Condensed Soup

Here's another "condensed" version of what we've been up to. I'm hosting Thanksgiving at my house this year. My mom and stepdad are coming up from Utah, and my little brother from Seattle. I'm super excited to cook "Hawaiian Turkey", it's wrapped in banana leaves and covered in Hawaiian salt (it you want the recipe, let me know!)

I'm 29 again, and celebrated with friends who like to dress up and pretend they're monsters as much as I do.


I started homeschooling Kennedy last week. It's going well, I'm learning a lot, and we are both enjoying spending more time together. My motivation for doing this was Kennedy weight and self esteem were both in crisis, and I feel that this is the right thing for her for now. I am not planning on homeschooling after this year. Our goal is to have a positive experience together, to learn nutrition, and to exercise so that when 4th grade starts next fall, Kennedy will be ready and happy to start school again.
I am not homeschooling Sierra, although today she said she wants to. I don't think she understands that Kennedy still has to do schoolwork. It's a little tricky on timing, with the twins and CC half day schedules, but it's working for now. And if anything, I'm just loving that Kennedy wants to be with me. There will come a time, all too soon, where she will not. So, for now we are learning together, this week it's Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, the illustrated Doctrine and Covenants, and fractions. Good times!

Last week, I got to take her to the Pittock Mansion for a field trip. I was loving all the wallpaper and beautiful views, and this is what she told her Dad that she got out of it, "Those people were SHORT!" (Their beds were itty bitty, and low to the ground.)

We had a festive October, and here's how it ended. We had a great visit from our college friends, Robyn and Andy Young. Their first daughter, Hannah, was born just 3 months before Kennedy, and they lived in our same apartment complex at Oregon State. They've since moved back to Utah, and had three more girls. We thought that was funny.

Hannah and Kennedy, we celebrated Hannah's 9th birthday together.



This is their sweet Becca.


We did our primary program in sacrament meeting. It went so well. The kids memorized their parts and kept their wiggly bodies under control and sang loud and I only cried a little. Since being called as primary president in the summer, I've been dreading the program. But once it was over I was completely amazed at how well it turned out. Simple and sweet and sincere.
So, I took class pictures and here's my favorite group shot of the whole primary (minus about 10 kids).



I got to be a chaperone for CC's pumpkin patch field trip. I love hanging out with this kid. I got to meet some of her friends' moms and discovered that CC is as talked about in their homes as her "guy" friends are in ours.




Nic and I took Bob the Tomato's (see below) parents out for Melissa's birthday. We went to Brassier Montemarte in Portland for it's "soft opening." Nic's cousin Emily is a manager their and we got to see his Aunt Tamie and Cousin Heatherlee. Its was delicious, the best French onion soup I've ever had.


Trunk or treating at the church. We had Kennedy going as "Devi Lovato" and if you don't know who that is, congratulations, you're not a tween.
CC got the most original award at our house with requesting to be "Skippy Jon Jones," the siamese cat that thinks he's a chihuahua. Awesome.
Ava was a beautiful princess, with curls and makeup, and Bree was a ladybug, a recycled costume from when Kennedy was one.





This is Bob the Tomato from Veggietales, a.k.a., Sophie


We celebrated with Nic's cousins for their baby's 1st birthday party. I love parties that have 30 adults and 10 kids.
Oakley was and is a doll. She was a kitty, and what killed me, was that all four of her grandparents were mice.



Here are her insanely pretty parents, Cam and his discounted mail order bride Yakiko, aka Jenny.


Christine and her awesome lashes.


And to finish off the post, Mooseman as a Moose!