Happy Thanksgiving

Hope you all had a wonderful, grateful holiday.

Ours was nice. A little lonesome, as some of our family (David, Loretta, Julie, and Ally; Jimmy, Allyson, and Sydney; and Amy) had other commitments, but nice nonetheless.

Aunt Jackie and Uncle Larry were here from Washington state and that was really nice. Grandma D., Uncle Drew, Brian, Susan, Tyler, and Aubrey were with us too. We had seven others join us for dessert and visiting so that made it seem more like Thanksgiving! (Susan's sister, Jillian, Anthony, baby Maizie, and Anthony's dad, stepmom, and two younger sisters.)

The kids made placemats, napkin rings, and turkey finger puppets.


Maddie helped them color.


Tyler was one proud turkey. Oh. That was his finger puppet.


Aubrey was quite proud of her work. (Daddy helped her.)

The food was good. The dessert was good. The company was good. We played "Sticks" for two-and-a-half hours. (Don't wonder what it is. Aunt Jackie and Uncle Larry made it up and left us a game four years ago when they were here!)

A happy Thanksgiving to all!

Happy 14th Birthday

Our baby girl, Maddie, turned 14 today.


She is counting down the days till her first Stake Dance. (New Year's Eve.)


We don't much like it. Where did the years go?

She wrote us a thank you note recently. It was signed, "The last bird in the nest."

I cried.

Catch-up

I am again playing catch-up with my posting. If you want to read about our trip to the pumpkin patch, go here. If you would like to see Halloween pictures, look here.

Beautiful "ARI-ER"

Not all mermaids can say their "ending 'L's" very well.



But it doesn't keep them from being the cutest mermaid on the block.