Thanksgiving fun and then worry and sorrow

We went to spend Thanksgiving with Loren's parents in Phoenix Arizona. It is an 11 1/2 hour drive (including bathroom breaks and lunch). We all got restless about the las hour from sitting so long. Hope did very well. She had had enough of her car seat 1/2 before we got there. She did the same on the way home. However, she was quit grumpy the day after we arrived and today. I guess thats her way of getting us back.

We had a great time with the Aunts, Uncles, and cousins that also live there. They have grown in the last 6 months since they where at our house.Ethan and Hailey were so cute playing and reading together. The younger boys played all kinds of games together and kept themselves busy. All of the children enjoyed going to the children's museum and to the zoo lights.

Paige, Braden and Zach played a game of football. What is Thanksgiving without some kind of football game? Loren got pictures on his camera, so I will post them later. Crazy Zach decided to try out the swimming pool. He jumped off of the diving board, came up shouting, "IT'S COLD", and quickly jumped out and headed for the hot tub. The silly thing is he was warned that the water was only 76 degrees. He even waded in the shallow end before jumping in. Zach, what will we do with you? All of my children loved spending time in the big hot tub and so did Loren and I. It was great to get away from cold Utah for a short while.

Loren's mother was so great at preparing The Thanksgiving feast and also inviting everyone to dinner every night while we were there. I'm sure that she is in need of a big rest. Thanks, Marcia, you are amazing.

Aunt Gwenn recently purchased her first house. It looked small from the outside but was big on the inside. She even has a pool in her backyard. She also has a energetic dog that my kids liked to play with.

Uncle Nathan and Aunt Amanda's family also purchased a new home. It was fun to see. Their family room is set up to be every childs dream. Toys, games, books and more toys. I can't wait to see what it looks like when they get the new paint finished. They have the greeniest grass in Arizona, I believe. Uncle Brian is the children's favorite. I don't know why. They all just love him and get along with him.

Thanks family for the great Thankgiving Holiday.

Uncle Nathan gave us a tour of the T.V. station that he works for. And let the children try being news anchors and weather persons. What fun!! Thanks Nathan for the tour.

When we arrived home, Loren called his parents to let them know that we arrived safetly, only to find that his father had had a heart attack right after we left Sunday Morning. He is scheduled for a triple bypass this afternoon. We are praying for you, Dad.

Also, Our neighbors came over to let us know that our wonderful neighbor was killed in a motorbike accident on Saturday. His wife is ecpecting their third child in the next two weeks. We are in shock and sorry. She is in our prayers. We love their family so much. Her husband will be missed by many.

New puppies

We knew skip was going to have puppies but we weren't sure when.  She has been climbing in my small laundry basket and sleeping for the last few days.  I found a larger container for her and placed old towels in it.  She gave birth to 4 little puppies on Tuesday evening.  One is black and white and the other are tri-color, like their mother.  Three are female and one is a male.  They will be old enough to leave and go to their own homes around Christmas.  Parker wanted to name them Skip 2,3,4,5, after their mom.  What a cute kid.

Hope has started sleeping better-finally.  She sleeps about 5 hours the first leg of the night and then sleeps 2-3 hours after that.  However, naps are still quite short even when it is quiet in the house.  She has giggled at Parker a few times.  I don't know how he does it but Hope just seems to adore him.  She has big open mouth smiles first thing in the morning and coo's and coo's.  She is a morning girl.  Funny because only Ethan was a morning person in this family until her.  So I guess they can entertain each other.  She has also started saying mama when she gets mad.  It is so fun to hear.  All of my other kids learned to say dada first so I just take it all in.

Look a like meter

I got this fun idea from my friend Heather's blog.  Thanks Heather.

               The meter was so fun that I had to try it with another child. As you can see, I chose Paige.

Family Christmas service project

My side has a fairly new tradition for christmas,  instead of buying gifts for the adults, we use the money towards a service project for those in need.  Last year we did sub for santa for a family that was really in need and it was fun to buy gifts for people that we really didn't even know.   This year we are stepping it up and doing 2,yes 2, projects.  The first one is.... we are making dolls for the church to put in the bishops store house or to be used where ever they see a need.  Most of the girls and their daughters got together at my parent's house to begin this fun project.

These are pictures of the dolls we are creating...

There was a lot of cutting, arms, legs, heads, bodies.  Embroidering of the doll faces,  and painting of rosy checks.

And of course no get together is complete without yummy food.

The older children where great at entertaining Hope for a while.

If you go to grandmas you have to play dolls....she has many!!

The second project is... we are making, buying and collecting items for a school of foster children in Magna.  These children have no parents or their parents are in jail.  The children are ages 12-18 and live at the school.  Since they are wards of the state they are only alotted $20.00 for Christmas.  I don't know any of these children but already I feel for them. 
If you are interested in helping out with this service project, here is a list of items that the children have requested...
Blankets for beds,scarfs, hats, toe socks, music on CD's, T-shirts, and...  (when I find my list I'll add to this one).

My little monsters

I have torn the house apart looking for my camera. I knew that it couldn't have gone to far because we took pictures of kids just before they went trick or treating. I looked under couches and cushions. In draws, on top of desks and counters, in the piles of papers in Lorens office. I finally found it tonight behind the printer desk. How it got there, I can only imagine. I was getting nervous because this is a new camera. My really nice one got lost-in the house somewhere- after Zach's birthday party. It however, is still missing. Maybe the borrows live at my house-hmmm. Well here are the pic's....

                                                          Zach as a dead boy scout.
                                                   Loren does good, scary make-up.

Parker was a normal wizard for school and then he liked Zach's face so much that he decided to be a dead wizard for trick or treating.

Ethan isn't into the scary so much so he was a ninja which was great because we already had this costume from Braden.

Hope was dressed in her cute teddy bear outfit. She is cuddly like a teddy bear.

We have been fighting sickness at our house for 2 weeks now. Someone gets better and then someone gets sick. Parker had the flu last week and now he has a bad cold and a high fever (okay, I think he got it from me. I'm just getting over it) I think we have had all we need this year. So germs stay away.

Braden is on an overnighter with the scouts. They had to be at Bro. Dowdle's at 3:30 so he packed most of his stuff last night. What great leaders we have. Zach is going to a sleep over at his cousins house. Hum, 2 down 4 to go. Just kidding. Paige, Hope and I are going to grandma R's tomorrow to do a Christmas service project with all of the Aunt's and nieces. We are making clothe dolls. We are also making blankets and other items for foster care children that live in a group home. We should have lots of fun.

Halloweening

The kids (except for Ethan and Hope) went with Loren to his work on Friday and went trick or treating.  They all thought it was great to get checked out of school early.  They collected candy for Ethan since he was still ill. Braden went to a church youth dance and said it was fun.  Paige hosted her own halloween party with a few friends and they had a blast.  On Saturday, everyone was feeling better, thankgoodness, and the younger kids went trick or treating to the neighbors.  This is Zach's last year to trick or treat so he and his friend Josh went trick or treating to the whole ward and then went to Josh's house to hang out.  Paige made it to another halloween party at Hailey's and played games.  I think that we are all partied out for a while. 
I dressed Hope in a cute teddy bear out fit for halloween. She looks so cute.  But silly me, can't find my camera to post pictures.  When I find it in my messy house, I will.
Paige is home sick today.  Passing the flu through the family.  Hopefully Hope does't get it.
I got a tip from a friend that maybe Hope is allergic to cow milk and so I switched to soy.  She actually slept 4+ hours and seems to be more content.