bring on turkey month!

So in my last post, I mentioned something about "waiting to get Burke's soccer pictures back" before posting them on here.  I had forgotten that Burke had chosen to miss a soccer game (and photos) to go on a five-mile hike for scouts.  He said, "Who cares about pictures!?"  Ha.  Anyway, here are the individual shots: 

I was really looking forward to getting a photo of Burke with his dad (coach).  Rob has really enjoyed coaching Burke's team, and will coach Burke again this winter.  I don't think Rob has coached Burke since he was three or four!  Burke's team has only lost one game and it by only one point to a very tough team.  Burke has grown a lot this season, and Rob is very pleased with how Burke is developing and working.  I have missed most of Burke's games because Hewitt's games have generally been at the same time.   I really enjoy watching Hewitt play.  Hewitt and Tosh will both be taking a break this winter.  I must admit that I am looking forward to the season ending this weekend and getting our Saturday mornings back for a couple of months!  These pictures are from Tosh's game two weeks ago:

Tosh is the kid in black with all the hair, in case you can't tell

 

 

Liv's class had a little Halloween party on Nov. 1st since she didn't have school on the 31st.  I volunteered to be on the party committee and it turned out really cute.  We did a cute scarecrow craft and then wrapped the kids in toilet paper to look like mummies.  There were an odd number of kids and so Liv asked me to be her partner: 

Cute little Mummy!

Rob showed up as we were serving treats.  Liv was happy to see her dad at school! 

 For the last 15 minutes of the party, Rob entertained the kids by playing various songs on his guitar and singing and dancing with the kids.  He was a huge hit as I'm sure you can imagine.  The kids loved it (as well as the teachers and other moms).  When he left to go back to work, several kids ran up to hug his legs and they didn't want him to go.  Liv thought it was pretty funny and when we saw Rob later she laughed and said, "The children all huggded you!"  (Liv still puts a 'd' in lots of past tense words.)

Other funny Liv-isms:
When we drove to the park (bus stop) to pick Tosh up (the day after Halloween), Liv mentioned something about how no one had decorated the park.  I said, "Well Halloween is over.  We are moving on to Thanksgiving."  Liv gasped and said, "We are moving on Thanksgiving?!?!" 

Liv inherited a beautiful cream-colored cashmere sweater from her cousin and she wore it to church last weekend.  She asked, "Is this sweatshirt made out of cotton balls?"

When she plays 'pirate' she says, "Uuugg" instead of "Arrrgh." 

The other day she was telling me a story about something and said (very seriously), "Listen.  I'm not joking." 


Our Stake had a big fair the first weekend in November.  The kids all waited to ride the zip line.  The pictures are a bit blurry:

Burke flew!  He swung up so high at the end, his body (and head) hit the line!

Tosh is my kid that doesn't like heights.  I was a little worried about him, but look he was all smiles at the beginning.  I could tell he was nervous on his way down the line.  Afterward he told me, "I almost started crying, Mom, but I didn't!!" 

I asked the men pulling the line to go extra slow with Liv.  She did great and didn't have a worry in the world about it.

Hewitt also had a turn, but I took video (instead of a photo).  Here is Hewitt showing off his mustache and goatee. 

One of the booths at the fair had all sorts of dress-ups and Liv loved trying all sorts of different things on.  Here she is with her cute buddy Addie (Rob and Alecia's daughter).  Addie is a crack up and loves all things superhero/army/pirate.  These two are so different, yet great friends. 

Liv couldn't remember where she had put her bunnies and couldn't find them for a couple of days (she eventually found them in a basket in the back of my closet).  I tried to convince her to sleep with Baby (my family will recognize this beloved doll).  Liv gave it a try, but said that she didn't have the right smell.  She falls asleep just fine without her bunny--so that's a relief. 

 

 

Playing at the park one afternoon.  We were trying to stay in the shade and out of the sun.  Liv was actually collecting "fairy dust" so she could fly to a magic kingdom (or something like that).

Then it was Liv's turn with the camera and took this one of me:

We got Tosh from the bus stop and stopped to get mail.  Tosh usually gets it, but was kind enough to help his sister have a turn.  I couldn't resist getting a photo (or two) of this cute team:

Rob's birthday is just around the corner.  My friend Alecia and I are throwing a dance party for our Robs (they share the same birthday).  It should be a lot of fun, and looks like there will be a great turnout.  Rob has been working on a special project for the party that is taking A LOT of our time right now.  I'll share it with all of you when the time comes...  Anyway, we borrowed this long board for the project and Liv thought it was fun to sit and ride.  She also found these old "nerd" costume glasses of mine and has been wearing them a ton. 

After living here for four years, we finally organized a block party with our neighbors.  I talked to several neighbors about it on Halloween and then we delivered flyers to invite people.  We included the nine houses right around us (the five houses on our side, and the four houses across the street).  Seven out of the nine homes were able to be there!  We set up tables and chairs in our driveway and provided BBQ pulled pork sandwiches and coleslaw.  We asked everyone to bring a side to share and their own drinks.  We ended up with tons of food and it was a great evening.  We had little kids jumping on the tramp and riding bikes around, and older kids shooting baskets and playing ping pong.  I hadn't seen Hewitt in a while and went to check on him.  He was in our play room by himself (the party was outside only).  I asked him why he wasn't outside playing with neighbors and he said, "I need some time to myself.  I have been around people ALL day and need some time to make up for it!"  Classic Hewitt.  He totally cracks me up.  How could such a child be born to two extroverts?  :)

We went out to run some errands yesterday and Liv was wearing her glasses (again).  I was actually grateful because it reminded me that we had some books on hold, so we made a stop at the library.  Love my darling little book worm:

We bought some groceries and then stopped by a new apartment complex in town.  We've talked about this place an awful lot, but have never stopped.  So we did! 


Liv at Liv 'avenue'

I promise that I didn't give Liv any direction when it came to choice of pose.  This is all her!  :)  It was in the 90's yesterday, by the way.  Love her head on her shoulder in this next one:

Liv was wearing these glasses after preschool again today and then took them off and started playing with them.  In a very calm (I promise), yet stern voice I said, "Liv, please do not play with those glasses.  You can either wear them or set them down, but if you play with them they will break."  She responded by saying, "Mom, you don't need to throw a temper tantrum."  Ha!  What made it funnier is that she actually messed up the word 'tantrum' and it sounded more like "temper tamdem" which really made me laugh internally since my brothers used to call me "Temper Tam" when I got upset. 

My awesome dad celebrated his 78th birthday last week!  I thought I'd share this great picture from 1976.  I especially love my dad's mustache and pants, and our orange carpet!  It's hard to adequately express my gratitude for such great parents, and thank them for providing me with such a loving and happy childhood.  I love you, Dad!