Thanksgiving

Ethan and Madeline helped Mimi make flower arrangements for the table.

 They were beautiful.  Fresh flowers always make it feel like a special day.

 I wore my pie socks of course!

 We had a lovely day baking and cooking and going for a walk.  The turkey was amazing!  Brining it works every time!

 What a feast!

 And with such fabulous people!

 I was grateful.  For each one of them.  And so many others.  And so many things.

 And then we ate pie.

Our Trip to Utah

I was really excited to go back to Utah.  But I think it turned out to be even better than I had hoped.  It really was packed with every good thing, everything, and everyone I missed, and was just perfect.  I can't deny that it was hard to want to come back.  I just loved every minute!  Dinner with two of my best friends at Royal India, breakfast with another best friend at Kneaders, Sushi with Todd and Sam and Raelynn at Takashi, watching my kids play with best friends and seeing their friends be so excited to see them again, hours of talking with Raelynn, and shopping with her and my mom twice!  Thanksgiving with my parents, breakfast with Gma and Gpa.  Going to the Messiah Sing-in.  Visiting my sorely missed Christmas choir and being able to sing with them...the list goes on and on.  Lots of other restaurants and visiting our old ward...I LOVED IT!  Oh Utah...I miss you and everything and one there SO MUCH.  It was such a good trip.

The pictures are random but I'll share them here and in the next couple of posts.

The road trip was LONG but not too bad.  The kids did good.  Sleeping:

 and watching lots of shows!

 Oliver watched so many shows on the second day of driving that he didn't sleep until we got to my parents house.  Then he was out in a matter of moments, safe in Daddy's arms.

 He was rather clingy the first few days we were there.  He is anyway, but he REALLY was.  It was mama or cry.  Daddy was at work.  It is so nice that Todd can work when we are in Utah, so we can stay longer!

 The kids having fun with Bapa

 Cheese!

 Playing together.  YAY!

 On my anniversary...getting ready to go out!

 I could spend 1000 hours with this lady and never be tired of being with her.  And we'd still have things to talk about!

 And here I am with Todd.  My best friend.  My partner.  My support.  My home.  My happy place.  We have now been married for 13 years.  And I just love him so much.  So so much.  I sure am blessed to have this good man at my side.

November Days

Cooper thrives when he's helping Daddy work.  Seeing them with their leaf blowers together was a favorite moment of the week!

 When my mom came to town, we enjoyed visiting Sudden Valley and took a stroll down memory lane.  And a stroll down the AM/PM beach there.

 It was always one of my favorite places when we lived there in 2007-2008.

 It felt familiar in a distant memory sort of way.  I liked it.

 My mom also helped Madeline sew herself this really cute skirt.  We were sad when Mimi had to go, but less sad because our Utah trip was coming right up!

 Cooper loves collecting things on our walks.  By the end of this walk, he was practically carrying a whole tree!

 And speaking of trees, have you ever seen anything so lovely in the fall as this??!!  Orange, red, AND purple all in one.  It has been my favorite thing in my yard this fall.

Oliver's Birthday

He was super cute and happy when he woke up.  We spent a long time throwing balls in and out of his crib and laughing like crazy.  The kids all joined in.  We were almost late for school...

 We had fun going to the park in the morning, though it was quite a bit colder than I thought it would be!

 Mostly we just hung out and had fun playing at home.  He was pretty cute when it was present time.

 Super cute train!

 The birthday duo

 And, like usual, I just couldn't get enough snuggles.

Happy Birthday Oliver.  I seriously cannot believe you're two!!!

Cake!

I had a lot of fun making Oliver a Tractor Cupcake Cake this year!

 And since everyone should be able to blow out candles on their own cake, I made a chocolate one for Nana too.  It was really fun to have so much deliciousness in one room!

 Oliver liked his cake and kept saying, "tractor, tractor!"

 Cooper liked licking the beaters!

 Oliver was very cute while we sang to him.  Just smiled the whole time and blew his candles right out at the end of the song like a champ!

 Ahhhhh!  Happy Birthday to Oliver and Nana.  I sure love these two:

But, it turns out, Oliver doesn't really like cake.  Just licked the frosting a little and that was that.  He's a funny kid, he doesn't really like any treat.  I'm not sure where he came from on that one!  But I'll still keep him!  Maybe by next year he'll be able to tell me what he wants for his birthday.

The rest of us had a grand time devouring the cupcakes and chocolate cake!  YUM!

Happy Birthday Oliver!

Happy Birthday to my sweet Oliver.  I can't believe you are two.  My heart is exploding with gratitude that you came into my life.  That you love me so much.  And you fill me with happiness.

 My wish for you is that you always feel safe and secure in the love that surrounds you.  You are loved by so many.

 I love your laugh.  I love your smile.

 You love cars and tractors and balls.  You love playing in the tub.  You love books now too!  And you still love snuggles.  I am happy every single night that I still get to rock you before sleep.  I'll soak up every moment you let me snuggle you like that.  I know it won't last forever.

 Happy Birthday Oliver.  I love you!

I'm excited to see the two year old you!

I can't believe it's November

Ethan started this fire and cooked dinner for us to earn a pin in scouts.  He's growing up fast.  Did I mention he's 5'3"?!?!

 I am so in love with watching my Oliver sleep.  I'm so in love with my Oliver.

 Cooper always seems to find a few minutes every day when it stops raining to play outside

 Oliver and I join him sometimes too!

 The fall colors in my yard are pretty awesome!  I am so smitten by bright red and orange leaves.

 Oh hello.

 Ready for a diaper change.  Lol!