5 More Sleeps to Go

My tired bones simply stretched Tuesday morning.  Molly and Ryan were my yoga buddies.

I finalized my prep details at Walmart.  We ran into our besties, and we tortured all the other guests by running, tagging and practically screaming.  Best question, "How many are there?"  Sorry about that fellow last-minute-shoppers.

Home to write letters to Andy.  His letter this week is extra thick because Nick and Maisie 

We're in the finalizing stages of our Christmas concert.

Present sorting happens a couple times each day.

 

6 More to Go

Today we spent the day busy, but busy together.  We spent four hours working to pick up leaves, pull the tomatoes, and clean the pool cover and water.  For sure we could have been done in 2.5 hours, but I only have two really good workers, one mediocre, and three bots.  I won't list names, because you know who you are.  

Miss Molly is beginning to leave "gems" on my phone.  Meg and I giggle and giggle at her selfies.

We also baked 12 loaves of sweet bread and delivered them with santa hats and a carol accompanied by little hand jingle bells.  11 of our victims were home, and they actually seemed to enjoy our song and effort.

Today was randomly Andy's p-day.  We chatted as before, but Austin stayed awake and Nick's phone was banned from the chat because Ryan kiboshed the feed with horrible background effects.  Andy told us that they brought 14 people to church the day before! "I cried with a lady as she told me her horrible experience in losing her mother -- the nurse dropped her.  'I don't know how you feel, but I testify that Jesus Christ knows exactly how you feel,' and she came to church."  He and Elder Austin have a new son, and they are leading their zone with love and hard work!

Melijah come in two days, and we can't wait.Maisie ran eight miles today with Maddie biking beside her.  Nick and the boys praciticed piano since our concert is only days away.  Molly was a very lovely water girl.  Austin came home to chauffeur our little night of song.  It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.
 

7 More to Go

Early morning stake meetings at 7am are especially hard when it's dark while driving to church, and harder still when everyone is still asleep when I get back home again.  I did manage to not freeze to death.

Maisie was radiant leading the music today.

Here we are after church, "I'll take the picture because you complain how you're never in in."  Without Austin's height, we all look the same size.  

Molly then reminded us of the mistle toe hanging just above our heads.

She grins so wide when we kiss -- there must be a sense of security in parental relationship, because I loved watching my parents love each other, too.

We spent the day singing, reading, playing cards and finished it with a long evening at Grandma's.  Austin and his dad talked school board engineering bonds, and Grandma took me for a ride in her pretty new car.  
 

8 More

We spent the day at Eddie's wrestling match.  He's been practicing so hard, and he lost by one point -- the dude escaped Ed's cradle.  It's always so shocking to see how tired these boys are when they come up for a breath of air.

Nick with his boys supporting the team.

Eddie was just so close.

 

9 More Sleeps until Christmas

Austin's office party happened all day. We drove to Phoenix and created glass art.  The studio was super relaxed, and Austin's creation was for sure the best.

Then we ate lunch and enjoyed a tacos together.  Austin's current team is the best he's ever had.  Production and collections are up, but more importantly, so is their morale and respect for each other.

Austin teared up this year while giving his speech of thanks -- that's always my favorite part.
 

10 More to Go

Here are my big people dancing and prancing in the kitchen.  They have one more day of finals this semester, and they have worked so hard.  Please notice Maddie with her device.😐. I had a family of cousins that didn't watch TV or play video games.  They are now all super successful musicians and disciples.  I wonder if we should try that for one year.  

I found this scripture about Andy -- well, all my older children.

 

11 More to Go

 Look at the frosty ground!  It cold around here.  Winter and Christmas feel closer than even before.  After shopping in the morning, we snuggled in blankets and simply watched a Hallmark movie.  My little friends acutally invested in the love story, and they had a favorite suitor.  Maisie and Nick were home early, and we were cozy drinking the hot chocolate Ed made.

I don't know how to upload a screen shot.  I take one every week when Andy calls on p-day.  Six different people converge on Messenger and giggle.  We listen while he tells us all about his successes and misses, he's usually eating, and he ususally rubs his head in exhaustion.  This night was especially funny because Austin fell asleep the last hour -- with his head phones in and the light on.

I hope our tradition of weekly calls never ends, especially when Andy get home.  Maisie, Andy and Melijah will all live far away, and just watching them interact in such a pleasure as a mother.

12 More to Go

I baked cookies today I also ate a million cookies today.  My kitchen smelled so sweet and fresh.  All of my students wanted more than one cookies as.

We got snow!  Tiny little flurries floated down for about 20 minutes.  My students had to stop and taste it.

Maddie drew these this week.  I had no idea that she would be a little artist.

And, her eye is healing so nicely.