Much Needed Thanksgiving Break

Thanksgiving break has been marvelous! I'm not quite ready to return to a busy full schedule. Reality calls I suppose. We've had a great time watching movies and eating popcorn and whatever else we've wanted. I took the kids to Despicable Me 3 at the dollar movie theater. The kids watched it over the summer but I hadn't seen it yet. I loved it. I loved the 80's villain and all of his 80's songs and dance moves. Ha. On Wednesday we got packed up and headed to my parent's house for Thanksgiving. We made it in time for yummy soup and pie night. Hart's family was also there. We watched a couple of movies that night. On Thanksgiving my mom had everything done early as usual. We ate and then we headed up and watched my dad burn down the branches that he and my brother and nephew had been cutting down for a couple of days. After that we went and hiked around Rocky Canyon for a bit. The weather was really nice. It was sunny and warm (for Arco in November) and no wind. It was a great way to break up the day. We later just ate more and played games and watched movies. On Friday morning we headed home.

My friend Karen's mom died on Friday night. She was in the hospital and wasn't going to recover so they pulled the plug. She doesn't have any family in town so she ended up coming over here so she wouldn't be alone. She stayed the night and left after breakfast. It was sad. Death is sad.

On Saturday we got together with all of our friends and had a pie night. It was fun and delicious. My pie was kind of a pinterest fail but it did taste good so that's all that matters. All week I've been having a Call the Midwife marathon session. I just finished season 6. That might be my favorite show ever. So good! Well I need to go make Sunday dinner and then go to bed. Ha. 4:15 am wake up call again. Oh the horror!

Scott got his c-pap machine. It is so quiet! It's amazing. I can't hear him breathing anymore either. It's crazy. It's pretty uncomfortable for him at this point and he's not sleeping well yet. He looks like Hannibal Lecter in it, It's kind of terrifying. Ha.

Gabby with her friend Mika. She had to have three play dates during the break. Oy!

My mom's dinner. SOOO GOOD! Jory the sweet potatoes this year and they were amazing!

Some of us eating dinner. My dad and Hart and Braden were getting washed up. They were late! Ha.

Kid table.

Farm work

Gabby just latched onto my dad this last trip. It was pretty cute. She kept doing his errands with him. Precious.

Hiking up Rocky Canyon

I would like to know the story behind the naming of this. Ha. 

I was trying to watch a show and I got bombarded. 

As soon as we got back from Thanksgiving Gabby busted this out. 

My peanut butter chocolate pie. Ha. There was too much filling and then I couldn't  get the whip cream to spread. The pie hardened but it quickly turned to soup when it was being served. It did taste good at least.

I've ordered three shirts from China on a website called Wish. They sell cheap stuff that is pretty hit and miss and then you have to wait 2 months for it to come in the mail. In the picture this shirt is navy and cream and the elbow patched are actual yon the elbows. Oh well, it's still pretty cute. 

Piper's First Lost Tooth

Piper has been waiting to lose a tooth forever! It finally happened. She was so excited. The tooth fairy came and brought her a dollar. It was very exciting.

I made it through the week okay. Working 10 hour days is a lot. I am very excited for Thanksgiving break. I have to come back after the break and I'm going to be there with the teacher. It will be a little awkward. It's like student teaching all over again. Ugh. The teacher isn't sure if she will be okay to teach or not so we will both be there. She got knee surgery and she won't really know how she will be feeling. In my mind I'm kind of planning to have to teach another week but also be ready to go home at anytime as well. 

Scott had a sleep study done last week. He's always had trouble with falling asleep in inappropriate times like driving, school, and work. His therapist encouraged him to see if there was something physically wrong. He was supposed  to be there from 7:00 pm until the following day at 5:30 pm. They ended up sending him home in the morning because he  showed signs of sleep apnea (even though his only risk factor he has is being male). His night time sleep patterns also indicated possible narcolepsy. They have to deal with the sleep apnea first to see if that helps and if it doesn't they will look further into the possible narcolepsy. He might be getting a c-pap machine. I DO NOT know how I will handle that! Ha. I'm guessing not very well. Anyway it will be interesting to see what happens with all of this.  

On Friday night we went to a Japanese grill with some friends. It was so yummy! We haven't eaten in a place like that for years. Yum. I busted out the Christmas decorations yesterday. I always think I'm going to wait until after Thanksgiving but I never make it. We have been watching Christmas movies and eating popcorn all weekend. That's the best!

First Lost Tooth!

Gabby's been busily crafting as usual. 

Scott made a delicious steak stir fry situation. So yummy!

My friend Rachel took me out to lunch for my birthday. Afterwards we checked out the crafts at the Wintery Market. I LOVE spending time with her.

I found this tree at the Idaho Youth Ranch a couple of weeks ago. I'm still working on the decorations. 

I put our old tree in the kids' room. They decorated it and put all of their ornaments on it. 

It's My Birthday!

Daylight Savings is extra rough if you are me and you work with students in China. With the time change I lose an hour of work and when I'm only working 2-3 hours a day that's pretty significant. I decided to try to get up a half hour earlier so as to not lose so much of my paycheck but also so I won't have to get up at 3:45 AM, just 4:15! Ha, Yuck. It's not natural! When I'm starting to work at 4:30 it just doesn't see right! Now my bedtime is 9:00. I really have to plan to make that happen but it has to happen or I don't function well. 

My subbing gig is going well. I had one class that was not listening so I made them run laps. Boom! This should be my last week with this job but the teacher I'm subbing for will find out at her follow up appointment if she can return to work and if she can't I may be working the week after Thanksgiving as well. Either way I get a week off for Thanksgiving. Holla! 

Monday was my birthday. Scott got up early to make me a yummy breakfast before I left to go sub. I got lots of birthday wishes which was nice. After work we went to a Mexican restaurant recommended by a friend and we liked it. We came home and had Costco pumpkin pie (so good)! 

On Saturday some friends took me to breakfast at Kneaders for my b-day. YUM! I still have another rain-check birthday lunch to look forward to. Birthdays are the gifts that keep on giving. LOVE! Later that night Scott and I met up with some friends and had their molted lava cake. 

Scott made dinner all this week and I was able to catch up with stuff like housework and errands over the weekend. I'm ready to face a new week! 

One of my friends bought me some cute workout clothes for my birthday since she knows I'm subbing PE everyday and need them. She also brought over some delicious cupcakes. She's the best!

Scott bought me some birthday flowers and SEE's Chocolates. My favorite! 

Free birthday fried ice-cream! 

Gabby birthday note.

Piper birthday note

A Piper picture. She's an artist too. 

Halloween

It was a crazy busy week. In addition to starting my 2 1/2 week sub job I also had something going on every night of the week. I had a friend surprise me that she was in town. She and her family were visiting Boise for the week. They moved to Tennessee 2 or 3 years ago so her husband could get his Ph. D. We got together on Monday for a some thrift stores shopping and they came over Wednesday night and brought us pizzas for dinner. We were able to catch up for a few hours and our kids had a great time playing and it was fun. That was a nice surprise in my week. She came to my door with some expensive shampoo for my birthday. A fun birthday surprise for sure.

On Monday night my friend Karen wanted someone to go the Rocky Horror Picture Show with her. I had no idea what I was getting into. Ha. It was an experience for sure. Tons of people in the audience came dressed up and throughout the movie the audience participated by throwing rice, dancing and all kinds of mayhem. The movie was wack but the experience was pretty fun. Luckily we bailed early because we were both over it and I could still go to bed early. Winning.

Tuesday was Halloween! I went and helped in Piper's class party. I was in charge of the spider hat/headband station. It was nuts. I was trying to frantically measure, staple and cut headbands and help the kids with their spider legs. I could have definitely used another adult at that station. That night we went trick or treating and had a grand time. I feel like I am in the golden ages with my kids and I am loving it. They are just the most perfect fun ages right now.

On Wednesday I started my sub job and it's been going good. The teacher I'm subbing for was really strict and had a good system so it made it easy to step in. I've also gotten more strict in my old age so it's going well. I get to wear sweats to work and 8 minutes of every class period is changing time for the kids. It's a sweet gig.

Thursday night I had book club and on Friday night a bunch of my friends got together for dinner and a movie for my birthday. It was a great time. This weekend I got a lot of rest time and some house and yard work done. I'm ready to start a new week. I'm glad this week there is less stuff happening in the evening. It won't be as exhausting.

Ryan has been in a pull up for a year. My other kids potty trained day and night at the same time so Ryan is the first kid I've had to deal with pull ups. I was a little worried he might be in them for years to come but luckily he just started waking up dry and sleeps in underwear now. Hooray!

Ryan quote on Halloween, "No Piper, it's not Happy Halloween. It's creepy Halloween."

Spider Hats

"Trick or Treat"

Gabby cat

Piper witch (I should have gotten a better picture of her hat it's the best).

Captain America

Corbin ninja. I think he's been a ninja 3 years in a row. He could barely squeeze into it this year. 

Corbin convincced Piper to help him fill his leaf bag and she was rushing to fill it up.

Ladies night

Crazy movie night

Surprise visit from my friend Chelsey. So fun!