the girls are home . . .

and that means we are watching a lot of cat videos on youtube. I present you with their latest favorites.

This is an old favorite, but they watched it again because we came across it put to song. (See the next one down.)

The next one combines two of our favorite things--cats and Harry Potter.

This is not a cat video, but it is the the song we are all listening to these days. While they are home, Disney Channel rules.

I will leave you with my quote of the week. We just read To Kill A Mockingbird for book club. It also happens to be my favorite book.

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it." Harper Lee

halloween: part 1

Because of the nice weather last night, the kids did a lot of trick-or-treating. They hauled in so much candy, that after it was sorted, there were seven and a half gallon ziplocks full. I had heard about dentists buying candy from kids, so I decided to do the same.

They sorted their candy into what they wanted to keep and what they wanted to sell. Then, they pulled out the Weight Watchers scale and weighed their goods. Christian sold almost everything--he has his eye on a large pack of Pokemon cards. The others kept about half.

I didn't know how to set the price, so I just decided to give them $2.50 a pound. I am out about $30 now. I think it is worth it. Mike thinks I am a sucker.

quote of the week: priorities

I am also trying to remember this over these next few days:

"And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a (wo)man should run faster than (s)he has strength."

Mosiah 4:27

braving the cold

We intended to go last week--when the weather was amazing. But, the week was crazy and it didn't happen. It is supposed to just get colder as the week goes on, so we just went. I checked the boys out a little early from school (the girls are off track) and we headed to Thanksgiving Point.

These three like spooky things, so they went in the scary clown spook alley. Drew and I waited outside because we don't do scary stuff. I like Jessi's face in this picture. I think she was having second thoughts.

She didn't love it the first time, but she and Bev decided to "face their fears" and go again. Jessi ended up going another five times. After he came out, Christian said, "some people take Halloween too far" and "clowns are creepy."

They all did the Speleo Kave--a pretty small box that they had to crawl through.

We went to watch the pig races and the announcer asked for kids to nominate the prettiest mom in the crowd. I got picked-- because my kids were the loudest. I didn't realize that I got picked to kiss a pig. The poor little guy was squealing and the crowd was yelling for me to kiss him--one guy yelled "on the snout." I wasn't about to go there, but I gave him a little peck on the head. Afterward, Drew said, "You're a good sport, Mom."

Then Bev got picked to cheer for a pig.

And Jessi got picked next.

Then we did the corn maze. It was getting cold, so we got some hot chocolate and Mike got the map on his iPhone and we headed out.

The pig snouts (prizes for participation with the pigs) were a big hit.

It was a good time and a cold time.

Solitude Lake

Great weather = another "last" hike of the year.

We watched as the sun set behind the mountain.

We went with these fun people--Katie, Courtney (and their parents.)

Drew walked around the lake, and, of course, climbed some rocks. He's that black dot in the middle.

It was a fun hike. Mother Nature rocks.

quote of the week: be present

Jessi's letter

Last night, while we watched Biggest Loser, Jessi made this "surprise" for her dad.
She sat by him and read it to him. This is the translation:

"My Family Tree"

"I love my family. My family is nice.

My favorite thing about my family is adopting me.

I'm happy that my mom and dad adopted me.

I cannot imagine anything I would want more than that, for adopting me.

Thank you."

As we all sat and listened to her express her feelings, I just thought how lucky we are to have her. I told her that I wanted to keep the letter forever. Mike told me that I better pack a Urim and Thummim too.

This morning she practiced writing the words "thank you, adopt, then and that."

As I looked at the picture of all of us, she told me that she especially liked Bev's hair over her eye. She also said that I should start wearing more bows and flowers in my hair.