We take a break from the My Children Are Great Love Festival to add this bit of reality:
(I don’t think he’s trying to strangle her…)
After a frustrating day, Ryan had this to say "If your appliances functioned as poorly as your children, you'd take them back.” (And knowing me, I’d probably ask to speak to a few managers and make them send me new ones.)
The month started with Faith’s birthday. (Little tip: if you have the option of having your membranes stripped on Halloween: Don’t do it. I know all you want is to get the baby out of there and that you think that having a birthday the day after Halloween can’t be bad. It is. You are exhausted from Halloween week, want to retch at the idea of a cake and no one wants to party after 72 parties, anyway. Good thing she was only two and had no idea how badly she was shorted this year.)
Here’s some pictures from the day.
With presents:
With her darling kitchen that she only plays with if I bribe an older sibling to go down there with her.
With her cake (the tiniest, store bought thing that Safeway had to offer):
Before she fell asleep, while I rocked her like a little baby:
Also, on her birthday, our Pediatric dentist offered a “$1 per pound of candy” deal. The kids were not too interested until I mentioned that Free Kids Meals at Red Robin were being offered. They jumped. This picture was front and center in the local paper the next week (maybe because the dentist was also our hometeacher??)
Also, I’m over Wolves in Cub Scouts. And I love it. Even after I had a mini-breakdown when the member of the bishopric (also known as Ryan) called me. Even though I have no boys that age. Even though it’s after school on our busiest night. Even though I already have another calling. Somehow that’s how callings work. You say yes and even though there isn’t much in it for you…you walk away at the end with a happy feeling.
Also, this is how Faith spends her entire day. Pushing our step-stool around like she’s 85 and this is her walker. Mind your toes while in our kitchen. Faith has counters to see over and egg cartons to get into.
My old iPhone broke. Ryan got me a nice new one. Gabe walks around the house pretending the broken iPhone is his. (Could he teach some of that “imaginative play” to Faith so she’ll use her play kitchen?) Here he is taking a picture of his PRETEND iPhone.
Also, we had the snowiest November on record. LOVE breaking records like that! The only good things about snow Novembers? 1) Cute pictures 2) the kids totally want to play in it. They refuse snow play in March.
Aunt Bekah took them sledding while here for Thanksgiving. And took pictures. Officially favorite sister.
Also, Seth and Ryan made this darling turkey “disguised” as a Captain Hook (just like Seth’s Halloween costume). (This is why I put him in charge of these big school projects.)
Also, Seth was hilarious and awesome at this kindergarten Thanksgiving sing-a-long. He only talked about it for 367 minutes the week before. And that guy loves head gear. You can find him wearing this baby any time of the day or night.
Also, we hosted Thanksgiving for my mom and her husband, Rick, my brother Sam and his new wife Stephanie and my youngest sibling Bekah. All adults is kind of a nice way to go for Thanksgiving.
They appreciated all the food:
made table arrangements simple:
were up for any outings we took them on:
(at the snowy Spokane river)
(Riverfront park carrousel)
played with the kids:
didn’t try to fight Seth for his Gooey’s sundae:
Here are Jane and Seth breaking the wishbone a few days later.
Hopefully they wished for another month as lovely and filled with busy fun as November. (I wouldn’t mind if they stuck a “less snow” clause in there, though).
