thanksgiving 2017

This year it was just our family and Baabee for Thanksgiving.  We don't mind a nice low key holiday where we just get to hang out and be together.  Good thing I have so many good helpers...

The weather was so beautiful so we spent most of the day in the yard playing...

 

 I forced everyone to take family pictures because it is what I do!

 Zach got all the kids to try to giblets he had fried up...

 Nora was a fan!...

 Even Francie got a taste...

 

We played some games...

Nora helped me set the table...

 

Zach was in charge of the Turkey, but Jimmy is the best chef in training...

I helped the kids make some pilgrim and Indian costumes...

 

And then it was time to feast!

 As usual we made enough food to last us a week and it was all delicious.

The kids passed around the Thankerchief and said what they are thankful for.  I am so thankful for all of them.  

We did get to have a leftover celebration with the Burches which the kids always love.  

And, of course, we all know that after Thanksgiving all the Christmas fun begins!!

playmobil musical scenes

Nora always wants to act out her favorite musicals with her Playmobiles (She sure is just like her mom).  We took some pictures to remember them.

Singing in the Rain:

Make 'Em Laugh..

Good Morning...

 "And I cain't stan' em!"

 Fiddler on the Roof...

 Matchmaker...

I am sure there will be more of these to come.

some of november

Nov. 2 is All Soul's Day, also known in Mexico as The Day of the Dead.  This year as a project in Jimmy's Spanish class he got to make an ofrenda which is an alter to remember a family member who has past away.  My mom, Lynn, was the obvious choice.  He did such a good job working on it by himself, but I also enjoyed helping tell him about my mom and things she loved.  I plan to put it up every year now... 

My mom is surely watching over this happy and sometimes crazy family and sharing in our joy.  

Who wouldn't love seeing this baby fly around the house in her towel after bathtime...

She asks to "fly" every time so I don't know how we will ever break her of this joy...

November also means such nice weather in Phoenix which means lots of fun outings...

Boy Scout hike searching for geo-caches. 

The boys each donated a special book to the school library and dedicated them each to one of our priests.  I planned on telling the priests ahead of time to make sure they would be at the school assembly, but I never did.  It so happened they were both there that day (which is very rare) and got to take pictures with the Fathers.  Both priests were so touched and the boys thought it was pretty special...

We helped volunteer some hours at our church clean-up day...

Jimmy's class went on a field trip to the Pioneer Living Museum.  Nora was the most excited about it and did her best to dress like Laura Ingall's that day...

Jimmy and his friends panned for gold and thought the whole thing was pretty cool, too

Our baby learned a very unfortunate milestone of climbing the playset...

She hasn't learned to climb to slide yet, but she tries.  

Nora wants to live in the backyard and have lots of adventures all the time.

Gus lives by the basketball hoop these day.

Jimmy is old enough to mow the grass and use the week-whacker (Mom and Dad love this!!)

They sure are fun and cute!