Festival of Trees

Shelby with no bun.
Shelby and Becca

Shelby performed at the Festival of Trees on Friday. It was the first time she had ever done this. There is only one other girl that performed with her. She is used to 12 or 13 girls dancing with her. She was very nervous knowing that she could not stand behind someone else. She was the star. She did awesome. We pinned her hair up with some new pins we thought would work better than regular bobbie pins. Not so. When she was dancing these pins were flying everywhere and her bun fell out. Becca said she was being pelted with them. We will definitely try something different next time. Shelby took the whole thing in stride and just kept dancing.

What does your Thanksgiving Look Like?

Christopher made his first pumpkin pies. The pies were perfect and sooo yummy. We took a walk before dinner by the river. It was brisk but very beautiful. Rachel came with baby Sean. She just had a c-section on Saturday! She looks so good. Michael went fishing and caught a nice brown trout. Then a scrumptious dinner in mom and dad's new room. Mom just wanted a room where we could all eat together. Even after two long tables, we still had room for at least two more tables. This will be helpful when Ashli and family move back. Then after dinner there was a rousing game of ultimate frisbee to run off dinner and prepare room for the desserts.

There were beautiful babies.

A bit of napping

And cuddling

And lots of loving the newborn and Great Grandma's I am grateful for so many things this year. I am so grateful for my husband and hard he works for our family. When you get married, you hope the person you pick will be a good dad. It is amazing to watch it in action. Michael is a truly wonderful father. I am grateful I have been entrusted with such incredible children. They teach me so much and keep me working hard to be a better person. I am grateful for extended family and the strength and love we share. I am grateful for President Monson and his message of hope and peace. It is so reassuring to know that we have prophet going through these troubled times with us. I am grateful for the Gospel and for the Atonement of our Savior.

Derek is going to the Mexico Leon Mission. He is so excited. I am grateful for him and the good example he is for his cousins.

WWF Action Figure

Emily: Mom, I want to be on a wrestling team.

Me: I don't think they have wrestling for girls.

Emily: But if I get really good they will make an action figure of me.

Me: I don't think they have a team for girls.

Emily: Why?

Me: I don't really know. Maybe they think you will get hurt.

Emily: Mom, I can take down Ren.

Me: I know, but I don't think they have an actual girls wrestling team.

Emily: That's against womens rights!!

Emily: Christopher, do they have a girls wrestling team in High School?

Christopher: Nope. It is not a High School sport.

Shelby comes in the room and says: High School is a sport?

This is the comedy of my life.

Kyle is 15

Banana Split
Ode to Joy

Whats left of dinner

Mitch and Kyle playing Command and Conquer

Breakfast

This boy!! He is 15. I can't believe he is so old. When he was little, we prayed that he would make it just one more day. He has a host of guardian angels watching over him. They sigh quietly when he falls asleep at night. They have a very hard job. Grandpa Pearman once told me that he has a very important job to do and he would grow to be a great man. He didn't have school on his birthday and the only thing he wanted to do was play video games with his friends. He has early morning seminary and since he didn't have to go to school afterward, I told him to just sleep in. He was appalled that I would even suggest such a thing. He said "I love seminary. I wouldn't skip on purpose!" After seminary, Mitch, Zelphie and Jaqui came over for breakfast. Breakfast was crepes and sausage and orange juice. For dinner we had ribs. Since we aren't a cake family, Grandma and Grandpa Hansen came over for banana splits. He played the guitar for us.

10 Things I love about Kyle

1. His amazing sense of Humor

2. His desire to do the right thing

3. His intelligence

4. His willingness to help me

5.His love of a good book

6.His dependablity

7. He honors the priesthood

8. His love of a fluffy blanket, warm socks, and slippers

9. His determination

10. That he is mine forever

The other night he came home from a Stake Dance just so excited. He came into my room and exclaimed "Oh Mom, I love girls!!!" Heaven help me.

Saturday Punkin' Chunkin' and Leaf Raking

The young men in our ward had a contest to see which group could launch pumpkins the farthest. They had to make their own launcher and then they went to an open field and let them fly. Michael's launcher ripped to pieces but the elastics worked great. He ran home and got more fabric to make a new launcher and it worked better. Jed's launcher was great but the elastics weren't very elastic. So they joined forces and made the most wonderful amazing launcher ever in the history of our ward. However, I think that Michael's teacher group won the contest!

It has been such a beautiful fall. We were able to get all the leaves raked and blown and mowed today. It was almost 60 degrees. The sky was pure blue with no clouds. I love working with my family. We laugh and really enjoy being together.

The Ladies

Phoebe and Sylvia AKA "The Ladies"

We were sitting at the beach in McCall one hot summer day in July. These girls had no clothes on so I decided it was my duty as the "Good Aunt" to share my chocolate cookies with them. I think they enjoyed them. Sylvia was the messiest and I commented about how at least she didn't have any on her back. Just then, Phoebe obliged by rolling her soggy chocolate cookie down Sylvia's bare back!!

What?

Becky gave us this dress. Emily hates anything with ruffles, sequins or velvet. I put this dress in the dress up box. She got it out and wore it to church yesterday paired with black leggings. In my house, your clothes have to be clean and modest the rest of the choice is up to you. I never thought I'd see the day that this girl chose sequins!!!

FHE

Playing the Name Game

The Twins Sylvia and Phoebe
The wiener roast
Jon, Kayla,Lori

Shelby, Miles

Grandma and Grandpa

Once a month, our family gets together for Family Home Evening. Fun times are had by all. We usually eat something and more often than not, it is hot dogs cooked in the fire pit. Usually we have a birthday but not this time. We have a lesson and then play the name game. It is a great game for our group. Grandma Pearman always comes and she plays with us. Everyone switches names and then if someone calls your name you have to move. It is so great when Grandma has to get up and get to another seat! We always have a few people share their testimonies. I love that part. Since we are all in separate wards, we never get hear each others testimonies. It is important for the kids to hear each other and their grandparents share their beliefs. Derek and Kayla gave the lesson and did a fabulous job. Derek should get his mission call in the next few weeks.

Sadie Hawkins Dance

Christopher is at the Sadie Hawkins Dance tonight. His friend Stacey asked him to go with her. It is a super hero theme. Stacey made Superman costumes. It was so funny to watch him put the red nylons over his very big size 13 1/2 feet. Stacey helped him and they looked great. She said she feels short next to him. I said we all do!

5K Fun Run

Emily is in an after school program called Girls on the Run. It is two days a week for ten weeks. They practice running and have lessons on body image, bullying, drugs and alcohol abuse. At the conclusion the whole group runs in a local 5K. I had to take Shelby to ballet practice and Michael took Emily and Kyle to the fun run. Kyle was so sweet to run with her. They did really great. She shaved 10 minutes off of her best time. It helps to run with Kyle. He sure kept her running. . They seem to know how to push each others buttons from time to time, so it is good for the two of them to do something positive together.

Hot Rod Granny

I just found this picture in one of my files. We were in McCall last year in October and Shelby wanted to drive the four-wheeler around and asked if anyone wanted to come with her. Grandma Pearman said she would!! So she took her walker out the door and scooted across the pine needles and with a little help, climbed on. Shelby drove her around and around and she held on tight. What a great sport. I hope I am this mobile at 89 years old. She is just delightful.

How Lame

I was never going to be one of those bloggers that start off good and then quit. Well, look at me now. Over a month and no update. I am going to rededicate myself. It helps to blog. I remember things better and it is a good way to keep in touch.

So I will start where I left off and add things here and there.

Emily's Birthday.

We are usually gone on Emily's birthday because it is on a 4 day weekend. We usually go to McCall or on vacation somewhere. She complains bitterly because she never gets a real birthday party. This year we made up for that. I was in Virginia with Ashli and I was having mommy guilt. So before I left I decided to let her have a small friend birthday on Wednesday October 1st. She invited Abby and Anya to go bowling and then we had pizza in the park.

Emily, Abby, and Anya

October 2, Gabby and Katie came and spent the day at our house. The girls made cupcakes and decorated hats and had another party for her.

For her third celebration, my mom took her shopping on Friday. This has become a wonderful tradition. For birthday's and Christmas, my mom takes the kids shopping for their presents. She gets to take them out and they get to pick exactly what they want. It is a win-win. She then takes the presents and wraps them and gives them back on their birthday/Christmas. The kids love it (especially the teenagers) and she loves to hang out with them at the mall!! The fourth celebration was her actual birthday on October 4th. Shelby made her breakfast in bed and the boys helped blow up balloons. She opened her presents and then went four-wheeling and fishing with her new Ugly Stick(given by her brothers). They had Mongolian BBQ for dinner. It was everything she wanted. The fifth celebration was a family dinner on Sunday at my moms. All the cousins and relatives were there. She had salmon and potatoes with pumpkin pie for dessert (we are not birthday cake people). I called her Sunday night and asked her how things were going. She said "Mom, I am so done with my Birthday!!"

10 things I love about Emily

1. Her darling freckles scattered across her nose

2. She works hard. She always wants to help with any project we are working on and she doesn't quit.

3. Her love of reading. She especially loves books about fish, frogs, and lizards.

4. Her sense of adventure. Nothing intimidates this girl. She will try anything.

5. Her intelligence. She is so smart. She can figure things out quickly.

6. Her creativity. She is always drawing and writing.

7. Her love of animals. She wants a puppy!

8. Her sparkly blue eyes.

9. Her sense of style. She knows what she likes and that is that.

10. I love that she is mine forever.