New Month November

Let's start by cleaning away October. Those molding, sagging jack-o-lanterns need to go.

The kids thought a new month meant I needed a new screen saver on my phone.

It was a fun and silly surprise and made me smile all month long.

A new craving for fajitas lasted nearly all month and green beans were the favored dinner vegetable, especially for Nathan. He kept snitching in them and even asked one night if he could have only green beans for dinner.

Nathan was often caught snitching in the vegetables.

Hyrum continued working on his cookbook with a new original recipe, Fruit Leather Boats.

He typed it up and drew a picture, then made it to test his recipe. He really wanted to share his new creation so took a copy to Sister Peck.  The Peck family showed up the following Monday with family home evening treats that they had made following Hyrum's recipe. It was delicious!

Hyrum was one of the winners of the PTO fall reading contest at school. 

When the boys got home from school, Nathan told me that Hyrum looked like he was trying not to cry when they were taking his picture at the assembly. Hyrum shyly admitted that he was almost ready to cry because he was sad that Nathan didn't win too. He is such a kind, gentle soul.

Charlie's newest trick is to sit at the treat drawer and beg. 

He whimpers, runs his nose along the top of the drawer and tries to get his paws in the handle but has not yet figured out how to get it open. Those eyes get me every time and I end up opening the drawer for him.

November brought a few snow showers but it didn't slow Justin's trampoline tricks any.

This is what is looks like in real time. He makes a triple full look so easy!

Oh yeah, I had a birthday! 

Kara spoiled me with a basket of headache helpers. She's the one person in my life that hears all my headache woes and together we try to tackle them with as many natural methods as we can. This basket is so needed in my life! She also gave me the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel movies which are two of my favorites. The memories of watching them with Kara are also some of my favorites.

Nathan used one of his last Halloween candies and gave me a thoughtful note.

Kate gave me a bench. It is much more than just a bench; it is thoughtfulness, time, and work. 

And, it fits perfectly in my kitchen!

The story of the bench started several months prior at a garage sale in Utah. We both saw the bench and I considered it for my entryway. She considered it for her newly finished game room basement. Since it was raw wood (no finish) and had a missing piece, I passed and she took it. She talked of sanding and staining it to match the newly stained bar that she and Mike built in their theater room. It would be gorgeous. Little did I know that she was planning all along to give it to me.