Wow, what a month. I'm sitting here just past midnight at the end of November. I tried going to sleep and I just can't seem to. Not sure why. Usually it happens when my mind is racing - but I don't really feel like it is right now. I always have plenty of things on my mind, usually I struggle to figure out how to keep track of everything I want to do. But lately even though I still have plenty on my mind, I don't feel overwhelmed or worried about it. Lately I've felt so calm and content. Pmc's medication has helped settle our lives so much. Things we have struggled to settle (finances, household schedules, basic family functioning) for years have suddenly become easy to make decisions about. There is a constant feeling of gratitude for these blessings. So it's surprising to me that over the past month I've had more ulcers and nights where I can't sleep than usual. I've always been one who doesn't get sick until I've taken care of everyone else and feel like it's safe to. It's not like I choose this - it just seems I have this magical ability to make my body hold things off until everyone and everything else is taken care of. I think maybe the same thing is happening here.
Things have not been totally smooth with Pmc's depression. The first 3 weeks were really great other than he struggled with sleep a bit. But as things settled he started having a day here and there where he would get depressed, and it sort of worried him. I wasn't worried - I figured it was just the normal ups and downs of life we all get. But then he had a few days in a row of depression and then I did start to worry a bit. But we're seeing it balance out a bit and I think things are all right.
November was obviously full of family time. My sister came into town from Philadelphia for a wedding so we got a little extra family time there. My little brother moved out of my mom's house, and I'm afraid we'll see even less of him than we do already. We had a few more appointments to take care of car issues than I'd like. We enjoyed our last few weeks of Homeschool Co-op for the semester, and we learned how to keep homeschool pretty simple. We are learning to get outside a lot even as it's getting colder, and went bowling a few times with family. The missionaries helped us around the property a bit, and we got to drive the snowcat for the first time after getting it and the grader serviced. Plus we of course had a few Thanksgiving celebrations! We made plans to start blogging as a family - but we really haven't figured out how to make that happen yet - maybe in December? We'll see!
For now we'll sum up November with our pictures and hope that next month we really can record a few more details.
I will share one little incident we had today because it made us laugh and it's still in my memory: Pmc grilled some steaks and I heated up some frozen vegetables for dinner. When Arc was half-way done with her steak she asked if she could please have some more vegetables. I commented how she was surely my daughter, to which Pmc quickly replied that if that was so, the boys were surely his sons because they were both commenting to Pmc about how well he had grilled the steaks.
After taking the kids to the State Fair, they entered little writing contests associated with the fair - and both of them won 2nd place for their grade. Cdc actually won both of the two contests they each entered. He was so excited about it, but he looked like a deer in the headlights as he stood up there to receive his prize.
Each of the kids got to invite two guests, plus I got to invite two guests as their teacher - Cpc was really excited that his cousin Cac could make it, as well as Grams, Papa and Uncle Hdhe.
They all really liked the huge cupcakes they got!
Cdc even won a big "Got Milk" sweatshirt in the raffle.
Arc is learning to flash her "U".
Cpc and Arc managed to finish off their bags of Halloween candy within days of Halloween. Cdc made it all the way to the 16th - and that was with him sharing his candy on a daily basis with me!
Early Thanksgiving dinner at Momsey's!
Dinner with the siblings while Cdee was in town.
Crazy hair and pajama day for school!
I never let the kids ride these rides - I think they are such a waste. But I finally gave in the other day, and it was worth the fifty cents and the years of pestering I've been through for their absolute thrill about it!
Cpc lost his two bottom front teeth. He was thrilled about the tooth fairy! Now all he wants for Christmas is his two front teeth!
I love the way Cdc draws, and I love that he loves to draw.
This is what our weekly assembly at co-op looks like.
Trying to get outside daily!
Our first ride in the snowcat.
Field trip to the fire station.
Bowling night with cousins.
Thanks to Tec and Jbc for coming up to bowl with us!
Thanksgiving brunch.
The kids trying out the new kitchen bench for the first time. It looks like they'll get along really well this way right?
It was my first time hosting "Thanksgiving" and I loved that everyone was okay with doing it low-key and going brunch style instead of the traditional. I don't feel bad missing out on the traditional style since we had a full-on Turkey dinner at Momseys last week.
We had pumpkin french toast, turkey/stuffing casserole, cranberry/pecan upside down coffee cake, and fresh apple cider. All the traditional flavors in a totally different way.
Our thankful tree. The kids did SO WELL at adding leaves all month long. Pmc and I didn't remember quite as often.
Making our first post-thanksgiving Christmastime treat - muddy buddies in Christmas colors!
