Parallel Parking Baby!

Taysom just parallel parked 9 times in a row successfully - license is in sight!

The Thanksgiving Top Ten Countdown

10. The gorgeous weather

9. Mom (Grandma) eluding Mike during croquet

8. Becca's delicious salad, Tucker's apple pie, Thanksgiving food in general

7. The guy's ping pong tournaments

6. Black Friday shopping with Taysom and Becca

5. Mom (Grandma) and Ilah's centerpieces

4. Izzy, Henry, and Ilah's fort

3. Dad (Grandpa) teaching Tucker the jump shot

(Sure wish we lived close enough so that you could work with him daily. He LOVED having you here!)



2. The Candle Club (are the kids creative, or what!?!)

Invitations sent out - Signs posted around the house - Brownies and Popcorn made - a whole dance hall created in the laundry room...

Henry creating the disco ball...

Everyone dancing in the dark (besides the flashlights...er... candles). What a blast!!!

Drum roll please...... The number one thing about Thanksgiving is....

FAMILY!!!!!

(as Ben and Becca said, "Isn't it about time")

Although I ran out of room on the countdown, I also LOVED Theo finally beginning to call Mike - "Uncle Mike" instead of "Uncle Russ" the last day or two of the trip :) And of course, I LOVED being out of school.

Thank you guys sooooo much for coming!

Yesterday, Ilah and I went on a walk, and I was telling her about my Thanksgivings growing up, with all of the cousins either at a church or at G&G Crosby's in AZ. I have such fond memories... I hope the kids remember this one. It was awesome :)

Thanksgiving Photos by our photographer Taysom

Donkey?!?

About a week ago, we were doing our family scripture study...I believe some where in Moroni... When it was Ilah's turn to read, her verses contained the word "hell". I have explained to the kids on multiple occasions that a word only becomes a bad word if it is used as a curse. I guess that doesn't change the fact that they don't feel comfortable saying it though. Anyway, Ilah decided to replace that word since she didn't want to say it. We were completely amused and surprised when she replaced "hell" with "donkey" - TWICE!

Locks of Love

Two years ago, when Ilah turned 8, Ilah decided to get her haircut "short" and donate her hair to Locks of Love. Our hair dresser wasn't sure if her hair was long enough to donate so we saved it in a bag. Two years later, Ilah's hair was long enough to cut off 11 inches - definitely long enough to donate. We went to the hair dresser (taking the hair from before as well) to get her hair cut. The hair dresser sent both batches of hair in to Locks of Love for us. Hopefully they will make a beautiful wig with her beautiful hair, and it will help some one special.

Cutting it off....

Ilah said that she was light-headed afterwards.

Check out the cute new hair style.

Why is everyone saying it's only 5 days until Christmas? I FIRMLY believe that it is barely past Halloween...

For Halloween we invited some friends over for Grandma Wallace's Halloween chili, karaoke, and trick or treating. Christy has a son Tucker's age, a daughter Ilah's age, a son Henry's age and an adorable five year old son. Our children have been good buddies ever since we moved here. We decided at the ward party that it would be fun for the kids to trick or treat together. Taysom invited her friend Brittany over too. After some delicious chili, we took turns singing, and sent the younger kids around the block. Then Mike and I dropped Ilah and Lydia off at Zoe's house so the ketchup and mustard could trick or treat together. We capped off the evening taking the boys around the neighborhood. It was packed!!!!

The Spook Light adventure didn't pan out so Taysom and Brittany challenged Tucker and Matthew to an ice cream carving contest. Then they left their creations on an unsuspecting strangers doorstep... I don't get it either... Later they watched Monsters vs. Aliens and, of course, handed out the candy.

Christy and our adopted daughter Brittany singing some Michael Jackson and Ghost Busters.


Revealing who we truly are...

(Matthew, Taysom and Tucker - in case you're not sure :)

The Erkle pose

Long lost twin???

Eat the Almond Joy - Eat it - Just eat it...

Betcha didn't know that Albert Einstein and the Ninja turtles were close personal friends.

Too cute condiments!

(Ilah and Zoe made their own costumes.)

Happy Halloween!

Pre-Halloween

With football/debate season, family time is rare and therefore even more precious than usual. Last Friday was parent teacher conference day which meant that the kids had the day off of school, and Mike and I only had a half day. No football practice for either Mike or Tucker - No half time band show since it was an away game - AND the debate tournament wasn't until Saturday. Soooo even though Mike and I are fighting colds, we decided to head to the pumpkin patch in Carl Junction. It wasn't quite Roloff Farms, but we enjoyed ourselves anyway. I even some mums... my first ever :)

(Tucker is wearing Grandpa Hinckley's overcoat that Grandpa passed on to Mike.)

Sunday after Stake Conference the kids decided it was time to carve the pumpkins - any of you who know me well, know that I don't enjoy carving pumpkins... So I volunteered to do Taysom's dishes and watched as the carving commenced. I had such a good time listening to the four of them. Sometimes they can be such good friends.... I LOVE IT! Here are some pictures of the finished products..

Ilah's happy pumpkin:Taysom's creation, the Space Invader by Henry - and below is Tucker's pumpkin flower....

The proud carvers ~

Ilah is trying to look like her pumpkin (above).

Taysom is trying to look like her pumpkin (below).

Not Bad!

We are looking forward to some traditional Halloween chili this Saturday and some tricks and treats. Since we banned Taysom and Tucker from trick-or-treating, they are planning on checking out the 'Spook Light'... Hope they make it back safe and sound! Sure wish everyone could come and join us.