This week so far...

Something happens when elderly teenagers come home for the week. Their elderly teenage friends gather. When it happens on a Monday night, what do we do? We include them in on our Family Home Evening. They were forced to sing a primary song, listen to a Thanksgiving lesson and a poem complete with actions.

Of course, Family home evening wouldn't be complete without a game. Tom had them stare at a pizza pan in anticipation of a piece of candy being dropped.

The grabbing frenzy!

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Wouldn't you know? Dad had a little trick up his sleeve. (Or pocket)

If you look close, the candy looks suspiciously like a broken egg!

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Next comes the activity.

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Aren't they cute?

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In house news: the basement floor was poured yesterday.

Kenna and I had fun watching the process before I ran her to school.

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The finished project!

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And Finally.....

Don't the "fall" colors look pretty?

These bruises don't look nearly as bad as the ones on my fragile ego.

My favorite son

Every night, Tom and Cam get on their cell phones and walk. Tom walks around the neighborhood, and Cam walks around campus. They talk about what happened that day, what was for dinner at Bob's and future plans. The following conversation was relayed to me by Tom.

"You made your Mom cry today."

"What?... What did I do?"

"She was at the church bookstore, looking at missionary stuff, and started crying right there in the store."

"Oh. Well, I will always be her little boy."

He's coming home tonight for Thanksgiving, and I can't wait!

Bestest blog post ever NOT!

There have been many nights, as I'm drifting off to sleep, I have written the most amazingly, awesome blog posts ever. In my head, I draft, well thought, and beautifully written posts. Every time that happens, I get giddy. I can't wait to put my inspired thoughts on my blog! I snuggle deeper under my covers, content that tomorrow will be the bestest post ever written by any blogger ever.

Something happens during the night. The bestest post ever, mysteriously disappears. Somehow, my well thought, creative words, make their way to the tiny garbage can in my head. It is very frustrating when I wake up and remember the feeling I had the night before of having something to post, and have it be... well, just gone!

It happened again last night.

This morning, I am sitting here trying to remember what I was thinking about last night before my brain shut down. It is all too fuzzy. I should keep a notebook next to my bed for just this very thing. But that would mean, I would have to:

• turn on a light
• sit up
• grab a pencil....

much too much work for my sleepy soul. It will just have to wait until the morning.

Honestly, I am hesitant to follow my impulse and write my thoughts when I get them. What seems wonderful in my sleepy state, might not look so great in my fully conscious state. Maybe I'm fooling myself into thinking I have something so important to share with the world that my little post will be copied and pasted and sent in emails all over the world....but you may never know... and neither will I.

house update: The walls of the basement are up. The plumbing for the basement and the floor is next!

Basement humor

A few days ago, Tom had the great idea to write a song for Cameron. After much murmuring from the family, we finally gave into his enthusiasm and came up with this gem, sung to the tune of Popcorn Popping.

I looked in the web cam and what did I see,

A handsome, young college boy staring at me.

Conquering the monster gave us such surprise,

Putting in the quarters and a bunch of Tide.

Sorry 'bout your undies and that's too bad,

A permanent wedgie could be what you have.

It was really so, and it seem to be,

Our college freshman who's cool and clean!

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We all gathered around the computer and sang it to him. I was a bit offended when we told him we had a song for him, he quickly plugged in his headphones! Rude!

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Now, onto another hole we've gotten our selves in.

I was tempted to say, "Forget the house, lets add water and have a big swimming pool!"

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Yesterday, the footings were poured. Courtney likes to call it the houses "shoes".

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Next, the walls will be built to get ready to pour. We could have a basement by the end of next week!

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Even though the election didn't end the way I was hoping for. I am full of optimism. I live in the greatest country in the world!

Are you afraid? I am.

Yesterday turned into a very scary day.

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Yes, they may look sweet and innocent, but these two walked around the neighborhood demanding candy from perfectly nice people! The HORROR!!! Don't worry, their parents have everything under control. They don't think it is fair that they have so much when we have so little, so we have taken it upon ourselves to redistribute the candy wealth.

Yesterday morning, I was shaking in terror as I saw this. How appropriate that one of the scariest things I have ever done began on Halloween! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Insights

Whew! Maddy's last volleyball game was last Tuesday (they lost every game they played, but she loved playing.) Every time she had to serve, I was very nervous for her. She is so small and has spaghetti noodles for arms, she rarely got her serves over the net. She never did during a game, but she improved markedly from where she started. She came very close to getting it over.

Courtney had her final band competition in Everett on Saturday. After the prelim competition, she was not happy with her performance. She said she had dropped all her tosses and she felt it was her fault that the color guard didn't score as high as they should have. I think I held my breath for ten minutes during her show in finals. I couldn't keep my eyes off her. Every time she threw her flag, I clenched my hands around an imaginary pole, hoping that my actions would somehow make it so she would connect with her pole. I desperately wanted her to do well. Not because I wanted a trophy, I just wanted her to feel like she had done her best. When I saw her after, she was beaming. The band went home with a fourth place trophy. Courtney went home knowing she had done her best show ever.

This may seem like a stretch, but these two girls got me thinking about my own Heavenly Father. I believe he is watching me, rooting for me to do well. I picture Him desperately wanting me to do well. Not for any earthly reward, He wants me to feel like I have done my best. He knows that I will be happy if I follow his guidance. When I think of the love that I have for my children, I am suddenly awed by the love that He has for me. He is not an angry, abusive father. He is patient and loving. He knows who I need to be to be happy. That gives me hope to keep trying to hit it over the net.

I will keep making lots of mistakes, (I am good at it) but I will keep trying to do better. I know HE loves me, just as I love my kids, mistakes and all.

Video from Courtney's last band competition

A band Mom posted this video on You tube and I thought I would share it. Mostly for our families benefit, unless you are a huge fan of marching band. Enjoy!