Weekly Update

 His favorite place to play: the dishwasher

 

 

Doing what brother does best: picking on older brother :)

Thanksgiving

What a wonderful Thanksgiving week we had.  Mike got the entire week off—HURRAH!  The first few days we spent at home, hanging out with the kiddos and went on two dates (one solo and one with our friends).

Mikes manager rented a cabin 2 hours away for the Absolute group.  We had 19 kids and 12 adults.  It was really tight quarters to say the least, and the nights were really tough because none of the babies slept and most of them were sick, but we had good weather, the kids LOVED playing together, we had fun enjoying adult time at night while the kiddos were in bed (eating, talking, playing games, singing songs by the fire), and we enjoyed yummy food.

We are so blessed to be around such wonderful people we have grown to love so much; this group is like family to us, we cherish the friendships we have made and the connections our children have made with each other.  It will be hard to go our separate ways one day. It makes this job so much more do-able surrounded by people you actually consider family.

I am grateful for the girls out here and for the connections I have made with them. I am grateful that they know and love my children.  I am grateful that Beckahm and Amari have so many wonderful friends and are creating lasting friendships.  I am grateful for my hard working husband who sacrifices every day to provide the necessities of life for our family.  I am grateful for my two beautiful boys who teach me patience, love, sacrifice, and selflessness.  I am grateful for good health.  I am grateful I have a roof over my head, food to eat, and clothes to wear.  I am grateful I live in a safe and free country.  I am grateful I have running water.  I am grateful for all of those who are consistently striving to do good in the world.  I am grateful for my past and the person I am today because of the life I have chosen to live.  I am grateful for my Savior.

Our abode for three days

What a stud

Mike and I organized a service project for the kids to do: putting together kits for the homeless and tying blankets; they loved it!

Practicing carols

Jesse made this cornucopia! Yummy Thanksgiving dinner

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/InjPYaidiwc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Oscar and IndieRose celebrated their birthdays on Thanksgiving

Sleepover!!

Kids playing hide and seek

Kids in bed=adult time by the fire, singing songs, eating pie

Corrie trying to get Amari to walk

Making smore's 

Favorite childhood past time

No one makes Amari laugh like Beckahm

This was Amari's first Thanksgiving and he loved all the yummy food :).  He is such a big eater; he is going to eat us out of house and home one day.

The older kids got into trouble by sending a canoe down the river; their punishment was washing the dishes and cleaning the cabin

Favorite Uncle

Our cute kiddos; what a bunch!!

The Alo's 

The Woods

The Dahl's

The Andersons (minus Ryan, but Ben filled in for him :)

The Quinns