November has come and Gone...

And oh, what a month it has been.  Shawn and I took Carter on the first Friday of the month up to the Snowy Range Mountains to get wood for the Central Broiler in the barn at the clinic. It had snowed the night before, and the back roads were a bit slick...slick enough that the Expedition slid into a ditch and we had to unhook the trailer to back out enough to get out. That was before we even got wood. I, of course, worried about taking a heavy load of wood back down the mountain once we got it.  The day was cold and the wind was blowing so it made it feel colder. We found an area with some trees that looked like we could fall them pretty easy and cut them up. Well, the tree didn't fall the way we wanted so the easy, because a little more work. 

 I'm sure Shawn was loving this... and playing with his chain saw. He looked to me like a Mountain Man.

 As long as we were working, I felt warm but the second we slowed down, I could feel the cold. It was so pretty up there, but I don't own work cold gear as most of my work is indoors with kids.

 He's so handsome huh?

We prayed before we left the place we got the wood and asked for help to get down the mountain safely. By the time we got off the back roads to one of the main roads most of the snow on the road was melted. I was most thankful that things went well coming down the mountain and knew there was divine intervention.



The next day we headed to Ft. Collins, CO for the Boise State, Colorado State football game. Before the game we took the kids Christmas shopping and both Mason and Emma were done with their Christmas shopping.
Emma and Mason had their hair sprayed Blue and Orange and wore their tattoos on their cheeks. I can not even begin to describe how much fun it was to take the kids to the game. It's the first game they've been to, and the first Shawn and I have been at since I was preggers with Emma 9 years ago.  It's the only away game I've been to, but probably will be to many more.

 

Mason was hilarious at the game. I should up load some of this short video clips to YouTube and share them.  He would yell at Boise to start playing, and at one point, he yelled "Get on your feet Boise!!!" He also tried really hard at the end of the game to get the Boise.... State shout going on his own and got frustrated that no one was replying to his yell... He'd yell BOISE and pause, turn to me and ask why no one was yelling STATE. After he realized he can't yell towards the field and have people reply, he tuned around and tried it again. Some people must have realized what he was trying to do and about 10 yelled State and Mason was so excited and happy. He kept yelling that for about 10 minutes and then decided it was time to try something else. The game was over by 10 and it was probably good it was over earlier than expected. Mason kept telling us at the end it was time to go. Most of the Colorado fans had left and I'm sure that's why he thought it was time to go. The kids loved it and I loved being there with them. It is definitely something I'll do again and again. Love these two cuties.

We attended the 4 H award ceremony where Emma got an award for her 1st year in 4H.  She also got second place for poultry for her record book. Pretty good since we've never made one before and had no clue what we were doing. 

Mason has continued swimming. His swim instructor is AMAZING with him. Every time they are in the pool I am in awe at how much he can get Mason to push him self. He can swim independently on his back from one side of the pool to the other and is getting really good at swimming on his front.  He is also turning from his stomach to his back and then back to his stomach really well. We are taking a lesson break during December with the assignment to get in the pool and practice all month so he doesn't loose what he's been working on. Mason doesn't respond to me as well as his does Tristan, but most kids don't. 

 Carter and I volunteered at the school 3x's the week they had the book fair. It was also the same week that Carter was sick with a cold and wasn't feeling very good. On Wednesday, he laid down on the couch to watch some TV and before I knew it he fell asleep. I've not seen him do that for a long time. He was so cute, I hated to wake him up.

I got my craftiness on this month and made these curtains for the half bath down stairs. The pattern matches the rest of the decor in the bath and I felt it was time to have something new. They are made from 2 bath sized towels and I just sewed a line in them and then hung them. Fastest and easiest sewing project I've ever done in my life... I really love how they look too!

November 27 brought us to Emma's Birthday! I can't believe we have a 9 year old! How did that happen?  We decided that we would open gifts as breakfast was cooking so we didn't have to wait till very late in the evening. Mason got Emma a scarf that is quite crazy and fits her personality well. She wasn't sure what it was until we showed her. Now she has to learn how to wear it so she looks put together and not all out of place. 

 Grandma and Grandpa Sanders sent her some clothes. She put the pants and another shirt she got on and wore them the rest of the day. She also got some fairy figurines from Paige, and Scrabble JR. from Carter.

 Emma got an alarm clock, a small purse, and a book form Shawn and I and we took her to her favorite restaurant for dinner,  The Number 1 Buffet. After dinner we went swimming where she went down the tunnel slide a lot. She had so much fun. When we were getting ready to leave she asked if we could go into the lap pool and see if the diving board was open. Emma and Shawn went off it a handful of times and then we hit the showers. Because of how late we were getting home, we had cake and egg nog for breakfast Thanksgiving morning. Next year her birthday will be on thanksgiving... Maybe some family will come for the holiday? We'll see.

 The day after Thanksgiving the kids and I clean the house, rearranged the living room and set up our tree. We decorated it that evening.

 Carter had so much fun and did so well getting ornaments on the tree and we've had minimal problems with him touching it since. I loved how determined he was at getting the ornaments on all by him self. 

We still have a lot of ornaments for the second tree we've had but done this year. I will be happy to have another tree up again some day.

I told the kids that since we are going to Idaho for Christmas this year, I may decided to not put any gifts under the tree (saves me from having to patrol the tree for the whole month too). They were not too happy with that idea, but we have to pack them to take them right?  We are going to be so busy in December, but we are so excited for all special Christmas things to come. With only a few more gift to buy, and a few evening of traditions to plan I think we are ready to welcome to our home the most wonderful time of the year!