Terrific Table!

Last month we bought a bit of new furniture.  One thing we really wanted was a new table.  One where we could all sit down together and have a nice meal together.  We are usually very casual about dinner.  Even though we all eat at the same time, we rarely sat at the table together.  We found a great table that seats 8 and is comfortable for us all.  I decided that it was high time we made a tradition of having a formal dinner once in a while.  Namely for the holidays.  Our old blue dish set didn't match so great with the new table so I went on a search for affordable dishes that would be good for formal or casual dining.  I found a great deal!  Can you guess where I got it and estimate how much?  Yes, it includes the silverware, napkins, table runner, glasses, mugs, plates, bowls, and salad plates . . . for 8!

Here is my new table all decorated for our Thanksgiving feast which we will have tomorrow since we are going to be out of town for the actual Thanksgiving day.

They are growing so fast!

My kids are growing up so fast.  Taylor is 15!  Jordan is 12 and taking on a lot more responsibility.  Levi is 7, and only has 1 year until he is baptized.  Tris is about to turn 5 and starts all day Kindergarten next year.  I can't believe my baby Jax just turned 1!  Where does all the time go?  Having said that, it is so fun to have your kids get older and to get to know them and their personalities.  I got to take Taylor and Jordan to the movie last night.  We saw New Moon.  It was fun and the girls made me laugh with all their drooling over "Jacob".  It's fun to plan with them for their future.  It's fulfilling to see them experience things I never got to do as a child (or even as an adult!).  Next week Taylor and Mike are going to Hawaii together for her band trip.  How lucky is she?  Jordan and the boys get to fly with me to Utah for the week.  How lucky are we?  Jaxson is walking now.  He can take about 10 steps before he gets distracted and falls down.  It's all happening too fast!  I love it all.
All the kids at dinner in Tucson

Waiting in line at the movie

She's 15!

Veteran's Parade

Yesterday I had lots of fun watching Taylor and Jordan march in the Veteran's Day Parade.  Taylor plays Sax and Jordan the trumpet.  The boys and I got a great spot on the road where we had access to a quick getaway, and we settled down to watch.

Taylor's band is blue and white.  I couldn't get a good shot b/c I didn't know where she would be.  They keep moving her around!

Jordan was right where I thought she would be!  She is so cute in her uniform.

Levi and football.

We had so much fun watching Levi play football this season.  He finally got into it and decided that football is where it's at!  He learned a lot and really improved.  Next year he is on to tackle!  He is gonna get creamed!  I took him to the dr. for his annual check up and found that he has grown 2 inches and not gained a single ounce in a year!  It's a good thing he's fast, maybe the big kids won't see him well enough to knock his lights out.  Anyway, here are some pictures of him playing ball and some pics of his end of the year party where he got "the coolest trophy ever"!

Here he is making a run for it!

Happy daddy/coach when Levi hustles.

Levi and his big green mouthpiece.

Levi with coach Jeff

Waiting for his trophy

Trophy time

Halloween fun!

We had a great Halloween this year.  We started out early, and headed to Willcox for Levi's final football game.  His Nana, Papa, and Aunt Shirley came to watch the game.  Levi had a 70 yard touchdown run!  I hope to get a video sent to me of it.  Then we went to Apple Annies to get some pie, ice cream, and look at the country store.  Later that night we went to the ward trunk-or-treat and got way too much candy.  Then it was back to our house for a Halloween gathering of friends.  We played "Who Am I?" and True Colors. Then we ate the yummy pie!  We got to bed late, and had so much fun.  It was a perfect Halloween!

Jaxson is 1 year old!

My baby has turned 1! Time goes by so fast. He is getting so big and wanting to do everything for himself. We didn't have a party, just dinner and cake with the family, but he did get a tickle me Elmo and a new rocking horse for his birthday. He loves toys that move and make noise.

Can you tell I really love Halloween?

I don't know really what it is that makes me love Halloween time. I am like a kid. I can't wait for October to roll around so I can decorate, and start planning parties/costumes. Maybe it is just all the fall colors, the changes in the way shadows fall and how the sun shines during the fall, maybe it is the full moons, scary movies on t.v., or maybe it is just that it is the beginning of holiday seasons. It could be that I love it so much since October is when Mike and I started dating, or that November is when my oldest daughter was born. It's likely that it is all of these things. One thing I know for sure, the fall season makes me happy, nostalgic, and ready to make good changes in my life. YAY FOR HALLOWEEN TIME!!

Pumpkin Patch!

I had planned on spending a great weekend with my brother, but unfortunately, my kids are sick and so is my sweet sister in law.  So, instead of going to Chino Valley with my kids and mom in tow, I took her home to Wilcox and decided to take the boys to Apple Annie's Pumpkin Patch while we were there.  I love all the fall colors and PUMPKINS!!  Levi started having asthma problems so we didn't pick them from the vine, but I did manage to get a few pictures.