Give Thanks

We have to much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving Season. Life has thrown us some turns this year but we are blessed beyond our trials. Grateful for Mike's job, they had their best ever Black Friday/Cyber Monday week. He had to work extra hours over the Thanksgiving weekend, but it paid off. It pays the bills and has great medical benefits. We paid so much in the past for medical it is wonderful to work for a big company that treats its employees well. They recently had a Thanksgiving Feast at work, everyone brought a pot luck item and ate like kings. They are also doing a weight loss challenge over the Holidays and it has gotten Mike to join a gym and work hard to earn the cash prize and PTO day off! Glad he is getting in shape, I need to get back to it also. Working and Mothering and life has added some extra pounds.

We hosted Thanksgiving. Everyone brought sides and a pie. We had a feast! So grateful for family and to spend time with them over the long weekend.


Just before we started to dish up, I snapped a couple pictures.

 Missing Julie who was also taking pictures. 20 people! Great group!

 A mini kid table. Luke, Eric, Lilly, Ashlyn

 Bigger Kid table. Lexi, Karsyn, Kamryn, Jack, Madison

 So grateful Grandma joined us also.

 And then dessert!

 We even got to eat on our new table! Oh boy, was this a project. When I inherited the table over a year ago from Grams, it needed to be painted. It was well worn and loved. I just hoped Grams wouldn't mind my transformations. When she gave me her piano many years ago, she said "whatever you do Kinz, don't paint it black!" I asked Aunt Jill if she'd "roll over" and she said no, she'd love that I put some character to it.

Lilly woke up with the stomach flu Thursday and instead of sitting by her and holding her bowl, I thought " I have an extra day (because we normally work on Thursday) to get this project done, the weather had been so mild and warm (we have 13 days in the 60's in November), I could get this done this long weekend. Oh boy, almost 10 days later it was mostly done. The table took one day alone to strip and then sand and clean, the chairs all had to be washed then sanded before the paint and stain could be applied. Then it got colder, we had been parking our cars outside and got the seasons first snow on, and then the stain didn't dry as fast as I would have liked. 3 coats of stain and 3 coats of white paint I hoped we were done. Nope still had to put a varnish on the table, 3 more coats, which was basically a day for each coat! BUT we brought it in and enjoyed our first meal on it two days before Thanksgiving (when I first started the project--hosting Thanksgiving dinner and needing the table to eat on never even crossed my mind). We all reminisced and thought Grams was joining us at our new table. AND I just love it!!

 I had 4 chairs, Grams had 5 chairs, somewhere in the move someone took off with one of her chairs but with 4 leaves and 9 chairs we can host lots of gatherings!

Black Friday Mike worked, Jack wanted to go shopping to find good deals to spend his money on. YIKES, 5 minutes in Target and I was ready to leave. We went to a movie Moana on Dan's treat, and then all came back for pizza and more fun. Friday night, we divided cousins and had a sleepover. Bill and Steph got more then we did, it was very quiet. We had last minute family pictures up the canyon Saturday. Sunday night, we set up Christmas and played games. 18 days and counting!

Love my stockings! My Mom started them, my Aunt Sue finished them (4) that is, and then 2 years ago made me 2 more. Perfect addition to my mantle! Hustle and Bustle of the season is here. We've bought our ornaments for the year. Jack a hamburger, Lilly Ariel, Lexi a fish, Madison a Santa, Mike a pickle, Kinz got a basketball at the Ornament Exchange party which I gave to Jack for his tree. Sunday we celebrated dinner at my Dad's with Brody and Zont'll and Chad and Anna. Miss those kids. They'll be home for Christmas. Hope we can squeeze another visit in with them soon. Brody's wife is expecting a girl, Brooke, in March. Hope she gets the black hair and eyes! Life has thrown us its ups and downs but it is to be expected and we wouldn't want it any other way.

Halloween 2016

Happy Halloween!

Jack the Bum, Jake from State Farm, Lilly the Mermaid, Maddy the Police Officer, Lexi the Flamingo and Flo from Progressive. 

We always enjoy Brent and Julie's wards trunk or treat. After gathering candy we headed to Culver's for dinner. 

 Close ups of the kids costumes. I swear I ordered a costume on Amazon, that was coming from China, Abby's costume was a back up but then the ordered disappeared and this became her costume. Thanks Abby for helping us out. And I just love Lilly with red hair, one day!

 Maddy borrowed some of Uncle Bill's work clothes for a costume. More to come with the group photo of the costume.

 I'll admit this was all my idea. Sometimes I get excited with Pinterest ideas. This was one of them, she luckily was on board and made a darling Flamingo Pink hair and all.

 Cutest kids on the block I'd say! 

 And last but not least Jack. Also a pinterest idea. Jack doesn't love dressing up so this one was easy, holey paints which he owns many, a plaid shirt and a hat. He made the sign all by himself! Clever kid he is. He even got offered some toilet cleaning jobs, which he declined for candy. Just like the bums on the streets!

 Mike pulled off a Jimmy Fallon Halloween party for friends.

We were asked to dress up as Celebrities. I've been wanting to do this costume for years. Flo from Progressive and Jake from State Farm.

 Some of our guests for the evening

Ozzie and Leta 

 Jessica from HDTV fix it show & Bob the Builder

 Collin Ray and rapper

 Hillary and the Donald

 Wayne and Garth

 Ken and Barbie

 Miley and Kid Rock 

 Cruella and her date 

 One of many games Mike played was a Lip Sync Battle, I'll admit the talents came out!

 We also played Thank you Notes, and Box of Lies and Catch Phrase. Always a fun night, just  a lot of work to plan, way to go Mike in planning an awesome party!

My cute little pumpkin after preschool. She said "mom take a picture of me and my pumpkin" love her!

 The only picture of the carved pumpkins we took, well actually that Mike took. He was proud of his fish and line. And spent way to long carving it. BUT when you're watching the World Series sometimes you have lots of extra time.

 Halloween Loveridge party. We enjoyed soup and rolls and then did donuts on a string. It is pretty entertaining, first up the youngest 3. Lilly, Luke and Ashlyn. Luke after seeing his prize, finally just grabbed the donut by two hands and enjoyed! Duh! Why didn't we think of that?

 Next up, Karsyn, Lexi and Eric. Tongues out they were excited to eat also!

 Last up, Jack, Madison and Kamryn. They were also pretty entertaining to watch. We really wanted Bill, Mike and Bryan to go next but we were out of donuts. Darn!

 Halloween fell on a Monday, we woke up and the parade was first up on the days activities. Jen and Kami saved me a seat in the gym, got Lexi and her pink feathers situated and they we waited for the classes. She did leave a trail where ever she went. LOL. Way to make a mark Lexi.

 Jack was pretty excited to race by also. Love the creativity of some costumes. Jack made his own sign and was even offered jobs in return of candy. He declined!

 Emily, Sophie and Maddy are in Mrs Packards class, other cops and robbers are in Mr Limb's class. So glad they chose this instead of their first suggestion Candy Land characters! Much easier I might add! Thanks again Bill for the costumes.

 And the big groups of Cops and Robbers! Maddy, Emily, Sophie, Alli, Ashlyn and Kylie

 I left class parties where I helped Lexi's class decorate rice krispie treats into spiders and Frankensteins, Maddy's class did donut on a string and Jack had lots of fun activities including nachos and cheese to help in Lilly's class. First off they did a parade across the street. 3 girls 9 boys. Mrs Donna is the best! We just love her. The houses across the street (the ones in the photo) are being destroyed for the Bangerter 90th South off ramp. Mrs Donna's house was saved, phew! We love her so much.

Kids came home from school and then we enjoyed mummy dogs (no chili this year--still upset by last years chili drop in my van:) and headed around the block with the Wakleys, Jen and Mike braved the old neighborhood while Lilly and I stayed home and handed out candy.

Kids made such a haul, almost embarrassing how much candy we came home with!