December 2017

 Brennan had a band concert

I accidentally made these kinda cute invites. I knew with last minute advertising for the activity, I'd have to step up my game a little. I decided to get these little forks to attach. Turns out they only came with the plates... and I didn't want to be wasteful! So, I put the plates to use.

 Ward party

 For this 4th grade invention convention, Asher's invented the kid-friendly allergy mask. Basically, masks, decorated in fun ways, for allergen-struggling kids to wear when the interact with pets.

 My new favorite sweater.

It's just not right for Corvallis to get this cold!

Progressive dinner sing-along

The entire Linus Pauling Middle School earned a field trip to an OSU Women's BBall game. It sounded like exactly the type of trip for me to chaperone! So much fun!

 As usual, the Underwater Audio Christmas party was a huge success! Also as usual, my family somehow dominated winning all the prizes: from candy-in-a-jar counting, to ugly sweater contest (I didn't even try! Mine won most traditional), to the coloring contest... And there was a talent show we participated in, Brennan and I playing a horn duet and Asher played the piano. Plus the kids all receive gifts from the Walkers. In the end, including taking home gear from the meal I'd helped prepare, the back of my car was filled to the ceiling!

 It would be so much better if Hollyn was wearing her glasses, but she loved getting her doll, which she named "Holly Jr".

 I didn't really take any photo's at Hannah and Keaton's wedding or reception, but for these two:

Asher drawing his treasure map for Brennan

 I don't think the following video will play unless I go through the process of downloading onto computer, opening in Movie Maker, and re-uploading it online. It's a neussance, but I'm putting this copy here to remind me some time to do that.

We loved staying in Idaho to spend Christmas with the Stevensons! As a really special and generous treat, we were able to drive down to SLC to visit Temple Square and see the lights with Barry and Judi, plus Greg and Peter and their families. Miserably cold, but beautifully wonderful!

I guess it could be worse than 23 in Corvallis.

 Before heading back to Idaho, we visited the Church History Museum, which is the one center we hadn't caught last August. What a fun place! My kids were bummed when it was time to go and they hadn't gotten to see some of spots they most liked last time, like the Christus and the Family History Museum. I guess we'll have to go back! The kids really love Temple Square. It's like better than OMSI!

 

We were definitely dreaming of this white Christmas!

And fun bonus: check out Kieran's hair!

November 2017, in review

 I played in the Christmas parade the day after Thanksgiving. So, SOOOO cold! But fun! But very cold. ;-)

Celebrated Kenyon's 40th birthday. 

In true Asher form, he situated himself among the ladies. The best part, though was when he told us all how he loves to sit by old ladies because he loves the way they smell. "The older they get, the better they smell!" hahahaha. This kid!

Ward activity to clean the church building

 I do not think that means what they think it means:

Anyone else sit this way when they eat? No?

 So this was kind of funny. I was grocery shopping with Kieran, standing in front of the condiments. Since I'd recently learned Hollyn likes mustard, and she's the only one in the household who does, I said to Kieran, "Should we get Hollyn some mustard?" His response? "Can I have my own Ketchup??? Pleeeeease Mom? Please, can I have my own ketchup?" For 98 cents I figured, why not. I selected a Ketchup and handed it to him. He cradled that bottle the entire rest of the shopping trip. He talked about it non-stop, thanking me repeatedly. As soon as Hollyn got home he rushed to show her the his & her condiments. Obviously, the decent thing to do was pull out the label maker to add their names. It was seriously the best gift ever for both of them. 😜

 

And just because... #Angryface

Going Backwards

I left off in July and am a little intimidated to cover all our fun August adventtures. So I'm going to go backwards from our most recent fun. :-)

I actually snapped these before a Halloween party a couple weeks before Halloween, and nothing on the day of (except one of Brennan). Sadly Hollyn's costume was better day of, but oh well.

Brennan is Scott Sterling from the recurring Studio C sketch; Asher is a Rich Guy (his ultimate dream in life); Hollyn is a 50s girl; Kieran a skelaton.

This year was the first time since Brennan started school that Halloween was a on a school day. Our district holds conferences the last Wed-Fri of October, so Halloween tends to fall on those days or a weekend. I think once they even put conferences in the beginning of the week. Not this year though. Wouldn't have been so bad except the schools don't allow costumes, and then the downtown trick-or-treating was held primarily during school time (whereas other places moved theirs to Saturday). By the time Brennan got home at almost 4:30, and costumed up, we made it downtown in time for some free ice cream at Dairy Queen, and then headed back home. After a quick dinner, Brian came over for the kids. He took them first to the church's trunk-or-treat, where I also went to pass out candy. Then he took them back around the neighborhoods and I went to community band. I didn't even decorate the porch this year - it was a kind of off year Halloween-wise. And even though I love the holiday, it was kind of nice to be more lazy about it.

T and I did get in a quick picture before our nightly walk too.

Last night after I got home from Time Out For Women, T came by to play some board games with us. He was a good sport to play Speak Out even though he didn't know Brennan was taking his picture. ;-)

Settling in for some BYU-TV