November

This month we are participating in a challenge Oh So was asked to participate in. We collaborated with several other inspirational/lifestyle blogs for a Give With Thanks challenge. Each week has a different lesson/short video/message we go over as a family, different ideas for activities to give to others focusing on that particular week's theme, printable to put up in your home as lovely reminders, and of course where we came in, recipes to either make together and enjoy as a family while learning/serving, or make and give to others as part of your service. This week we sent off a couple packages, including one to Elder Moon who returns home next month!

Sick. Again. This season either she or one of us (or all of us) is sick. We're kinda over it, but we'll survive. It could be much worse. She's so sick and sad that she just melts and falls asleep in my arms over and over these last few days. I'm obsessed.

"What does da 'L' start if? Llllll says Lyla! What sound does da 'T' make? Tent!"
I probably needed this week's challenge the most: focus on those closest to you. I've made a conscious effort to spend more one-on-one time with this guy. During his prayers he added "thank you for playing in da tent if mommy." I guess sometimes I do some things right.

We both washed our hair for the first time that week (it was a Friday) and met up for some shopping and a long, cozy dinner at Maggianos. It was fabulous. I'm so lucky to have her as a sister and figuring out this whole life thing together. Then we shamelessly and freely took a memento of the night because our husbands weren't there to veto the notion. It felt good. Very liberating.

Lately he's been into wiping messes up with toilet paper he grabs from the bathroom. Lyla had something on her face (probably snot or food) so he ran to grab some TP to clean it up.

One of her favorite spots in the house. All day errday.

We stepped outside to deliver a hot loaf of bread to our neighbors only  to find Christmas lights and light flurries of SNOW! Neither of our neighbors answered, both of which were obviously home (one even peeked out the blinds right at us). I learned two things tonight: one, let others serve ou, they're probably excited to do so and are grateful for the opportunity to make their hearts a little more full and share a little light. two: more bread for me.

I beg Steve to let us move back to California almost daily, I miss it so much. Not just because I've worn more layers this last week than I have combined the last 6 months, but because the beach and ocean were my happy place. i'd go there, get out of the car, smell the salty air and instantly feel a lift. Once you lay down on your towel and sink into the sand, you're golden. So many bonfires surrounded by incredible friends, peaceful dates with my hunky husband, and memories in and out of the water to last a lifetime. As I try to figure out how to mold my little guy, and am constantly reminded how tough it is to be a mom, I'm thankful that when I don't have the beach as my happy place, I have somewhere else I can turn, and someone else I can turn toward. I need Him more now than I ever have before, as more is at stake. Thankful for His love.
With that being said, I am surrounded by a lovely group of girls that have made the transition easier.

The first time she played a game with me. She would hold the ball out and put it in my hand, smile, look at it, take it back out and hold it for a bit. Look at it, bring it back to my hand and place it there. Repeat.

Kayla, Steve, and I went down to Dallas to help serve dinner to the homeless at The Salvation Army. Great experience, and deeply humbled and grateful for what I've been immensely blessed with.

Met this little one for lunch between her classes and shopping. Oh, to be young and carefree!

She likes her Elmo. And anything bright and 67 times her size, really.

One of my grossest parenting moments. And probably hers too. No, those aren't brownies...

Janene dropped Savannah off at a mutual friend's house for two days, then we were going to take over after that while they went on a cruise with Aaron's family. Our friend called me Sunday because Savannah wasn't going down very easily for her and she wasn't sure how Janene usually handled her. I told her what I'd do, and that I'd come and grab her the next day after my thing I had in the morning. Within 5 minutes of her being at our place, she was literally running through the hall and all throughout our living room swinging an open bottle of baby powder over her head. Whew!!! I don't think I'd heard "MINE!!!" so much in my life, but it was cute when Parker got a bunch of "spicy" ant bites and Savannah thought she had as well, they definitely had each other's backs. We love that little firecracker!

This was over Thanksgiving break, so we had an extra helper with the pie. 

We fried two turkeys this year, and that was probably the best decision I've made all year. It was fabulous. Now we need a smoker to get a fried turkey and a smoked turkey each year!

My mom and I split the food prep and the family came over for a meal with just us! Spencer was in Georgia with Britt's family. We sat around the table and talked about what we were grateful for while the kids all napped. It was a quaint, perfect little Thanksgiving. Afterwards we chatted, watched football, played with the babes, researched Black Friday deals, and of course, pie.

So proud of our fried turkey!

These two are thankful for each other, they told me so.