing to have so many veterans and active military service people there!  

Sunday was church.  There was a wonderful talk from a recently returned sister missionary.  Her spirit was just wonderful and her words were just what I needed to hear!  Then she and her sisters did a beautiful musical number!  All of church was really wonderful!  After, the kids and I headed home for lunch, then Eileen and Anna and I headed back to the church for choir!  Week 2 of no crocheting at church for Eileen went a bit better than last week -  Eileen was still really grumpy about it, but not quite as bad as last week :)  

Evie is so funny - she LOVES to help out with David - she doesn't always remember that he is a baby and not a doll - but she is so eager to help.  Tonight she REALLY wanted to feed David, so we let her try it out and she did a great job!  She was so cute!  We finished our day with some game time with Eileen, now we just need to get David to sleep!  

Halloween

Monday was nice.  David and I tried to take it easy and since he napped most of the morning, I got to make up on some of the sleep I had been missing most of last week.  I got the laundry washed mostly - but David would not let me put him down long enough to fold it.  After school, and an early dinner, I took the kids to go pick up our glasses.  We all look great!  :)  On the way home, I took the kids to Cold Stone for a Family Home Evening activity.  

Tuesday was Halloween - the kids got to wear their costumes to school - but some how Aaron managed to lose his costume....  So he didn't have it to wear for the trunk or treat.  I went to Becca's in the morning and we worked on a desk for the dolls.  Then Dan got home in the afternoon.  There was band for Eileen and Volleyball practice for Anna, then we had dinner and headed over to the church for the trunk or treat.  We all had a great time - though the turn out wasn't as big as it usually is.  Aaron went "as himself" since he had lost his costume.  

Wednesday was the usual insanity.  School in the morning, piano practicing in the afternoon and choir, young women's, young men's, cub scouts in the evening.  Sister Cottrell stopped by to chat and hang out.  She had dinner with us and helped watch the kids while Dan was with the young men.  She is such a sweet lady!  

Thursday was a big day.  On Thursday, I became the mother of a teenager.  She is such an amazing young woman!  She had a flash cake and a wonder woman cake.  She blew out all the candles on the first try - no problem.  She was excited about her presents - a craft bag, kindle cover and some e-books from mom and dad, a really cute dress from grandma and grandpa Jones and a mermaid tail from grandma and grandpa Cox.  After we put the younger kids to bed, Dan and I watched the first Iron Man with Eileen - we are taking her through the Marvel movies one by one.  :)   

Friday was back to school and such as usual.  We watched The Incredible Hulk with Eileen at night.  She's been enjoying the movies so far! 

Saturday was crazy.  Eileen had flute.  The kids had piano lessons, Anna had Robotics, then in the afternoon, we all had to be out of the house for about 4 hours for a home inspection.  Dan and Anna were at Robotics.  I took the kids with my to get my fixed glasses, then we headed to the Zoo - Eileen went to the library instead.  We had a fun time running around and playing and David mostly cooperated. 

Sunday was great.  Dan and I talked to Eileen about not bringing her crochet bag to church as a way to try and get her to stop isolating herself from everyone else.  She was REALLY not happy with us, but it seemed to work.  She read scriptures during Sacrament meeting, and actually participated a bit more in Young Womens.  Choir was awesome this week - we had a great turn out and I'm getting really excited about how everything is sounding!  After, we headed to Doug's house to visit.  Julia is in town and Grandpa was back from Washington DC and getting his medal for his participation in the Philippine Scouts after WWII.  It was really neat to hear him talk about it and learn about what happened there.  He has done so much to try and share the stories so that those who fought can receive the recognition that they deserve. 

After we got home and had some dinner, Anna and David had fun playing with a balloon and David was just cracking up!!! So funny!