December Days

We had the sweetest time visiting a friend in this nursing home, but this little lady could not get enough of Emma.  And Emma was so adorable.  She happily gave her hug after hug.(we all know what a great hugger she is).

It made me so happy to see my daughter unafraid, confident, and so kind.

Do you OnGuard?

(essential oil from DoTerra)

We are nearly always cursed with catching some terrific bug while visiting AZ.  SO, for this upcoming holiday trip I decided we needed to try something to keep us heathy,

and it might have even worked!

Thanks, to my sister-in-law Katy.

New hair do.

@abellasbraids on instagram

My little snow nymph.

 Holiday gooey rolls.

Then off to AZ for another wonderful Christmas vacation.

I think my instagram descrpition reads, "Why would anybody be crazy enough to do this every year?"

And we are.  Crazy to see our family.  We miss them so.

Conference Camping

During the first weekend in October the family went camping to our favorite fall campsite, Camp Joseph in Sharon VT.  Last years trip is here.  And this year did not disappoint either!  We had our friends the Antunes family with us and it was fun to introduce them to camping. Except that Arty brought so, so much food...he must have thought our family was full of piggies. ;) 

By now, Adam and I are feeling pretty confident in our camping abilities these days with the things we learned with the McNiven's last year and a week of youth Trek under our belts from this summer.  We purchased a camp stove, made sure everyone had boots, plenty of socks, sweatshirts and jackets, and bought some real sleeping bags for the kids-those cute thinly insulated ones did not cut it last year.  And of course, we packed everyone an extra quilt just in case.  Our jean quilts were the ones everyone fought over.  There is nothing warmer that a jean quilt.  Thank you Katy for the one you made us a few Christmas's ago.  I slept with it and it was toasty.

We had everything we needed.  I know because I made the entire camping list and piled it all near the door.  I even remembered the most important item-my camera, but when I arrived in VT I discovered I left it's battery charging at home.  Boo whoo.  I missed it so... all weekend.   It was just so beautiful.  I kept beating myself up every time I saw something pretty.  So it is an Iphone camping trip. I'm sorry.

These photos are not order.  I had to add them from my phone and Adam's and the ones Amanda sent me.  I have spent too much time gathering them together to put them in order too.  The first day we hiked.  It was a great hike on the Appalachian trail.  We wanted to see what the shelters looked like that hikers stay in when they are camping on the trail.  We walked a bit out of the way before we realized we took the wrong trail when two trails intersected.  Emma noticed right away, but the rest of us brushed it off.  She was right and we ended hiking a few extra miles.  It was our biggest family hike by far.  We covered about 6 miles.  I was amazed at how well the kids did.  Adam carried Seth, but the other younger two, Gracie and Cayden, walked the whole way.  Ellie and I held their hands to help them lengthen their stides a bit, but they were great hikers.

The second day we visited the Memorial and took a pickup ride to see the foundation sites.  We listened to Conference over our devices and let the kids play in the campground and we cooked and ate and ate some more.

Sunday morning we packed it all up and once again turned on Conference to listen to on the way home.  Sunday morning was just so beautiful. They was this gorgeous tree that was raining her yellow leaves down around us.  I remember thinking as I walked out of the cabin that morning after not sleeping well for the past three night(next year that boy will stop waking up and screaming at night), that maybe we didn't have to leave just yet.  Can you believe it?  Not wanting a family camping trip to end? Impossible. But true.  Even with all the work and inconvenience and and no sleep and work, it was a wonderful camping trip.

I'm not sure we will do it Conference weekend again though.  I think we realized that we should make that weekend all about listening to the messages our church leaders have for us and not about what fun we can fit into our weekend "off" from regular church.  We tried to listen to the speakers, but we it would be easier in more reverent atmosphere, like our home.  When my kiddos all leave the house and it's just Adam and I, then I can have my relaxing fall/conference weekend trip back.

Here's a cabin. Another change for this year, us Marble's took two cabins.  It was so nice not to be so crammed and the girls had a blast sleeping on their own with their door locked of course. Totally worth it.

Gosh, we looked so much better last year..must be aging:)

The set up.  My favorite part is that big black box.  For trek we collected enough cooking utensils, mixing bowls, knives and cutting boards to just pack them away in this camping box and not raid my kitchen at camping time.  His Dutch ovens fit in there and first aid kit and dish washing stuff. Love that.

A Sisters Weekend

It all happened kinda of suddenly.

It may have started with a bit of Mom feeling overwhelmed after a long Coverstar summer that hadn't ended yet and the never ending needs of her adorable children getting to her.  There was also a bit of homesickness in there too.  With three new babies in the family(all within the last three months) and her littlest sister playing her last year of volleyball, she was feeling a bit left out.

So she booked a trip to see them.

And she is so glad she did.

And so is her husband.  She came back a lot more cheery.

Thank you Adam for seeing that I needed to go and making it happen.  He got the girls out to school each morning and then drug that lovely 2 year-old we have around to his jobs sites during the day.  He made it home in time to get the girls off the bus and did the whole homework/dinner routine.  And he did splendidly during the weekend too with a trip to a corn maze and everybody dressed for church.

I really do love him.

It was officially a sisters weekend.  All the sisters and sister-in-laws were able to make it to my mom's house.  None of us could get away from all of our kids but we still did pretty well.  I took Cayden as my traveling companion.  He had been asking for months to ride an airplane to Papa's house and since all the other kids had had special trips to AZ(Ellie and Emma this summer and Seth and Gracie a year ago for my brother's graduation) it was his turn. He turned out to be a great little traveler and I really enjoyed our time together. 

First stop: Antelope vs Phoenix Christian

(Shanna is number 8 as the middle hitter)

I loved watching her.

It brought back so many memories.

I used to play that same team in that same gym.

They were a tough team back then too.

(My old camera hates to photograph in gyms)

Now for a girls get away you might be expecting lots of spa pictures or manicures or shopping, but surprise; this basement room of my mom's house is actually where we spent a lot of our time together.  This is my mom's craft room.  It is amazing.  She has anything your little crafty heart could desire.  Even my smallish crafty heart found some projects to do.  I commandeered her sewing machine and serger to sew Ellie and Emma some skirts and a super hero cape for Seth.  Lisa hemmed some shorts, made some cute little doll blankets, and glued up some hair bows.  

Then Mom got out her vinyl cutter and we never let that thing rest.  Everybody got a few iron-on Super Hero insignia's to place on capes and Halloween costumes. Christine made some cute monograms for above her kids' beds and a larger quote about big and little brothers for the boys room.  She had some Christmas ideas too that she worked on.  I was instructed by Ellie to get Grandma to cut her and her friends all the stickers they would need for their Halloween costumes- they are going as American Girls in the doll boxes.

You could tell it was pretty neat to my mom to have all her girls together doing things.  Things that she enjoyed too.  She is so happy to share her talents.

Even with babies napping or being fed by their mommas there were still a few children wandering around that needed looking after.

Here is how Uncle Eric watches children.

Coming from a time zone so far away is a bit of an adjustment(always waking up so early), but at least we got to see Shanna and Mom doing early morning seminary and then take her to catch her bus.

That there is the only "convenience" store within 30 miles.  Little Shan is about to hop on a bus for a 60mile ride to high school.  Shocking huh.  

And there was plenty of wrestling around even without the wrestling brothers here;)

I tried to get Cayden to hop on with me, but he's developed a bit of a fear for those loud noisy things.

And NOW for the babies.

Those handsome men I was just dying to see.

Mark named after his two grandpas is just as chill as could be.  He's a chubster and a happy one.

Dallin, the cutest little screamer ever.

He is a tough one, but if you hold him just right he'll be good for you.

And little Landon, the smallest of the bunch, but he's got the most hair.  He still loves to sleep alot.

Holly and Amy were feeling a bit left out.

(my poor little flash was pooping out on me)

And some Sunday looking cute pics.

Thanks mom and sisters for the weekend.

Sign me up for next year.