Here’s November 2015:
It actually was in October but my picture ended up here – I got to live through the day that I’d adored watching since I was a kid, October 21, 2015. Back to the Future was one of my all time favorite movies and I couldn’t wait to pay for things with my thumbprint. I couldn’t do that and I actually still have a dust buster that we use frequently, so the movie didn’t get it quite right, but a Delorean does live in the garage around the corner!
I try to avoid messy stacks for numerous reasons, but sometimes they happen. Sometimes my messy stack is the most comfy place in the whole house for this cat to nap!
Sometimes that comfy nap spot is in front of the fire!
My mom still lives in the home she and Dad bought in 1968. They moved in next to Ernie and Irene Millgate. Irene passed away a few years ago, but Ernie held on until November. It was time for him to go and he was able to go on the Honor Flight for being a veteran of WWII just weeks before. The Millgates were always very good to me and treated me like I was one of their own grandkids. Good, good people. So long, Neighbor!
Kevin let me escape for a very short trip to see my friend Shelly in Arizona. I wasn’t even gone 48 hours, but it was a really great get-away. Kevin wanted pictures, so here am I on the plane!
Best of friends!
Sometimes we look better than others…
Shelly took me to an improv comedy club to see Stacey from Studio C. Her older kids are huge fans, so they came along, too.
Tommy got back his Reflections project – he did photography and took pictures in our back yard. Worked for me! He got an honorable mention award for it.
They hung up the picture in the boys’ school of the September students of the month … see that Mustang on the far right – that’s Tommy!
PTA sponsored a patriotic assembly for Veteran’s Day. The 6th graders performed a couple of songs. Ricky is front row, hands in his pockets.
Leaf piles! I love our annual leaf fight. This year we borrowed a rake that pulls behind the lawn mower and were able to make a huge pile of fun!
There was a lot of joy going on in that pile …
Really. They liked it.
They liked it so much that it was pretty much impossible to get a good picture of all five of them. They held this particular pose for all of 10 seconds until someone was throwing leaves or ducking under a pile again.
We are equal opportunity and very tolerant around our house … both Storm Troopers and Rebel Pilots are welcome at our Thanksgiving table!
Rusty had more therapy in November with Eli. He developed such a cute relationship with his therapist. Major progress was being made and he was down to going every other week by the end of the month.
We had the PTA Council Reflections Award program. This was judging among the top entrants in all the feeder schools to our high school. Both Ricky and Rusty advanced to the next round. Billy got an awesome silver medal.
Rusty was thrilled.
Billy took it hard at first, but he understood that his category was the toughest one and he put his smile on and celebrated his silver medal.
Sometimes Tommy just needs me to play a game with him. Go Fish is always a good choice. It makes him giggle a lot!
Tommy and Bobby were driving me a bit nuts one day when it was just too cold to send them out. So I brought the outside in. They played on this play set for 45 minutes straight without a pause! It takes up way too much room, but it is a lifesaver!
See? If you let him play himself silly on the play set, Bobby will sleep in the most adorable position come nap time. He loves his puppy!
Santa needs plenty of notice about Christmas gift ideas, so the boys wrote their letters before Thanksgiving. They took it very seriously!
Our church’s Primary children program was the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Don’t the boys look dapper?
This next picture is their true selves. The program was good and I cried as usual. Some tears were because it was Ricky’s last Primary program. Some were because the boys all recited or read their talks so well (Rusty had his totally memorized but he waited patiently as his teacher found the right spot in the script…and then he recited it from memory!). But most tears were from joy! Billy loves to sing and he projects his voice very well – I could usually pick his voice out above the other children’s (we have about 45 kids in our Primary). However, when they started singing “Build an Ark,” EVERYONE heard Billy and loved it! He put his whole heart into that song. I wanted to pull out my camera so badly! It was fabulous! Almost as awesome was when they sang “Called to Serve.” During the chorus, Billy was actually hopping to accentuate certain words! Serious tears of joy! Then the girl next to him turned and gave him a look of “what are you doing?” and I cried more because she has typically been the one to steal the show with her loudness and hand motions. It was great! Truly wonderful!
Bobby likes all things vehicle. And don’t even think to mess with his vehicles!
Bobby also prefers his corn dogs naked. The dog, not him.
Kevin went over to the barn while the boys were filming the Christmas Nativity video that our Primary made this year and took a few behind the scenes pictures. (Ricky is the town person on the far right – red tunic, white head robe)
It was really neat for the boys to see all the steps and time it takes to make a movie like that. (Billy is back center with brown head robe and Rusty is front left with white head robe, blue tunic).
It was also quite cold and required a lot of patience … all good things for them to learn how to tolerate. (Rusty and Billy in the back and Ricky adjusting his head robe in the front right. Tommy bottom front polka dot red head robe is all you can see)
And I so loved how the video turned out! I’m glad the boys got to participate! (there’s Billy)
Sometimes Bobby is just too cute for words. Like when he wears his sock monkey hat. Sigh. I love him!
And there you go.