It's Beginning to Feel a Lot Like Christmas

One of the benefits of having moved around quite a bit is that we have picked up different traditions from various good friends we have made around the country.  Every time we perform the family Christmas Nativity play we will remember our good friends the Perkes.

This year our Wise Man #2 was very excited not to be a shepherd. (She has been a shepherd every year in various church plays for years.)  Our kimono clothed shepherd could actually read the script, and our little angel just glowed.  Our red clad shepherd made sure his little brother acted out his parts properly. And our Wise Man #1 got to act in the play and not be the piano accompanist.

Not seen in the play is the said accompanist (aka Mom) and the Angel Gabriel (aka Dad.)  We loved having our cousins and their families over as we performed our play this year.  And we tried out one of their Christmas traditions this year: fondue. 

It really is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.  Even with the cactus and sunshine.

Spelling Bees and Band Concerts and Choir

We've hung up our lights and decorated our Christmas trees. We've exchanged names for Christmas gifts, and the giggling and whispering has begun. One more week of school left, and already we've competed in spelling bees, and performed in jazz band, band, and choir. 

What a wonderful time of the year. 

Tomorrow we celebrate Karina's 10th birthday and we'll have a piano recital in the evening. Half the family will sing, or play, in the choir at church.  And Christmas is still a couple of weeks away.

7th grade band concert.

10th grade art show

Jazz band concert

Kindergarten spelling bee--2nd place.

2nd grade spelling bee--1st place. 

4th grade spelling bee--2nd place. 

7th grade spelling bee--2nd place.

What a wonderful time of the year.

Happy Turkey Day

As Turkey Day approaches, all turkeys suddenly have a pressing desire to disguise themselves.  After all, if the farmer does not recognize the turkey, the turkey will not be, well, dinner.

Hearing about the plight of the poor turkey from our kindergartner, we as a family decided some intervention was in order.  So, this was our FHE project on Monday night:

Clown Turkey: Michael's contribution.

Space Turkey: Matthew's brainchild.

Ballerina Turkey, courtesy of Karina.

Dragon Turkey, by Kayla 

 Harry Potter Turkey--by Kimberley.  

 

Batman Turkey, courtesy of Brent.

Ghost Turkey, by Delwyn.

From our Turkey Safe House to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

Good Things Arizona

So one Saturday morning we all got up early and helped beautiful the elementary school and the middle school here in Arizona. Mostly we hauled the (big) rocks you see behind us, to prevent erosion when it rains.

This was the first time that the whole family was actually helpful at a service project.

I love my not so little helpers.

 

Halloween Costumes

We went trunk or treating at the church last Tuesday and our kids had so much fun with their costumes this year.  Kimberley and Kayla won the award for most original costume.

 Matthew (Luigi) and Michael (Mario) have been working on their costumes since fall break. And "practicing" on an almost daily basis.

 Karina has a great eye for detail. She made sure that she had an eyepatch, and even some gold coins (tucked in her bucket.)

Brent's job was handing out candy from our "trunk".  (There were teeth on the bottom too.)  Mario and Luigi are eating the cupcakes that they (finally) won from the cupcake walk.

And we haven't even gotten to Halloween yet!

Here's what we were working on during FHE on Monday.  Good thing we hadn't recycled all of those moving boxes yet!

Wedding Bells Are Ringing

So this is the real reason I flew up to Idaho: Isn't my niece beautiful?

Here are all my brothers and sisters except for my brother in South Africa.  We are posing outside of the Logan temple as we wait for the bride and groom to come out. What a good looking family.

My sister made the wedding cake.

Here is the father of the bride (my brother in law) hastily putting the finishing touches on the pulled pork, which was served at the reception.

Three sisters with very tired feet at the end of the day! (Actually, this was totally posed, as we are hoping to guilt our sister into decorating for our children's weddings! Do you think it will work?)   

 So much fun visiting with my brother, his new wife, and my sisters.  The wedding was beautiful, too, although I did miss Brent and our munchkins.  Always good to come home again.

My fabulous day...

There comes a time in a girl's life, where she has to endure a birthday. A big birthday.

So for FHE on Monday, Kayla baked me a birthday cake, and we celebrated early.  Thanks guys!   Then, on my birthday, I left home and flew to Boise, to get some TLC from Kirsty. Here's the cake she baked for me while I'm posing in her rose garden.

Then she took me to Miss Tami's Cottage for a monte carlo.  (Which involves ham, swiss cheese and powdered sugar.)

I decided to play some blues, but Kona (alias Coconut the dog) took the show with his singing.

This is the sidewalk chalk card that Lauren and Kirsten blame on their kids. Thanks little nieces and nephews! 

(It says, "Over the hill, its all downhill from here, with a beautiful green chalk hill. The rest you can read for yourself.)

And, of course, what is a big birthday without black balloons and dying roses.  Thanks so much, Kirsty.

Sisters are life's best kept secrets.

Catching up on Important Summer Happenings...

The three girls spent the summer swimming on a swim team with their cousin.  Lots of hours swimming laps.

This is what the two boys were doing while their sisters were at the pool.....

But the girls did really well at the championships. Here is Karina showing off her medals and ribbons.

Here is Kayla with her swim medals and ribbons. She also won the trophy for the most points in her age group.

 Kimberley, with her medals and ribbons.  She joined the high school swim team.

Later on that summer, Kayla had a birthday. She went for pure taste with her angel food birthday cakes and strawberries and whipped cream.  Her Bell cousins came and celebrated with her. 

The next month, Kimberley celebrated a birthday.  Which one is the cake, and which one her birthday present? 

 With the move, swimming, and birthdays, the summer was really, really short, but a lot of fun.