I am Thankful

Starting our week off right, Lucy gave our Family Home Evening lesson for us. It was on how our examples can influence those around us, and she used the food coloring in milk to demonstrate. It was very cool.

 Nope, Elliott didn't get beat up at school. Nope, Archie didn't throw a baseball at his eye. This is how sensitive-Elliott's body reacts to a sty. Poor kid, can't catch a break!

 Lucy is still going strong with her cinnamon roll sales for her trip. She took this picture of me making frosting. I swear this isn't my sugar-pouring face; we had to have been having a silly conversation or something...right?!?!?

The REAL fun began on Wednesday, when everyone began to arrive for THANKSGIVING!!!! The Crozier Clan (Ruth, Jeremy, Karver, Kason, and Kollister), the Homer bunch (Paul and Juliet), and the Pocatello Peeps (Kimball, Charice, Jason and Morgan Robinson) all came in Wednesday evening. 

 Coincidentally, Wednesday was our first quasi-substantial snowfall. It made my heart so happy to see all 5 boys out playing together despite the crazy-cold.

Aunt Juliet has a way of making each kid feel like they're her favorite, so, of course, she is their favorite. Archie started every morning by saying, "where is Aunt Juliet?" Then he spent all the days glued to her side. She didn't seem to mind. 

Here's the whole Thanksgiving bunch!!! 

 We had two folding tables set up, along with our existing family table. We pushed the sectional couch to the wall and used it as extra seating. We bought this house hoping for days like these. 10 house-guests, 30 people for dinner, and it couldn't have gone better. It was perfect. 

 Some Thanksgiving day activities were Lucy's nail salon, a family walk and impromptu mini-football game, a spontaneous but still fabulous talent show, Christmas bingo, a marathon-into-the-night New York Cheesecake baking, and an EPIC game of keep-away catch/dogpile in the living room between the kids and uncles. It was the most beautiful chaos you've ever seen.

 Uncle Kimball is always so great at being willing to fix computers when he comes to visit. This was extra fun for me to see, because this could very well be a glimpse into Elliott's future. He is so much like his Uncle Kimball: sensitive, technology-loving, sweet and hilarious!

 We also made tootsie-pop turkeys. Always a hit.

 Content snuggle-time on the couch before the big meal.

 Finishing the day off with a little Jiffy-Pop, or "magic popcorn".

It was the best week. I desperately hate the stillness that comes when you close the door on your last house-guest. They filled our home with so much joy, energy, life and love. We are so blessed. We are so thankful. 

First "snow"

Harmony and HadAbogi showed us this gem this week!! It doesn't have anything to do with our lives right now (ok, it bears a little resemblance to pre-teen years ;) but we thought it was just too cute. Apparently, Mike was washing the car and Lucy sprayed herself in the face with the hose and wasn't too happy about it.  Uncle Jason was though. 

 Elliott was trying to earn some extra money, and Archie needed some fresh air; raking leaves to the resecue!

 Even though Archie has his own room, Elliott loves sharing his bed with him every night. It helps with Elliott's nervous bedtime, and it makes for some very cute brother bonding time. I hear bedtime stories, usually told by Archie, and bedtime books provided by Elliott. I like the photo ops too.

 Just a fun timeline moment: These pictures were taken almost exactly 3 years apart. 

 This week was the first time this year we woke up to snow...sort of. Archie didn't care that it was only a few millimeters, he was out there before the sun came up, in his pajamas, building a snow castle. 

 Elliott wasn't too far behind with the year's first snowman.

 We're trying to limit the kids' screen time, so Mom had to get creative. Cup-castles were a big hit.

 Again, Archie had some fun before school, so Lucy's friend, Ella, joined in the fun.

 Archie's school had a Stone Soup party for thanksgiving this year. This picture is to celebrate the fact that Archie actually TRIED THE SOUP!!!! He is getting a little better at trying things. It usually just involves a tongue touching it, and never trying it again, but it is progress. 

 Lucy is part of a city choir here called Millenial Choir. They are kindof a big deal :) . This summer, they are going to Washington DC to record a album and do some concerts at historic sights. She wants to go, and I told her that if she can raise the money for airfare, I would go with her (then maybe take the train to NYC for a girls' trip!!! Told you I'd make it back to NYC someday!!) She took me at my word, and with Dad's blessing, she is on her way. She is mopping, saving her allowance, making cinnamon rolls to sell, and planning on babysitting for me when I start teaching piano lessons next year. She is turning into one amazing young woman. 

Happy 13th Anniversary to Us!

As Mike and I were celebrating our anniversary last night, I'm not going to lie, we mostly talked about the kids. But that's okay. They are a big part of who we have been these last 13 years. 

 Speaking of 13, you'd think, by looking at this picture of the lovely Lucy, that she is a teenager. Don't be fooled, she's only 12, and I'm hanging onto her childhood with both hands!!! Stop growing up already!! This beautiful girl was only a dream in our hearts 13 years ago!!! Mike wanted to wait a year to have kids, I wanted to wait one week...we waited a month :)  Two months before our first anniversary, we became parents. What crazy years it's been since then. 

 I've been daydreaiming about our 10 year anniversary trip to New York a lot lately. We weren't able to travel to exotic places this year, but we did manage to still sneak in a "first": first time eating Basque food!!! YES!!

 On Veteran's Day, we celebrated by taking the kids to the candy store. I am such a sucker for this place!!! Two weeks after Halloween, cotton candy? SURE!!...

 $12 for a gummy pizza? SURE!! Mom of the Year Award goes to THIS gal.

Okay, maybe not, but DAD of the year goes to this guy for sure. He has been redoubling his intentions of making time for the kids, and it has been so great. He has been walking with Lucy in the freezing, dark AM 3 times a week. He wakes up to study scriptures with them EVERYDAY. They will never doubt that their Dad loves them. This is the annual Dad's and Donuts that the elementary school puts on. He doesn't eat them, but he comes to be with them anyway :)

 It wouldn't be officially Autumn without one of these shots...right?

 Happy 13 Years to Us!!!!

Let's see if I remember how to do this!!

I know, I know, it's been OVER a year since I last posted!! Just know up front, that I am not even going to try to catch-up; it's too intimidating. But, in an effort to record the little things in our lives, and keep our family's history alive, I am going to start again. I guess the year 2015 will, for the most part, have to be checked out on Instagram, because that's where most of the memories have been kept. But, I realized that those memories are incomplete without the narrative to go with them, so I'm back a' bloggin'! Let's just start with October.  Here we go!!

Brothers bonding over Video game videos. Notice the smirk on Elliott's face; he never minds when he gets a snuggle from Archie.

I was down with a cold, so Harmony stepped in and took Archie for the afternoon. She is so great; always an adventurer, she took Archie acorn hunting at the park. He loved it.

This is my great-big preschooler. It's actually pretty amazing that he is making eye-contact with the camera; he has this thing about looking at you when you're trying to take his picture!!! They must be pretty good at their job!

 This guy loves sports, but especially football. In fact, he loves it so much, that he didn't complain once that they never won. He is just always happy to be out there playing with his friends. He wants to do TACKLE football next year....we'll see about that.

He also turned 10 this year!! He did his best to convince me that it was a HUGE deal that he is turning double-digits because it is only time in his life he will ever go from single to double-digits. He's right you know. He'll make a good lawyer someday.

 

We can't forget Halloween!! Pumpkin carving: basketball, pirate, and a pumpkin carved in a pumpkin.

 Once, Archie's favorite things were the princesses; he loved them! Then he moved on to pirates and all things bad guys. It only makes sense that he now loves witches, SEA-witches actually. They are kind-of like bad guy princesses, right? 

 At his barnyard preschool Halloween party, he dressed as a wolf. He decorated his cookie, but of course, he didn't eat it. Food trauma runs deep in this one. 

 Our ward does an annual Trunk-or-Treat and Soup and Scream carnival. Lucy was extra excited because the Young Women put it on and she got to help out. Kristine, Maric, and Lucy's friend, Grace came to celebrate with us.

 Big month for Elliott I guess!! He also started basketball again. Mike says this is HIS sport! It is so much fun to watch.

 Halloween night with a TACKLE football guy, a Sriracha bottle, a nerd, and Superman!

Elliott was the master of tape when he was four.  I remember Grandma and Papa got him 12 colorful rolls of masking tape for his fourth birthday. Now, he is nice enough to pass that love and knowledge on to his younger brother. Deluxe monster truck ramp, done before they left for school that morning.

 My sweet girl, Lucy. Sweet and silly; best combination in my opinion!!! On the left, she is wearing a plastic nose that came with some fake glasses in a Halloween goodie bag. She had us all cracking up, but her laugh is the most fun to listen to. In the picture on the right, she is honoring her Aunt Christa on school Superhero day. 

 She is also getting so good at playing the trumpet for school Band!!! This is a picture of Archie enjoying her Christmas music.

 Then, being the great big-sister that she is; she decided he could try too.

Hopefully, I'll be back before next year to tell you more!