Pies made...check!

My pie baking is done for another year.  We have 2 chocolate & 2 pumpkin to dive into tomorrow for breakfast.  We are so excited!  Zoe is looking forward to her brownie pie with frosting that she made today.  The kids & I are going to make our own brownie pie soon because it looks and smells so yummy, but Zoe is not going to share with us tomorrow since we have our other pies to eat and she doesn't.

Zoe played basketball at the church this evening with the guys (young & old).  Morgan is in Connecticut, so Zoe was the only girl, but that didn't bother her.
Emily talked with Kayla at church.  It's nice that Emily will have a dear friend in Young Women's already when she turns 12.

The kids were able to play with Connor & Lauren again today. :-)  Jenn & I were busy getting ready for Thanksgiving while the kids played here for awhile and then at Jenn's.  I love having such a great neighbor!

I love it when the TV is off and the kids play with each other.  Eleanor, Zach & Noah played with legos after lunch.  Zach read Thank You Thanksgiving (our favorite Thanksgiving book) to Noah & Kate this evening.  Then Zach was teaching Kate the words in the book.  So sweet!

Cookies & Pies

Pie Night is not all about pie when you don't like pie.  I know, I know, who doesn't like pie?!  Well, Zoe, and Emily only likes pumpkin pie, and Eleanor likes pie so-so.  Zoe made her first ever chocolate chip cookies today.  We brought them to Pie Night and they were gobbled up quick!  Kids had fun putting whipped cream on them.  :-)

Zach went with the Daigle's to the Maine Jump this morning.  Eleanor, Kate, Noah & I met up with them after I brought my grandmother to get her hair cut.  The kids had fun jumping, jumping, jumping with their friends!

Matt has been super busy with work.  He met a deadline last night that was stressing him out, so he was able to enjoy Pie Night with us tonight.  Yay!

Pie!

Pie Night is tomorrow night at church.  I have a habit of making a pumpkin pie, a chocolate pie & a strawberry cheesecake (which is shaped like a pie!) for Pie Night.  So, I have spent the day baking pies and taking my grandmother to have labwork done and going to Walmart and bringing Zoe to practice and bringing Emily to practice.  Plus, the usual mothering at home.  The strawberry cheesecake is in the oven now and then I will be done...for today.  I already had my crust made for the pumpkin pie thanks to our Relief Society activity.  It looks like my best pumpkin pie ever!  The kids think it looks the same, but I think it looks beautiful and delicious with its lightly browned homemade crust.  :-)

A great primary program

All of the primary kids did a great job during their Sacrament Meeting presentation today!  I loved watching our kids sing, sit reverently & say their talks/phrases.  They were amazing!  It was fun to sit back and enjoy the program.  :-)  This was Emily's last primary program.  She gave a nice talk on agency and she did a great job helping with Bo, Kate & Noah.  You did an awesome job today Emily, Eleanor, Zach, Kate & Noah!

Zoe has completed Faith in her personal progress program and she received her emblem today.  Great job Zoe!

Get better soon Mom

I took my mom to the walk-in care this morning.  She has an inflamed neck, which she can barely move.  She is the primary president and she is going to miss the sacrament meeting presentation tomorrow.  :-(

Zach lost his 2nd tooth today!

Zoe & Emily are at the High School play, Bye Bye Birdie with my dad.  My dad is actually working, so Zoe & Emily went early with him to play basketball in the gym, watch the play & then they will be the last to leave.  They are sleeping at my parents' house tonight.

Matt, Zoe & Emily worked on the house this morning.  Then Matt went to work where he still is.

Lots of turkeys

Better house view

Zoe's not so secret Thanksgiving gifts for the kids that she made at Young Women's.  Turkey lollipop holders.  So cute!

Eleanor's turkey from school

Kate's turkey from school

Hostess is going out of business.  I want to record that Zach is a huge fan of the Suzy Q's made by Hostess. I wonder if he will remember this favorite treat when he is older.

Mouse Catcher

When the kids & I got home this afternoon, I noticed an unfamiliar cat near the shed.  It pounced toward a hill of grass and came up with a mouse.  Sweet!  This cat is a keeper...a staying outside and fending for itself kind of keeper.  Oh, and not getting into our trash and stop peeing everywhere kind of keeper.

I'm a fan of buying pie crusts that are already made when I make my pies.  However, I made a pie crust today during our Relief Society activity and I think I might be hooked on making my pie crusts now.  We'll see.

It is these back to back basketball practice days that I don't miss at the end of the season!  I pick the kids up from school and leave Zoe who has practice.  I load all the kids up in the car to go get Zoe an hour and a half later and to drop Emily off.  Then I bring everyone home and go back to get Emily an hour and a half later.  Back and forth, back and forth!  I love watching Zoe & Emily play basketball, though!  It is my favorite sport to watch them play.  :-)

Pictures

Roof Rafters!

Pumpkin Globe

It's almost turkey time!

Cutie pie!

Game fun under the tent

Future Fashion Designer?

Eleanor has been designing clothes on paper lately (hint hint to Grandmas looking for Christmas ideas:-).

The highlight of my day with Noah was building a tent and then playing Hi Ho! Cherry-O & Hungry Hungry Hippo under it.  :-)
Games are much more fun under a tent!

Thank you, Veterans

Matt, Justin, my Dad, Zoe & Emily finished putting up the rafters on the new house today.  :-)  I love seeing progress being made!  I wish I could show you a picture.

The kids talked me into taking them shopping this afternoon.  They love having money to spend!  I love not having to do the chores that they now do.  :-)

I have been thinking about the men & women who have fought for our country in the past and the men & women who are currently fighting for our country.  They amaze me.  They have my love & respect.  I honor them this day.

Cuddles

I spent most of my day cuddling with a sick Noah.  He has a fever and a headache.  :-(  He perked up while Matt & the kids were at church due to medicine, but then he crashed once the medicine wore off.  While Noah was sleeping, the rest of the gang took turns cuddling with me.  We have felt the love today.  :-)

Birthday Pictures & More

Birthday morning. 1 hour school delay

I spent most of my day with this cutie.

It was a very nice birthday.  My family & friends made it a very special day.  :-)

 I was hoping this cord would do the trick and allow me to post pictures again from my Xoom, but no such luck. 

I took Noah to MERI yesterday with Jenn & Colby.

We also met up with Andrea & Victoria there.

We were sad to learn that story hour is only taking place until the end of the year.  Then the hands on programs are going to be cut and MERI is going to focus more on research and legislation. 

 Story Time with puppets

 Craft Time

 Noah's Polar Bear

Grammie & I took Noah to a fun McDonald's on Tuesday after Grammie's doctor's appointment!

 It was weird to see Noah there as an "only child".  He did well making friends with the kids there.

Noah & I were in town on Monday, so I snapped a picture of the Jed Prouty Inn.

I came home one night this week to find Noah doing the dishes!  Zoe was babysitting.

 He did a really good job!  I helped him rinse, but he has the washing down.

I used the last of Eleanor's birthday cards that she made at school last year.  No more telling people that they look and smell like a monkey!

Middle School Happenings

Flute playing Zoe brought home a baritone saxophone today from school.  The case is huge!  Zoe has been wanting to play the baritone saxophone since last year, but the bari saxophone fairy never came.  Well, Mrs. Birmingham commented that it would be nice to have the bari saxophone played in the winter concert and she asked if someone would like to play it.  Zoe jokingly raised her hand and Mrs. Birmingham was delighted to see that someone was interested!  I have no doubt that Zoe can play the bari saxophone.  She has a gift with music and she enjoys playing different instruments.  I'm glad she is having this experience!

Zoe & Emily both made a middle school basketball team!  Zoe is on the A Team with Coach Lori Frost and Emily made the B Team with Coach Lexie Brann.  I'm excited for the games to begin!

38

I have had 3 fun birthday parties!  The first one was on Saturday at my parents' home.  My mom hosted a Birthday/Thirty One party for me.  It was a lot of fun!  Cindy Jarvis, Lorraine Keating, Pat Rand, Tiffany Dauk, Jessica Millis, Kristen Speranza, my grandmother, Zoe, Emily, Eleanor & my mom were there.  My other kids were there, too, but they were hidden upstairs.  Carey Jo sells the Thirty One products and she did a great job with the party.  :-)  My sweet friends brought gifts and my thoughtful mom bought a cake.  It was a fun early birthday celebration!

My awesome neighbor/friend, Jenn invited me over today for a birthday lunch with Andrea & Colleen.  Noah & I had a great time with our friends.  :-)

We kicked off the evening family celebration with Chinese food.  My parents & my grandmother joined us.  Eleanor, Zach & Kate each gave me a dollar and they gave me some other toys.  I received money & gift cards to spend.  :-)  The cards that my family picked out for me were perfect.  Matt's card has Hillary Clinton, Obama & Joe Biden on the front.  On the inside it says Looks like getting older isn't the only thing we have to worry about...
Matt bought be a camera cord, but my Xoom is still not recognizing my camera!  Zoe went up on the new house and shoveled snow, so I wouldn't have to do it on my birthday.  Sweet!

I had a very nice birthday.  I am grateful for all the birthday wishes I have received in person, on the phone, on FB & through email.  :-)

4 more years

Politics has weighed heavily on my mind today.  We now live in a country where the majority of people have voted to continue to move our country down a socialist path.  It is depressing to me.  It has stressed me out all day.  I have listened to Glenn Beck.  I have looked at guns to buy.  I feel the need to better prepare our family for future crises.  We have been counseled for years and years and years to have a year supply of food, to have 72 hour kits, to get out of debt and I am now motivated to get our house in order.
Fortunately, Matt has already done some preparing for us.  I am turning into a right wing nut job and I am okay with that.

Mitt Romney

Presidential Candidate & A Fish

Mitt Romney got my vote today!  This country needs his business skills, leadership qualities & goodness!  I asked my grandmother who she was voting for and she gave me the right answer, so I gave her a ride to the polls.  :-)   The majority of Mainers voted for Obama, which is not surprising.  What IS surprising to me is everyone's obsession with Angus King for U.S. Senate.  I really shouldn't be surprised, though.

Matt is having a stressful week of appeals.  He should be here giving me updates on the election, but instead he is at work.  :-(

Did I mention a Mitt Romney fish?  Eleanor wanted her fish to be a girl, but it is a boy.  Time for a name change and being election day...Mitt or Romney or Mitt Romney came to mind.  I suspect it will be referred to as the fish, but one of these names might stick.

The first day of winter?

Snow flurries this afternoon.  Near blizzard conditions this evening for a few minutes while driving!  Basketball season has begun.  Darkness before 5pm.  It feels like winter.

Noah & I played the funnest game today with Zach & his classmates!  It is called Draw a Monster Game.  You need 2 or more players, one die, one piece of paper & crayons.  Each number on the die equals the part of the monster to be drawn.

6 = head
5 = 5 arms, 1 to be drawn for each throw
4 = body
3 = 3 legs, 1 to be drawn for each throw.
2 = 2 horns, 1 to be drawn for each throw.
1 = 1 tail

Each player rolls the die and draws a bit of the monster.  The kids had so much fun watching their strange creation grow!  There were so many giggles!  Any person who throws a number which has already been used has to forfeit a go.  The winner is the person who adds the final piece of the monster to complete the drawing.  I had the students roll the die to see who got to bring the paper home.  The highest roll won the drawing.  Such an easy, fun math game!  :-)

Zach has been saving his chore money for a little teddy bear that he saw at Build A Bear.  We went to the mall this evening, so he could buy the bear of his dreams.  He loved having his own money to spend!  I loved it, too. :-)  Eleanor spent her money on a betta fish & food.  I chipped in for the special drops for the water and we stopped at my parents' house on the way home to pick up the fish bowl that we were storing in their attic.  Eleanor is super excited to take care of her fish, which she has named Misty!  Emily bought some jewelry with some of her money.  The kids have done a great job paying tithing and I want to open savings accounts for them soon.  I would love to see them get into the habit of spending 80% of their earnings.  It would be a huge blessing to them throughout their lives.

My kids are great!

I am grateful that Matt & I came home to clean kids & a clean home last night.  Zoe is an awesome babysitter!

I am grateful for the extra sleep and extra time to get ready this morning.  :-)

I am grateful for Zoe's help this morning.  She helped Kate get ready by picking out her dress and doing her hair.  She also helped with Eleanor's outfit.  It is so much fun when big sisters share their accessories!

I am grateful that Emily put together a snack for all the kids to eat after Stake Conference.

It was interesting to hear about the increase of missionaries expected in our stake due to the fact that young men can now go on a mission when they are 18 and young women can go when they are 19.   We now have 1 pair of elders in our branch, but within months we could have another pair of elders or a pair of sisters.  I loved it when we had sisters living in Bucksport!  Some wards and branches could have 3 or 4 pairs of missionaries!  Exciting!

Stake Conference

Do we have someone we need to forgive?
We will be more at peace if we forgive.
We are only hurting ourselves when we don't forgive.

Have you felt prompted to ask someone to church or to an activity, but wondered why because the person doesn't seem interested?
Don't give up on people.  The Lord doesn't give up on us.

Invite missionaries into our home to teach family & friends.
The spirit of the Lord will reach our hearts & problems within our homes & branch will resolve themselves.

Are we striving to live the gospel of Jesus Christ?

The Savior asks that we give our all and He will make up the difference.

Revelation & miracles often come after all we can do.
With a proper attitude, prayer & planning, we can do all that we have been asked to do.

We can make it through tough times with the Savior's help.
The atonement of Jesus Christ is real.

Halloween Poem

By Zachary

Halloween is fun.
All the costooms are cool.
Leaves fall from trees.
Leaves are difrent colors.
On Halloween am a wiserd.
We are going to have fun.
Emily and me are going to have fun.
Eleanor and noah are going to have fun.
Nothing is going to stop me from trick or treating.

Also by Zachary

If I were a bat, I would...
sleep in.  I would hang upslidawn.  I would sleep in the day.  I would sore in lopdelop.  I would want to be one that eats frut.  I would hibernate.