November 2020

William found a lot of entertainment in playing my musical Mothers Day card over and over again. Good times!

One of Brooke's papers for homeschool about optimism.

A little sidenote: I love reading Editor's letters in magazines. I wonder how they decide the topic and what they want to share. I wonder how they choose which memory will speak to other people? I sent this over to my friend Liz. It's so true about the magic of baking. I don't know if it is even readable but I remember it talking about how the solitary work of baking, completing steps and creating something is very good for the soul.

William with his soccer trophy.

Important to remember all the time!

I voted. Normally, I don't take pictures of my "I voted" sticker but I thought it was cool that it was 100 years anniversary of when women could vote. I was also very grateful to live in a time when women can vote. When all people can vote! All voices should be heard, whether we agree with them or not.

The chickens get a lot of love around here.

Hailey wanted to try on my glasses. Apparently, I am very blind.

Hailey didn't have school one day, so breakfast for us!

William doing his work for Grandpa science

Spencer was pretty happy that Hailey would play Age of Empires with him

Deep in discussion with Spencer

I think we were delivering bags for the food drive. William loves coming to young womens with us.

Reading is a regular occurrence around here.

My bread turned out great!

A science project for school

Watched the election and kept track of states. Nobody was very excited for either candidate!

My 40th birthday was this month. I think we went to dinner for it? Blake got me a day at the spa and it was just what I needed after learning to homeschool the last few months!

Brooke did some artwork

Yum, macarons made by Hailey!

Blake and I went to McCall. It was a pretty crazy snowstorm! We made it without sliding off the road thankfully. And we were snowed in all weekend. We went to dinner, watched the Twilight movies on tv (I know, mindless), went shopping and just hung out. We stayed at an old hotel that had a great breakfast. I always say we need to get away more often and we do!

Our room had this great tub.

Mary Ellen helped out with the kids. They took them to the Scentsy lights and played games. We are so grateful to have the Harlows as friends!

Beautiful and freezing! McCall is one of our favorite places.

Sweet message from Mary Ellen

Fancy staircase at our hotel.

The way home was so beautiful!

We stopped and checked out some small towns on our way home and thought about moving to one. HA!

Parkour is the kid's elective/p.e. for the year. It helps to burn off the energy!

Spencer doing a science experiment for school.

Not sure who took this, but hat and wrapped up in a blanket are pretty common for me.

Spencer is really learning to work in the kitchen. I always tell him girls in college will like a guy who bakes. He is pretty motivated by that!

The girls and I went to a cookie decorating class. We had a pretty good time!

Blake put on some pants and said they felt weird. No wonder, they were my pants!

Yearly ornaments!

William was pretty excited about his Christmas tie.

Hanging out at the kuna creek.

Reflections are awesome

These are frozen in ice.

Blake religiously washes and irons his masks for work. It's hard to believe he is in a mask for 12 hours a day. And never complains about it!

Visited Hailey at "her" bakery. It's a fun place to be. Don't mind the bruise on her arm, I swear we don't beat her!

William is really getting in to outer space.

Snow and sledding, woohoo!

Seeing William finally getting in to reading is so great!

Making their pie for Thanksgiving.

Blake making his pie. The mysterious apple pie with graham cracker crust from Spain. He has talked about it for years and finally made it! It really was good.

My favorite times

Thanksgiving dinner. Just us this year. With covid, we just stayed home from the Bells this time. It was low key and nice. We missed our family but talked to them on zoom.

Hailey helping Blake with the car.

We each made our own pie as part of our at home Thanksgiving this year. It was alot of pie! Look at William looking at Blake. So cute!

Pie tasting contest to see if we could tell which pie was which.

Chatting with Jordan on our zoom pie with the Bells.

Movie on the projector.

We were burning some stuff in the fire pit and the kids started their own mini fires. Then Carter came by and did one and some of Hailey's friends she was doing a project with. It was pretty funny!