Emma's home for Thanksgiving. These two...

        Wow, I can't believe its taken me so long to get back on here.  Honestly, I only enjoy blogging if I don't feel like its a chore.  And besides, instagram has stolen my heart away I suppose.  I have felt a pull the last couple of weeks to get on here again and update a little.  Right now I will not, but soon I will.  I don't want to make a liar of myself.  Today is not Ten on Ten, nonetheless, I took the pictures for it a couple of days ago (the 10th!) and thought Id post them to ease my way back.

Breakfast my sweet Andy got for me

Waiting in Andy's office before heading to class

My study buddy after morning class

library time after music time didn't go so well

Lunch when Andy's not home

Always waiting for the big kids

Off to my next class

Dinner that I didn't have to make. It was a group effort.  Caleb made the salmon patties, I started the cooker for the white/brown rice and Andy roasted the broccoli.  I come home from class to a yummy dinner!

Valentine prep

I had a birthday, hooray!

Andy was a little out of commission so we saved a date till the next week.  He did make me a wonderfully yummy dinner though and I guided Emma on making her first (pumpkin)cheesecake - for me!  She did super and she doesn't even like cheesecake!

The kids made me sweet cards and I went shopping the day before with Emma to get myself some things.:)  Andy got me some gifts later in the week... and I'm counting my new living room rugs as my too expensive birthday present.:)

Halloween!

Knives were flying everywhere, except for Isabel, she decided to paint and glitter pumpkin:

Isa got mummy wrapped at story time:

Scout activity:

Halloween dinner:

University trunk or treat:

We could not even manage a picture of them all together, and no picture of Emma dressed as an old lady with her friends.  The boys were meant for dark so they weren't that cool until they started glowing.

Isa had her costume planned since last year.  I don't know how she got the idea to be bat girl in her head but she didn't forget it and she was, of course, the most beautiful bat girl ever.

rotting pumpkins!  I love rotted pumpkins on my front step.

Emma and her friends, dressed as old grannies, handed out boxes of raisins.  So mean!:)

Ten on Ten (Six on Eleven):

(Will I ever get this right?!)

Left early to run several errands out of town.  The drive between:

Nigey was out on the way home.  He abhors shopping, screaming the whole time wore him out!

 Isa is at school and Nigey is in bed.  I've got to get on top of this mess... except I never did.  Nige didn't take a nap(surprise, surprise) so I ended up doing some re-organizing in the boys room.  Need 5 more hours in the day to make a good dent on my list.

 Gathering, assessing, and washing heavy coats/gloves/hats for every kid.  

 Andy and I had other plans so I fed the kids cereal for dinner.  They love that!  Because that was dinner, before I left I cut veggies for them to eat before bed.  They love that too!

Andy hosted Yuri Herrera on campus here for a couple of days.  Yuri is one of the most famous Mexican authors right now and Andy had the pleasure of escorting him to and from several different events, (we won't mention when he came here to meet the family with 3 minutes notice!)  including hiking in the canyon with our two boys!  Fortunately, I was able to attend one lecture and dinner with a couple of Andy's collueges, a couple of students and Yuri.  He was the nicest and also seemed very humble and easy going.  

 Last month Caleb received his arrow of light in cub scouts and crossed over to boy scouts.  I cannot believe how old he is.  His leader David West goes all out every pack meeting and made the night really special for Caleb.  After the sun went down all the kids roasted marshmallows around the fire pit he put together.

Lucky for us, Andy got a new calling that his parent's wanted to be here for so they came out for a quick visit.  While they were here we put grandpa to work on the fire pit we wanted in time for Caleb's party.  We love it!  And we loved having them visit us as we always do.  Wish they could have stayed longer.

Caleb very specifically wanted a strawberry shortcake cake.   I cut a pound cake in half, put a huge layer of strawberry ice-cream between the two layers, covered it in cool whip and refroze.  He loved it.  And it took a couple of minutes so I loved it.

This picture is so funny.  I'm wiping my ever watery eyes, half the boys are shirtless - as always, and Caleb is doing some sort of dance.  It was a crazy party in the dark and the boys had a blast.

It's hard to believe our little Caleb is already 11.  It blows my mind.  

Caleb, we love you so much.

 October Eleven on Twenty Nine (October 10 on 10):