THANKSGIVING 2016

 My whole family came for Thanksgiving. It was a blast to spend time with all of them. We did a girl's night at a Thai restaurant. It was fun to just hang out with my sisters for a night. Nate was sweet and got the kids to bed. 

The feast was delicious as always. I was grateful Nate spent the whole weekend with my family. He even took all the men shooting one night. They had a blast and I am sure they will talk about it for years to come. He said, "It was family night, but way better."

SIMON's BAPTISM

I can't even begin to say how happy this day made all of us. Nate and I felt so blessed to be apart of it. It is awe inspiring to teach someone the gospel but to have the opportunity to teach a family and watch them all enter the waters of baptism was beyond anything I can express in words. Leslie, Stephanie, Conn, and Simon, I feel blessed to know you. We watched all four of them enter the waters of baptism in a short period of time. Nate had the opportunity to baptize Simon. It was such a sweet experience. 

We were late because it seems like that is what we do lately. We were ready to kill our geese and gut them. Sierra was launching a PETA campaign near the pond. I got a phone call from Leslie and she said, "We are in the room." I said, "What?" "We are in the room, where are you?" I said, "What are you talking about?" She said, "Did you forget it was Simon's baptism?" I was a little hurt, "No, we wouldn't forget. We are so excited. We will be there." She said, "We are in the room."
"Oh, crap. I thought it was at 2:00."
"No, it's now."
PETA won.
We threw on our church clothes on and drove off.
They stalled.
We made it.
We are so glad we did.
It was an amazing experience.
Simon was so ready to take this step. He is going to be an amazing leader not only to his family but to the church and the whole world. He has an extraordinary spiritual depth and a love of God and family which is inspiring. I am so glad I am not a missionaries because I would hate to be transferred out of this families life. I am grateful to get to watch them grow in light.

I got to capture these beautiful pictures of their family. 

PHOTOSHOOT

On Halloween, I got to take photos in the Mall for Yes! Dental. It actually went really smoothly this time. I wasn't nervous or stressed. It went by quickly. I am glad. Leslie saved my bacon by taking care of all four of our kids and taking them trick-or-treating. She is truly a gift.

BAPTISM GIRL

I feel bad I wasn't able to really spend time focusing on Madison on her special day. We had a lot of company, which was wonderful but I was busy. I shouldn't feel bad because she didn't. She was so happy all day. She was so sweet and tender to me. I am grateful for Madison. She is generous and kind.
We got up the morning on Madison's baptism. We had breakfast and went truck-or-treating. We got back and I started getting everyone ready. I am not the kind of person that prepares in advance and this had gotten me into trouble multiples times. I was trying to find the boys clothes and get them ready, when Nate asked me to hem his temple pants. He wanted to wear them to Madison's baptism. I was frazzled and then it was worse. I got snappy. I still had the boys to get ready and my mom said, don't worry I will hem the pants. She cut them off and ironed them. It was really helpful but I still had to sew them. I finished them and handed them to Nate. I went to finish getting the boys ready and get them in the car. Nate took off with Madison.
Earlier she asked me to help her with her baptism romper, she was nervous about changing her clothes. She was also worried about coming out of the font. She didn't know what to do afterward. I told her I will be there to help you change. Then I told her I would be waiting on the other side of the font as she exited, with her towel and I would wrap her up. It was my job and she didn't have to worry. I had it all visualized in my head.
We were all late. They don't wait for you when you are one of four kids getting baptized at a stake baptism. My boys were being crazy. I got distracted. I was in the chapel listening to my father-in-law speak when I noticed Madison wasn't there. I asked everyone and no one knew where she was. Then someone suggested maybe she was still getting her romper on. What? I panicked and ran to the bathroom. Leslie, thank you Leslie, was there helping her put on her romper. She came out and it was on backwards. I suggested she go back and switch it around. She did. We went to listen as the talks finished.
Then we went in the room to watch her be baptized and I watched her as Nate baptized her and I forgot that I was suppose to be waiting for her as she exited the font. I ran through the bathroom and met her dripping wet. I grabbed her towel really quickly and wrapped her in it and helped her change.
Then we went to listen to the talks on the Holy Ghost. I wasn't going to mess up again and so I sat by her and put my arms around her. We took a few pictures afterwards and then headed home to the BBQ Nate had planned. (He made a lot of brisket. The food was amazing. Food is important to Nate when he is celebrating and this was a very special day and he celebrated it well.) On the way home I was feeling like the lousiest mother ever. I asked Madison what was the best part of the day. She said, "Getting baptized." I said, what was the worse part of day? I really expected her to say when you weren't there to help me get dressed. When you weren't there to wrap me in my towel. I braced for it but she said, "None of it, it was all perfect." I cried. I am crying as I type this. None of that mattered to her, none of it. More than any moment before, I knew Madison was prepared to make her baptismal covenants, because the day was about that sacred ordinance and nothing else.

I love you baby girl, because you are still my baby girl and probably always will be.

No one was happy about taking a family picture. :( 

TRUCK-or-TREAT

I was a little obsessed over Charlotte's costume. I guess that is why there are more pictures of her on this post than anyone else. Her dress was amazing. My sister is a master seamstress and has surpassed me by leaps and bounds. I am just really impressed with her ability and desire to create. She genuinely loves to sew. 

My kids loved truck-or-treat, sadly it was the only trick-or-treating I was able to do with them. Nate has me do this photo shoot event in the mall and every time I try to refuse to do it he isn't very happy with me. I hate disappointing him. 

Even though Madison's was baptized later in the afternoon, I had to take advantage of this one and only trick-or-treat event I was going to be able to attend. Madison was super excited to trick-or-treat on the day of her baptism. She was happy to be with her cousins. We weren't able to meet up with Mike and Bonnie but we were able to meet up with Mike and Chrissy and Jennifer and Grandma. It was a really fun morning. Madison enjoyed us teasing her that she was going to go from a witch to a saint in the same day. 

I LOVE MY YARD

 We love our yard and we are glad our family does too.
Charlotte kept begging me to bury her in the leaves.
She loved playing in them.
James was having a blast too.
Mike's kids were great.
All the kids loved Grandpa pushing them in the swing.