Week ending 11-29-20

We had a great Thanksgiving week. Mom and I went for a lot of walks, we internet shopped, played with the kids, fixed a lot of meals, watched shows, and hung out and talked.

Tuesday: Impromptu limbo while cleaning up dinner.

Wednesday: We made a trip to Springville to do some family history. We stopped to drop off something for Kira and got to play with her dog outside while we chatted.

This is the house where my grandmother grew up. We saw a lot of her houses as well as other ancestors back to 1874 but I forgot to take pictures.

Madalyn came home for the weekend. It's the first time we've seen her since we dropped her off in September. We've missed her!

Thursday: Thomas reading to the little kids while we cooked Thanksgiving dinner.

Kaitlyn making her fruit salad.

The dinner is almost ready!

Thomas carves the turkey.

Dishing up.

Kaitlyn showing off her sweet potato casserole and fruit salad.

Madalyn and Makenna made the green bean casserole like they have for 10+ years. 

(Well, Madalyn has. Makenna is only 8:))

Sitting around and talking to Kylie, one of my favorite parts of the day.

Kylie is doing so awesome in Charlotte and loving it. I'm so proud of her.

Her two front teeth are so loose. Any day now!

Going for our traditional walk and tossing a football.

Playing games and reading. Too bad it's blurry.

Pie time. And I'm pulling turkey off the bones.

Someday I'll spring for a bigger pot. :)

Friday: Feliz Navidad time! Or "Feliz Snobby Duck" as the kids say. Every year they put on the song and line up and go all over the house like this. I love it. Last year's was the best with all 10 kids. I'll treasure that forever.

Getting the decorations out.

Talea having an imaginary tea party with my mom. 

Saturday: Putting up Christmas lights.

Madalyn and Alexis hanging out and catching up.

Our friend had twins over the summer and we finally got to see them! This one is Madison.

This one is Sydney.

I had fun playing a Christmas match game with Andy before tucking him in.

Week ending 11-22-20

 This was a great week. We spent a lot of time getting ready for my mom and brother and his family to come and had a lot of happy energy, looking forward to Thanksgiving with excitement. Unfortunately my brother cancelled his trip but it was fun preparing for it all week so I'm glad he didn't cancel it until Saturday.

Spencer checking out Talea's perfect pitch.

Spencer playing "I Saw Three Ships" Piano Guys version which made everyone get up and dance to it.

Last Sunday: Spencer took this of us all sitting around writing in our journals.

Spencer took Thomas and the 3 little kids to Nathan's so that I could watch the YW face to face with Alexis. And we let Kaitlyn and Makenna join in. :) We had popcorn and smoothie and a big butterfinger.

We didn't have much candy corn left but I made a small plate sized butterfinger with it.

Monday: We did a little rearranging to find bedrooms for Brady's family and my mom. Talea hasn't been sleeping in it, but sleeping with one of her sisters in their beds, so I thought of throwing it out. I took pictures of it since it was a mattress we got for Kylie and it went through 10 children. But then Talea decided she did want to sleep in it so we'll see how much longer we'll keep it.

The 5 little kids went to visit our friend Kristin who set them up with some treats and trinkets.

She's so sweet!

Wiggling all the loose teeth. 

Spencer and Alexis playing Christmas duets while all the other kids were in bed. I loved it!

Tuesday: the carpet cleaning guys came to clean our tiles so they looked nice for Thanksgiving. I had a gift card so it wasn't too expensive. The kids absolutely loved it. They jumped on the couches and watched the moppers more than they did their school and said it was the best day ever.

The little boys now want to be moppers when they grow up.

Afterward I did a big grocery shopping trip to get food for company and candy to give away for Christmas treats to neighbors. I've never bought so much candy at one time and Alexis took this picture to send to Madalyn. I got her 3 bags of peanut butter M&Ms to share with her roommates.

Wednesday: I raked a lot of leaves with the little kids.

Pretending to be asleep.

Thursday: Mama came! She hasn't come since Makenna's baptism last February so we were looking forward to her visit and the start of the holiday season.

Friday: Buddy snuggle time.

Saturday: Thomas and his friend Luke making quesadillas for dinner.

I tucked Andy in but Thomas was still practicing his cello and trying to upload his assignment. I loved how Andy just watched him.