Noviembre Ends

Sunday nights finish so simply at Grandma's house.  

We helped her decorate her tree.

Monday night FHE was finishing our decor.  We didn't even get it done.

Lots of reading in cozy pairs.  I still fall asleep everyday when it's reading hour.  Blast.

This girl dances when no one is watching.  I love that about Maddie.  

 

"Thanksgibbing Back"

Melijah and grandparents were our only company for our feast, so our stress level was zero.  We spent the morning playing turkey ball, our best game.

Austin smoked our bird; I love it when he's smug.  It was so delicious.

Nephews Easton and Nolan spent three days with us.  

Cute "littles" table.

Our fest.  Take notice of the salmon and smokes sausages as well as the turkey.

Look how big this girl is.  She's helping herself to more "healthy food."

The evening ended just as the day began, uneventfully.

Melijah left Friday morning -- but they will be back for Christmas.  Once again they swept into our world to lift and love.  They leave us better than they find us.

We decorated the tree in a blip.  I worked with the two little boys all weekend, so that was real.

I did convice everyone to play Christmas "Just Dance."  The gym is seriously so rad.

Maddie slammed her little thumb in the car door, the poor little dear.

And then the week of thanks was over.  I made a real effort to only express graditude in my prayers this week.  I wonder if I should make this a practice for a certain prayer everyday.  As in, I retire to my room early to simply give thanks to God on High for His Son, and His plan that is unfolding as I cling to my covenants and seek to improve each day.

Spartan Beast 2022/2nd Trifecta

Maisie, Nick and I ran a half marathon with 32 obstacles.  It was the worst -- probably the hardest thing I've ever done physically.  (Austin had a broken toe, so sadly he forfeited).  I drove us the two hours to Avondale and we raced for three hours.

Before pics.

(That stadium behind us was the final obstacle in which we carried 50 pound sand bags up to the top and back down again.)

After pics.

Practically dead.  These two teens worked so hard and pushed through 8 miles of sandy wash run.  We jumped from rock to rock and then ran in and out of the wash.  

Here are our racs stats via my watch.  Well done, us!  

We bolted out of there as fast as we could so they could get to a dance in Flag.

The Armstrongs Visited!

 Meg and Elijah, plus Clayton, Sharma and Mal came to Cottonwood!  Don't you worry, we entertained them so well.  Our first night together Maddie, Eddie, Ryan and Molly put on a production which included eight musical numbers, costume changes and choregraphy (memorized from "Just Dance").  We all laughed so hard.  The entire prodection was impressive.

Friday we gave them tour of Sedona, hiking both Bell Rock and walking through Budha Beach.  We also browsed in Talaquapaque.

Saturday was the Spartan for me, but Austin took the group bowling.  Meg and Sharma tied for the highest score.  That night I was surrounded my all my adoring peeps as I recovered my tired legs in bed.

Sunday worship was exciting.  Not really, it wasn't.  But, we did "plop" Meg's hair and allowed her natural curls to take center stage.  Nailed it.

Flag football is the opposite of Sunday holiness, but somehow the fact that we're outside playing together and laughing, trumps all sacrilege.  Good ol' Clayton had to win, so the girls on his team were obsolete, Elijah was his main man.  To be fair, Elijah can run faster, catch better and jump higher than everyone, sooooo maybe we weren't sighted after all.  

We did find quiet moments to read and sing together.

Molly was in heaven sitting between Mal and Elijah at church, and she seemed to find Mal every other  second.  He was chill and let her come up with all sorts of games.

Monday for FHE Grandpa B. invited us to a hot dog roast down by the river.  Shelly and her crew are visiting, so they joined us as well.  Here are the tree climbers down in the bottoms.

Baby Nolan couldn't get enough of the smoke.

And!  Maisie and Nick had the XC banquet.  They have the best coaches.

We love Coach Engler.

(Monday Sharma helped in the kitchen preparing all the hiking meals and food.  Truth: she helped every second in the kitchen. She's the best.)

Tuesday we awakened at 3:30am to hike the Grand Canyon.  (This is kind of my favorite tradition.  I love a loooooong walk (18 miles) glorying in God's nature.

The top.

The bottom.

The photographer.

The end.

(Austin took a couple of darling pictures, so I must dig those out.). We finished in the exact amount of time as last year, 7am-4pm.  I could seriously do that 3 days/week.  Clayton was our pacer, and he didn't stop -- I prefer that kind of walk.

Wednesday Clayton, Sharma and Mal went home.  We will miss their kindness and mildness.  They were so chill; I didn't have to manage expectations at all, which is sometimes the hardest part of company.  Elijah took them to the airport, and we just stayed home.  

The Armstrong boys helped install the mirrors in our gym.  I needed a good stretch after the Spartan Beast and Grand Canyon hike, our gym worked out perfectly.

I'm so smug about it.

Wednesday nighe we sat and loved.  These are the candid moments that are hard to caputre in words, but our table was surrounded by love and peace.  

Every week I testify of eternal family, becaue everyday that is my work.  Some days I breathe more hope than others, but maybe one day one of my children will stumble upon this post and know that I pray for them every breath and sing their praises.

Noviembre

I ran a few times this week then followed up with some yoga.  This pose is harder than it looks.

Maddie drew this amazing cornicopia.  We sent letters to Grandma Goodell.  We love her.

Sometimes, rarely, it works out that the kids actually take cool pictures when they run away with my phone.

Winner.

He's working so hard to finish the gym.

Oh!  I was clever and made a Kahoot for FHE this week.  Molly was ahead until her device kicked her off.  Austin won.  We listened to President Nelson's latest talk then played the game.  IT WAS FUN!

Saturday night Molly was bored, so I asked her to make dinner so I could keep working.  She did!  She made quesadillas for us all.  What a clever gill!

Sunday was our primary program.  My children are always on opposite sides of the chapel.  

They sang their hearts out and bore powerful witness of prophets, Heavenly Father's plan and choosing to serve the Lord.  I drank up every bit.  

Austin was on the stand as well, because he is a primary teacher.  I didn't get to stare at him, I couldn't even see him.

Maddie taught her YW lesson.  She was so organized and the room was filled with the Holy Ghost.  I also gave her two new piano pieces to learn.  She got started right away; she's amazing.

Molly's shoes and knee socks sent me over the top.  She lookes so cute, but that blue ring pop dyed her tongue and teeth blue.

Football this week resulted in a goose egg for Ed; he was thrilled.  It's no wonder the way the four of them wrestle and roll all over the grass.  

Nick and Maisie waited a long time while I dropped music off after our stake meeting.  They were chatter boxes, and I hope to always take them along.   Once they froze me out.  Once they locked me out. Once they heated me up.  Once they giggled me out.  

Grandma B. moved mountains in my life this week.  She spent an entire morning baking cookies with my three youngest, then spent another entire afternoon allowing them to decorate.  She is the sweetest lady.

Andy is now in Kentucky.  As Zone Leader, he gets to be apart of leadership meetings and trainings.  He said that he actually enjoys the responsibilities, but he has even less time.  His hair is still so short, and he said he regrets it now that his area is a college town.

Meg called and we came up with a plan to plop her hair and buy her curling treatments.  We are excited to see where her curls can take her.

I made a physical goal, enjoy the early stages:

Boomer Break Dances