We're thankful ...

Thanksgiving was so fun this year!  I love that we have room enough to host big groups now.  "If you build it, they will come", right?  We had 32 for Thanksgiving last year (the kitchen had been completed just the day before -- we were wiping sawdust off of counters and everything) and we had about as many Farleys here this year.  Love it!

The day started with a little turkey oil massage ...  Kinda creeping' me out here but the end result was well worth the nasty beginning.   Brining the turkey is a 'thumbs up' way to go, we've decided.

The Sharples, Blakes and grandma came over several hours early so we could all cook and hang out together.  That meant we had moments like these:

After a Farley girls' movie night to see Pitch Perfect a few days before, Maddie taught us all how to do Anna Kendrick's cup song.  There was serious cup rhythm stuff going on around here.

Auntie KK took the littles out for a nature walk.

Sydney & Haley mastered the art of potato peeling in mass quantities.

My 2 sisters.  I love these girls so much.

My Mikey carving the turkey.

The Sharples boys are serious about their electronics.

Finally, it was time to eat.  We had a teenage boys' table....

... and a teenage girls' table (not all seated yet).  Paige was feeling pretty cool to be included.

This is one sign of a successful Thanksgiving dinner. 

My brother, Quinn, and his family had planned to come but the flu made a nasty appearance in their family instead.  Boo.

After dinner, we played beauty salon with Kate.  She's always willing to let me paint her nails or do her hair, the cutie patootie.

I can't believe this is the only picture I took of Linsey & Ryan, my favorite Utah cousins ever. :)  We sure love their family.  Tyler was showing everyone something obviously funny on the iPad.  I love that their cute family can be with us for family gatherings now -- the only Farley cousins who live here in state.

One of my favorite Thanksgiving moments .... this lot, lip-syncing for themselves on the Mac. :)  I love seeing cousins together.

The Thanksgiving weekend also included:

* A unique and amazing temple trip for some of us, even another Farley cousin, Chad, who was here for the holiday.

* A trip to City Creek to see Santa and play at Elle's favorite playland ever.

* A date night with Ryan & Linsey -- and since I didn't take a picture that night, I'll include one from our Breaking Dawn party the week before.  Love this girl.

* Cousin sleepovers, fort making, pre-Thanksgiving late night runs to the store to make sure we had enough food & supplies, Chopped competitions (where the girls have to make something edible out of random ingredients), plenty of Nintendo DS, iPad and Mac games happening, toy room playing/destroying ... it was a fun weekend.

And then we finished it all off with a Mayfield stomach flu fest!!!  Yay!!! :(

'Tis the Season ...

This time of year is heavy with birthdays at our house.  Last week was Mike & Paige's shared birthday week.  Mike flew to Seattle with his family and friend, Rob (all die hard Ute fans), to watch his beloved Utes play in an NFL stadium -- a pretty big deal for everyone.  Paul reserved a suite, which was pretty sweet.  (I'm killing myself.)

The rest of us stayed home and celebrated Paige's birthday.  She had a party with just a few friends...

... complete with lunch at her favorite place (Costa Vida).

We transformed her favorite dessert there (tres leches cake) into her own personal birthday cake.  She kinda liked it.

Then the party continued on to Build-A-Bear.  The multitude of choices was a bit overwhelming for some of them.  We were there for, like, ever.

Success!  Haley was cracking me up.  She didn't get a bear, obviously, because she's way too mature.  Right?  Afterward, she kept talking to her own build-a-bear that she had made, whose name was Mr. Invisible.  She'd laugh at imaginary things he'd said to her and had all of the girls more interested in her Mr. Invisible than in their own bears.  It was pretty funny.

Once daddy was back home, we had a joint cake and dinner for them both.

Now we just have Elle's birthday in a couple of weeks.  And then Christmas....  Coming up with multiple good gift ideas for everyone is hard!  Any good ideas are welcome.

Instagram

I heart Instagram.  I also laugh at the hashtags everyone adds to their pictures.  What's supposed to be a helpful description has become another avenue for commentary.  For example, I posted this picture of my kids with the following description: "For dinner tonight, I gave the kids cash and had them choose their own dinners at the grocery store.  They voted for that over dinner out somewhere." 

And then I added the hashtag #tvdinnersaresicknast.  I'm probably only cracking myself up but it amuses me.

Since Instagram doesn't print onto my blog books, I'll reprint them here....

While getting my hair done by my fav cousin-hairstylist, Linsey also painted Elle's nails.  Talk about full service! #isthereanyquestionwhyweloveLinseysomuch

And then Linsey did this to my hair .....

I don't change much with my cut but I love to play with color. #ombrebaby

Waiting for Paige to get out of dance, these two hooligans laid on the car and had a mini guitar concert. #goodthingmycarwasclean

The Mayfield brothers and dad in the background.  Sadly, this was at their Grandma's funeral. #theylooknothingalike

Meet Noelle.  That's her given name, obviously, but we've called her Elle for 98% of her life.  Heading into kindergarten, though, she decided she wanted to be called Noelle.  And so they have.  Took me awhile to call her Noelle, too, while in their class but I've adjusted. :)  #kindergartenrocks #ilovetovolunteerinherclass

He'll hate that I put this here but I have to show this picture, even though Christian looks like a dweeb.  He has lots of girl friends.  Girl friends, not girlfriends.  The boy is super comfortable with girls, who seem to like hanging around with him, too.  Makes me nervous for dating years to come ....  #mompleasestopembarrassingme

Noelle's first visit from the tooth fairy.  #sometimesourtoothfairyforgets #thankfullynotthistime

Christian found the best vantage point for picking apples. #boyswillbeboys

Elle's 1st year playing soccer was a relative success.  It took her awhile to learn that it's ok when her teammates scored goals, even if she didn't score one herself.  She tried hard, though.  #sheinheritedhermotherslackofathletictalent

Paige scored a one-on-one date with daddy to a Utah game.  #alonewith45000otherfans

Came and told me she was moving to California.  Not in a mad way ... just a decision she had made. #thanksfortheheadsup

Elle and her little friend, Bronwyn, at a mini-drill team camp. #tryingnottopicturethemin10years

Christian received his first jazz band shirt, complete with his self-chosen name embroidered on the front.  #someonethinkstheyreprettycool #noproblemwithselfesteemapparently

You know you live in a fun neighborhood when this neighbor shows up giving rides ... #pleasedontfalloff

What is it with this child and ginormous stuffed animals?  #goodthingitwasntforsale

If you wear a yellow coat, you should definitely drive a yellow car. #faultyreasoning #thankfullyshewontbedrivingforalongtimeyet

"Hey, Elle -- I have a really fun game...." #startedoutfunnybutshewascryingbeforelong #tuckedintight

Massive snowstorm -- 2 feet, some reports said.  #uptoherwaist #madeforamazingsledding

Candy-a-holics

I'm a big fan of Halloween.  I love that it means cooler weather and colorful leaves and that it also means lots of candy around our house.  Love that!  Kinda kidding about the candy part, but only kinda.     Love me some sugar.

Elle recycled this Cleopatra costume that is on its 3rd year of use at our house.  Paige used it the previous 2 years and my niece was the original owner.  That headdress and collar took some serious work by my sis, Kelly.  So glad she lets us enjoy her handiwork.

Mike joined me this year for the elementary school costume parade.  He hasn't ever been able to before but this is our baby we're talking about and he didn't want to miss the magic entirely.  As always, he claims the right to take the girlies trick-or-treating.  That's his thing and I'm always the candy hander-outer.

Paigie was a glow stick alien.  Of her own creation. :)

Haley went home with friends right after school and decided to trick-or-treat in more affluent neighborhoods, figuring that the candy would be bigger and better.  She came home with quite the loot.  Weird, though, that I didn't get to see her on all of Halloween.  Her Tribute costume from Hunger Games was pretty simple but her 'bloodied' face was definitely the work of adolescent girls going crazy with fake blood.

Christian and his 2 sidekicks (all of whom are too old to trick-or-treat anymore) decided to terrorize the kids who came to our house.  Ian was Dracula and Jeffrey was this extremely creepy, deranged clown guy.  Creeps me out just looking at him.

Their plan was to have Christian answer the door as just himself to see if the trick-or-treaters were 3 year old Buzz Lightyears or princesses.  If they were, Christian gave them candy and was very sweet to them.  If, on the other hand, they were slightly older, Jeffrey & Ian would jump out as Christian reached back for the candy.  Scared the bejeebies out of some of those kids, judging by their screams.

They also took to the roof and just hovered above the front door.  It was pretty creepy, even if you saw them as you walked up the sidewalk.  Last year, these 3 pulled off a decent spook alley in the back yard.  Halloween is always fun with teenage boys around....