November

Another month has come and gone.  If time keeps going by this fast, Jake will be home before I know it!  Speaking of Jake- one of the highlights from my month was getting a memory card from the Elder full of pictures and videos from the past several months.  There were so many that it took almost an hour to look at all of them.  And he did so many video logs, that it felt like he was in the room with us chatting away.  Who knew that boy would be so much like me and his sisters in doing such a bang up job of documenting everything.  I'm proud about that!  I just love looking at his smiling face.  I'm so happy that he's happy and doing well.





Here he is with 3 of his 4 companions.  Elder Haviland was #1, then came Elder Tongish (bottom right picture, the one on the far left) then Elder Mitchell (the red head) then Elder Campbell (the one in the top left picture).  Jake loved Elder Mitchell and took great strides in loving his mission during that transfer.

We had an early snowstorm before we'd had a chance to do winterizing, but luckily it melted and we were able to get the yard ready for winter the following Saturday. 

Me, Cam and Mike worked for most of the afternoon cleaning up- mostly in the backyard.  Mowing, raking leaves (or blowing rather with our new leaf blower/sucker/mulcher. It's awesome!) cleaning out the rain gutters, and putting the patio cushions away in our new handy dandy shed.

Cam and his friends Parker and Chase were Logan's #1 football fans this year.  They were front and center at every home game, and even traveled to a couple away games.  The team was undefeated until the QB  got ejected from the first playoff game (and the following game) for 2 unsportsmanlike calls, so Logan was out of it when they lost the second game without him in the game. Cam and his friends had fun until that game.  And, after 15 plus years, Mike says he's done doing the stats for the team.  With Cam graduating, he thinks this is a good year to call it quits.  We'll see next fall when the season rolls around again. He might not be able to help himself from wanting to be down on the sidelines amid all the action.

We attended a fun party one Sunday evening at the Searles to welcome Matt home for a week's leave from the Navy.  We had fun eating, visiting, and playing bunco.  I was happy I had someplace to go and take my turkey relish tray appetizer. 

Cam's Eagle Project was completed one Saturday at the Middle School where I work.  He and I worked on getting numbers made and laminated, then on that Saturday, along with the help of 13 family, friends and leaders, we put them all up in the windows of each classroom for emergency purposes.  It was a great and fairly easy project.  And a relief to have done! Cam was a great organizer and and did a great job delegating.

Kylee and Brody came home for Thanksgiving for the first time since they moved away 4 years ago.  Happily we've been able to be with them for 3 of those 4 years.  But it was great to have them home this time.  They decided to keep their arrival a secret from Jessica so Ky had fun surprising her the first morning.  We three girls went to one of my favorite classes at the Sports Academy- Paddlefit. 

Mike and Cam played in our wards Turkey Bowl and had a fun time- especially Cam.  I went to watch for a half hour, and it was so much fun to see him throwing the ball, catching the ball, and intercepting the ball. He's a great football player. 

Jess and Brad spent Thanksgiving in Willard with Brad's family, and the rest of us went to the Weyerts for dinner along with Teresa & Brad and their kids, and Tommy & Jessica and their kids.

The rest of the weekend was spent shopping, playing cards, sitting in the hot tub and spending half a day in SLC playing mini-golf, looking around City Creek, looking at the lights on temple square and eating out at Bella's Mexican Restaurant.  All too soon it was time to say goodbye to Ky and Brody, but only for 3 weeks!

Misc items (going clockwise starting with top left):  Mom turned 87 on the 16th.  Me, Carol and Nancy took her out to lunch at Sizzler, then the next day I made her a birthday dinner.  Doesn't she look so cute?  Cam and I went to Thor in honor of Jake and so we could tell him about it.  It was a pretty decent movie.  We had my friend Dani and her girls over for dinner to celebrate Dani's birthday while her husband was out of town. I met Dani while she was a student in Mike's ward about 8-9 years ago and we've kept in touch with her pretty well, but then when she joined my gym last January, we've become great friends, even though I'm old enough to be her Mom.  In fact, we've been asked numerous times if that's the case. I love her! Cam went to 2 girls choice dances this month.  This is a picture of the SkyView one. He had a fun time at that one.  The Logan one, not so much.  Me and Mike and Jess and Brad surprised Lindsey at work on her birthday with balloons and presents.  So lots of birthday celebrations this month.  I didn't even tell about Brody's golden birthday on the 29th while they were home for Thanksgiving.  Kylee threw a fun party for his high school friends and their wives at our house and it turned out great.  She is a master party planner. 

October

This month has flown by!  I can't believe it's November already.  The month started off with general conference- always a favorite weekend for me.  Mike, Cam, Brad and Bundy attended Priesthood together then went to eat at Panda (aren't they a great looking bunch?)  Me, Jess and Linny went to eat at Juniper Takeout, then did a little shopping, then got frozen yogurt at Twizleberry.  It was a fun evening. 

The next day was a lovely day spent at home watching conference.  In between sessions, since it was such a nice fall day, we went to 3rd dam and enjoyed seeing the fall leaves while taking a little hike (don't mind Cam's hair- he just rolled out of bed not long before this picture).
We've enjoyed getting together for Sunday dinner with the Searles and Mom every month for several months now.  It's fun to trade off houses, eat together then play games.  This night we played nic nic and 7 down, 7 up.
Brad challenged me to eating the Paleo diet for a week and I quite liked it.  Especially since I lost 4 pounds- I've tried to stick with it but it's hard not having any carbs.  The picture on the top right isn't something I made, but it's an idea that I love and may do for Thanksgiving.  The bottom right one is my favorite meal- Zupas tomato basil soup and any salad.  Yum.  During fall break Cam and I went to SLC for an afternoon to shop and lunch at Zupas is always a must.  
Also during fall break, Cam did some baptisms for the dead w/ his good friend Parker then Parkers mom Janae took them and me out for breakfast.
 
Cam can't go too long without an illness or injury, so he was due for something.  He developed a rash over his entire body (excluding feet, hands and head) after having a cold that we finally went to the dermatologist for. He thought it was a virus that could take 2 months to clear up.  He prescribed some medicine, but after 2 weeks when it wasn't any better, he suggested we do a biopsy to make sure what it was so they could treat it more specifically.  Turns out it was what they thought it was- Pityriasis Lichenoides et Varioformis Acerta or 'Pleva'.  It still could take 2 months to clear up, but we're hurrying it along with light therapy which he does 3 times a week.  He sits in a tanning bed like contraption and the lights are supposed to help it get better faster.  Needless to say, he's rather sick of looking like he has leporacy and having to wear long sleeve shirts and pants all the time.   Poor Cam- always something.

After serving as Relief Society secretary for almost 4 years, our presidency got released.  We went out to lunch to celebrate all our good times together.  These are really great women whom I learned a lot from.   
Mike and Cam have been keeping busy with yard work still.  Mike rented a stump grinder for the pine tree he chopped down and some shrubs.  It's slowly taking shape, and I can't wait until next spring to see the finished product.

Look at this 7 day forecast!  Could fall in October get any better than that?  I submit that I cannot.  Each and every day was enjoyed to the fullest by me. 

Gary and Nancy invited us, the Skeens and Searles over to help press apples for fresh juice.  Carol was busy, so me, Mike and Ann went and spent about 3 1/2 hours juicing apples from their orchard.  We were thrilled to go home with 6 gallons of delicious juice.  They also fed us and it was lovely to spend an evening together.

The fall leaves never cease to amaze me with their beauty.  I just love walking and driving around town and noticing all the beautiful colors.  I'm sad when they start to fall, because that means that winter is just around the corner. 

I was so happy the 5 of us could get out during the nice weather week and hike my favorite Logan Canyon hike- Crimson Trail.  Jess and Brad had never done it, and I'm so glad we were finally able to make it work to take them.  As an added bonus, we were able to talk Cam into going with us.

The Bundy's came for dinner on the last day of the nice weather and after doing a fun science experiment that they brought, we had s'mores outside using our new outdoor gas fireplace.  I love that thing! 

Jake had his first birthday in the mission field.  I was feeling rather sad about missing out on it and not being able to be with him for the first time in 20 years.  But happily that was not the case and all because of an awesome family in his ward.  They had emailed me a couple weeks earlier telling me they had had Jake and his companion (pictured in the two bottom pictures) over for dinner and had sat by them at a ward party and included those pictures in the email.  That was such a fun surprise to get!  Then they wrote back to say they had found out when Jake's birthday was and they wanted to surprise him with his favorite meal from home, so could I tell them what that was, complete with sides and dessert?  That's so awesome!  So I sent them a couple recipes, and they chose his all time favorite meal that I make:  Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Burritos with his favorite cake for dessert.  They had Jake and his new companion over for dinner on his birthday and then wrote to me later that night with pictures and a VIDEO - of Jake cutting the cake, and of them singing happy birthday to him and him blowing out the candles.  I was so happy to see his sweet smiling, happy face on his birthday. There are awesome people in the world looking out for the missionaries.  I'm so very grateful for that. 

Cam and his friends had a fun time on Halloween dressing up and going to a big party at the Laub's house.  Can you tell which one Cam is?

(the one in red)

September

Just when I'm sure I'm in store for a mundane month, lots of great and fun things happen, so I'm going to stop saying that I expect the following month to be boring- cause there is nothing boring about our life! We had a fun Labor Day.  We were going to start the day out by hiking the wind caves, but it was pouring rain when we woke up so we settled on a big breakfast out on the covered patio- while it rained. . . then that afternoon we had fun bowling, then that evening we invited the Searles, Skeens, Pete's and Bundy's over for a cookout and beach volleyball.  We had a lovely day. 

I have been really fascinated and obsessed with clouds lately.  They're just so cool.  I appreciate a blue sun filled sky (especially if I'm at a lake or pool or in January after a long inversion) but I prefer an interesting cloudy sky with different colors throughout.  It's just so amazing to me.  We have enjoyed a lot of days like these this month and I couldn't be happier.

September 14 started off many days in a row of being super busy- it was all fine and fun and fulfilling, but I was sure glad when it slowed down and I got back to my regular routine.  I started off this Saturday by getting up at 6:15 am to make these delicious orange rolls for a RS birthday brunch that day.  After attending that, I helped Mike and Cam with some yard work.  Mike rented a sod cutter to get rid of some grass in our front yard so we can plant some trees, shrubs and flowers there instead.  It's going to be A LOT of work, but will look amazing when we're done.  At least that's the plan. . .

 In between the assistance I gave outside, I was also inside making 3 batches of salsa. . . It had been a couple of years since I'd made any, and now I remember why. . . it's rather messy but the end result is so good.  Here's my secret:  Mrs. Wages seasoning packet.  All I had to do was add tomatoes and vinegar.  And it's really good salsa- you'd never know I cheated a little. Shhh- don't tell anyone.

In the 17 years we've lived in Logan, I don't think I've ever voluntarily paid money to go to a USU football game when they weren't playing BYU.  I think once or twice some friends invited us to go with them and gave us tickets, but this is my first real game to go and truly cheer for the Aggies.  Mike and I bought a 2 game package- with the other game (of course) being BYU in a couple of weeks.  I have to say if the weather's good and the team I'm cheering for isn't terrible, I love me a good football game.  Well, we got good weather for the first half, then it rained for the next several hours.  We lasted until 5 minutes left in the 3rd quarter then abandoned ship. We had a fun time despite the rain.

On Monday we enlisted the help of Jess and Brad to help us continue to remove the sod from the front yard and it was amazing what we were able to get done in a couple of hours.  Cam got out of helping because he was busy with homecoming activities all week. 

Here he is (right hand picture) after painting the street Monday night.  The bottom picture is of him in the homecoming parade with some other senior class officers, then the top left is him going to the "white out" homecoming game wearing one of his friends away jerseys.  He had a great time at all those activities, and is sure making the most of his senior year. 

Tuesday I spent the evening making a batch of chili sauce with some leftover tomatoes from the salsa.  Wednesday I went with Janae to the homecoming parade and the powder puff game to watch Parker dance with the Brickettes.  Thursday I helped Jess and Brad paint the two bedrooms in their new (to them) house. They bought a triplex on 6th East and will live in the two bedroom and rent out the one and three bedroom units.  It will be so weird not to have them living with us anymore!  It's been a great year (off and on) to have them with us.  Friday I had the day off, so I started off with a glorious hike with Lindsey and my friend Tori.  We did Crimson Trail- perhaps my favorite hike.  It was a beautiful day with the leaves just starting to change.  We had a fun time. 

After that I helped Tori for 2 hours make two double batches of salsa, then my friend Dani (formerly a student in Mike's singles ward) came over with her two little girls and I helped her make two double batches of salsa!  I was ready to sit down and relax after that but that was not to be as I went to visit Mom who was sick, then back to Jess and Brad's to help them clean for 1 1/2 hours, then home to get a package ready to send to Jake and listen to the LHS football game.  The next day I rode my bike along the Top of Utah marathon course looking for Dani who was running her first marathon so I could bike along her for awhile to give her some encouragement and diversion. I found her at mile 21 and biked with her for 4 miles. She did a fantastic job getting a time of 3:50. I then hurried over to LHS to help Janae and other parents and students decorate for homecoming dance that night.  They were having it outside of the high school and it was perfect weather thankfully.  Janae and I purposefully wore our opposing team shirts since the big BYU vs Utah game was that night.

Rushed from there over to Jess and Brad's new place (with a stop at Little Ceasars for pizza for everyone) to help them and some of Brad's family unload the trailer and truck full of all their stuff they had been storing at his sisters house in Brigham City.  Back home to mow the lawn since our regular lawn mower was busy with his day date, then went back to Jess and Brad's to help Jess unpack and organize (at least part-way) their kitchen.

Home again to help Cam get ready and off to the dance, then finished preparing dinner and had Mike's best friend from high school (who recently moved back to Logan after a divorce and remarriage) and his new wife over for dinner. We had invited them several weeks ago before we knew what a ca-razy day we would be having and didn't want to cancel on them.  We were able to relax and have a lovely evening with them.  We ate outside, played badminton, and tried out our new propane heater and made some tasty s'mores.  After they left at 10, Mike and I then wasted the next several hours watching the terrible BYU game.  Boo for them losing to the dirty Utes.

We've had a lot of fun this month playing a ton of badminton.  Mostly it's been Cam vs. at least 2 other people- sometimes 4.  And he wins almost every time!  He's exhausted and sweaty, but that boy can move and get almost everything hit to him.  It's quite entertaining to watch.

After living in Logan for 17 years, we finally have the opportunity to get to know the full-time missionaries a little better and it's been so awesome.  Up until now, one set of missionaries has been assigned to our stake- plus 6 others- with about 4 of those being USU stakes, so most of their time was spent on campus working with students.  We would get the chance to have the missionaries over  for dinner about once every few years.  So in the past few months, we've gotten our own set of missionaries for just our stake!  Hurray!  With Jake being on a mission, it's just been great to spend time with the missionaries and imagine how it would be for Jake to be having dinner and hanging out with a cool family in Washington!  We had them for dinner two times this month and both times it was so awesome.  This picture is from the second time they came and so they came prepared to play some badminton with Brad and Cam then after that we had s'mores on our new fireplace grill.
These are just some misc pictures of everyone having fun in the backyard and enjoying the cooler fall weather. (the kids are the Hess kids who Jess nanny's every afternoon and the baby is our neighbors granddaughter who was checking us out- haha)

I finally forced myself to get out my fall and Halloween decorations and decorate the living room and kitchen with them.  I don't know why I had been procrastinating it so much because I love fall and I love these decorations.

One morning on my way to workout, I had to pull the car off to the side of the road to take these awesome pictures of the clouds by the mountains behind our house.  So cool!

The last Saturday of the month was spent with more yard work.  Mike cut down the three ugly bushes by the front bedroom windows, chain sawed down the pine tree in the front yard that is going to get too big for the space we planted it in 10 years ago, and the three of us worked hard all day to get all that hauled away as well as two truck loads of dirt/sod from 2 weeks ago.  There's still much to do, but we are making progress.