After the headache of having my computer out of commission, it is nice to have it up and running again. Hopefully, it won't happen again.

I should do a post about our wonderful Thanksgiving, and the great time we had with Cameron. We got our tree and decorated it while he was here. I noticed this time, when he is home, there is always someone laughing. (Either at him or with him). We miss him and look forward to him coming home next week for good. He has decided to either finish the year at our local university or prepare for his mission. (He turns nineteen in March.)

Our house is progressing very quickly.

This picture was taken eight days ago. They partially framed the basement to support the upper floor.
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The floor was put on a week ago.

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This was taken today. All the rooms are framed.

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The laundry room.

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The master bedroom;)

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The kitchen

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The dining area.

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The office/library.

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The family room

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This is the bathroom. This room looks so tiny, I can't imagine a bathtub fitting in here.

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Maddy checking out her room.

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Now for the basement...

Ooops! Better wait.

Idiotic!

I love my laptop. After Christmas last year, Tom was sweet and let me order the laptop I'd been drooling over for months with some unexpected funds. My laptop and I have had great times together.

I feel like an idiot. I clicked on a facebook friend email, and like so many others, my beloved computer is very sick. It is at the computer doctor for a few days. When I called, they informed me that they are pretty backed up because of a huge number of sick computers. It seems I am not the only naive computer user.

Since so many of you have asked about my foot, I will only admit; me and handicapped ramps at elementary schools on a crowded bingo night do not mix! Oh, and it is healing up nicely.

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!