Week ending 1-12-20

We were super busy this week getting back into the groove of school, getting Kylie ready for her mission, and hanging out with family. My mom left Wednesday morning and Nathan's dad came over immediately after. Sunday after Kylie's farewell several of Nathan's siblings came over to spend the afternoon. Somehow with all the busyness I didn't take many pictures.

Monday: Kylie got her visa and travel plans! She leaves Tuesday at 1:30pm, flies through Dallas (where she was born!) and lands in Brazil at 8am on Wednesday. 

Doing a science activity where we try to locate our bat pups. Mommy bats can find their baby by smell so we all picked a "baby": cotton ball with cinnamon, cocoa, oil, lotion, soap, toothpaste, vanilla, banana, honey and caramel and tried to locate it by smelling it. 

Andy tries to find his cinnamon baby. 

Makenna--

Samuel--cocoa 

Alexis--toothpaste 

Kaitlyn-vanilla 

Anderson randomly singing and eating a banana upside down. 

Wednesday: Spencer is taller than Peepaw! 

Peepaw took Kylie and Madalyn shopping for mission stuff and brought home pizza for us. I had a stomachache so I sat on the couch and observed all the fun family time. 

Saturday: Kristin took me, Kylie, and Madalyn out to lunch. 

Practicing for the song they sang in Sacrament Meeting today: "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go." It turned out beautiful. Spencer also played Marshall McDonald's arrangement of "Called To Serve." Kylie gave a wonderful talk and everything went perfectly which I was so grateful for. I couldn't believe I was the mother of the missionary speaking though! I don't feel old enough. 

Sunday: We got 4" of snow and while eating breakfast we all enjoyed watching the birds prance through the snow to find the bird feeder. Our table used to stay perfect for days after it snowed but now that we have a feeder the birds ruin it right away. They were fun to watch though. 

Two birds found the bottom of the feeder without trouble and kept us company while we ate. 

After church Nathan's siblings and dad came over for a spaghetti lunch. I love having morning church so we had plenty of time to hang out and catch up. 

Kylie's friend from NC also came to support her, which was super fun!

The girls (and Thomas) came and serenaded the adults with a few pretty songs. 

Kylie and Emma, our special homeschool friend. 

When it was time to go a bunch of cousins put on a play for us. I love how much fun everyone has together and are creative. Nobody ever got feelings hurt or got in trouble. It was purely uplifting and we all left happier because of an afternoon spent together.

Week ending 1-5-20

We had an awesome week with most of my family coming to visit and help my younger brother Brady move to Iowa. We didn't do anything special, but I pretty much went around taking pictures of all the tender little moments just hanging out together.

Monday: I came downstairs in the morning to find Makenna sweetly reading to the 3 little kids in a new chair our neighbors gave us.  We spent the morning cleaning and getting ready for my mom and sister Trish who flew in and my brother and his family who drove in from Wyoming.

Right away Ben tried to become the favorite uncle by showing Talea stuff on his phone, talking to her, holding her, and playing with her. Watching him interact with my babies is my favorite part of Ben's visits. I'll never forget how fun he was when Kylie was 3 months old and he was playing with her. He's only seen a few of my kids as babies but the past 4 years I've lived here he's come once a year and I love him playing with Anderson and Talea as babies.

Standing on the stairs, I loved watching all the cousins reconnect. I wanted these days to last forever.

Toad (Ben's oldest girl) holding Sam and Andy.  

Spencer carrying Alexis and Toad piggyback. 

Hanging out in the kitchen, laughing, talking, and enjoying family time. 

At 8pm Brady came up to pick up Trish and Mom to help him move and left Shane to spend the night with us. 

 

Makenna and Cousin Shane--his first and probably his last sleepover as he moved to Iowa the next day. 

Tuesday: I woke up to find these 4 playing Madlibs. 

I know I have a lot of pictures like this but I couldn't get enough. I just soaked it all in, my big brother attracting all my kids. 

Talea showing off her new Christmas outfit and boots. 

Ben playing magnetic dolls with Talea. 

Madalyn took these from across the room: Ben showing Talea vidoes of his kids riding their pet pigs, doing the rodeo, and building their log house. 

The teenagers playing Yahtzee before ringing in the new year.

Wednesday: Janet made us a huge New Year's Day breakfast. Ben and Janet and their 4 kids left right after and we were so sad. I treasured the time I had almost all of my siblings here. 

We got a small snowstorm and loved watching the birds come to our feeder amidst all the white. 

Hanging out before bedtime playing with Mama and Aunt Lori. Lori had to leave on Thursday. 

Thursday: I was on my exercise bike in the corner of my room when I looked up and saw Andy pretending to take pictures of Tilly and Sam. 

Thursday night dinner with only my mom left.

Kylie attracting the little kids by showing them funny things on her phone. We'll miss her so much! 

Friday: Carving wands. 

Saturday: The boys playing doctor and getting along so well.

Talea showing off new bedding our neighbor gave her. 

Sunday: I took his stitches out Friday morning and it's healing pretty well for a deep cut.  

The birds eating and playing in the s