November: Trip to Ohio!

Amy called and asked if I could come stay with her while Greg was out of town for a week. I was able to do it and I said "YES!" So I went and it was SOOOO great!

This is a picture of a tunnel in the Detroit airport and it was cool! It had kind of eerie music going and a light show on the walls. I got familiar with this tunnel because I went back and forth in it because I missed my connecting flight and almost cried, and was put up in a hotel and had an experience to remember and write in my journal about.

Yummy grapes to eat and play chipmunk with. Pinch those cheeky cheeks!!

Ryan liked my old lady reading glasses and wore them around the house whenever he saw them.

Went to the John Johnson farm and took a tour. We were the only ones there. It was a wonderful experience. It was here, in Hyrum (not related to Hyrum Smith) where Joseph Smith received the revelation of the three degrees of glory found in D&C 76.

In the bed behind us is where Joseph was dragged out of and tarred and feathered, then right outside the door preached a sermon the next day. One of his twins died from exposure because of the event. The twins were sleeping on the trundle bed underneath.

Eric really liked playing the game "Angry Birds" on my iphone. This picture just reminds me of my three boys at that age. It took me back.

I held and loved and kissed this baby and couldn't get enough! I love him and miss him so much!!

Next door to the Johnson farm is an apple farm and a store. Amy got a bushel of apples, and she and the boys made apple pie filling to freeze. Eric helped peel/core/slice the apples and the other boys stirred in the spices. I took lots of pictures and video and wanted to make a fun movie with music, but couldn't get the technology to work for me. Rats! I think I got the boys making up a (bathroom) humorous song on video that also brought back the good old days!:)

Good memories of an A+ book report on The Silver Chair, a Family Home Evening playing the game Categories, singing 'In a Cottage by the wood,... come little rabbit, come with me, happy we will be. WHACK! Mmmm! Wabbit stew!" Thank you Amy, Eric, Ryan, Christian and Daniel for a truly marvelous week!

October: Halloween

The pumpkin carving was wild! Taylor and Markus carved their pumpkin to death. Here Taylor has carved an arrow from the pumpkin and is having it point to his pride and glory: his bicep. :D

Taylor dressed up as a missionary for Halloween. Doesn't he look great? Cute companion too!

October: A Nerd Dance and Emily's B-Day Party

Taylor and Marcus: silly boys who went all out for a Stake nerd dance. Don't they look geeky?:D

Marcus wore a long sleeve shirt over his tank to the dance - just so ya know!

Emily made invitations, and planned and hosted her whole birthday party this year. The girls had a blast being together, watching "How to Train Your Dragon," eating dinner and playing games. Emily put on the invite not to bring presents, but they ignored her and got her many nice gifts.

A Possum in the Garbage

I found a possum in our garbage can the other day. It was gross. Emily was fascinated and took pictures and named it and thought it was cute. So I can post about it thanks to her. It was garbage day and I hoped to say goodbye to Freddy Freeze when the truck came by, but it was not my fortunate day. The garbage man noticed the hermit vermin, knocked the can over, "kicked the bucket" and the marsupial scuttled to our side yard. Eventually he got in our backyard and, we think, his "home" under our backyard shed. Oh goody!

So there's our "Creature Feature" for this October!

Breakfast At Tiffany's

Yummy, yummy! We have been drinking breakfast at our home for over 1 1/2 years now and we love it and can't get enough! I thought the blender full of fruit looked almost like a work of art so I grabbed my camera and captured the breakfast process. We have a peach, 2 bananas, an apple, plum, strawberries, and a partridge in a pear tree- just kidding- a pear in here.

I added a little water, some ice and blended it up, then added about 4 handfuls of spinach and a tablespoon of coconut oil. The spinach tones down the sweetness and we get a salad for breakfast without even noticing! It only takes a couple of days to get used to the spinach flavor.

Here is our milk making process for the past 2 years: 1/2 c. raw almonds and 3 c. water.

Blend for a minute and you have frothy white almond milk! What to do about the almond meal?

Cut a piece of white muslin, stick it in a bowl and pour the milk in. Gather it up, twist and squeeze the milk out. I feel like I'm milking. :) I usually dump it back in the blender and add some ice and blend it up to make the milk cold.

It's so great! Very fresh. And sometimes I keep the almond meal and use it as a facial scrub in the shower. It's a great, but messy body scrub too.

BYU - Idaho!!!

Spencer was so excited to get to Rexburg, and when he got there he took it by storm. He got the hall, within his first hour, to root for Boise State in their football game against Virginia Tech and had them screaming by the end of the game. He also volunteered to be one of four resident representatives to gather the hall for hall prayer and coordinate hall activities. I took him out to Idaho and helped get him set up. I know he could have managed by himself, but I just wanted to be his mommy for a few more days! More for me than for him, I'm sure! Here are a few shots of his dorm room after we got it set up.

His closet and drawers!

His desk!

His bed!

Spencer and his roommate, Josh!

Spencer outside his hall.

Right before I said goodbye to my wonderful BYU-I son!

Spencer is an Elder

The Sunday before he left for BYU -I, Spencer was ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood. Some of our family came in to town for it and I realized right before our high councilor turned the floor over to Damon to ordain him how Damon's dad and all but one brother were there. I couldn't grab a camera, so I grabbed Damon's i-phone to snap the shot. Special day. Thank you to all who made the trip! Wish we lived close to every single family member to be able to share these great days with each of you!

Went to dinner with Spencer's friend and soon-to-be-roommate, Josh Davies, and his family. Thought we'd celebrate their upcoming adventure with some good food!

Texas Roadhouse! How sentimental!