November

The day after Halloween, I was up at 5:45am and driving to Albuquerque for a Scout Pow Wow training. I always have anxiety leaving my family. I don't know why. As nice as some time away is, the initial separation never feels good.

I walked in and took a quick scan of the crowd. I guess I didn't get the memo about uniforms. I fit in real nice with my hot pink jeans and bold, white and blue striped shirt. Ah well! Let there be color! I was signed up for 6 classes and went to 5 of them. I ditched out an hour early to make a 3:30 temple session. I'll consider myself justified. I'm actually glad I went to this though and learned a lot about pack committee's, derby's, the new Cub Scout program being implemented this year, and boy behavior. Ok, not so much on the behavior. That guy was ancient and didn't tell me anything new. Sigh. I really need help with their behavior though.



After my temple session I enjoyed a delicious Chipotle burrito all by myself! (Read like Home Alone.. A whole cheese pizza all to myself!)

No interruptions. Just Carol in my ear, reading The Child Whisperer to me. And I didn't even care that I was a loner on a stool at the buffet looking out the front windows. I reveled in it.

Paradise Bakery was right next door so what's a girl to do but get a few cookies?? Or a dozen. I didn't know it was buy one, get one. Then it was on to Target. Oh, Target. The bank account took a hit, but it was a marvelous, retail therapy hit. I headed home at 8pm, missing my family, but happy to have gotten several pictures and videos throughout the day of their shenanigans....

Getting not one new fish, but 3. Cuz they're just 28 cents a piece. I've decided that logic doesn't hold, since it means 3x the poop.

 They also rode bikes at the dirk bike park. Wait for the end... Trav didn't cut the video THAT quick!

And finally, dinner at their favorite... Cracker Barrel. Weston has a love affair with their pancakes. I'll be honest, considering what's around here, I'm a fan of Cracker Barrel too.

It's really so comforting knowing I can leave them with their dad and they are in excellent hands. And not only that, but not made to feel guilty or bad about the fact that I was gone for an entire day. Trav even encourages it! He's amaaaaazing. But you already knew that. ;)



Sunday afternoon blew in cold and mean, but we still braved an afternoon walk. It was Daylight Savings and basically the LONGEST day of our lives!!! We went to church, ate dinner, went on a walk, made an obstacle course of our house, watched Honey I Shrunk the Kids and it was still only 3pm!! Kidding, but seriously.

The energy never ends. At the conclusion of our walk, the boys were found doing push ups.

I taught the letter "H" for preschool! We practiced counting marshmallows on hot chocolate mats, read Harold and the Purple Crayon. Pretended to be Humpty Dumpty while we chanted the nursery rhyme, among others. Drank hot chocolate and made two kinds of hats! 

How cute are these three??!! It's really so fun teaching preschool and Weston just laps it up. Quality time with my sweet heart.

 

I was getting concerned about Olive's budding mullet and text Shelley about what to do. She promptly text back, "Cut it off!!!!" Haha. That I did and it looked WAY better! Just didn't take an "after" pic for some reason. 

 

Jiffy Lube does it right with the ICEE's and popcorn! Olay! 

More swimming lesson pictures. Just chillin' in the waiting area.

The boys got their yearly check-up. How sad that my mom made sure we got one every 6 months, but my kids get it once a year! Collin did not appreciate the x-rays. I feel his pain- I think they're the worst. 

Making herself at home in the cleaning area.

The office gives out ice cream after check-ups. How's that for sneaky business!! :)

Rubi was over to play and they LOVE to play "pretend". Always playing "family". Well, I was nearby and overheard Weston say, "Rubi, and pretend we're sleeping. We hug when we sleep." Ha! He is indeed a natural snuggler. 

Cuz donuts be the bomb.

There was this glorious Saturday when the sun was out and I knew if I laid long enough in it, it would give my skin that warm, tingling feeling. My FAVORITE. So all other things got put on hold and I laid on our lawn chair in the beautiful sun while the kids played. Olive's a bit of an exhibitionist. 

School was out on Veteran's Day and our Cub scout pack marched in the local parade. I was dreadddding it. Absolutely dreading it. Most of my boys are well behaved... but then there are those few. Only one of my den leaders could come to help me. It was very windy and cold. I waited an hour with the boys before we even started walking. And then we were finally moving. And waving and throwing candy. And it was all OK. And I even felt a wave of emotion at one point that I wasn't expecting. And I realized that Veteran's Day- a holiday I never paid attention to before- is a lot more than I could ever comprehend or understand. And I felt very, very grateful for this country and the men who serve and have lost their lives defending and protecting MY freedoms that I take for granted every day.

Weston was at PMO, but Megan was so sweet to pick up Collin and take him to come watch!

 

 

I found this coffee table at Goodwill. I knew when our new couches came, I'd want one for the front room. I agonized over colors and finally decided on this one. And even got it finished in time for book club!

I hosted book club and chose "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" by Donald Miller. The book club here isn't really a "book club" to me because no one ever discussed the book! Well, I wanted to actually discuss this one, so I prepared a list of questions and pages with highlights. I was so glad that most everyone read it and wanted to talk about it! And I made a ton of food to help the conversation along. ;) That bundt cake on the end was my undoing. I made it 4 more times in the next two weeks. Freakin' chocolate!!

A Saturday in Albuquerque was due. Chick-fil-a has become our latest standard for lunch when we're there. I could drink their sauce straight. It's so funny to me that we got Chick-fil-a on our wedding day and didn't like it at all and now we've done a 180 and have become semi-regulars!

Hobby Lobby is a must as well. Olive loves silky tags on blankies so I decided to make her one for Christmas. I think she approved the fabric.

We took the kids to the aquarium and botanical gardens. How funny are these coincidental pictures of Collin and the fish?!

I just LOVE when I capture a shot like this! Weston's face is the best!

It's so funny how little kids like to mother babies. This random girl noticed Olive and decided to be a friend.

"Mom, look! It's Nemo!"

We've never done the botanical gardens before and it was awesome. They have this whole "vegetable garden" thing for kids. We had just watched Honey I Shrunk the Kids so they were having a good time with this.

Everything was so pretty and the lighting was perfect. It was so fun to just walk around and appreciate nature.

They had a huge, miniature train set up that entertained them for a long time. Heck, I was entertained!

Impromptu leaf fight ensued.

I couldn't get over this scenery! So much so, that I actually gave Collin my real camera and told him to take a few. One sort of worked! Ha!

Sushi for dinner is quickly becoming another tradition. The boys gobble up the sesame chicken.

 

After a gorgeous Saturday, I froze all night and woke up wondering if our heat had gone out. I told Travis my hypothesis and he pulled back the blinds for me to see. "BAHHHH!!!! NO! It's too horrific to look!" .... was my actual reaction. I shuddered in disgust. When someone at church cheerfully greeted me with delights on our snow, I couldn't even feign happiness. Snow is seriously of the devil.

The boys couldn't disagree more. :)

A group text between my family had been circulating about the snow in Colorado and Utah where Jefferson and Christopher are. My dad commented how he couldn't live in the snow and commended my brothers for living in it. I took great offense for being left out of that! Christopher took a picture of his dashboard temperature at 28 degrees or something and mocked me for our "bad" weather. I took this one the next day and threw his mocking back in his face! Have a little respect, people! ;) Honestly, I know our snow is nothing compared to Salt Lake or Denver, but it's not balmy Florida over here either!

Hence, when I saw this meme- I felt like framing it. My thoughts EXACLTY!

 

We grilled up our first elk for dinner! Elk steaks were rather yummy!

Got myself a craving for frozen hot chocolate. Thanks to the Vita-mix, it turned out the best yet!

Terry was having his 68th birthday and I wanted to make it special for him. So we had a birthday dinner for him at our house. He invited Linda and two of his friends/colleagues from the hospital and I invited the Valgardsons over as well. While I was preparing everything during the day I found myself wondering how I get myself into these things.... just so much work. But it was completely worth it. The looks on Terry's face all night were priceless. He was so happy and just so grateful for everything. He always tells us how we are family to him now and we feel the same about him. It was a great night!

 

I got a new lens! Obviously, I was a little excited about focus and not paying attention to my exposure. But these faces of Collin's make me laugh. They are "Collin" to a T.

And Weston with his Spiderman obsession of late. :)

I made some Cinnamon Milk Mix and rice bags for the women I visit teach.

One happens to live in the heart of the reservation. The Relief Society President had a concerned look on her face when she advised me to not go there alone. Well, then maybe they should assign me a companion that will actually GO visiting teaching!! So here is a picture of me and my "companion". 

It was actually only about 20 minutes of driving in the middle of nowhere before I found it. Honestly, it's a miracle I did. Our stake is full of addresses that aren't really addresses. They are "the trailer past the mountain, to the left of the stable, etc." Her's was much more confusing than that, but I got there! We sat on some old furniture outside and I shared with her my favorite conference talk. All of it felt very much like I was on a mission. Such is our life in Gallup!