Bye Bye Pumkin Pie

Thanksgiving party at the Center!!!

Making crust for our pies!!

Yum

Tons of games

And crafts. Bella adding her Thankful hand to the tree.

Jarom was so all over this. He has always wanted to do a eating contest. Poor kid didn't get my gut and couldn't stomach it after a few bites. He said it was gross. He really didn't have a chance.

Think she does? (who IS that guy?)

No. She did finish though.

Our favorite part. We always seem to find a way to dance to the beat. Can you see my two favorite dancers of all time? The daddy was on the drum.

Here's big brother.

Being one and giving back


Thanksgiving! I of course had to work all week long. Served (more like, cleaned up after) 700 people at the Marriott. But made it in time to Great Nana's to have a little family time. So glad I didn't miss Bella hauling around Ivy.

Or these happy guys!

Scrabble with the ladies

Cousins

The Champ table

Proud to say the handsome one on the right won.

Mary Beth, Cinny and Hostess Nana!!

Couldn't be more happier to finally meet Wolf (Sam), and to hang with my beautiful sister Jessica!

Happy Family, my lucky brother. So glad he was in town for the day.

Princess Gnome, priceless

Bella and Lily

Big Blessings.

ANNOUNCEMENTS!!!!!

And no, we are not expecting. We are shouting from the rooftops. Our Boo is Student of the MONTH!!! We are ssssooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo proud.

She came home with a big bag of loot. Jarom was somewhat jealous of all the gift certificates. He saw how his parents were beaming with pride and tried to talk it down- "It's not such a big deal. I mean, I'm good and I never won. They just pick people."

Sissy and her Reflections. Her Family on the top of a beautiful glittery world. She got 30 out of 30 and moved on to the next level. I should add Jarom also did Reflections and got a 29 out of 30. He did photography. And this post is a month late, so her reign has come and gone already.

Let the festivities begin!

The Gingerbread Festival!!!!

Bella and I in front of our little gingerbread love shack. We really had high hopes to do a great one this year. Even made the dough days in advance, but that was all we did. I had run into a friend that very morning who told me that the houses were due TODAY before 3 pm. Oh dear me. Forgot my errands and ran home with O and Bell and started rolling that hard dough. Bella made the lovely shapes, many of them in fact. But because of the time constraint, well in the end, I ate them. While the dough was baking I ran Bell to school. She was so sad that she didn't get to help more. The stinking dough cooks well over an hour. Hurried and put it together. Soooo GLAD it wasn't falling apart, like always. But I rejoiced too soon. As soon as I stuck hearts on the roof, the roof kept slipping off. That's how the rest of the cookies ended up in my tummy and why our house is so bare. But, in the end, it's simple beauty bade us to bid 5 bucks on it. And we WON!!! The kids thought we really won. Anywho, I made it right before three. And the thing seemed to stay together magically. The festival started that night and we were there. Our favorite part though- the free treats. They didn't have that last year.

This fairytale land was my favorite

Of course we had to get a picture of Bella in front of Bella's Bakery

Salt Lake Temple

A little too perfect, don't you think?

Thought this was cool. This is a real building off the freeway. I have always wanted to try it. It's a restaurant that sells Harley Davidson- I think?


Brandon's annual sled fest!!! Happy Birthday Bud. Sorry I had to work. Daddy and the kids drove up with the sledfest gang to Brighton in 26-degree weather and a mild snowstorm!

Kids loving it for me though

Snow Angels away!!

the famous Y, twice-over

Our annual November hike to the Y! This year with the Andersons.



Bella and Brianne, best friends


The first quarter-mile always sees some poutiness. Check out the sass in this step.

valley overlook

The best and brightest smiler! Ever since the day he was born.

There was some intense imagination going on with sticks turning into swords with names like "the lightning killer" and "thunder power" and whatnot.

lots of scrambling

one of these kids is less happy

Jarom and Torin and Collin rushed to the Y on the lower trail

climbing it is dangerous for tottering toddlers!

buddies

buddies polaroid style

the prettiest girl in the whole wide world

scooting on down


Orion said that this was "amazing!"

This view always makes me think of China. Am I right?

the sunset coming down is one of our favorite parts

until next year . . .

--- ---

. . . or next week? Joey and I (Matt) decided to go up while they were visiting--just the two of us.


same old poses

(can't help ourselves)

We cut over south toward Slide Canyon to see something new. The whole north-facing side of the canyon was shadowed and snowy, and we stood and watched for a bit before speaking. As soon as we did, a flurry of deer rustled up and out and the canyon, then headed up through the snow to higher ground.


You can see six deer in this picture if you look closely.

watching

a closeup of four of them

looking up Slide Canyon