Thanksgiving

The Turkey Bowl is the best time of year. Leo came dressed as an elf and Luca came dressed as a baby.

We had a good turnout of 18. The snow was soft and not slick, so we had a lot of fun running around in it.

Luca enjoyed the Max-free time on the swings.

Max did not enjoy getting stepped on by Rock

Touchdown!!

What a crew

Somehow along the way DeA and I became the adults and started hosting. We enjoy it a lot. It felt like Sunday dinner but with different people. Good people, but distinct from the usually crowd thanks to some families traveling away and others coming into town to visit.

DeA took a well-earned sit on the couch.

Rissa's crew and Dad came over in the evening for leftovers and games. Leo made everyone sit in a train.

Luca kept begging me to feed him until he was ready to explode.

We had a little mix-up with the rolls, so I baked a batch of Aunt Fay's rolls. We then spent half an hour trying to figure out who Aunt Fay was and how was she related.

Dad, Javi, and Rissa enjoyed playing games with the kids.

DeA and I enjoyed being in the other, more quiet, room and enjoying football and a very, very stuffed Luca.

It was fun to spend Friday watching football (as much as the kids would let me) and DeA enjoyed making Leo cuddle with her.

Saturday morning I went out with Keith and shot two geese. Max was impressed, unfortunately DeA was not. 

November of Snow and Ice

It's hard work watching the kids and being in charge, that's why Leo is so tired.

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving was the community dinner at the school. It will be the last time that we have a kid in the elementary school and Jens made sure that I knew that. It took some finagling of the schedule, but thankfully I was able to be there.

Ryker made this awesome Christmas tree decoration in shop. It's pretty impressive!

Speaking of impressive, he's been pretty good at hockey with two goals in three games.

Luca's mom never wants him around, so he ends up at Nama's quite a bit. He's not sad about it.

The Saturday before Thanksgiving was the annual cider press. Leo was there to help taste test. 

Luca was there to show off his bedhead and look like he was hungover.

It's always fun to share the process with newbies.

Mom went away for Thanksgiving and Dad tried to surprise her by repainting the cabinets.

Jens loves playing basketball. It's her second favorite sport behind softball and before soccer.

We've had a ton of snow this November, more than I ever remember. It's cool now, but by January I suspect that we will be very, very sick of the crap.

We always think of Leo as a white dog, but he's not that white after all.

 

Sugar Gliders and Early Winter

In the summer, we tried to help Ryker learn about the dangers of impulse buying (something he loves to do) by making him wait before purchasing a $40 pair of sunglasses. That delay turned into fish and then some expensive flying squirrel rats. After a long and lengthy bonding process, they are finally to the point of running around on the kids' clothes. Well, one does, the other is very bity and that's why his new name is Bity.

Fructose is very sweet and enjoys attention.

Aspartame is Bity, because he's not real sweet. This is still Fructose.

His real name is Evie, I don't remember why.

Fructose makes more sense.

Jens and Leo went as twins to school the other day.

Ryker's hockey games have begun, DeA used the late start to go on a little dinner date.

He is enjoying it so far, and scored a goal in his first game.

We had a very wet and deep snow storm in early November. It felt like January.

Sundays at church are fun when I get to watch Luca during primary.

It was weird to see trees still with leaves and all that snow.

A snowy Sunday is perfect for homemade carne asada nachos.

Ryker's second game went well, he didn't score a goal but he played hard.

Waking up early for seminary is killing DeA more than it is affecting Rock

Dad, Nick and I took a weekend for elk hunting. While we were at elk camp, we found time to buy new couches that are softer, fluffier, and more comfy than the ones we have now.

We didn't see any elk, but I did come across this ram on the way home.

The November snow at sunset makes for good pics with the kids.

Jens wanted to cuddle with Leo, so she had me put him on her lap. He wasn't sure about it at first, but after a few minutes he seemed very content.

 

Harlow's Blessing and Halloween

Jens gets so excited about seasons and holidays, and drew a pug in a pumpkin patch.

The kids and I drove to Sultan to participate in Harlow's blessing. We stopped at a new taco wagon in Gold Bar.

We crashed Nick's ward's Halloween. Multiple people called me Nick, which either means that we look a lot alike, or that he rarely goes to church and no one really knows what he looks like.

The fall weather is miserable in Seattle, but the trees changing are pretty.

Cousins!

We came home after the blessing and celebrated Luca's birthday!

Halloween was on Monday night, the boys were too cool to dress up for the Trunk or Treat. At least they were willing to pose for a picture.

I am not too cool/old/proud to dress up and happily wore my Seahawks uniform all day long.

OCD candy management. They definitely take after their mother.