November 2009

November was very busy for us…we stayed crazy with swimming lessons, piano lessons, soccer, preschool, church, school for ALL of us (crazy) dog sitting (we love Moose!),  of course Thanksgiving and 2 birthdays!!! Whew…

We enjoyed the last week of soccer season with Becca! It was so fun watching her play, especially in the tournament! She did awesome! She is very competitive! Go Becca!!!

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For the tournament the game ended 0 to 0 so they had to do a kick off. Becca kicked in the winning score! She was so excited…we went to Chuck E Cheese’s to celebrate! Becca has continued doing a great job with her little Kids Craft Corner, she has done several more fun activities with the kids!

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Xander was our little cowboy this month. He was thrilled to get a cowboy shirt from G’ma Sam. He’d asked her (numerous times) that when she got to Texas if she could look for a real cowboy shirt for him, with pearly snaps and all! At first we had a hard time getting him to take it off! He was so adorable. I had to do some portraits of him. He had his boots and his vest and his horses and his gun, even a sheriffs badge! I love how he uses his imagination, he even got his friends involved and his sister!

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He has also been a crazy boy outdoors. We have wild onions that grow randomly in our lawn, he has taken it upon himself to dig them all out. So I have holes here and there but at least he’s getting them out for me. Problem is he doesn’t look at it like they are weeds, he wants me to cook with them so he “saves” them for me!  We have also decided he is our little ‘Johnny Appleseed’. Ever since he grew his own apple trees last year from seeds he dug out of an apple he ate (sad but it didn’t survive the cold) anyway now any fruit he eats he saves the seeds, apples, pears, oranges…we’ve got baggies of seeds all over with his name on it! He keeps asking when it is going to be spring so he can plant his seeds! Xander finished up another session of swim lessons. He passed the level. He is doing really great, can go independently in the 3 ft. area. It is so nice to sit on the edge and watch instead of holding him the whole time! He does drive everyone around him bonkers with his “watch this, watch me” over and over. He’s moved from just his family, mostly me, to complete strangers and the lifeguards! It was kinda cute at first but I finally had to tell him to stop so they could play on their own or for the lifeguards so they can do their job! He also pushes the rules with the lifeguards. He knows he is not suppose to dive in but he does anyway…perfect belly flops…until they come tell him to stop! The other pictures are of him and Daddy being silly and Xander and his friend Jake playing…oh and Xander snuggled with Moose! Ever since we dog sat Moose, Xander has been begging for a dog or pet of HIS VERY OWN! Sorry buddy, 1 dog, 2 cats and 3 fish tanks are enough (did I mention Jason’s tank is large enough for me to fit in it!!! It takes up an entire wall of our living room!)

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Jason has been so swamped with all his responsibilities…we are so grateful for all his sacrifices each day, the many hours he works, dedicating himself to getting through a PhD program, his church callings… I included a couple of his photo’s from his fish tank and a few when his daughters ganged up on him and decided to “help” him out with his birthday treat! Brave girls to take him on…he doesn’t get mad he gets even and beyond that!!! Watch out girly girls!!!

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We celebrated Jason’s birthday. Yummy cinnamon rolls from our friend Debbie!  For his gift we decided to give in to his latest obsession… (we always tease him about his obsessions)this time, his motorcycle. We got him a warm coat so he doesn’t freeze on the way to and from work. We had fun ‘giving’ it to him and the kids loved beating on him to see if he could feel them through the armor in the jacket!

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Next was Katie’s birthday…darn she had to go to school…we took in some cupcakes to share with her school friends, then after school we went swimming! She loves the pool. Then afterwards gifts and treats! We did do a fun thing to give her the gift from Daddy and I. Katie LOVES music, constantly has the radio on and sings along, sometimes at the top of her lungs! Anyway we put together several of her favorite songs and took a phrase from it and turned them all into a treasure hunt, for example ‘1,2,3 like a bird I see…’ the clue was hidden in a bird feeder, ‘I love to see the temple’ the next clue was hidden behind the picture of the SL temple on our wall etc. We had about 10 songs and after each clue she had so sing us the song. It was alot of fun…well the “treasure” was a ipod! She was so excited!!! Her friend Sophie joined us for the night, Katie’s cake so fit her personality…that’s how she wanted it…wild and crazy like her!

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About 2 weeks before Katie’s birthday Becca came to me and begged me to let her throw a surprise party for Katie. She planned it all out, Susie helped her too and Katie’s friend Sophie was in on it too. Sophie passed out all the invitations secretly at school and kept Katie entertained at her house while Becca and Susie decorated the day of the party. The guests arrived and then Sophie brought Katie over and she was REALLY REALLY SURPRISED!!! It was awesome…The played several games and had so much fun being silly! It was really neat to see Becca and Susie go out of their way to make this a special birthday for Katie. Katie was very  happy!

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Susie has finished up the soccer season as well for the middle school. She was their manager and the coach told her she had never had a better manager than Susie. She really enjoyed it. She played with them some of the time or she entertained the coach’s daughter in addition to the other managing stuff she did. This picture of Susie playing with the Lincoln logs cracked me up…We got these for Xander and he was so so interested if someone would do it with him. So Susie did but he soon lost interest and left, but she was obviously having too much fun!  For Thanksgiving Susie decorated the table and put together the place settings. She even folded the napkins into origami cranes. She is so talented. We had our good friends the Martins over for Thanksgiving dinner. Great times!!! And we are extremely thankful for all the “gifts” in our lives…our beautiful family our extended families , our friends both near and far, the gospel in our lives, and our Country and those serving and fighting for our freedom!

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And last me… I’ve decided to get into professional photography. I am feeling the need to do something since next year I am going to have a empty house… and I love photography so I am taking a course through the college in Morehead city and so far I have learned alot.  I have set up a “studio” in our home and have done several photo shoots of our friends, I’ve also done a lot of outdoor as well. I already put the few of “cowboy Xander”, these are a few of my other favorites. I also ran a 5K on base…it was actually Jason’s idea to have the two of us and Becca run with our friends, well we thought it was on a Saturday so he signed us up, turns out it was on a Friday and he couldn’t leave work and Becca had a presentation that day so it was just me with their family…wish I could do more than a 5K but my feet are such a mess! Plantar fasciitis really sucks!!! Xander and his friend Jake waited with Ms. Debbie for us at the finish line! My goal was to be under 30 min. and I made it! (none of my running friends are allowed to laugh!!!)

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