Sadie Hawkins and SNOW

Thanks to peer pressure, Maddie got a date to their Sadie Hawkins Dance this year--50's theme, and we got to host the dinner portion at our house (very last minute--Maddie doesn't believe in over-dramatics--she emailed her date an invitation--no elaborate puzzle schemes or scavenger hunts for her!).  She was good to invite someone she doesn't know as well, and their group seemed to end up having a lot of fun.  Emily helped by folding napkins and helping me set up the table and light candles while I made a dessert:

We've also enjoyed sustaining a new stake presidencey at Stake Conference w/ Elder Kopischke, and his effervescent wife Christiana--so German, and SO delightful!!, Family Skate night for FHE, Brian getting Veteran's Day off of work, Brent attending an EFY Day up at Weber State w/ Gavin, Maddie and Emily watching friends in school plays, and I just got called to be the Beehive Advisor in our ward--w/ Emily! I am thrilled.  Jane has taken 3 steps!, Lucy is writing her name, and we LOVED the Primary Program today.  Lucy stood right up in that front row of Sunbeams, and sang EVERY word to every song like a pro--and they all did a wonderful job.  It felt weird though, having more children on the bench with me than participating! I love the line from the song, "God gave us families, to help us become what He wants us to be." It is my answer to nearly every conflict or injustice in the house now---"Well, we're supposed to be here in families, so there must be something to be learned from this--let's see what we can do better," or "Oh, don't families give us such a good chance to practice...patience, sharing, forgiving, something ELSE, etc., etc." So comforting to realize this is all a [divinely designed] process, not a performance!!

Wed night, just as I was trying to finish getting dinner ready before Youth night, Brian called saying his clutch had failed on the way home, so he had to be towed home that night.  Thankfully, he was JUST at the 15 mile mark (limit on our roadside assistance) from a car shop in town! The next morning, was our first snow of the year, and though barely a skiff, the roads were SLICK!! As I was in the middle of a frenzied morning, taking Brent to an orthodontist appt after much carpooling (while playgroup gathered at our empty house), a car slid into us! By the time I turned around (and dropped Brent off) the car was gone, but fortunately, there was no real damage! There were lots of car trouble stories shared at playgroup that morning, and the very next day, our neighbor was hit on the way home from dropping off our husbands at the train station! One ward member had loaned us an extra car, which I passed on to her--such a crazy driving week! I was so grateful not be overwhelmed by it all though.  I have LOVED Elder Klebingat's talk from this last Conference (we just call him "Jorg") as he talks of 6 steps to silencing evil voices in our lives--the first 5 seem so action-oriented and tangible to me, but the last one of just REMEMBERING trials and setbacks are PART OF MORTALITY, (not a punishment, not a reflection on our weaknesses, not a personally aimed unfairness, etc.) has been such a gift to remember, as I try to do better at facing all of the bumps in the road as just part of the journey and not a complete detour to happiness. There is SO much to enjoy--just like the kids showed me that morning I was NOT excited to see the snow starting!

Fall Fun!

Besides our trip to New England, this has really been a sensational fall, BECAUSE it hasn't been interrupted by snow midstream!! We've actually had mid-range temperatures for more than a day or two, and lots of fun leaf time like burying Anne :).

We loved the (FREE!!-with canned food donations) J&J Greenhouse Hayride with free-as many as you can carry-pumpkins

 

 Lucy's little Home Preschool group took a field trip to the Fire Station on Letter "F" day--one of the Dads in our group is a volunteer fireman, so we got a great tour! I've gotten to teach the last couple of weeks too--having a fun Halloween party and Nursery Rhyme Day--these 5 kiddos are SO fun!--I used to be nursery leader for all of them, and 4 years old is a fabulous age where EVERYthing is wonderful!

We enjoyed some Fall concerts/recitals (and missed our piano one for the trunk-or-treat---what is becoming of our priorities!?!)
Brent has been BUSY with Jazz Band and Symphonic Band--he also had the honor of going to District Band (for the entire School District) and has loved the quality of experience there.  Here he is at piano (jazz) and clarinet:

 Anne had a Grand Suzuki Concert that G&G Duncan were able to be here for--she has just finished Book 1!!

AND, Halloween of course! We decorated our door and had a week of SPOOKY EATS for dinner every night:

 Mummy dogs

 Monster Meatball sandwiches (sorry this one looks like a monster was eating it--who thinks of cameras after cooking?!)

 dinner in a pumpkin

Ghost potatoes

and Jack-O-Lantern Pizza (thank you Papa Murphy's)
We had a Ward Trunk-or-Treat and chili cook off, after which Brian and I enjoyed seeing Jekyll and Hyde at our Centerpoint Theater.

We carved pumpkins for FHE, roasted pumpkin seeds that we ate as preschool snacks,  attended the school's Halloween parade, and helped out--almost simultaneously at Anne's and Spencer's class parties, making clothespin bats and Q-tip skeletons :)
 
Halloween night was cool, but clear, and perfect conditions to head out on a brisk walk with the trick-or-treaters through our AWESOME neighborhood of cocoa firepits, hotdog cookouts and outdoor movies--I LOVE IT!! Emily had fun with cousin Makena, Maddie hung out with some youth and her twinfriend Mandy, and Brent and his buddy Gavin roamed the neighborhood as horses (??) giving poor children candy out of their horse mouths, and knocking on doors before laying hoof up on people's porches (I think--I didn't follow those two around).  It was nice to include so much fun without being stressed out! I remember almost skipping trick-or-treating altogether when Brent, Maddie, and Emily were pretty young, and how Dad was appalled at the idea of stealing their fun--it just seemed so exhausting for so little return!--it feels nice to enjoy some of the fun now :).

DREAM TRIP!! Day 3

 We spent the night in Lincolnville, and got up in the morning to catch the Rockland Ferry, but after parking and running across town (literally--free parking was a few blocks away), we just MISSED the ferry, and though sad, were told to be grateful, "A Nor'Easter was coming, and would make for a terrible ride!"--we looked at the towns of Camden, and caught some more lighthouses instead.

Camden Harbor

 Rockland Harbor (one of Brian's favorite areas, not because of his apartment)

 Walk out to Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse--over a mile on 70,000 tons of granite!

 view from the lighthouse

 Cold and windy--Jane was a great sport, but I turned her around to face me for the walk back :)

 Rockland Chapel, with hint of rock wall in front---lots of rock walls everywhere--very Robert Frost-ish ("Good Fences Make Good Neighbors")

 Owl Head Lighthouse

 View looking down

 And a Fabulous lunch at Moody's--a HUGE famous diner right on Highway 1 w/ great seafood baskets, DELICIOUS Moon Pies, and charming service--Jane had fun w/ a lemon while we waited for our food (they start everyone with fresh warm biscuits, but they didn't last long enough for photos!)

 We got back to Boston in time to meet Nick and Laurie after work--see Laurie's chic workplace, jam their trunk shoving our stroller in, enjoy some fabulous pasta in Little Italy, and really indulge w/ cannoli's from Mikes' Pastries for dessert! What a treat the whole trip was, and how in love I fell with a whole new corner of the country--I kept telling Brian, "I'm pretty sure I'm meant to live here." It was fun for him to revisit those mission years of growing and learning, and to remember the love he had for the people of Maine.  I am SOOO grateful those plane tickets went on sale before Nick and Laurie leave Boston, and that we could spend a few precious seconds with them--I am constantly amazed at who I get to be related to!

Speaking of amazing people, Stacey stepped in at the last second to live in our house for three days, since Kathy ended up in the hospital right after we left, and plans had to be juggled around.  Thankfully, Kathy was home quick, the children behaved, and we came home to find all VERY well upon return :). Thank goodness for family!!