November Fun

Time flies when you're having fun and staying busy!

Chadwick was lucky enough to have Wed-Mon off around Thanksgiving, and we made good use of the time. Nancy and Steve hosted Thanksgiving for us and James + Family - we spent the day at the Hunts eating, playing games, kids watching movies, and enjoying one another's company. In addition to the usual turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing (Nancy put raisons in hers...we gave her a good teasing for that), sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, salads, and rolls, Steve had caught a steelhead salmon earlier in the fishing year and grilled that up as well. We didn't leave hungry! And we had more dessert than we knew what to do with to round out the feast.

Naptime inevitably followed the eating...for at least two members of the family. =) Darwin was able to come join the festivities and he spent most of the time looking out a window for chickens or keeping a watchful eye under the table for stray crumbs.

Neither Chadwick nor I are much into the Black Friday craziness, so we stayed put the following day. Instead of fighting the crowds, Brother Barrus from the ward came to the house and spent the day in the backyard with my hubs, happily making a mess of the yard in order to dig a 3-foot trench to lay pipe for water supply. At the end of the day, we had a working faucet in the back of the yard for the future chickens and sheep. Plus electric line as well...a success! Too bad the gravel and grass were torn up; it leaves my kitchen floor less than sparkling clean now until we can repair the damage next summer.

At one point in November, we had a really COLD snap, blanketing the Treasure Valley in snow and warming us with highs in the teens. In addition to playing in the backyard - Mallorie cried and fussed the whole 45 minutes we were out - Chadwick and I got tickets to a Boise State Football game vs. San Diego State. For some reason, we decided to attend. And for another reason, the couple we invited agreed to the madness. We met for a quick dinner at Wendy's and made it to our seats in time for kickoff...and then proceeded to freeze. The temperature was hovering around 10 degrees, and Amie and I spent time in the heated bathroom during breaks between quarters, attempting to restore some feeling to our frozen toes. Amie and Devin bailed around halftime, partly due to the cold and partly due to the fact that it was already 10 pm and they needed to get home to relieve the babysitter. To this point, the game had been quite boring and not really worth watching, especially since we were losing!! Chadwick and I stuck it out through halftime (me back in the bathroom with several other women), drank some hot chocolate, and stayed to the beginning of the fourth quarter. We left as the Broncos defrosted and began a comeback which would ultimately win the game. I don't think I fully warmed up until about 2 am that night....

Santa-Dog

Ortons and Hunts

Saturday following Thanksgiving, Nancy and Steve hosted their 2nd Annual Christmas Workshop for the Boise grandchildren - my girls were dropped off in the morning for a pancake breakfast and spent the day decorating a pretzel cabin (rather than gingerbread), helping set up the house for Christmas, and watching the "Polar Express." The parents were invited for dinner that evening and we read through and acted out the Nativity as found in Luke. Morgan made an adorable Mary with Chadwick accompanying her as Joseph, I was a shepherd, Nancy played piano and Steve narrated. Jordynn and James filled in when possible. It's a fun tradition started last year and one the kids are going to remember and look forward to for years to come. I love that!

Blue-Eyed Beauties

A good friend of mine is a photographer on the side, and we spent 30 minutes with her earlier this month for a photo shoot of just the girls. I haven't had any "professional" pictures taken of our little M's since last fall, and Mallorie has changed dramatically! Chadwick and I....not so much. She is seriously the best photographer we've ever had the pleasure of working with; she's great with the girls (helps she knows them from church and preschool), is decisive, pays attention to detail, and makes the experience fun for all. Since it was a Monday, Chadwick was off work and able to come with us. We grabbed a burger and fries afterward for a mini family outing. 

Thank you, Mandie!! Check out her blog: www.capturedmomentsbymandie.blogspot.com 

Here are a few of my favorites....

Success!!

Little Ghosties!

The girls are forever walking around the house with their blankets over their head, pretending to be a ghost or sun or just hiding. Which gave me the idea of dressing up as ghosts for Halloween. They were super excited with the prospect, and although the costumes were simple, I thought they turned out well. The little girls inside really make the costume the best anyway, right? =)

This was the best I could get of Mallorie, who was on a pre-sugar high at Grandma Nancy's house while getting ready for the first of many Halloween events of the week. Her face pretty much sums up her attitude these days!

It was truly a Halloween marathon for us. Wednesday evening (when the photos were obtained and the costumes at their most complete) we joined Nancy and some of the other Fife relatives for an event at Spring Creek Assisted Living, where Grandma Fife resides. The children were able to trick or treat at each of the residents' doors and the Institute choir filled the halls with music. Mallorie was not at all certain about walking up to complete strangers and saying the required "trick or treat," but she soon got the hang of it once she figured out she was getting something in return. It was something of a madhouse with kids everywhere, residents wheeling to and fro and passing out candy by the fistfull. We came home with two buckets of goodies and the official holiday hadn't even dawned on the horizon yet! It was fun to see some of Chadwick's cousins, and we were lucky to have him with us that night!

Aunt Ramona, Grandma Fife, Chadwick, M&M

As neither of my ghosties smiled much on Wednesday due to the facial constrictions from the dry, white paint, we went without paint the following two nights. Thursday night was a Spook-tacular Carnival at the church, and the youth outdid themselves! In addition to a soup/chili/bread dinner, there was face painting, a bean bag toss, fishing, a maze through the primary room, and dutch oven cobbler for dessert. After the chaos was finishing within the building, the children happily ran laps around the parking lot for the annual trunk-or-treat. Lucky for me, I was able to unload my two buckets of candy from Spring Creek as well as three purchased bags from Winco. We wound up with moderate amounts of goodies after Evening #2. I might add that I rooted through the buckets before the church event and saved the best of the candy - mostly anything to do with Butterfinger, Reece's pb cups, or Snickers! There are two young women in our ward who have completely adopted Morgan and Mallorie, and they were happy to cart the little girls around all evening. As Chadwick was working late that night (both at work and helping the neighbor down the street whose ewe suffered a nasty cut on the back leg), it was a welcome break for me. We love those girls!

The finale, Halloween. Our good friends Donna, Madelaine, and Benjamin came by the house for a good part of the day to play and make ghost/cat/bat sugar cookies. Morgan didn't even want to put on her costume that evening, but I talked her into the basics to walk around our cul-de-sac. Many of the neighbors had goodies and they were excited to see the girls. The owner of the hurt ewe makes delicious caramel apples for everyone each year - that was the first caramel apple I've consumed in I don't know how long! What a yummy mess.

We wound up with two buckets full of candy, which Chadwick and I are trying our best not to devour in one week. I've got them hidden in the pantry so at least the girls aren't asking about the sugar non-stop. =) Overall, a good time.

On to Thanksgiving and Christmas....my favorites....

Fun Fall Things

While the temperatures are not so much dropping, the leaves are starting to turn wonderful shades of yellow, browns, and the most brilliant reds. I am loving this view from my front window of our huge tree in the front yard, which started turning red from the top leaves and has slowly colored down to the bottom where it now sits.

For our October family outing, we chose to go to one of the local corn mazes, The Farmstead. It had a jumping pillow, a long "potato sack" slide, two corn maze options (medium and large), a train ride for the kids, a corn box, and optional paint ball and pony rides....the girls loved it. And it was a beautiful day! They had a blast deciding which way to turn at the intersections of the maze we wandered through. Lots of giggling involved!

Chadwick's garden produced really well this year! We had enough bell peppers and annaheim peppers to feed a small army, the tomatoes went crazy, and we loved eating fresh green beans. A neighbor juiced 54 quarts of juice from our grapes (we got half, and it's a lovely pink lemonade color and absolutely delicious), and Morgan ate the ones that weren't juiced. Come to think of it, Darwin rather enjoyed the grapes as well, though they are on the "no-no" list of things to feed your dog. Go figure! We also have pumpkins, squash, potatoes, cucumber, carrots, onions, lettuce, and corn. Many of our carrots stayed rather tiny, but Chadwick picked out this one a couple weeks ago - look who had a baby!

Soccer is over for the season for Morgan - and while she barely kicked the ball during the games, she seemed to enjoy the experience. The little boys on her team were adorable and the other parents really nice. I'm hoping that by spring - with some practice on our part - she will be a little more ball savvy next year.

I also got to attend my first BSU football game and experience the blue field for myself. Yes, it's weird watching tackles and listening to helmets crash on...blue turf. I'm told that I'll get used to it. =) My good friend Erin scored tickets through her work and we had a blast chatting and cheering. While I love this selfie of us, it looks like the lady behind me is trying to take a bite of my head...

The Start of the Summer

The beginning of May found Morgan, Mallorie and I boarding a plane bound for Albuquerque to surprise my mom for her 60th birthday. It was a trip at least 4 weeks in the making, and I can't tell you how many time I almost blurted out crucial information to Mom. She's the one I usually coordinate with for flights, pick up, food, and whatnot. Mark was my go-to man, and there were multiple little white lies told to cover for my true whereabouts. Morgan didn't even know until the day before we left, as she can't keep a secret to save her life. Bags and carseats in hand, we boarded the plane for the first adventure of the summer. I'm lucky that my girls are good travelers, but flying on the plane stresses me out. When we arrived Tuesday afternoon, Dad picked us up from the airport. Mom was actually in DC for a work trip and didn't arrive home until late Wednesday night. She walked in the door around 10:45 after two hard days touring and with jet lag. I was sitting in the den where she couldn't see me right away. In response to a question about all the stuff covering the kitchen table, I replied that it was part of her birthday present. Silence. Slowly, Mom walked into the doorway. The look on her face said, "I know you. But why are you in my house?" All she could say for minutes was, "Oh my gosh!" And she didn't believe that the girls were with me. After the initial shock wore off, I think she was glad to see us. =)

On the plane

Gotta love this face!

Bop-bop and the M's

Smiles with Nana

Truck-bed playground at Abuleo's house

Mark and I had been planning a birthday party, and though Mom wanted details, we told her enough to be annoying but not so informational. We located, printed, and set out about 50 pictures around the house - all with Mom in them - from birth to the current day. The result was overwhelming but we had a ball with the project. And rather than traditional birthday decor, Hello Kitty hung on the walls, over the tables, and smiled at us from plates and napkins. Mom loves this particular character, and when else will she have the opportunity for a Hello Kitty birthday? Yep, at 60. Thirty friends and family arrived for the event and we had a wonderful time talking, looking at pictures, eating, and laughing.

Black and white photos hung in the entryway

Now that's a party dress!

Despite list making, engaging the help of a friend or two, and double checking what we thought was everything....Mark and I forgot the candles. On this big day!! Luckily, Mom had some sitting around the house.

The flight home was uneventful. I returned home on Monday. I unpacked, did laundry, and packed my bags - this time for a solo trip to meet Mom in the Big Apple for a little getaway.....and let the craziness of the next few months begin!

She's Four....Four Months Ago

It just occurred to me that Morgan's birthday post got lost in the craziness of moving and life in the new house. That was February, and this is August. Better late than never?

Our oldest daughter is such a blessing in our lives. She challenges me every day with her energy, brains, and more recently, attitude. Morgan loves to color, draw, and create amazing patterns with her perler beads. She enjoys listening to books - a new favorite is "The Little Engine That Could" - pretends to be different animals every few weeks, and entertains herself so well. When the raspberries were growing in our yard, she liked to go out and pick berries. She adores helping whenever possible. And for the most part, she also enjoys being a big sister. ABCs come easily for her these days, and if I tell her which letter to write, she can create sentences. Counting is a bit more difficult, and the numbers 16 and 17 are still mostly missing from the sequence. She tells people her birthdate on a first meeting, is looking forward to preschool starting in the fall, and has her first introduction to the world of soccer in a few weeks.

My Little Ponies has been and continues to be a favorite toy around our house, and for her birthday, Morgan wanted a pony birthday. Done! I couldn't figure out how to make a horse cake, so instead I made a flower cake. It was a blast to create it; I'm quite proud of being able to decorate a cute cake for my girls. I have a goal to make cakes as long as possible. And she told everyone about her pony party. It was adorable! Since Chad was working late the evening of her actual birthday, we had a birthday breakfast with her favorite, pancakes. The family party was on the weekend.

She pushes me to be a better person and I'm so grateful to be her mother. We love you, Morgan Magoo!!