Never Ending November

It has been another busy month around here.  Looking back my picture taking has sadly dwindle but I did find a few that still needed to be shared.

Beautiful roses!!
Happy Anniversary 32 years!!

These girls have grown up.
A former primary teacher shared this from when they were 10.
They are now 17 and seniors.

Flood at work
This large hole  = no water for 2 days.

End of a 153 day drought.
It is rain isn't it?

Practicing!!
A long Thanksgiving weekend.

Working on Talon's fort
They met up at Crimson Elementary and
then rode over to his house for the day.

Fluffy jacket
Just like Dads

Let's keep this moving into December.  Let's see what traditions we can fit in or maybe making new ones.

Thanksgiving Family Traditions

This year planning our Thanksgiving dinner we had all the usual dishes in mind.  However, Dave decided one item was missing the fruit salad.  I have tried a couple times to make it over the years but with not much luck.  Dave's Mom NaDean made it each year for Thanksgiving & New Years.  He wanted to share it with the kids.  I just needed to provide the ingredients and they would do the rest.

Rylee & Ryder were assigned to chopping apples.  Reganne was on whipping cream.  Dave was opening the cans.  

Team work
I was making snicker bars for dessert.

Refusing to let
me take their picture.

They did a great job and it was really good.  Dave was confused about whether she used whipping cream or cool whip.  That is one thing I remember she always used whipping cream for the fruit salad.  Cool Whip was definitely for the Orange Fluff salad.

This is one tradition I want to keep going and hopefully pass onto our grandkids someday.

Trying Something New

Halloween is over and what do you with the pumpkins?  Ryder has tried homemade seasoned pumpkin seeds before.  That is definitely was we need to make with both pumpkins he won from the swim meet.

We had no idea on how to make them or even how to get them started.  Ryder was in charge of the research and I was moral support.  Maybe even a helping hand along the way.

He found the detailed instructions and it was time to get started...  

How do you get the seeds out?
A spoon?

Or your hands?

The gooey messy insides were really hard to separate the seeds from the guts.  Oops!!! half went down the garbage disposal.  Quick thinking we were able to save most of them.  Seasonings just right and then pop them into the oven.

Yummmmm, they smelled really great.  They even tasted better.  Ginger even liked them as much as we did.  The whole bowl full disappeared by the next day.  The girls & Dave were not impressed but they don't like anything to do with pumpkin flavoring or foods.

We can easily add this to next years agenda.

2019 Family Photo Shoot

I have tried to get family pictures done in the different seasons and have failed.  I have failed so miserably that we have missed 2 years of no official photos.  This year was a must and to heck with getting different seasons or scenery.  Most of all making them matchy matchy we need to just go for it.  Thank goodness Blake & Julie are good sports and very accommodating in our silly requests.

It was a perfect Sunday late afternoon and the perfect spot Dixie Rock.  This is where we started the crazy outside tradition so many years ago.

Love this view

Hope he doesn't fall.

Taking a break
from Mom's requests.

We are done!!

Dinner @ Cracker Barrel

Everyone was full and happy.  Hopefully, the pictures will turn out and Blake won't have to work too much photo magic.  Me, I love the memories of all the craziness trying to get that perfect picture.  The lessons I have learned is going candid pictures rather than posed.  No matter how resistant everyone is to have their pictures taken.  Let them pick their own outfits and they will be comfortable during the uncomfortable process.

Thank you Blake, Julie, and Dacoda for putting up with us for the afternoon.

Fall Recital

Reganne has been working hard on her music for the recital.  I believe she has it memorized.  This will be the final recital with Sam's Piano Studio.  Sam is moving to Idaho the next day.

Time to start...

Getting setup
She sounded amazing!!!

The Group
These kids are all amazing and so much talent.
Love all the costumes.

Close Up

This was a great show!!! All of these kids have so much talent.  Reganne has really come a long way in learning how to play.  The sad note is that we now have to find another teacher that clicks with her.  So far not much luck.

October Round Up

October craziness is ending and moving onto November.  Just need one more glance back at few pictures that just beg to be shared.

MOM!!!
Do these pajamas still fit?
Actual proof that he is growing.

St George Marathon
&
Royalty

BT21 Walk of Fame
This one is much cleaner.

Starving
McDonald's on Hollywood Blvd

Wreak It Ralph
with Reganne.

Lining up
Universal Studios

Reganne @ Youth Conference

Getting 7th Grade Shots
Snickers Bar a must to ease the pain
or avoid passing out.

Beautiful Smile!!!

Goodbye October!!!

See ya next year!!!

Happy Halloween

Halloween is not my favorite holiday.  However, I have loved taking the kids to every holiday activity I could find close by every year.  We would celebrate for at least a week if not two.  This year was going to be so different!!! Not only do the kids not want to dress up every night.  They would rather hang out with their friends and not me.  They don't want to work for their chocolate but secretly steal what I bought for the trick or treaters.  

The one day only celebration arrived...

Harry Potter

Black Bunny Clown

Ryder & Friends

Dave & Rylee had to work.  Reganne was off with friends.  Ryder went out with his friends as well. That left the dogs & I to pass out candy.  We were ready for a busy night my bowl was full.  2 hours later only few kids stopped by and my bowl was still half full.

The kids were home by 9 and bowl was still half full.  Time to turn the lights off and call it a night.  This new phase or rather the teenage years really is stressful and they don't share their chocolate with me either.  

Let's hope they still like celebrating Christmas.

Saying Good Riddance

To braces!!! She was so excited to have them off and 3 month early.  However, she wasn't excited for the removal process.

Before

During

With yummy treats!!

After
When did she grow up?

She looks amazing!!! The advice from Rylee was to get the permanent retainer on the bottom.  That is exactly what she decided to do.  We are proud of her and her hard work over the past 21 months.

DSU Homecoming Parade

It was a chilly morning for a parade.  Line up started at 8:30 with a start time of 10:00.  We were going to be using the cruiser and I was driving.  We needed to be early.  DANG!!! It's cold out here.

She hated this picture.
She never takes a bad picture.

First shot at backing in.
Pretty near perfect.

Warming up a little
pictures with Ariel.

A few more pictures
with Jen.

The truth!!!
It's still cold.

This is who we followed.
He jumped, spun, and really
made me nervous.

I didn't want to run Spiderman over but he came dang close a couple of times.  He wasn't advertising anything instead just having fun.  He reminded me of the characters you find on Hollywood Blvd.

This is the last parade of the season and most likely of their reign.

2019 Spooktacular Swim Meet

This is Ryder's 3rd year participating in this meet.  He has been working really hard to hopefully improve all his times.  Let's get ready to swim....

Warm Ups!!!
The calm before they all jump in.

This boy swum hard.
Dripping all over our stuff.

Love my officiating uniform
I was drenched from the waist down.
I didn't even get in the pool.

He also swam 4 events on Saturday morning that I wasn't able to be there for.  I was headed to the college and one more parade with the royalty.

Here are the results this was a mixed meet.  Everyone competes together from 8-18.

100 Freestyle 40th Place 1:15.53, Seed Time 1:18.42

200 Freestyle 18th Place 2:44.58, Seed Time 3:01.63

500 Freestyle 20th Place 7:06.47, Seed Time 7:33.01

50 Backstroke 23rd Place 39.96, Seed Time 42.11

100 Backstroke 40th Place 1:27.67, Seed Time 1:25.08

50 Breastroke 24th Place 45.06, Seed Time 45.46

100 IM 21st Place 1:24.95 , Seed Time 1:26.91

200 IM 17th Place 3:03.98, Seed Time 3:17.05

Saying Goodbye

We made it back safe to the apartment however, it wasn't quiet.  There were people locked out of their unit sitting in the hallway having their own party.  There was a bag of sheets & towels on the door knob.  Maybe I should say a set of sheets and 3 towels.  The Roku was working so snacks & The Flintstones Movie were on the agenda to finish off the night.  Dosing off to sleep when the sirens started again and this time accompanied by flashing red lights on the corner.  

When will it be morning??

Hurray!!!
We survived another night.

I found the blackout curtain
this morning.

Checking out the roof
in the daylight

Hollywood Sign!!!
I tried two days to see this from the roof.
Note to self it is there are no lights.

Putting the key back!!!

We were glad to say goodbye to Hollywood.  This is definitely not our place to wild and crazy.  Next trip we will need to find someplace that doesn't cost a fortune but is still safe and close to Universal Studios.  We have one more trip planned for Spring Break.

Let's hit the road.....maybe won't miss the ac.

Day 2 Adventures

Everyone survived the night where sirens could be heard and maybe even gunshots in the distance.  Lets head to the Metro Station and maybe some breakfast.  Luck is shining on us this morning.  We found the station, got tickets, and even found the right train.  We arrived in about 15 minutes sure beat driving.  Breakfast was forgotten as we waiting for the tram up the hill.

Nobody would pose for a picture.
I was excited to document that we made it.

Check it out!!
The lines, people, and the unknown.

Ryder and the Universal Entrance.

Harry Potter World

Studio Tour
The Voice is filmed here.

Checking out the movie cars.

Dang!!!
Just missed Jaws

Sisters
Reganne decided she wanted to try
these rides.

Dinner
Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream

It was a fun day.  Everyone was tired but in a good way.  It isn't often that we have ice cream for dinner.  We even saw a few people from home.   Time to take this adventure on the road and head back to Hollywood.