Thanksgiving Day

It's always nice getting together with family. This is Tessa and Amelia playing with the blocks. (they're the same age cousins) Here is Matt and Tessa ...

Linzi and Zach picking apples up in the yard ...

Linzi enjoying the "fruits" of her labor

A great close up shot of me ... (isn't it always unflattering to see a close up "action" shot of yourself? I put this here to show that I will not only put perfectly good pictures of myself on here ... no one else gets to see their pics before they're on here ...)

Honor, Karen, and Emily ... 3 sisters!

Katie practicing her coloring skills.

Ashley and Kate having a fun moment.

Brielle in true form.

Karen, Veronique, Emily, Honor, Amber ... we're only missing Siri and Cori. (too bad they couldn't come!!)

I hope you all had an equally fun Thanksgiving!!

Monday, Monday

I'm changing the blog address on Monday. The new one is going to be thatfamilywithgirls.blogspot.com ... so write it down! I figured if I put it on here first, then you all could write it down and I wouldn't have as many people to tell. So ... don't freak out on Monday when it's changed ... just look at the note you wrote when you looked at this post, and you'll be able to go straight there. (it probably seems like I think this blog is more important than it actually is ... but you know how it is ... right?)

anyway ... thatfamilywithgirls.blogspot.com ... be there or be square.

If You're Interested

I'm going to be changing our blog url ... so I thought I would wait a few days, and let you comment here if you want me to include you in those I email the new address. (just leave your comment with your email or blog address, and I'll email you, or comment on your blog with our new address. Obviously, family and close friends I will email ... but you never know who is looking regularly and I wouldn't want to leave you out. (we're just SO interesting, it's hard to not look, right?)


(just for safety reasons I've been thinking I would change our url to not have our first and last names.)

Thanks

Thanksgiving is this week. I have so many things in my life I'm thankful for!

I am thankful for:

1. Brielle ... what a help she has become.
2. Linzi ... she loves to hug and has a great laugh.
3. Tessa ... she just has the sweetest smile.
4. Kate ... we couldn't live without her.
5. Matt ... I don't think there is a more hardworking man ... really, I challenge you to tell me anyone who works harder than Matt. (eternal companionship is nice)
6. Our home ... it's nice to have a dry, warm place to live.
7. Our cars ... it sure makes getting around a great deal easier
8. Our health ... we have been especially blessed this year with great health and only small issues
9. Our safety ... in this world, this is important to me. I value the fact that we have been kept safe in this day and age
10. Freedom ... I feel blessed to live in a country where I can be anything I want, do anything I want, worship any way I want,
11. My testimony .... I really love going to church. I know that what Christ taught a long time ago was the truth, and I love that I am part of that truth today. It fills my life with peace and happiness. I really feel blessed to have this in my life.
12. My extended family ... it's so great knowing we have people we can count on. I talk to my mom almost everyday, and a sister (or sil) at least once everyday. I love that.
13. Food ... don't you just love food? Especially chocolate, pie, really good salads, cold cereal (we couldn't live without it), crock pot roast beef, and yummy potatoes.
14. Matt's job ... in this economy I know we're blessed that Matt has a good enough job (actually jobs) that provide us with everything we need ... and I get to stay home with my kids ... I love that!!
15. Beautiful nature ... don't you think we live in a beautiful world?
16. Technology ... thank you TV, telephone, computer, Internet, microwave, furnace, DVD, ipod, crock pot, stove/oven, washer/dryer, dishwasher, kitchenaid, light bulbs, hair straighteners, cell phones ... really the list could go on and on.
17. Toothpaste ... don't you love the minty freshness of a clean mouth?
18. music ... it's just the best!
19. diapers. (enough said)
20. Modern medicine ... do you know 100 years ago people often died from diarrhea?
21. Peaceful moments in this crazy world when everything seems good and happy.
22. Smiles and hugs from my little ones
23. Promptings to do good things.
24. Snowflakes
25. Latter day prophets
26. Socks on a cold morning
27. Advil when my head is pounding
28. Newborn babies (they're just so sweet)
29. Clothes and shoes (especially shoes)
30. Family dinners
31. blogging!!

What are you thankful for this week?

Well ....

I went to Twilight last night. I don't know how I feel about it. I think it was not what I was expecting. Parts of it were good, parts of it were funny (you know the kind of funny where you feel like it's making fun of itself?), parts of it were ridiculous; in general it was extremely interesting. The music was not great. The trees were pretty and green. Edward spent the first half of the movie looking like he smelled something really gross (which I guess he did ...). Jacob's hair looked completely unnatural (which I suppose it was).

I don't know. (What was I expecting? Not that, that's for sure. But I guess it was a good try.)

All in all, I'd say the book was WAY better. But isn't that always the case?

Ridiculous. (picture it being said in the movie Yours, Mine and Ours, when they're at that club)

Does it seem a little ridiculous to you that I am so excited to see Twilight? And that I am already planning on seeing it twice?

Just call me excited.

Now That I'm Old ...

Do you know what I love about being a grownup? I get to do whatever I want. The cool part is that I can decorate for Christmas REALLY early, and no one can say anything about it ... well ... Matt can, but he knows how much I love Christmas so I don't think he'd want to spoil the fun.

So last night for FHE we decorated the tree! Isn't it so exciting? I love it. I think it's too fun. The girls had fun placing each ornament and remembering them from Christmas last year ... Tessa only broke one, so that's good. Kate just loved the lights and wanted to be involved ... luckily she hasn't been too into it. The one who's going to get in trouble is Zoe ... she kept trying to climb the tree last night. I'm not sure what to do about that; apparently cats really are curious.

I just decided since it is such a big job to put up the tree and get all the decorations out, I would do it early so I could see it longer. You know? Plus, it's so exciting we could hardly wait!

Tessa

This morning I finally did Tessa's pictures for this fall ... it took me so long that the red tree was no longer available ... now it is just sticks. So we chose a greener background. I love her new haircut! She's hard to photograph though ... she never stops moving.

Now I need to do the big girls ... maybe that will happen before Christmas.

Sleepover

Last night, instead of just my 4 girls, I had 6! What a house full!! My sister Abby and my cousin (in a sense) Trudy came over and spent the night. We had pizza and watched Journey to the Center of the Earth ... they had popcorn and ran and jumped and played. Actually, it seemed like the floor would fall in when they were all upstairs ... but at least they had fun.

I'm glad I only have 4 kids right now!! Whew ... 6 was a busy time.

(Picture l-r ... Kate, Trudy, Brielle, Abby, Tessa, and in the front Linzi's feet ... she wouldn't get in the picture. She's still learning the art of hosting)

Free Photo Book

It's from Snapfish and Oprah .... I was watching Oprah yesterday and they are giving everyone who watched (well anyone who knows about it) a free photo book ... a $29.99 value! You still have to pay shipping .... my shipping was $7. But the book is actually free. You just have to order it by the end of tomorrow. So get cracking. No use letting something like that go to waste! Here's the link. Happy photo booking! (it took me 2 1/2 hours to complete ... but I think that's worth it. and you wouldn't have to take that long ... I'm just a severe perfectionist.)

**oh, and the discount won't show up until step 4. That's after you've entered in your credit card info and it says $29.99 ... don't worry ... it will take off the $29.99.**

A Cut Above

Well, as some of you may know, Tessa's hair has always been hard. I think it's because it's been curly. But aside from being curly, it also hasn't really grown very well on the sides. Needless to say it was extremely uneven. So tonight we took care of that.

Most of the lovely perfect ringlets were cut off, I'm sorry to say ... but there is a little curl left. I'm guessing that as it grows it will curl back up. (?? hopefully!!) Since I'm not a hairdresser I don't know all the tricks; cutting curly hair seems to be kind of tricky. But I guess with the wave that's left, you'll never be able to tell if it's perfectly even or not.

I think it's cute. The big girls think she looks older.

In With the New

I started a blog for Brielle and Linzi. It's going to be their blog. They have been wanting to do it for so long and keep begging and asking, so I figured I should let them. If you want to go look it's called Sister Power.


also ... the little girls have been playing in the family room all day ... and I normally don't pick it up until the end of the day .... I was in the computer room doing something for the Sister Power blog, and hadn't heard the little girls in a few minutes .... so I went out to see what they were doing. This is how I found them.



Notice the amount of mess around them, and yet they still fell asleep. As if someone rolled a sleeping gas bomb into the room or something.

How do they do that? Kate is especially funny having just passed out on the floor. At least Tess has a pillow and cape covering her. (yes, that yellow thing is not a blanket, but a felt cape)


I love my girls!

Out With the Old

I have a new calling! I was released from 3 of my other callings, and am now the Young Women's Secretary. (Young Womens is the teenage girl's program at church ... 12-18 year olds) I am very excited to be doing something new, and happy that they let me keep my RS teaching calling ... I love that calling so much and would have been sad to not do it. So luckily, after asking, they said I could keep it. Now I will be busy working with the girls in the ward ... going to Wednesday night activities and lots of fun stuff!

It's nice to have a change once in a while, don't you think?

Flashback Friday

It's just so funny and cute I laughed through watching the whole thing. And Linzi really looks like Kate, right? Aaah ... memories.

Why can't they stay so sweet and innocent forever?

Thursday Morning News Report

If anyone has been feeling upset by the election or annoyed ... or even if you feel happy ... my sister Karen has put a great little talk on her blog that is good to read. So if you have 2 minutes go see her blog here.

In other news ...

It's pouring today. We got wet running from the house to the garage ... which is not very far. And the girls had coats, hats, and umbrellas. The weather has definitely taken a turn for the wetter. The forecast shows for the next 5 days to have some form of rain ... here in WA it's either heavy rain, showers, light rain, drizzle, patchy showers ... there are many different ways they describe it; to me it's all dreary and grey.

The only bright side is that the gloom makes me feel like listening to Christmas music. I think it's because of the wintry feel of the day.

And speaking of Christmas music ...

This morning on the way home from dropping off the girls at school I broke it out! Tessa, Kate, and I listened to it all the way home. (luckily it's safely stored in my Ipod). It was fun to listen to Tessa trying to sing all the songs. She's pretty cute. And Kate sways back and forth to the beat.

I love this time of year!!!

(how did I do on the segue's?) (I actually had to look up how to spell this too)

Book Review: The Penderwicks

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy - Jeanne Birdsall

This is kind of an older children's book ... but I really liked it. Of course, being about a family with 4 daughters didn't hurt.

"The girls' father is a gentle, widowed botany professor who gives his daughters free reign but is always there to support or comfort them. Rosalind, 12, has become the mother figure. Skye, 11, is fierce and hot-tempered. Jane, 10, is a budding writer of mysteries who has the disconcerting habit of narrating aloud whatever is occurring around her. Batty, four, is an endearingly shy, loving child who always wears butterfly wings. The family dog, Hound, is her protector. The tale begins as the Penderwicks embark on a summer holiday in the Berkshire Mountains, at a cottage on the grounds of a posh mansion owned by the terribly snobbish Mrs. Tifton. Her son, Jeffrey, is a brilliant pianist, but her heart is set on him attending a military academy like her beloved father. The action involves Rosalind's unrequited love for the 18-year-old gardener, Skye's enmity and then friendship with Jeffrey, Jane's improvement in her melodramatic writing style, and Batty's encounter with an angry bull whom she rather hopefully calls "nice horsie." Problems are solved and lessons learned in this wonderful, humorous book that features characters whom readers will immediately love, as well as a superb writing style"

(sorry ... I feel too tired today to try to write a synopsis using my own brain ... I copied this from amazon.com)

Anyway ... good book. Girls Brielle's age or older would like it. I liked it too ... it was an easy quick read.

Make Like a Tree, and Leaf

(that's just a saying ... don't really leave)

This morning after dropping off the big girls at school, Tessa, Kate, and I went to the park to find leaves. They are for Matt's scouting activity tonight. (he doesn't have time to plan his activity, so I am getting it done)

As we walked around the lake, Tessa held the bag while I put the leaves in it. (they were in a stroller) Kate held a leaf or two and slowly picked them apart. Tessa looked at each leaf I gathered and admired the colors or the shape.

It was chilly and a little wet (no rain, just mud), but we had a really nice time. We ended up with a plethora of leaves for the scouts to choose from, and pink noses from the chill.

I guess this morning reminded me of what President Monson said at conference ... take pleasure in the little moments. (or something like that) A simple activity of walking around the lake collecting leaves reminded me that it is fun being a stay at home mom, and I am grateful I'm doing it.

Now I just need to hold on to this moment on those days when it is hard ... I guess that's the continual goal.

A Picture is Worth 1000 Words

Aren't they sweet?

Giant Chocolate Donut

For our FHE treat tonight we're having chocolate bundt cake. Don't you just love chocolate cake? It's so good. And homemade chocolate frosting is the best .... much better than store bought. (imo anyway)

Tessa thinks it looks like a giant donut. (I think she's right!)

**update** everyone really liked it, but we all decided it was REALLY rich and thought very small pieces were good. (and it didn't taste like a donut ... but the girls each finished their pieces anyway)

Melancholy Much?

Do you ever feel like you're left out of everything and life is passing you by?

(maybe that's how it's supposed to be when you stay home with kids?)

I don't really ever do anything. And it's sad to say that all of my friends don't really live here ... actually ... most of the people who I call my friends are family ... sisters, cousins, sil's ...

No wonder I read so much. I have no friends and no social life because I stay home most of the time.

Blech.

Katie-coo

(that's what we call her ... isn't she getting cute?)

I needed some fall pictures of the girls ... so I'm doing them sporadically when the girls look decent. Right now Kate was the only dressed with fixed hair, so she is the first one to get some pictures.

More coming soon of the other girls.