Lots of Music!

We've had a rather busy week, as usual.  The kids had school all week and were busy with their UIL practices and band practices and clubs and such.  David and I had fun at the church with other ladies in the area doing a work out class and a play day.  James had so much fun that he's been asking to go to the church every day since - though you wouldn't have known it at the time - he was rather quiet and mostly just wandering around watching everyone else the whole time.  

The older girls had young womens and I dropped them off then went to practice the organ - after a bit, I got a call that Eileen was not feeling well and asking if I could pick her up, so I went and got her and she came home and went to bed and I went back to practice until Anna was done.  

Thursday was choir - it was a rather exhausting rehearsal, but fun - we are getting so close to the concert - it's so fun to see everything finally start pulling together.  

Friday was the kids last day of school until December - they get the full week off for Thanksgiving.  They were all pretty excited!  

We had some trouble with James at school this week - we got a call from his teacher that he had stolen money from a boy at school.  We had a talk with him at home too - hopefully this will not happen again....  

Friday night, we went to the temple with some friends from the ward.  The temple has been closed for the last month and a half, so it was really nice being able to go again.  We had a wonderful time, then went out to dinner and had a great time!  

Saturday morning, we had another choir practice - a full rehearsal with the orchestra.  It was fun - hopefully we are ready!  It's so much fun having the girls sing with the choir this year!  We took most of the rest of the day a bit easier.  I spent most of the afternoon trying to get Sibelius music program to do what I wanted.  I've been trying to make copies of the music with an organ line to make it a bit easier on me, but with out much of a knowledge of the program, I struggled to figure out how to do things.  But, by the time we got the kids to bed and I went to practice the organ to prepare for Sunday, I had the two harder songs done and ready.  I think they really helped.  

Sunday was wonderful - again we had amazing talks in Sacrament Meeting.  I did ok on the organ and had fun playing the piano in primary.  The children's choir practiced today - they did an amazing job - we didn't have quite as many kids, but there were a lot of people out sick at church and it is the weekend before Thanksgiving, so it's wasn't a surprise.  I'm so excited though - they sound wonderful and I think they are really enjoying it!  

So a few years ago, Dan helped fund a kickstarter for a board game of a video game he really likes - he got the main game and an expansion awhile back.  This week he got a huge box full of expansions, so he and Aaron pulled the game out and had fun playing most of the afternoon and evening.  Aaron really had a great time with Dan!  

We got a smoker on Saturday - Dan has been wanting one for a long time and since we are doing the turkey this year, we decided to smoke it.  We figured we had better make sure we know how it works before Thanksgiving, so we got a bit pork butt and today, Dan started it smoking after church so that it would be done before bed.  The whole house and back yard has been smelling really yummy!! 

Where has the year gone.....

We've had a fun and busy week.  David is my little cutie at home as usual.  He's starting to push boundaries and trying to get away with things.  It frustrating at times, but then there are other times when he's just so sweet and cute!  

Wednesday was cub scouts, and activity days and young womens and organ practicing for me.  The kids all had a good time!  I picked a hymn that ended up being rather hard...  I worked on it so hard all week, but still didn't play it very well on Sunday.  Thankfully the rest of them went better. 

Thursday was choir.  We had our first combined rehearsal with all the choirs and orchestra.  It was awesome!  I love getting to this point in the season - everything begins to come together and it's amazing!  It was so neat getting to hear Eileen and Anna too - the Youth groups sound amazing! 

Friday night, a podcast that I have listened to for a long time was doing a live event in Dallas, so I got tickets and dragged Eileen to the show.  I had a great time and I think Eileen enjoyed it too. :) 

Saturday, Anna and I went to work out with my mom, then we got some lunch after.  After that it was a mostly slow Saturday - a bit of calm before the storm!  Dan and I went out to dinner in the evening, then Eileen and Anna had a youth game night.  I went to practice the organ some more during the activity.  Then we all crashed! 

Today was wonderful!  Church was wonderful (except my playing on the opening hymn- ouch!)  Talks were wonderful and primary was great!  In the afternoon we played some games with the kids, then I took the primary aged kids to the Nativity Children's choir practice.  We had a great turn out!  The kids did an amazing job on the songs and I'm excited for this to all come together! 

Here is David showing of his muscles in the outfit that momma vetoed.  :) 

After dinner, we watched the Face to Face about the new program for children and youth.  Early on, they talked about how this program is geared at helping our children and youth grow and develop into people the Lord can send to do His work.  It was almost word for word an answer to my prayers.  I have prayed to understand how I can best help my children learn and grow - not just for their own sakes, but for how they can bless the lives of others.  <3 nbsp="" p="">

What?? we're almost half way through November??!?!?!?

We've kept ourselves busy this week with the usual school fun, family fun, extra fun.  James and Evie have been having fun doing their sister's hair.  David wants to do it too, but really all he wants to do is spray hair with the spray bottle.  At close range.  Many, many times.  Until we are soaked.  

During the week, we had friends who needed a bit of extra help this week, so I watched their two youngest on Friday.  David loved it - he is always wanting to play with his friend and the older kids were so good with them and playing with them and helping out while I made dinner for us and their family too.  They were so cute on the trampoline - with their fuzzy static-y hair.

Yesterday, Anna and I went to work out in the morning, it was a great, but exhausting work out.  We had a great time though.  Then in the afternoon, I went to a primary training meeting with the General Primary President.  It was wonderful.  It was two hours of the spirit and learning and having our lamps filled!  I carpooled down with Diane and we had fun chatting in the car on the way there and home.  I had been looking forward to this meeting and it was so wonderful!!!!  Then in the evening, was a devotional for the Women and Young Women of the church.  It was all about the new Young Women's theme and it was amazing.  The whole day was full of so much good!  After the meeting, I took the girls home then headed back to practice on the organ for a bit before heading home and crashing!

Church today was also wonderful!  The talks in Sacrament meeting were wonderful.  I'm kinda starting to feel like a real church organist.  Not a real organist - but at least a real church organist.  :)  I find that I'm really enjoying this - I enjoy practicing, I enjoy playing and I just kinda wish I had gotten past my intimidation sooner.

Halloween and a Birthday

We've had a fun and busy week!  Monday morning, I had a quick doctors appointment - I just needed a blood draw and David and I got our flu shots.  Monday night we carved pumpkins.  Thankfully Dan found some down near his work since our Walmart was already out.  The kids had a blast - David loved telling Daddy what to do and they all had a great time!  

We usually put our pumpkins out in front of our house - but since it was supposed to rain for the next couple days (and did!) we left them in the garage until Halloween night.  

Tuesday - Dan's company had a Halloween party - Evie and Aaron had piano lessons though, and by the time they were over, so was the party- Evelyn was VERY mad at me for that....  But Dan brought back stuff for her.  Really - I don't think they missed that much.

Wednesday night was choir night (it was moved since Thursday is Halloween) But it was also the Ward Party.  It was a chili cook off and trunk-or-treat and lots of fun stuff.  Eileen and Anna were able to head there after choir and still get to some of it since the youth choir ended a bit early.  

Thursday was of course Halloween - The kids all got dressed up and ready.  We managed to find Eileen a Naruto character costume.  She was very excited about it.  Anna stayed home and gave out candy.  Eileen joined us for a bit, then went to join her friend Akira for a bit.  The four younger ones and I had fun going around the whole neighborhood.  There were tons of kids out and about and we had fun seeing all the people we had met at the fall festival!  Someone had a bit of a mini haunted house - Aaron, Evie and James wanted to go in and did - and they were ok with it at first, but I think it may have given some nightmares later. David was adorable in his little paw patrol costume.  He loved saying trick or treat and telling everyone "Happy Halloween!"

Friday was a no school day for the kids - but I wasn't feeling great, so we mostly took it easy, then I took the kids to get their flu shots.  They were super amazing and David has been talking about Pokies ever since.  

Saturday was a bit crazy.  It was Eileen's 15th birthday.  15 years ago - this amazing young woman made me a mother.  Dan and my Dad went and did a Bob Ross Painting class together and were gone most of the day.  Eileen picked Sushi for her birthday dinner.  She wanted to make a cheese cake for her cake (she made a pumpkin cheese cake) and she loved her gifts!  Dan found her a Naruto sweatshirt and head thingie - that she has hardly taken off since.  She was going to have a couple friends over - but one was sick and she had a hard time getting a hold of the other one, so we are putting that off until next week.  Instead she wanted to spend her time writing for NaNoWriMo.  

One of Dan's seminary students had a concert in the evening, so after we got the kids to bed we headed over - we were a bit late, but it was a fun concert and a fundraiser for their choir.  

Sunday was awesome!  We had my parents over for dinner, then after that, Sarah and Rob stopped by.  They were in town for a conference and the had some time to spend an evening with us!  We had fun chatting and laughing and playing games.