November Feels like Fall

Nick, Ryan and Eddie drive a wheel-chair bound sister to church.  This left just Maddie and Molly in Austin's back seat.  They are sweet sisters -- notice Molly missing lower lateral.  

Molly is often bored after church, so I helped her set up her church account and introduced her to Family Search -- away she flew!  

She decided to write a memory for Grandma Kim.  

I decided to honor Grandma Kim by wearing her house dress all day.  I'm so warm in it.  I love it.

Maddie honored Grandpa Ron by creating an ofrenda for Spanish class.

I crocheted these mini cakes for the birthday twinnies.

Austin bought me this new pale purple polish -- it's my color -- he's my color.

Wednesday night we hosted the state bound swimmers.  SO MUCH FOOD!

We fed them at 5pm, then they moved into groups in the family room and just hung out.

Eddie won himself a real shiner in wrestling -- a game of sharks and minnows gone wrong.

Thursday night we drove to Phoenix and stayed in a Marriot.  

We were only awake a couple hours and then all fell asleep.

The continental breakfast is always the best treat.

From 9-1pm both Friday and Saturday we watched our swimmers.  Nick qualified individually in the breast stroke and in the 200 IM.  He also helped his team in the relays.  Maddie was a team swimmer this year and swam relays.  Our three spetators rounded up a few more friends and play hide-and-seek for hours.  I did not pack snacks or games, so they were quite hungry and let me know.

He's pretty muscular.

We drove home for Ryans' playoff football game.  His team won the first game and lost the second.  Of course he scored a few touchdowns and pulled impossible flags.  

His coach in the striped beany was pretty great.

Back to the valley early Saturday morning.  Maddie swam so well, and when she wasn't swimming she was making bracelets with the team.  How clever of her to bring my supplies and create a very innocent way to pass the hours of waiting.

Look who I found right outside the restrooms!  It's my sister's sister-in-law!  Those Standifirds are the best.

That's the tiny Maddie-girl diving in the water.

State athletes.

Of course we celebrated with Zupas.

We were home 40 minutes and back out for a youth fireside in the mountains.  The presenter testified of Jesus Christ and the importance of serving a mission.  It was a great night.

Bea and Winnie home from church.

Maisi

Happy Halloween

Halloween was fun this year because although we only have two trick-or-treaters, the Armstrongs were in town, so our numbers have increased.  

Bea's costume did not arrive in time, we made her one last minute for Wednesday night.

Bea, Hunny Pot, Owl, Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Eyore, and Christopher Robin.

Tigger.

Bless Gooogle Photos. Here is Austin, stylized.

Molly's face was shocking.  She was a really good sport about her mother's mistake.

Friends.

Our decorated car was the Hundred Acre Wood, and Meg even had the idea to play Winnie's song.

Rabbit.

Austin's assistant was Wednesday, so he surprised her and was Uncle Fester.  Creep.

Halloween night we walked the streets of Clarkdale and lived our best lives.

Bea's costume came, so we needed more photos.  Maddie was supposed to don my owl costume, but she took too long showering post swim practice.

The loot.

Maddie the giraffe went to school.

Andy's work Halloween theme was dressing as other coworkers.  Grandma Kim helped him find a blouse.

And a hat.  

He won.  (He told me he lost, because his co-workers were out of costume by 11am, and he didn't bring a change of uniform, so he was stuck.  I guess one of the ladies just laughed at his huge arms sticking out of his flutter sleeve.)

Maisie sent in her pictures.  She's on the far right.  Those misshapen eye holes win.

Hosting the twinnies and their lovely parents always proves so rewarding and fulfilling.  How blessed we are to have family.  One morning Bea crawled into the kitchen, so I just sat down and called to her.  I waited a long time for her to come to me.  Finally, she crawled over and pulled herself up using my shoulder.  Then, we were so happy talking and chatting for a good while.  Nothing like a sweet smelling baby in all the world.

I picked up a babysitting gig for Ed, Ry and Mo.  They took two hour shifts and were paid $40.  We decided to go to Panda with the money.  Delightful.

Of course there was time for dinner in a pumpkin and witch's brew. 

And a lovely table -- there is always time for that.