Thanksgiving 2016

  Thanksgiving rolled around again this year.  Emery was excited for days ahead talking about pumpkin pie.  Daryl of course had to smoke a turkey this year a long with some prime rib.  We had my parents, Karl, Aimee, Tyler, DeAnna, Brad, and Lady with us this year.  It was a a pretty special Thanksgiving for Daryl and I this year because for the most part all of the children hung out in the basement (accept for Luke).  We had a great time hanging out with family as always.

Daryl injecting the turkey prior to smoking.

Lady pretending she is a small dog.

Tyler giving Harper a piggyback ride.

Luke being Luke.

Me, Emery, and Luke all hanging out.  Luke loves to hang on to my legs all the time.

And then this happened because it's fun apparently.

Brad and DeAnna

Tyler and Harper taking care of Lady.

Harper and Tyler thought Lady would love to lick peanut butter off their toes.  Lady was suspicious, but ate some of the peanut butter.

Aimee drew this picture of Luke modeled after a photo she took of him.  After looking at again I realized that my son is a hobbit.

The wall of turkeys.  The paper plate and big turkey are Avery's.  The two colored turkey's are Emery's, and the black and white one is Harper's.

I got a table cloth you could color which kept Brad and Harper well occupied.

I also had place mats the kids could color which proved to be popular.  This is Harper's.  She wrote she was thankful for God.

Avery's Baptism

  Avery had her bouncy birthday party at nine in the morning and in the afternoon she was baptized right on her birthday.  Avery has been excited about her baptism for easily a year.  She has been telling me for the past six or so months that we had to plan her baptism.  In fact, she was so excited during her baptism that at one point she flipped off her shoe.  Avery has an enthusiasm for life that is rarely rivaled.

  We were so happy and grateful to all the family that attended Avery's baptism.  I had three of my siblings there with their families (minus Paul who was working), and Daryl's aunts came with their spouses.  Avery's unofficial Aunt Christie and Uncle Ben were there with Zander. Of course Aimee, Karl, and Tyler were there along with my parents too.  Quite a few of our ward members came too.  Avery really was pleased to see everyone who came to support her.

  After the baptism we invited all the family over to our house for dinner and a dual birthday celebration.  Avery and Luke had to share some birthday cupcakes.  It happens when your birthdays are only six days apart, and when your little brother is sick on his birthday anyway.  I say it every time, but it always true:  We had a great time.

We forgot to get the traditional picture of Avery and Daryl in the Church foyer with them dressed in ugly white jumpsuits. This will have to do.

DeAnna just wanted to take a picture with Brad while they were both dolled up.  Now you get to enjoy it too.

Reagan is not as in to this embrace as Avery was.

Grandma and Grandpa also had to get in on the picture action.

Avery and Aunt Debbie taking a selfie together.

Harper

Logan and Zander racing up the stairs under the watchful eyes of the moms.

Avery opening up her gifts.

Where did Luke go?

Avery's Birthday

   The twelfth was Avery's eighth birthday and she was so excited.  My sister Nellie flew in with  Reagan.  Avery and Harper pulled the trundle out about a month ago insisting that they needed to get ready for Reagan's anticipated arrival.  It was also Avery's first big birthday party at a bouncy place with friends from school and church invited.  There were about fourteen guests, and it looked like they had a great time.  

I had to capture this relatively calm and quiet moment of all five kids coloring at the table together.

I just like Luke's face in this picture.

Luke having a blast at the bouncy party.

Emery with a giant balloon.

Avery's red cheeks tell you that she's having a blast.

The birthday guests having fun.

Avery looks like she is experiencing pure joy seeing her doughnut cake all lit up.  

Here's another picture of the birthday crew.

Luke Turned Two

  Sunday our baby turned two.  The time sure flies by.  Luke is a generally happy little guy.  We loves to be outdoors and likes to go on walks.  He recently discovered television and loves Little Einsteins.  He will yell Einsteins at me for his new favorite show.  He and Emery love to find all the pillows they can, usually from my bed, and pile them up to jump on top of them.  

  His birthday was low-key since he was still sick.  I made sure we had some cupcakes to celebrate with.  Luke started out with a chocolate one, but needed to have a vanilla one with sprinkles once he spied it.  I'm not sure how much cupcake he ate, but he sure moved a lot of it around.

Luke turns into such a ham when the camera comes out. I love this picture

Luke can move the stools around.  On this particular day he thought Rainbow needed all the food.

Luke also loves playing on Starfall.

Luke and his birthday cupcake.

Luke doing something with his cupcake.

A Shocking Discovery and Some Other Stuff

   Last Saturday Avery and Harper came running into the house saying that they had found the Death Star pumpkin.  They found it hanging out in our side yard that leads to our backyard.  We figured someone must have stashed it in arborvitae at the side of our property, and it must have rolled down somehow.  It was pretty dirty and the satellite dish had a couple holes in it. The whole thing with the pumpkin has been weird.

   Also Saturday was our ward Halloween party.  Luke and I stayed home sick again.  Now you can see Avery in her witch get up.  She insisted on having a green face because she has been really in to The Wizard of Oz lately.

The poor Death Star pumpkin has been through a lot.

Avery as Princess Anna again, Emery being Minnie Mouse, and Avery as a wicked witch.  They were all yelling boo.  Avery would cackle like a witch at every house we trick or treated at.

Another outtake just for fun.

Avery and Harper were in a Play

  Last night Avery and Harper were in a little musical production of Beauty and the Beast.  This is the same people who did Avery's production of Grease last summer.  The girls said they loved it.  They played villagers and dishes at the castle.  I wasn't able to go because Emery, Luke, and I were all sick.  My Dad was able to go watch with Daryl though.  Here are the pictures Daryl took for us.  

Avery and Harper in their costumes with Grandpa.

Avery with some other plates.

Harper is on the stage now too possibly as a little saucer.

Avery on stage taking a bow.

This pretty much sums up Avery.

Harper hanging out in costume.

I love Harper's face in this picture with my Dad.  I wonder what her deal was.

Halloween 2016

  First off I forgot to take a picture of all the kids dressed up, so there's no picture of Avery dressed up as a witch.  We'll get a picture of her at our ward Halloween party that will be on Saturday after Halloween because of some scheduling snafus because of cancelled meeting from our non-storm a couple weeks back.  Enough about that.  

  I really didn't remember to get Luke a costume either because I forgot all the costumes in my box are pretty girly.  Except for this pumpkin costume made for a six to nine month old which I, of course, stuffed Luke into.  Not unsurprisingly he did not want to wear it, but I did get a picture of him in it.  Luke went to trick or treating at two houses and then was cool hanging out in the car with Daryl while I took the girls around a little neighborhood.  When we got home Avery and Harper wanted to trick or treat more, so we started around the neighborhood.  Harper lasted three houses before she needed juice.  Avery and I sent her home while we continued on.  That was our night.  The kids said they had fun and enjoyed eating too much candy.  Just what Halloween should be right?

Luke stuffed into a baby sized costume.

Emery and Luke all dressed up for Halloween.

Emery as Minnie Mouse, but I am not sure how this really differs from her normal every day Minnie Mouse attire. 

Harper as Princess Anna.

She wanted two pictures.

Taking stock of the candy haul.

Avery showing off her candy.

Avery is tallying all her candy with pen and paper of course.