Thanksgiving

Our Fullmer Family Thanksgiving was held in Lehi, Utah this year. Most of my siblings were able to make it which was a blast for all our kids to have time to play with their cousins. We stayed in the empty portion of Kellie's house (Boyd family is still in Africa) which provided us with plenty of room and to also be close to Grandma and Grandpa since they are living in the basement apartment.

Boy cousins definitely outnumber the girls in this age group.


While all the moms worked on dinner the kids were entertained with the huge Lego bin upstairs and coloring turkeys downstairs.

When they started to complain of boredom they had to do head/hand stands.

They spent a little time outside but came right back to finish their coloring.

Dinner at Kate's was fabulous. All of us pitching in with our favorites made a smorgasbord of deliciousness. Afterward we had plenty of time digesting napping, visiting, playing games, and renewing relationships.

The crowd included our family of ten, Grandma and Grandpa Fullmer, Joe and family, Josh and family, Kara and family, Cami and family, James and Landon, Jake and family, Kate and family, Autumn and Dustin with baby Reid. Missing were Kellie, John, and Jared.

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. 

Grandparents and the Best Birthday Ever!

On Sunday, August 23, I sat in a bath trying to recover from Primary, a headache and shoulder aches. Erika came knocking on the bathroom door begging to know when I would be out of the tub. It was such a random request that I joked back, "are you four?"  She convinced me that they (the kids) wanted to all watch a family movie together and since I hadn't seen it yet (Inside Out) I agreed to be out in ten minutes.

When I went into the living room ten minutes later I heard a ruckus under the living room window, looked outside and found Erika in the raspberry patch. She told me that she was hoping to find a few last raspberries, which I thought was odd considering the raspberries were done two weeks prior. But, I shrugged it off and we all moved our way downstairs. I did think it was strange that all of the older kids were pushing to start an animated movie immediately and insisting that LeRoy and I stay and watch the whole thing.  Later, Erika confessed to having turned LeRoy's phone off and Levi admitted to holding his breath the whole time worried that I would leave the room to get something like I usually do during the previews.

We all sat down for "the movie" which Justin was playing through his computer. We watched the preview for the new Minion movie and then a really odd preview started with bits from Rexburg tragedies (flood of '76, recent shooting near Walgreens) and then it turned to Batman saving Rexburg. That's when I suspected it was an announcement. I could sense Erika watching us and started to grin and laugh. LeRoy was still clueless and couldn't figure out why I was laughing at this silly home movie that had Bret playing Batman and his soon to be side-kick Erika.

When LeRoy did finally get it he started sobbing. We all laughed through the end of the video - because it was funny AND because LeRoy was crying so hard. Nathan and Hyrum just looked confused but soon understood as Erika explained and pulled out some shirts that she and Daymia had made for them.

The news of becoming an uncle was big and took a few minutes for Hyrum to grasp. "I've been waiting my whole life to be an uncle! But, I don't have gray hair" was his first puzzled thought. I told him about my little brother Jared who became an uncle at age two when Levi was born. He accepted that but continued to silently let it sink in. "He's going to have two uncles!" he then expressed and that's when we explained further who would be the uncles.

Justin brought cupcakes from his room and that's when Erika explained that when I caught her in the raspberries she had actually just put the cupcakes in Justin's room through the window.

While eating his cupcake Hyrum quizzed Daymia,
"I keep thinking you're the one that's going to have the baby" 

"Why's that?" 
"Aren't you older than Erika?" 
"Yeah, I am." 
"Then how in the world don't you have a baby yet!?"

LeRoy and I also got shirts announcing our new status.

Once LeRoy got his tears under control he called his dad to tell him. As soon as his dad answered he burst into tears again and couldn't talk. That's when he handed the phone to Erika. Erika told Papa that she was going to have a baby and had to repeat it a couple of time because he kept asking, "what?"  Erika said it again to which Papa stated in bold exclamation, "I heard what you said but I don't understand how that's possible. I thought LeRoy had the surgery". Erika burst into laughter and yelled into the phone (because Papa is practically deaf), "Papa, it's Erika Jo. I'm going to have a baby".  He and Cynthia Darlene were both very excited for her . . . and very glad that I wasn't the one who was pregnant.

LeRoy did the most adorable, crazy shuffle dance and in a high pitch voice squeaked, "I'm going to be a grandpa!!!"  Oh, if there was one thing in life I wish we had on camera it is LeRoy's grandpa dance. He hasn't been able to imitate it since but it is safely stored in our long term memories.

His little girl is having a baby!

Bret and Erika make life so much fun!


Erika surprised me for my birthday with an invitation to go to her 20 week ultrasound.

Life seemed to pause as that tiny rhythmic heartbeat announced from the coming of motherhood for my Erika Jo. Though the baby was folded in half the whole time with legs directly over the head, we could see that she was indeed a she.

Baby Girl Hellbusch due March 22, 2016.

I had hidden in my bag a pair of newborn pajamas that Erika wore home from the hospital the day after she was born, just in case she was having a girl. It was worth storing it for 20+ years in my cedar chest to share this moment with her!

Posted on Facebook:  In 9 days it will have been 22 years since I dressed my new baby girl in these teeny tiny pajamas. My heart is bursting with joy as I watch her in full blown motherly anticipation as she prepares for the arrival of her own baby girl! You will be a wonderful mother, Erika Jo!

We (Bret, Erika and I) kept our new secret for 6 whole days! It was very difficult to avoid pronouns and I actually avoided talking to anyone who might ask.  The boys kept trying to trick me and a couple of times they nearly succeeded. Erika also had a hard time keeping it quiet since people at work knew she had found out the gender.

Erika wanted to do a fun reveal party on Sunday with everyone so we put together some games. First, each person chose either a Batman or Cat Woman symbol to represent if they thought Erika would be having a boy or girl.

Pee in the Cup Game

We stuffed balloons in our shirts so that we all had big bellies and put a ping pong ball between our legs (to force us to do the knee clenching "I need to pee" walk) and tried to drop the ball into a cup.

The older boys started us off with athletic skill and competition.

The younger boys couldn't quite get the hang of it. After three unsuccessful tries Justin pulled a plank and Hyrum followed suit. Nathan wouldn't give up and after his fifth try he made it.

The girls hopped their way to the finished line and did their best with split squats. Those prego bellies were adorable!

Erika raced with LeRoy and I and she totally made it first try. Her doctor visit training paid off to win the Pee in the Cup game.

To finally get to the reveal Erika pulled out silly string cans that she had covered in blue and pink. Those who thought she was having a boy took a blue covered can and those who thought she was having a girl took a pink covered can.

The result was a room full of pink silly string.
It's a girl!!!

Erika is rocking this pregnancy business! My admiration for her grows daily as I watch her cheerfully handling the waddling, hip pain, rib aches, and sleepless nights. She is spectacular! I am in awe of her strength and positive attitude.

Halloween Dance

Kayla popped the question on Friday:

Justin cleverly responded on Sunday: (which was quite to his advantage, thanks to Uncle Vernon)

While she was at church he left the sorting hat pumpkin on her doorstep.  Inside were bobbles with clues that she had to sort to know where to go next to find the question, "Do you know what's so great about Sunday, Kayla?" That led her to the howler in the mailbox.


The superhero couple met up with Batman (Kendall in Bret's suit) before heading off to the dance.

Each couple in their group represented a superhero; Justin and Kayla were The Flash.

The elementary school playground was the perfect location for hero pictures!

There was a little concern about breaking the monkey bars though.

It bowed quite deeply with all of them hanging on it.


The jungle gym fit these monkeys perfectly.

Such a fun group of energetic heroes!

Justin, Kayla, Cole, Claire, Rilee, Hannah, Isaac, Brita, Cameron, Reagan

October

Nathan, Hyrum and I put together some Booing kits to surprise our neighbors with. We specifically chose one family with children with extreme food allergies and another family that has a child on a specific diet due to epilepsy. It was a challenge coming up with items that could be fun and tasty.  

Apple juice mummies, mandarin pumpkins, and homemade salt dough monsters.

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Charlie jumped up on the seat and whimpered his request to go with me as I was loading my bags for a personal trip to Utah.  Sorry Bud, it's a sisters weekend.

(Witch nose editing compliments of Mike.)

Kara, Kate, Kathy and I spent a fun night at Witchapalooza music dinner theater dressed up as witches; eating a delicious dinner and laughing through the hilariously entertaining musical production of the The Lyin', The Witch and The Warlock.

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The fruits of last year's explosive Thanksgiving labors were in full bloom by July. While killing weeds along the ditch bank we found 7 pumpkins plants, one of which had enough blossoms to provide us with Halloween jack-o-lanterns for this year, which we will most likely blow up to perpetuate the pumpkin cycle. Redneck farming at its best.

With a few tips from Levi and a drill added to our carving tools we came up with some pretty sweet designs.

My personal favorite was Erika's pregnant pumpkin.

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Erika made a a very mummy dinner for us!

She went all out with her makeup skills trying to win the costume contest at work. The picture looks gross but in real life it looks like real wounds! I don't think I would have recognized my zombie daughter if I had seen her on the street.

Her other costume for work was our favorite. Again, with amazing makeup talent.

The pregnant zebra!


Hyrum was so excited to be Batman just like Bret.

Nathan combined several costumes into one and was very satisfied with the result.

Daymia and Levi dressed up as . . . themselves?

The beautiful angel and the handsome devil.

The best part about Levi's costume is that he found those pants at DI. They look like they were made just for that costume.

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Nathan: "Do you notice anything different? I cut my mole hair."

Hyrum: "When I have a good idea, my brain actually says 'blink'."

Hyrum: "Sometimes when I'm supposed to be sleeping I'm just thinking of things to build."

Kimber: "The weekend is always my weak end."

Erika: "This baby girl likes to do gymnastics when I'm supposed to be sleeping."

Charlie will go out 8-10 times a day to sit on the back porch, facing the neighbors house, looking for his girlfriend, Roxie.  One day I heard him whining and went looking for him to see what trouble he was in.  He was actually on the neighbors back porch whining for Roxie to come out. Another day, Roxie was sitting near our back door barking for Charlie to come out and play. Hyrum informed me that he has married them. He even held a ceremony, "but they wouldn't hold still and they didn't kiss at the end".